Nation

THE STATES

Published

16 years ago

November 1, 2010

Bauchi

Hajiya Habiba Ali, the Co-ordinator of Rahma Women Development Programme, a Bauchi-based NGO, said on Wednesday that the organization had trained religious leaders on preventive measures against HIV/AIDS.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Ali said the trained religious leaders were to enlighten their followers in various Mosques and Churches on how to avoid the virus.

The co-ordinator said the religious leaders were also tutored on why the people should not stigmatise those living with HIV/AIDS, as prevalent in some communities.

Ali named other professional groups, youth peer-educators and some care givers as others sensitized by the NGO to carry the message to various segments of the society.

Borno

University of Maiduguri graduated 48,401 students between 1978 and 2006, the Vice-chancellor, Prof. Mala Daura, said in Maiduguri on Thursday.

Daura, who made the fact known at a news conference, explained that 6,842 of the graduates received diplomas and certificates, 36,848 received first degrees and 1,711 were awarded postgraduate diplomas.

He also said the university awarded 2,893 masters’ degrees and 107 doctorates over the period.

Daura said the university would graduate 15, 881 students at its 21st convocation, “the students are those who passed out during the 2006/2007, 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 academic sessions.

Ekiti

The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Felix Ajakaiye, on Thursday, ordered the compulsory recitation of the National Anthem in all Catholic schools in the state.

Ajakaiye also directed that all social events organised by the Catholic Church’s establishments must start and end with the singing of the anthem from now.

He gave the directives when he visited the Holy Child Secondary School, Ado-Ekiti, for its 15th Founders’ Day celebration during which he discovered that there was no provision for the anthem on the programme of events.

The school is one of the nearly 60 institutions owned by the Catholic Mission in the state.

FCT

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has expressed readiness to assist Nigeria in the implementation of the Global Jobs Pact aimed at wealth creation.

Mr David Lamotte, ILO’s Special Adviser and Co-ordinator of the Global Jobs Pact, disclosed this on Thursday, in Abuja, when he met with the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu.

Lamotte said his visit to Nigeria was to enlighten stakeholders in the labour sub-sector on the implementation strategy for the Global Jobs Pact which would help in reducing unemployment in the country.

Jigawa

No fewer than 75 per cent youth corpers constitute the teaching staff in Jigawa, Mr Nurudeen Baba, the state’s NYSC Coordinator has said.

Baba said this in Gumel during the swearing-in ceremony of Batch ‘C’ corps members posted to the state.

He explained that due to the dearth of teachers in the state, the NYSC posted 80 per cent of the corps members to schools in the rural areas to teach.

“From our statistics, more than 75 per cent of teachers in Jigawa are corps members. In some schools, some corps members are even made vice principals,” he said.

Katsina

A total of 5, 505 out of the 6,100 intending pilgrims from Katsina State have so far been airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the 2010 Hajj.

The Secretary of the Katsina State Hajj Committee and Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Affairs, Alhaji Nasiru Abdul, disclosed this in Katsina on Thursday.

He said the pilgrims were transported to the holy land by Max Airlines on 11 flights, stressing that the 11th flight of 502 pilgrims took-off from the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Airport, Katsina at 12:17 a.m.

Kaduna

Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has inaugurated a 30-member Governorship Campaign Council with his former boss, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi as a member.

Other people on the council are the Adviser to the Vice- President, Sen. Isaiah Balat, the Chairman of Peugeot Automobile Ltd, Alhaji Sani Dauda, and Alhaji Yusuf Hamisu, a PDP senatorial aspirant.

The team is to be chaired by the governor while Alhaji Muktar Yero, the Deputy Governor, will serve as the Deputy Chairman.

Inaugurating the council, Yakowa warned PDP supporters against campaigns of calumny and the use of indecent language, adding that they must be peaceful in their conduct.

Kogi

The Management of Obajana Cement Company in Kogi has finally agreed to send 1,200 truck drivers in the company to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) for safety driving training.

The Sector Commander of the FRSC in Kogi, Mr Sunday Maku, confirmed the development in Lokoja, on Thursday, in an interview with newsmen.

He said the training would be handled by the commission’s headquarters and that it would last for three days.

The management of the cement company had been under pressure from the FRSC which has consistently requested it to send its truck drivers for safety training.

Lagos

Workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) on Thursday cautioned the Federal Government against sacking 50, 000 workers in the company to avoid industrial crisis.

In a statement issued in Lagos, the workers said that the sack of the workers could also lead to a national blackout.

The statement was signed by Mr Mansur Musa, President, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), and the General Secretary, Mr Joe Ajaero.

The statement said that the workers were also planning a campaign for the removal of Prof. Bath Nnaji, the President’s Adviser on Energy, for allegedly misrepresenting the government.

Nasarawa

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Umar, says regular training and exercises by officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force will boost their combat readiness.

Umar said this on Thursday, in Keffi in Nasrawa State, at the “Small Arm Range Classification Exercise,” organised by the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters (NAF) for its personnel.

He was represented by Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh, Air Officer Policy and Plans at NAF Headquarters, Abuja.

“In protecting the nation you need the riffle, so the training that is being carried out is to give our air men and women proficiency on their jobs”.

Niger

The Niger state Government has promised to complete all projects conceived under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement in the state.

The state’s Head of Service (HOS), Alhaji Ahmed Matane, disclosed this in Minna on Wednesday, while reacting to recent media reports calling on. The media reports indicated that some Niger State indigenes had criticized the manner of implementation of the PPP projects.

They alleged that most of projects had been abandoned after expending huge sums of money on them.

The head of service, however, said that the government had pursued the partnership to achieve physical development against limited resources with “all honesty and due process”.

Osun

Physically challenged persons in Osogbo, the Osun capital, have appealed to governments at all levels to assist them financially to promote their vocational businesses.

Our correspondent reports that majority of those interviewed earn a living from hat, shoe and soap making.

Blessing Babatunde, a fashion designer, said: “Being

crippled is not the end of life. I am able to cater for myself and assist my younger ones.

“Despite all efforts to be independent, there is no help from government; the government should assist the physically challenged people so that beggars would reduce on the streets.“

Plateau

The FRSC in Plateau has started to clamp down on unregistered motorcycles and other vehicles in Plateau.

The Sector Commander, Mr Samuel Odukoya newsmen in Jos on Thursday, that owners of impounded vehicles were liable to a fine of N10,000 each.

“We are aware of the influx of motorcycle operators from neighbouring states and we want to ensure that they register their motorcycles before they operate here,” he said.

Odukoya called on motorists to ensure that their motorcycles and vehicles were “duly registered” to avoid being impounded or arrested.

Sokoto

Council has approved the electrification of 28 communities in 14 of the 23 local government areas of the state.

Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the state’s Executive Council meeting in Sokoto on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Faruk Yabo, said that the project would gulp N839 million.

He explained that the project work would include the upgrading, extension and improvement of some of the electricity installations in the communities.

He said that the council had also approved the divestment of the state government’s 766 million shares in Unity Bank of Nigeria Plc at N1 per share.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

23 hours ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) says it has strengthened collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to enhance quality control and enforcement frameworks.

Mr Oisereime Lloyd-Dietake, the Head of Communications, REAN, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the collaboration would also involve stakeholder engagement on testing, certification and capacity building in Nigeria.

He said the synergy would strengthen quality control and enforcement frameworks, promote policy alignment, and ensure stronger regulation across the renewable energy value chain.

“REAN reaffirms its commitment to standardisation and quality assurance; tighter collaboration with SON is critical to eliminating fake and substandard renewable energy products from the Nigerian market.

“Enforcement and gaps in existing standards have continued to allow inferior products to circulate, undermining consumer confidence and slowing sector growth.”

Lloyd-Dietake said that at high-level discussions, REAN also highlighted the need for stronger regulatory coordination to address emerging challenges in the renewable energy space.

According to him, the issues include inconsistencies in standards, affordability issues linked to certification processes; and the increasing presence of substandard solar and renewable energy equipment in the country.

“The association further raised concerns about delays in product testing and approval, calling for the establishment of more testing laboratories and certification facilities to improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecks in the system,’’ he said.

Lloyd-Dietake urged closer collaboration among key regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the Rural Electrification Agency.

He said such team work would ensure harmonised standards and more effective enforcement against fake renewable energy products in the Nigerian market.

In response, SON acknowledged the important role REAN continued to play in supporting standardisation within Nigeria’s renewable energy industry and reaffirmed its willingness to deepen collaboration with the association.

SON further confirmed that REAN would be actively involved in future standard review processes and upcoming stakeholder engagements related to renewable energy and electric mobility standards development.

Lloyd-Dietake said REAN affirmed its willingness to formalise the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

He said the MoU is aimed at deepening cooperation, promoting quality assurance, and accelerating Nigeria’s transition towards reliable and standardised renewable energy solutions.

Nation

Self Help Africa programme expands water access for 320,000 Nigerians

Published

23 hours ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) Programme, implemented by Self Help Africa, has expanded access to safe water and sanitation services for more than 320,000 people in Kano and Cross River States.

The organisation disclosed this on Tuesday at the WS4H National Results and Learning Workshop in Abuja, where stakeholders reviewed achievements and lessons from the intervention.

Speaking at the event, Self Help Africa Country Director, Joy Aderele, said the programme demonstrated that sustainable WASH improvements require strong institutions, effective governance, adequate financing and collaboration.

Aderele said the UK-funded programme was designed to strengthen systems that support sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.

According to her, the intervention focused on improving governance, planning, financing, accountability and sector coordination to ensure resilient service delivery.

“More than 320,000 people now have improved or restored access to water services through programme-supported interventions,” she said.

She added that more than 5,520 household toilets were constructed in Yala and Makoda Local Government Areas, boosting sanitation, public health and efforts to end open defecation.

Aderele said the programme also strengthened public investment in WASH, with Cross River increasing its sector budget by 211 per cent in 2026 and Kano by 169.07 per cent.

She added that dedicated WASH budget lines had been established across 40 Ministries, Departments and Agencies in both states, strengthening accountability and institutional commitment.

According to her, both states reviewed and adopted updated WASH policies, while key planning documents were developed to guide future investments and service delivery.

She said Cross River also recorded a major legislative milestone through the passage of the Water Law and Open Defecation Prohibition Bill.

Aderele added that lessons from interventions in Yala LGA were already informing expansion efforts in Obubra Local Government Area.

While commending the achievements, she noted that capacity gaps, resource constraints and climate-related pressures remained challenges to sustainable WASH services.

“The sustainability of these gains will depend on continued government leadership, adequate financing, strong partnerships and investment in institutional capacity,” she said.

Also speaking, the Programme Manager of WS4H, Mr Timothy Ibeawuchi, said the intervention focused on strengthening systems needed to sustain gains and attract future investments.

According to him, the programme engages stakeholders in developing strategies that preserve achievements and support long-term service delivery.

“System strengthening work takes time because it addresses the fundamental issues responsible for sustainable and resilient service delivery,” he said.

Ibeawuchi said the programme strengthened policy development, planning, financing, monitoring and evaluation systems across the WASH sector.

He said two pilot local government areas were supported to develop WASH strategic plans outlining sector goals, targets and activities between 2026 and 2030.

According to him, the plans will guide future interventions and improve service delivery in the affected councils.

Earlier, the representative of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Chidera Chukwu, reaffirmed support for Nigeria’s development efforts in spite of the programme nearing completion.

Chukwu commended the Self Help Africa-led consortium for delivering the programme with professionalism and a strong focus on systems strengthening.

He said the consortium contributed greatly to strengthening Nigeria’s WASH sector through policy reforms, improved coordination and enhanced accountability.

“Together, we have advanced key policy and legislative reforms, including open defecation-free laws and strengthened state WASH frameworks,” he said.

According to him, the reforms represent enduring system-level changes that will continue delivering benefits beyond the programme’s lifespan.

In his remarks, Mr Jamilu Habu, Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, commended the programme’s achievements.

Habu, who represented the Permanent Secretary, said the intervention strengthened governance, coordination, evidence-based planning and institutional capacity in the WASH sector.

He described the workshop as an opportunity to review achievements, share lessons and identify pathways for sustaining and scaling successful interventions.

According to him, the programme’s innovations and best practices will guide future policies and investments aimed at expanding access to safe WASH services.

Habu stressed the need for continued collaboration among governments, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and communities.

He said stronger partnerships remained essential to achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and meeting Sustainable Development Goal 6.

Nation

Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

Published

23 hours ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

Residents of Ajah, Mafoluku and other flood-prone communities in Lagos have recounted how Thursday’s torrential rainfall left them stranded, submerged homes and cut off access to major roads.

The residents, who spoke with Tide source, on Friday called for urgent government intervention to tackle the recurring flooding blamed on poor drainage infrastructure.

Along Mobil Road in Ajah, Mrs Rukayat said floodwaters submerged about 200 metres of the road, forcing commuters to wade through waist-deep water.

“The water level was almost up to my lap. People literally had to wade through it to get home,” she said.

According to her, many motorists turned back, while others abandoned their vehicles and continued their journeys on foot.

“The only way to pass through the water was by walking or using a tricycle. Even then, the tricycles broke down and had to be pushed,” she said.

Rukayat said some youths assisted stranded tricycle operators by pushing their vehicles through flooded sections for a fee.

She said residents had repeatedly alerted authorities to the flooding but little had changed.

“We reported this when the rains started, but apparently nothing has been done about the problem,” she said.

She attributed the flooding to poor drainage and possible blockage of a major canal serving the area.

“There is a big canal here, but I don’t know what is preventing water from flowing through it properly,” she said.

According to her, overgrown vegetation and sand deposits might have obstructed the canal, reducing its capacity to discharge stormwater.

She added that although floodwaters usually receded after a few hours, sections of the road remained waterlogged.

In Mafoluku, residents said several streets, homes and access roads were submerged, leaving many unable to return home after going about their daily activities.

Mrs Iriagbonse Okunkpolor, a resident of Agboola Street, said what began as a short trip to buy household items became an hours-long ordeal.

“I left my house to buy a few items nearby, but the rain started suddenly and flooded the entire street.

“I was stranded for hours because there was no safe way back home,” she said.

Another resident, Mr Mukaila Idris, described the flooding as both dangerous and distressing.

“The current was very strong. I watched people pay young men to carry them across the water because they were afraid of being swept away or falling,” he said.

According to him, only physically fit residents could navigate the floodwaters safely, while many others waited several hours for the water level to subside.

Mr Williams Ekpo, who lives in the Eyinogun area, said the flood extended beyond the roads and entered residential compounds.

“The floodwater entered our compound and damaged some household items.

“This happens almost every rainy season, yet nothing seems to be done to address the drainage problem,” he said.

The residents urged the relevant authorities to investigate the persistent flooding and improve drainage infrastructure to prevent a recurrence during the rainy season.