Nation

THE STATES

Published

15 years ago

June 30, 2011

Adamawa

The Adamawa Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB) has decried the increasing rate of consumption of alcohol by some primary school teachers during working hours.

The board’s Director of School Servives, Hajiya Fuloh Maikano, made the observation on Tuesday in Yola at a “train the trainer” workshop on abuse of alcohol for primary school headmasters.

The workshop was organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in collaboration with ADSUBEB.

Maikano said such teachers, who were mostly in the rural areas, engaged in the consumption of local gin, popularly known as “Ogogoro” which had adverse effect on their health.

Borno

Another bomb exploded on Monday in Maiduguri near the customs round about, killing two children.

Maj.-Gen. Jack Nwaogbo, the Commander of the Military Task Force code named “Operation Restore Order’’, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri.

Nwaogbo said that three customs officers were also injured in the explosion, suspected to be a car bomb.

“Two people died in the blast; they are children believed to have accompanied their mothers hawking in the area.

“Three custom officers were also injured although the injuries were not life threatening,” he said.

Ekiti

The Ekiti Government has said that its decision to raise bonds from the capital market was because of the need to fast-track development in the state.

Mr Oladapo Kolawole, the state’s Commissioner for Finance, gave the explanation in Ado-Ekiti on Monday while addressing stakeholders at a public hearing on a bill to raise the bonds.

The bill is titled, “Ekiti State Bonds, Notes and Other Securities Issues Bill 2011”.

In the bill, the state’s governor is seeking the state legislators’ approval to enable the state government to raise bonds from the capital market for the execution of pressing capital projects at minimal and affordable interest rates.

While debating the bill during its first and second readings, most of the lawmakers expressed support for the executive bill.

FCT

The Cameroonian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Salahudeen Abbas, has commended the remarkable progress recorded so far by the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola.

A statement by Mr Abbas Tahir, AUN’s Vice-President, Public Relations and Communications, on Tuesday said.

Abbas made the commendation when he visited the university while leading a 10-member Cameroonian officials to Yola for a diplomatic meeting on interconnection of power between the two countries.

The meeting also facilitated the inauguration of a bilateral technical committee of 23 members with respect to electricity sharing between the two countries.

Jigawa

The Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in Jigawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdul, has decried the high rate of drug trafficking and drug abuse in the state.

Abdul bared his mind at a seminar to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse, last Tuesday in Dutse, saying that the development had led to an upsurge in other crimes in the state.

He said that the high intake of hard drugs in the state had also caused a wave in the rate of armed rubbery, prostitution, pastoral and farmers’ conflicts as well as kidnapping.

The commander said that within five months, his command alone had arrested 156 suspects with 46 kilograms of various drugs of abuse in the state.

Kaduna

Bee-keeping Extension Society, a Kaduna-based NGO, has appealed to the Federal Government to engage youths in bee-keeping business to curb restiveness.

The president of the society, Mr Idris Mohammed, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Mohammed stressed the need for the government to provide the enabling environment to enable bee-keepers compete favourably with their international counterparts, as Nigerian honey had been adjudged the best worldwide.

Lagos

The Chairman of Conoil Plc, Dr Mike Adenuga, says exposure of shareholders to the provisions of International Finance Reports Standard (IFRS) will aid corporate governance.

Adenuga, who made the observation at a workshop in Lagos said that there was the need to educate shareholders on the new accounting method.

He promised that his company would train members of its audit committee on the new method.

Our correspondent reports that Adenuga, who was represented by a director in the company, Dr Moses Omatsola, charged shareholders to organise “exploratory workshop” on IFRS.

Oyo

The Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN) has suggested channelling flood waters to dams as an effective flood control strategy.

Mr Rotimi Oloye, the national Secretary-General of the association, made the suggestion while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Tuesday.

Oloye said that the strategy could also pave the way for more fish ponds in the country, adding that the numerous inland waterways in the country could be made viable for fish production.

Ogun

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun last Tuesday said that given the poor financial situation of the state, his administration might not be able to pay the N18,000 minimum wage.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minimum wage issue has pitched most of the state governors against labour, for claiming that they had no adequate resources to pay.

Some of the governors had recently hinged the payment of the new wage on the upward review of the revenue allocation, which they said was grossly in favour of the Federal Government.

Osun

Chief Adelowo Adebiyi, the Chairman Osun Action Congress of Nigeria

(ACN) has called on the people of the state to support the state government’s environmental sanitation programme.

Adebiyi, who made the call in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo, noted that the programme was one of Aregbesola’s promises to give the state a face lift.

He said that the cause of restoring healthy living in the state, which is one of the items on the administration’s six-point agenda might fail if nothing was done.

“The battle to rid the state of filth is a major task without which the health of our people might be in danger.

Sokoto

Hajiya Luba Hassan, a PDP Ward Secretary in Sokoto South Local Government Area has appealed to the state government to provide some infrastructure in Gagi, to prevent floods in the area.

Hassan told newsmen in Sokoto that the infrastructure, including drainage, if provided, would prevent houses from collapsing.

“We lost two girls and several houses as a result of heavy rain fall about a week ago.

“Our Governor is a listening one and I am very optimistic that he will urgently do something about it because he is concerned about the yearning and aspiration of the governed.’’

Zamfara

The Zamfara Government says it will partner with France to develop irrigation agriculture to facilitate economic growth and place agriculture as a major revenue earner.

The Acting Governor of the state, Malam Ibrahim Muhammad, said this in Gusau when he received the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Jean Michel Dumont, who paid him a courtesy visit.

Muhammad noted that Zamfara is an agrarian state which requires modern agricultural systems to boost its production capacity for enhanced revenue generation and the development of its economy.

According to him, the state looks forward to a partnership that will be mutually beneficial .

He commended the French Government for its foreign policy of non-interference in the internal politics of other countries.

Earlier, Dumont said he was in Zamfara to seek collaboration with the state in area of agricultural development.

Nation

HYPREP Marks 15 Years Of UNEP Report, Highlights Major Cleanup Milestones

Published

1 week ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.

In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.

The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.

According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.

Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.

In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.

The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.

Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

2 months 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

2 months 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.