Nation

THE STATES

Published

15 years ago

August 17, 2011

Adamawa

No fewer than 13 families in Shuwa District in the Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa, have been displaced by flood, the Sole Administrator of the Development AreaAlhaji Suleiman Duhu has said.

Duhu told the newsmen that several hectares of farmlands had also been destroyed by floods in Mayo-Wandi and Kirchinga Villages, following a heavy down pour last Thursday.

He said that the rain which lasted for about six hours caused the Kwasagama River to burst its banks, submerging houses and farmlands.

Duhu said that the flood destroyed maize, millet and sorghum plantations and washed away part of the Shuwa-Kwirchinga-Tzuyal access road.

He said that most of the displaced families are now residing with their relatives in the area.

The sole administrator said that the development area would monitor the villages, to ascertain.

Bauchi

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State last Friday swore in 16 commissioners and 20 advisers as members of the state executive council.

The immediate past Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abubakar Faggo, who lost his bid to return to the House in the April general elections, was among the new cabinet members.

Yugudaalso swore in 19 Local Government Caretaker Chairmen, while the 20th person was absent on health ground.

Shortly after the appointees took the oath of office, the governor said that the commissioners and advisers were chosen on merit.

He said that the cabinet members were personally selected by him unlike in the last dispensation when most of the former commissioners and advisers were imposed on him by his political associates.

Ile-Ife

The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu has said that ObafemiAwolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Osun, would soon perform open heart surgery.

Chukwu made the statement during an assessment visit to the hospital preparatory to the inauguration of the Federal Government/VAMED projects in the institution.

The minister said the medical team for the surgery had been trained and nearly all the equipment needed installed.

He also said that DNA analysis could be done by both the OAUTHC and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and called on Nigerians to make effective use of the facilities instead of going overseas for medical treatment.

Taraba

The PDP in Taraba has called on residents of the state to show understanding on the delay in filling up the ministerial slot meant for the state.

The Chairman of the party in the state, Dr Abdulmumini Vaki, made the call in an interview with a correspondent on Saturday in Jalingo.

Vaki assured that the state would eventually get its slot.

People of the state through their representatives, unanimously rejected the nomination of the immediate former Minister of Water Resources, Mr Obadia Ando, by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Vaki gave an assurance that Gov. Danbaba Suntai and Jonathan were committed to appointing an acceptable person to replace Ando.

The party chairman also debunked rumours making the rounds that plans were on to impeach the state’s Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sani Danladi.

“It is baseless. Mind you, the PDP and the state’s assembly are one family.

Jos

Sen. Gyang Dantong has advised Nigerian leaders to emulate Britain’s handling of the London protests to rid the nation of incessant violence.

“Insecurity and crises are worldwide, but what matters is the way we handle such situations,’’ Dantong told newsmen in Jos on Sunday.

“The perpetrators of the London violence have been arrested, tried and sent to prison, unlike in Nigeria where those arrested were usually freed.

“If anyone had said that London will be insecure today, no one would have agreed, but that is the reality.

“So, you can see that the handling of the violence is the difference; In London, hundreds have been arrested, charged to court and jailed; The rioters have been taken off the streets and away from the society.

Kaduna

A cleric of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) Revelation Sanctuary, Barnawa, Kaduna Pastor Chucks Godswill on Sunday urged Nigerian leaders to reposition themselves for selfless service.

Godswill said this while delivering a sermon entitled “Reposition Yourself”, stressing that it aimed at encouraging Nigerians on what seemed hopeless in the nation.

The cleric said that if the leaders repositioned themselves for selfless service, there would be a better Nigeria.

He urged leaders at all levels to work according to what they were called for, stressing that “selfless service

is the only motto to moving the nation forward.’’

Katsina

A 19-year old man, Aminu Usman, was on Friday found dead and hanged on an iron bar in front of the residence of one Alhaji Adis’s in Sha’iskawa quarters in Katsina metropolis.

An eyewitness said that the body of Usman was discovered shortly after the Muslim morning prayers.

The witness said residents of the area were confused as they never heard sounds of struggling from the deceased before his death.

The deceased had taken his pre-dawn meal (Sahur) and washed two sets of clothes few minutes before he was found dead.

The deceased, said to be a secondary school leaver, was described as ‘ ‘quiet’’ and never seen engaged in a fight with anyone.

Kebbi

The coordinator of the Kebbi office of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Alhaji Yahaya Fanna, has alerted the public of the sale of sub-standard tyres and other products in the state.

Fanna, who visited the Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in the state,Alhaji Umar Babuga, in Birnin Kebbi, cautioned the public on the purchase of sub-standard products, especially for domestic use.

He solicited the support of the NOA in enlightening the public to be wary of the products they purchased.

He said in addition to sub-standard tyres, torch lights and electric cables were among the sub-standard products sold in the markets.

Lagos

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, has said that 80 babies have been delivered since the 59th Annual Convention of the church began on Monday.

Adeboye, who made the announcement at the Redemption Camp on Saturday, said 37 of the babies were boys while 42 were girls.

The pastor, who expressed happiness over the development, said “the boys are catching up with the girls’’.

Delivering a sermon titled “The seven categories of progress,” the clergyman urged Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of Jesus Christ by submitting to Him.

Maiduguri

Hajiya Nana Shettima, the wife of the Borno State Governor, on Saturday presented food items to members of the Muslim Widows and Orphans Association in Maiduguri.

She donated several bags of rice and sugar.

Speaking at the event, Shettima pointed out that the gesture was in fulfilment of Islamic teachings of assisting the needy, particularly during the Ramadan.

“As a woman I always feel touched when I remember the pains the less-privilege go through trying to get food in the current harsh economic situation in the country.

“I decided to make the presentation during the month because Ramadan is a period of sober reflection, repentance and charity.”

Shettima urged widows and those who were yet to be members of the association to register so they could be eligible to benefit from government’s assistance to the group.

Minna

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger last Saturday pledged to sustain the state’s polio-free status for the next 10 years.

Speaking during a one-day sensitisation campaign against polio at the palace of the Emir of Minna, Aliyu said the state would strengthen its primary healthcare system to take proactive action on polio eradication and other routine immunisation.

“We must sustain the efforts of the past two years of a zero polio state and ensure that we achieve the total eradication of polio among our citizenry”, he said.

He called on stakeholders to continue to support the effort to sustain the gains already recorded in the fight against polio and sustain the momentum for the next 10 years.

Osogbo

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Friday assumed the portfolio of Commissioner for Works in the state cabinet, while his Deputy Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, took charge of the Ministry of Education.

The governor announced the appointments during the inauguration of a 14-member cabinet in Osogbo.

He urged his colleague commissioners in other ministries to perform their duties well.

Aregbesolaurged the Commissioners to draw inspiration from the late Chief obafemi Awolowo, the Premier of the defunct Western Region, who belived that his cabinet was one that “any head of government in the world will be proud of”.

Quoting Awolowo, the governor said his team was “a well knit, highly disciplined and fanctically loyal team”.

Yola

The Adamawa Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ADCCIMA) has declared that Savannah Sugar Company, a subsidiary of Dangote Group, has no case to answer in the compensation dispute between the sugar company and its host community.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

3 days 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

3 days 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

3 days 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.