Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

May 7, 2012

FCT

The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President (SSAP) on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is partnering with the Albino Foundation to provide succour to those living with albinism.

The SSAP on MDGs, Dr Precious Gbeneol, said this when she received members of The Albino Foundation (TAF) in Abuja last Thursday.

She said the office was partnering with the foundation under the MDGs Albinos Support Programme Initiative (MASPRO).

Gbeneol explained that MASPRO was a special focus empowerment project designed for the vulnerable section of Nigeria’s populace with principal consideration for people living with albinism.

“The initiative is an effective channel to reach a hitherto unreached group of Nigerians.’’

She said her office would address awareness progammes, economic empowerment and social inclusion of albinos.

Gbeneol said that some albinos had been given protective gadgets to prevent their exposure to the rays of the sun which make them prone to developing skin cancer.

She said the office was also planning skills acquisition and how to reduce poverty among the albinos.

Kano

Kano State Hisbah Command has started training prospective couples who qualified for its match-making project, our correspondent reports.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr Musa Tanko, said that the training, which would be held in batches, was aimed at preparing them for wedlock.

The speakers, drawn from various fields, made presentations on topics such as the importance of marriage and reasons for staying in wedlock.

One of the speakers, Dr Yakubu Katchako, who spoke on the rights of couples, said that women had the rights to decision-making in their matrimonial homes.

Dr Sani Shu’aibu whose presentation was on the processes of divorce in Islam, said that divorce was more prevalent in the Hausa speaking communities.

He said that research had revealed that the Hausa community was rated number two in terms of high rate of divorce in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

A participant at the training, Malam Sulaiman Muhammad, expressed optimism that the lessons learnt would guide him through his new marriage.

Katsina

The Katsina State Government has awarded a N600. 8 million contract for the purchase of 5, 000 tonnes of fertiliser for farmers, the Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Gide Sani, said.

The contract is in addition to an earlier one in which the government ordered 20, 000 tonnes for the farming season, Sani told newsmen in Katsina on Thursday.

He said the decision was taken at the state executive council meeting on Wednesday, adding that the state still had 17,000 tonnes of fertiliser remaining from the stock of 2011.

The commissioner said the contractors had six weeks to supply the commodity for distribution to farmers at subsidised rates.

The state government last week approved the inauguration of Songhai-Katsina Agricultural and Agro-allied projects worth more than N3.4 billion.

Lagos

A gang of armed robbers has shot dead two residents of Ibereko, Badagry during an attack on a family house in the area.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Dankoli Mohammed, in Badagry, who confirmed the incident, told newsmen on Thursday that one of the victims died on the spot, while the other died in the hospital the following day.

“It is true that some robbers attacked a private home at Ibereko on Tuesday morning and shot two people during the operation,” he said.

The DPO said that no arrest has been made adding added that the remains of the two victims, Bello Isah and Akeem Oluwarotimi, have been deposited at the mortuary, while police investigation continued into the matter.

Nasarawa

Nasarawa State Government has revoked the contract for the state’s Aerial Geographic Information system (NAGIS) awarded by the past administration in 2010 at a cost of N499 million.

The Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Mr Sonny Agassi, disclosed this on Thursday in Lafia while briefing newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council meeting.

Agassi said that the contractor (JM Technologies) violated the contractual terms and lacked the capacity to deliver on the job.

He said the state government decided to revoke the contract and re-award it to another company (Suraj Engineering Consortium) at a cost of N2.7 billion.

The commissioner said that the new contract had three major components.

“These are digital aerial mapping of the state with the aim of giving appropriate titles, aerial geographic information services as well as detailed district planning of Lafia, Karu and Keffi.’’

Ondo

The Ese-Odo Local Government Chairman, Akinwunmi Sowore, has described politics as an instrument for tackling development challenges in the area.

Speaking with newsmen in Ese-Odo, Ondo, Sowore said politics could be used to influence decisions to favour communities, local government and states

“Politics is worth doing as it involves our day to day activities; my entry into politics has given me a lot of insight into the affairs of Nigeria.

“Since we came on board, we have been trying to impact on the lives of the people through our numerous empowerment programmes and about 500 youths have benefited.

“About 1000 of them are in the pipeline for the oncoming empowerment scheme; we have also been able to set the women up in small scale businesses,” he said.

Osun

The Radio Television Theatre Arts Worker’ Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Osun chapter, has appealed to the state government to commence the implementation of the N18, 000 minimum wage.

The state chairman of the union, Mr Layi Odekunle, made the appeal on Thursday in Osogbo in an interview.

He observed that the implementation of the wage would improve the purchasing power of workers in the state and make life more conducive for them.

The labour criticised the high salary being paid to political office holders, saying that the monthly salary of a special adviser was more than the salary of three directors in the state civil service.

Odekunle urged Gov. Rauf Aregbesola to ensure that payment of the new minimum wage was across the board, adding that it should not be restricted to officers on grade levels 1 to 7.

Oyo

The Oyo State Government says it has paid N396.7 million as WAEC fees for 67,786 students in the state’s secondary schools.

The state’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs Adetokunbo Fayokun,made this known during a media briefing in Ibadan on Thursday.

Fayokun also said N21.9million was paid as bursary award for 219 law students from the state in the 2010/2011 academic session.

She said the bursary was restricted to law students alone because the budget inherited by the present government did not take care of other disciplines.

He, however, added that as from the next academic session, the bursary would cover all students in other disciplines.

The commissioner said 250 pairs of furniture was purchased for Igbo Elerin Grammar school under the Education Trust Fund (ETF) while rehabilitation of 35 schools damaged by storm was carried out at cost of N269 million.

Sokoto

The Sokoto State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Jabbi Kilgori, says the state government is set to procure 296,000 bags of assorted fertilisers from the Federal Government for the 2012 farming season.

Kilgori told newsmen in Sokoto on Thursday that the fertilisers would be bought under the newly introduced electronically enabled system called “e-wallet voucher system using GSM.’’

According to Kilgori , the consignments will comprise 148,000 bags each of NPK and Urea brands of the commodity.

“We will buy each bag of the commodity at N5,500 while both the Federal and Sokoto State Governments will provide a 25 per cent subsidy each, on any bag of the commodity.

“Only genuine farmers will get the commodity while private fertiliser companies and agro-dealers will be used in transporting the fertilisers to the 23 local governments of the state.’’

Taraba

The Taraba State Government has awarded two separate contracts worth N10 billion for the construction of 4km roads in the headquarters of each of its 16 Local Government Areas.

The contracts were awarded under the State Joint Account Project to PW Nigeria Ltd and Taraba Road Construction and Management Agency (TARCMA).

Mr Timothy Kataps, the Commissioner for Justice, who signed on behalf of the government, said the roads would be constructed in the headquarters of each of the local government.

“PW will execute the project in 10 local governments in southern and central Taraba, while TARCMA will handle the roads in six local governments in the northern zone of the state,” he said.

Nation

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

Published

12 hours 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

1 month 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

1 month 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.