Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

June 18, 2012

Benue

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has requested the assistance of the Benue Government to get the National Assembly to approve its Rice and Cassava Value Chain Programme.

The IFAD Country Programme Manager in Nigeria, Miss Atsuko Toda, made the request when she led a Supervision team monitoring the IFAD-assisted Rural Finance Institution Building (RUFIN) programme’s projects in the state on a courtesy visit to Gov Gabriel Suswam.

RUFIN is a seven-year programme designed to improve the performance of non-bank rural finance institutions to enable them to develop to sustainable Rural Microfinance Institutions (RMFIs) in the 12 participating states.

The goal of the programme is to improve the income, food security and general living conditions of poor rural households, particularly women-headed households, youth and the physically challenged.

Atsuko appealed to the governor to help expedite the approval process, saying that the state would benefit from the programme. According to her, the programme will attract more funding to micro-finance institutions in the state.

FCT

The Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) last Thursday expressed disappointment over the spate of allegations of bribery rocking the National Assembly.

The National Chairman, Mr Sam Nkire, made the condemnation in an interview in Abuja, described the allegations “as not only shameful but also a terrible commentary on the nation’s legislative institution”.

According to him, it is quite disgraceful that the leadership of both legislative houses have never sanctioned members implicated in any of these allegations.

He called on the leadership of the National Assembly to redeem its image by suspending all those members who had cases to answer.

The chairman said this had become imperative in order not to leave the public with the impression that it condoned corruption. “ The NASS should realise that the public is anxious to know what steps it will take in respect of its members implicated in the power, SEC and fuel subsidy probes,” he said.

Jigawa

The Jigawa Government, has procured 3,000 tonnes of assorted fertiliser worth N359 million for sale to farmers during this year’s cropping season.

The Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Alhaji Babandi Gumel, disclosed this in Dutse last Thursday in an interview after the state executive council meeting.

Gumel said the fertiliser bought included NPK, Urea and organic fertiliser for farmers’ use to increase agricultural production.

He explained that NPK and Urea would be sold to farmers at the cost of N2,500 per bag, while organic fertiliser would be sold at N1, 900 per bag adding that fertiliser would be sold to farmers at different locations across the state.

Gumel also announced the termination of the contract for the supply of fertiliser given to Allied Range and Fuldu Nigeria Ltd. for failure to supply fertiliser at the stipulated period of one month.

Kano

A former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Air Vice Marshal Muktar Mohammed, has called for collective efforts of the people to fight corruption in the country.

He made the call at a one-day sensitisation workshop organised for the senior management officers of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) in Kano on Thursday.

The workshop was organised by the Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the hospital, in collaboration with the zonal office of ICPC in Kano.

Mohammed said the appeal was necessary because of the level of corruption in the various sectors in the country.

According to Mohammed , there is the need for Nigerians, irrespective of their religious or political inclination, to support the anti-corruption crusade.

Zakari urged the participants to make the best use of the forum, to ensure that their various departments were corrupt free.

Kaduna

The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) centre in Kaduna, last Thursday honoured 150 voluntary blood donors.

The North West Zonal Coordinator of the service, Dr Abigail Bozegha, told journalists in Kaduna that the honour was part of activities to mark this year’s World Blood Donor Day, commemorated on June 14.

Bozegha explained that the donors were given various gifts items in appreciation of their sacrifice to save the lives of other people.

She urged Nigerians to embrace the culture of voluntary blood donation to prevent further unwanted deaths in the country resulting from blood shortages. The coordinator said the centre had collected 1,500 pints of blood in the first five months of the year.

Bozegha said the blood was screened and distributed to needy patients within the period under review. “In Kaduna State with an estimated population of 6.7 million people, about 67,000 people should serve as blood donors,’’ Bozegha said.

Katsina

Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State last Thursday appointed Alhaji Usman Daudawa as the new Managing Director of the state’s Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KTARDA).

Daudawa’s appointment followed the removal of the erstwhile Chief Executive, Dr Abba Jamo.

Jamo’s removal is contained in statement issued in Katsina by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service, Alhaji Dalha Adamu.

The same statement named Daudawa as his replacement. It did not give any reason for Jamo’s removal.

Jamo was redeployed as director to the Monitoring and Evaluation (M & E) Department of the state’s Ministry of Agriculture as the director.

Kogi

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) last Thursday began the assessment of emergency provisions in public and high valued buildings in Kogi.

The exercise started in Lokoja with the assessment of emergency provisions in the state secretariat complex by officials of NEMA, Red Cross and the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (KOSEMA).

The assessment will later be extended to other high valued and public buildings in the state.

The officials assessed the adequacy and state of alarm systems, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, exit doors, provision for disabled in emergency situations and first aid box and facilities at the staff clinic. The exercise also featured the demonstration of emergency staff evacuation drill for workers.

Commenting on the exercise, the Coordinator of Abuja Zonal office of NEMA, Mr Ishaya Chonoko said that the exercise was part of the agency’s response to current wave of terrorism and disasters in different parts of the country.

Kwara

A mobile court in Kwara State last Thursday convicted 34 drivers in Ilorin for violating various traffic rules.

The Magistrate, Mr Shuaib Olanikewu, convicted 34 of 35 accused drivers arraigned before him, while the 35th accused person, an NYSC member, was cautioned and discharged.

The convicts were fined from N1, 000 to N4, 000 depending on the type of offence committed.

The offences committed by the drivers included failure to use sea belts, overloading and driving without the driver’s licence, among others.

Most of the drivers were convicted of failure to use seat belts.

Commenting on the development, Mr Christopher Ademoluti, the Kwara Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said the exercise would continue to mitigate the level of road crashes in Kwara.

Plateau

The Plateau Government last Thursday threatened to stop forthwith, the payment of salaries of striking local government workers in the state.

The workers embarked on strike action two weeks ago to press home their demand for the full payment of the N18,000 minimum wage as against the half salaries they have been receiving since January.

Sokoto

The Sokoto State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Alhaji Aminu Kofar-Soro, last Thursday warned officers and men of the corps against misuse of fire arms.

Kofar-Soro said that the command would not tolerate any form of misuse of fire arms as any one found wanting would be sanctioned.

He said that the fire arms must be used to safeguard government property against vandals and enhance the security situation of the state.

The commandant said that the command had already drafted an effective operational order that would enable the officers to discharge their primary assignments without hindrance.

He called for the support of the members of public by giving intelligence reports about their communities.

Taraba

The Taraba Coordinator of the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Malam Saidu Yusuf, has decried the state’s low enrolment in the institute’s programmes, despite the number of unqualified primary school teachers.

Yusuf said in Jalingo in an interview that unqualified teachers in public schools in the state were not utilising opportunities provided by the institute to update their knowledge in recent trends in education development and teaching skills.

He said the National Certificate of Education (NCE), which was the minimum qualification for teaching in primary schools, had continued to elude such teachers because of their inability to improve themselves.

Yusuf, therefore, advised the unqualified teachers to enrol for NCE courses to enable them meet the minimum qualification to teach in primary schools.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

4 weeks 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

4 weeks 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

4 weeks 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.