Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

January 2, 2013

Benue

The Benue State Government has promised to

organise subsequent editions of the Youth Carnival in the State.

Governor Gabriel Suswam, represented by his Deputy, Stephen Lawani, announced this in Makurdi last Saturday at the end of the Youth Cultural Carnival in the state.

Suswam explained that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism would henceforth, partner with the office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Affairs, to organise subsequent youth carnivals.

He said the just-concluded carnival was the best of its kind in the country due to its positive effect on the dying cultures in the state. The governor said the carnival was capable of transforming Benue youths into international celebrities if they were adequately trained.

Gombe

Unidentified persons have kidnapped a mem

ber of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Alhaji Jalo Ganga (PDP-Gombe North ), at his residence in the Gombe metropolis on Sunday. A source told newsmen that the kidnappers with a motorcycle, abducted the lawmaker around 5 a.m. when he was going for his morning prayers. The source said the lawmaker shouted for help to no avail as his captors were bent on taking him away to an unknown destination. The Commissioner of Police in Gombe, Malam Mohammed Sule, confirmed the incident, saying that the lawmaker was kidnapped last Sunday morning.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State Government has threatened

to prosecute traders, who manhandle chickens and other poultry animals in the state.

The Chairman, Consumer Protection Agency in the state, Alhaji Abdulkadir Hadejia, gave the warning last Saturday during a sensitisation exercise at Furji Market in Yankwashi Local Government Area.

He said the government had placed a ban on the manhandling of chickens in all markets across the state and warned that defaulters would be prosecuted. “The action is cruel, inhuman and exposes the animals to maltreatment.

Kaduna

The remains of Mr Idris Mohammed, the Aide

De Camp (ADC) to Kogi Governor, was buried in Sabon-Gari, Zaria, Kaduna State, last Saturday. It would be recalled that Mohammed died in an auto crash in the same car with Governor Idris Wada, at Emi-Woro village on Ajaokuta-Lokoja Road on December 28.

Mohammed, 42, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), is survived by his wife, five children and his aged mother, Hajiya Amina.

Mohammed attended Alhudahuda College and Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, both in Zaria before he enlisted into Police Academy for Cadet Inspectors’ Course.

Kogi

The Deputy Governor of Kogi, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, has ex

pressed thanks and appreciation to God for sparing the life of Governor Idris Wada, who was involved in auto crash on December 28. This is contained in a statement signed by Micheal Abu, his Chief Press Secretary, in Lokoja last Saturday. Awoniyi also expressed thanks to all those who supported the state during its trying moment and those who wished the governor speedy recovery through their visits, phone calls and prayers. He also commiserated with the family of the Aide De Camp to the Governor, late Mohammed Idris, who died in the crash.

Lagos

The Lagos State Government last Saturday expressed satis

faction with the performance of its students in the 2012 May/June WAEC examinations. Chief Fatai Olukoga, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, expressed the satisfaction, while speaking with newsmen in Lagos.

He stressed that the state recorded a significant improvement in the students’ performance in the examinations. “The state scored 38 per cent outstanding performance in core subjects in the results released by WAEC.

“It is the best in the country and the main reason for the improvement is the government policy which ensures that pupils are only promoted on merit in our primary and secondary schools,’’ Olukoga said:

Niger

The Niger State Government has spent N80 million on train

ing 10 pilots at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology’s facilities at the Minna Airport, the state’s Commissioner for Transportation, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammad, said on Sunday.

Mohammad made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Minna. “The trainee pilots had completed their ground training preparatory to their flying training. “We are spending N8 million each for the training of each pilot, who had concluded their ground training, using the stimulators in Minna and the training facilities in Zaria.

Ogun

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun has ordered the re

lease of 20 prisoners and commuted the death sentences of three others to life imprisonment.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, said in a statement in Abeokuta that the governor took the action in exercise of his powers of Prerogative of Mercy under Section 212 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

The statement said the governor acted on the recommendations of the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.

“The 20 prisoners whose freedom has been ordered were those serving sentences of three years imprisonment and have 12 months left. “They are also are adjudged to have good records and good conduct, “ it said.

Osun

The Osun Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation,

Prof. Olubukola Oyawoye, said on Monday that the State Government would no longer tolerate defecating in public places from next month.

Oyawoye, who gave the warning in Osogbo while speaking with newsmen, decried the way and manner some public places in the state had been operating without functional toilets.

The commissioner called on business organisations to provide toilets for their workers and customers to ensure public health.

Oyo

A driver, Adedoyin Musibau (43), was on Monday dragged

before an Oyo Chief Magistrates’ Court on a three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession and stealing of seven goats.

The accused and others now at large on Dec. 9, at about 1:30 a.m., allegedly stole one goat worth N5,000 belonging to one Alhaji Agboola Tunde and seven other goats found in his possession worth N21,000.

The Police Prosecutor, ASP. Abiodun Aluko, said the accused could not give satisfactory account of the additional goats found in his possession.

Sokoto

The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’I, last

Saturday pledged the Federal Government’s commitment to give priority to teachers’ education through effective training to improve their skills.

Rufa’I made the pledge in Sokoto at the closing of the 2012 Millennium Development Goals capacity building workshop for teachers.

She said the nationwide programme was split into two and designed to target 40,000 teachers across the federation.

Represented by Mr Ojo Joel, the Director of Education in the ministry, Rufa’i said the workshops would improve teachers capacity in subject contents, pedagogy and general methods of teaching.

Zamfara

The Zamfara State Government has supplied medical equip

ment worth millions of naira to the newly inaugurated Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau.

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Bello Kwatarkwashi, made this known to the newsmen in Gusau.

Kwatarkwashi said that the items include surgical equipment, special beds for intensive care units and a large number of parameters. He said that other items include blood and sugar monitoring instruments, radiotic incubators and cardiology machines for heart diseases.

Nation

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

Published

3 days 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.