Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Some groups and individuals in the North-East geo-political have kicked against the use of ethnic nationalities as representatives at the proposed National Dialogue.
They made their opinion known at the North-East Public Hearing on the conference, organised by the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue said such representation would defeat the purpose for which the conference was convened.
In his presentation, Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, is saying that the use of ethnic nationalities was not feasible.
“Bauchi State alone has over 50 ethnic groups and a state like Taraba, among others, has over 100. ‘Therefore, it is not possible to have every tribe represented, as this can create room for chaos,’’ he said.
Borno
The Borno State Government on Monday, expressed delight over Federal Government’s promise of a possible assistance to victims of Boko Haram insurgency attacks in the country.
Governor Kashim Shettima who stated this in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Communications, Mallam Isa Gusau, in Maiduguri said he “received with cheers” the announcement by Jonathan that government would soon provide assistance to victims of Boko.
The governor said he was excited on hearing the news that the presidency was working toward setting up a committee to work out modalities for assisting Boko Haram victims.
“The victims of the crisis, especially those residing in Borno who were worst hit by the insurgency, deserve all forms of support from government and the private sector. This is because no material assistance can adequately replace their loses,” he said.
Ekiti
Afenifere chieftain and Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has warned the state government against any plan to frustrate the trial of suspects in the murder of Foluso Ogundare in Emure-Ekiti.
Ogundare, a supporter of House of Representatives member and All Progressive Congress governorship aspirant, Opeyemi Bamide, was shot by suspected political hoodlums on Sunday, November 3, 2013 in Emure Ekiti at the meeting of Opeyemi loyalists.
The police in Ekiti last week said they had arrested the suspected killers. Adeyeye alleged that the government was planning to make a “no-case” submission through the state Ministry of Justice when the suspects get to court.”
In a statement on Monday by the Director General of Adeyeye’s campaign organisation, Bisi Kolawole, the PDP chieftain said, “Chief Adeleye Awolumate, Kehinde Fajuyi, Michael Ipinlaye, Ayo Murphy Jeje, Mrs Juliana Adewumi and Foluso Ogundare are all victims of political violence.
FCT
President Goodluck Jonathan last Monday in Abuja decorated his Aide De Camp (ADC), Ojogbane Adegbe, with a new rank of Colonel
At the ceremony held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the president charged Adegbe to do more to justify his promotion in the Nigerian Army.
“When you are given higher authority you are expected to perform according to your status. “We hope that whatever you have been doing very well you will even do more.We wish you success in your career.You are a privileged colonel, otherwise, they would not be here.”
Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the ceremony, Adegbe thanked God for the opportunity and the promotion.
Oyo
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Monday in Ibadan swore in 12 newly-appointed commissioners, urging them to exhibit high level of integrity, commitment and service to humanity.
Oyo State House of Assembly had on Thursday ratified the list of the 12 commissioners sent to it by the state governor. The commissioners comprised five members of the former cabinet and seven new ones.
One of the new commissioners, Oyefunke Oworu, was a former Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Investment and Cooperative, while Gbade Lana was the former Chairman of the state Library Board.
Those recalled include Adebayo Ojo, Dapo Lam-Adesina, Zacheaus Adelabu, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin and Adetutu Adeyemi-Aigbe, while the five new ones are Prof. Solomon Olaniyonu, Adewale Olujide, Adedeji Akande, Umar Alao and Abiodun Atanda.
Lagos
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has called on the Federal Government to do all it can to improve the funding of Nigerian prisons.
The governor made the call in Ikeja while handing over four buses to the Nigerian Prisons Service, to enhance its operational efficiency.
Controller of the Prisons Command in the state, Mrs Kate Ononye, led other officials to receive the State Government’s donation.
The governor said that proper funding of the prisons was imperative to strengthen criminal justice administration in the country.
Kaduna
Some groups in the North West have called for a Sovereign National Conference (SNC), saying it was the best option in the search for a new Nigeria.
The groups made the call in separate presentations at the public sitting of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue in Kaduna.
One of them, The Katsina Group said the SNC would afford Nigerians the opportunity to take ownership of the conference and the decisions arrived at.
Its spokesman, Alhaji Kabiru Yahaya said the group was dissatisfied with the current state of the nation and would welcome open, frank and engaging discussions to move the country forward.
Katsina
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has presented relief materials worth millions of naira to Katsina State Government for distribution to flood victims in the state.
The Coordinator of the agency for North-West zone, Alhaji Musa Ilallah, presented the materials to the Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in Katsina.
Ilallah, who was represented by Alhaji Mannir Gidado, an official of the Agency, said the relief materials were meant for distribution to flood victims in the local government areas that were affected by the disaster.
Responding, , Executive Secretary, SEMA, Alhaji Hassan Rawayau who received the items on behalf of the state government, commended NEMA for the support.
Kebbi
The Federal Ministry of Environment says it will train unemployed youths as forestry guards in Kebbi state as part of measures to protect the 100 kilometre shelter belt project in the state.
The ministry’s controller of environment in the state, Mr Ijioye Adekunle, said in Birnin Kebbi that the shelter belt project was established in Arewa and Dandi local government areas of the state.
He said that the engagement of the youths as forestry guards was in line with the Federal Government’s shelter belt programme adding that the second phase of the project would involve the provision of perimeter fence, water and security along the stretch of the belt.
He said the project which would involve 130 kilometres of five rows of trees with an interval of three metres was conceived to encourage planting of trees in the desert-prone areas to curtail environmental degradation and boost livestock development.
Kogi
The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, has urged political leaders in Kogi to adopt proactive measures to address any breakdown of law and order in the state.
Maku made the call at a Town Hall Meeting in Lokoja to end the tour of projects in Kogi by the National Good Governance team.
The minister stressed the need for leaders in the state to support the peace efforts by government to douse tension often generated as a result of political activities.
He advised that security must not be taken for granted, stressing that Kogi is the heart of the nation and we must not tolerate any disruption of peace in the state.
Plateau
Lecturers at the University of Jos have voted for continuation of the on-going strike by the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) in the country.
Chairman of the chapter, Dr. David Jankam who made this known last Monday while speaking shortly after the congress of the chapter said members did not see any substance in the dialogue with the federal government to warrant calling off the strike.
Sokoto
A Sokoto-based “large scale” water vendor, Chairman of the Katsina State Indigenes Association ( KTSIA) Alhaji Aliyu Daura, has introduced a scholarship scheme for youths in Sokoto city and its environs.
Daura said on Sunday in Sokoto that the first batch of 30 beneficiaries, all of them indigenes of Sokoto State, received N5,000 each.
According to him, beneficiaries of the gesture need only to be students of tertiary institutions of learning who have duly registered in their respective schools.
“These are indigent youths in the Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, across Nigeria. I always tell them the importance of education, as well as maintaining law and order so as to have lasting peace in Nigeria,” he said.
Zamfara
The Zamfara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) lastTuesday said it had registered 36 private security guard companies across the state for training.
The Head of the command’s Department of Private Guard Companies Training, Mr Aroworo Michael, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondence in Gusau.
“Two of the 36 registered outfits are indigenous while the remaining 34 have their headquarters outside the state,’’ he said.
The NSCDC official said the exercise was part of the agency’s mandate to register, train, supervise and monitor private security guard companies in the country.
“As part of our office activities, we have a dog section where we train dogs in various security techniques,” he said.
L-R:1st Vice President, National Assembly of Djibuti, Mr Mohamed Hoomed, former UN Undersecretary, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and former President, African Development Bank, Dr Babacar Ndiaye, at the 1st Africa Legislative Summit in Abuja last Monday. Photo NAN
Strategic regulators and other stakeholders have expressed satisfaction with the pace, quality and magnitude of work carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In their separate speeches at the 2025 4th quarter key regulators / asset owners meeting held in Port Harcourt, the strategic stakeholders commended HYPREP for the significant milestones achieved with excellent efficiency and transparency, demonstrating capacity and commitment to sustaining collaboration with development partners for the overall success of the Project.
The regulators particularly lauded HYPREP for the landmark success in the implementation of the land and shoreline remediation, mangrove restoration, provision of reticulated potable water, the various sustainable livelihood programmes, donation of ambulances to health facilities in Ogoni, the construction of Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, as well as the ongoing Ogoni Power Project, adding that their independent field reports have shown proofs of HYPREP driving even beyond its mandates.
The goodwill messages were made by representatives of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Centre for Environment and Human Rights Development (CEHRD), Society for Women and Youths Affairs (SWAYA), Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), and Federal Ministry of Environment. Others are the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Rivers State Ministry of Power, the Rivers State University, the Rivers State Ministry of Water and Rural Development, and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
Following the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit’s presentation on the status of HYPREP projects, participants offered feedback on areas of concern. They reassured HYPREP and the people of Ogoni of their continued support for the Project’s success. They also suggested that the quarterly review meeting be sustained as it enables them to report, evaluate and proffer solutions to areas of concern.
Participants also commended HYPREP for improved community and stakeholder engagement and for adding to what they saw the previous time. “We commend HYPREP for the quality work done at sites. The progress is phenomenal, because HYPREP is scoring good grades, above average,” Prof. Iyenemi Kakulu from Rivers State University said.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who was represented by Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services, commended the regulators and asset owners for their cooperation with the Project, and for making themselves available for fieldwork and the regular review meetings.
Prof Zabbey reiterated HYPREP’s commitment to best practice in waste management, particularly waste generation and disposal, calling on the Regulators for adequate logistics support, saying HYPREP’s priority is to focus on the core recommendations by UNEP, especially, remediation(soil, shoreline) mangrove restoration, provision of potable water, interventions in public health care services and sustainable livelihood for the people.
The Project Coordinator further highlighted the status of the Project, the successes achieved across all thematic areas, and assured that HYPREP will soon complete most of the ongoing projects and roll out others. He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of the Ogoni cleanup, ensure quality control, and foster effective collaboration.
Consequently, the quarterly key regulators/asset owners meeting is HYPREP’s strategic stakeholder management model, further underscoring the Project’s commitment to transparency, partnership for development, and accountability, all of which are harbingers of effective project delivery.
Speaking to newsmen, HYPREP Project Support Lead and representative of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, described his involvement with HYPREPas an encouraging and insightful experience, saying, the Project is implementing a wide range of projects across Ogoniland, spanning immediate remediation works as well as livelihood support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of affected communities.
Engr Igbinomwanhia emphasised that Renaissance Africa Energy remains fully committed to supporting the objectives of the Ogoni cleanup project, noting that the company has a long history of collaboration with HYPREP.
He added that the partnership has been characterised by continuous learning, adaptation and a willingness to respond to observations and recommendations aimed at improving outcomes.
He further emphasised the importance of safety in all project operations, particularly given the challenging terrain and operating conditions in Ogoniland.
He noted that safety is treated as a critical priority and that contractors are continually reminded to maintain high safety standards, stressing that lessons learnt from previous operational challenges like the collapse of the water tank in Gwara Community are being applied to strengthen safety practices and overall performance.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
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