Nation
THE STATES
Benue
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State said
that 33 aspirants had indicated interest to contest the governorship election on the platform of the party in 2015.
The Benue State Chairman of PDP, Dr Emmanuel Agbo, told newsmen in Makurdi that the party’s primaries must be free and fair.
Agbo said that all members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party had resolved to ensure that all candidates were given equal opportunities.
“33 aspirants have so far indicated their interest to contest the party’s governorship ticket in the forthcoming election.
Ekiti
No fewer than 21 political parties will participate in the
Ekiti State governorship election coming up on June 21.
The Ekiti State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission,(INEC) announced this in a statement in Ado-Ekiti recently.
Speaking to newsmen on the list, the spokesman of the Commission in the state Taiwo Gbadegesin said the list might not be final as some more might still show interest while some that had already indicated interest might choose to opt out.
He said INEC would not give special preference to any of the political parties, saying a level playing ground would be accorded all of them in every of its activities and actions.
FCT
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administra
tion and Control (NAFDAC) has warned the public against indiscriminate consumption of energy drink for health reasons.
The Director, Pharmacovigilance and Post Market Surveillance Directorate of the agency, Mrs Adeline Osakwe, gave the warning in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
According to her, energy drinks are supplements that contained high caffeine and carbohydrate which are made to make a person hyper active.
“The effect of the caffeine in energy drink makes people to get high, to be stimulated and of course, it makes the person’s heart to beat faster”, he said.
“It can have adverse effects, especially when the person over uses them and it accumulates in the system. The caffeine in it can lead to increase in blood pressure.
Jigawa
The National Agency for Food And Drug Administra
tion and Control (NAFDAC) has threatened to close down any packaged water factory that failed to comply with water quality standard.
The state Director of the agency in Jigawa State, Mr Olaniran Olakunle, gave the warning at a meeting with members of the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) in Dutse.
Olakunle said that NAFDAC would not spare any manufacturer of packaged water who produced unclean water.
”The penalty for not complying is closure of the factory and withdrawal of NAFDAC licence,” he said.
He explained that the agency had introduced Annual Monitoring of Water Quality Standard and Compliance for all water manufacturing facilities across the country.
Kaduna
No fewer than 50 journalists with different eye diseases
have benefited from free eye screening in Kaduna State.
The free eye screening was organised by the Kaduna state chapter of Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ) recently.
The screening was to assist journalists overcome challenges associated with sight to enable them discharge their duties more effectively.
Mrs Juliana Oyoyo, the state chairperson of NAWOJ, said the free screening was to help journalists who used computers daily in the course of their work to correct whatever challenges they might have with their eyes.
Kebbi
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Office
in Kebbi State says it has executed 152 projects in 21 local government areas in the state.
The Consultant of the projects, Dr Balarabe Isah, made this known to newsmen in Aleiro Local Government Area when he inspected the projects.
He said that 122 projects were newly constructed while 30 were rehabilitated.
“The projects comprised solar-powered boreholes for water supply to rural communities and construction of staff quarters for staff at the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) centres.”
Isah said that the projects were 100 per cent completed, especially, water supply projects, adding that 90 per cent completion was recorded in the provision of staff quarters that had yet to be furnished.
Kwara
The Landmark University, Omu-Aran in Kwara State
is to partner with the British Council for educational development, Mrs Ngozi Osueke, the institution’s Corporate Affairs Officer, has said.
Osueke told newsmen in Omu-Aran that discussions on modalities and platform for the partnership was almost concluded.
According to her, the partnership became necessary for the institution to expand the scope of its academics and more importantly its agrarian revolution initiative.
“The university, in order to expand its major focus on its agrarian revolution, is currently working out the modalities for an all encompassing partnership with the British Council.
Lagos
The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS)
said it sealed 15 companies in the last two weeks for failing to remit N34.7 million personal income taxes of their workers.
The Head, Distrain Unit, of LIRS, Mrs Folasade Coker-Afolayan, said this last Sunday in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
She said that the tax liabilities were for period ranging from one year to three years.
Coker-Afolayan reiterated that tax payment was a civic responsibility of citizens whose proceeds were being used by government to provide the infrastructure.
“Tax is a major source of government revenue. It enables government to provide infrastructure and improve citizens’ standard of living,” she said.
Ondo
The police have arraigned a 52-year-old man, Osagbeue
Chuks, in an Akure Magistrates’ Court for impersonation, unlawful possession and theft of books from Ondo State High Court library.
The prosecutor, Insp. Martins Olowofeso, alleged that the accused stole the books on March 12 from the library in Akure.
“The accused stole 12 copies of different volumes of the Nigeria Supreme Court case books valued N400,000, property of Ondo State High Court of Justice.
He said that the accused impersonated a lawyer in order to gain access to the library.
Ogun
Ogun State Government has begun the distribution of
Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) to residents across the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Olaokun Soyinka, said that community members had been given net cards during a nine-day household mobilisation held between February 21 and March 1.
He said that the collection of nets would be between March 15 and 19 at respective distribution points across the 20 Local Councils Areas of the state.
Our correspondent reports from some distribution points that residents thronged the venues in large number queuing to collect the nets.
Oyo
The Group Managing Director, Odu’a Investment Com
pany Ltd., Mr Adebayo Jimoh, has called for the adoption of “we-can-do-it” mind-set of the Koreans as a means of developing the nation’s human capital.
Jimoh made the call, while delivering the Distinguished Alumnus Lecture organised by the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, Ibadan.
Our correspondent reports that the lecture was entitled: “Challenges of Human Capital Development”.
He said that in addition to educating the people, the promotion of an entrepreneurship culture would assist the nation in becoming a technological base driven nation.
Plateau
President Goodluck Jonathan has commended Governor
Jonah Jang, for his strides in transforming Plateau.
Jonathan, represented by Vice President Nnamdi Sambo, gave the commendation in a thanksgiving service to mark the 70th birthday of Jang in Du, Jos South Local Government Area recently.
He said that the achievements of Jang had impacted positively on the lives of the people of Plateau.
“Jang has transformed the state through various projects in the health, agricultural, education and in the construction of roads, and in the construction of the very first flyover in the state”, he said.
Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Lawalli Zayyana, speaking at the opening of a conference organized by the Faculty of Science, Sokoto State University, in Sokoto, last Monday.
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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