Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

August 6, 2014

Adamawa

Adamawa State Acting Governor Ahmadu Umaru has
approved the constitution of a seven-man judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the administration of impeached Murtala Nyako from June, 2007 to June 2014.
A statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Tukur Liman in Yola recently indicated that the panel which has Justice Bobbo Umar as chairman, and Mr Sedan Nyari, as its secretary has four weeks to submit its findings. According to the statement, the terms of reference of the panel were to investigate financial accruals to the State from June, 2007 to June, 2014 and the investigation of disbursement and application of funds to ministries, boards, and agencies over the period of reference.
The panel would also identify those involved in inappropriate financial disbursements and application. It further stated that the panel would investigate staff recruitment, deployment and administration of human resources.

Bauchi

Some gunmen, suspected to be armed robbers, have killed
the District Head of Soro in Bauchi State Malam Abdulrahman Baba, and injured two other persons.
The Bauchi Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the killing in a statement yesterday, said the incident occurred at 7.45 pm last Saturday
.He said: “On Saturday at about 7.45 pm, six gunmen suspected to be armed bandits, stormed Soro town in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State, killing the District Head, Abdulrahman Isa Baba, and injuring two other traders. They carted away undisclosed amount of money from their victims and escaped to unknown destination. The entire surrounding had been cordoned off and efforts are being intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects.”
Mohammed also said a 32-year-old man had been apprehended in connection with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that was buried in a building site located at VIO quarters in Azare.

Ekiti

A former Speaker of the old Ondo State House of
Assembly, Chief Femi Akinyemi, says the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, lost his bid for a re-election in the June 21 governorship election to “inexperience and incompetence in politics and governance.”
Chief Akinyemi, who is also the chairman of Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) in Ekiti State, addressed newsmen in his native Usi-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of the state after he received a merit award of the community. He claimed that “Fayemi failed woefully in the election because he did not put reliable structures in all the councils to reach out to the people.”
Describing the SURE-P scheme as a huge success and one of the best poverty alleviation strategies in the country, Akinyemi revealed that “the Federal Government spends a sum of N360 million on beneficiaries in Ekiti annually.”
Akinyemi, however, condemned the states and local governments for not showing enough transparency in the disbursement of the funds to beneficiaries like the Federal Government.
FCT

The Nigeria Immigration Service said recently that 24
officers were to be sent to various embassies abroad to ease the process of obtaining visas and e-passports.
The NIS Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Obua said some Nigerians in Diaspora and foreigners experienced difficulties obtaining visas and e-passports because NIS was not represented at some Nigerian embassies.
The spokesman said to complement the effort of officers, the service would also make provisions for more machines since the passport was mainly done online.
He said that NIS had begun the implementation of the new e-passport reforms, and called on all Nigerians to cooperate with the service to ensure its implementation.
The spokesman said the new 64-page e-passport costs N20,000, adding that those under 18 years and those above 60 years could obtain the passport at N8,750.
Kano

Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano
State, yesterday accused President Goodluck Jonathan of running a government based on ethnic sentiment and religious bigotry.
Kwankwaso, who spoke with reporters in his office weekend, also advised the Presidency to reduce the level of hatred and bitterness among Nigerians, if the government was actually interested in resolving the problem of insecurity.
According to him, the real cause of insecurity in the country was bad leadership being experienced in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)- led government, noting that the inability of President Jonathan to tackle the issue of insurgency in the North and insecurity in other parts of the country had exposed Jonathan’s incompetence to preside over the affairs of Nigeria.

Kwara

The Kwara State House of Assembly last
Monday debunked a report that it had concluded plans to impeach Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.
The Majority Leader of the House, Alhaji AbdulKareem AbdulGaniyu, told newsmen in Ilorin that the impeachment rumour was fuelled by a report that the House was divided over the second term bid of the governor.
Abdulkareem, however, said the House was united, adding that most of the members were from the same party. He also maintained that the relationship between the governor and Senator Bukola Saraki was cordial.

Lagos

As part of the on-going efforts to prevent the
spread of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, into the country, a team of federal and Lagos State health officials, yesterday, visited the General Overseer of The Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet Temitope Joshua, to sensitise members of the congregation about persons from the affected countries in their midst.
The team, led by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, expressed readiness to work with the health team of the Church by way of technical assistance, medical advice and training to ensure that no victim of the deadly disease comes to the Church undetected. Medical doctors attending to an Ebola virus disease victim
Nasarawa

Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board said
it had concluded plans to recruit no fewer than 2,000 teachers to fill vacant positions in schools in the state.
Executive Secretary of the board, Malam Abdulkarim Abdullahi, made this known at a meeting of the board and local government councils’ chairmen and education secretaries in the state in Lafia recently Monday.
Abdullahi said the board had set up a committee to collaborate with the councils’ chairmen and the education secretaries to identify areas where the teachers were needed stated that the committee was also charged with the responsibility of working out modalities of ensuring that only competent hands were employed.

Osun

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a red
alert on the August 9 gubernatorial election in Osun State, saying, about half a million permanent voters cards (PVCs), which were either unclaimed, not handed over to their authentic owners or obtained fraudulently, have been cloned by unscrupulous persons ahead of the election, with the sole purpose of rigging.
”These cloned cards, mostly in the hands of persons from states other than Osun, are to be used along with the authentic PVCs issued to the electorate in Osun state during the August 9 Osun governorship election,” the party said in a statement issued in Osogbo last Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
”Already, we can confirm that the hundreds of thousands of people in possession of these cloned cards all over Nigeria, especially in the states neighboring Osun, are being induced monetarily and instructed to super impose their photographs on the cloned PVCs.

Oyo

The epileptic electricity supply currently being experienced
in Ibadan and its environs will soon be a thing of the past as Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc (IBEDC), in charge of electricity distribution in the zone, has promised a daily 15-hour electricity supply to consumers.
The Managing Director of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Engr. Fortunato Leynes, made this promise at the company’s first journey to change knowledge sharing series which held in Ibadan over the weekend.
According to Leynes, one of the greatest challenges hindering uninterrupted power supply to customers is inadequate power generation capacity for his company to distribute to consumers.
Speaking on the essence of the knowledge sharing series being organised by the company, Deputy Managing Director of IBEDC Mr. John Darlington noted, that “the challenges are enormous but if we get our people, technology, attitude and discipline right, in the next two or three years our company will make the difference.”

Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto (left), receiving a souvenir from Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar 111 for attending the Nigerian Defence Academy Alumni 18th Regular Course Re-union in Sokoto, recently.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

11 hours 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

11 hours 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

11 hours 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.