Nation

THE STATES

Published

11 years ago

April 10, 2015

L-R: National Secretary of apc, Mr Fidelis Tumza, National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, a party stewart, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, former governor Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti State, President-elect, retired Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, at Buhari’s post-election speech in Abuja, recently. Photo: NAN

Bauchi
President-elect Muhammadu Buhari last Wednesday
thanked electorate in Bauchi State for supporting him during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Addressing APC supporters in Bauchi, Buhari also solicited for more votes on behalf of the party candidates in the April 11 gubernatorial and state House of Assembly elections.
“I am here to thank you and ask you to elect APC candidates during the exercise.
“This is because you voted for me and members of the National Assembly during the presiderntial elections.
“I urge you to do same during gubernatorial polls on April 11.”
Buhari condoled with the families of those who lost their lives during the polls and called on party supporters to cast and protect their votes.

Borno
The Borno State Government last Wednesday said it
had awarded a N3.6 billion contract for the construction of five faculties and senate building at the proposed state University in Maiduguri.
Gov. Kashim Shettima stated this at an interactive session with stakeholders in Maiduguri.
Shettima said the project was expected to be completed before the end of the year, adding that the aim was to provide world class structure that would enable the university to take off smoothly.
“We are not in a haste to start the university because we believe that certain fundamental issues must be addressed before its take-off.
“Our plan is to establish a world class university that can stand the test of time in all ramifications because anything worth doing is worth doing well.
“We are not interested in establishing a glorified secondary school as the case in most state universities.

Ekiti

An octogenarian, Pa Owoeye Ajayi, has urged politi
cians in Ekiti against creating chaos in the state in the bid to impeach Gov. Ayodele Fayose.
Our correspondent reports that supporters of the governor had on Tuesday disrupted human and vehicular movement in the state while protesting the impeachment bid.
But Ajayi told newsmen in Ikole-Ekiti that many right thinking indigenes of the state were disappointed with the actions and utterances of the politicians irrespective of party affiliation.
“The performances of these politicians, in terms of constituency projects and poverty alleviation programmes since 1999 are not encouraging and is proof that they are not concerned about the welfare of the people.
“Ekiti people should be careful and caution themselves to avoid being used to cause violence by these politicians who might abandon them and stay away from the state when things get out of hand,’’ he said.

FCT
The Federal Government said that reclaiming territo
ries held by insurgents in the North-East and establishment of an atmosphere of peace and safety in them remained its top priority.
Coordinator, National Information Centre, Mr Mike Omeri, stated this while giving update on the security situation in the zone at a news conference.
Omeri said that the successes recorded by troops in regaining control of Boko Haram strongholds in Borno were testimony of the unwavering commitment in defeating the insurgents.
He said recent recapture of Alagarno in Borno, a well-known strategic stronghold of Boko Haram, had dealt a severe blow on their capacity to carry out surprise attacks on communities in the state.
“In a situation such as presently exists in the area, there is a high tendency for the insurgent group to suddenly aim at soft targets to destabilise communities which are regaining normalcy.

Kebbi

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kebbi
State, Alhaji Jibril Zarewa, says the commission has received sensitive materials for Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Zarewa told journalists in Birnin-Kebbi last Wednesday that the materials included ballot papers and result sheets.
He said representatives of security agencies and political party officials witnessed the presentation at INEC office.
Zarewa said the commission would ensure timely distribution of the materials as well as early arrival at polling stations on Saturday.
He said non-sensitive materials had been distributed to local government areas while the sensitive materials would be distributed on time.
The INEC boss urged voters to ensure that they voted peacefully as they did during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Lagos
The Managing Director of Kora Farms, Mr Adebola
Adebusuyi, recently advocated for increased investment in tomato processing, to stem post-harvest wastages.
Adebusuyi, who is also a tomato farmer, told newsmen, in Lagos that such investment would also enhance the tomato value chain.
According to him, many tomato farmers incurred losses every year due to wastages that could have been prevented through processing them into tomato puree.
He said that the nation was blessed with abundant capacity to produce tomatoes, but that the demand for it could not be met as a result of wastages.
“Nigeria is the second largest producer of tomatoes in Africa, after Egypt.
“We produce about 1.4 million metric tonnes of tomatoes annually, yet we spend almost N11 billion to import tomatoes and tomato puree every year.

Oyo
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA), Oyo State Command, has paraded a 45-year-old unemployed graduate, Sam Oladiti and four others, for document forgery.
The State Commander, Mrs Omolade Faboyede, told newsmen in Ibadan that the individuals had collected the sum of N20,000 from one Kafayat Mustapha under the false pretence of obtaining an NDLEA Visa Clearance for her.
Our correspondent reports that the other suspects included Olawale Lawal (38), Yusuf Kazeem (28), Olusina Adewale (39) and Bolaji Kayode (35).
Faboyede said that the complainant, Mustapha, discovered she was issued a forged document because it was signed with the name of a past NDLEA chairman.
Plateau
Street sweepers in Plateau State have in Jos appealed
to the government to pay their six months’ salary arrears.
The sweepers, who spoke under condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the development had turned them into destitutes.
“We are paid N8, 000 each on monthly basis and we are surprised that our salary was stopped while we are still engaged by the government.
“Since last year September we have not received our monthly stipend that we are entitled to due to the job that we do, “ one of them said.
Another sweeper, while calling on the government to come to their rescue, said the money was her only means of livelihood.
“ I am a widow with three children and this is what I use in feeding and training them, “ she said.

Sokoto
The Independent National Electoral Commission (
INEC) says it has reconfigured over 4,000 Smart Card Readers for use in the April 11 governorship and state House of Assembly elections in Sokoto State.
The Head of Voter Education and Publicity Unit of the commission in the state, Alhaji Musa Muhammad, disclosed this to newsmen in Sokoto while commenting on the preparations for the polls.
‘’Over 4,000 card readers were deployed to the state for the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly polls, while 3,518 were actually deployed in the 3,035 polling units across the 23 local governments of the state.
‘’ All the 4,000 card readers had, therefore, been totally reconfigured and they are now being charged, while they are perfectly functional.’’

Zamfara

A Magistrates’ Court in Gusau, Zamfara State, has re
manded one Abduljalal Muhammad of Sabuwar Haya Area, Tudun Wada, Gusau, in prison custody over alleged armed robbery.
The prosecutor, Insp. Yakubu Abuga, told the court that sometime in Feburary 2015, the accused boarded a commercial motorcycle of one Shafiu Shehu of Hayin Mallam Sani Area, Tudun Wada, Gusau.
Abuga said that the accused told Shehu to take him to Garajin Mailena, along Magami road, Gusau but at a point behind Water Board, Gusau, he asked the motorcyclist to stop, after which he stabbed him on the back with a sharp knife.
He said that the accused robbed the motorcyclist of all the money he had and a handset, valued at N4,500.00, including his Bajaj motorcycle with registration number EKY090QB, valued at N115,000.00.

Nation

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

Published

1 week 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

2 months 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

2 months 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.