Nation

THE STATES

Published

9 years ago

May 31, 2017

Ekiti
A 44-year-old wife, Modupe Alegbeleye, last Thursday told an Ikole-Ekiti Customary Court in Ekiti State that she denied her husband, Ebenezer Alegbeleye, sex because of the cigarette odour from him.
Report that Modupe said this while replying to a statement by her husband that she denied him sex for three months.
According to her, my husband likes smoking cigarettes but I do not like its odour.
“So, whenever he smoked and demanded sex; I was always turning down his demand as I hated cigarette’s odour.
“Although, I knew that my husband was a cigarette smoker before we started our relationship, I was always advising him to stop it.
“I was also praying so that he would quit it, but to no avail.

FCT
The United States, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has provided an additional $9.5 million to the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) to ensure more than 175,000 mothers and children under five do not suffer from malnutrition during this year’s “lean” season.
The grant from USAID’s Health, Population, and Nutrition Office, augments ongoing support for the humanitarian assistance in Nigeria by its Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and Food for Peace (FFP), and seeks to bridge a funding shortfall announced by WFP late last month.
The grant will fund a blanket supplementary feeding program to protect the nutrition status of children aged six months to five years and lactating women in IDP and host communities of Borno State through provision of specialized nutritious foods.

Gombe
The reduction of average speed by mere five per cent could reduce fatality of accident by 80 per cent in an event of automobile crash, Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps in Gombe, Mr. David Mendie, said last Sunday.
Mendie, who stated this during a Thanksgiving service at the Saint James Catholic Church, Gombe, marking the end of United Nationa’s 4th Global Road Safety Week, said a credible research had proved so.
“Research has so much said that if an average speed is cut by five per cent, there is tendency for the reduction of fatality by 80 per cent whenever road crash occurs”, he said.
He said that based on the findings, the need for road users to adhere to the recommended speed limit, could not be over-emphasised.
According to him, FRSC in Gombe has intensified campaign on the need for motorists to manage speed while driving.

Kaduna
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) last Tuesday donated a 350-seat ultra-modern lecture theatre to the Department of Accounting, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
The ICAN National President, Mr Dicon Titus-Soetan, said at the inauguration of the facility, that the donation was part of the institute’s efforts to encourage the study of accounting.
Titus-Soetan urged the university to make judicious use of the theatre.
He said that ICAN, established in 1965 with the aim of training accountants and regulating accounting practice, had 42,000 members so far.

Kano
The Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje has called on Muslims in the state to pray for peace and development of the country during the Holy month of Ramadan.
The governor made the call in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Youth and Culture, Malam Mohammed Garba and made available to newsmen in Kano on Saturday.
He also called on the people of the state to strictly adhere to the dictates and teachings of Islam during this Holy month of Ramadan.
The governor also urged Muslims to strive to imbibe in greater measure, the virtues of piety, self-discipline, tolerance, justice, fairness and compassion for the less-privileged and fear of Allah in all their undertakings, which the Ramadan fast promotes.
He said fasting, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, should not be just a period for abstaining from food and drink, but also be used to make greater sacrifice by praying fervently for peace, security and rapid socio-economic development of the state and the country in general.

Lagos
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State last Saturday said his administration was determined to protect children from abuse or molestation in order to safeguard their future while preparing them for the challenges of life.
Ambode, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, said this in Lagos at the 2017 Children’s Day Celebration organised by the Ministry of Education as part of activities to mark the Lagos at 50 anniversary.
The theme of the Children’s Day celebration was “ Children of Today, Our Keepers Tomorrow.’’
“ We must protect these children today so that they can protect us tomorrow.
“It is a double celebration for us all in the state. It is children’s day and Lagos at 50 celebration.
“I was a child like you 50 years ago and some of us occupying leadership positions today got here because of the opportunities given to us by this great state.

Nasarawa
Some secondary school students in Nasarawa State, have called for truce between the government and labour unions to end the ongoing workers strike by academic staff in tertiary institutions in the state.
Secondary school teachers in the state have also joined the strike.
A cross section of the students appealed to the government and union leaders to ‘take step’to end the strike in the interest of the students.
They made the call in Keffi on Tuesday in separate interviews with newsmen
Recall that on May 12, labour unions in the academic sector embarked on indefinite strike to demand payment of their salary arrears, payment of their full salary and other entitlements.

Niger
The Nigerian Army said it raided a Boko Haram cell at Mokwa and its environs in Niger State last Thursday and arrested three leaders of the terrorist group.
The army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, named the suspects as Mustapha Muhammed (Adam Bitri), Ali Saleh and Uba Mohammed.
Usman said that they were picked up at their hideout at Gidan Mai village on Mokwa-Tegina road.
“Preliminary investigation has confirmed that one of the terrorists, Mustapha Muhammed (Adam Bitri), along with one Bakura (at large), was among the group of the Boko Haram terrorists that kidnapped the late elder statesman, Alhaji Shettima Ali Monguno, in Maiduguri on May 13, 2013.

Osun
The Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Mr Najeem Salaam, has urged Muslims to take advantage of the Ramadan to pray ceaselessly for the nation as demanded by Prophet Muhammed.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr Goke Butika,quoted Salaam as saying in his Ramadan message on Saturday in Osogbo that the economic challenges the nation was facing would be tackled with prayers.
He also enjoined Islamic clerics to use the Ramadan lectures to speak the truth to those in power, saying leaders at this time would appreciate this in the spirit of the season.

Oyo
Rep. Abiodun Olasupo (APC- Iseyin/Iwajowa/Kajola/Itesiwaju Federal Constituency) says the bill on whistle blowing is at an advanced stage of being passed by the National Assembly.
Olasupo also said the National Assembly was working hard to ensure that all enabling laws protect the identity of whistle blowers and strengthen the principle.
The federal lawmaker spoke in Iseyin during a routine tour of his constituency to inaugurate projects and brief constituents.
“You should not be surprised that all the measures used in the anti-corruption crusade today were developed by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
“The Jonathan administration developed the policies of whistle blowing, Bank Verification Number (BVN), Treasury Single Account (TSA) but lacked the political will to implement them.

Plateau
The PDP in Plateau State has gone philosophical over the gale of defections that has emasculated its fold, declaring last Sunday that God was “sieving the chaff from the grain”.
“The defections do not surprise us; we believe that God is sieving. He is blowing away the chaff and leaving only the grain,” the party’s Chairman, Mr Damishi Sango, told journalists in Jos.
Our correspondent reported that the party has lost many of its key members including Sen. Joshua Dariye, Rep. Edward Pwajok and Yusuf Gagdi, Deputy Speaker, Plateau House of Assembly, to the APC.
The party, which also had 13 members to APC’s 11, when the Plateau House of Assembly was inaugurated in June 2015, currently has only eight, while the APC has 16.
But Sango told newsmen that the defecting members had only confirmed that they were only interested in where there was power.

Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government has earmarked over N202.3 million for the digitisation of its Radio and Television stations, Rima Radio and Rima Television.
Reports have it that the state’s Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Abdulkadir Jeli, disclosed this in Sokoto, on Saturday, at a news briefing to mark the two years of Governor Aminu Tambuwal in office.
He said that the state government has concluded arrangements to meet National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) digitisation deadline for state-owned media organisations.
“The government is fully aware of the deadline set by the NBC for the digitisation of all broadcast stations in the country.
“As such, the ministry has made contacts with companies with bias in Radio and TV equipment, for the supply of radio and television digital equipment for the state-owned broadcast stations.

Nation

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

Published

2 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.