Nation

THE STATES

Published

16 years ago

October 21, 2009

Action Congress (AC) has accused Bauchi State Government of colluding with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police to truncate the state constituency bye-election for Gamanwa.
The party also accused the state government of obtaining a spurious court injunction restraining INEC from conducting the poll scheduled for October 17, 2009. According to a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party noted that government was engaging in politics of desperation, as it decided to push for postponement of the bye election because it was afraid of losing to AC.
The party wondered why such an injunction would be obtained less them 24 hours to the election, when electoral materials were already midway to the venue of the election.
AC also said the party was yet to be served with the court injunction, two days after the election was supposed to have been held.
As part of its strategy, the party said government has also embarked on a massive harassment of AC supporters across the state, arresting as many as 400 innocent party members on the allegation that they are party thugs brought in from neighbouring states.
The party said most of its detained supporters were arrested in their farms and homes, and wondered where the opposition that is not in power have the resources to import thugs.
AC called for immediate release of the arrested party members, whose only offence is that they belong to an opposition party.
A source close to state government, however said all the allegations by AC were false.

Sokoto
Sokoto State government is to establish a school of Nursing and Mid-wifery, aside the existing one in Tambuwal Local Government Area of the state, as part of its determined effort to curb maternal mortality to its barest minimum in the state.
The state government said the move will no doubt address the shortage of manpower especially the dearth of mid-wives in the state.
Speaking to newsmen in Sokoto yesterday, State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Kilgori said the initiative was aimed at enhancing qualified manpower that will handle issues of maternal mortality especially in the rural areas.
According to him, the school would increase the number of intakes that can pursue mid-wifery courses that will produce qualified manpower in supporting the maternal health programmes and other child birth services in the state.
“At any stage, there would be a mid-wife that would be ready to take care of any emergency delivery and any thing in terms of both child and women health care”, he said.
The commissioner identified the shortage of qualified child birth manpower in the northern part of the country due to few health institutions in the region, saying “that is why we want to see how this manpower can be provided and available at the door step of the rural dwellers”.
Kilgori noted that the shortage of manpower is more critical in the Northern region because most of the northern states have only one nursing and mid-wifery school with only 100 intakes by the council while in the South, some states have four schools.

Gombe
The Deputy Speaker of t he Gombe State House of Asembly, Inuwa Garba claimed that some foreign powers, companies and organisations were set to hijack the on-going constitutional review in Nigeria.
Garba, who is also the chairman of the House Committee on the 1999 constitution told newsmen at the weekend that a lot of foreign countries, companies, organisations, investors and others were at present using some non-governmental bodies in Nigeria to ensure that their interests were incorporated into the proposed constitution.
The plot, he said is to give the foreigners an edge in the country’s policies, which will certainly affect the security, socio-economic and political lives of our people.
Garba warned that if Nigerians, particularly the lawmakers allowed such foreign influence to be inserted in the constitution, it could have devastating effects on the country’s development and survival.
He also explained that the members of the state legislature and national assembly from the North East geo-political zone were aware of the machinations of such foreign interests and would do every thing possible to ensure that no selfish agenda were allowed into the national document.
The lawmaker pointed out that Gombe Assembly was expected to host and coordinate the forthcoming constitutional review meeting of all state assemblies in the North East zone, which comprises, Adamawa, Bauchi, Yobe, Borno, Taraba and Gombe. Garba said that already, a secretariate had been set up to coordinate representation from all the state assemblies and other segments of the society.

Ekiti
After 10 days break, the Election Petition tribunal hearing the Ekiti State governship petition will next Monday resume sitting.
The resumption of sitting will enable Governor Segun Oni to open his defence in the petition filed by the Action Congress (AC) and its governorship candidate, Dr Kayodo Fayemi, against the outcome of the rerun governship election in the state.
AC and Fayemi had filed the petitions following the declaration of Oni of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the polls. The petitioners are challenging the outcome of the elections in six wards of the state.
The wards are USI, Ifaki I and II and Orin/Ora in Ido/Osi council area and Ipoti A and B in Ijero council area. The petitioners want the result of the six wards cancelled on the ground that the election did not comply substantially with the election manual adding that the polls in the affected wards was marred by violence.

Abuja
In tandem with its statutory mandate, the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps (NCDC) said it had so far issued 1,000 licenses to private guards companies.
It has however charged them to join forces with government in its determination to eradicate the incidence of kidnapping in the country.
Issuing licences to six newly approved private guards security companies in Abuja, Commandant General of the Corps Dr Ade Aboderia, said with the issuance of the licences, the companies had joined government in the fight against crime.
He also charged the security firms to suggest to government ways of curbing the menace of kidnapping, which had assumed alarming proportions, by providing government with vital information based on their experiences.
“By this action, you have joined government in the fight against crime.
Crime has assumed different dimensions and you are to assist government in curbing it.”
“We expect you to submit report of sensitive information concerning your area of operation.
The corps will assist you if you play by the rule.
Kidnapping has gone haywire and we want you to look at it and assist the government”, he said.

Ogun
Three persons died and nine others were injured yesterday when an uncompleted building collapsed in Abeokuta the Ogun State capital.
The incident occurred on Oke Padre street, Ita Street Ita Igori, a suburb of Abeokuta.
A worker of the state owned broadcasting out fit, Gateway Television Station, lost his wife and mother.
His injured daughter is at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba.
Others at FMC include Awawu Erike, Rilwan, Iya Erike, Iya Alata, Rebecca, Abigail, Baba Ibeji and Baba Erike.
As at 12:22pm, the bodies had been removed from the rubble. They were taken away in wooden caskets.
The scene was besieged by sympathisers, who used diggers and bare hands to get those trapped out of the rubble.
An eyewitness told The Tide that the 28-year old building caved in a few minutes to midnight.
The witness, who lives in an adjacent building, said he came outside to ease himself and had barely finished when he heard a sound.
When he looked up, he said, he saw the building coming down with dust billowing in the air.
It could not be ascertained at press time, how many people were inside when the structure collapsed.
Some residents said the occupants could not be fewer man 18, but 65-year-old Ebunoluwa Oyedola, who lives opposite the building, said three were about 12 persons inside.
Three died and nine were injured, she said.
She said for over eight hours, residents groped in the dark, trying to rescue trapped victims. She expressed doubts if there could still be bodies buried in the debris.
Commissioner for Environment Prince Adeleke Adedoyin, the fire serve and police visited the scene but they could not do much because of the hilly and rocky terrain of the area, which made it impossible for heavy duty equipment to be deployed in the rescue effort.

Ondo
Citing insecurity of lives and property within its legislative chambers, the Ondo State House of Assembly at the weekend announced that it has adjourned sitting indefinitely as “legislators will not be able to guarantee the security of members”.
House spokesman and chairman of its committee on information, Kele Bolodeoku, who disclosed this at a media briefing said, the decision was taken as a result of last Thursday’s invasion of the Assembly by suspected political thugs.
The hoodlums were protesting the non-acceptance of the Labour Party (LP) winner of the September 19 by-election to fill the vacant seat of Akure North constituency, Adenyi Akindele, even after being issued with a certificate of returns by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Akindele’s inauguration had sharply divided the House along partisan lines as the majority Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members took advantage of their numerical strength of 15 out of the 25 member assembly to work against it, claiming that the matter was already before a court of law.
The PDP candidate in the election, Akin Idowu, had dragged Akindele to the Federal High Court, Akure in a suit in which both the INEC and the House of Assembly were joined as defendants, alleging that he (Akindele) belonged to a secret cult in contravention of the laws of the land.
According to the PDP leadership, swearing in Akindele would amount to contradicting section 29(3) of the House standing Rule which states that “reference shall not be made to any matter on which a judicial decision is pending in such a way as might, in Mr. Speaker’s opinion, prejudice the interests of parties there to”.
But the nine-member LP and the lone Alliance for Democracy (AD) member in the opposition accused their PDP colleagues of “taking politics too far” while stating that section 285 of the 1999 constitution has limited pre-election matters to the election petition tribunal.

Lagos
Lagos State Government has concluded plans to train teachers one-learning methods of instructing students.
The commissioner of science and Technology, dr Kadri Hamzat disclosed this to journalists in Alausa recently during a media interaction of the forth coming Science and Technology (NASTECH) week. Hamzat added that the government has trained 2,000 teachers on methods of instructing students with the motive of increasing their interest in science subjects.
These teachers, he said, were trained by professionals on how to deliver instructions with focus on chemistry, mathematics and other science related subjects.
He expressed the need to instruct students in indigenous languages saying that this has worked effectively for other developing countries like India and South Korea.
Continuing, he said if you take a look at Indians and South Koreans, they deliver instructions in their own languages and not in English. I think these are the issues we should look at as a nation.
He further explained that apart from the fact that many students develop phobia towards science subjects, the way they is taught he lamented the decay in the nation’s education sector, especially in the field of sciences especially in the field of sciences saying, “These are age-long challenges that we must take very seriously in the over-riding interest of the country.
He explained that this years event will take place from October 21 to 23 at Adeyemi Gbero Auditorium, Alausa.
He listed the events lined up for the week to include exhibition by stakeholders in science and technology, quiz competition, innovators investors and research forums.

Plauteau
After four months of strike, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Plateau State will resume work today following the suspension of the action.
The strike which began on June 1, 2009 was called off following an agreement reached between the state government and the officials of the NUT in a meeting brokered by the Gbong Gwom Jos Da Jacob Gyang Buba.
The state’s NUT chairman, Goshe Yalis, who announced the suspension said the union took the decision because the state government had agreed to pay the outstanding arrears to the teachers.

Nation

HYPREP Probes Overhead Tank Collapse …Plans To Supply Water In 65 Ogoni Communities

Published

2 days ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has taken prompt steps to unravel the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the overhead tank of the Gwara Water Station recently commissioned by the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal in Ogoniland, Rivers State.
This is even as the Project has restated its determination and commitment to supplying quality potable water to 65 Ogoni communities before the end of the year.

HYPREP said while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt that it has commenced an investigation into the collapse of the overhead tank at the Gwara Water Station in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The high-level committee set up by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey as an interim measure, is mandated to determine the immediate and remote causes of the incident.

The Vice Chairman of the committee, Barrister Gowon Ichibor while addressing newsmen said the committee has already swung into action, as it has visited the site of the incident to take stock and assess the situation.

Barrister Ichibor noted that the committee is firmly on top of the situation, as it is poised to carry out a painstaking investigation to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the unfortunate incident.

He further indicated that it is hasty and premature at this point, to pinpoint what might have caused the incident but promised to furnish the public with all necessary information in connection with the overhead tank collapse as soon as possible.

While assuring affected communities of HYPREP’s determination to restore the water facility as quickly as possible, he said the committee would tidy up its work in less than no time and promptly brief the press on its findings.

The committee did not, however, foreclose the possibility of recommending appropriate punitive measures and sanctions to be meted out to culprits at the end of its assignment, to prevent future occurrences.

Meanwhile, HYPREP’s Head of Communications, Dr Enuolare Mba-Nwigoh, who also lent his voice, described the incident as a temporary setback, as the Project would take appropriate and prompt actions to restore potable water supply to the affected Ogoni communities.

He also reaffirmed HYPREP’s commitment to upholding global best practices, standards and quality in the execution of projects, and sympathised with the affected communities over the unfortunate incident, saying, 16 water facilities have already been commissioned, which are effectively and satisfactorily serving over 40 Ogoni communities.

With the collapse of the overhead tank of the Gwara Water Station, he revealed that 40 Ogoni communities are currently enjoying potable water.

The head of communications further disclosed plans by HYPREP to provide potable water to 65 Ogoni communities before the end of the year.

While regretting the unfortunate incident, Dr Mba-Nwigoh urged Ogoni people and residents of Gwara community to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding, and eschew all forms of speculations and rumour-mongering, as the Project is on top of its game to remedy the situation.

He reeled out the achievements and milestones so far recorded by HYPREP, saying, the Ogoni cleanup programme is very much on course.

It would be recalled that HYPREP had earlier in a statement said it was deeply disturbed by the collapse of the overhead tank at Gwara Water Station, stressing that the
Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, had set up a high-level committee to determine the immediate and remote
causes of the incident.

It further noted that the committee had already visited the site and begun a detailed investigation to establish whether the collapse resulted from structural failure or possible third-party interference.

HYPREP, in a statement signed by its management, expressed concern over the incident and sympathised with the Gwara community, urging residents to remain calm as efforts are being made to restore the damaged facility and resume water supply to affected areas.

The Project assured that it remains committed to delivering quality projects that meet international standards, adding that internal and external quality control measures have been introduced, including the engagement of EcoProject as Project Consultant, supervision by the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, and oversight by water supervisors.

It noted that aside from this isolated case, 16 water stations have been commissioned across Ogoniland, providing water to over 40 communities, with some facilities operating successfully for more than two years.

The Project added that sustainability plans have been put in place to ensure continuous water supply to communities. These include the formation of Water Consumers Associations (WCA), construction of solar farms for alternative power, and training of laboratory staff.
It also stated that one of the key features of the HYPREP water projects is the establishment of laboratories to ensure that water supplied to communities meets the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard.

HYPREP reaffirmed its commitment to quality service delivery and assured that all necessary steps are being taken to address the situation and prevent future occurrences.

The Project has also set up a technical sub-committee over the collapse of the overhead tank of the Gwara Water Station, to foster and promote accountability in the implementation of projects.

Nation

Tinubu Committed To Environmental Sustainability, Benefits To Ogoni–Minister

Published

2 days ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

As the Ogoni cleanup programme being implemented by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) continues to record significant milestones across thematic areas, the Federal Government says such gestures further demonstrate President Bola Tinubu’s commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda to environmental sustainability and ensuring the Project brings benefits to Ogoni people.

The Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who made this assertion during the commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water schemes in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, in line with HYPREP’s mandate to provide potable water to Ogoniland, said the provision of potable water is a critical step towards improving public health, reducing waterborne diseases and enhancing the overall quality of life.

The latest commissioning brings the water stations to 16, providing access to potable water to 45 Ogoni communities , a development the Minister explains as part of President Tinubu’s commitment to peace ,environmental justice and socio-economic empowerment in Ogoniland, a beacon of hope for communities long affected by environmental degradation.

Lawal noted that the latest commissioning is restoring hope and dignity to the communities long deprived of this essential resource .

”The provision of potable water is a critical step towards improving public health, reducing waterborne diseases and enhancing the overall quality of life. It also signifies a renewed commitment to ensuring that the people of Ogoniland reap the full benefits of environmental remediation efforts.We
will continue to ensure that communities in Ogoniland have access to clean, safe and sustainable drinking water. With this initiative, we are not just commissioning infrastructure but restoring hope and dignity to the communities long deprived of this essential resource”, he said.

While commending the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, development partners, stakeholders and traditional rulers, among others for their relentless commitment towards the actualisation of these projects, he urged communities to protect and take ownership of the projects, emphasising that their longevity and effectiveness depend on their collective efforts of maintaining and protecting them for posterity.

In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey maintained that the Project remains resolute in its resolve to ensure that it completes and delivers all projects initiated within the time frame for the use and benefit of Ogoni people in line with the directives of the Governing Council and under the leadership of the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal.

To achieve this, Zabbey explained that “We
continue to work closely with community leaders, youth and women, contractors and other stakeholders to ensure solutions are identified and implementation continues smoothly.

”We remain guided by the principle of partnership, dialogue, transparency and accountability, knowing that sustainable progress is best achieved through collaboration and mutual understanding. That is the hallmark of HYPREP,” he said.

He appealed to the people to continue to reinforce peace and understanding, using dialogue as a vital tool for resolving disputes, especially around project sites and within communities, noting that the concurrent implementation of over 100 projects across Ogoniland reflects the seriousness and dedication of HYPREP, a momentum that must be sustained through mutual trust and collaboration.

For the Project Coordinator, the event was an ideal opportunity to provide a project status update to Ogoni people, as he excitedly announced the milestone achievements recorded so far to include environmental remediation-94 percent completion in Phase 1 of mangrove restoration; shoreline at 67.1percent; Phase 2 land remediation at 36.55 percent; potable water-14 completed water facilities inaugurated, supplying potable water to 40 Ogoni communities, while the commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water facilities last Saturday increased the number of communities with access to clean and safe water to 45.

Other milestones are the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) at 92 percent complete and the processes of operationalising the Centre has begun with the just concluded colloquium, while the Ogoni Power Project is progressing steadily with wayleave compensation and construction works at Bodo and Wiiyaakara substations ongoing. The Ogoni Specialist Hospital is at 76.8 percent with 98.7 percent achieved in the Buan Cottage Hospital. The Ogoni public study being conducted by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); over 7,000 women and youths have benefited from various employment opportunities, while over 5,000 have been trained in multiple skills and provided start-up skits, among other programmes.

Zabbey further hinted of the commencement of some demand-driven skills areas this quarter, which include cybersecurity, full-stack development, mud logging, software development, GIS and commercial diving.

In their separate goodwill messages, the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Dumnamene Deekor; Chairman,Great Green Wall, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, Hon Emmanuel Deeyah; Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, Mr Nwizug Gordon; representative of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and General Manager, Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr Igo Weli; former Secretary to Rivers State Government, Chief Kenneth Kobani; and former Rivers State Commissioner for Environment, Prof Roseline Konya; all commended the Minister of Environment and HYPREP for their commitment to the Ogoni cleanup programme.

Earlier, the Minister and his entourage had paid a courtesy call on Mene Bua Kenwigbara, King D.Y Barile, at his palace, where the former was conferred a chieftaincy title of Mene Anua Le Maa 1 of Ken-Khana Kingdom; and the Project Coordinator of HYPREP as Mene doo Letam 1 of Ken-Khana Kingdom.

Also decorated were the Chairman of Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, Hon Emmanuel Deeyah; and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Kambari.

Highpoints of the event were the formal commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water facilities by the Minister and the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Tony Attach,represented by Mr Igo Weli; the symbolic issuance of education support Items;and the visit to the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Park for symbolic tree planting by the Minister; the Project Coordinator; BoT Chairman; Senator Abe; Igo Weli; Director General, NEASRA, Prof Innocent Barikor; and Zina Wiwa, the daughter of the legendary environmentalist; and the visit to the CEER.

In two years, the Minister of Environment, has visited Ogoniland five times to commission 16 water stations, supplying potable water to 45 Ogoni communities and ensuring that other projects get equal attention, a clear demonstration of his unflinching commitment to the accelerated implementation of the Ogoni cleanup programme in line with Priority 3, Deliverable 3 of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and driven under the visionary and passionate leadership of Prof Nenibarini Zabbey as Project Coordinator.

Nation

Don Seeks Funding of Language Centres

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2025

The Tide

A professor of English linguistics at the Rivers State University (RSU) Nkpolu Oroworukwu Port Harcourt, Prof. Isaac Enyi Ngulube, has advocated for better and improved funding for language centres in Nigeria, such as NINLAN Aba and Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry, for optimum value and effective local languages development.

He also called for funded research on the development of orthographies and language documents across the country to rescue local languages from extinction, as well as having a well-planned and implemented mother tongue education in all institutions in the country, from primary to tertiary.

Prof. Ngulube made with these assertions while presenting his inaugural lecture at the university’s 121st inaugural lecture with the topic “The Career of Rough Beats: Language, Literature and the Development of our Common Humanity” held in Port Harcourt, Wednesday.

The erudite scholar, in the lecture, stressed that the study of English language, linguistics, and literature is very broad, large, and difficult, adding that he overcame the rough roads through resilience and determination.

He described language as “a purely human and non-instinctive means of communicating ideas and emotions,” noting that “the word is a fundamental need in language; you cannot study language without the use of language.”

He urged parents to be cautious with their utterances, warning that “what they refer to their children as is what they will automatically end up becoming.”

He recommended a branded English language for every profession or course of study, stressing that embedding oral literature in the teaching of students from primary to tertiary level will enable them to know their traditions and roots of origin.

“Tell them the folk stories and moonlight tales; you are sending them back to their people. You must be a human being first before becoming a medical doctor, engineer, or anything else,” Ngulube said.

He also called for better and improved production of quality language and literature teachers, provision of modern teaching/instructional materials, improved welfare packages for teachers, and provision of better infrastructure at both primary and secondary school levels.

He used the opportunity to appreciate the Vice Chancellor for the approval of the Department of English Language and Literature, adding that it had been his long-held dream for the university.

In his speech, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, while highlighting the lecture, opined that the lecturer x-rayed the lecturer’s journey into the study of English language, linguistics, and literature, describing the field as broad, large, and difficult, but with determination and focus, he was able to defeat the beasts he encountered on his way.

Zeb-Obipi agreed with the lecturer’s recommendations on ways to improve indigenous languages in the country and directed that modalities be worked out for the university to have the Department of English Language and Literature, among others.

He highlighted RSU’s recent victory in the Bilingual Community Project organized by the French Embassy, describing it as proof of the university’s rising excellence in language studies.