Nation

THE STATES

Published

16 years ago

June 4, 2010

Bauchi

The Bauchi State Government says it spent more than N160 million on implementing its Nomadic Education Programme.

Governor Isa Yuguda said this in Bauchi while giving account of his stewardship in the last three years.

Yuguda said the amount was spent to enhance access to quality education for nomadic children.

He said N60 million and N110 million were allocated to nomadic education sector in 2008 and 2009 fiscal years respectively.

The governor said more than N30 million was spent on the purchase and distribution of assorted text books.

“N20 million was spent on the rehabilitation of the Agency for Nomadic Education office complex and to provide two vehicles.

Benue

The Minister of State for Information and Communications, Mr Labaran Maku, has appealed to politicians not to allow political differences to becloud their sense of patriotism.

He made the call while paying tribute to the late Baver Dzeremo, a member of Benue House of Assembly, during a valedictory session in his honour on Monday in Makurdi.

The late legislator, who represented Tarka State Constituency, died on May 21in Makurdi, three days after his return from Germany where he had undergone treatment for five months.

According to the Minister, all politicians are supposed to be guided by ideas because “in a society without commitment to ideas, people use platforms of ethnicity and religion to have their way.”

FCT

The Minister of State for Health, Alhaji Suleiman Bello, says inadequate access to information on health management is responsible for the high rate of teenage pregnancy and drug abuse.

Bello said this in Abuja on Tuesday while declaring open the National Consultative Forum for Advancing Young Peoples’ Health and Development in Nigeria.

The minister said poor nutrition, unemployment and increased drug abuse due to lack of information had severe consequences on the health and development of young people.

He said young people between the ages of 10 and 24 were largely affected, adding that efforts must be made to ensure that health issues of young people were properly addressed.

Gombe

The Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) spent N1.6 billion on various projects in 2009, the Chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Elnafaty, said on Tuesday.

Elnafaty told newsmen in the state capital that the amount was spent on the construction of 200 new classrooms.

He listed the other projects as the renovation of 400 classrooms, provision of furniture and instructional materials as well as teacher training and workshops for all UBE teachers across the state.

According to the SUBEB chairman, the projects, which started last year, are expected to be completed by the end of June.

He appealed to the private sector to assist the state government in improving educational standards.

Kaduna

The National Population Commission (NPC) in Kaduna, has called on local governments to enforce the registration of births and deaths.

The commissions ’ vital registration Head of Department, Malam Umar Adamu made the call in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna.

Adamu said both registrations were useful for national planning and school enrolment.

He expressed regret that in spite of the N25 million that was released by the Kaduna State Government in 2009 for the training of village scribes on birth and death registration, the response had not been encouraging.

According to him, if the government made it mandatory for children to present their birth certificates before school enrolment, it could have received a more favourable response from parents.

Katsina

The Katsina State Government has spent N1.2 billion on the construction of 5.5 kilometres of dual carriage roads in Dutsin-ma town.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Housing, Alhaji Danjuma Alti, said this in an interview with newsmen in Katsina recently.

He said that part of the money was also used in the construction of drains along some major roads and the provision of solar powered security lights.

”The road has since been completed and has been put into use,” he said.

He said the completion of the project brought to five, the number of such roads completed in five of the seven old local government headquarters in the state.

Kebbi

The Election Petition Tribunal in Kebbi has dismissed the petition of Alhaji Samba Aliyu (DPP) challenging the election of Alhaji Atiku Bagudu (PDP) in the Kebbi Central Senatorial by-election held in December 2009.

The Tide’s source reports that the Kebbi Central senatorial by-election was conducted in December 2009 following the appointment of Alhaji Adamu Aliero as then FCT Minister.

Delivering judgment, Justice Elizabeth Kpojimi, said that the petition was dismissed for want of evidence.

She said that the petitioner failed to convince the tribunal beyond reasonable doubt that the respondent had been indicted by any competent court on allegations of mismanagement of public funds.

Lagos

A cleric, Dr Fred Odutola, in Lagos said communicating in mother tongues will promote literacy and help children to imbibe good morals.

Odutola, the Chief Executive Officer of the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN),said in an interview with newsmen that speaking and writing in vernacular sensitised children to societal values.

“It helps literacy a lot; there are certain things in a language that you cannot translate into English,’’ the cleric said.

He added that it would also enable children to identify with their origin and its norms.

“Our languages are rich in culture and morals. There is respect in our language,’’ he said.

The cleric warned that the lack of speaking of mother tongues would force some languages into extinction and make some Nigerians to lose their identities.

Ogun

Acute shortage of potable water has become a source of serious worry for residents of Ijebu-Ode, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Some residents who spoke with The Tide’s source, appealed to both the state and the local governments to urgently find a lasting solution to the problem.

They said that many people were now buying water or fetching from nearby rivers to meet their daily needs.

They said that if the water problem was not resolved on time, it might lead to the outbreak of water-borne diseases even as water hawking business was booming.

The development, it was learnt, has made many residents to embark on an endless search for potable water.

The residents urged the government to pay adequate attention to the Iyemoji Dam, said to be the major source of water for the town and its environs.

Ondo

The Ondo State House of Assembly has acknowledged the receipt of the names of two indigenes of the state, nominated for the post of commissioner by Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

The Majority Leader of the Assembly Mr Ifedayo Akinsoyin, who the confirmation on Monday in Akure, said the list had been received by the clerk of the House, Alhaji Jaye Dada.

In a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Rotimi Adelola,on Thursday, Mimiko nominated Dr Pius Osunyikanmi and Prince Oladiran Iyantan as commissioners.

Akinsoyin said the Assembly would do its legislative functions right as it had the interest of the state at heart.

Oyo

Authorities of the Lead City University (LCU), Ibadan, have threatened to expel lecturers and students, engaging in indiscipline.

Prof. Babajide Owoeye, Chairman of the Governing Council of the LCU who made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan said that the institution had created an atmosphere of transparency where the interest of everyone was protected.

“There is zero tolerance for acts of indiscipline. And in many occasions, we have had to ask some students to leave.

“Not just students, even members of staff. Once you cannot adapt to our philosophy here, whether you are staff or student, you have to leave,” he added.

Owoey said: “at LCU no lecturer has power to terrorise any student.

“And we will not say that because you are a student, you think that it confers on you the immunity to misbehave. We don’t allow that,” he said.

Nation

Kwara Community Residents Flee Over Persistent Bandits’ Attacks

Published

1 day ago

March 30, 2026

The Tide

Residents of Omugo Community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State have deserted their homes due to persistent bandit attacks.
The Tide’s source reports that the once lively community has turned into a ghost town with only a few domestic animals left.
Reports indicate that the recent bandits’ attack on the Omugo ECWA Church via Oro-Ago, led to the abduction of eight worshippers including the wife of the pastor in charge.
Three persons escaped out of the eight abductees with a N1billion ransom placed on the remaining victims in captivity. The community could only gather N1million which was rejected by the bandits.
Last week, the armed bandits invaded Oro-Ago community, killed one vigilante man identified as Baba Ibeji and injured his younger brother known as Ajere.
A Point of Sales, PoS, shop directly opposite the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, Divisional office, was broken into by the bandits.
The gunmen also attacked the NSCDC office and sprayed bullets on the facility, though no casualty was recorded.
In earlier attacks on Oro-Ago environs, armed bandits ambushed a convoy between Oro-Ago and Oke-Ayan in Ilere district of Ifelodun Local Government Area and killed two local hunters on escort duty.
On Saturday, there was tension in Oro-Ago following a security alert that armed bandits were regrouping to launch fresh attacks on the community.
All security formations were, however, placed on ‘Red Alert’ to forestall the planned attack.

Nation

Acting Provost Dismisses Alleged Missing Equipment Claims at Rivers Health College

Published

2 days ago

March 30, 2026

The Tide

The Acting Provost of the Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology, Dr. (Mrs.) Peace Chigozirim Amadi has refuted claims circulating in the media suggesting that laboratory equipment went missing from the college.

In a recent statement, Dr. Amadi described the reports—particularly those attributed to certain publications—as false and misleading. She emphasized that all laboratory equipment at the college remain intact.

“I am here to set the record straight. No laboratory equipment disappeared from my college. Nothing is missing,” Dr. Amadi said, challenging anyone with contrary claims to provide evidence, including the names of the equipment and their supposed locations.

She further noted that the college recently underwent an accreditation exercise, during which significant investments were made in laboratory equipment. According to Dr. Amadi, these items are fully accounted for, and the college maintains a robust security system to protect its assets.

“Everything is intact. Nothing disappeared. The information being circulated is false and should be discarded,” she reiterated.

Beyond addressing the allegations, Dr. Amadi also called on media practitioners to exercise professionalism and verify stories before publication. “I want to plead with journalists to always verify their stories. Junk journalism does not help anyone. No matter the information you receive, it is important to hear the other side before publishing,” she said.

While social media posts have occasionally raised concerns about various issues in the region’s health education sector, including extortion and examination malpractice at related institutions, there is no independent evidence from credible news sources confirming that equipment went missing from Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology.

The college, a public tertiary institution based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is accredited to offer a variety of health-related programs, including Nursing, Midwifery, Laboratory Technology, and Environmental Health. It has consistently emphasized integrity, safety, and transparency in its operations.

Dr. Amadi’s statement seeks to reassure the public, students, and stakeholders that the college remains secure, well-managed, and free from the alleged equipment losses, while urging journalists to prioritize accuracy in reporting.

Nation

HYPREP Reaffirms Commitment to Safe Water Supply In Ogoni

Published

1 week ago

March 23, 2026

The Tide

As the world commemorates World Water Day, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has reaffirmed its commitment to providing potable water across Ogoni communities, in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on the Ogoni Environment.

In a statement issued by its Project Coordinator, Nenibarini Zabbey, on March 22, 2026, HYPREP noted that this year’s theme, “Water and Gender,” alongside the campaign slogan, “Where Water Flows, Equity Grows,” underscores its resolve to extend potable water supply beyond oil-impacted communities to all Ogoni communities.

Zabbey emphasized that access to clean water is a fundamental human right, adding that HYPREP remains committed to ensuring inclusive and equitable water access across the region.

He disclosed that the agency has successfully provided potable water to over 43 communities in Ogoni, while ongoing Phase 3 water projects are expected to benefit an additional 17 communities. He also highlighted steady progress on windmill-powered water projects in less populated areas, particularly in Khana Local Government Area.

According to him, the K-Dere Water Project, which is over 99 percent complete, will be commissioned in the coming weeks, even as work continues on other water schemes across Ogoni.

Zabbey further noted that HYPREP’s interventions are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, which focuses on ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.

To ensure sustainability, he explained that the agency has adopted a joint management model involving host communities, the Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, and the Rivers State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RSSTOWA). He added that Water Consumers’ Associations have been established in communities such as Nchia and Eleme, alongside training programmes conducted in collaboration with non-governmental organisations.

The Project Coordinator stressed the importance of community ownership and protection of water facilities, echoing the call by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, for residents to safeguard the infrastructure provided in their areas.

Zabbey expressed optimism that the ongoing efforts will significantly improve access to safe drinking water, reduce waterborne diseases, and enhance public health outcomes across Ogoni communities.