Nation

THE STATES

Published

16 years ago

October 13, 2010

Bauchi

The Bauchi State Government says its decision to pardon four out of the 20 former local government chairmen indicted by a government White Paper for corrupt practice was not “politically motivated”.

The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Al-Mustapha Suleiman, made the clarification in Bauchi in an interview with newsmen.

The indicted former chairmen are Alhaji Muhammed Hassan of Katagum Local Government, Alhaji Tukur Adamu of Kirfi, Alhaji Bello Arabi from Alkaleri and Alhaji Garba Magaji, Darazo Local Government.

Gov. Isa Yuguda had on Thursday granted amnesty to 18 convicts and the four former local government chairmen indicted for embezzling public funds in the last administration.

Borno

An Islamic scholar, Sheikh Bashir Mustafa, was last weekend shot dead in his Gwange, Maiduguri residence, by gunmen suspected to be members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect.

An eyewitness, told newsmen in Maduguri that the cleric was shot with one of his students, Alhaji Dunoma, who had visited him.

“The cleric and Dunoma were inside the house when we saw two men approach the house on a motorbike.

“They packed the bike outside and went straight to meet them inside where they opened fire on them.

FCT

As the world marks the World Post Day, the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) last weekend in Abuja presented the 2010 Definitive Postage Stamps to promote Nigeria’s tourism potential.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dora Akunyili, the Minister of Information and Communications, commended NIPOST for its initiative to key into the “Re-branding Nigeria” project through the production of the stamps.

Akunyili, represented by Mr Lagdam Ndam, Director, Research and Production in the ministry, noted that NIPOST, over the years had promoted the best of Nigeria’s cultural life, arts and history through postage stamps.

“All over the years, postage stamps are regarded as effective means of supplying information about a country’s history, people and culture.

Kaduna

Vice-President Namadi Sambo has said that President Goodluck Jonathan will be fair to all Nigerians if elected in 2011.

Sambo gave the assurance last weekend in Kaduna while inaugurating the Jonathan-Sambo 2011 North- West Zonal Campaign Office.

He said that the agenda of their administration was to restructure all the major sectors of the economy so as to attain the goals of Vision 20:2020.

The vice-president stressed that the administration was determined to make the country a comfortable place for all citizens, irrespective of where they came from.

Sambo appealed to the people of the North-West geopolitical zone region to vote for Jonathan in the 2011 presidential election, assuring them that there were specific development programmes earmarked for the region.

Kano

Participants at a workshop on Planning and Budgeting, have asked state governments to set up anti-corruption agencies to facilitate smooth budget planning and implementation.

In a communique issued at the end of the five-day workshop in Kano last weekend, the participants noted that corruption was “a major impediment to budget planning” in Nigeria.

The communique, which was signed by Malam Maikano Bashir, a Principal Assistant Secretary in the Kano State Deputy Governor’s Office, also urged State Houses of Assembly to pass the Fiscal Responsibility Bill into law to give legal backing to new planning and budgeting initiatives.

Katsina

The Katsina State Government will devote the N650 million it won in the 2007-2008 Award for Good Performance in UBE Implementation to the decongestion of some primary schools, an official said.

Alhaji Nuhu Kuki, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), announced the plan on Saturday in an interview with newsmen in Katsina.

He said that apart from the decongestion of the schools, the money would also be used for other school projects across the state.

Kebbi

Kano State governor Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau has donated N25 million to assist victims of the recent flood disaster in Kebbi State.

He made the donation last weekend in Birnin Kebbi when he visited his Kebbi counterpart Alhaji Saidu Dakingari.

Shekarau, who led a large delegation to Birnin Kebbi, said the donation was to show brotherly concern for fellow human beings.

“The monetary donation is aimed at alleviating the hardship faced by the flood victims and we sincerely hope and pray for the avoidance of future disasters,” he said.

Gov Saidu Dakingari, who received the donation, commended the government and people of Kano State for the assistance and pledged that the money would be judiciously utilised.

Lagos

A total of 108 ships are scheduled to berth in Lagos ports in October, our correspondent reports.

The shipping position released by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Lagos last weekend showed that many of the ships would be laden with containers, vehicles and petroleum products.

According to the shipping document, 15 of the ships are bringing in various petroleum products, mostly petrol, and are already waiting for clearance to berth.

Eighteen others are carrying bulk cargoes such as fish, fertiliser, bulk cement, bulk urea, bulk salt and containers.

Ogun

A business mogul, Chief Jimoh Ibrahim, last weekend pledged to construct a building worth N50 million for Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta (MAPOLY).

Ibrahim announced the donation when he was conferred with the honourary fellowship of the polytechnic during its 13th convocation ceremony.

He said that the building would be known as “Olusegun Obasanjo Privatisation Centre’’.

Ibrahim said that the project would be jointly financed by five of his companies — Global Fleet, Nigeria Re-insurance, Air Nigeria, NICON Insurance and NICON Hotel.

Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun State also received an honourary fellowship of the institution during the convocation.

Osun

The Osun Government has recruited 600 teachers to fill vacant positions in public primary schools in the state, Prof. Wale Oladipo, the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) said.

Oladipo said in a statement obtained by our correspondent last week in Osogbo that the recruitment would improve the standard of basic education in the state.

The newly employed teachers, he said, had already collected their letters of appointment and had been posted to primary schools across the state.

The SUBEB chairman also called on other qualified teachers seeking employment to come to the board for application forms to fill positions expected to be vacated by retiring teachers next year.

Sokoto

The Federal Government says plans have reached advanced stage for the reconstruction of the access

road to Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, that was destroyed by flood in August.

Mr Chris Ogiewonyi, the Minister of State for Works, made the information known last weekend in Sokoto shortly after inspecting the road.

Ogiewonyi, who also inspected the Sokoto-Ilela road that links Nigeria with Niger Republic and promised that work would soon begin on the road.

More than 20 villages were washed away in Sokoto State following floods that ravaged 20 villages across six local government areas and rendered more than 8,000 people homeless.

The floods washed away more than 4km of the access road and a bridge to the university and connecting seven local government areas to Sokoto town.

Plateau

President Goodluck Jonathan last weekend inaugurated a new Governor’s Lodge and office for Plateau.

The President, who is in Plateau on a two-day visit, also inaugurated an overhead bridge in Kabong which was built at N2.8 billion.

Jonathan, who lauded the Plateau government for building the bridge he described as “very strategic’’, also thanked the Government for naming a road after him.

The 25km road named after Goodluck Jonathan, is a federal road which the State Government rehabilitated.

“The bridge is the only flyover bridge in Plateau and the best in the North-Central Zone; it will remain a landmark to the entire nation,’’ he said.

Yobe

ACN Chairman in Yobe Mai-mala Buni last Sunday advised the electorate to stop non-performing politicians aspiring for the Governorship House from getting elected.

Buni told newsmen in Damaturu that “Yobe has peculiar problems of desertification and drought, but docile lawmakers could not make any impact on those problems.

“Some of these politicians are now aspiring for the governorship which must be resisted because of their incompetence.

“It will be disastrous to entrust the future of the state in the hands of people who could not sponsor bills to impact on the lives of the people while at the National Assembly,” he said.

Buni, who is also the chairman of the coalition of political parties in the state, noted that political parties would sensitise their members against “aspirants who cannot deliver to improve the lives of the people’’.

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.