Nation

THE STATES

Published

15 years ago

August 15, 2011

Adamawa

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Adamawa has arrested six suspects for allegedly vandalising PHCN cables in Yola town.

Parading the suspects, comprising a man, Mohammed Adamu, and five minors he used for the operation, the state Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Goodluck Asibi, said the minors were caught after vandalising a cable behind Yola Technical College.

Asibi said the minors subsequently led the defence corps patrol team to Adamu, their sponsor.

The commandant alleged that Adamu had been using the minors for such activities after which he usually gave them some stipend of between N1,000 and N2,000.

The Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, has advised parents to rise up to the challenge of ensuring proper upbringing of their children and impacting them with moral values.

The emir, who is also the Chairman, Kaduna State Council of Emirs and Chiefs, gave the advice in Zaria at the traditional fast breaking dinner with the people of the area to mark the 10th day of Ramadan.

Idris said parents had a significant role to play in inculcating moral values in the society, through proper upbringing of their children and wards.

He said such efforts would go a long way in curbing youth restiveness, thereby making the society safe for all.

“It is the duty of parents to ensure that their wards exhibit high sense of discipline and become committed to what will move the society forward,” he added.

Bauchi

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has submitted 18 names of commissioner-nominees to the state House of Assembly for screening and clearance.

Mr Adoji Disina, the member representing Disina Constituency in the House announced this in Bauchi during a plenary session.

Disina told the House that the submission of the list was in accordance with the 1999 Constitution and urged his colleagues to prepare toward the screening of the nominees.

He announced Alhaji Abubakar Faggo, (Shira), Tasiu Abubakar (Katagum) and Hajiya Talatu Muhammed (Itas Gadau) and Mahiru Maiwada (Torro) former Speaker and the former commissioners for Information, Women Affairs and Rural Development as some of nominees.

They include Alhaji Aminu Hamayo (Misau) former Finance Commissioner, Dr Sani Mallami (Bauchi), Alhaji Muhammed Mai-jama’a (Bauchi), Sani Muhammed-Gura (Ningi) and Mustapha Hassan (Ganjuwa).

The Tide source reports that after a lengthy deliberation, the members agreed to commence the screening of the nominees.

Katsina

The Code of Conduct Bureau has warned the newly appointed commissioners in Katsina State to declared their assets to avoid unnecessary embarrassment.

The State Director, Mr. Simon Abu, gave the warning at a news conference in Katsina.

He said the warning became necessary in view of the fact that only two of the 16 new commissioners have so far declared their assets before they took over the affairs of their respective offices.

He said, “according to the bureau’s laws, all political appointees must declare their assets before swearing-in, but majority of the appointed commissioners have yet to declared their assets.

Kebbi

The Kebbi State Government says it will provide relief to 35 compounds affected by flood in Masama community in Gwandu Local Government Area.

Governor Saidu Dakingari, who visited the flooded area also directed the Sole Administrator of the area, Muhammadu Juli, to embark on the clearance of drains in the town to avoid further loos of property.

He also directed the state urban development authority to commence the clearing of drains and illegal structures in major towns.

The District Head of Masama, Alhaji Al-Mustapha Masama, told the governor that the absence of systematic drainage system, had exposed the area to flood during the rainy season and appealed to authorities to ensure a reversal of the problem.

Ondo

The Police Command in Ondo State says 2,900 graduates in the area have applied for the advertised posts of Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and Inspector of Police.

This is contained in a statement signed by the command’s Spokesman, Mr Adeniran Aremu, and made available to our correspondent last Wednesday in Akure.

It stated that examination and screening of applicants would hold between August 15 and Aug. 20.

All applicants are to report at the command headquarters along Igbatoro Road, Akure for the interview.

It warned all applicants to desist from any act that could disrupt the exercise.

Osun

The Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) has said that only 15 per cent of the 160,000 kilometres of roads in the country are good.

RAMP, an offshoot of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture made the disclosure at its Annual Retreat and Review Meeting in Osogbo.

Mr Ubandoma Ularamu, the National Coordinator, said that the 15 percent covered both the secondary and tertiary roads in the country.

According to him, the larger population of Nigerians lives in the rural areas even as about 70 per cent of the Local Government Roads are bad.

“Out of over 160,000 kilometres of secondary and tertiary roads in Nigeria, with an average registered network of 4,000 kilometers per state, only about 10 – 15 per cent is paved.

Oyo

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has identified the well-being of children and women as a crucial health indicator for the progress of the Nigerian society.

Ajimobi stated this at the signing ceremony of the 2011-2012 Programme Implementation Agreement (PIA), with the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in Ibadan on Wednesday.

He said that his administration would work with UNICEF and other development partners to ensure that matters affecting women and children were given priority.

The governor said that government would deliver institutional framework to guarantee the rights of children to survival, adding that women would be empowered in realisation of the set goals.

Ajimobi reminded the meeting that with just four years to the target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the challenges were enormous.

Plateau

A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Shedrack Best, said a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Isa Song, was named Special Adviser on Legislative matters.

Also appointed were former Governor Joshua Dariye’s Chief of State, Alexander Molwus, as the Special Adviser on Political Affairs, and Mr. Ayuba Dangwong, a former Plateau correspondent of the Nation Newspapers, Special Adviser on Media.

Dangwong took over from Dauda lamba, who was appointed Special Adviser on Legal Matters.

Sokoto

Sokoto State Government has spent about N20 million to purchase laboratory equipment for the Sultan Abdulrahman School of Health Technology, Gwadabawa.

Alhaji Abdullahi Maigwandu, the Commissioner for Health, told our correspondent in Sokoto last Thursday that the government accorded priority to the promotion of health knowledge.

“We will ensure the availability of basic health facilities to enable the school to produce well qualified health personnel to manage our existing health institutions.”

He explained that the ministry would also encourage health personnel to acquire more knowledge for the development of the health sector.

Maigwandu called on the staff of the ministry to complement the effort of the state government in the promotion of the sector.

Taraba

The Taraba Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources says it is worried about the low level performance of the World Bank assisted Fadama programme in the state.

The state government has, therefore, set up a monitoring and evaluation committee under a newly established unit to continually assess the activities of the implementation of the programmes in the state.

The Commissioner in charge of the ministry, Mr Anthony Jellason told newsmen in Jalingo last Wednesday that a lot of lapses had been observed in the implementation process over the years.

Jellason said that the state government had decided that before releasing its counterpart fund, the monitoring and evaluation committee, made up of experts in various fields, must be in place.

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.