Nation

THE STATES

Published

15 years ago

September 5, 2011

Adamawa

The Adamawa Government plans to set up a communication hotline linking the office of the governor with traditional rulers and their communities to effectively combat violent crimes across the state.

Gov. Murtala Nyako unveiled the plan when he addressed traditional rulers who paid him Sallah homage at Government House, Yola.

Nyako said the hotline would also link first class traditional rulers with their district and ward heads so that any security threat could be reported immediately for prompt action.

He said that a hotline already existed between him and heads of security agencies in the state, noting that the hotline helped in frustrating the bandits who attacked banks and police stations in Gombi town last week in their attempt to rob the banks.

Bornu

Alhaji Sa’idu Pindar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the April general elections in Borno State, has died.

Pindar died in an auto crash on the Kano-Abuja expressway on Wednesday, family members said.

Malam Ibrahim Biu, a relative of the deceased, said in Maiduguri on Thursday that the politician died on his way to Abuja for an engagement.

Pindar, a one-time Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, was the running mate of Alhaji Mohammed Goni, the PDP governorship candidate in the state.

Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno described Pindar’s death as ‘’shocking and a great loss to the state’’.

Gombe

The Gombe State NLC is to commence strike on Thursday following its inability to reach agreements with the government on the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage.

This is contained in a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC) of NLC on Wednesday in Gombe.

The communique was signed by its chairman, Mr Ahmed Maisaka. According to the document, the council deliberated on the directive of the National Executive Council to proceed on an indefinite strike September 1, if an agreement is not reached on or before August 31.

The statement which expressed labour’s dismay on the inability of the state government to reach an amicable resolution on the minimum wage, stated that there was no going back on its action.

Kano

Alhaji Abbas Sanusi, senior counselor at Kano Emirate, has given the assurance that the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, will carry out all the Eid-el-Fitri durbar celebrations as is usually done.

In a statement on Wednesday, Sanusi, who is the “Wambai of Kano’’, urged the people to attend all the durbar celebration which usually lasts for three consecutive days.

He explained that the only amendment to the Durbar celebration’s calendar was the emir’s visit to the Government House which normally took place on the third day of the celebration.

The amendment, according to him, is that instead of the emir to visit the Government House, the governor would now pay a visit to the emir to congratulate him for the Eid-el-Fitri celebration.

Katsina

The Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir, on Wednesday in Katsina, said that attacks on traditional and political leaders as being experienced in the country was not Islamic.

Kabir, who paid a traditional sallah homage to the Gov. Ibrahim Shema, said “attack on traditional and political leaders in some parts of the country after the last presidential polls was unIslamic and condemnable “.

He noted that politics was all about opinion which provided every one the right to choose, and urged youths in the country not to go on rampage because of elections.

The emir also condemned the act of rumour mongering which according him, was one of the causes of violence.

He noted that the door of his emirate council was open for people to offer useful advice rather than castigating leaders and spreading rumours which could lead to political violence.

Kebbi

The Kebbi Government has earmarked N155.6 million for the establishment of an onion processing factory in Aliero.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Sani Kanya, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday that the factory would process raw onions into bottles and tin containers.

He said the idea was to preserve onions for a longer period of time and reduce the loss suffered by onion producers, especially when there was no market for the commodity.

Kanya said the factory would also help in encouraging farmers to produce the commodity in higher commercial quantity.

He added that the factory would employ 65 workers in addition to some experts who would be deployed from the state ministry of agriculture.

Kwara

The Kwara Agricultural Development Project (KWADP) has hailed the federal government’s intervention in the agriculture sector, saying that it is yielding positive results.

Mr. Sunday Atanda, the Managing Director of the agency, made the observation while speaking in Ilorin on Thursday.

Atanda noted that the government’s investment in the Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP) had catapulted Nigeria to become the world’s number one cassava producer, with about 42 million tonnes annually.

Acoording to him, the investment provides employment to rural dwellers and ensures food security.

Nasarawa

Gov. Umaru Al-makura of Nasarawa said on Thursday that his administration had no plan to retrench workers in view of the implementation of the new national minimum wage as was being speculated.

Al-makura stated this in Lafia while playing host to the leadership of organised labour in the state who paid him a Sallah homage.

He assured workers that efforts would be intensified toward improving their welfare, adding that “the N18,900 minimum wage is only a tip of the iceberg.”

Al-makura stressed the need to strengthen the existing relationship between the state government and the NLC and called on labour leaders to ensure that workers reciprocate government gesture through efficient service delivery.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

4 weeks 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

4 weeks 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.

Nation

Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

Published

4 weeks ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

Residents of Ajah, Mafoluku and other flood-prone communities in Lagos have recounted how Thursday’s torrential rainfall left them stranded, submerged homes and cut off access to major roads.

The residents, who spoke with Tide source, on Friday called for urgent government intervention to tackle the recurring flooding blamed on poor drainage infrastructure.

Along Mobil Road in Ajah, Mrs Rukayat said floodwaters submerged about 200 metres of the road, forcing commuters to wade through waist-deep water.

“The water level was almost up to my lap. People literally had to wade through it to get home,” she said.

According to her, many motorists turned back, while others abandoned their vehicles and continued their journeys on foot.

“The only way to pass through the water was by walking or using a tricycle. Even then, the tricycles broke down and had to be pushed,” she said.

Rukayat said some youths assisted stranded tricycle operators by pushing their vehicles through flooded sections for a fee.

She said residents had repeatedly alerted authorities to the flooding but little had changed.

“We reported this when the rains started, but apparently nothing has been done about the problem,” she said.

She attributed the flooding to poor drainage and possible blockage of a major canal serving the area.

“There is a big canal here, but I don’t know what is preventing water from flowing through it properly,” she said.

According to her, overgrown vegetation and sand deposits might have obstructed the canal, reducing its capacity to discharge stormwater.

She added that although floodwaters usually receded after a few hours, sections of the road remained waterlogged.

In Mafoluku, residents said several streets, homes and access roads were submerged, leaving many unable to return home after going about their daily activities.

Mrs Iriagbonse Okunkpolor, a resident of Agboola Street, said what began as a short trip to buy household items became an hours-long ordeal.

“I left my house to buy a few items nearby, but the rain started suddenly and flooded the entire street.

“I was stranded for hours because there was no safe way back home,” she said.

Another resident, Mr Mukaila Idris, described the flooding as both dangerous and distressing.

“The current was very strong. I watched people pay young men to carry them across the water because they were afraid of being swept away or falling,” he said.

According to him, only physically fit residents could navigate the floodwaters safely, while many others waited several hours for the water level to subside.

Mr Williams Ekpo, who lives in the Eyinogun area, said the flood extended beyond the roads and entered residential compounds.

“The floodwater entered our compound and damaged some household items.

“This happens almost every rainy season, yet nothing seems to be done to address the drainage problem,” he said.

The residents urged the relevant authorities to investigate the persistent flooding and improve drainage infrastructure to prevent a recurrence during the rainy season.