Nation

THE STATES

Published

15 years ago

September 9, 2011

Adamawa

Suspected armed robbers on Sunday killed two students of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, a statement from the university stated.

The statement, issued by the Deputy Director of Information of AUN, Mr Innocent Okorie, named the students as Mr Levi Nyat and Mr Abaagu Charles.

The statement said the incident occurred at a barbecue (suya) spot, near Jimeta main market, where the suspected robbers snatched a car belonging to one of the victims.

The President of AUN, Dr Margee Ensign said she was deeply saddened by the incident, which led to “the untimely death of the two students in the prime of their lives”.

Benue

Four traditional rulers in Guma Local Government Area of Benue on Monday appeared at a Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court for complicity in the violence in Agasha village in May.

The rulers, Chiefs Joseph Chekwu, Simon Agah, Ikyowe Adebur and Gideon Tiev are charged with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, inciting disturbance and causing death by fire.

The prosecutor, Mr Godwin Ebonyi, said that the actions of the suspects contravened sections 97, 221, 114 and 337 of the Penal Code.

Ebonyi told the court that Mr Stephen Kpev, the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Tarka Local Government Council, reported at the State CID Department that the accused conspired with youths to set Agasha community ablaze.FCT

FCT

The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai, said on Monday that the Federal Government would take concrete steps to address the deplorable state of education and the problem of mass failure in Secondary School Certificate Examinations.

Speaking with State House correspondents shortly after briefing President Goodluck Jonathan on the plans of her ministry for the next four years, Rufai said that the issue of improving the quality of education and easy access to education would be the areas of priority for the ministry.

“We have just mentioned to the President that the ministry is going to focus on two main areas — the issue of access and equity and the issue of standard and quality assurance.

Jigawa

Alhaji Hanati Yakubu, the Jigawa Commissioner for Water Resources, said on Monday in Dutse that the state needed N6.2 billion to boost water supply in the state capital.

Yakubu told newsmen that the figure was arrived at after a survey carried out by the government.

He explained that due to the low water level in Dutse, the water would be sourced from Cintirimawa River, a distance of 50 km from Dutse.

The commissioner said that because of the huge capital outlay, the state would seek financial assistance from the Federal Government to finance the project.

Kebbi

The National Teachers Institute (NTI) in Kebbi has commenced a capacity building workshop for 2,491 teachers on new teaching methodologies under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The state NTI Coordinator, Alhaji Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, said that the training programme was organised jointly by the MDGs Office and the NTI.

He said that 50 resource persons had been deployed to the training centres located in Birnin Kebbi, Argungu, Bunza, Yauri and Zuru, adding that the programme recorded nearly 96 per cent attendance.

He said 1,753 participants were primary school teachers while the remaining 738 teachers were JSS teachers who would receive training on four subjects, including English language, Social studies, Integrated Science and Mathematics.

Kogi

Work on the Neem-based organic fertiliser plant established by the Kogi government has been completed and ready for inauguration, an official said.

Dr Abdulkarim Abubakar, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, made the statement in Agbeji-Anyingba, Dekina Local Government Area, on Monday during an inspection tour of the plant site.

He said the plant had undergone a test-run within the last three months after its completion and was ready for inauguration.

He said the construction of a road network within the plant site was the only constraint to the inauguration.

Kwara

A university lecturer, Prof. Wole Ogundele, has expressed worry on the possibility of some local languages, including Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, going into extinction in about 50 years time.

Ogundele who is the Director of the Black Culture and International Studies Centre at Osogbo in Osun, gave the warning in Ilonn on Monday at the inauguration of the Black Culture and Arts Foundation.

Bemoaning the inability of government to develop the nation’s languages, Ogundele advised the Federal, State and Local Governments to explore ways oftransfonning the nation’s arts and culture to create wealth and employment opportunities.

According to him, government at all levels in Nigeria have failed to tap the abundant resources in arts and culture but have instead, succeeded in making Nigerian culture look fake and secondhand.

Lagos

The National President, Ijaw Youth Development Association (IYDA), Mr. Amassoma Daniel, in Lagos has called for the review of the scheme for the training of Niger Delta ex-militants.

At an event organised by the Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG) to celebrate President Goodluck Jonathan’s 100 days in office, Daniel said that the amnesty programme was being poorly implemented.

In an interview with newsmen, he said that “we have discovered that those undergoing the various trainings are not well equipped for self-sufficiency.

He said that there was the need to review the training module of the amnesty programme.

Niger

The World Bank has earmarked N120 million for the execution of community development projects in Niger, the General Manager of Community and Social Development Projects, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar, has disclosed.

Addressing the maiden meeting of the board of the organisation in Minna last Monday, Abubakar said that only N38.7 million of the sum had been accessed by communities benefitting from 62 approved micro-projects.

He blamed the inability of communities to access the funds to non-adherence to the bank’s guidelines and slow execution of projects.

Osun

A political scientist, Prof. John Ayoade, has said that the way salaries of public servants were fixed violated the principle of true federalism.

Ayoade stated this in a lecture he delivered last Monday as part of the activities lined up for the 20th anniversary of the creation of Osun State.

He called on President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure the practise of true federalism and argued that the Federal Government should allow every state to fix its workers’ salaries on the basis of productivity and ability to pay.

He observed that the failure of the country to address the problem of structural imbalance had been the bane of the Nigerian federalism.

The don argued that fixing a uniform salary might result to the problem of overpaying some workers while underpaying others within the same country.

Taraba

Mrs Josephine Zirder, the President, Tailor Made Tours Limited (TMT) Israel, a company that facilitates the movement of Christian pilgrims in the Holy land, has pledged to sponsor five members of Taraba cultural troupe to pilgrimage.

Zirder made the pledge on Tuesday in Jalingo at a meeting with the board members of the state Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board (CPWB).

Zirder and other management staff the company were visibly thrilled at the performance of the troupe during the meeting.

“We thank God for making it possible for us to be in Nigeria. We are excited at the warm reception accorded us, especially in Taraba.

“The performance of the cultural troupe has particularly been wonderful. TMT will sponsor five members of the troupe to perform during the 2011 Christian Pilgrimage in the Holy land.”

Zirder said their visit was to build a strong relationship between Nigeria and Israel as well as to commend Nigerian Pilgrims for always being peaceful and loving while on pilgrimage.

Sokoto

Alhaji Lawal Zayyana , the Speaker of Sokoto State House of Assembly, says the Assembly has embarked on the review of the state’s dormant and obsolete laws .

“The review is to make the laws to be in tune with the contemporary time and improve on the internally-generated revenue base of the state,’’ Zayyana told newsmen in Sokoto last Monday.

He said some of the affected laws had been in use for two to three decades.

“The exercise is going on smoothly and it will be completed soon. This action is intended to improve the provision of the needed services to the people,’’ he stated.

According to him, the review of the laws will directly bolster the revenue base of the state and rather than the state depending solely on the monthly allocation from the federation account.

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.