Nation

THE STATES

Published

15 years ago

October 12, 2011

Adamawa

The Adamawa State Government has revived moribund Women Training Centres in local government areas of the state to enable more women benefit from the newly introduced Local Apprenticeship Scheme (LAS) programme.

The Project Manager of LAS, Alhaji Sani Jada, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Yola.

Jada said that training centres had been resuscitated in Gombi, Song, Numan, Mayo-Belwa, Fufore and Yola South Local Government Area where 1,626 women were enrolled for various skills and petty business training.

He said that another set of 318 women were attached to Master Trainers across the state while 200 others were enrolled in Hajiya Zainab Nyako’s Women Education and Empowerment Initiative (WEEIN) centre in Yola.

Borno

Alhaji Inuwa Kubo, the Borno State Commissionr for Education, said on Sunday that the State Government has increased the monthly feeding budget of students of post primary schools from N20 million to N30 million.

Kubo, who stated this during an interview session with Principals of Secondary Schools in Maiduguri, explained that the move was to improve the quality of food and education of the students.

He advised the principals to make sure that the money was judiciously spent by setting up Committee of Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to monitor quality of food in schools across the state.

He said the present administration of Governor Kashim Shettima has completed every arrangement to pay WAEC registration for the students.

FCT

Mrs Iniobong Usoro, President of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), has called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to stamp out quackery in the engineering profession.

She made the call on Saturday in Abuja at the Annual General Meeting of the association with theme: “ Women Engineering Career : The Female Case’’.

She told government to introduce measures that would encourage competition and growth in the building industry, saying that the association’s meeting would focus on the challenges faced by engineering professionals and how to tackle the problems.

Highlights of the meeting include the donation of N100,000 to Miss Adedoyi Funmilola of the Federal University of Technology Akure, the best graduating female engineering student who scored a cumulative grade point of 4.62

Gombe

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has condoled with the government and people of Gombe State over the accident that occurred recently in the state which led to loss of lives and property.

During a visit to Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo in Gombe recently Yuguda expressed sympathy to the families and friends of the victims of the accident.

“I am here on behalf of myself and the people of Bauchi State to sympathise with the government and people of Gombe State over the accident which occurred whereby a trailer lost control and affected quite a lot of people.

Dankwambo thanked Yuguda and the people of Bauchi State for their concern and prayed God to accept the condolence.

Dankwambo said Gombe and Bauchi were still one and that whatever affected one state affected the other.

Jigawa

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has urged State Assembly Speakers in the North to restore the “lost values and culture” of the region.

Lamido, who gave the charge on Saturday at the 21st meeting of the Northern Speakers Forum in Dutse, said the people of the region were known as united souls, irrespective of their tribal or religious affinities.

“It is unfortunate that all these values have been lost because of political differences and other selfish interests that have bedevilled the region.”

Lamido, therefore, urged the forum to focus its deliberations toward bringing unity and mutual co-existence among the different ethnic groups in the region and the nation in general.

Kano

Mr Isa Tijjani, a former National Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, has cautioned the Federal Government against withdrawing subsidy from petrol.

Speaking to newsmen in Kano recently, Tijjani said the decision would aggravate the current economic hardships in the country.

“Instead of withdrawing the subsidy, government should address the challenges facing the entire sector to reduce the cost of bridging and importation of the commodity,” he said.

According to him, the Federal Government should ensure total rehabilitation of the oil refineries, in addition to making all the petrol depots functional.

Katsina

The people of Mahuta in Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State, have been urged to live in peace and engage in viable ventures capable of contributing to the development of the area and the nation at large.

Alhaji Bello Abdulkadir, the District Head of Mahuta, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Mahuta on Sunday.

He had just conferred Prof. Haruna Yusuf, a Mathematics lecturer at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, with the traditional title of “Dan-masanin Mahuta”.

Abdulkadir also challenged intellectuals in Nigeria and abroad to contribute their quota toward the development of their local communities.

He said that Yusuf was so honoured, being their first son to attain the highest academic status in the community.

Lagos

The PHCN Transmission Company of Nigeria has said that incessant erection of buildings and sand dredging activities under electricity transmission towers are the biggest threats to the operations of the company.

Mr Olushola Akinniranye, Executive Director, Transmission and Services Provider, said in an interview with newsmen on Saturday in Lagos, that a warning had become imperative because dredging of sand under transmission towers often exposed the towers to collapse.

Akinniranye warned sand dredging operators to stop their activities, stressing that it would cause the organisation more than 18 months to replace or repair any fallen part of the network across Nigeria.

Niger

The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqa’atu Rufai, on Saturday in Minna, inaugurated a geosciences workstation worth N132 million, donated by Exxom Mobil Nigeria Ltd to the Federal University of Technology, Minna.

The minister said that the workstation, donated to the Department of Geosciences would strengthen the study of geosciences in the university.

She said that government was appreciative of the gesture by Exxom Mobile, urging companies and private individuals to emulate the good example of the company.

Oyo

Many prominent Nigerians on Friday in Ibadan gathered at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium to witness the burial service for Chief Kolapo Ishola, a former governor of Oyo State.

The service was jointly conducted by Archbishop Ola Makinde, the Prelate, Methodist Church of Nigeria, and Rev. Francis Wale Oke, the Bishop of the Sword of the Spirit Ministry.

The deceased died at his Ikolaba, Ibadan, residence on

Aug. 9 at the age of 77.

Paying tributes, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the former governor of Osun State, described the deceased as a trustworthy politician, noting that he was a father to all.

Sokoto

Alhaji Muktari Mapia, the Deputy Treasurer of PDP in Sokoto State, on Friday called on Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s plans to transform the country.

Mapia told newsmen in Sokoto that the President’s transformation agenda was one of the best things that had ever happened to Nigeria in recent times.

He, therefore, stressed the need for all the citizens to support the agenda, which was aimed at kick-starting the country’s socio-political and economic development in pragmatic terms.

Mapia said that for instance, the ongoing reconstruction of federal roads across the country would enhance the smooth movement of people, goods and services in the country.

“The priority attention, which the Federal Government is giving to education, health care delivery, poverty eradication and expansion of railway lines, as well as dredging of River Niger, is an indication that Jonathan will transform our country before leaving office in 2015.’’

“The proper funding of our nation’s security agencies will enable them to come out with effective security arrangements that will guarantee peace and enhance national development,’’ he said.

Taraba

At least 16 women from Taraba will not perform this year’s hajj to Saudi Arabia because they have failed the pre-hajj pregnancy screening.

The Executive Secretary of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Hassan Bantaje, made the disclosure in an interview with newmen in Jalingo on Saturday.

He said the rules and regulations governing hajj, barred pregnant women from embarking on the pilgrimage because of “the rigorous nature of the exercise”.

Bantaje said the women defied the law and concealed their pregnancies in order to perform the pilgrimage but that the lenses of the medical doctors exposed them.

He said they would not be allowed to perform the hajj this year, explaining that measures were being taken to sanitise pilgrims.

Bantage disclosed that 1,983 pilgrims from the state would perform the hajj this year, 200 of whom he said, were government-sponsored.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

5 hours 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

5 hours 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

5 hours 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.