Nation

THE STATES

Published

15 years ago

January 13, 2012

Adamawa

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday in Yola condemned the recent mayhem in Adamawa where 26 persons were killed by gunmen.

Obasanjo made the condemnation when he visited the Christ Apostolic Church where 12 worshippers were killed.

The former President, who described the incident as “callous and shocking’’ said the perpetrators of the crime were possessed by Satan.

Obasanjo, who was in Yola for the grand finale of Governor Murtala Nyako’s campaign, said: “If the intention of the perpetrators is to cause ethnic and religious crisis, the people of Adamawa have disappointed them by their resolved to continue to live in peace.’’

Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, on Monday commended the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for conducting itself peacefully during the ongoing strike over the fuel subsidy removal.

He made the commendation in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi.

Aduba said that the labour leaders kept to their promise of ensuring a peaceful atmosphere during the strike.

He, however, regretted that some hoodlums attacked the Police during the protest.

Aduba also commended his men for displaying professionalism by not being provoked but kept the hoodlums at bay to avoid clash with the protesters.

‘’As a matter of fact, I give kudos to the leadership in charge of the affair, but that notwithstanding, there was some levels of infiltration. The hoodlums tried to hijack it at the Government House.

Borno

Borno government has presented a N100 million cheque to the family of Malam Baba Fugu, the slain in-law of late Boko Haram leader Malam Mohammed Yusuf.

Fugu was allegedly shot while in police custody in Maiduguri during the 2009 Boko Haram crisis.

The Fugu’s family sued the state government to court, and a Maiduguri High Court last year ordered the state to pay N100 million compensation to the family.

Not satisfied with the judgment, the state government took its case to the Appeal Court, Jos.

Presenting a cheque for the amount at a ceremony in Government House, Maiduguri, Gov. Kashim Shettima explained that the action was aimed at terminating the ongoing legal tussle between the two parties.

“No amount of money can adequately compensate for the loss of Fugu.

FCT

The Managing Director of Urban Development Bank of Nigeria (UDBN) PLC, Mr Adekunle Oyinloye, said in Abuja on Tuesday that about N50 billion capital injection would be needed to meet the “built-up’’ demands of the nation’s mass transit revolving loan scheme.

Oyinloye said that to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy withdrawal, the Federal Government had entrusted UDBN with additional N15 billion for the mass transit revolving loan scheme under its Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE).

He said that the N15 billion would create a much larger pool of funds to enhance improved access to affordable public mass transportation across the country.

Gombe

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member representing Billiri East Constituency, Gombe State House of Assembly, Mr. Sunday Mela says he has trained 20 youths and some women in various skills since he was sworn in, six months ago.

Mela, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Billiri on Monday.

He said the beneficiaries were trained in various skills including hair dressing and computer and internet operations.

Mela said that kits would also be provided to the trainees in batches, to enable them to establish their own businesses and become self-reliant.

“I know it is a different thing for you to train someone and allow him to keep roving the streets.

“I don’t have the capacity to take the whole 20 at a time, but I am working out a formula, whereby I would be settling one or three at a time,” he said.

Jigawa

An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Isa Kachako, has advised the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, to employ dialogue and consultation in pursuing the issue of fuel subsidy removal.

Kachako told newsmen in Dutse on Monday that anarchy and confrontation by the unions would not solve the current situation, adding that people must seek dialogue as a means of resolving crisis.

The cleric explained that the government alone should not be blamed for the removal of fuel subsidy, saying that some persons in the society should also share from the blame for exploiting the fuel situation.

Kachako urged parents to ensure that their children and wards stayed away from any act that could create problem in the society.

Kano

The Police in Kano State arrested 24 persons allegedly involved in an attempt to take over Government House, Kano, during protests against the removal of fuel subsidy on Monday.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, told newsmen that the suspects pulled down part of the fence of the Government House and burnt 20 vehicles at the cabinet office.

Kebbi

The Kebbi government has released 200 vehicles on loan to the state branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal.

The union on its part, immediately announced a reduction in transport fares by 15 per cent.

Gov. Saidu Dakingari, said in Birnin Kebbi while addressing a procession of protesters, that the vehicles were “highly subsidised”.

The governor, added that the government would also provide ferries to ease problem of movement in Dole Kaina, Lolo, Kwanji and Laffagu fishing communities of Dandi and Shanga local government areas of the state.

Lagos

A twenty-three-year old, Suleiman Ajanaku, has been arraigned before a Surulere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing a Blackberry mobile phone valued at N120,000, property of one Miss Clara Nwafor.

The prosecutor, Inspector James Olumide, told the court that the accused had on December 31, at Akerele Street, in Surulere, Lagos, confronted Nwafor and demanded for her phone.

He said Nwafor had refused to surrender her phone to the accused, who forcefully snatched the phone from her, and pushed her to the ground in the process.

Plateau

The Jos Zone of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has kicked against the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

The students’ body has therefore asked the President to reverse the decision while dissociating itself from any decision taken by a faction of NANS’ national body in support of the removal.

In a statement in Jos on Monday, Mr Dazi Mangse, the Public Relations Officer Zone C of NANS, accused the government of carrying out the removal “undemocratically.”

According to him, the president should respect the constitutional rights of Nigerians who voted him by reversing the decision of removing fuel subsidy.

Sokoto

Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State on Tuesday in Sokoto assured residents of their safety.

Wamakko gave the assurance when he met with a delegation of the Association of Resident Communities led by its President, Mr Patrick Atusu .

“I want to reassure you that as a responsible government, we take responsibility for each one of you just like any other indigene of the state.

“You should feel free to do your businesses in Sokoto State. You should shun rumour mongering and all forms of sentimental comments of some leaders elsewhere in Nigeria.

“The country belongs to all of us and everyone should be free to do business anywhere he or she wants”, he said.

Zamfara

Following the violence, which trailed Monday’s protest against the removal of fuel subsidy in Gusau, the Zamfara Government has accused politicians of instigating the destruction of public property.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication, Alhaji Sani Tsafe said “some politicians hide under the cover of the ongoing strike to cause havoc in the state.“

The statement said politicians instead of allowing the protest to go on peacefully instigated the youth to engage in the destruction of government and public property.

“If it is right for anybody to embark on strike to make his grievances public, it is equally the right of the public not to be victims of his action“ it said.

The government warned that it would not fold its arms and allow miscreants to plunge the state into crisis and strip it of its credible status as one of the most peaceful states.

Meanwhile, the police in Bauchi State on Monday announced that it would intensify a joint patrol with soldiers in Bauchi metropolis.

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.