Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government, has assured residents of the metropolis that the planned review of the city’s master plan is in their interest.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Alhaji Aminu Hammayo, gave the assurance in an interview last Monday in Bauchi.
He said the government would implement the review with minimal removal of unapproved structures built in various locations in the city.
He added that the exercise would accommodate some of the existing structures that did not go well with the master plan.
According to Hammayo, at the end of the review, the lives and property of the residents will be better protected.
He added that at the end of the review, adequate measures would be put in place to ensure that the public did not distort the master plan in future.
The planned review will be the first since 1976 when a British firm was contracted by the Bauchi government to carry out a review of the master plan.
Benue
The Benue Commissioner for Education, Dr Elizabeth Ugo, has challenged proprietors of schools to refrain from aiding and abetting examination malpractice.
Ugo made the call at Naka, Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue, while addressing newsmen after monitoring the conduct of NECO examination.
The commissioner said that majority of school owners established their schools with the sole aim of making quick money without considering the effect of such action on the society.
She expressed worry over the dimension of examination malpractice in the state, stressing that drastic action would be taken against the perpetrators to stem the tide.
Ugo said that the idea of paying surprise visits to schools during the NECO examination was to enable the ministry to have first hand information of schools that were “miracle centres”.
FCT
The Commandant-General, National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ade Abolurin, has advised private security guards companies to be wary of fraudulent persons issuing fake biometric cards.
He gave the advice in a statement signed by the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Mr Okeh Emmanuel, in Abuja following a report on the activities of some fraudulent persons.
He said that some organisations and persons had been found to be issuing biometric cards to private security guards company with the intent to defraud them.
The statement said that in line with the amended NSCDC Act of 2007, only the corps had the responsibility of monitoring, supervising and licensing private guards companies and the issuance of biometric cards.
He advised private guards companies to verify from the nearest state command of the corps any information that was contrary to the laid-down rules guiding their operations.
Kaduna
Twenty six police recruits undergoing training at the Police College, Kaduna, have been arraigned at a Chief Magistrates’ Court, charged with forging certificates.
The recruits, arrested during screening, are Habila Ayuba, Shuaibu Simon, Salisu Haruna, Augustine Akwe, Nura Iro, Yusuf Ezekiel and Daniel Yakubu.
Others are Ibrahim Bello, Saratu Oguba, Idris Muhammed, Isah Ibrahim, Sabo Abubakar, John Emmanuel, Tanimu Danwawo, Musbahu Garba, Musa Sani, Isyaku Ayuba and Yakubu Sani.
The rest are Kata Ibrahim, Alfa Gabriel, Ubangida Adamu, Abdulkareem Bala, Amah Yarima, Muktar Ado and Ibrahim Salihu.
The police prosecutor, Usman Simeon, told the court that they were accused of criminal conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
He said the Inspector General of Police had on February 13, set up a Special Task force led by DSP Maji Michael to screen the recruits.
Kano
Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso of Kano State says he will transform the state civil service to become more dynamic and result-oriented through the recruitment of qualified personnel.
He made the pledge in Kano while presenting appointment letters to 1,002 fresh graduates recruited into the state civil service.
He said that recruiting qualified persons into the service was necessary to ensure efficiency in service delivery.
“The government is injecting new blood into the system by recruiting fresh graduates. “This will also give youth the opportunity to contribute positively to nation building,’’ he said.
According to the governor, the new officers were employed on merit from across the 44 local government areas of the State.
Kwara
The Kwara Government is committed to ensuring availability of skilled manpower through the provision of quality education, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Mallam Raji Mohammed, has said.
Mohammed, who was reacting to the incessant increase in school fees by private school operators in the state, spoke to newsmen in Ilorin.
He said that the state’s education reform programme would ensure that children access free and quality education.
He also said that since the state government had no authority to fix fees in private schools, its role was to ensure that public schools provided quality education to meet the yearnings of the people.
Mohammed noted that the “Every Child Counts” policy of the previous administration was still in place among other programmes put in place to ensure that pupils accessed quality education.
Lagos
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), announced its plan to hold national interactive sessions on the need to promote workplace safety in Nigeria.
According to Ms Ijeoma Iheme, a NECA spokesperson, the forum, which would be jointly organised with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), would be held in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
“No employee wants to live with disability or worse still, death, whenever at work. Employees look forward to retiring well with able bodies,’’ the statement said.
The statement said it was regrettable that many workers were yet to fully benefit from the provision of the 2010 Employees’ Compensation Act
According to Iheme, the interactive sessions would enlighten employees and employers on the procedure for making claims during work place accident.
Niger
The Chairman Niger Assembly House Committee on Information, Mr Bello Ahmad, called for improved media coverage of the legislature to keep the people informed at all times.
Ahmad made the call during the inauguration of the Information and Public Relations Committee of the House in Minna.
He said that an effective and efficient reportage of the House would encourage its members to improve on delivery of its mandate.
He said that the committee would address newsmen on quarterly basis to keep abreast of information on activities of the House, particularly its bills and motions.
Speaker of the House, Adamu Usman, stressed the importance of repositioning the assembly’s information management through collaboration with the media.
Ogun
The Ogun State Government on Monday said the abandoned Gateway International Market in Owode in Yewa South Local Government Area of the state would be re-opened in September.
Business activities in the market were suspended following disagreement between two communities over the location and name.
The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Muyiwa Oladipo, said the reopening would boost economic activities and impact positively on the living standard of the people.
Oladipo, who spoke at a stakeholders meeting in Abeokuta, said that the reactivation would be to the benefit of the people in the area in particular, and the state in general.
Commissioner for Commerce and Industry also said that the market would be renamed Yewa International Market to douse the tension between Ajilete and Owode communities, and advised the market leaders to cooperate with government in the overall growth of commerce in the area.
Plateau
Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Sen Gyang Dantong, has said that the Bill to establish a national grazing routes and reserves commission before the National Assembly was unconstitutional.
“The Federalz Government and National Assembly have no business with cattle routes because the constitution placed such routes solely in the hands of state governments,’’ Dantong told newsmen in Jos.
Our correspondent reports that the bill seeks to establish a commission to manage grazing routes so as to resolve the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers.
Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Albert Tsokwa, said recently that the proposed commission would be empowered to control, manage, acquire and establish grazing reserves and stock routes in Nigeria.
Public hearing had been conducted on the bill which had passed second reading in the Senate and House of Representatives, with the later referring it to the House Committee on Agriculture for further legislative action.
Strategic regulators and other stakeholders have expressed satisfaction with the pace, quality and magnitude of work carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In their separate speeches at the 2025 4th quarter key regulators / asset owners meeting held in Port Harcourt, the strategic stakeholders commended HYPREP for the significant milestones achieved with excellent efficiency and transparency, demonstrating capacity and commitment to sustaining collaboration with development partners for the overall success of the Project.
The regulators particularly lauded HYPREP for the landmark success in the implementation of the land and shoreline remediation, mangrove restoration, provision of reticulated potable water, the various sustainable livelihood programmes, donation of ambulances to health facilities in Ogoni, the construction of Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, as well as the ongoing Ogoni Power Project, adding that their independent field reports have shown proofs of HYPREP driving even beyond its mandates.
The goodwill messages were made by representatives of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Centre for Environment and Human Rights Development (CEHRD), Society for Women and Youths Affairs (SWAYA), Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), and Federal Ministry of Environment. Others are the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Rivers State Ministry of Power, the Rivers State University, the Rivers State Ministry of Water and Rural Development, and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
Following the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit’s presentation on the status of HYPREP projects, participants offered feedback on areas of concern. They reassured HYPREP and the people of Ogoni of their continued support for the Project’s success. They also suggested that the quarterly review meeting be sustained as it enables them to report, evaluate and proffer solutions to areas of concern.
Participants also commended HYPREP for improved community and stakeholder engagement and for adding to what they saw the previous time. “We commend HYPREP for the quality work done at sites. The progress is phenomenal, because HYPREP is scoring good grades, above average,” Prof. Iyenemi Kakulu from Rivers State University said.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who was represented by Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services, commended the regulators and asset owners for their cooperation with the Project, and for making themselves available for fieldwork and the regular review meetings.
Prof Zabbey reiterated HYPREP’s commitment to best practice in waste management, particularly waste generation and disposal, calling on the Regulators for adequate logistics support, saying HYPREP’s priority is to focus on the core recommendations by UNEP, especially, remediation(soil, shoreline) mangrove restoration, provision of potable water, interventions in public health care services and sustainable livelihood for the people.
The Project Coordinator further highlighted the status of the Project, the successes achieved across all thematic areas, and assured that HYPREP will soon complete most of the ongoing projects and roll out others. He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of the Ogoni cleanup, ensure quality control, and foster effective collaboration.
Consequently, the quarterly key regulators/asset owners meeting is HYPREP’s strategic stakeholder management model, further underscoring the Project’s commitment to transparency, partnership for development, and accountability, all of which are harbingers of effective project delivery.
Speaking to newsmen, HYPREP Project Support Lead and representative of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, described his involvement with HYPREPas an encouraging and insightful experience, saying, the Project is implementing a wide range of projects across Ogoniland, spanning immediate remediation works as well as livelihood support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of affected communities.
Engr Igbinomwanhia emphasised that Renaissance Africa Energy remains fully committed to supporting the objectives of the Ogoni cleanup project, noting that the company has a long history of collaboration with HYPREP.
He added that the partnership has been characterised by continuous learning, adaptation and a willingness to respond to observations and recommendations aimed at improving outcomes.
He further emphasised the importance of safety in all project operations, particularly given the challenging terrain and operating conditions in Ogoniland.
He noted that safety is treated as a critical priority and that contractors are continually reminded to maintain high safety standards, stressing that lessons learnt from previous operational challenges like the collapse of the water tank in Gwara Community are being applied to strengthen safety practices and overall performance.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
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