Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

July 11, 2012

Adamawa

Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa has approved the appointment of Mr Musa Kaibo as the new Head of Service of the state.

A statement issued last Friday in Yola by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Kobis Thimnu, said the appointment is with immediate effect.

It said Kaibo’s appointment was as a result of the retirement of his predecessor, Alhaji Othman Mohammed.

Until his appointment, Kaibo was the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of Service.

FCT

The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, has assured that the July 14 governorship election in Edo would be credible, free and fair.

The special adviser gave the assurance last Friday in Abuja while addressing newsmen on the forth-coming governorship election.

Gulak also promised that election materials would be distributed to all polling units on time to enable the electorate to exercise their franchise without hindrance.

On the recent court judgement reinstating elected local councils in Imo State, Gulak said that Gov. Rochas Okorocha had no constitutional power to dissolve the councils, adding that the court had done the right thing by re-instating the council chairmen.

The tenure of the council officials had not expired when they were told to go in June last year by the governor. A transitional committee was subsequently appointed to replace the 27 council chairmen. According to Gulak, the appointment of caretaker committees for local government councils is unconstitutional.

Kaduna

Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has urged politicians to imbibe the spirit of togetherness to bring true national unity to the country.

At a dinner organised by the State Government to mark the end of the 2012 Nigerian Army Day Celebration, NADCEL in Kaduna last Friday, Yakowa said he had watched with keen interest the spirit of togetherness of the military, which other groups should emulate.

He commended the role the military and other security agencies played in bringing peace to the state and said the government and people of Kaduna were indebted to them.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Outsole Obadiah, said the country was proud of the army, and urged them to continue to distinguish themselves where ever duty calls either within the country or outside.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, said NADCEL had showcased what the army had been doing in the past two years.

Katsina

The Katsina State chapter of the Joint Health Sector Union has expressed concern over alleged imposition of high tax on its members.

The Chairman of the union, Alhaji Aminu Usman, said in Katsina last Friday that the introduction of the new tax regime had reversed the benefit workers derived from the new salary structure.

The chairman said “the union wanted to make it clear that this is not acceptable.’’

Usman also called on the government to pay six months outstanding arrears to health workers in local government areas in the state.

He however, acknowledged that the state government had implemented the Consolidated Medical Salary and Consolidated Health Salary Structure for its members.

The union reaffirmed its support for the three-week ultimatum given by the Nigeria Medical Association for the state to improve the deteriorating condition of health sector or face an industrial action.

Kebbi

Kebbi State Director of Information, Alhaji Garba Hamisu, has advised journalists in the state to shun sensationalism and uphold professional conduct.

The director, who gave the advise last Friday, in Birnin Kebbi in an interview, assured journalists that the ministry of Information would furnish them with relevant information for dissemination to the public.

“Journalists have serious challenge in the current democratic dispensation. Their reports and criticisms of government activities should be objective, fair and factual,’’ he said.

Hamisu appealed to journalists to shun materialism and give priority to rural coverage to enable people in rural areas offer meaningful advise to policy makers that would improve their standard of living.

“If you want to make quick money, then this profession is the wrong place for you, but you can excel and gain recognition and respect through proper conduct”, he added.

Lagos

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Umar Manko, on Sunday said that 244 suspected armed robbers were arrested by the command in the first half of this year.

Manko said that the arrest of the ring leaders of the various robbery gangs in the state remains one of the biggest achievements of the command during the period under review.

He said that 160 guns and 948 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the suspected armed robbers who had been terrorising the state.

The Police chief said also that out of the 54 cases of robbery recorded during the period, 59 suspected armed robbers were shot dead while five policemen lost their lives in the various encounters with the robbers.

Manko added that 239 vehicles were snatched at gun points, 227 vehicles removed from where they were parked while eight vehicles were driven away by drivers during the period.

Ondo

The Ondo State Government has reiterated its commitment to the care and protection of orphans and vulnerable children in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Rotimi Adelola, said this last Friday in Akure while inaugurating the quarterly meeting of the state Technical Committee on Orphans and Vulnerable Children.

Adelola noted that the response to the plight of orphans and vulnerable children was largely driven by the state government.

He said the meeting was to develop guidelines for the implementation of intervention measures for the care, support and protection of orphans and vulnerable children in the state.

The committee, he added, would “provide a clear understanding of the guiding principles, define roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders to enhance collaboration and strategic partnership”.

Osun

Osun State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts has urged the executive secretaries of local government councils to explore ways and means to increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of their respective councils.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr Rasheed Olalekan, gave the charge while meeting with the Executive Secretaries and the management of six councils which appeared before it last Friday in Osogbo. The local government councils were Olorunda, Osogbo, Odo-Otin, Orolu, Irepodun and Ife-East .

Olalekan stressed the importance of IGR to the overall development of their local government areas in particular and the state in general if they work hard at improving their revenue profile.

Plateau

The leadership of the PDP in Plateau State has given its 19 members in the State House of Assembly three months to open their constituency offices.

The State Chairman of the party, Dr Haruna Dabin, said in Jos that the directive became necessary as the party believed it would aid its effort in the forthcoming elections, especially at the local government level.

He said that the flags of the party flying at those constituency offices would help in consolidating the gains of the party as the offices would provide party loyalists a place to hold regular meetings.

Dabin lamented that currently, only seven second time Assemblymen out of the 19 PDP elected members of the Assembly had constituency offices in the state.

“Only seven of them, who are second time legislators’ already have offices, we have 19 members in the Assembly.”

The PDP chieftain said that the directive which, would surely be complied with, was to enable the party to be prepared for major political events in the state that may soon unfold.

Zamfara

The Chairman of Gusau Local Government Area in Zamfara, Alhaji Lawali Mada, says the council will meet President Goodluck Jonathan’s December 2012 deadline on polio eradication.

Mada who made the pledge last Friday, at the launching of the second round of immunisation against polio at the palace of the Emir of Gusau, said the council had made all necessary arrangements toward meeting the objective.

He said the people of the area had been adequately mobilised through enlightenment campaigns conducted by health workers in collaboration with the information unit of the council to achieve the goal.

The Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Kabir Danbaba, said the Emirate Council had already mobilised all village and ward heads to sensitise their people for the success of the exercise, and expressed confidence that the polio disease would be eradicated from the area before December, this year.

The representative of World Health Organisation, Atiku Mai-ahu, urged the local governments in the state to be more committed in the renewed efforts by the Federal Government toward eradicating polio.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

3 days 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

3 days 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

3 days 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.