Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

July 12, 2012

Bauchi

Bauchi State Government has spent N2 billion to procure essential text books for schools in the state, the Deputy Governor Alhaji Sagir Saleh, said.

Saleh stated this at the inauguration of the 2012 Professional Teachers’ Development Programme in Bauchi.

Saleh, who represented Governor Isa Yuguda, said that apart from the textbooks, the government had also provided 600 hand pumps, 260,000 twin desks and recruited 2,000 teachers.

According to him, 2,000 blocks of classrooms and toilets were either constructed or renovated to improve the standard and quality of education in the state.

Benue

The General Manager (GM), Benue State Environmental Sanitation Agency (BENSESA), Mr Ediga Akpa,has attributed his inability to create a green and serene environment in the State to lack of fund.

The GM said the agency needed N30 million to meet her task of keeping the state clean.

Akpa pointed out that the money would be used to procure equipment that could be used in cleaning and sanitising the state.

He also lamented that the agency was understaffed, adding that at present the agency had only 16 staff.

He said that BENSESA is a revenue generating agency and that if properly financed, would provide huge revenue and employment opportunities for the state.

Borno

In its bid to encourage school enrolment, the Borno Government said it will soon commence the distribution of free uniforms to students in public schools.

Governor Kashim Shettima stated this when he paid an unscheduled visit to the Government Girls Technical College (GGTC), Damboa, in Borno.

Shettima also said the state government had put in place mechanism to improve on the quality of food to students in public schools.

“By next month, our new feeding arrangement will take off in public schools where the quality and quantity of food given to students will be improved upon. The state government will also provide all needed learning materials to schools to enhance teaching and learning environment”, he said.

FCT

Nigerians have lauded the introduction of “Drink the Content: Destroy the Can (DCDC)’’ by the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

The agency launched the campaign against the background of the use of cans by criminals to make explosives.

An official of Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr Dayo Akinola, said that all Nigerians must ensure that they destroyed cans after consumption the contents.

He said that if all patriotic Nigerians supported the campaign, the use of cans in the making of bombs would reduce drastically.

Gombe

A Bogo Magistrates’ Court in Gombe granted bail to a 21-year-old man, Mohammed Musa, who was arraigned for criminal conspiracy and witchcraft.

Musa is of Tumu village in Pindiga District, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

Reading the First Information Report (FIR), the Prosecutor, Mr Bako Shekari, said the accused had, on June 26, at about 4 p.m., conspired with one Jarma, now at-large, to commit the offences.

Shekari said that the accused used witchcraft and inflicted sickness on one Ya’u Abdullahi, of same address, adding that that made the victim unable to walk.

The accused pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him and asked the court to grant him bail.

Jigawa

Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has advised governors of states in the Northern part of the country to invest more in agriculture to tackle poverty in the region.

Yakowa, who gave the advice when he visited his Jigawa counterpart, Alhaji Sule Lamido, in Dutse noted that the North is blessed with natural resources such as solid minerals and fertile soil for agriculture.

“We are endowed with natural resources, the north has potential in all sectors but unfortunately, the region is now faced with challenges of terrorism and ethno-religious misunderstanding. We, the governors from the north must come together to restore the hope and values of the region for the benefit of the people that elected us.”

Kaduna

Kaduna State is to spend its allocation of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) on security and agriculture, a top government official said on Monday.

The Information Commissioner, Alhaji Sa’idu Adamu, said this to newsmen in Kaduna after a special executive council meeting that deliberated on a report from its committee on subsidy reinvestment. The committee is headed by the state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero.

Adamu said that other sectors that had been identified for reinvestment were health, education, women and youth empowerment as well as the provision of infrastructure.

Kano

Twelve of the 40 members of Kano State House of Assembly have protested against the amendment of the Ramadan and Ram bonus law of the state by the Assembly.

The House in Kano amended the law by making it optional for the state government to pay the bonus.

AlhajiAbdulwahab Garba, a Member of the Public Service Committee, made the view of the 12 known to newsmen after the House amended the law.

“The House had earlier amended the law and given approval for only civil servants on grade levels 01- 13 to benefit from the bonus”.

He said the 12 legislators, including two from the ruling PDP, would support the workers if they chose to challenge the amended law in the court.

Kebbi

Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi has approved the constitution of a committee to conduct staff audit of local education authorities in all the local government areas across the state.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Alhaji Abubakar Dakingari, announced this in Birnin Kebbi.

He said the 12-member committee, to be headed by Sen. Abubakar Abdullahi, has one month to come out with its findings, adding that the committee was mandated to look into the nominal rolls, verify staff appointments as well as the grade levels and steps of each staff of local education authorities.

According to the governor’s spokesman, the committee’s report will facilitate the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage at the local government level.

Kogi

Kogi State Government has been advised to formulate risk reduction and emergency preparedness policy to forestall risks, hazards and disaster situations.

The advice was given in a communiqué issued at the end of a one-day interactive meeting of stakeholders on ‘Human Security in Conflict Emergencies in Kogi State’ organised by Action Aid on Monday in Lokoja.

The session was organised in collaboration with Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID).

Other particpants included the Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Lokoja , stakeholders from Adavi and Igalamela Local Government Areas, Civil Societies, security agencies and the media.

Lagos

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos inaugurated the board of the state Office of Disability Affairs responsible for protecting the interests of people with special needs.

The seven-man board includes a blind person and three crippled people. The boarded is headed by Mrs Tolulope Animashaun.

Fashola said at the inauguration in Ikeja that the board and the office should ensure that people with disabilities were not discriminated against.

The governor said that although Nigeria’s Constitution prohibited all forms of discriminations against people with disabilities, the society had not done much to adequately protect their interests.

He said that the government enacted the People with Disabilities Law in 2011 in an effort to correct the imbalance.

Ondo

A chieftain of the Labour Party in Ondo State, Dr Kayode Ajulo, has advised the Ondo State House of Assembly to enact laws to check electoral malpractice.

Ajulo said in Akure that such laws had become imperative to curb the excesses of lawless politicians.

He said such laws should classify electoral offences and recommend severe punishment that would discourage people from committing electoral offences in the state.

“Some desperate politicians have succeeded in subverting the wishes of the electorates in our society. “This ugly situation has made them unaccountable to the people while occupying public offices because they are not the choice of the people,’’ Ajulo said.

Osun

As part of its plan to provide adequate security for tourists and investors, the Osun Government is to create a data base on all hotels in the state.

The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Mr Sikiru Ayedun, disclosed this while briefing news men on the activities of his ministry.

Ayedun said the exercise would enable government to monitor the activities of the hotels and provide adequate security for their customers.

He said the recent inspection of some hotels in the state revealed that most of the attendants, receptionists, bar men and managers did not have adequate training for the hospitality business.

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.