Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

December 19, 2012

Adamawa

Adamawa Deputy Governor James Ngillari said on Friday that 504 prospective Christian pilgrims from the state were set to perform the 2012 pilgrimage in Israel.

Ngillari stated this at the orientation and farewell service for the intending pilgrims at the Church of Brethren in Nigeria, EYN, in Yola.

The deputy governor, who is also the leader of the state government’s delegation, called on the prospective pilgrims to consider their journey as a religious obligation.

“I call on the intending pilgrims to marry what they have read from the Bible and what is obtaining at the religious site,” Ngillari said.

Ekiti

The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, last Friday ordered the release of 27 inmates who have been on awaiting trial list for a long time.

He gave the order during an official visit to Ado-Ekiti Federal Prison in Ado-Ekiti.

Daramola, who also granted bail to seven inmates, expressed dismay at the congestion in cells in the state.

He criticised the inadequate facilities in all the prisons.

“Today we have attended to 292 cases awaiting trial; 27 were released outright and seven others were granted bail, based on unfounded claim of offence, health condition and long stay in detention without any evidence to try them,’’ Daramola said.

FCT

President Goodluck Jonathan has commiserated with the family of the former Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Archbishop Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye, who died early last Friday.

Jonanthan also sent his message of condolence on the death of the patriarch to the Anglican Communion.

In a condolence message, signed by Dr Reuben Abati, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, the President described late Adetiloye as a great man of God who would be missed, not only by members of the Anglican Communion, but all Nigerians.

Jonathan said that Adetiloye would be long remembered for his zeal and passion for evangelism and planting of churches and his interest in not only the spiritual life of church members but also their education, health and economic well-being.

Jigawa

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said last Friday it arrested 30 alien herbal drug hawkers in Dutse, the Jigawa capital.

The Director of the agency in the state, Mr Kenneth Azikwe, told newsmen in Dutse that the drug hawkers were arrested with support from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

“In recent times, foreign nationals have been coming to Jigawa State to hawk herbal drugs; my men, in collaboration with the immigration service, have cleared all of them away and those herbal drug dealers from outside Nigeria are no longer there.

“And even the drug dealers that relocated to Dutse because of the clampdown on them in Kano, have been cleared; so Jigawa Dtate is free of drug hawkers.

Kaduna

Alhaji Kabir Shema, a junior brother to Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State is dead.

The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Press Matters, Alhaji Abdulhamid Danjuma, said in Katsina that the deceased died at Katsina General Hospital last Thursday night at the age of 46, after a brief illness.

Until his death, he said, Kabir was a staff of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Katsina State Command.

He said Kabir had since been buried in Katsina town in accordance with Islamic injunctions, and that he was survived by one wife and four children.

Kano

Kano-based business mogul, Aliko Dangote, has pledged support for Kano State Government in health, education and other sectors.

Dangote made the pledge while launching the polio immunisation in Kano where he personally vaccinated his granddaughter.

He said it was “indeed very embarrassing” that Nigeria was still one of the three countries with persistence of polio virus.

“It is a point of concern to us because the other two countries still having the virus are war zones. That is Pakistan and Afghanistan,” Dangote said.

Kebbi

Health officials in Birnin Kebbi Local Government and Ambursa /Kardi Development Area in Kebbi State said they discovered 37 fresh cases of measles in rural communities.

The discovery came two weeks after seven children died of the disease.

The Director of Health in the area, Malam Yusuf Sani, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that the disease was discovered in Runtuwa,Gawasu in Ambursa/Kardi development area.

He said treatment and isolation of the affected children as well as provision of drugs had begun.

Kwara

An Islamic Scholar, Sheik AbdulAzeez Shitu, on Saturday said the adoption of the death penalty by the National Assembly would be helpful in fighting terrorism and kidnapping in Nigeria.

Shittu told newsmen in Omu-Aran, Kwara, that the adoption was a bold step and commitment by the assembly in curtailing the menace of terrorism and kidnapping.

Shittu who is also the chief missioner of the Islamic Development Association (IDYON), observed that terrorism and kidnapping had done much to damage the image of the country.

“It is not enough for the two arms of the National Assembly to adopt the bill on death penalty for the act of terrorism, kidnapping and other related offences.

Lagos

The late Abiodun Adetiloye, the second Archbishop and Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), was a faultless and humble Nigerian, some clerics said in Lagos.

The clerics made the submission in separate interviews with newsmen on the death of Adetiloye.

The late primate died at 1.30 a.m last Friday, few days to his 83rd birthday at Odo-Owa, his country home in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti.

Rev. Femi Asiwaju, Vice-President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Lagos State Chapter, expressed surprise over the death of Adetiloye, saying he would be fondly missed by Nigerians.

Niger

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State Saturday inaugurated the state’s chapter of the Association of Jerusalem Pilgrims, charging the body to bring peace and development to Niger.

Aliyu made the call in Minna after inaugurating the association and receiving an award from the state’s chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for contributing positively to the Christian Community in Nigeria.

He urged Jerusalem Pilgrims to use the teaching of Jesus Christ to bring peace and development to the state.

“If you go on pilgrimage no matter your sins or bad ways when you come back we expect you to be a better person in your family and the society at large.

Ogun

The Ogun House of Assembly on Friday urged the Ministry of Education to provide resources for the building of model schools and maintenance of existing ones.

The Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr Olusola Bankole, made the call in Abeokuta at the ministry’s defence of its 2013 budgets before the committee.

Bankole said government needed to renovate some schools in the state and build new ones.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Segun Odubela said the ministry planned to generate N293 million as revenue in 2013 and that N8.4 billion had been budgeted as total expenditure.

Oyo

British American Tobacco (BAT) Nigeria said that the company would continue to support Federal Government’s initiative on the promotion of agriculture through the provision of strategic inputs.

The Demand Chain General Manager of the company, West Africa Area, Mr Hugo Norman, gave the assurance on Friday during the company’s scholarship award ceremony in Ibadan.

Norman, who stressed the need for stakeholders to support government’s effort to restore agriculture to its leading position as a critical sector, said time had come for subsistence farms to expand into large scale mechanised ones.

This, he explained, would enable agriculture practitioners to design and implement sustainable methods that would revolutionise the sector.

Plateau

Plateau Government and a Brazilian firm, EBS Fedeta de Fedates, State on Friday signed a Memoranda of Understanding for the establishment of a cassava processing factory in the state.

Gov. Jonah Jang signed on behalf of the state government, while the President of EBS Fedeta de Fedetes, Mr Waldfried Schurt, signed for the firm.

Jang said agreement was a dream come true for the state as it would stimulate economic growth in the state.

The governor said the state produced large quantities of cassava, yam and potatoes which would be used by the factory to boost the revenue base of the state.

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.