Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

January 9, 2013

Bauchi

A Consultant Endocrinologist, Dr Sule Bathner, has

advised people with diabetes ailment to feed more on fiber and starchy food.

Speaking in Bauchi at the monthly meeting of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria, Bauchi chapter, Bathner also said that moderate consumption of fat, cholesterol and protein and other classes of food items was advisable.

According to him, a combination of mixing food items that had starch and fiber slows down the digestion process, making it convenient for the system of diabetics to assimilate.

He said that this process assisted greatly in ensuring a controlled sugar level in the person’s system. The physician also advised against the common practice of moving the outer layer of grains before preparation.

Borno

The Borno State Government will prosecute contrac

tors found wanting in the execution of projects, Gov. Kashim Shettima has said.

The governor stated this while laying the foundation stone for the construction of the N823 million Bama Ultra Modern Market in Bama, heaquarters of Bama Local Government Area.

Shettima said the government would also sanction site engineers who failed to ensure that contractors executed standard job.

“Let me warn that government will henceforth apply sanction on any site engineer who allows contractors to execute poor jobs. “Government will also blacklist and prosecute contractors who execute bad jobs.

FCT

The Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) has approved

the commencement of clinical training for students of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja. The university disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Gwagwalada, FCT.

It said the approval followed a visit to the institution by the VCN’s Accreditation Committee on December 4, 2012.

The statement signed by Malam Waziri Garba, the institution’s Information Officer, said the approval was contained in a letter written by VCN to the university.

Kano

A group, under the aegis of Concerned Arewa Patri

ots (CAP), has called for the fielding of a credible candidate from the north to contest for the country’s Presidency in 2015.

The North-West Co-ordinator of CAP, Mr Maiyaki Idris, made the call in Kano while briefing newsmen.

‘’CAP hereby appeals to the North to passionately address the crucial choice of a presidential candidate with credible standards devoid of ethnic, political and religious sentiments,’’ he said.

The group appealed to politicians from the north to ensure the selection of a candidate who is “incorruptible, sellable, reliable’’.

Kogi

Farmers in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi have

appealed to the Federal Government to provide seedlings and relief materials to cushion effects of the 2012 flood disaster.

The farmers, in separate interviews in Ibaji, told newsmen that they lost all their crops and granaries to the disaster. The Tide reports that Ibaji Local Government Area was the worst hit area in the state by the 2012 floods.

This had led the Federal Government into evacuating all residents to Idah town in the state.

The area is a border riverine community between Kogi and Anambra, comprising no fewer than 34 villages with farming as the major occupation of inhabitants.

Kwara

Alhaji Nurudeen Mohammed, a former Commissioner

for Finance in Kwara, has urged the nation’s anti-graft commissions to intensify their efforts at tackling corruption to engender development.

Mohammed, who stated this in Ilorin, appealed to the EFCC and ICPC to live up to their mandates of ridding the menace of corruption, which he said had reached an alarming rate.

He pleaded with the judiciary to ensure quick dispensation of justice, especially in matters that related to corruption.

The former commissioner, who is the Tafida of Kaima in Kwara, urged Nigerians, irrespective of religion and social cultural background, to work with security agencies in their bid to ensure a crime-free society.

Lagos

A university lecturer, Dr Oluyombo Onafowokan, on

Sunday in Lagos urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts that would further reduce poverty among Nigerians in 2013.

Onafowokan who is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Financial Studies, Redeemer’s University, Mowe in Ogun, told newsmen, government needed to be pro-active.

He said this would help it in achieving an improved standard of living for the populace.

Nasarawa

Mr Raphael Saka, the Chairman, Nasarawa State

House of Assembly’s Committee on Education, in Lafia decried the low level of school enrolment of the girl-child in the North.

Saka told newsmen, there was the need to address the imbalance if Nigeria must attain its set target of Education For All (EFA) by year 2015.

‘’It is only in the North that people are forced to go school, especially the females. It is a hard sell convincing parents that a girl should be educated first before getting married.

Niger

The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has appealed

to religious leaders to use religion to foster unity, peace and harmonious coexistence among Nigerians.

Abubakar made the appeal at the 4th graduation ceremony of 70 students of Madarasat Tahfizil Quran Wa Tarbiyatul-Islamiya School, Bida, and the school’s N20 million appeal fund in Bida.

“The two major religions of the world, Islam and Christianity preach peace as such the leaders of both religions should join hands to foster unity among Nigerians.

He cautioned all those that were aggrieved to always use dialogue to resolve their differences rather than confrontation.

Osun

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Saturday in Ile-

Ife unveiled an Ife ancestral monument, popularly called Ori-olokun, as part of activities marking the inauguration of Ori-olokun garden.

The governor performed the unveiling of the huge Ori-Olokun sculpture at the Ori-Olokun Roundabout, formerly Mayfair Roundabout in Ile-Ife.

He described the monument as a precious heritage of the Yoruba race, and urged the people to protect and preserve it.

Mr Taiwo Olaiya, the Executive Secretary, Ife Central Local Government, under whose jurisdiction the garden is situated, also described the monument as the most famous in history.

Oyo

The Anti-Vandal Squad of the Nigeria Security and

Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State Command, has arrested four suspected pipeline vandals.

The four suspects, Tijjani Abdulahi, 33; Sarafa Sanusi, 35; Wasiu Ajibola, 35; and Sunday Solomon, 40, were paraded at the Command Headquarters at Iyaganku, Ibadan, by the State Commandant, Mr Clement Adesuyi.

Adesuyi, while parading the suspects, told newsmen that the suspects were arrested late Friday evening at Ajanla farms area in Sanusi Village along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

He said that the alleged culprits had already tapped into an NNPC petroleum pipeline that passed through the area and were only waiting to convey the products when they were apprehended.

Yobe

The Yobe Ministry of Sports will develop a new

scheme of partnership with schools and institutions in the state to promote sporting activities at the grassroots.

Alhaji Yusuf Yahaya, the state Commissioner for Sports, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu.

He explained that the scheme was intended to develop potential to make good use of sporting facilities at the zonal community sports centres.

The commissioner noted that the zonal community sports centre in Geidam, which was designed to improve sports development at the grassroots, would be completed in 2013.

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.