Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

January 30, 2013

Bauchi

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State said on Friday that the lack of political will by previous administrations delayed the building of Bauchi International Airport conceived in the 1980s.

Yuguda who made the remark while laying the foundation stone for the International Airport estimated to cost N7.98 billion, recalled that the airports in Abeokuta, Ibadan, Minna, Akure and Warri were conceived at the same time but Bauchi could not build its own airport.

He said that contract for the construction of the airport was awarded to Messrs Triacta Nigeria Limited at the cost of N7.98 billion to be completed in 18 months, adding that the government had paid the contractor 70 per cent of the project cost.

Yuguda said work on the 3.4km long and 1km wide runway had reached advanced stage and promised that Muslim pilgrims would travel from the airport during the year.

A former minister of information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, commended Yuguda’s foresight and described the project as “strategic to the people of Bauchi State.”

Kaduna

The authorities of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State, have advised students of the institution against acts capable of disrupting peace on the campus.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, gave the advice at the 2012/2013 matriculation ceremony of 6,000 students of the institution held at the main campus in Samaru, Zaria.

Mustapha, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Na’iya Sada, said the advice became necessary in view of the current security challenges in the country.

He said peace was critical to success and as such the university community required peace to run stable academic calendar.

The vice-chancellor urged the new students to make judicious use of the unique opportunity to learn and become useful to themselves, their families and the society.

Kano

No fewer than 310 offenders appeared before 10 Mobile Courts in Kano on Saturday for non-compliance with the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Kano State.

In a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Ministry of Environment, Hajiya Maryam Abdulkadir, in Kano, Abdulkadir said that N680,238 was realised as fine by the 10 Mobile Courts that tried the defaulters.

The state’s Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, urged people of the state to give special attention to the monthly environmental exercise as part of their contribution to ensuring cleaner environments.

Kebbi

The Kebbi chapter of Miyyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) plans to expand Hotungo Fulani Cultural Festival to involve neighbouring West African countries.

The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Mohammed Dan-Ali, said in Birnin Kebbi on Friday that the festival would be extended to involve cattle breeders from Niger, Chad and Benin Republic.

He said the expansion of the festival to those countries would begin with the next edition, “after clearing security issues among the participating countries,” adding that the festival was an avenue for strengthening social and economic relationships among cattle breeders in West Africa, especially considering the migrant nature of the breeders.

The Secretary of the Elders’ Committee of the association ,Alhaji Nasiru Masama, said as part of efforts to ensure unity and end disputes among members, the district and local government branches of the association had been dissolved.

Kwara

Professor Oluwasegun Adekunle of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, has urged the Federal Government to implement policies on agricultural extension for food sustainability.

Adekunle, who made the call on Saturday while delivering a lecture entitled: “Key to Unlock’’ in Ilorin, said for any government to succeed in the agriculture sector, it must implement good policies on agricultural extension.

He said that the country was involved in too much food importation which was detrimental to the agriculture sector in the country, and made case for agricultural extension as a key to unlock the immense food potential in Nigeria.

According to him, a well focused agricultural transformation programme is usually sustainable, provided it is targeted at the small-scale farmers.

Lagos

A former Director of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Chris Nemedia, has urged the Federal Government to prioritise its development agenda to achieve goals.

Nemedia said in Lagos that it was economically unhealthy for the government to try to achieve many things at once.

He advised the Federal Government to follow elementary economics principles about making opportunity cost choices from a scale of preference of its development agenda.

“And it is a common precept in economics that choice and opportunity cost is made from not more than two or three items. “So, it will not augur well for our economy if the government is not prioritising its development agenda and focusing on attaining some at a time,“ he said.

He added that government at all levels needed to consult widely, especially with experts, on projects that required immediate attention.

Nasarawa

Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State on Sunday announced the establishment of a committee to work for the recovery of over 10,000 cows that got missing during the recent communal crisis in the state..

Al-Makura said that the committee would be saddled with the responsibility of recovering all the missing cows across the state.He assured the leadership of the Fulani group that the committee would handle the assignment efficiently, adding that the necessary logistics would be given to the committee to make its assignment easier.

Al-Makura said that members of the committee included soldiers, policemen, members of the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as well as some state government officials.

Besides, Al-Makura announced that 200 of the missing cows, which had been recovered at Kwandare, were currently under the custody of the traditional ruler of that area.

Plateau

There is a mass movement away from Wadata, the boarder village in Wase Local Government of Plateau, which was hit by unknown gunmen on Wednesday, says its Chairman, Mr. Mohammed Zakari.

Zakari told newsmen in Wase on Saturday that natives of Tarok and Fulani, the major ethnic groups inhabiting the area, have fled to other communities “for fear of the unknown”.

“We wonder why people should flee from their abodes because of an unfortunate attack.

“Such mass exodus is not good for us because it sends the wrong signals and also gives us a wrong image,’’ he said.

Zakari said that a committee had been set up to investigate the attack and suggest possible ways to avoid a recurrence.

“The committee has been going round appealing to people not to leave since we have put in place adequate security measures in the area,’’ he said.

Osun

The Osun Government has stocked over 300 poultry farms in 13 months, according to an official.

The Director, Livestock Services in the state Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Johnson Ajayi, disclosed this in an in Osogbo on Sunday.

“We have more poultry farms in Osun because the current administration had organised empowerment programmes such as `O’bop, O’bee and O’reap’, among others, for farmers to benefit from the dividends of democracy.”

The director said that the objective of the project was to make the state self-sufficient in food production as well as a net exporter of food in the country.

Ajayi further explained that the poultry farms would add value to local foods and create jobs for youths across the state.

Zamfara

Governor Abdulazeez Yari of Zamfara State said in Dutse on Friday that his government had put necessary measures in place to address insecurity in the state.

Yari made the statement in an interview after he paid a condolence visit to Gov. Sule Lamido over the death of his uncle.

He said the state government was working with the security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to tackle insecurity.

“The only security challenge we have in Zamfara is the farmers’ and pastoralists’ conflict.

“My government has designed several measures to address the problem head on,” he said.

The governor said the problem of insecurity was a global challenge and restated his government’s determination to ensure peace and stability in 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.