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THE STATES

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13 years ago

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Bauchi

Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda last Monday refuted recent media reports that he was lobbying to run as vice-president alongside President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osaro Onaiwu, Yuguda said he thought he put the speculations to rest when he previously stated that he was returning to his farm upon completing his second term as the state governor in 2015. Onaiwu said the governor said he would not be distracted from his commitment to stay focused on delivering dividends of democracy to the people of his state before he leaves office.

The Special Adviser further blamed the peddlers of such rumours as political jobbers who are looking for ways to profit from creating disaffection among politicians.

 

Borno

Five people, including a traditional leader, two Islamic clerics, a policeman and a resident were at the weekend killed in separate attacks in Borno and neighbouring Yobe State by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram.

Our source gathered that the traditional ruler who was the District Head of Auno, a small community along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway was killed last Friday night by suspected Boko Haram Islamists.

Sources said the gunmen drove to the residence of the district head in a volkswagen Golf car at about 9pm and opened fire to scare residents before they kill  the district head. Auno is 22 kilometres west of Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

The two clerics, according to sources, were shot dead at Kandahar and T-junction areas of Potiskum town in Yobe State at about 8pm and 10pm last Friday while another resident was reportedly killed at about 9.30am last Saturday.

Unconfirmed report also indicated that a policeman was shot dead near Muna Motor Park along Maiduguri-Dikwa road last Saturday morning. Neither the police nor the JTF confirmed all the killings as at press time.

 

Ekiti

Ekiti State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has charged its members not to think that the state deputy governor, Mrs Funmi Olayinka, was killed by evil people, saying that her battle with cancer started manifesting since 2009 “when we were in the trenches.”

This is just as it mourned the death of Mrs Olayinka, saying that it would ensure that her death would not be a source of discord in the party.

Chairman of Ekiti ACN, Chief Jide Awe, who addressed newsmen in Ado-Ekiti last Monday, said “we are determined to ensure that her death will not be a point of disagreement among us in the ACN.”

Chief Awe, who described the death of Mrs Olayinka as a big loss to the party, said should there be any rancour among the membership of the party, “she will never forgive us.”

 

FCT

The PDP has alleged that a group of opposition parties are planning to use INEC and the judiciary to discredit its leadership and destabilise the party.

This allegation is contained in a statement by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, in Abuja last Sunday.

According to him, they used judicial officers of questionable integrity to destroy the credibility of the PDP 2012 national convention which brought in its current National Working Committee. (NWC).

Metuh said that till date, the PDP remained the only political party in the country that conducted transparent internal elections which started with the ward, local government and state congresses.

The PDP spokesman maintained that the party’s 2012 convention was not only unique in the level of participation of party members, but was free of rancour.

 

Kano

The police in Kano State have demoted 10 officers for offences related to misconduct and the lack of professionalism, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Musa Majiya, said.

He said three of the 10 officers were Inspectors, demoted to the rank of  sergeants, while the sergeants among them were demoted to the rank of  corporals.

The spokesman said the corporals were demoted to the rank of constables, while the constables were issued with warning letters.

He noted that among the offences committed by the officers was corruption, incivility to the public, maltreatment as well as the lack of professional conduct.

Majiya said that 18 of the complaints lodged by the public were amicably resolved the command, as they were mainly due to the lack of understanding by the public and urged the public to be watchful and report to the command any strange police action.

 

Lagos

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the Federal Government’s inauguration of a committee to consider amnesty for the Boko Haram sect, with some politicians lauding the move, while others faulting it.

Reacting to the development last Saturday, Alhaji Musa Umar, the former Deputy National Chairman of the de-registered Alliance for Democracy (AD), said the decision was welcomed.

According to him, any hope of peace at this moment was worth pursuing.

Also, Mallam Yusuf Buba, the National Chairman of the de-registered Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), said that the decision was understandable and welcomed.

 

Niger

Worried by the difficulty in finding lasting solution to insecurity in the region occasioned by activities of the Islamic group, Boko Haram, Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has challenged the governors to fish out members of the dreaded group in their states.

Aliyu’s recent position is coming against the backdrop of allegations among a section of Nigerians that some Northern state governments know and dine with members of the group because, “they cannot exist in a vacuum or isolate themselves from other humans”.

Aliyu spoke at the opening of a one-week in-house workshop on “the review and evaluation of the 2006 population and housing census”, organised for all Federal Commissioners and State Directors of the National Population Commission (NPC) in Minna.

 

Ogun

Ogun State Govenor, Ibikunle Amosun last Saturday offered automatic employment to 19 first class graduating students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye.

Amosun who made the announcement during the 22nd convocation ceremony of the institution in Ago Iwoye last Saturday, said the state civil service would be glad to absorb the students so that they can  impact positively on the development of the state.

While congratulating the graduating students, Amosun said government would continue to give its support to the university.

Earlier in his speech, Prof.Saburi Adesanya, the acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution said 7,794 graduands were being conferred with first degrees and higher degrees.

 

Ondo

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State and the state government, last Monday, disagreed over welfare of workers in the state, as the PDP accused government of inability to pay workers’ salaries.

The party, in a statement by its director of publicity, Ayo Fadaka, alleged that the state government had, since the beginning of the year, not been able to meet its obligations to the workers.

“Government, in an attempt to shield the fact of the matter, has embarked on a subterfuge that it is trying to unmask the existence of ghost workers in its workforce, but the truth is that, the Olusegun Mimiko-led administration, in its years in government, has grossly mismanaged the finances of the state to the level that it can no longer fulfil its financial obligations,” the PDP said.

 

Oyo

More Nigerians and political parties have joined in mourning the death of Ekiti Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmi Olayinka.  The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oyo State in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Dauda Kolawole, in Ibadan last Sunday described her death as unfortunate, shocking and devastating.

It said the South West zone was passing through a difficult moment with the death of its illustrious sons and daughters whose services were much needed for the zone’s development.

Taraba

The Acting Governor of Taraba State Alhaji Garba Umar, has called on the Federal Government to reimburse the state for constructing two federal roads.  Umar made the call in Jalingo last Saturday when officials of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) paid him a courtesy visit.

He said the reimbursement would cover the cost of constructing the 72 km Jalingo-Sunkani- Garbachede and 45 km Mararaba-Baissa- Abong roads.

Umar added that work on the Mararaba Baissa-Abong road had reached advanced stage while the Jalingo-Sunkani-Garbachede road would be inaugurated next month.

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REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

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1 month ago

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June 29, 2026

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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.
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Self Help Africa programme expands water access for 320,000 Nigerians

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1 month ago

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June 29, 2026

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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.
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Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

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1 month ago

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June 29, 2026

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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.
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