Nation

THE STATES

Published

13 years ago

December 2, 2013

L-R: Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Olabisi Onabanjo University, Comrade Egberongbe Taiwo, SSANU Chairman, University of Ibadan, Comrade Wale Akinremi, SSANU Secretary, Western Zone, Comrade Abdussobur Salaam and SSANU Chairman, Delta State University, Comrade Goodluck Ohwavborua, at a news confernce by Western Zone of SSANU on the main report of committee on NEEDS assessment of Nigerian Public Universities in Ibadan, recently.

Adamawa

Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State has assured
the people of the state of justice and fairness in the provision of basic social amenities.
Nyako gave the assurance when he addressed the chairmen of the 21 local government councils of the state in Yola.
The governor said that in spite of the political and man-made challenges facing the state, his administration had performed wonderfully well in the provision of social amenities in all parts of the state
He expressed worry over the negative activities of some politicians, who he said, invoke “tribal sentiment’’ to score cheap political points.

Borno

No fewer than 1,500 blind persons from across the country
took part in a special prayer for peace in Borno.
Alhaji Mai-Bukar Abacha, the chief of the blind in the state, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri.
Abacha said the prayer session was an annual event organised by the blind as part of their contributions to the restoration of peace and harmony in the state and the country.
He said prayer was essential in ending the current security challenges in the northern region and the country in general.

FCT

A Grade 1 Area Court sitting in Gwagwalada in the FCT
has sentenced a 19-year-old man, Badamasi Abdullahi, to four months in prison for trespass and theft.
The presiding judge, Alhaji Hassan Muhammed, however gave him an option of fine in the sum of N8,000 and ordered him to pay N50,000 in compensation to the nominal complainant.
“For the fact that the accused has no previous criminal record, he is hereby convicted as charged.
“He is therefore sentenced to a month imprisonment for the charge of criminal trespass or to pay N3,000 in fine.

Jigawa

Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, has
urged politicians to promote peaceful coexistence for the unity of the country.
Abubakar made the call when he visited Gov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa in Dutse.
He stressed that peace was important for the development of any society, pointing out that there will be no nation without peace.
“Where ever we are, we must make peace and this is also applicable to politics.
“We, as people must avoid violence and if there is any difference among us, there are procedures to follow – like the judiciary”, he said.

Kaduna

The Chairman, National Union of Road Transport
Workers (NURTW), in Kafanchan Mr Silas Kabruk, says sanctions await members who fail to participate in the ongoing membership registration exercise.
Kabruk told newsmen in Kafanchan that the union would take measures to ensure that all its genuine members were adequately covered in the registration.
He said the exercise was aimed at ensuring sanity in the system and cut down on road crashes among other reasons.
“We also want to get rid of unprofessional drivers by ensuring that every commercial driver register with the union,’’ Kabruk said.

Kano

A former Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji
Abdullahi Gwarzo, has commended Gov. Rabi’u Kwankwaso of Kano State on the successful merger of the PDP splinter group with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The commendation is contained in a statement signed by the former deputy governor and made available to newsmen in Kano.
“I wish to congratulate His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State on the successful merger of new PDP with APC.
“This is a great achievement to the people of Kano State and a boost to democracy.’’

Kebbi

The Kebbi State Government has earmarked N5.9 billion
for the rehabilitation and construction of township roads in Yauri, Koko/Besse, Maiyama and Shanga Local Government Areas of the state.
Governor Saidu Dakingari announced this in a message to the flag-off of the first phase of the project in Yauri recently.
Represented by his deputy, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, the governor said the road projects were initiated to enhance socioeconomic activities in the affected areas.
“The rehabilitation and construction of the roads by this administration was without borrowing money, and we would ensure prompt payment of the contract,’’ Dakingari said.

Kwara

The IIorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union
(IEDPU) has called on the Federal Government to repair Jebba-BodeSaadu highway.
The president of the union, Justice Saka Yusuf, made the call in a statement made available to newsmen in Ilorin.
He said there is an urgent need to repair the road to enhance social and economic activities between the people of the north and the south.
According to him, the road which links the south with the northern part of the country is in a state of disrepair and has become a death trap.

Lagos

The former Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress
of Nigeria (TUC), Mr John Kolawole, has urged employers to allow their workers join the union to avoid industrial crisis.
Kolawole told newsmen in Lagos State that “it is against the Nigerian Constitution for employers to stop their employees from joining a union of their choice.
“It is the right of every worker by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention and the Constitution of Nigeria to associate or belong to any organisation of their choice.
“Belonging to a union in any work place does not disturb the smooth running of that organisation. It only enhances productivity,’’ he said.

Nasarawa

A task force set up by the Nasarawa State Ministry of
Health has shut down six private clinics in Kadarko village, Obi Local Government Area of the state for allegedly operating illegally.
The Chairman of the task force, Dr. Damina Ali, told newsmen in Lafia that four proprietors of the clinics were handed over to the police.
He explained that all the clinics were operating without licence, equipment and trained health personnel.

Ogun

One Bola Mukaila, 38, was has been arraigned before
an Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court for selling fake wines valued N300,000 to a customer.
The police prosecutor, Insp Augustine Ozimini, told the court that the offence was committed in Omida area of Abeokuta on September 5 at about 3:00 p.m.
Ozimini said the accused sold fake Hennessy, Jack Daniels and Remy Martins wines worth N300,000 to one Remi Abiodun.
“The accused, who owned a wine shop, mixed fake with original wines and sold cartons of them to Abiodun knowing that they were fake.

Sokoto

The National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA), has donated relief materials to victims of this year’s flood disaster in seven local government areas of Sokoto State.
The items included rice, millet, maize, blankets, detergents, roofing sheets, cement, nails, mats and mattresses, among others.
The Zonal Coordinator of the Agency, Alhaji Musa Ilalla, presented the materials through the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Sahabi Gada.
Ilalla said the gesture was not compensation but a support to alleviate the sufferings of the victims.
Yobe
The Yobe State Government has urged contractors handling various road projects in the state to take advantage of the relative peace attained to speed up work and recover time lost to insecurity.
The state Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Lawan Shettima, told newsmen in Damaturu that government was committed to early completion of the projects.
He observed that some of the projects could not be executed within the scheduled time frame due to security challenge.
“We thank God for the relative peace attained and urge our contractors to mobilise more equipment and manpower to the various sites to hasten completion of the projects,” he said.

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.