Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA), has presented relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Gulak town of Madagali Local Government in Adamawa State.
No fewer than 10,000 people displaced from Izge, Bitiku and Waga Chakawa villages attacked recently by insurgents are taking refuge in Gulak the headquaters of Madagali Local Government.
Presenting the materials, the chairman of Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) who is also the state Deputy Governor, Mr Bala Ngilari, commended the Federal Government and NEMA for the assistance.
Ngilari said the assistance would go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of the displaced people.
Bauchi
The South African Government is to partner with the
Bauchi State Government to develop the tourism potential in the state, its High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr Lulu Mnguni, has said.
Mnguni announced this when he visited the state governor, Alhaji Isa Yuguda, at the Government House, Bauchi.
He said he was in Bauchi to see how his country could partner with the state to develop the tourism sector of the state.
“The Yankari Game Reserve and Resort has huge tourist potential; we want to see how we can help you developed them to a world class resort to maximise it revenue generation.
Ekiti
The Anglican Bishop of Ekiti Oke Diocese, Most Rev.
Isaac Olubowale, has called on politicians to always render selfless service to humanity to have a glorious end.
The cleric gave the advice at the burial service in honour of a former Acting-Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Friday Aderemi, at Ayetoro-Ekiti, Ido/Osi Local Government Area.
He urged politicians to be modest in their lifestyles, build a legacy of trust and good conduct that could serve as a guide to the coming generations.
The Bishop reminded the living that “as there is life after death, one should also keep good records that will make people not to forget such a person easily.”
FCT
The Desk Officer for Global Environment Facility
(GEF), Mrs Halima Mohammed, has advised state governments to key into the GEF grants to implement environmental projects in their states.
Mohammed told newsmen in Abuja that the biggest challenge the project was facing was the inability of the states to tap the available resources.
She said that the states would always want the Federal Government to initiate ideas and projects for them in spite of the sensitisation on the grants.
“They (state governments) always want the Federal Government to initiate projects for them, which is not fair, that is a big challenge we are facing”, she said.
Gombe
Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd),
has urged all Nigerians to continue to pray for peace and unity of the nation.
Gowon, who is Convener of the Nigeria Prays, said this in Gombe when he visited the Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Mr Tha’anda Rubainu.
The convener said that the Nigeria Prays project was initiated in order to pray for the leadership, people and lasting peace in Nigeria as part of the members’ contribution to the development of the country.
“This is our contribution to see to the peace and wellbeing of Nigeria.
Jigawa
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged
all tiers of government to fight the current security challenges in the country.
Abubakar made the call during the closing ceremony of the National Qur’anic Recitation Competition in Dutse recently.
He said that the spate of violence, killings and destruction of property in the North East was disturbing, hence the urgent need of more intervention by the government.
The Sultan said that he would continue to appeal until the insecurity problem was addressed.
He urged the government to renew negotiations with all the nation’s aggrieved citizens.
Kaduna
The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Min
ister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has challenged accountants to address leakages in government revenue and wastages in expenditure pattern.
Okonjo-Iweala, represented by her Permanent Secretary, Mrs Nwobia Daniel, gave the charge at the opening of a two-day retreat in Kaduna.
The retreat was for Directors of Finance and Accounts and Heads of Internal Audit in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The minister said the retreat was to remind them on the importance of their roles in the government’s transformation agenda.
Katsina
Widows numbering 3,583 in the Katsina South Sena
torial District of Katsina State have received skills acquisition and empowerment tools from a philanthropist, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi-Tata.
The empowerment tools included 10 buses, 20 motorised tricycles, 72 motorcycles, 144 deep freezers, 144 drums of kerosene and 227 knitting machines.
Others included 1,020 sewing machines, 1,200 spaghetti-making machines, 260 vegetable-grinding machines, 200 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 200 bags of beans and 1,200 bags of flour.
Kwara
Three mobile courts sitting at different locations in
IIorin, Kwara State, have prosecuted 55 persons arrested during the state’s monthly sanitation exercise.
The Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Alhaji Abubakar Mora, disclosed this to newsmen in IIorin, recently.
Mora said the increase in number of suspects was as a result of the nonchalant attitude of some residents to the exercise.
He said the ministry would embark on more sensitisation to enable more stakeholders to embrace the exercise.
Lagos
Road users in Lagos State have commended the Fed
eral Government for the ongoing construction of two pedestrian bridges in the Iyana Ipaja area, on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
They, however, appealed for speedy completion of the project to reduce accidents on the road.
The road users, in separate interviews in Lagos, told newesmen that the foot bridges would check gridlock and ensure safety of both pedestrians and motorists.
Our correspondent reports that pillars for the pedestrian bridge at Cement Bus Stop on the Lagos-bound side of the carriageway have been completed.
Also, on the Iyana Ipaja end, concrete filling of earthwork on a pillar in the road median is ongoing.
Ondo
The International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD) in conjunction with the Ondo State Government plans to empower 100 entrepreneurs in the state, an official has said.
The State Programme Officer of IFAD, Mr Alex Olusola, disclosed the empowerment programme plan to newsmen in Akure recently.
Olusola said the programme would be carried out under the Rural Agro Business Investment Scheme Empowerment (RAISE) basically designed for women and youths.
He said that Ondo was among the states in the Niger Delta included in the programme because of its performance in the organisation’s Community-Based Natural Resource Management Programme (CBNRMP).
Osun
L-R: Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Nwogu, Chairman,Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Rtd Gen. Martin Agwai and Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, at the Budget defence session of Senate Special Adhoc Committee on SURE-P in Abuja, last Tuesday. Photo: NAN.
Preparations for a house-to-house Oral Polio
Immunisation (OPI) for infants whose ages are between one day and five years have begun in Osun State, an official has announced.
The Director, Primary Health Care and Disease Control, Osun Ministry of Health, Dr Kayode Ogunniyi, made this disclosure during an advocacy visit to religious leaders in Osogbo.
Our correspondent reports that the immunisation is scheduled to begin on Saturday, March 1 and will last for four days.
“I call on all nursing mothers, parents and wards to co-operate with the health workers so that they will benefit from the free services for the children,’’ he said.
The health official said the exercise was planned to eradicate polio disease from the state.
Strategic regulators and other stakeholders have expressed satisfaction with the pace, quality and magnitude of work carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In their separate speeches at the 2025 4th quarter key regulators / asset owners meeting held in Port Harcourt, the strategic stakeholders commended HYPREP for the significant milestones achieved with excellent efficiency and transparency, demonstrating capacity and commitment to sustaining collaboration with development partners for the overall success of the Project.
The regulators particularly lauded HYPREP for the landmark success in the implementation of the land and shoreline remediation, mangrove restoration, provision of reticulated potable water, the various sustainable livelihood programmes, donation of ambulances to health facilities in Ogoni, the construction of Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, as well as the ongoing Ogoni Power Project, adding that their independent field reports have shown proofs of HYPREP driving even beyond its mandates.
The goodwill messages were made by representatives of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Centre for Environment and Human Rights Development (CEHRD), Society for Women and Youths Affairs (SWAYA), Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), and Federal Ministry of Environment. Others are the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Rivers State Ministry of Power, the Rivers State University, the Rivers State Ministry of Water and Rural Development, and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
Following the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit’s presentation on the status of HYPREP projects, participants offered feedback on areas of concern. They reassured HYPREP and the people of Ogoni of their continued support for the Project’s success. They also suggested that the quarterly review meeting be sustained as it enables them to report, evaluate and proffer solutions to areas of concern.
Participants also commended HYPREP for improved community and stakeholder engagement and for adding to what they saw the previous time. “We commend HYPREP for the quality work done at sites. The progress is phenomenal, because HYPREP is scoring good grades, above average,” Prof. Iyenemi Kakulu from Rivers State University said.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who was represented by Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services, commended the regulators and asset owners for their cooperation with the Project, and for making themselves available for fieldwork and the regular review meetings.
Prof Zabbey reiterated HYPREP’s commitment to best practice in waste management, particularly waste generation and disposal, calling on the Regulators for adequate logistics support, saying HYPREP’s priority is to focus on the core recommendations by UNEP, especially, remediation(soil, shoreline) mangrove restoration, provision of potable water, interventions in public health care services and sustainable livelihood for the people.
The Project Coordinator further highlighted the status of the Project, the successes achieved across all thematic areas, and assured that HYPREP will soon complete most of the ongoing projects and roll out others. He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of the Ogoni cleanup, ensure quality control, and foster effective collaboration.
Consequently, the quarterly key regulators/asset owners meeting is HYPREP’s strategic stakeholder management model, further underscoring the Project’s commitment to transparency, partnership for development, and accountability, all of which are harbingers of effective project delivery.
Speaking to newsmen, HYPREP Project Support Lead and representative of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, described his involvement with HYPREPas an encouraging and insightful experience, saying, the Project is implementing a wide range of projects across Ogoniland, spanning immediate remediation works as well as livelihood support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of affected communities.
Engr Igbinomwanhia emphasised that Renaissance Africa Energy remains fully committed to supporting the objectives of the Ogoni cleanup project, noting that the company has a long history of collaboration with HYPREP.
He added that the partnership has been characterised by continuous learning, adaptation and a willingness to respond to observations and recommendations aimed at improving outcomes.
He further emphasised the importance of safety in all project operations, particularly given the challenging terrain and operating conditions in Ogoniland.
He noted that safety is treated as a critical priority and that contractors are continually reminded to maintain high safety standards, stressing that lessons learnt from previous operational challenges like the collapse of the water tank in Gwara Community are being applied to strengthen safety practices and overall performance.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
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