Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

March 3, 2014

Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government says it has spent
N425 million for the payment of local and foreign scholarships for the 2011/2012 academic session.
The Executive Chairman, Alhaji Kulloma Hardawa, Bauchi State Scholarship Board, said this in Bauchi in an interview with newsmen.
Hardawa said the amount had been released by the state government to effect the payments to local and foreign students in both tertiary and religious institutions across the world.
According to him, 48,075 students studying different courses in various tertiary institutions across the country have been paid.
“Additional 35 students studying in over 20 foreign countries were also paid.

FCT
The President, Federation of Africa Journalists
(FAJ), Mallam Mohammed Garba has called on the Egyptian Government to release the four Al Jazeera reporters detained without conditions.
Garba, who is also the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), made the call at a rally organised by the NUJ in Abuja to press for the release of the detained journalists.
Our correspondent reports that the names of the detained journalists are: Abdalla Elshamy, Peter Creste, Mohammed Fahmy and Mohammed Baher.

Gombe
The Gombe State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board
has advised intending pilgrims to stop making payments for Hajj seats through individuals.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Usman Gurama, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Gombe.
He said that the advice became necessary following reports that some of the intending pilgrims had started paying for the seats through unauthorised persons.
According to him, some of intending pilgrims during last year’s Hajj have also fallen victims of the fraudsters.
Jigawa

The Education Sector Reform in Nigeria
(ESRIN) said in Dutse, Jigawa State, that it had sunk 87 boreholes and provided toilet facilities in primary and junior secondary schools across the state.
The representative of the organisation, Mr John Kay, said this in his speech at the inauguration and handing over of the facilities to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
Kay added that the boreholes were constructed to provide safe drinking water for the teachers, pupils and students in those schools.
He also said that the toilet facilities were provided for both the students and their teachers so that they could always defecate and urinate in a hygienic environment.

Kaduna
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Ad
ministration and Control (NAFDAC) has cautioned motorists against patronising drug peddlers.
The Kaduna State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Mrs Mukosolu Nzekwe gave the warning at a sensitisation campaign against drug abuse held at Kawo motor park in Kaduna.
“The drug hawkers are not pharmacist or doctors, when you stop patronising them there will be no market for them and they will fade away.
“If these drugs are exposed to the sun, they become poisonous, and when people take them, they are subjected to various health conditions due to consumption of these low-quality drugs.

Kebbi
A Kebbi-based Non -Governmental Organisation
(NGO), Youth Advancement Organisation (YAO) of Nigeria, said it had inaugurated a campaign on child survival and malaria prevention in the state.
The Project Director, Alhaji Haruna Alkassim, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that the campaign was focused on communities in Yauri and Bagudo.
He said the campaign would later spread to seven local government areas in the state.
Alkassim said the initiative was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Population Services International and the Society for Family Health.

Lagos
The Fertiliser Suppliers Association of Nigeria
(FEPSAN) has said that about one million tonnes of fertilisers would be distributed in 2014
The FEPSAN Executive Secretary, Mr Ahmed Rabiu, told newsmen in Lagos that in 2013, about 900,000 tonnes of the commodity were distributed.
Rabiu said that two private investors had begun work to produce more ammonia and urea.
“Presently, two private investors Dangote Fertiliser plant and Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited have started work to produce more ammonia and urea fertilisers this year.

Ondo
The Deputy Speaker of Ondo State House of
Assembly, Mr Dare Emiola, has promised a befitting state burial for the late Speaker, Mr Samuel Adesina.
Emiola made the promise when he led the lawmakers to the Alagbaka residence of the late speaker to commiserate with the family of the deceased.
Our correspondent reports that Adesina, 61, died last Tuesday.
He said the house would not forget the wisdom and knowledge which the late speaker deployed in conducting the affairs of the house in the last four years.
Ogun
The Ogun State Government has issued a warning to
11 parents state whose children were caught hawking during school hours.
The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Elizabeth Sonubi, gave the warning in Abeokuta.
It would be recalled that the state government recently banned street hawking by children of school age.
According to the commissioner, the ban on street hawking and trading is still in force.
She said any child caught violating the order twice would be warned through the issuance of “yellow card.’’

Osun
The Osun State House of Assembly has urged the
people of the State not to allow the location of headquarters of the proposed Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to ignite crisis among them.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Wasiu Adebayo, made the appeal during a tour of the headquarters of the proposed LCDAs.
Our correspondent reports that Gov. Rauf Aregbesola had on December 16, 2013 presented a bill for the creation of 27 LCDAs.
Adebayo said since the creation of the new councils was awaiting the approval of the lawmakers, the people must promote the economic development of their areas and not engage in violence.

Plateau
A Jos Upper Area Court has sentenced a 28-year-
old carpenter, John Taiwo, to six months imprisonment for breaking into the shop of one Mr Kelvin Egomoles.
The court did not give the convict an option of fine as he was said to be a habitual criminal.
It also ordered the convict to pay Egomoles N2, 000 as compensation for damaging the shop doors.
In his judgment, the Presiding Judge, Malam Mustapha Hassan, said the prosecution had convinced the court that the accused committed the offence.
Sokoto
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has
urged the Standards Organisation of Nigeria ( SON) to establish mobile courts to prosecute producers of fake and sub-standard products.
Abubakar made the call o in Sokoto when the Director-General of SON, Dr Joseph Odumodu, paid him a courtesy visit.
The Sultan said “such a court will close all companies producing fake and sub-standard products in the country’’.
“It will also prosecute proprietors of these companies as they are wrecking havoc on Nigerians and the nation’s economy.

L-R: Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Mr John Kennedy Opara, Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria, Mr Uriel Palti, Israeli Minister of Agriculture, Mr Yair Shamir and Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina during a cocktail in honour of the Israeli Minister of Agriculture in Abuja last Saturday

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.