Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

April 11, 2014

Adamawa

overnor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State has
sworn in the new Acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Ambrose Mammadi.

Nyako urged the new acting chief judge to endeavour to reinvigorate the state judiciary by ensuring justice for all and sundry in the state, at the ceremony in Yola.

He said that the swearing-in was timely and important considering the present situation people in the state found themselves.

“The state government is doing all it can and very careful to avoid unnecessary tribal, religious or political tension for the development of our people.

Bauchi

he Bauchi State Technology Incubation Centre,
said it would train women in different skills to enhance their source of income.

The Manager of the centre, Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed, said this in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi.

Mohammed said that the training would commence with 20 women from Bauchi Local Government, while other women from 19 local government areas of the state would be co-opted in due course.

She said the training was an essential tool for achieving the goals of gender equality in the society.

FCT

he Senate President, David Mark, has pledged to
remain a pan- Nigerian in spite of all the challenges.

Mark also pledged to dedicate the rest of his life to the service of God and humanity.

He made the pledge at a church service to mark his 66th birthday at the St. Mulumba Catholic Chaplaincy, Apo, Abuja, recently.

The senate president said he was not celebrating the birthday with any fanfare because of the current insecurity in the country, adding that such a mood was unhealthy for any celebration.

“I will remain a pan-Nigerian and work for a nation where peace, love, development and unity reign as a binding principle.

Gombe

he number of people bitten by snakes has increased
in Gombe State in the last three weeks due to the hot weather, a health official, Dr Abubakar Balla, has said.

Balla, who is in-charge of snake bite treatment centre at Kaltungo Hospital, told newsmen in Gombe that there was over 70 per cent rise in the number of cases reported to the hospital.

According to him, the hospital now receives an average of 20 cases daily as against six it was receiving three weeks ago.

This, he said, had raised the number of victims currently receiving treatment at the hospital to 119.

Kwara

he Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Mr
Ambrose Aisabor, has urged traditional rulers in the state to shun partisan politics in order to achieve effective administration of their domains.

Aisabor gave the advice during a courtesy call on the Aloffa of Ilofa, Oba Samuel Dada, at his palace in Ilofa, Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara.

He said the traditional rulers could only play the role expected of them satisfactorily if they were not involved in political activities, as fathers of all.

“The act of securing of lives and property should never be an exclusive preserve of the law enforcement agencies to achieve the desired result.

Kaduna

he Legal Aid Council of Nigeria has said it had trained
500 residents of Kaduna State on dispute resolution.

The Director- General of the council, Mrs Joy Bob-Manuel, disclosed this at a media briefing in Kaduna, recently.

She said that the training was held across the three senatorial districts under the council’s ‘Access to Justice For the Poor (AJFP)’ programme, sponsored by the Japanese Social Development Bank and the World Bank.

Bob-Manuel said the training had offered the participants, alternative means of settling disputes without recourse to violence.

Kogi

overnor Idris Wada of Kogi State has promised to
utilise the expertise of personnel at the College of Agriculture, Kabba, towards achieving the state’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

Wada was quoted as saying this at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and the college which is affiliated to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Wada, who was represented at the occasion by his Deputy, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, described agriculture as the pivot of his administration’s programme.

The statement said that the governor expressed his administration’s resolve in ensuring that the state became the food basket of the nation and that jobs were created through agriculture.

Lagos

he traditional ruler of Isolo in Lagos State, Kabiru
Agbabiaka, has called for the revival of self-help culture by communities toward enhancing national development.

Agbabiaka told newsmen in Lagos that the culture of executing projects through communal efforts was becoming extinct.

“The culture of implementing communal projects in the past by the people had helped to facilitate national development.

“We should go back to that period when the people contribute to the development of their communities.

Ondo

U.S.-based firm, SPAGnvOLA Chocolatier LLC,
has lauded the Ondo State Government over the quality of the cocoa beans produced in the state.

Our correspondent reports that SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier, a chocolate firm, is partnering with the Ondo State Cocoa Revolution Implementation Committee on the production of chocolate in the state.

The firm’s President and Founder, Mr Eric Reid, in a letter he addressed to Governor Olusegun Mimiko in Akure, observed that the quality of the cocoa beans was comparable to the ones from other West African countries as well as Central or South America.

Ogun

member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Mr
Oludaisi Elemide, has urged the Federal Government to continue to accord priority to security of lives and property.

Elemide told newsmen in Abeokuta that the acquisition of latest military hardware and provision of welfare benefits for military personnel would restore peace in the North-East Zone.

He said Nigerians were worried about the security situation in some parts of the country, particularly in the North-East Zone.

Elemide also called on the military to evolve more proactive measures to curb the menace of insurgents.

Oyo

achet water producers in Ibadan have called on the
Federal Government to prevail on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to refrain from collecting a N25,000 laboratory test fee imposed on them.

The Production Manager of Clover Pure Water Factory, Mr Aderemi Ojo, told newsmen in Ibadan that the fee was unnecessary.

He said that the fee was only meant to provide NAFDAC with a mobile processing laboratory.

” The idea is to upgrade NAFDAC’s system of water screening.

” With it, on-the-spot screening of water samples would be carried out right in our factories without having to send these samples to their offices.

Sokoto

resident Goodluck Jonathan has condoled with the
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, over the death of his brother, Alhaji?Bello Maiwurno.

Our correspondent reports that Vice-President Namadi Sambo delivered the condolence message on behalf the President.

Jonathan said the death of Maiwurno was a great loss to the Sultanate Council of Sokoto, his family, the people of Sokoto State and the country.

Speaking earlier,?Abubakar thanked the president for sending a high-powered delegation to Sokoto to commiserate with his family.

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.