Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

June 13, 2014

Adamawa

The Adamawa State Commissioner for Environment, Mrs
Arziki Sawa, has raised alarm over what she described as the rapid desert encroachment threatening the northern part of the state.
Sawa said in Yola at an event organised to celebrate the 2014 World Environment Day that the northern part of the state had been identified as a desertification-prone area due to the loss of its vegetation.
She attributed the development to the over exploitation of the vegetation and drought and listed the most affected areas as Madagali, Mubi North, Mubi South, Maiha, Gombi, Shelleng and Guyuk.
Others are Demsa, Fufore, Girei, Numan, Lamurde, Yola North and Yola South Local Government Areas.
According to the commissioner, the state has benefitted from the Federal Government’s ongoing Great Green Wall programme.

Bauchi

The Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/
AIDs,Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA), says it has concluded arrangements for the distribution of 3.2 million Long Lasting Mosquito Nets (LLMN) in the state.
The Chairman of the agency, Dr Abdulaziz Manga, who made the disclosure last Tuesday in an interview in Bauchi, said that a committee had been set up to map out modalities on the distribution.
According to him, 60 supervisors have been trained for the exercise.
“The nets are already in Bauchi and very soon, we will start the distribution. “We have our trained personnel ready, we are just working out modalities and the strategy to employ for the exercise,” he said.

FCT

The International Centre for Investigative Reporting
(ICIR), an NGO, in Abuja last Tuesday commenced three-day training for 40 journalists on investigative reporting.
The journalists were drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Executive Director of the NGO, Mr Dayo Aiyetan, said that the training would expose the journalists to the intricacies involved in investigative journalism.
He said the aspect of journalism globally had moved beyond the traditional journalism being the norm in Nigeria and attributed the development to lack of skills required for journalists to perform their duties effectively.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State chapter of the All Farmers Association
of Nigeria (AFAN), has lauded the Federal Government for introducing the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme.
The scheme is the flagship programme of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda under which registered farmers are allocated two bags of fertiliser each and seeds on their mobile phones through an electronic platform known as the e-wallet.
The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Habibu Isa, who made the commendation while speaking with newsmen in Dutse, on Tuesday, said that the scheme had facilitated timely input distribution to farmers.
He said that the initiative had also resulted in improved crop yields among the farmers, adding that it would go a long way in ensuring food security in the country.

Kogi

The Kabba-Bunu Local Government Council of Kogi
State, has disbursed N107.7 million Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P) intervention funds for the execution of 20 rural development projects in the area.
The Chairman of the council, Mr Emmanuel Funsho, made the disclosure recently, while addressing members of the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), who were on assessment tour of SURE-P projects in the area.
Represented by Mr Sam Obanibi, the Vice Chairman of the council, Funsho said the 20 projects include education, water, transport and health sectors, adding that the council had been transparent in the use of SURE-P funds intervention.
He commended the NUJ team for the concern over utilisation of public funds and delivery of democracy dividends to the people.

Kwara
K Kwara
The Federal Road Safety Commission last Tuesday
warned officers and men of the commission to refrain from racketeering.
The FRSC Deputy Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi,who gave the warning during an inspection visit to the Kwara State Command of the commission in Ilorin, last Tuesday, said any official found wanting “ would be sacked with immediate effect.’’
He charged the commission’s personnel to remain committed in the discharge of their duties and commended officials of the commission, especially the special marshals, for their efficiency.
Oyeyemi, whose visit coincided with the opening of the State General Hospital in Ilorin, commended the state government for putting in place a trauma centre at the health facility.

Lagos

The oldest Catholic priest in Nigeria, the late Monsignor
Pedro Martins, was last Tuesday laid to rest in Lagos, amidst tributes by clerics, friends relatives.
Martins, aged 103, was laid to rest at the Vaults and Gardens Cemetery, Ikoyi , Lagos, after a funeral mass at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos.
He was born on November 16 , 1910, and spent 70 years as a Catholic priest, having been ordained on August 8, 1943, by the late Rt. Rev. P.F. Kelly, the then Vicar Apostolic of Asaba and Benin.
Late Pedro Martins, an old student of King’s College, Lagos, was one of the first eleven indigenous priests.
Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, said that the late Martins dedicated his long life to selfless service to mankind.

Nasarawa

The police last Tuesday arraigned Mustapha Labaran,
21, a resident of Nyanya, Abuja, in a Senior Magistrates’ Court in Marararba, Nasarawa State, for criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The police prosecutor, Donald Hemen, told the court that one Badamasi Umar, reported the matter at the Sani Abacha Road Police Station, Mararaba, on June 6.
Hemen alleged that the accused person collected the complainant’s Honda motorcycle valued at N130,000 for commercial purposes, promising to remit N700 every day adding that after collecting the motorcycle, the accused person absconded to an unknown destination.
The prosecutor said that when the accused was arrested, he claimed that he gave the motorcycle to one Sanusi (surname unknown) who was now at large, as a collateral.
He said the accused person also threatened to kill the complainant noting that the offences contravened the Penal Code.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Osun

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State said
a seven-man committee had been set up to coordinate its campaign ahead of the August 9 governorship election in the state.
The Chairman of the party, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa, said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Mr Lere Oyewumi is the Director-General of the team while Mr Jimoh Bello will serve as secretary and Prince Diran Odeyemi will be in charge of publicity.
The other members of the committee are Mr Aderoju Ibitoye, Mr Yekinni Omisore, Ms Funmilayo Olasehinde, and Mr Paul Olukunle.

Oyo

The Oyo State Commissioner for Transport, Prof.
Nurudeen Tanimowo, in Oyo last Tuesday urged youths to imbibe reading culture for all-round development.
Tanimowo, who was represented by a Chief Lecturer at the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, Mr Samson Atolagbe, made the call at a Readership Promotion Campaign, with the theme, “Reading on the Move, “ organised by the Oyo State Library Board.
The commissioner, who advocated reading for self fulfillment and social change, said: “Reading is a basic tool of education, information and relaxation. “This allows individual to cope with new knowledge in the changing world of technological age.’’
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Bamiji Ojo, urged students to be more committed to their education noting that there could be no education without reading.
In his remarks, the Acting Librarian in Oyo State, Mr Olakanmi Adigun, said that the programme was organised to inculcate reading culture in youths.
Adigun said a reading culture would enhance better academic performance and commended Governor Abiola Ajimobi for ensuring free qualitative education and his support to the board.

Zamfara

The Zamfara State Government has released over N40.7
million to assist victims of wind and rainstorm in the state.
The state Acting Governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala ,who made the announcement last Tuesday, while presenting cash to victims in Barakallahu and Tsunami communities in Gusau Local Government area said the money would be distributed to victims in four communities affected by the disaster.
He named the communities as Barakallahu and Tsunami in Gusau local government area and Morai and Kagara villages in Talata-Mafara local government area and urged the victims to consider the incident as an act of God.
The acting governor urged the people of the state to remain calm, saying that the government would always assist them in times of need.
The Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Malam Atiku Maradun, urged the people of the area to obey town planning rules and regulations when laying foundation of their houses.

Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State (right) being consoled by the Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar who paid him condolence visit Gombe, recently.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

1 week 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

1 week 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.

Nation

Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

Published

1 week ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

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.