Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

September 3, 2014

Adamawa

Ahead of the forthcoming governorship by-elec
tion in Adamawa State, the Presidency says President Goodluck Jonathan will not impose any candidate on the Peoples Demcratic Party and the people of the state.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, said this in an interview with newsmen recently.
Abati was reacting to reports that the Presidency was backing a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commisison, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, to clinch the party’s ticket.
The presidential spokesman said his antecedents, since assumption of office, had shown clearly that Jonathan was not favourably disposed to imposing his choice in any matter that has to do with democratic process.

Bauchi

Policemen attached to the G.R.A., Police Com
mand, Bauchi State have arrested a reverend father and one other person for allegedly defrauding one Joel Sumi of N60,000.
The state police spokesperson, DSP Haruna Mohammed, disclosed this yesterday.
According Mohammed, the two suspects, who posed as fortune tellers, deceived their victims, and defrauded him.
He said, “The victim decided to seek prayers from the reverend father and the other person in order to solve his problems, but fell into the wrong hands as he was asked by the suspects to bring N60,000 before conducting the prayers”.

FCT

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has said
that more than 57 per cent of the people in West Africa were without access to electricity.
The bank stated this in its “West Africa Monitor Quarterly”, for the second quarter of 2014 report, which was made available to the newmen in Abuja.
It said that the percentage approximated the average for sub-Saharan Africa,” but extremely low compared with 23 per cent in the developing world and 18 per cent globally.”
According to the report, with inadequate generation capacity, low electrification, and sporadic, unreliable and expensive service, energy is at the top of questions requiring adequate policy intervention.
It explained that access rates varied from country to country, with eight per cent in Niger and 15 per cent in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau.

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has ap
pointed former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the pioneer Chancellor of the newly established Jigawa State University in Kafin Hausa.
The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Haruna Wakili, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Dutse. Wakili said the State Government had sent a delegation to present the appointment letter to the former President at his country home in Abeokuta.
He explained that the appointment was based on Section 8 of the Jigawa State University Law, 2013.
Kwara
Members of a youth group in Kwara State, the
Kwara South Youth Forum (KSYF), last Saturday pledged to ensure that credible leaders emerge during the 2015 general elections.
President of the forum, Mr Charles Folarin, stated this in Omu-Aran, during a youth leadership summit, organised by the forum, in collaboration with Mike Omotosho Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.
According to him, Nigerian youths should be prepared to play key role in ensuring that credible people are elected to move the country forward.
“I think we should not just sit down, fold our arms and watch, but take our destiny in our hands.

Kano
The battle for the presidential ticket of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) is creating tension in Kano State where the supporters of Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and those of former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, have clashed.
The state House of Assembly, dominated by the APC has broken into two camps, each supporting Kwankwaso and Buhari. The governor and former Head of State are leading contenders for the APC presidential ticket. Some members of the assembly, under the aegis of G34, had, last week, endorsed Kwankwaso for the APC presidential ticket.
But signs that all was not well in the parliament emerged, yesterday, when a member of the group, Yusuf Abdullahi Atta, dissociated himself and some of his other colleagues from the endorsement, declaring support for Buhari.

Lagos

A frontline governorship aspirant in LagosState
and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, popularly called GOS, has held discussions with top officials of local governments in all the 57 council areas of the state.
The meeting, held to seek the support of the council boss for his gubernatorial aspiration was closely followed, last Saturday, by the declaration of total support for GOS by a socio-political organisation, Patriots Face. The group, parading thousands of members across the 57 council areas of the state, declared its support for the senator’s aspiration at a ceremony in Mushin. A statement by Solomon’s campaign team, yesterday, said “the meeting midweek with vice chairmen and secretaries of all the local councils in Lagos was aimed at mobilising them for the senators governorship ambition which has been receiving widespread support across the state.
Niger

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State could
not vote in the Niger East senatorial by-election last Saturday as he forgot his voter card in Abuja.
He told newsmen at the Umaru Musa Polling Unit in Minna that he would abide by the rule which states that one cannot vote without having a voter card.
“I forgot my voter card in Abuja, which was human error, but I must commend those that came out to vote’’, he said. Aliyu, who was accompanied by his wife, said reports reaching him indicated a peaceful election in the zone.

Ondo

A former presidential candidate of Alliance for
Democracy, Chief Olu Falae, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to use maximum force to deal with Boko Haram. A chieftain of the Social Democratic Party, Falae said he was distressed that after more than 100 days in captivity, the Federal Government had not been able to rescue the more than 200 Chibok schoolgirl held hostage since April 14 by the Boko Haram insurgents.“I am very saddened and distressed that there is insurgency in Nigeria. I never thought it could come to this. If you look around the world, it is the same problem – you can see what is going on in Iraq and Syria; there is a group called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria that wants to take a part of Iraq and a part of Syria. It is totally unheard of.
“In Afghanistan, Yemen, and other places, you see wars going on. Terrorism has become a worldwide phenomenon. It is unfortunate that the Boko Haram insurgency is a different kind of war; the traditional war is a war against territory but this terrorist group kills people indiscriminately, unprovoked. They commit mindless violence,” he said.

Osun
An aide to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun
State, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has described the governor’s victory in the August 9 governorship election as a reward for his dedication to the service of the people. Oyintiloye, who is the Senior Special Assistant on Community Affairs to the governor, said this recently at the Christ Apostolic Church, Ibokun, Osun State during a special thanksgiving service for the governor’s re-election for a second term.
Oyintiloye said if not for the overwhelming support of the people and divine intervention, the victory would have been difficult to achieve. The SSA noted that Aregbesola’s vision and commitment had brought changes to the state.

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Ademorin Kuye, Governor Babatunde Fashola and Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos, at a meeting of traditional rulers with Governor Fashola in Lagos recently. Photo: NAN

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.