Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

October 29, 2014

The police in Benue State have charged two
members of a suspected syndicate of kidnappers with conspiracy, kidnapping and causing hurt, before a Makurdi Upper Area Court.
The accused, Sunday Ogbole, 24, and Emmanuel Alphonsus, 20-were arraigned on a three-count charge.
According to the prosecutor, Cpl Omaye Ujata, Ogbole a Nigerian, and Alphonsus, a native of Cotonou, Benin Republic, conspired and attempted to kidnap Mrs Ogwa Agada in her house at Ehaji Owukpa in Ogbadibo Local Government Area.
“When the victim raised alarm, the accused persons stabbed her with a knife and took to their heels,’’ Ujata submitted.

Kaduna

A lecturer at the Department of History, Kaduna
State University, Malam Sulaiman Shehu, has called on political parties to always allow internal democracy to prevail in their electoral processes.
Shehu told newsmen in Kaduna that applying internal democracy would make the political parties stronger and more reliable.
The lecturer said democracy within the political parties would always produce the best candidates for the electorate.
According to him, political parties should desist from hand picking candidates because such practice will breed contempt among the electorate.

Kwara

An aspirant to the House of Representatives from
Kwara State, Chief Rex Olawoye, said yesterday that the proposed autonomy for local governments in the country would give them a new lease of life.
Olawoye, a two-time Chairman, Ifelodun Local Government in Kwara, said this on Tuesday in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin.
“By this autonomy, a new lease of life has come to the local government councils in the country and will make them perform better,” Olawoye added.
He commended the National Assembly for the bold move, saying it would truly make the councils the third arm of government as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

Kano

The Presiding Pastor of Shalom Evangelical
Assembly, Sabon-Gari, Kano, Mr Kehinde Babatunde, has expressed optimism that the 2015 elections in Nigeria will be peaceful.
Babatunde told newsmen in Kano that: “The forthcoming general election is going to be the most peaceful election people have ever seen or witnessed in this country.
“Let everybody in the country be calm because the election will be conducted peacefully.’’
Babatunde also expressed hope that the security challenges bedevilling the country would be a thing of the past.
“The country will also witness economic growth and prosperity in the year 2015 and people will have peace.

Lagos

Two students of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos,
who allegedly threatened to kill their lecturer, yesterday appeared before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
The accused – Tayo Ogunyomi, 24, and Kehinde Olaoye, 28, – reside at Yaba and Gbagada areas of Lagos respectively.
They were arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, breach of public peace and membership of an unlawful society.
The prosecutor, Inspector, Rita Momah, told the court that the offences were committed on October16 at 9 p.m. on the school campus.
She said the students sent text messages to the phone of their lecturer, one Mrs Abraham Ibe, threatening to kill her.

Nasarawa

Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has
appointed Mr Yakubu Lamai as his new Chief Press Secretary following a minor cabinet reshuffle.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Zainab Ahmed, and made available to newsmen in Lafia yesterday
It said Al-Makura also made minor cabinet reshuffle by reassigning commissioners to oversee some ministries following the sack of eight commissioners last month.
According to the statement, Mr Hussaini Abubakar, Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, has been moved to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

Ondo

A teenager, Segun Temi and a man,Tunde Akinagbe –
were yesterday brought before an Okitipupa Magistrates’ Court in Ondo State for alleged break-in and theft of mobile phone and N20,000.
The accused -Temi, 16, and Akinagbe, 21 -whose addresses and occupations are unknown, are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, felony, burglary and stealing.
The prosecutor, Insp. Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the accused had committed the offences on Sept. 19 at about 9.00 a.m. at 19, Kajola St., Ode Aye near Okitipupa.
Orogbemi said the accused broke into the house of one Bolanle Samson and stole a Samsung phone valued at N6, 000 and a wallet containing N20, 000.
He said the accused broke Sections 390(9), 411, 430(1) and 516 Criminal Code, Laws of Ondo State 2006.The duo pleaded not guilty.

Osun

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Osun
State says 10 persons died from road accidents in the state in September.
The state Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr Muhammad Husaini, disclosed this to newsmen in Osogbo yesterday0.
According to Husaini, 26 crashes involving 126 persons occurred during the month.
He attributed the crashes to speeding, deplorable roads and failure by motorists to comply with road traffic rules and regulations.
He lauded the efforts of the state government for complementing activities of the commission through its road construction and rehabilitation projects.

Oyo

Oyo State Government says it has set aside N125
million to boost cocoa production for the 2014/2015 Planting Season.
General Manager, Cocoa Development Unit, Oyo State, Mr Gabriel Kehinde, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan.
He said, “While N110 million is for the commencement of Youth Empowerment Programmes in Cocoa Production, N15 million is for one million cocoa seedlings for free distribution to farmers.
The General Manager said that government distributed 640,000 and 350,000 metric tonnes of free seedlings to farmers in all the 33 Local Government areas of the state in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Sokoto

The District Head of Gagi, Sokoto South Local
Government Area of Sokoto State, Alhaji Sani Umar, said residents of the area have raised N500,000 for enrolment in the community health insurance scheme.
He also said that the people of the area had already opened a dedicated bank account for their monthly donations meant for the execution of the scheme.
Umar told newsmen in Sokoto that the fund would be used for the execution of other self-help development projects across the community, which is located some few kilometres east of Sokoto city.
“We have to take our destiny into our own hands. The three tiers of government are trying their best in terms of the provision of social amenities to the people.
“However, there are so many social needs of the people requiring the attention of the government and its efforts must have to be complemented by Nigerians,” said the monarch.

Gov. Sule Lamido( right) of Jigawa State, Receiving the Chairman, Governing Council of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Alhaji Mustapha Jumare in Dutse, recently. Photo: NAN

Nation

HYPREP Marks 15 Years Of UNEP Report, Highlights Major Cleanup Milestones

Published

3 days 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.