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THE STATES

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Benue
Former Benue State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Jo
seph Orkar, who was detained for eighteen months by the then military regime of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, said that the APC presidential candidate sent corrupt politicals to jail to demonstrate his high sense of moral discipline.
Orkar stated this at an APC rallty in Aliade, Benue.
Admitting that they could have have been cases of miscarriage of justice, the few cases did not undermine the intergrity of the process. He said Buhari was working towards establishing probity and accountability in the system by desciplining erring politicians. Orkar, who is the APC Vice Chairman in the state, said he was an ardent supporter of Buhari despite his inmprisonment and called on other Nigerians to support the APC presidential candidate.

Kaduna
Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State has offered to
provide scholarships to nine primary school pupils up to university level based on their exceptional academic performance.The Governor made the announcement during campaign in Jaba local government Area of the state.
He described the presentation made by the pupils as classic, saying it was a testimony that government’s efforts aimed at transforming the education sector was yielding fruits.
“It is better to invest in the education of our children now to secure their future. Parents should invest in the education of their children,” he said. He called on the people of the area to remain united and support the government to deliver more dividends of democracy to them.

Kwara
Traditional rulers in Kwara South Senatorial District on
Thursday, pledged their support for the re-election of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. The Olupo Ajase-Ipo, Oba Sikiru Sanni; the Oloro of Oro Kingdom, Oba Rafiu Ajiboye; and the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Charles Ibitoye, all separately pledged to support Ahmad’s re-election bid when the APC campaign team visited their respective palaces.
Sanni said the call for the support toward the re-election bid of Governor Ahmed was to give the administration the opportunity to complete its ongoing projects across nooks and crannies of the state. He expressed the desire of the people of the community to support government at all levels toward ensuring the sustenance of the nation’s democratic system.
“We want to assure the government of our continuous support, including the re-election bid of our governor at the poll, he said.

Kano
The Kano State Government said on Thursday, it had spent
N10 million on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who were camped in Dawakin Kudu Local Government area of the state.
The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SARERA), Alhaji Aliyu Bashir, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano. According to him, over 3,000 IDPs were assisted with the fund during their stay at the camp. He said the agency also collaborated with the United Nations to get relief materials for the displaced persons who were mostly from Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and Taraba. Bashir added that the displaced persons left their various homes and trooped into the state due to insecurity in their areas.

Katsina

Victims of 2011 post-election violence in Funtua, Katsina
State, on Thursday sought for assistance from the state and Federal Government to enable them rebuild their lives.
The chairman of the victims committee in the area, Mr Billy Okbegboro, made the call at a press briefing in Funtua. He explained that the assistance provided by government was only given to landlords, leaving out tenants particularly shop owners whose properties were destroyed. He said that about 233 tenants affected by the violence were left roaming the streets with no means of livelihood, adding that some of them had died of trauma.
Lagos
An Igando Customary Court in Lagos has  dissolved a
six-year-old marriage over heavy drinking and adultery.
The President of the court, Mr Rasak Adeyeri, said that all efforts to reconcile Samuel Ajibode, a businessman and his wife Rebecca had proved futile.
He said the court had no option than to dissolve the union for them to go their separate ways.
“Both parties are no longer husband and wife, they are free to go their separate ways,” Adeyeri ruled.
The Petitioner, Samuel Ajibode (53), had filed a suit seeking the dissolution of the marriage over wife’s infidelity and excessive alcoholic consumption.

Nasarawa
The Chief Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Keffi,
Nasarawa State, Dr Joshua Giyan, has appealed to striking health workers nationwide to resume work in the interest of humanity. Giyan made the call  in Keffi in an interview with  newsmen. He observed that the industrial action by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) had affected the lives of many Nigerians, particularly the poor who have no means to patronise private hospitals. Giyan said the Minister of Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan, had met with chief medical directors and assured them that the Federal Government was doing its best to implement the white paper submitted to it by the presidential committee. The director commended the federal government for its sustained efforts in funding the health sector, calling for support and understanding from stakeholders.

Ogun
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has  prom
ised to continue to commit the resources of the state for the development of the rural areas across the state, if re-elected.
Amosun gave the promise in Coker, a town in Ifo local Government of the state during his re-election campaign tour. He said his administration would focus on the construction of rural roads, electricity supply, and create employment opportunities in rural communities.
“I want to thank you for your support and perseverance in the last three and half years.  “It is not that we neglect you; our concentration during the first term was on urban renewal which we intend to attract investors into the state. “You can see that many companies have sprung up in the state and many investors are still interested in doing their businesses in Ogun”, he said.

Sokoto
Gwabadawa Local Government Council, Sokoto
State, says it spends N6 million on the payment of monthly allowances to 1,200 regular vigilantes it has recruited. The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Aminu Aya, said this in Sokoto during an interview with newsmen recently. Aya said that the council had also engaged 2,436 non-regular vigilantes.
“The local government council is making arrangements to regularise the engagement of the vigilantes who are yet to start receiving the monthly allowances of N5,000 each,” he explained. Aya said that the vigilantes were engaged to complement the efforts of the security agencies in protecting the lives and property of the citizenry in the area. He said the vigilantes were deployed to various towns and villages in the 11 political wards of the local government area.

Zamfara

Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State on
Thursday, said the state government has fulfilled the promises it made to people of Maru local government area in 2011. Yari, who was on campaign tour of the local government said in Maru that the multi-million naira projects executed by the government had transformed the area from what it used to be.
“Now if you compare Maru town before the coming of this administration, you will see that it has improved in terms of town planning and socio-economic development.
“Our administration has fulfilled all the promises it made in 2011 during the last election campaigns; our great party, the APC has good mission for Nigerians,” he said.
The governor listed some of the projects executed in the area to include township roads, expansion and upgrading of Maru General Hospital, completion of Government Secondary School Maru, as well as renovation and construction of new primary schools.

L-R:  Govenor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, his  Lagos State counterpart, Babatunde Fashola and his wife,  Abimbola at the closing ceremony of a 3-Day Conference  by Committee of Wives of Lagos State officials in Lagos.

L-R: Govenor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, his Lagos State counterpart, Babatunde Fashola and his wife, Abimbola at the closing ceremony of a 3-Day Conference by Committee of Wives of Lagos State officials in Lagos.

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

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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

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REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

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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.
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Self Help Africa programme expands water access for 320,000 Nigerians

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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.
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