Nation

THE STATES

Published

11 years ago

April 8, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan (left), receiving Easter greeting card from sgf, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim (right), during Easter homage to the President in Abuja last Sunday. With them is the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr john Kennedy Opara. Photo: NAN

FCT
Nigeria’s in-coming First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, says
women would enjoy a better deal under the President-elect, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, as soon as he is inaugurated.
This is conveyed in an Easter message released in Abuja last Monday by Director, Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Malam Garba Shehu.
According to the message, the wife of the president-elect assured Nigerian women that they would witness a better deal when her husband formally takes office on May 29.
It said, ‘’I wish Christian women the abundant blessings of the Easter celebration.
“Nigerian women are among the hardest working social groups, but have remained economically and politically marginalised.
“Under my husband’s government, honest labour and hard work would be adequately rewarded, while corruption would be fought aggressively.”

Kano

Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State has ap
plauded President Goodluck Jonathan for his magnanimity by conceding defeat to General Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 presidential election.
The governor commended Jonathan last Sunday while briefing newsmen in Kano, on the outcome of the last Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the country.
“I want to commend the President’s action in conceding defeat. This shows that President Jonathan is a true statesman,” he said.
The governor, who also congratulated Buhari on his victory, attributed the success of the election to the determination of Nigerians to have a change in leadership.
Kwankwaso assured Nigerians that Buhari would run a transparent government.
He said the new administration would fight corruption and provide maximum security to citizens of the country.
Kwankwaso then urged the President-elect, to live up to his campaign promises to justify the confidence reposed in him.

Kogi

Pastor Dapo Afolabi of the Redeemed Christian Church
of God has urged Nigerians to remain calm and peaceful during the forthcoming Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections on April 11.
Afolabi in his sermon titled, “God’s relationship’’ on Easter Sunday in Lokoja, said that it was the relationship we had with God that he used to manifest his wonders.
He urged Nigerians to build a new relationship with God so that he could always fight their battles, saying that if not for God those beating the drums of war would have prevailed.
He thanked God for the peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections and prayed to God to help Nigeria during and after the April elections.
Afolabi urged Nigerians to pray for the President-elected, Muhammadu Buhari, for God to assist him to pilot the affairs of the country.
Also, the Spiritual Head, Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Olumba Olumba-Obu, has called for peace and tolerance among Nigerians.

Kwara

Eight political parties in Kwara State, under the aegis
of Congress of Nigeria’s Political Party (CNPP) have declared their support for the re-election of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.
CNPP Chairman in Kwara State, Alhaji Adebayo Lawal, told journalists at a news conference last Monday, in Ilorin, that the political parties had resolved to garner votes for Governor Ahmed.
Lawal listed the political parties as Action Alliance (AA), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), United Progressives Party (UNPP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Others are United Democratic Party (UNP), Citizen Popular Party (CPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and African Congress of Democrats (ACD).
Lawal, State Chairman of AA, was joined by the governorship candidates of the other political parties to declare their support for the APC in the forth-coming elections.

Nasarawa

The Catholic Bishop of Lafia Diocese, Dr Mathew Ishaya,
last Monday, urged Nigerian leaders to evolve strategies that would alleviate the suffering of the victims of terrorism and other evil acts.
Ishaya stated this when he spoke with newsmen in Lafia.
He said the call had become imperative in order to improve the standard of living of the victims of violence in the country. Ishaya said the nation should give those people a sense of belonging.
“The security challenge facing the state and some parts of the country such as terrorism, communal crisis, among other evil acts, have affected our lives and the socio-economic development of the country negatively.
“Our brothers and sisters have been displaced; they are homeless due to the activities of Boko Haram, communal crisis and other forms of violence in the society. There is need to assist in reducing their suffering.”

Niger

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State has
called on the state government to look for an alternative place for the relocation of the Madalla market along Abuja-Kaduna Road.
The call is contained in a statement issued last Monday by the party’s Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr Jonathan Vatsa.
The party noted that the present location of the market close to a highway, had led to loss of lives and property.
“We are worried that despite collecting N1.8 billion loan to build the ultra-modern market, the government of Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu in Niger State has refused to understand the danger of the market still being located along the high way.
“There is no gain saying that the market has witnessed fatal accidents, ranging from tankers veering into the market and most times, setting people and their wares ablaze,” it said.
The party then challenged the state development company to explain the delay in re-locating the market, in spite of the huge resources collected for the purpose.

Ondo

The Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has
appealed to the people of the state to vote en masse for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in the forthcoming governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Mimiko made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Akure last Sunday.
The governor said this was necessary to ensure further promotion of peace and effective governance in the state.
“Voting for our candidates will guarantee continuity of peace and prospects for the state.
“The people should demonstrate their desire to maintain and further promote peace and growth in the state by voting for the PDP candidates jostling for seats in the state’s legislative chamber,” he said.

Plateau
Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has said
the peaceful conduct of March 28 presidential poll won by Maj.-Gen Muhammadu Buhari, has shamed doomsayers that Nigeria would break up in 2015.
“No one will ever repeat that wild and arrogant prediction that Nigeria will go under; those doomsayers have been shamed and Nigeria will grow from strength to strength’’, Gowon told newmen in Jos.
While recalling the prediction that the country would disintegrate in 2015, Gowon declared that those that made the prediction did not reckon with Nigeria’s ability to solve its problems.
“The nation has always had the mechanism to tackle its concerns and this election and its peaceful outcome have proved that a united and focused nation would always survive and move toward greatness’’, he said.

Sokoto

Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State says the Presi
dent-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has urged APC supporters nationwide to shun violence and provocation while celebrating his victory.
Our correspondent reports that Wamakko passed down the message in Sokoto at the monthly stakeholders ‘ meeting of the All Progressives Congress.
‘’ I was with Buhari two days ago in Abuja and this was his main message to the members and supporters of the party in the country. “While celebrating, we should be cautious so as not to endanger the lives of others, cause violence or destruction of property, and or cause the killing or maiming of other Nigerians,’’ Wamakko, said.
According to the governor, without peace and unity, the much-needed change cannot be brought about successfully by the incoming APC-led administration.
He said that the meeting was to show appreciation to God for the “invaluable and epoch-making successes recorded by the APC during the landmark March 28 general elections.”

Yobe

The Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC)
in Yobe State, Alhaji Umar Kukuri, last Sunday, advised governorship candidates in Saturday’s election, to emulate the sportsmanship of President Goodluck Jonathan, by accepting defeat if they lost in a transparent election.
Kukuri, who made the call at a press conference in Damaturu, said Jonathan’s courageous action had opened a new chapter in Nigeria’s democracy .
“If the president can concede defeat, there is no candidate that is too big to concede defeat after losing election.
“Let us be reminded that in every election, there must be winners and losers; we should, in the spirit of sportsmanship as exemplified by President Jonathan, accept election results in good faith,” he said.

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.