Nation

THE STATES

Published

11 years ago

August 31, 2015

President Muhammadu Buhari (left), welcoming his new Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abbah Kyari, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday

Adamawa
Dr Fatima Atiku, daughter of former Vice President Atiku
Abubakar and newly appointed Adamawa State Commissioner for Health, has forfeited her salary and allowances for use in revitalizing the health sector in the state.
Fielding questions from newsmen in Yola on Friday after being sworn –in along with 21 other commissioners, Fatima, a Consultant, said she was making the sacrifice because of the numerous challenges in the health sector.
“I am very grateful to the governor for appointing me to head the Health Ministry.

Bauchi
Twenty persons have died of Cholera in the Shira Local
Government Area (LGA), of Bauchi State.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen, by the Information Officer in the LGA, Malam Danlami Baza, in Bauchi on Saturday.
The statement said 200 persons were admitted in the hospital.
It added that the Acting Chairman of the LGA, Alhaji Usman Mashema, called on the public to come out for treatment as soon as they noticed any sign of cholera.
The statement appealed to the Federal and State Governments as well as donor agencies to come to the aid of those affected.
Borno

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State on Saturday
presented N100,000 cash assistance and clothing materials to each of the parents of the 219 girls abducted at the Government Secondary School, Chibok.
He presented the items while interacting with the parents in Maiduguri, noting that the gesture was a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I met with the president last Thursday in Abuja and he directed that I should meet you and console you over the missing girls.

Ekiti

The Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr Kola
Oluwawole, says some residents of the state have poor attitude to observance of the monthly sanitation in the state .
In a statement issued by Mr Stephen Gbadamosi, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Speaker in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, the lawmaker observed that the poor attitude was common among the youth and commercial motorcyclists.
“I assure you that those citizens who breached the stay-at-home order on the exercise will be handed over to the police for appropriate sanctions.

FCT

The Presidency has advised the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) to stop playing down achievements so far recorded by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the president’s Senior Special Assistant, Media, Malam Garba Shehu.
Shehu said the PDP should rather bury its head in shame for subjecting Nigeria to the “worst economic plunder through corruption’’ in its recent history.

Jigawa

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has
opened 62 study centres nationwide to avail Nigerians the opportunity to acquire higher education, according to Alhaji Abdullahi Dogo, Director, Jigawa Study Centre.
Dogo disclosed this on Saturday in Dutse, when the centre matriculated 180 students for the 2015/16 academic session.
He urged the newly admitted students to study hard and obey the rules and regulations of the institution.
Dogo warned that the institution would not tolerate any form of laziness and indiscipline.

Kano

The Kano State Police Command has warned the public
against the activities of some fraudsters extorting money from unsuspecting people on the pretext of getting them enlisted into the police.
This is contained in statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Magaji Majiya and issued to newsmen in Kano on Saturday.
The statement said reports had reached the command on the activities of the fraudsters.
According to the statement, the command has yet to receive any directive on recruitment in line with the Federal Government’s plan to employ additional 10, 000 police officers across the country.
Kaduna

Senator Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna Central), on Satur
day in Kaduna inaugurated a programme aimed at uplifting the lives of his constituents in education, healthcare, sports, recreation, and skills acquisition.
Sani, who tagged the programme“ , ‘Talakawa Grassroots Revolutionary Development Programme‘ explained that it would serve as his platform to meet the yearnings of the people.
“The launch of this programme signals the commencement of a revolutionary change in the lives of the people in my constituency, Kaduna central.”
According to him, the people voted for change that will make meaning to their lives by liberating them from plunder and exploitation.

Katsina
Women for Health, an NGO funded by the Department
for International Development (DFID) of United Kingdom, said it has expended N200 million on improving healthcare delivery in Katsina State.
The National Programme Manager, Dr Fatima Adamu disclosed this on Friday, when she paid a courtesy visit on Gov. Aminu Masari in Katsina.
According to her, the funds were used to build the capacity of health personnel and in establishing more health facilities.
She pledged her continuous support to the government to enhance healthcare delivery across the state.

Kwara

A lifeless body of a 65-year-old man, Mr Dele Ogundeyi,
was on Saturday recovered from a well on the Aperan Way in Omu-Aran, Kwara State.
Our correspondent reports that Ogundeyi was a retired Secretary of Offa Local Government Area Liaison Office, before his death.
The deceased, who hailed from Ile-Nla compound in Omu-Aran, went missing around 11 a.m. on Saturday, according to a relation, Mr Abdulkareem, prompting a search party by family members.

Kogi

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kogi
State University, says it will resume an industrial action suspended in May over unpaid allowances of N1 billion to its members.
The Acting Chairman of union, Dr Gbenga Aina, told newsmen in Anyigba on Saturday that the lecturers had resolved to go on strike on Sept. 1 if the state government did not honour an earlier agreement with the union on the payment.
He accused the state government of reneging on the “gentleman’s agreement’’ reached with the union before the suspension of the strike in May.

Nasarawa

A retired psychiatric nurse with the Dalhatu Araf Spe
cialist Hospital, Lafia, Mr Emmanuel Ogar, has urged the federal and state lawmakers to enact tougher laws to prohibit drug abuse.
He told newsmenin Lafia on Saturday that such step would reduce mental cases in Nigeria.
Ogar insisted that the fight against drug abuse should not be left alone with the government, saying, “it should be seen as a collective fight by all well meaning citizens of the country.
“If we continue to leave it alone to the government, it will take a longer time to achieve success.

Sokoto
Farm produce worth over N100 million were detroyed by
flood in 27 villages in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State, the Chairnan of the Local Government, Alhaji Shehu Chacho, has said.
Chacho disclosed this to newsmen in Wurno on Sunday.
He said the destroyed farm produce which were already maturing include; rice, millet, guinea corn, maize and beans.
According to the chairman, the flood was caused by the release of excess water from Goronyo dam and that it had affected no fewer than 7,577 farmers.

Yobe

Senator Muhammad Hassan (PDP) Yobe South, has do
nated N2 million and relief materials worth millions of Naira to flood victims in Ngelzarma.
Hassan, who presented the materials to the Emir of Ngelzarma, Alhaji Zanna Maiyeri, said the donation was to provide the victims with their immediate needs.
The relief materials were assorted foodstuff including rice, millet, guinea corn, beans, spaggetti,salt, sugar, milk, cooking oil, blankets, mattresses, mats, wrappers and clothing materials.
“I feel obliged to intervene and provide the flood victims who are members of my constituency with succour as they have been displaced and now taking refuge outside their homes.

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.