Nation

THE STATES

Published

10 years ago

October 10, 2016

Adamawa
National President, Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka
Ike, on Saturday called on the Federal Government to probe the utilisation of the N3 billion Nollywood Intervention Fund.
Ike alleged that the money had been “hijacked by a cabal” to the detriment of the film industry.
The AGN president told newsmen in Yola that the film industry had not benefited from the grant.
Ike further claimed that most of the 247 actors said to have been trained at the cost of N899 million abroad from the fund, could not be traced.
Ike advised the government to always relate directly with associations in the film industry such as AGN, ANTP and Kannywood, instead of individual actors.

Benue
Benue State Government on Saturday condemned Friday
night’s attack on a social media activist, Mr Armstrong Chir, by unknown hoodlums suspected to be political thugs.
This is contained in a press statement issued by Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Information and Communication Technology, Mr Tahav Agerzua, in Makurdi
Agerzua said the governor had already directed security agents to track and apprehend those responsible for the act, which he described as reprehensible and condemnable.
He said that the governor was determined to eliminate thuggery and violence and their use to achieve political objectives in the state.

Borno
The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), yester
day launched skills acquisition training for 1,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno State as part of its empowerment programme for victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.
The UNHCR Country Representative, Ms Angele Atangana, opened the training at a ceremony in Maiduguri.
Atangana, who doubled at the UNHCR Representative at the Economic Commission for the West African States (ECOWAS), said that the programme was targeted at IDPs residing in Maiduguri and Jere Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno.
She said that the objective was to impact skills on the beneficiaries so they could be self reliant when they return home, and commended the trainees zeal to learn.
The Coordinator of the programme, Malam Idris Alooma, said that the training was in collaboration with the Borno and the Federal Government toward preparing the IDPs for their eventual return to their homes following the liberation of commodities by the military from the Boko Haram terrorists.

Ekiti
Armed men have kidnapped the wife of a chieftain of the
All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Mr. Ajibola Oyedele.
The kidnappers have since demanded a ransom of N40million from Oyedele.
Oyedele, popularly called 50-50 by his political fans, revealed on Saturday night that he was able to speak with his wife at about 5:45pm.
She was abducted late Friday at about 8:30pm at the family home in Omuo Oke, a town in Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State. The woman did not resist her abductors.
According to Oyedele, the kidnappers claimed that he was their actual target.
Oyedele, who defected to the APC in July this year, was the only PDP member of the last Ekiti State House of Assembly.
But he resigned from the government on May 31, 2016, citing poor remuneration.

Gombe
The Paramount Ruler of Kaltungo in Kaltungo Local Gov
ernment Area of Gombe State, Alhaji Sale Muhammad, on Saturday appealed to the state government for more health centres in Garin Bako and Garin Korom.
Muhammad made appeal when the President of Imperative Initiative for Motivation of Global Care (IIMGC), and officials of the state Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources, visited him in Kaltungo.
According to him, the only health centre in the community is located in Garin Korom, a mountainous area without a good road for vehicles.
Besides, he said “there is no school in Garin Bako with 1,429 households, and appealed to the NGO to come to their aid.
The Commissioner for Environment and Forest Resources, Hajiya Sa’adatu Sa’ad, said the NGO was in Gombe to address the challenges of the citizens, particularly in the rural areas.
Ibadan
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Lateef Fagbemi,
on Saturday canvassed for the creation of state police in Nigeria, to effectively tackle insecurity challenges.
Fagbemi said in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan that current security challenges warrant the decentralisation of policing in the country.
He stressed that stemming crime was the collective responsibility of local, state and federal governments, as such it was necessary to allow people to monitor and secure their areas by devolving policing duties to states.
According to the senior lawyer, the country can no longer afford to run away from the issue in spite of the misgivings expressed by opponents of the idea.
Fagbemi said that any step in life involved risks, as such the country should explore the benefits inherent in the establishment of state police.

Kaduna
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) on Saturday said
it would institute a legal action against the Kaduna State Government for declaring the group illegal..
Spokesperson of the movement, Ibraheem Musa, told newmen in Kaduna that the ban announced by the government was illegal.
“Its an infringement on our basic right as citizens of the country.
“We are not going to be intimidated into taking any violence or unlawful activity but will take legal action against the Kaduna State Government for the infringement.”
It would be recalled that the government had on October 7 declared the IMN an unlawful society.
The government, in a statement, said that it took the decision to preserve peace and security in the state.

Kano
The Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN) in
Kano State said it had so far registered no fewer than 5, 000 wheat farmers for the CBN anchor borrower programme in the state.
The state WFAN Chairman, Alhaji Faruk Rabiu disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano on Saturday.
He said the number was still far below the target number of 75, 000 farmers expected to participate in the programme in the state.
The chairman said the association had recently established four new offices in addition to the existing 24, to encourage more farmers to register.
Rabiu called on farmers, who have not returned their completed forms to do so, pointing out that the wheat planting season would be flagged off by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Thursday, October 20.

Niger
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
has blamed the surge in demand for hard drugs in the North-East to insurgency in the area.
The agency’s Commander in Niger state, Mr Joseph Iweajunwa, said this in an interview with newsmen in Minna on Saturday.
He said that operatives in the command had intercepted many suspects in parts of the state, moving illicit drugs to the area in concealed consignments.
The commander said that skunk was a compressed odourless improved cannabis sativa, which currently sold at N1, 000 per rap in the North-East because of the high demand.
Ogun
The Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission
(OGISIEC) adopted simultaneous accreditation and voting system for Saturday’s election into the 20 local government councils and 37 LCDAs to ensure an orderly exercise.
A commissioner in OGISIEC, Mr Mutiu Agboke, told newsmen at the Muslim Model Nursery and Primary School Polling Centre, Abeokuta, that the system had contributed to the peaceful and orderly conduct of the ongoing exercise.
“The simultaneous accreditation and voting system adopted by the electoral commission has enhanced a peaceful coordination of the election process.
“Many of the voters left as soon as they voted, and so, there has been peace.”
Senator Lanre Tejuosho (APC-Ogun Central) also commended OGISIEC for adopting the simultaneous accreditation and voting system.
Tejuosho, who addressed newsmen at the Muslim Model Nursery and Primary School Polling Centre, noted that the same system was adopted by INEC in the recent governorship election in Edo.

Plateau
The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Pla
teau State chapter, Chief Letep Daban, has described the defection of Sen. Joshua Dariye from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC as a welcome development.
He made the remark in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Jos.
Daban, who said that the party was highly delighted to receive Dariye, (former PDP-Plateau Central, added that his defection would make the APC
stronger.
He noted that defection was the best decision to take as a politician at the moment “because it will be unwise for the distinguished senator to continue to be in a party that is enmeshed in crises both at the state and at the national level.
Other PDP defectors into the APC include Pauline Tallen, Hon. Diket Plang and Hon. Abbas Wolgum, former members of Plateau House of Assembly, he said.
The APC chairman added that many former commissioners during Jonah Jang’s tenure have also defected to the APC.

Taraba
The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nige
ria (AMLSN) has said that Nigeria has over two million recorded cases of cancer with 100, 000 new cases annually.
The association made this known in a communiqué issued by its President, Alhaji Toyosi Raheem, at the end of its 52nd Annual Scientific Conference and workshop in Jalingo on Saturday.
Raheem attributed the high rate of tumour and cancer in the country to a shift from the consumption of natural to artificial food and lack of regular physical exercise by citizens.
According to him, indiscriminate, unregulated and over use of herbicides and insecticides on the farms also contribute to development of tumours and cancer in humans.
He commended the Federal Government for the establishment of National Cancer and National Cancer Control Programme.
Raheem also called on the Minister of Health, Prof. Issac Adewale, to integrate Nigerian Medical Laboratory Scientists into the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) and Save 1 Million Lives Initiative of the Federal Government.

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.