Connect with us

Nation

THE STATES

Published

on

Borno
The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), has pledged to provide an ambulance and other vital equipment at the medical clinic at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Bama, Borno, to enhance the welfare of the IDPs.
NCFRMI’s Federal Commissioner, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouq, stated this while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri on Sunday.
Umar-Farouq commended the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) for setting up the clinic, saying it had lived up to expectations.
“We have seen the clinic provided by NAF and they are doing well; we are going to augment their activities by providing some support.
“The clinic requires an ambulance as well as some few equipment at the radiography department, we will provide support in these areas,” she said.

Kaduna
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has laid the foundation stone for the Forward Operation Base (FOB) of 2 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
The Nigerian Army School of Artillery in Kachia Local Government Area of the state had been the military formation in Southern Kaduna.
Speaking at the occasion, Buratai said the army was committed to peace and security in all parts of Nigeria.
He said the need to find lasting solution to incessant herdsmen/farmers crises rocking Southern Kaduna in recent times necessitated the setting up of the base.
Buratai urged Nigerians to learn to co-exist peacefully, adding “we need each other”.

Kano
Kano State University of Science and Technology, Wudil, last Saturday conferred degree on 3,212 undergraduates and 31 post-graduate students during its 4th combined convocation.
Prof. Shehu Musa, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, who announced this at the ceremony said 3, 212 students, comprising three sets of students from 2012 to 2015 graduated at the convocation.
“It is gratifying to inform you that the university graduated three sets of students from 2012/2013, 2013/2014, and 2014/2015 academic sessions.,’’ Musa said.
He urged the new graduates to use the knowledge acquired from the university to make significant imprints on the country and the world.
“We urge the graduates to be good ambassadors of the university wherever they find themselves,’’ he said.

Kebbi
The 1 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Kebbi State has celebrated the 2016 annual West African Social Activities (WASA) to mark the end of year successful end of training and operational activities.
The Tide source reports that the event was marked by officers, soldiers and their families with varieties of activities that included tug of war, cooking, cultural dances, songs as well as mini Durbar by the Gwandu emirate horsemen.
The colourful event, sponsored by the Diamond Bank, also featured cultural dances by the Tiv, Yoruba and Kalagu musicians, the NYSC cultural dance troupe as well as presentation of awards of honour to distinguished friends and well wishers of the soldiers.
The debate with the topic “Public Schools are Better Managed than Private Schools”, was won by Miss Jamila Usman of the Nigerian Army Primary School, Dukku Barracks in Birnin Kebbi.

Kogi
Rev. Sunday Oladeji of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lokoja, has urged Nigerians to stop making inflammatory statements that could jeopardise the peace of the nation.
Oladeji, who spoke in his sermon “Peace of a Nation” in Lokoja last Sunday, said peace brings unity among nations.
He noted that most of the crises among Christians and Muslims in the country was as a result of preachings amongst religious leaders and urged leaders to always watch and guard their utterances.
Oladeji noted that if there was love among religious faith, the nation would be more at peace with each other and there won’t be room for any form of crisis among faith.
He prayed God to help Nigeria move stronger out of every challenge it was facing, stressing that with prayers and supplication peace would return to the nation at large.
Oladeji said  the church had been praying for the nation so that every agitation for breakup would seize and God himself would intervene in the affairs of the nation.

Kwara
The traditional ruler of Isanlu-Isin, Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State, Oba Solomon Oloyede, has appealed to his people to ensure prompt payment of their taxes to accelerate development of the area.
Oloyede, who is also the chairman of Isin Traditional Council, made the appeal during a stakeholders meeting in Oke-onigbin, a nearby town to the council.
The Tide source reports that the periodic meeting organised to foster development within the council areas, attracted traditional rulers and community leaders from within and outside the council.
Oloyede said the call for prompt payment of taxes was to assist the government in its developmental programmes, especially at the grassroots.
He noted that most of the communities were in dire need of development in the areas of health, education, rural road network and human capital development.

Nasarawa
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) , says it has trained 1,977 unemployed persons in Nasarawa State to become self-reliant since the inception of the programme in the state in 2012.
The state NDE Coordinator, Alhaji Dauda Idris-Wase, disclosed this last Saturday to The Tide source in Lafia.
He said that the beneficiaries had been trained and graduated in different skills acquisition programmes.
Idris-Wase said that the agency organised different skills acquisition training free of charge in order to empower unemployed persons and enable them to contribute their quota to national development.
“NDE came into existence in 1986, saddled with the responsibilities of training people, especially the youth and women, in different skills acquisition programmes in the country.

Niger
The Niger State Coordinator, Non-Communicable Diseases and Cancer Control, of the  State Ministry of Health, Dr Hauwa Kolo, has advised youths and adults to steer clear of non-organic diets to avoid cancer.
Kolo, who is also the Head of Accident and Emergency Unit at the General Hospital Minna, gave the advice in an interview with The Tide source in Minna on Saturday on the sideline  of the World Cancer Day with the theme: “We can, I can’’.
She said that though the cause of cancer was not known but had associated factors with genetically-made foods.
“Some foods such as processed red meat and salt-preserved foods can increase the risk of developing cancer. Vegetables, fruits and food high in fibre can reduce the risk of cancer,’’ she said
Kolo said there were many kinds of cancer and advised women should to endeavour  to do breast examination every month..

Ondo
Gunmen last Sunday morning shot dead Corporal Michael Olujimi, a policeman attached to the Okitipupa Police Division in Ondo State.
The Tide source reports that the policeman, who was still battling for his life, was found in a pool of blood around 5:30 am, gasping for breath, before he was rushed to an undisclosed hospital in the town.
It was also gathered that the policeman left his home early to resume duty but the gunmen opened fire on him and took off immediately.
One of the sympathisers, who preferred anonymity, told The Tide source that the gunmen mistook the policeman for someone else and opened fire on him.

Osun
Osun State Police Command, has arrested four suspected armed robbers and recovered two locally made pistols from them.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Folashade Odoro, made this known in a statement issued to newsmen in Osogbo last Sunday.
According to the statement, the police arrested a suspect, Anibi Kabiru, at 2:40am, on Saturday in Ile-Ife, on a black spot.
Odoro said the suspect had confessed to have sold three locally made pistols to members of a robbery syndicate during interrogation.
She explained that the police further arrested three members of the robbery syndicate, namely: Waheed Oladipupo, Adeyeye Ojo and Yemi a.k.a Small, following the information given by the first suspect, Kabiru.
The PPRO said the police had begun investigating the suspects and recovered two locally made pistols.

Plateau
The Parish Priest, of Church of Assumption, Chongo Pyongyang, Jos, Rev. Fr. Philip Jamang, has urged Christians to be light of the world.
Jamang gave the advice in a homily in Jos last Sunday.
He said that Christians should live lifestyles worthy of emulation, lifestyle that would portray a positive difference in the society.
“As followers of Christ who is light himself, we must let this light shine anywhere we go. The world is full of darkness with less value for human lives and evil being the order of the day.
“So, we are called upon, as Christians to shine our light in the society so as to save the world from decay and total collapse.
“If we shine our light, violence and killings in our society will be a thing of the past. Let us transform the world with our Christian values,” he said.

Taraba
The Permanent Secretary, Taraba  State  Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Bello Yero, has called on traditional rulers to support the state government’s initiative to restore peace in the state.
Several communities in the state were embroiled in clashes early in the year and several deaths are recorded with loss of property.
Yero told newsmen in Jalingo on Sunday that the royal father’s active role was crucial to government’s resolve to tackle the current insecurity.
“I want to call on our traditional rulers who are the custodians of peace, culture and general way of life to support Governor Darius Ishaku’s peace move for a better society.
“I want our royal fathers to revert to the old ways of monitoring strangers in their communities so as to check criminality,” he said.

Yobe
Yobe State Police Commissioner, Abdulmalik Sunmnu, has confirmed that 2,000 Policemen would be deployed to the 17 local government areas of the state to maintain law and order during the forthcoming LG polls in the State.
Sunmonu told newsmen in his office arrangements had been concluded for the deployment of the 2000 Policemen to provide security for the polls scheduled to hold by February 11th.
He said the deployment was  in line with standard which says “at least three security agencies per polling unit”.
The Police boss said arrangements were in top gear by the Police in collaboration with other security agencies to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.

Continue Reading

Nation

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

Published

on

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

Continue Reading

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

on

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.
Continue Reading

Nation

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

Published

on

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.
Continue Reading

Trending