Nation
THE STATES
FCT
Female Advocacy Mentoring Empowerment (FAME) Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), last Wednesday gave scholarship to eight pupils from LEA Primary School Jabi and Kugbo in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The founder of the foundation, Ronke Bello said the scholarship was in commemoration of the launching of the one-girl-one-pen campaign in Abuja.
She said that five girls were selected from LEA Primary School, Kugbo and three from LEA Primary School, Jabi, saying that it is a full scholarship all through their primary education.
According to her, LEA is meant to be free education but presently it is not totally free, some payments are made for books including their transportation to school.
Jigawa
The Kazaure Local Government Area of Jigawa State has destroyed 475 bottles and jerry-cans of assorted beer in the area.
The Information Officer in charge of the council, Alhaji Magaji Muhammad confirmed this to newsmen in Dutse last Thursday.
Muhammad said that the items were those confiscated from different vendors operating in the area by Hisbah guards.
Hisbah, a Sharia law enforcement agency in Jigawa State, has prohibited the consumption of beer in all parts of the state.
Kano
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has advised youths in the state to embark on activities that would enable them contribute to the development of the state and enhance their well being.
The governor gave the advice when he inaugurated the executive of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kano State chapter last Thursday.
He said “Youths as the engine of the society have all it takes to work for the overall good of their communities”.
Ganduje, who said that no society could progress without vibrant youth organisation, urged the new executive of the council to discharge its duties diligently.
The Chairman of the chapter, Kabiru Lakwaya, assured that the council would work to advance the cause of the youth in the state.
Kebbi
The Sight Savers”, an International Non-Governmental Organisation has so far treated 3,112 patients diagnosed with trachoma in Kebbi State.
A facilitator from the organisation, Mr Ezra Yarima, disclosed this to newsmen last Thursday in Birnin Kebbi, shortly after the inauguration of an advisory committee on neglected tropical diseases set up by the Kebbi Government.
Trachoma is an eye infection that causes blindness. “The NGO, in collaboration with the state’s Ministry of Health, had provided ‘trachomatous trichiasis’ surgery to 3,112 patients suffering from the disease from 2015 to date,’’ he said.
He described the state as endemic to five tropical neglected diseases such as Onchocerciasis (river blindness), Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis), Trachoma (Blinding) disease.
Kogi
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State last Wednesday said his government would collaborate with relevant agencies toward the promotion and empowerment of girl-child in the state.
Bello made the pledge in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Petra Onyegbule in Lokoja to mark the 2017 International Day of the Girl-Child.
International Day of the Girl-Child is celebrated annually on October 11 to highlight issues concerning the gender inequality facing young girls.
This year’s theme is: “The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030.”
The governor said that he was not unaware of the myriad of issues facing girl-child in today’s society during the time of conflicts and peace.
Kwara
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Kwara State has pledged to sanitise hotels and clubs used for strip dancing and other vices in the state.
The Commandant, Mr Adeyinka Ayinla, made the pledge last Thursday in Ilorin when he paid courtesy visit to the state’s Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Mahmud Ajeigbe.
The commandant said he was newly posted to the state and decided that it was important to partner with the ministry of information in promoting peace and stability.
He explained that the NSCDC would commence investigation into issues deliberated on during courtesy visits to stakeholders.
The issues, he added, included strip-dancing in hotels, cultism, kidnappings, ritual killings, oil diversion in Baruten Local Government and Nigerian refugees crisis in the Mediterranean.
Lagos
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says it received a total of 144 complaints from both domestic and international air passengers between January and June 2017.
This is contained in a document obtained by newsmen last week from the Consumer Protection Department (CPD) of the NCAA in Lagos State.
Our correspondent reports that the figure is a sharp decline from the 2,133 complaints received by the regulatory authority in the first half of 2016.
The document indicated that some of the complaints by the passengers included overbooking, denied boarding, pilferage and discourtesy by airline employees.
It said 126 complaints were received from passengers flying international routes while only 18 were received from passengers on domestic routes.
Nasarawa
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has appointed three new High Court judges in Nassarawa State in order to further strengthen the state’s judiciary.
The Chief Judge (CJ) of the state, Justice Suleiman Dikko disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Lafia last Wednesday.
Dikko gave the names of the new judges as Mustapher Ramat-Abdulmumuni, Hanatu Mohammed and Abdulahi Ozegya.
He said that the appointment of the judges was to fill the vacancy created by death and the establishment of new high courts.
“The appointment would go a long way towards decongesting the number of cases in the other high court thereby leading to quick dispensation of justice,” he said.
Niger
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Niger State last Thursday in Minna called for a community-based risk management to reduce disaster occurrence in the state.
NEMA Head of Operation in charge of Niger and Kwara States, Alhaji Aliyu Kafindangi said this in commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The Day is marked every October 13 to highlight how people are reducing their exposure to disaster and to raise awareness on reducing the risks.
A statement from Kafindangi disclosed that the agency’s focus was in line with this year’s theme, “Home Safe Home; Reducing Exposure, Reducing Displacement”.
Ogun
About 11, 636 cooperative societies have so far registered in Ogun State to promote commerce and investment, according to an official.
The Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperatives, Mr Gbenga Adenmosun, disclosed this during an oversight visit to his ministry by the State House of Assembly Committee on Community Development and Cooperatives in Abeokuta last Wednesday.
He said out of the figure, 221 of the cooperative societies were registered by the government between January and August this year.
Osun
The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in Osun State says it has confiscated expired drinks and beverages worth N3 million in a raid on major supermarkets and shops across the state.
The State Coordinator of SON, Mr Jerome Umoru told newsmen last Wednesday in Osogbo that the expired products were seized on Monday.
Umoru said the items were confiscated during raids carried out by the organisation’s task force. He said many of the shop owners where the expired products were seized claimed ignorance of the expiration of the products while few others were aware.
Oyo
The wife of Oyo State Governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi last Tuesday in Ibadan said caring for vulnerable children should be the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.
Ajimobi said this while distributing food items and toiletries to vulnerable children in the state to commemorate the country’s 57th Independence anniversary.
The governor’s wife said the country had gone through trials and tribulations, adding that the anniversary was worthy of being celebrated.
“October 1 is always a day for celebration because it is believed that Nigeria is gradually moving from being an under-developed country to one of the developing countries in the world”, she said.
Nation
Key Regulators, Asset Owners Impressed With HYPREP’s Milestones
Strategic regulators and other stakeholders have expressed satisfaction with the pace, quality and magnitude of work carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In their separate speeches at the 2025 4th quarter key regulators / asset owners meeting held in Port Harcourt, the strategic stakeholders commended HYPREP for the significant milestones achieved with excellent efficiency and transparency, demonstrating capacity and commitment to sustaining collaboration with development partners for the overall success of the Project.
The regulators particularly lauded HYPREP for the landmark success in the implementation of the land and shoreline remediation, mangrove restoration, provision of reticulated potable water, the various sustainable livelihood programmes, donation of ambulances to health facilities in Ogoni, the construction of Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, as well as the ongoing Ogoni Power Project, adding that their independent field reports have shown proofs of HYPREP driving even beyond its mandates.
The goodwill messages were made by representatives of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Centre for Environment and Human Rights Development (CEHRD), Society for Women and Youths Affairs (SWAYA), Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), and Federal Ministry of Environment. Others are the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Rivers State Ministry of Power, the Rivers State University, the Rivers State Ministry of Water and Rural Development, and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
Following the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit’s presentation on the status of HYPREP projects, participants offered feedback on areas of concern. They reassured HYPREP and the people of Ogoni of their continued support for the Project’s success. They also suggested that the quarterly review meeting be sustained as it enables them to report, evaluate and proffer solutions to areas of concern.
Participants also commended HYPREP for improved community and stakeholder engagement and for adding to what they saw the previous time. “We commend HYPREP for the quality work done at sites. The progress is phenomenal, because HYPREP is scoring good grades, above average,” Prof. Iyenemi Kakulu from Rivers State University said.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who was represented by Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services, commended the regulators and asset owners for their cooperation with the Project, and for making themselves available for fieldwork and the regular review meetings.
Prof Zabbey reiterated HYPREP’s commitment to best practice in waste management, particularly waste generation and disposal, calling on the Regulators for adequate logistics support, saying HYPREP’s priority is to focus on the core recommendations by UNEP, especially, remediation(soil, shoreline) mangrove restoration, provision of potable water, interventions in public health care services and sustainable livelihood for the people.
The Project Coordinator further highlighted the status of the Project, the successes achieved across all thematic areas, and assured that HYPREP will soon complete most of the ongoing projects and roll out others. He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of the Ogoni cleanup, ensure quality control, and foster effective collaboration.
Consequently, the quarterly key regulators/asset owners meeting is HYPREP’s strategic stakeholder management model, further underscoring the Project’s commitment to transparency, partnership for development, and accountability, all of which are harbingers of effective project delivery.
Speaking to newsmen, HYPREP Project Support Lead and representative of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, described his involvement with HYPREPas an encouraging and insightful experience, saying, the Project is implementing a wide range of projects across Ogoniland, spanning immediate remediation works as well as livelihood support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of affected communities.
Engr Igbinomwanhia emphasised that Renaissance Africa Energy remains fully committed to supporting the objectives of the Ogoni cleanup project, noting that the company has a long history of collaboration with HYPREP.
He added that the partnership has been characterised by continuous learning, adaptation and a willingness to respond to observations and recommendations aimed at improving outcomes.
He further emphasised the importance of safety in all project operations, particularly given the challenging terrain and operating conditions in Ogoniland.
He noted that safety is treated as a critical priority and that contractors are continually reminded to maintain high safety standards, stressing that lessons learnt from previous operational challenges like the collapse of the water tank in Gwara Community are being applied to strengthen safety practices and overall performance.
Nation
Maternal Mortality: RSG Identifies 6 High Risk Local Government Areas
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
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