Connect with us

Nation

THE STATES

Published

9 years ago

on

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.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

1 month ago

on

June 29, 2026

By

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.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Continue Reading

Nation

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

Published

1 month ago

on

June 29, 2026

By

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.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Continue Reading

Nation

Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

Published

1 month ago

on

June 29, 2026

By

Residents of Ajah, Mafoluku and other flood-prone communities in Lagos have recounted how Thursday’s torrential rainfall left them stranded, submerged homes and cut off access to major roads.
The residents, who spoke with Tide source, on Friday called for urgent government intervention to tackle the recurring flooding blamed on poor drainage infrastructure.
Along Mobil Road in Ajah, Mrs Rukayat said floodwaters submerged about 200 metres of the road, forcing commuters to wade through waist-deep water.
“The water level was almost up to my lap. People literally had to wade through it to get home,” she said.
According to her, many motorists turned back, while others abandoned their vehicles and continued their journeys on foot.
“The only way to pass through the water was by walking or using a tricycle. Even then, the tricycles broke down and had to be pushed,” she said.
Rukayat said some youths assisted stranded tricycle operators by pushing their vehicles through flooded sections for a fee.
She said residents had repeatedly alerted authorities to the flooding but little had changed.
“We reported this when the rains started, but apparently nothing has been done about the problem,” she said.
She attributed the flooding to poor drainage and possible blockage of a major canal serving the area.
“There is a big canal here, but I don’t know what is preventing water from flowing through it properly,” she said.
According to her, overgrown vegetation and sand deposits might have obstructed the canal, reducing its capacity to discharge stormwater.
She added that although floodwaters usually receded after a few hours, sections of the road remained waterlogged.
In Mafoluku, residents said several streets, homes and access roads were submerged, leaving many unable to return home after going about their daily activities.
Mrs Iriagbonse Okunkpolor, a resident of Agboola Street, said what began as a short trip to buy household items became an hours-long ordeal.
“I left my house to buy a few items nearby, but the rain started suddenly and flooded the entire street.
“I was stranded for hours because there was no safe way back home,” she said.
Another resident, Mr Mukaila Idris, described the flooding as both dangerous and distressing.
“The current was very strong. I watched people pay young men to carry them across the water because they were afraid of being swept away or falling,” he said.
According to him, only physically fit residents could navigate the floodwaters safely, while many others waited several hours for the water level to subside.
Mr Williams Ekpo, who lives in the Eyinogun area, said the flood extended beyond the roads and entered residential compounds.
“The floodwater entered our compound and damaged some household items.
“This happens almost every rainy season, yet nothing seems to be done to address the drainage problem,” he said.
The residents urged the relevant authorities to investigate the persistent flooding and improve drainage infrastructure to prevent a recurrence during the rainy season.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Continue Reading

Trending