Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

November 12, 2014

FCT
The U.S. Government has been urged to urgently supply
arms to the Nigerian military to effectively fight Boko Haram terrorists.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Civil Society and Donor Agencies, Prof Ini Udoka, made the appeal in Abuja on Monday.
He spoke during the signing of 9.2 million dollars grant to 15 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria by the U.S. Government.
His remarks came against the backdrop of Monday’s attack on a school in Potiskum, Yobe by the Boko Haram sect, in which several students were killed.

Kaduna

President Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, advised
Nigerians to emulate the legacies of the Premier of Northern Region, late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.
Jonathan made the call during the inauguration of the new secretariat of Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna.
He said the late premier lived a life of sacrifice and dedicated his life to the development of the region and the country.
Represented by the Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, Jonathan said that the Sardauna was a visionary leader who helped to industralise the region during his tenure as premier.
Katsina

Senator Ibrahim Ida, a Katsina State PDP governorship
aspirant, said on Monday in Abuja that the party would lose the state in 2015 if an unpopular candidate was imposed on the people.
He stated this on Monday in Abuja when he led a group of five PDP gubernatorial aspirants from the state on a protest to the party‘s National Working Committee (NWC).
Ida was a former Deputy Governor of Katsina State.
The other aspirants include Alhaji Tukur Jikamshi, Alhaji Gide Yar’Adua, Alhaji Ahmed Yar’Adua, Alhaji Kabiru Barkiye and Alhaji Mohammed Khalil.
He added that though Katsina was a stronghold of the PDP in the North West zone, it was also the home state of leading members of the opposition.
“Therefore, for the party to succeed in the 2015 general elections, it must field a popular and acceptable candidate,’’ he said.

Kwara

Alhaji Hakeem Lawal, son of former Kwara State Governor,
late Admiral Mohammed Lawal, has promised to make life more abundant for the people of the state if elected as governor in 2015.
Lawal, who is contesting the governorship ticket under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the promise on Monday during an interview with newsmen in Ilorin.
He said though he was from a well grounded political family, the need to have things done differently for the progress and rapid development of Kwara informed his bid to contest for the governorship ticket.
“I am in politics to contribute my quota to the development of Kwara and make things done differently,” Hakeem said.

Lagos

An Ikeja High Court on Tuesday remanded a Togolese,
Benjamin Sunday, in prison for allegedly stabbing one Gbenga Adigun to death with a broken bottle.
Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye remanded the 18-year-old accused at the Kirikiri Medium Prisons, Apapa, after his arraignment by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Our correspondent reports that Sunday, who lives at No. 4, Haruna St., Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos, is facing a one-count charge of murder.
The state prosecutor, Mr Akin George, said Sunday committed the offence on June 2, 2013 at Harmony Estate, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos.
George said that a dispute between the accused and Adigun degenerated into a fight and the former thereafter stabbed his opponent with a broken bottle, which led to his death.

Niger

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger said that 15
female aspirants shown interest to contest for various political offices in 2015 in the state.
Alhaji Hassan Shaba, Publicity Secretary of the chapter, announced this on Monday in an interview with newsmen in Minna.
He said that the aspirants would be given equal opportunity like their male counterparts, adding that the party was ready to support and guide them.
‘’As part of the party’s philosophy, female aspirants will be supported to contest with their male counterparts. We will not allow anything to hinder their vision of positive contribution.

Ondo
The Fourth Alteration to the 1999 Constitution has
gone through the second reading at the Ondo State House of Assembly.
The house, which was presided over by the Speaker, Jumoke Akindele, said a letter was sent to the house by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, to the state parliament to deliberate.
The two arms of National Assembly, comprising the Senate and House of Representatives, had earlier discussed critical areas of the constitution and made some amendments.
They include autonomy for local governments, separation of office of minister of justice and attorney general of the federation, establishment of House of Assembly Service Commission and independent candidacy.
Plateau

Sen Gyang Pwajok last Monday expressed “deep
disappointment’’ over the disappearance of voters’ records in 161 polling units in Jos North Local Government Area and advised INEC to revert to manual registration.
Our correspondent reports that voters, who went to the affected polling units to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), returned home disappointed as there were no INEC officials at the units.
The commission’s officials later explained that the records had been completely wiped out.
“It is inconceivable that such an important data can be completely wiped out without appropriate back-up after it had been relied upon for several elections,’’ Pwajok said
He made the statement when he visited the INEC office of the local government area to lodge his constituents’ complaints.
He suggested that the manual register be kept as a handy back-up so as not to disenfranchise the “more than 110,000 voters’’ whose records had been wiped out.

Taraba
Alhaji Babaji Buba, the Chairman, Local Miners Association, Nguroge, Taraba State, last Tuesday appealed to the state government to provide amenities in the mining village in the area.
Buba told newsmen at Sardauna, that the miners were in dire need of a health centre, potable water and telecommunications network.
He said that the provision of these amenities in the “Blue Village” would boost the morale of the miners to be more productive.
The chairman noted that the discovery of the mine in December 2013 had provided a source of employment to the teeming youths, thereby increasing their income and reducing crime rate in the area.

Yobe
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has expressed
outrage over the bombing of the Government Technical Science College, Potiskum, Yobe, by a suicide bomber dressed as a student of the school.
Atiku, in a statement by his Media Officer, Malam Garba Shehu, on Monday, said that the latest bombing was needless.
According to the statement, the deaths of young and promising Nigerian school children underscored the need for the government at all levels, elders and opinion leaders to find a permanent solution to the problem of insurgency.
It noted that the tragic incident was not the first time that innocent young people were subjected to violence and untimely death in their quest to get an education.

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State (right), receiving the chairman, Governing Council of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Alhaji Mustapha Jumare in Dutse, recently.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

2 days 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 days 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.

Nation

Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

Published

2 days ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

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.