Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

November 24, 2014

Adamawa

Officials of Adamawa State Hunters Association
assisting the military in the fight against insurgents in the state have called for public support and prayers for victory over the insurgents.
Officials of the association made the call in an interview with newsmen in Yola, saying their members were committed to contributing their quota toward curbing insurgency in the country.
Philips James, the Secretary of the hunters association, said “we need the peoples’ support and prayers. We also need government’s assistance in this assignment.”
James urged the public to be vigilant and be security conscious, as well as prayerful for victory over the insurgents.

Borno

The Bama Development Foundation, an NGO, said
yesterday that it had registered 180,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Bama taking refuge in Maiduguri.
Malam Mohammed Hassan, the Chairman of the foundation, stated this at a news conference in Maiduguri.
Hassan said that the IDPs were in four camps in Maiduguri.
According to him, the IDPs are those displaced during attack on the town by insurgents in September.
“We have recorded about 180,000 IDPs from Bama taking shelters in four different camps in Maiduguri as at October 31.
“The camps are located at the Yerwa Girls Secondary School, Women Teachers College, NYSC Orientation Camp and Government Girls College, Maiduguri’’, he said.

FCT

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr
Olusegun Aganga, said the Federal Government had identified 100 companies to be rewarded for contributing to the nation’s economic growth.
Aganga told newsmen in Abuja that the private sector was behind the country’s ranking as number one economy in Africa and one of the top 10 economies in the world.
According to him, over the last three years Nigeria has attracted more foreign direct investments and more local investments than any other economy in Africa.
“Earlier this year, the prestigious Wall Street Journal Frontier Market Settlement index which surveyed blue chip companies in developed economies ranked Nigeria number one country of global interest to investors.
”We are proud of these achievements because it is investors that create jobs for our people, wealth, facilitate economic growth and generate income for the government.

Kano

The Kano State Government said it spent N754.8
million on the construction of 74 public toilets in 74 rural markets in the state.
The State Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Alhaji Garba Durbunde, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano recently.
Durbunde said that the provision of the toilets which was also supported with solar-powered boreholes was to stop open defecation in the communities.
He said that the projects were executed in the last two years, adding that they were jointly financed by the state government and benefitting local government areas.
He said that N407 million was spent on the construction of the boreholes while the toilets gulped N338.8 million.
Katsina

Malam Ado Sama’ila, the Education Secretary,
Dandume Local Government Education Authority in Katsina State, has urged parents to encourage their daughters to study in tertiary institutions in order to maximise their potentials.
Sama’ila made the call in an interview with newsmen in Dandume.
He said it was important for parents especially in rural areas to stop the habit of preventing their daughters from obtaining higher qualifications after secondary school.
The education secretary said that the practice limits the abilities of girls to contribute more meaningfully to societal development.

Lagos

A Consultant Public Health Physician, Dr Abdul-
Hakeem Abiola, said last Wednesday that lack of toilets was putting public health at risk.
Abiola, who works at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Lagos on the World Toilet Day.
“Human faeces or human excreta is a source of infection and it is an important cause of environmental pollution.
“The health hazards of improper excreta management and disposal are one: it can cause soil pollution; it can cause water pollution; it can cause the contamination of foods and it can lead to propagation of flies, which can act as vectors for many diseases.”

Nasarawa

The Governing Council of Nasarawa State University
(NSUK), Keffi, has approved the appointment of Prof. Yakubu Ngwai and Dr Sa’adatu Liman as new Deputy Vice Chancellors, Administration and Academic respectively.
Notice of the appointment is contained in a statement signed by Prof. Muhammed Mainoma, the Vice Chancellor of the university, made available to newsmen on Thursday in Keffi.
The statement quoted Mainoma as saying “the decision to confirm the appointment of the two officers was taken at the meeting of the council, in line with the law that established the university.
“The confirmation of the appointment, which is for five years, starts with immediate effect.’’
Our correspondent reports that until their appointments, Ngwai was the Dean, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, while Liman was the Head of Department of Islamic Studies and Deputy Dean Students Affairs.

Oyo

A Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan,
has remanded a 45-year old John Jimoh in prison custody for allegedly issuing a dud cheque.
The Chief Magistrate, Alhaja Fatima Badrudeen, remanded Jimoh in Agodi prison pending his arraignment at the Federal High Court in Ibadan.
Jimoh, residing on Banji Street in Akuru Elebu area of Ibadan, was arraigned on a two-count charge of issuing a dud cheque to and obtaining money from a bank without paying back.
Jimoh was alleged to have obtained the sum of N500, 000 loans from Apex Trust Micro Finance Bank in Ibadan on September 4 with a promise to repay.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Adewale Amos, said Jimoh promised to repay the money within 30 days as agreed with the bank.

Sokoto

Journalists from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara State have
called for adequate budgetary allocation for the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) in the country.
The journalists made the call at the end of a two-day media sensitisation/ review meeting on strategies to interrupt the transmission of the wild polio virus.
No fewer than 49 journalists attended the meeting held between November 17 and November 19, which focused on polio in the context of immunisation and child survival.
“There should also be the timely release of funds and physical involvement of PEI and other child-survival issues.
“Media practitioners and their organisations should continue to utilise their special positions in the society to strengthen and sustain the polio eradication and other child-survival programmes,’’ they said.

Taraba

Journalists who die in the line of duty should be given
post humous awards, Alhaji Bello Yero, Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Taraba State, has suggested.
Yero made the suggestion while interacting with newsmen in Jalingo recently.
Extolling the virtues of journalists across the world that died in the line of duty, he said the slain journalists were heroes who deserved honour even in death.
“It is my considered view that such journalists should be given post humus awards.
“Journalists in Nigeria had the track record of covering violent conflicts even though it had often put their lives in danger.

Gov. Jonah Jang of Plateau (2nd left), going through a plan of a Bridge at the Secretariat junction, Yakubu Gowon way, during inspection of road projects in Jos recently.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

1 week 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

1 week 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

1 week 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.