Nation

THE STATES

Published

11 years ago

March 6, 2015

Borno
The Federal Government said recently that it had put in
place adequate security for all Nigerians before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.
Alhaji Mohammed Wakil, the Minister of State for Power, said this in Maduguri at a town hall meeting with different socio-cultural groups who were in support of the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.
This is contained in a statement issued in Maiduguri by Mr Olawale Rasheed, the Special Assistant to Wakil on Media.
It said the minister called on Nigerians living in different parts of the country to remain in their respective places and cast their votes toward the victory of President Jonathan, rather than flee to their home states.

Ekiti
Farmers in Ikole-Ekiti and its environs, have expressed
concern with the indiscriminate logging that is fast degrading forest and destroying their tree crops in the area.
A cross section of the farmers expressed this concern in an interview with newsmen in Ikole-Ekiti, recently.
The farmers said the illegal activities of some timber contractors, who cut down trees indiscriminately in the area, were becoming worrisome.
They urged the Forestry Department in the state to step up efforts to curb the menace, so as to reduce the level of deforestation and save tree crops from total destruction.
A cocoa farmer, Mr Ezekiel Ojo, decried increase in the number of timber contractors indulging in the felling of trees with impunity in the area.
Ojo warned that cocoa, Kola, palm trees and other cash crops in the area might soon go into extinction, if urgent steps were not taken to address the situation.

FCT
The Nigerian Navy last Tuesday disclosed that the country
lost an estimate of N 433 billion annually to crude oil theft due to poor law enforcement presence on the water ways.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, made the disclosure while defending the 2015 Budget Proposal in Abuja.
Jibrin, who was represented by the Chief of Logistics, Rear Admiral Peter Agba, credited the statistics to recent revelation made by the Chatham House, London.
He said the statistics did not include the amount of oil suspected to have been stolen from export pipelines, cost of oil spillage cleanup, loss of income to fishing communities and environmental degradation.
“The Nigerian Navy is constitutionally tasked with the protection of our maritime assets and recently the Chatham House revealed that Nigerian crude oil is being stolen at an industrial scale.
“It conservatively estimates that about 100,000 barrel per day, valued at N1.18 billion is stolen daily due to poor law enforcement presence, which is translated to N433.62 billion annually,” he said.

Kaduna
Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Alhaji Umar
Usman-Shehu, said the success of the forthcoming elections depended on the level at which politicians would abide by the law.
He stated this while addressing newsmen shortly after the signing of peace accord by candidates of some political parties in Kaduna North Senatorial District at Sabongari.
Usman-Shehu, “we expect to conduct peaceful elections and this can only be achieved if politicians conduct themselves in accordance with the laws of the land.
“We are here to sign a peace accord following similar ones held in Abuja and Kaduna.
“All Police Area Commands are directed to have this kind of gathering for politicians to sign peace accord,” he said.
He said that the police would not spare anybody who contravened the treaty, stressing, “Anybody who goes contrary to it will definitely be arrested and charged to court.
“Nobody is too big to be arrested if he goes contrary to the law; I assure you that there is no body that is untouchable in the state.
“The only person exempted by the law is the governor and his deputy; beside that, nobody is untouchable according to the Constitution,” the police boss said.
Kogi
The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, last Tuesday,
said the Federal Government was currently constructing special secondary schools for girls in 27 states.
Jonathan, who spoke at the PDP Women rally in Lokoja, said the project was a fulfillment of part of President Goodluck Jonathan’s social contract with Nigerian women.
She said Jonathan, who is a friend of the women, believed in the capabilities of Nigerian women hence the implementation of the 35 per cent affirmative action.
The First Lady said Jonathan’s administration had created various opportunities for women to contribute their quota to nation building.
She urged the women of Kogi to ensure that they collected their Personal Voter Cards (PVCs) to enable them vote for Jonathan at the Presidential election in March 28.
Governor Idris Wada lauded the First Lady for inspiring and creating awareness among Nigerian women.

Lagos
The PDP governorship candidate for Lagos State, Mr Jimi
Agbaje, recently promised to build a pedestrian bridge for use by traders in the Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market in the state.
Our correspondent reports that the PDP candidate made the pledge when he took his campaign to markets in Ladipo, Idi-Oro, Oshodi and Ikeja.
A crowd of admirers, including commercial motorcyclists and traders from Mushin and Oshodi converged at the Matori area and blocked the nearby Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.
Addressing the crowd of traders at the Ladipo rally, Agbaje also promised to improve sanitation in the market and improve the welfare of the traders.
He said that he would build a pedestrian bridge at the Toyota Bus Stop as well as establish a system for overnight waste management.

Nasarawa
Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has urged Nigerians to vote
only leaders of proven integrity in the interest of peace and rapid development in Nigeria.
Adamu, (APC-Nasarawa West) also appealed to his people to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before closing date.
He made call during his campaign tour to Udeni Magaji community in Udege development area of the Nasarawa State.
Adamu said the importance of PVCs in any election cannot be overemphasised, hence the need for all registered voters to collect their PVCs in order to exercise their franchise.
“I am here to solicit for your support and votes to enable me and other APC candidates of our great party to win during the forthcoming March 28 and April 11 elections in order to ensure continuity in the provision of more dividend of democracy.
Niger
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives
Party (APC) in Niger State have signed a peace pact at the Police Area Command headquarters in Bida.
The event was attended by the PDP and the APC House of Assembly candidates from the zone.
The members representing Lavun and Gbako Local Government Areas in the house, Mr Jacob Majin-Gana and Mohammed Alkali, were present.
The exercise was observed by CSP Umar Ango, Divisional Police Officer (DPO) ‘A’ Division, Bida, who represented the Area Commander, ACP Micheal Gbenga.
Others are DPO of Mokwa, Lavun, Edati, Gbako, Katcha, Doko and ‘B’ divisions, Bida, and all heads of other sister security agencies in the area.
Gbenga, who addressed the politicians, warned youths against any act that would breach the existing peace in the area before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.

Plateau
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Plateau
Statehas pledged to build two modern staff quarters in two selected Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in Pankshin Local Government.
It says another five selected PHCs in the council will be well equipped to serve the people of the council better.
Mr Peter Nyam-Gai, Plateau MDGs’ Project Coordinator, said this yesterday during inauguration of a free medical outreach at Nyelleng town in Pankshin.
“MDG has chosen two medical centres here in Pankshin, where in the next two weeks, we shall start building a modern staff quarters, twin quarters, each with a solar power in the centres.

Sokoto
The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has declared that
the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) will continue to rule Nigeria for the next 60 years.
Jonathan, represented by the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, spoke at the party’s women rally in Sokoto recently.
She said that Nigerian women had got their fare share and attention in Jonathan’s administration by holding about 50 per cent of the posts. “The president has fulfilled all the promises he has made to Nigerian women in 2011 and he will do more if re-elected,” she said.
The first lady also said that the president had 13 women in his cabinet, and had empowered women in a myriad of ways.
She further said that the president was also working tirelessly to curb the menace of insurgency.
“We have also picked five PHCs in Pankshin which will be supplied with all the necessary Medical equipment,” he said.
Nyam-Gai said, “We will continue to ensure that the little resources we have will be deployed to help the people, especially the rural dwellers.”

Chairman, House Committee on Works, Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, Enugu State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Goddy Madueke and others, at the inauguration of the rehabilitated Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Section Three, from Enugu To Lokpanta in Enugu State, yesterday.

Nation

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

Published

1 week ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

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

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

2 months 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 months 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.