Nation

THE STATES

Published

11 years ago

April 27, 2015

Adamawa

Supporter of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari,
identified as Abubakar Duduwale , has set for a walk from Yola in Adamawa to Abuja.
He told newsmen in Yola on Saturday at the onset of the walk that the adventure was to express his joy over the emergence of Buhari as president-elect.
Duduwale, from Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa and Chamba by tribe, reportedly began the journey at Yola Gate on Yola-Numan highway at about 6:30 a.m.
He said he had wanted to start the journey a day after the Independent National Electoral Commission announced Buhari as a winner but somebody from Lagos pre-empted him.
“The reason why I am trekking from Yola to Abuja is to express my joy and solidarity with President -elect Muhammadu Buhari.
“I want to trek from Yola to Abuja to witness the inauguration ceremony of President elect, Duduwale said.

Borno

The Borno State Government has warned residents
in the state capital to desist from tapping electricity from street lights using generators.
The warning is contained in a statement signed by Alhaji Baba Sanda, the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Works.
The statement described the spate of vandalism and illegal connection of electricity in Maiduguri as disturbing and called on the people of the state to stop the trend.
“In spite of the concerted efforts being made to stop the illegal act, it has continued.
“That is why we have intensified efforts and patrol to ensure that anyone caught in the act faces the wrath of the law,’’ the statement said.
It also said that measures had been put in place to deal with persons caught tampering with all government facilities in the state.

FCT

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Friday
said it would take stringent measures to check the activities of scammers that were swindling unsuspecting job seekers of large sums of money.
Mr Gboyega Fola-Kayode, Special Assistant to the Comptroller-General of the service, Mr David Parradang, said this during an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
Fola-Kayode, who spoke for the comptroller-general, was reacting to a case of job scam reported by one of the 2015 recruitment applicants.
He said Parradang condemned the incident, saying that a lot of Nigerians had been swindled of large sums of money by scammers with promise of fake employment into various agencies and parastatals of government.

Kano

Kano State Task Force Sanitation Committee, has
shut down the Unguwa Uku slaughter house in Kano due to very poor sanitary condition.
Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, told newsmen that the action was taken after “several warnings over the past few months”.
Abbas who doubled as the State Commissioner for Environment said two local governments were responsible for the slaughter house.
Abbas, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Bello Bari, explained that the committee had written to Kumbotso and Tarauni local councils to reconstruct drainage at the abattoir but were yet to comply.
He said that the present drainage was done without expert advice.
The committee said that the slaughter house was closed to safeguard the lives of residents.
Katsina

Katsina State Governor-elect, Aminu Masari has
promised to provide free education and healthcare services for the benefit of orphans in the state.
Masari made the promise in Katsina on Saturday while donating food items to the Katsina Orphanage Home.
He said that his administration would continue to feed the orphans free of charge on a daily basis.
The governor-elect said that the gesture was part of his efforts to improve the living condition of people in the state, particularly the less privileged in the society.
“My administration will do everything possible to cater for the need of such children so that they will grow up to be responsible people in the society.

Kebbi

Members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC)
in Kebbi State on Friday elected Malam Murtala Usman, as the new Chairman at its triennial delegates conference held in Birnin Kebbi.
The Returning Officer for the conference, Mr Kafas Dogonyaro, said that Usman polled 603 votes against the incumbent Chairman, Alhaji Sadiq Kao’je, who garnered 437 votes.
The other officials elected as ex-officio included Malam Samaila Sawwa, Malam Aminu Kangiwa and Malam Abubakar Danladi.
Dogonyaro also announced that other officials of the NLC that were returned unopposed included Malam Yunusa Musa,Vice Chairman; Malam Tasiu Lawal,Vice Chairman; Malam Umar Kalidu, Treasurer and, Malam Abubakar Umar, Auditor.

Kaduna

The Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, has advised
the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to strengthen anti corruption laws in the country to make it easier to prosecute offenders.
The Managing Director of the foundation, Justice Mamman Nasir, made the appeal at a news conference in Kaduna.
Nasir said fighting corruption would require laws that would make it difficult for people to be corrupt and easier to prosecute.
Nasir, who is also a former president, Court of Appeal said, “Our laws must make corruption difficult to perpetuate but easy to logically prosecute persons accused of corruption.”
He also called for the strengthening of the nation’s security forces to make them well informed and committed to protecting the country’s constitution.

Lagos

The Lagos State Government on Friday said it res
cued no fewer than 62 babies abandoned across the state in the last one year.
The Permanent Secretary in the Office of Youths and Social Development, Dr. Adesegun Oshinyinka, gave the figure at a news conference in Ikeja.
He said that 34 of the babies were male, while 28 were female.
The permanent secretary said that the babies had been taken to some registered orphanages where they were being given adequate care.

Ondo

The Ondo Government has banned the production
and consumption of locally-made gin, commonly called ‘ogogoro‘ in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Dayo Akinyanju, announced this at a news conference in Akure on Saturday.
The commissioner attributed the ban to the outbreak of an unknown disease two weeks ago in Irele Local Government Area of the state.
“Our clinical analysis reveals the fact that there were no known viruses, while toxicology reports have confirmed our prime suspicion of methanol poisoning.
“We have reviewed our strategies and embarked on sensitisation to let people know that locally-made gin is prohibited.

Osun

Assemblyman Busola Adeyeni representing Ife-East
in Osun has pleaded with Nigerians who are living in other countries to invest in their country.
He made the plea in an interview news on Saturday in Ile-Ife.
Adeyeni expressed concerns about the attitudes of some Nigerians abroad who, somewhat, abandoned and neglected their home country just for mere luxury of living.
He also urged them to always come home to celebrate annual festivals which he said could give them the opportunity to interact and make investment plans.
“It is not a crime to be a sojourner in a foreign land but it is a crime not to have a foresight for the future,’’ he said.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (3rd left), President, Guild of Editors, Mr Femi Adesina (2nd left), General Secretary, Mr Isaac Ighure(4th right), and others during the Guild of Editors visit to Governor Fashola in Lagos last Friday.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

3 weeks 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

3 weeks 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

3 weeks 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.