Nation

THE STATES

Published

11 years ago

April 29, 2015

Bauchi

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State on Tuesday
sacked his Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants and Personal Assistants.
The sack, however, did not affect the governor’s Special Adviser on Due Process and other aides working directly for him and his deputy.
This was contained in a statement issued in Bauchi by the Permanent Secretary, Political Affairs, AlhajiHashimuYakubu, and made available to newsmen.
“The Executive Governor of Bauchi State has approved the disengagement of the following appointees with immediate effect:
“All Special Advisers, with the exception of the Special Adviser, Due Process.
“All Senior Special Assistants; Special Assistants and Personal Assistants, with the exception of those who work directly under the Executive Governor or the Deputy Governor,’’ the statement said.

FCT

A newly-elected member of the House of Repre
sentatives, Mr Mike Etaba, says the 8th National Assembly must facilitate Bills and oversight activities that would lead to drastic reduction in cost of running government.
Etaba, who was elected on March 28, to represent Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency of Cross River, stated this on Sunday in Abuja.
He was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The 8th Assembly must, as a matter of priority, facilitate Bills and oversight activities that will lead to drastic reduction in the cost of running government.
This, the new lawmaker said, was necessary to enable government have the resources to revamp the education sector and undertake massive infrastructure development across the country.
“The education sector needs to be reviewed to address the current challenges of the 21st century,’’ he said.

Kano

No fewer than seven people were killed in Kano
on Sunday when a pedestrian bridge at Dorayi quarters, Kano, collapsed, the state Police Command said.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP MagajiMajiya, confirmed the incident in an interview with newsmen.
Majiya said the incident happened around 4:45 p.m. when the bridge, which was still under construction, caved in and collapsed on a car, which was passing underneath it.
“The workers at the site had warned motorists not to pass because they were working on the bridge but the driver of the taxi allegedly ignored the warning.
“So, the moment he moved; before he passed, the bridge caved in and collapsed on the vehicle, which led to the death of seven persons,’’ he said.
According to him, the vehicle has since been evacuated from the scene while the corpses have been deposited at a hospital morgue.

Kwara

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has set up five committees to reposition the party after its defeat in the April 11 governorship election.
Dr Rex Olawoye, Publicity Secretary of the party said in an interview newsmen on Sunday in Ilorin.
He said that the committees were set up after Saturday’s meeting of the party’s State Executive Council which x-rayed PDP performance in the 2015 general elections.
Lagos

The Lagos State Government on Monday said it
could not for now determine when local government elections in the state would hold.
MrAdemorinKuye , Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, made the statement at a news conference in Ikeja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commissioner was responding to a question on why Executive Secretaries were still in charge of councils after the expiration of the three-month provisional period for which they were appointed.
He said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had yet to provide all the needed materials for the election and a credible election could not hold without them.
The commissioner said that the government could not hold elections when no fewer than 400,000 PVCS had yet to be issued to eligible voters.

Nasarawa

An Islamic cleric in Nasarawa State,
MalamIshaqAdudu, has called on the President-elect, Gen. MuhammaduBuhari and other elected leaders, to be transparent in the discharge of their duties.
Adudu, who is the Chief Imam of KidiMagoron Mosque in Lafia, made the call in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Lafia.
He said it was imperative for all elected leaders to ensure prudence in the management of public resources and be transparent in the discharge of their duties.
“As religious leaders, our role is to preach peace and unity because no meaningful development can be achieved in any society without peace.
“Peace is priceless and non-negotiable and Nigerians must embrace peace for speedy development to be achieved.
“I also want to task our president-elect, Gen. MuhammaduBuhari and other incoming leaders on the need to be prudent and transparent in the discharge of their duties.

Osun

The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly,
MrNajeem Salaam, on Tuesday commended civil servants in the state for their understanding and patience over the delay in the payment of their salaries.
Our correspondent reports that civil servants in the state are being owed five months salaries arrears.
Salaam, who commended the workers during the assembly’s plenary, explained that the non-payment of the salaries was due to dwindling allocations from the Federation Account.
The speaker said: “In spite of the difficulties, they (civil servants) are prepared to move on and for this gesture we are also assuring them of our support.

Oyo

An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan on Tues
day remanded a 30-year-old man, AbiodunAdeyemi, in Agodi prison over alleged armed robbery at a fuel station.
Adeyemi, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge of armed robbery and conspiracy.
The plea of the defendant was not, however, taken by the court.
The Chief Magistrate, MrOlaideHamzat, ordered the remand of Adeyemi pending receipt of legal advice from the office of the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
He, thereafter, adjourned the case till June 10 for mention.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, InspAliuSamad, told the court that Adeyemi and others still at large committed the offence on Feb. 20 at 8.00 p.m.

Taraba

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the
just-concluded governorship election in Taraba State, Sen. Aisha Alhassan, has rejected the results of the poll as announced by INEC on Sunday.
Addresing a press conference in Jalingo shortly after the announcement of the results, Alhassan described the entire elections process as a “daylight robbery’’ and said the party would challenge the results in the elections petitions tribunal.
“The combined governorship elections in Taraba were characterised by violence, massive rigging, ballot snatching and abuse of the card readers in substantial parts of the state by the PDP and their allies,” she said.
She contended that results ascribed to Wukari, Donga, Takum, Sardauna, Zing, Yorro, Kurmi and some parts of Ussa, Karim-Lamido, Bali, Ardo-Kola and Lau local government areas were not acceptable as they did not reflect the true results of the election in Taraba.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Millennium Development Goals, Bauchi State, Alhaji Auwal Mashema; Chairman, Misau Local Government, Alhaji Mohammed Kure; Govenor Isa Yuguda and Chairman, Bauchi State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Mohammed Liman, at the inauguration of Misau General Hospital on Monday.

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.