Nation

THE STATES

Published

10 years ago

July 20, 2016

Adamawa

Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla of Adamawa State said
that the era of allocating fertiliser to politicians was over in the state.
Jibrilla made the declaration in Yola when he launched the 2016 cropping season sales of fertiliser.
“There is no more allocation of fertiliser to politicians in Adamawa; the era of allocation is over, we want real farmers to get the commodity,” Jibrilla said. Jibrilla said that the fertiliser would be distributed at ward levels.
“We are going to start with the deployments of fertiliser trucks to all the 226 wards in the state. “We have subsidised the commodity by N1, 500, so a bag will now sell at N5,500,” Jibrilla said.
Bauchi

Former Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial Dis
trict, Senator Adamu Gumba, has called for the re-introduction of Teachers’ Grade II Certificate.
Speaking in Bauchi during the meeting of Bauchi Teachers College Old Students Association (BATCOSA), he said the Grade II Certificate was still relevant in the education system of the country.
“After the abolition of the Grade II Teachers’ Certificate, educationists tried several modules of teaching at both primary and other levels, but failed.
“The education sector is in the wilderness because the standard has continued to slide downwards, hence the need to restore the rejected module,” he said.
He said that Provosts of Colleges of Education who were worried by the negative trend met recently and recommended the restoration of module.
Borno

Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Garbai, said that
the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigerian President, has saved Borno State from extinction.
Garbai stated this when he received the new Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, in his palace in Maiduguri.
He said that but for the election of Buhari in May 2015 and his dogged determination in fighting the insurgents, the story would have been different now.
“We wish to express our gratitude to the president for his concern for us here.
“But for his coming, Borno would have been nowhere by now due to the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

Kano

The Kano State Government said it had paid N460 million
accommodation subsidy for its 5,600 Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in 2016.
The State’s Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar made this known while launching a training workshop for the state pilgrims in Kano State recently.
Abubakar said the state government found it necessary to pay the money in order to secure decent accommodation for the pilgrims.
According to him, the state government had already secured houses for the pilgrims very close to the Ka’aba, (Holy mosque) in Mecca. “All the houses secured for the pilgrims are close to the Ka’aba (Holy Mosque) in Mecca.

Kwara

More people will be recruited into the Kwara State Civil
Service as soon as the state finance improves, Mr Salman Ibrahim, Chairman of the state Civil Service Commission has said.
Ibrahim told newsmen that the commission had already identified vacancies in some ministries but could not recruit because of financial problem facing the state. “We are working in line with directives from the government. Where there are critical shortages, the government will direct us since we have vacancies in some ministries; we will just work along that line.
“But this is only when the financial situation of the state improves because once there is budget constraints based on critical revenue shortage, it makes it difficult for any organisation to perform.

Lagos

A civil society organisation, the Buhari Youth
Organisation (BYO), Lagos State chapter, has decried the under-utilisation of the State and Federal Government’s employment and empowerment programmes by unemployed youth in the country.
Mr Abdul-Waheed Odunuga, the coordinator of the group, expressed his displeasure at a Stakeholders’ Forum on the state of the nation in Lagos, noting that the situation called for concern as the rate of unemployment contributed to the country’s poor economy.
Odunuga said that most unemployed youths had refused to see the need for harnessing their potentialities to become self-empowered for their economic advancement.

Nasarawa

Teachers in Nasarawa State have told the state govern
ment to meet their demands before they will call off the ongoing strike.
The Chairman of the state chapter of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr Francis Jatau, said this in an interview with newsmen in Lafia.
He said that past experiences with the state government had taught them a lesson hence the need to ensure that all demands were met before the teachers would resume work.
“We don’t want to be seen as people who like to go on strike. That is why we will ensure that our demands are fully met to the satisfaction of our members.

Niger

The indefinite strike embarked upon by the organised
labour in Niger State has been called off, following the intervention of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Malam Ahmed Marafa.
Our correspondent reports that the Niger State chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had started the strike last Monday to protest deductions in workers’ salaries.
At the meeting, Marafa solicited for a truce between the labour and the state government in order to reduce the hardship the action had brought on the people.
Oyo

The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Oyo Prov
ince 2, has donated foodstuffs to some Oyo State civil servants to alleviate their suffering caused by non-payment of their six- month salaries by the state government. Pastor Enoch Tomoloju, the pastor in charge of the province, said that the gesture was to meet the physical needs of the people in addition to their spiritual needs.
“This is part of the corporate social responsibility initiative of our General Overseer. “We are showing brotherly love and encouragement to them not just spiritually but also to meet their domestic needs”.
Plateau

A Nutrition Officer for Plateau State, Mr Moses Yusuf,
said that 66 per cent of children in the state were malnourished.
Yusuf made the disclosure at the United Nation’s Children Fund’s mid-year review meeting in Jos.
He explained that the figure was arrived at following the Standardised Monitoring of Relief and Transition (SMART) survey, conducted by the Federal Government in 2015.
Yusuf described as very ‘’alarming,’’ the level of malnutrition among children, adding that five out of ten children in state remains malnourished.
‘’According to the SMART report of 2015, over 66 per cent of children in Plateau are totally malnourished.
‘’The reports shows that 43.7 suffer from stunting, 18.1 per cent are underweight, while 4.6 per cent are wasting.
‘’When you compare the 2014 with 2015 SMART survey, you will realise that the situation in Plateau is getting worse”.

Sokoto

The Sokoto State Government has promised to pay the
dowry to any man ready to marry any woman resident in the state who has been successfully treated of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF).
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Kakale, disclosed this at the Ministerial Press Briefing organised by the state Ministry of Information in Sokoto state recently.
Our correspondent reports that the briefing was organised in collaboration with the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Kakale said that the state government’s gesture was aimed at dispelling insinuations that women affected by VVF and successfully treated were not marriageable.
“The Vesico-Vaginal Fistula Hospital at Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital, Sokoto, was established to treat VVF cases.
Yobe

The Yobe State Committee on Resettlement of Inter
nally Displaced Persons has distributed food and non-food items to internally displaced persons in 14 communities within Damaturu Local Government Area.
Alhaji Musa Jidawa, secretary of the committee, said the items, comprising 600 bags of maize, 300 bags of rice, 100 Jerry cans of oil and 600 wrappers, were provided by Yobe government.
He said that the gesture was aimed at cushioning the hardship of the IDPs that were yet to relocate to their communities. Jidawa said the committee, under the chairmanship of the deputy governor, Abubakar Aliyu, had carefully considered the IDPs in the host communities for assistance.
According to him, the donation is in continuation of assistance provided by government to displaced persons living in host communities, either with relations, friends or well-wishers.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

1 month 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 month 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 month 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.