Nation

THE STATES

Published

10 years ago

September 5, 2016

Adamawa

Governor Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa State, has di
rected all contractors who abandoned their contracts to return to site with immediate effect.
The governor gave the directive in Yola at a meeting with the management of Skip Engineering Nigeria Ltd, a contracting company in Yola.
He said that though his administration was not interested in digging into the past, all contractors that collected part of their contract funds and disappeared must go back to their sites.
He said that the directive became necessary to enable the people, who are the direct beneficiaries of the contracts reap the dividends of democracy.

Benue

A social critic and Finance Consultant, Mr Nath Apir,
has advised Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State to sack non-performing political appointees in his administration for efficient service delivery.
Apir gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Makurdi.
According to him, such cabinet shake-up will inject vibrancy in government, stimulate economic growth and enable political stability.
He expressed regret that most sensitive political positions in the state were given to people with neither requisite knowledge nor experience in the portfolios assigned to them.

Ekiti

Some farmers in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State
have expressed worry over delay in accessing the Federal Government’s guaranteed loan and other farms inputs.
The farmers, under the banner of ‘Congress of Farmers’, headed by Mr Ezekiel Ishola, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Oye-Ekiti . Ishola said that the farmers depended on the Federal Government’s promise to assist them with funds to boast their farming activities.
“Our members have registered under various agriculture programme of the Federal Government since 2015 and have been expecting the government to disburse the soft loans as promised. “Many of us abandoned other sources we used to access funds with the hope that the soft loan from the Federal Government would serve us better, but our expectations are yet to materialise.
Gombe

The Gombe State Commissioner for Health, Kenndy
Ishaya, says the 177 nurses and midwives serving in the state are grossly inadequate.
Ishaya spoke in Gombe when he received accreditation team from the National Council of Nursery and Midwifery
He said the nurses and midwives were working in 22 hospitals including the army, police and House of Assembly clinics.
“The workforce is grossly inadequate, considering increase in population following influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) into the state,’’ he said.
Ishaya said before 2011 the College of Nursing and Midwifery in the state was graduating only five nurses and midwives, but later increased to 30 annually.

Kaduna
The Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU),
Zaria, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, says the teaching of Mathematics must be simplified, to arrest the phobia of the subject among students.
Garba made the suggestion in a message to the 53rd Annual Conference of Mathematical Association of Nigeria (MAN) held at the ABU main campus in Samaru, Zaria, Kaduna State.
The Vice Chancellor said that the Federal Government must design new strategies to improve teaching methodology to make mathematics easier to comprehend by students.
He attributed the failure of the subject in WAEC and NECO to poor teaching methodology, adding that the teachers must also be retrained, to improve their teaching ability.
Kebbi

Flynas Air Services says it has successfully transported
22,435 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia from seven states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Official Agent of the air carrier, Alhaji Umar Kaila, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) allocated 22,435 pilgrims to the company.
He explained that “we were allotted 22,435 pilgrims by NAHCON; the pilgrims were from Abuja, Bauchi, Kaduna, Gombe, Borno, Adamawa, Niger and Kwara states and we successfully transported them to Saudi Arabia on scheduled.”
The agent said that the company was able to accomplish the assignment on time despite the challenges it encountered in the process.
Kogi

Kogi State House of Assembly has directed the state
Ministry of Works to furnish it with list of abandoned projects in the state since its creation in 1991.
The assembly gave the directive in a resolution after debate on a motion by Sunday Shigaba (PDP-Bassa) calling on the state government to reconstruct the abandoned Oguma-Sharia Bridge, which collapsed last year.
Shigaba noted that the abandoned bridge had caused untold hardship to his constituents as it was affecting economic life of the people
He said that the immediate past government of former Gov. Idris Wada awarded contract for the reconstruction of the bridge towards the end of his tenure.
In their various contributions, Linus Eneche (PDP-Olamaboro), Godwin Osuyi (PDP-Ogori-Magongo) and John Abba (PDP-Ibaji) said reconstruction of the bridge would boost economic activities and revenue generation.

Kwara

The Kwara State Government has reaffirmed its deter
mination to partner with relevant stakeholders to alleviate the sufferings of vulnerable children and physically challenged in the society.
Hajiya Ayinke Saka, the state’s Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, said this in Ilorin when she received members of a Non Governmental Organisation, Passionate Heart Empowerment Foundation, who paid her a visit.
Saka said that the ministry was saddled with the responsibility of catering for vulnerable children and physically challenged people in the society.
According to her, government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility, hence the need for stakeholders and relevant organisations to partner with it to improve the lives of the people.
She then sought the collaboration of the NGO to assist in attending to the needs of abandoned children at recreation centres.
Osun

An expert in peace and conflict resolution, Dr Goke
Adesiyan, has advised the Federal Government to constitute a conflict resolution panel, to end incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria.
Adesiyan, who gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo, noted that the clashes were becoming “dangerous” and needed to be tackled to ensure peaceful coexistence.
According to him, a conflict resolution panel is necessary to aggregate the diverse interests of the warring factions and set up terms of engagement to address differences.
“It is so disheartening that this is happening now, when the level of insurgency in the country is becoming more worrisome and unbearable.

Oyo
A commercial motorcyclist, Azeez Kehinde, who pleaded
guilty to the theft of a motorcycle, has been sentenced to three months imprisonment in Ibadan.
An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court said the convict should serve the term with hard labour at Agodi Prisons.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Abdulateef Adebisi, who gave the verdict, said the court had no option than to sentence the motorcyclist since he had pleaded guilty.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Fatola told the court that Kehinde stole a motorcycle valued at N60, 000, property of a man, Sanya Salau, at Ajeigbe area of Challenge, Ibadan.
Plateau

The special committee set up to look into the activities
of the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB), says with adequate equipment, the board could generate N1.2 billion annually.
Chairman of the committee and Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Housing and Urban Development, Mr Fabian Etonk, said this while submitting its report in Jos.
JMDB is a parastatal under the Housing and Urban Development ministry.
Sokoto

Sokoto State Government has concluded the transpor
tation of its 4,750 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2016 Hajj.
Our correspondent reports that the pilgrims were transported to the Holy Land through the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto, in ten flights.
The Director-General, Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, expressed happiness over the successful conclusion of the pilgrims’ airlift which began on August 10. “We had in all, conducted ten flights to the Holy land and none of our intending pilgrims had faced any problem during the security and immigration screenings, either in Nigeria or Saudi Arabia.
“All our pilgrims are conducting their hajj rites without any hindrance in the Holy cities of Medina and Mecca.”

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.