Nation

THE STATES

Published

10 years ago

October 26, 2016

Adamawa
The Federal Government has donated three trucks-load
of grains to returned Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Madagali Local Government Council of Adamawa State.
The NEMA Camps Coordinator in charge of Adamawa and Taraba Mr Sa’ad Bello, presented the items in Gulak town, Headquarters of Madagali.
Bello said the gesture was part of Federal Government’s humanitarian intervention to assist returnee communities affected by Boko Haram insurgency.
He explained that the three trucks were, however, not sufficient, considering the large number of the people but that more assistance would soon reach the community.
He added that “this is the first time grains relief material meant for the returnees through NEMA directly reached Madagali Local Government Area.

Bauchi
Accidental leak of a chemical substance suspected to
be chlorine from a cylinder in Bauchi, endangered the health of some students of a private school, Rainex Hallmark International College, who were attending classes.
It was gathered that the cylinders, presumably empty, and owned by some businessmen from Kano, were kept in premises close to the College, located in Fadaman Mada Area of Bauchi.
A woman who described herself as the ‘Director of the School’ said in a telephone interview Saturday that the incident occurred at about 10 am on Friday.
Contacted for his comment, Bauchi Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mahmoud Mohammed, said he would issue a statement on the matter at a later time.

Benue
The Benue State Sector Command of the Federal Road
Safety Commission (FRSC) has inspected over 2000 commercial vehicles for compliance with installation of the speed limiting device.
The state Sector Commander, Mr, Chidiebere Nkwonta, gave the figure in an interview with newsmen in Makurdi.
FRSC began advisory enforcement of installation of the device in commercial vehicles on October 1.
He said that the corps would collaborate with transport unions and other relevant stakeholders, including the media, religious leaders and traditional rulers, to ensure compliance.
He refuted a claim by some motorists that the speed limiter installation deadline had been extended to February, 2017.
Borno

The Chief of Army staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, says the
army would establish additional Forward Operation Bases to support increasing military operations across the country.
Buratai stated this while fielding questions from newsmen after the inauguration of a new Forward Operation Base in Buratai, in Borno State.
He revealed that already provisions had been made in 2017 budget for construction of more operational bases across the country.
According to him, the increasing operational activities in the fight against insurgency and terrorism in the North East, had necessitated the establishment of the Forward Operation Base in Buratai.
He stated that the base, which had accommodation and other facilities, would support operational activities in the area.
Ekiti

The regent of Orin Ekiti, in Orin, Mrs Bola Dada, has
appealed to the Federal Government and the National Assembly to hasten work on the proposed dam project in the town in Ido Osi local government area of Ekiti State.
In an interview with newsmen on the sideline of the annual “Orin Day’’ celebration, Dada said that adequately funding the dam would aid irrigation and improve farming in the area.
She recalled that the Owena River Basin Development Authority had already carried out feasibility studies on the project, and confirmed that it would boost irrigation farming in the area.
The regent, however, identified lack of effective follow-up, as well as funding, as the major factors hindering the commencement of the project.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government has earmarked N11.4 billion
for township road projects in the 2017 budget estimate sent to the State House of Assembly for approval.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai had on October 12 sent a budget proposal of N215.9 billion for the 2017 financial year.
The budget breakdown shows that the N11.4 billion was part of the N24 billion earmarked for the ministry of works, housing and transport for capital projects.
The document indicates that N3.4 billion was set aside for trunk roads, N400 million for ring roads and N250 million for box culverts.
It also shows that N500 million will be spent on the supply and installation of street lights while N150 million was for street naming and house numbering.

Nasarawaa
The Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr Silas Agara,
has been praised by some Lafia residents and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for consistently obeying traffic rules.
They made the commendation in Lafia in separate interviews with newsmen.
Sector Commander of FRSC in Nasarawa State, Mrs Faustina Alegbe, expressed delight with the deputy governor’s conduct, within Lafia, the state capital.
A commercial motorcycle operator Mr Yusuf Adamu, who saw the deputy governor obey traffic rules on Shendam Road in Lafia, said he was touched by the deputy governor’s action.
A Lafia resident,Mr Hassan Usman also praised the deputy governor for his exemplary conduct.

Niger
The Niger State Police Command has confirmed that one
person was killed and another seriously injured following a misunderstanding between two transport unions at the Abdulsalam Abubakar Motor Park, Minna.
The misunderstanding was between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers ( NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria.
Police Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Bala Elkaina confirmed the death in an interview with newsmen in Minna.
He said that the injured person was currently receiving treatment at Minna General Hospital.
Elkaina said that the police had invited the two leaders of the union for thorough investigation in order to bring the culprits to justice.

Ogun
Former Vice Chancellor of Covenant University, Ota, Prof. Charles
Ayo, has urged the Federal Government to invest more in the health sector to reduce capital flight.
Ayo spoke at the 7th Inaugural Lecture of the institution titled, “Deconstructing the National Development Agenda : The Role of Information and Communications Technologies.”
He said the nation lost N1.5 trillion annually to health tourism due to poor infrastructure in the sector.
The don said that there was an average of 1,700 persons per hospital bed and the ratio of physician to the populace too wide..
The Chancellor of the institution, Dr David Oyedepo, said Federal Government should look at education as a core requirement in achieving changes as well as solving nation’s challenges.
Oyo
An advocacy group, Partnership for Advocacy in Child
and Family Health (PACFAH), has called for increased budgetary allocation to health sector in 2017 to boost the nation’s economy and productivity.
The Programme Coordinator of PACFAH, Ms Anu Rotimi, made the call at the end of a three-day stakeholders and advocacy meeting in Ibadan.
The meeting also featured a Validation Workshop for trend analysis of the 2006 to 2016 budgetary allocations to health sector in Oyo State.
Rotimi described the sector as the major driver for economic development which should be given priority in the nation’s budgetary allocation.
According to her, health and economic performances are inter-linked, and health sector is a viable avenue to revive the economy.

Plateau
The District 9125 of Rotary Club International has immu
nized no fewer than 2,000 children against polio in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The state Representative of Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee of Rotary in Plateau, Ms Gloria Thomas, said that the gesture was aimed at ensuring complete eradication of polio in Nigeria.
Thomas said that the exercise was in fulfillment of the pledge made by the club in 1985 to ensure that children enjoy a polio-free world.
“At least, children who missed the last exercise during the just concluded Polio plus Day would certainly have benefited from the one we just administered to them.
“Every Polio plus Day, Rotarians always come out en mass to support and ensure that every child gets immunised; to protect and boost their immune system against diseases,’’ she said.

Taraba
Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku has commiserated
with the people of Gashaka Council Area of the state over the death of Lamdo Gashaka, Alhaji Hammangabdo Sambo.
Sambo, 81, died at the National Hospital Abuja on Saturday night during a protracted illness.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Hassan Mijinyawa, Ishaku said that the death was a huge loss to the government and people of Taraba.
He described Sambo as a courageous and sincere monarch whose wisdom and honest counselling would be missed.
He was survived by about 70 children and many grandchildren.

Sokoto
Sokoto State Government says only five malaria-related
deaths were recorded at the Kofar-Kade Primary Health Centre in Sokoto North Local Government Area in the last one month.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Alhaji Al-mustapha Othman, made the clarification while briefing newsmen in Sokoto shortly after he led officials of the ministry on assessment visit to the centre.
Othman said that no fewer than 390 patients were admitted at the facility during the period under review.
The permanent secretary said that the drugs were distributed to all health facilities across the state.
According to him, the drugs were being dispensed free to all categories of patients across the state.

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.