Nation

THE STATES

Published

10 years ago

November 4, 2016

Borno
The Borno State chapter of the National Union of Road
Transport Workers (NURTW) has warned drivers against picking passengers along the highways but at designated motor parks.
It said this was to avoid bad elements that could cause havoc from boarding their vehicles.
The state Chairman of the union, Malam Bello Maduganari, gave the warning in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri.
Maduganari said all commercial transport operators and drivers must also ensure proper checks of both passengers and their luggage at various motor parks before embarking on any trip.
Ekiti
A Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced to four
years imprisonment, a 51-year-old husband of four wives, who unlawfully possessed 26.5kg of marijuana.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo sentenced Akindele Oso without an option of fine, after he pleaded guilty.
”The defendant was shown all exhibits tendered to the court by the prosecution, and he confirmed signing them without objection.
“I have listened to the submission of the prosecutor and the plea of guilt by the defendant in the open court. The defendant is found guilty as charged.

FCT
An FCT High Court will deliver judgement in the alleged
murder of Remigius Nzekwe in a date to be communicated to the counsel.
The judge, Justice Sunday Aladetoyinbo, made this known when the parties adopted their final written addresses.
Aladetoyinbo said the date of the judgement would be communicated to the parties.
The prosecuting counsel Mr. S.M. Labaran while adopting his final written address, urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
But Counsel to the defendant, Mr. Ehi Uwaifoh, prayed the court to discharge the defendants.

Gombe
Gombe State Government in collaboration with United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on Monday, commenced skill acquisition training for 264 women and youths in the state.
The training is part of efforts by the administration of Governor Ibrahim DankwamNAbo to provide livelihood skills and support for youths and women in the state.
The 264 beneficiaries will be trained in Plumbing, Plasta of Paris (POP), Solar Power Installation, Tailoring and Fashion Design.
Speaking at the commencement of the training, the Commissioner of Economic Planning, Alhaji Danladi Mohammed, said the governor had made skills acquisition and empowerment a priority of his administration.

Jigawa
No fewer than 150 less privileged children in Hadejia,
Jigawa, have benefitted from an education support programme initiated by an NGO, Association for Advancement of Women in Nigeria (ASSAWIN).
The Programme Manager of ASSAWIN, Mrs Ameachina Chinelo, told newsmen in Hadejia that the organisation had been providing the education support in the last two years.
Ameachina said that the NGO distributed school uniforms, bags, shoes books and other instructional materials to the children selected from 20 primary and junior secondary schools in the area.
She said that the gesture was to encourage enrolment and retention in school.

Katsina
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Funtua, Katsina
state, has established Human Rights help-desks to increase the people’s access to legal services in the area.
The NBA Chairman, Malam Aminu Garba, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Funtua.
Garba said the branch had also designed legal aid clinics for litigants, adding that the clinic would be manned by lawyers on National Youth Service Corps scheme and supervised by senior lawyers.
The chairman said the scheme would be of immense benefits to both corps members and the litigants.
Kwara
A factional Chairman of the PDP in Kwara, Mr Sunday
Fagbemi, has led some of his sympathisers to take over the party’s secretariat on Asa Dam Road in Ilorin.
Members of the party, who are loyal to the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of PDP, had stormed the secretariat early in the morning amid wild jubilation.
The jubilant PDP supporters were sighted carrying placards with various inscriptions affirming Fagbemi’s leadership.
Speaking with newsmen at the secretariat, Fagbemi said his executive committee members remained the authentic leaders of the PDP in the state.
But in his reaction, the Publicity Secretary of the Oyedepo-led executive of the PDP, Mr Rex Olawoye, insisted that Oyedepo remained the authentic state chairman of the party.

Lagos
The Provincial Coordinator in charge of the Children Church
of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Rekiya Iletu, has urged mothers to spend quality time with their children.
Iletu, who made the plea in an interview with newsmen at the Musical Concert of the Lagos Province 15 of RCCG, Idi-Oro, Mushin, Lagos, said that sexual abuse was on the increase, adding that parents had the responsibility to educate their children on the dangers of sexual abuse.
“The economy is tough, parents are busy trying to get means of livelihood for these same children that are being neglected. They should spend short but quality time with their children”.
Iletu said that to avoid sexual abuse, parents should create the awareness from age four.

Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Government has said that its continued
monthly briefing on Federal allocations to local government councils in the state is to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.
The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, stated this while speaking with newsmen in Lafia.
According to him, transparency and accountability is the watchword of Gov. Tanko Al-Makura’s administration in order to bring the much-needed dividends of democracy to the citizens.
“Let me make it clear that the essence of the monthly briefing of allocations to the local government is to ensure transparency and accountability in the process of governance in the state and in the interest of peace and national development.

Niger
The Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) in Niger State has said that it
was taking proactive measures to prevent any attempt of jail break in the state.
The prisons in the state currently have 1,500 inmates.
The Comptroller of Prison in the state, Mr Baba Gana, disclosed this to newsmen in Minna.
Gana that the prison service along with other security agencies had put in place security measures against any unforeseen circumstance.
He said that well armed security personnel had been deployed to effectively manage the prisons at Kontagora, Bida, Minna old prison, New Bussa, Agaiye, Lapai, Kagara and Minna new prisons.
Osun

Members of the National Association of Nigerian
Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) have expressed concern over the shortage of nurses and midwives in public health facilities in the country.
The National President of the association, Alhaji Abdulrafiu Adeniji, expressed the concern at the 6th quadrennial National Delegates Conference of the association in Osogbo.
The conference has as its theme: “Nursing Education in Contemporary Nigeria System; Issues and Challenges.’’
Adeniji said it had become imperative for the government to address the issues of acute shortage of nurses and midwives to guarantee adequate health service delivery.

Oyo
The Oyo State Government says it is committed to the
implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it has with its workers on payment of salaries.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Toye Arulogun, said this in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan.
Arulogun was reacting to speculations that the state government had decided to be paying 50 per cent of salaries to workers, including the 50 per cent of the six months salary arrears owed.
The commissioner, who dismissed the speculations, said “ government still stands by the last MoU which is to be paying the workers based on the allocation it receives.’’

Sokoto
The Education Secretary in the Sokoto North Local Gov
ernment, Alhaji Mustapha Ladan, has called on politicians and wealthy persons to support the state of emergency in the education sector.
Speaking with newsmen in Sokoto, Ladan said that the situation called for the support of all stakeholders in the sector.
“The aim of the emergency on the education sector will be achieved if stakeholders, teachers and the entire people are fully committed to the programme,’’ he said.
He called on politicians and wealthy individuals to emulate a member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Bala Hassan, who renovated three primary schools in Sokoto North Local Government.

Plateau
The Judicial Commission of Inquiry sitting in Jos has
reserved ruling in a memo submitted by Njin Gyara against former governor of Plateau, Jonah Jang.
The Chairman of the commission, Justice Stephen Udah, reserved the ruling to a date to be communicated to the parties after hearing them on Tuesday.
Gyara, a former deputy director, Plateau Ministry of Finance, had filed a petition against Jang for dismissing him in office for refusing to sign a cheque of N112 million contract.
He alleged that he was suspended from office in 2012 after he refused to sign the said cheque, which he said, did not follow due process.

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.