Nation

THE STATES

Published

9 years ago

February 17, 2017

Benue
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue last Monday condemned recent attacks on security operatives in Agatu Local Government Council of the state and called on leaders in the area to produce those that carried out such attacks.
Ortom made the condemnation at the town hall meeting of Benue stakeholders at the Benue People’s House in Makurdi.
The governor said that the attacks undermined the efforts of his administration at ensuring lasting peace between the herdsmen and farmers in the area.
He wondered why security operatives posted to the area to maintain law and order would be attacked by the same people they were sacrificing their comfort to protect.

Borno
The Borno State Government last Tuesday appealed to Ramat Polytechnic workers to end the indefinite strike they embarked upon.
A Permanent Commissioner in the state’s Civil Service Commission Alhaji Adamu Biu told a news conference in Maiduguri that government was ready to meet the demands of the workers.
On February 13, the institution’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics directed their members to proceed on indefinite strike.
The unions said the strike followed the government’s refusal to meet their demands.
Biu, who is also the chairman of the Technical Committee on Harmonisation of the Disagreement between the Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions and the State Government, described the strike as unnecessary.
According to him, action has already been taken on most of the demands.

Kaduna
The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency, last Tuesday said it would train 3, 000 traditional birth attendants to reduce the maternal mortality rate in the state.
Assistant Director of the Agency, Alhaji Hamza Ikara, told newsmen in Kaduna that the traditional birth attendants, to be drawn from the 23 councils, would be trained and retrained.
Ikara said the training would take place in the first week of March and would be conducted for three days.
“ We are conducting this training for the traditional birth attendants to enable us reduce our maternal mortality rate in the state.
“We are conducting free training in three different phases where we select nine LGAs at a time, and all the wards will be involved so as to reduce maternal mortality in the state.
“Kaduna is one of the states with increasing rate of maternal mortality and we want to stem the tide,” he said.

Kano
The Federal Government has awarded contract worth over N1.3 billion for the rehabilitation of some roads in Kano and Katsina states.
The Zonal Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Mr Mohammed Sani, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Kano.
Sani said five roads would be rehabilitated in Kano State at the cost of over N720 million, while in Katsina State, three contracts had been awarded at the cost of over N600 million.
He said in Kano State contract had been awarded for the rehabilitation of Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi, Tiga-Doguwa, Karaye-Rogo, Lajawa-Gamarya-Masuba and Kwanar Maroko-Maroko roads.
“In Katsina state we have three awards which include Daura township road and two roads along Kano-Katsina road.

Katsina
Three hundred and twenty (320) rice farmers in Sandamu Local Government Area of Katsina State have benefited from the Anchor Borrower Programme to boost rice production in the area.
The chairman of rice farmers in the area, Alhaji Usman Na-Lado, disclosed this in an interview with The Tide in Sandamu yesterday.
He said the farmers were provided with pesticides, seedlings and water pumping machines, adding that each farmer would also be provided with fertiliser and cash.
Na-Lado added that the beneficiaries included female farmers, who were also supplied with the farm inputs.

Kwara
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called for the establishment of more adult literacy centres to raise educational standard, especially at the grassroots.
The agency’s Director of Mobilisation in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara, Mrs Comfort Ajibade, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Omu-Aran in Kwara.
Ajibade also sought the provision of adequate equipment and personnel for the existing adult literacy centres for optimum performance.
“The establishment of more adult literacy centres will help to reduce the level of illiteracy among the people at the grassroots.

Nasarawa
A health official with the ALGON Primary health Care, Karu, Nasarawa State has appealed to the state government to provide more health workers in health centres to meet its challenges.
the Senior Community head/Extension Workers, Mr. Tema Heman, made the called in an interview with The Tide on Monday in karu.
“There are some government’s clinics here that have only one government workers. the rest of the members of staff are volunteers.
“That is what is happening, the centire clinic is run by just one government staff.

Niger
A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger State, Alhaji Muazu Bawa, last Tuesday said Nigerians must support the measures put in place by the Federal Government to end recession and set Nigeria on the path of growth.
Bawa told The Tide correspondent in Minna that the measures would take time to mature, as such Nigerians must be patient and help the administration succeed in its endeavour.
He said that the government had invested heavilly in revamping infrastructure, promoting agriculture and saving the national currency, so as to reposition the country for greatness.
Bawa particularly noted that the investment in agriculture was bearing fruits, as more Nigerians have ventured into agriculture and the government was providing inputs and financial support to boost production.

Ogun
A lotto player, Nurudeen Olalakan, was last Tuesday arraigned in an Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court for alleged breachof peace and playing lotto of N25,000 without payment.
Olalakan, 37, is facing a two- count charge of causing breach of peace and stealing.
The prosecutor, Insp. Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that the accused committed the offences on February 9, 2017 at Iporo Ake junction, Isale-Ake in Abeokuta.
Shonibare said the accused person conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by playing a BET9JA game of N25,000, from one Mr Adeniji Moses, the manager of Grand Harvard Integrated and failed to pay.

Osun
The Osun State Police Command, in conjunction with the judiciary, has set up mobile courts to try motorists arrested for violating traffic laws.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Olafimihan Adeoye, made this known at a media briefing in Osogbo.
Adeoye said that the move was to enforce sanity and discourage lawlessness on the highways.
According to him, any motorist who broke the traffic laws will be arrested and tried by the courts.
He said that emphasis would be on offences like covering of vehicle number plates, driving without valid documents and a driver licence.
Adeoye said police had the statutory duty of enforcing the law, adding that there would not be duplication of roles with the sister agencies. .

Oyo
An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan last Tuesday declared the proxy service on the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, by the claimant to the throne as invalid.
Chief Adebayo Oyediji of Seriki Chieftaincy line is challenging the installation of Adetunji as the Olubadan of Ibadanland by Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State.
Justice Moshood Abass made the declaration when the claimant’s counsel, Mr Abideen Adeniran, informed the court that Adetunji was not served court summon personally but through Ajao Iliasu, Secretary to Olubadan-in-Council.
Abass said that an order of substituted service must first of all be obtained from the court before the court summon could be served on any other person aside from Olubadan.
The judge said that the court summon served on Olubadan through the Secretary to Olubadan-In-Council was invalid.

Plateau
A Jos Magistrates Court last Tuesday sentenced an applicant, Felix Moses, to six months imprisonment for impersonation.
The Magistrate, Mrs Helen Danboyi, sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty and begged the court for mercy.
Danboyi sentenced the convict to four months imprisonment for impersonation or a fine of N3, 000, and two months imprisonment with an option of N2, 000 for possession of wig and gown.
Prosecutor Karimu Bashiru had told the court that Yakusak Aduak of Rayfied Jos reported the case to Anglo Jos Police Station.

Sokoto
The National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) says corps members serving in Sokoto State will plant one million trees before the end of 2017.
The state NYSC Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Abubakar, disclosed this in an interview with The Tide in Sokoto last Tuesday.
Abubakar said: “All the corps members in the 23 local governments areas will be made to plant these trees and nurse them.
“The trees will be planted by the corps members as part of their community development projects.
“This is the modest contribution of the scheme to the afforestation and reforestation efforts of the state and Federal Governments.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

7 days 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

7 days 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

7 days 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.