Nation

THE STATES

Published

9 years ago

March 3, 2017

Bauchi
The Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Agency yesterday said it has begun the training of 240 primary healthcare workers on Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) in four local government areas.
Officer-in-charge of the IMCI Unit, Hajiya Binta Ladan, made this known yesterday in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi.
Ladan listed the local governments as Bogoro, Jama’are, Ningi and Gambuwa.
She said that medical officers, nursing, midwives and community health workers would be part of the training.
“The personnel are to be trained on modern standard protocol of identification, classification and treatment of vaccine preventable diseases,’’ Ladan said.

FCT
The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) says it has earmarked 38 million euros for poverty eradication and empowerment in five countries.
The Chief Executive Officer, NEPAD Nigeria, Mrs Gloria Akobundu, made this known at a two-day workshop organised by NEPAD, recently in Abuja.
Akobundu explained that 35 million euros would go for the empowerment programmes, while three million euros has been earmarked for the technical support interventions.
According to her, the three million euros technical interventions will be used in expansion of facilities and training centres and sensitisation and awareness on the programme.

Kwara
The Kwara State Government yesterday pledged to provide adequate surveillance at the International Cattle Market in Ilesha- Baruba in Baruten Local Government Area.
The town is also a border community between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
The State’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Bamidele Adegoke, said this in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin.
Adegoke added that the measure was to ensure immediate response to any outbreak of animal disease in the state.

Kano
The Senator representing Kano North Senatorial District, Alhaji Barau Jibril-Maliya, has called on the contractor handling the rehabilitation of Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi road to move to the site.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had in November 2016 awarded the contract worth over N184 million for the rehabilitation of Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi road but the work is yet to commence.
He made the call in a telephone interview with newsmen yesterday in Kano.
He said there was urgent need for the contractor to move to site immediately since he had already been mobilised in addition to signing the agreement with the Federal Government.

Kogi

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has re-deployed Commissioner of Police Wilson Inalegwu to Kogi to take charge of the State Police Command.
Report has it that Inalegwu, who until his new posting was the Commissioner of Police in charge of Ekiti Command, assumed duty on Tuesday in Lokoja.
The new Kogi Commissioner swapped position with the out-going commissioner, Mr Abdullahi Ibrahim Chafe, who has been deployed to Ekiti Command.
Speaking at a brief handing over and taking over ceremony in Lokoja, the outgoing police commissioner said his period in Kogi witnessed relative peace with drastic reduction in crime rate compared to when he assumed duty in the state.
Chafe expressed gratitude to the inspector-general, Gov. Yahaya Bello, officers and men of the command, other security agencies and traditional rulers for his successful tenure in the state.
He also commended the people of the state as well as other stakeholders that supported the command in the fight against crimes during his service in the state.

Lagos
The South African Government has deported 97 Nigerians for committing various offences in the country.
The deportees landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Monday night in a chartered aircraft with the registration number GBB710 from Johannesburg.
They were made up of 95 males and two females.
The Spokesman of the Lagos Airport Police Command, DSP Joseph Alabi, confirmed the development.
An immigration source told newsmen on condition of anonymity that six of the deportees were returned to the country for drug offences while 10 were arrested and deported for other criminal offences.
The others were said to have committed immigration offences in the Southern African country.

Niger
Bida Local Government Area of Niger State says it has earmarked N40 million for the construction of boreholes, culverts and rural primary health centres in the council 14 ward.
Chairman of the council, Mr Mohammadu Bagudu, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Bida last Tuesday.
He said that each of the councilors would present the projects from his constituency for execution.
The chairman further said that the local administration had conducted feasibility studies on where such projects would be sited.
He called on residents of the area to desist from dumping refuse on water ways, for the benefit of their health and also prevent flooding during rainy season.

Oyo
For allegedly stealing his neighbour’s two children, the police on Tuesday arraigned a 39-year-old farmer, Semiu Yusuf, in an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan.
It is reported that Yusuf of Maku Ogbere Idi, Osan, Ibadan, was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and enticing children.
The Prosecutor, Insp Sunday Ogunremi, told the court that Yusuf and others at large conspired to steal the children.
Ogunremi said Yusuf, by the act, attempted to deny a woman, Kehinde Kolapo, of the care of two of her children aged 11 and five.
He told the court that Yusuf committed the offence on February 14 at about 2 pm at Ogbere Idi, Osan area of Ibadan.
“ Yusuf was a co – tenant with the mother of the children and claimed that he saw them somewhere in town when he was going somewhere on a motorcycle.

Osun
The Osun State Government last Tuesday presented retirement bond certificates worth N1.1billion to the fourth batch of retirees under the state contributory pension scheme.
The State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, made the presentation through the State Head of Service, Mr Sunday Owoeye, at a seminar organised for workers.
The seminar was organised for them by Pension Fund Administrators to give them a better understanding of what pension schemes were all about.
Aregbesola said that 159 pensioners from the scheme would benefit from the bond, with 100 of the beneficiaries coming from Local Government Areas while the remaining 59 retired as primary school teachers.

Ogun
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo last Tuesday advised parents and community leaders to revive the culture of storytelling among children to enable them imbibe good morals.
Obasanjo gave the advice on Tuesday at a programme tagged, ”Story Time with Baba, held at his ancestral home at Ibogun in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun.

Plateau
Sgt. Apollos Aliyu of ‘A’ Divisional Police Headquarters, Jos, has told a Jos High Court that Stephen Luka, who is standing trial over alleged culpable homicide, had confessed to the crime in a written statement.
Aliyu, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in the case, testified against the accused, who had since denied the allegations.
The accused person is facing a four-count charge of murder, attempted murder, assault and sexual abuse.
He was accused of attacking two sisters, Justina Dusu and Simi Dusu, on July 27, 2016 at his home in Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada, Jos, after they went to confront him over Justina’s pregnancy.

Sokoto
The Police in Sokoto State yesterday arraigned Francis Mbanugo, Emerie Uzochukwu, Sunday Ejeh and Emmanuel Ogbeauim, all of Mabera area of Sokoto, for allegedly stealing a motorcycle.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Monday Kenneth, told the court that the accused persons conspired and stole a Haojue motorcycle belonging to Jonathan Ezekiel of the same area.
Kenneth said that the motorcycle, with registration number, TBW 787 UT, was parked inside the compound and the accused jointly conspired and stole it.
The accused persons were arraigned on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy, contrary to Sections 97 and 288 of the Penal Code Law.

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.