Nation

THE STATES

Published

9 years ago

June 30, 2017

Adamawa
A lawmaker representing Yola North Constituency in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Sulaiman Alkali, last Saturday presented 12 cows, 80 bags of rice, cartons of spaghetti and gallons of cooking oil to party leaders in his constituency.
Presenting the items at a ceremony in Yola, Alkali, an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, said the gesture was to enable the leaders to celebrate Sallah with the electorate in their various areas.
“It is always good to assist party leaders at a time they will be hosting the electorate in their respective communities,” he said.
While wishing members of his constituency a happy Eid, the lawmaker urged them to be security consciousness during the Sallah period.

Borno
The Eid-El-Fitr festivities were celebrated peacefully in most states of the North East, as security was tightened in Borno and Yobe State, two states worst hit by the activities of insurgents.
According to reports, vehicular movements were restricted in the two states for certain period, to avert any ugly incident, especially during the congregation prayers.
Borno Police Command had announced total ban on vehicular movement during the prayer time, resulting in the closure of most roads in the metropolis.
Security personnel were also deployed to all prayer grounds to screen worshippers thoroughly at the entrance.
Some worshippers interviewed commended the security agents for their efforts in ensuring absolute security at the prayer grounds.

FCT
The Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu has called on Muslim Ummah to sustain the virtues of endurance, discipline and love imbibed during the holy month of Ramadan.
Ekweremadu made the call in his Eid el-Fitr message to the Muslim Ummah on Saturday signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu.
He said: “I congratulate the Muslim Ummah on the successful completion of the Ramadan Fast.
“It is also my hope that the virtues imbibed in the holy month are sustained beyond the Ramadan and brought to bear in our personal lives and efforts at nation building.
“Fasting in itself is a lesson in endurance, discipline, holiness, and religious adherence.

Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government has donated 18 rams and five cows to the state command of Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) for distribution to inmates in the state for Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
The NPS spokesman in the state, Mr Adam Muhammad, confirmed this to newsmen in Dutse last Saturday.
Muhammad said the animals were distributed among the 11 prisons in the state.
He added that the government also donated two cows and four rams to officers and men of the command.
He commended the Jigawa Government for the kind gesture.
According to him, it would enable the inmates and officials to celebrate the Sallah happily.

Kano
The Kano State Government has urged residents of the state to maintain a good sanitation culture with or without close monitoring from authorities.
The Commissioner for Environment, Dr Ali Makoda gave the charge shortly after inspecting the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Kano last Saturday.
The commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Sagir Wali, expressed dismay over non-compliance attitude from some motorists in the city.
“As Muslims, the people of the state are expected to develop the environment culture even without restriction.

Katsina
The Katsina State Government says it will immunise no fewer than two million children during the next round of Immunization Plus Days (IPDs).
The Assistant Health Educator, Katsina State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Mr Abba Musa, made this known on Saturday in Katsina at a media focus group meeting.
Musa said that the exercise meant for children below five years, would be conducted between July 8 and July 11 across the state.
The health official said that the team of vaccinators would be going from house-to-house to administer the Oral Polio Vaccines (OPV) to the targeted children in all the 34 local government areas.

Kogi
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has called on journalists to display high sense of professionalism, patriotism and discipline in their calling and avoid hate speeches and reports that tend to divide the nation.
Bello made the call at a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner with media executives and members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), last Friday night in Lokoja.
According to the governor, some reports in the media of late tend to polarise the nation.
He urged that reports that tend to sabotage unity of the nation or divide the people and undermine the corporate existence of the country should be avoided to pave way for advancement and development of the country.

Lagos
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State says efforts are being made to create additional centres for Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in 13 local government areas of the state.
The Administrative Secretary of the commission in Lagos State, Dr Mustapha Mudashiru, made this known in an interview with newsmen last Saturday in Lagos.
He said the commission had pushed for more centres, especially in 13 of the 20 council areas in the state to reduce crowd in existing centres.
He added that “we requested for additional centres, particularly for some peculiar local governments in Lagos State to further address some of the challenges facing CVR in a metropolitan city like Lagos.

Nasarawa
Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Nasarawa State Command, has taken over Sandaji Medical Centre, Lafia, to provide medical services at affordable rate to patients and improve on their health status.
The State Commandant of Corps, Mr Bala Joshua, made this known on Saturday when he took journalists and other management staff of the corps on assessment tour of the hospital in Lafia.
He said that the aim of the assessment of facilities in the hospital signified official take-over of the hospital by the management of the state command of the corps.
“We felt that we should officially notify the media and the public on the take-over of medical activities at Sandaji hospital by our command to provide health services to the people at affordable rate.

Niger
The Catholic Bishop of Minna Diocese, Bishop Martin Uzoukwu, has emphasised the need for Nigerians to live as a family and desist from inflammatory statements that could jeopardise the nation’s unity.
He said this in an interview with newsmen in Minna last Saturday, noting that the recent development of hate speeches was unfortunate.
He said “God has reason for bringing us together; we should love one another, irrespective of our religious, ethnic and political differences.”
Uzuokwu said if concerted efforts were put in place in utilising the abundant mineral resources in the country, Nigeria would be a force to reckon with in the world.

Plateau
The Police Command in Plateau State deployed 2,900 officers and men to ensure hitch-free Eid-el fitr celebration.
The Command’s Spokesperson, ASP Terna Tyopev, told newsmen in Jos last Saturday that police would mount absolute surveillance in areas considered to be flash points and other strategic positions during and after the celebration.
He said “we have also organised an operational order to maintain law and order during and after the Sallah celebrations.
“We have identified some flash points in the state, and our men will be stationed in those areas to ensure that people celebrate the sallah peacefully.

Sokoto
The Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, says it has dismissed a lecturer (names withheld), for altering students’ results.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, told newsmen in Sokoto last Saturday, but declined to mention the affected lecturer’s full details.
Zuru said “that management of the university took that drastic action to serve as deterrent to others.
“The action is to remind academic and non academic staffers of what might happen if they try such an act.

Yobe
The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Damaturu, Tarmuwa, Gujba and Gulani and Yobe, have lauded Rep. Abdullahi Kukuwa, for the construction of 10 boreholes and classrooms to facilitate resettlement in the displaced communities.
The spokesman of IDPs, Alhaji Adamu Gulani, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu last Saturday.
He said that the boreholes constructed by Kukuwa, representing Damaturu/Gulani/Gujba/Tarmuwa federal constituency, had complemented those built by the state government in the affected communities.
Adamu said that the existing water facilities in the communities were destroyed by the insurgents thereby creating water scarcity in the areas.

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.