Nation

THE STATES

Published

9 years ago

July 3, 2017

Borno
Governor Kashim Shettima, of Borno State, recently appealed to the Nigerian military to intensify efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency that had ravaged the North East for long.
Shettima made the appeal, while speaking at this year’s Eid el Fitr reception for members of the State Executive Council and other dignitaries at the Government House Maiduguri.
He said although the military had recorded tremendous successes against the insurgents, the recent spate of attacks in different parts of the state was worrisome.
“We have to commend President Muhammadu Buhari and the military for their efforts in fighting the Boko Haram insurgents.

FCT
The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has charged youths in the country to imbibe the culture of hard work and dedication to service.
Mrs Buhari made the call in a speech, at an occasion organised to mark the Eid el-fitr for young couples at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Mrs Buhari, who was represented at the event by the wife of the acting President Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, urged the youths to stay focused and avoid anything capable of creating hate and disunity among Nigerians.
She said that the emergency of new technology had arrested the attention of many young people in the country.

Kogi
Kogi State Agricultural Development Project (ADP), says agricultural extension workers will soon be deployed to rural communities across the state to assist farmers with extension services to boost their productivity.
Mr James Ogunmola, General Manager of the ADP, said this at a meeting of Core Delivery Team (CDT) of the State Partnership for Agriculture (SPA) in Lokoja on Wednesday.
The meeting was organised by Synergos Nigeria, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
Ogunmola said that the extension workers, who were recently trained, were primed for deployment to various communities to assist the farmers.
According to him, the effort is aimed at supporting farmers to produce more food and cash crops in the state.

Kwara
Impressed by the N200 million intervention projects at a community school, youths and the traditional ruler of Omu-Aran, in Kwara State have lauded the old students association for the initiative.
Oba Charles Ibitoye, the traditional ruler of Omu-Aran, told newsmen in Omu-Aran, on Monday that the projects including the tarring of the 2-km road leading to the school were worthy contributions to educational development and the community.
The Omu-Aran Government Secondary School Old Boys Association (OGSSOBA), had recently flag-off the rehabilitation of the access road at a cost of N30 million with a completion date of six weeks.
Chief Jide Adebayo, OGSSOBA’S 1st Vice-President and one-time NAN Acting Managing Director, said the ongoing N200 million projects were conceived to give their alma mater a facelift ahead of its 50th anniversary.

Lagos
A 32-year-old man, Jeremiah Dopemu ,who allegedly obtained N100,000 under false pretence from one Akasa Eniyekeye, was last Wednesday granted N100,000 bail by an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State.
The accused was also charged with parading himself as an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The chief magistrate, Mr Titus Abolarinwa, in his ruling on a bail application told the accused to produce one surety in the like sum as part of the bail conditions.
Abolarinwa also said that, the surety must be gainfully employed and should show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Earlier the prosecutor, Insp. Tony Elibeh, had told the court that the accused, who resides at Ajegunle area of Apapa, committed the offences on May 5 at Nosamu Street, Ajegunle.

Nasarawa
The Emir of Wamba in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Lawal Musa-Nagogo, has suggested early distribution of fertiliser and inputs to farmers to boost food production in the country.
Musa-Nagogo made the suggestion last Wednesday, while speaking with newsmen in his palace in Wamba, Wamba Local Government Area of the state.
He said that early distribution of the commodity and other farm inputs to farmers by the government would assist farming and increase food production.
According to him, we are now in June and farmers have yet to get fertiliser and seedlings.
“We are all aware that there is fertiliser in the markets but the commodity is expensive for ordinary farmers.

Niger
The Niger State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, recently urged the Federal Government to adopt Nanotechnology in the development of science and technology sector.
Madugu, who made this known in an interview with newsmen in Minna, noted that, Nanotechnology if adopted would impact positively on industries and all spheres of the society.
She said that Nanotechnology was the application of extremely small things that could be applied across all fields of sciences such as chemistry, biology, physics, material science and engineering.
“The technology will offer better built, long lasting, cleaner, safer and smarter products for the home, communication, medicine, transport, agriculture industry as well as the power sector.
“Imagine a technology that can be used to deploy a medical device that travels through the human body to seek out and destroy small clusters of cancerous cells before they can spread.

Ogun
The Foundation for Academic Excellence, says it has concluded plans to partner with foreign agencies to grant scholarships to Nigerian postgraduate students.
The founder of the foundation, Mr Samuel Macaulay, made this known during a Public Awareness Seminar in Ota, Ogun State last Wednesday.
The theme of the seminar is: “How Nigeria Can Provide Findings for Postgraduate Students’’.
It was reported that the foundation was established in 2014 to provide scholarships for Nigerian postgraduate students within and outside the country.
Macaulay said the foundation would partner UNESCO, USAID, and the MacArthur Foundation to grant scholarships to Nigerian postgraduate students.

Ondo
The Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Bamidele Oleyelogun, has called on Muslims and non-Muslims to pray fervently for Nigeria and its leaders.
In his Sallah message recently in Akure, Oleyelogun congratulated Muslim faithfuls for the successful completion of Ramadan.
He said the completion of Ramadan was worth celebrating in view of the current economic situation in the country.
“I want to salute the courage and perseverance of my Muslim brothers and sisters, and I pray that Allah will continue to sustain them and the people of Ondo state”.

Osun
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has advised parents to warn their children to avoid violence.
Ogunwusi gave the warning when a group of the Ife Muslim Community visited his Palace on Sunday as part of the Eid-el-Fitr celebration in Ile-Ife.
He urged the youth to focus their attention on things that would bring progress and development to the country.
The Ooni thanked Allah for giving the Muslim faithful the grace to witness the 2017 Eid-el-Fitr and congratulated them on the festival.
According to him, 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population is made up of the youth.

Plateau
A 50-year-old man, Abdullahi Yusuf, last Wednesday appeared before a Jos Upper Area Court, sitting at Kasuwan Nama, charged with allegedly raping a 9-year-old girl.
The accused, a resident of Lasisi Street, Laranto, Jos, first appeared on May 6, specifically accused of rape.
The police prosecutor, Mr E. A. Inegbenoise, during the arraignment, told the court that the victims’ father reported the matter at the Laranto police station, on March 17.
Inegbenoise alleged that the accused person lured the minor into his room and had carnal knowledge of her.

Zamfara
Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, says full farming activities have resumed in the state following government efforts at brokering peace between farmers, herdsmen and armed bandits.
The governor said this on Sunday, in a Sallah broadcast.
He said farmers and herdsmen have resumed normal activities without any hindrance.
He said the reconciliation committee set up by the state government under the chairmanship of the state deputy governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, encouraged the warring parties to embrace peace.
While urging all communities in the state to remain peaceful, Yari assured that the state government would continue to uplift the lives of citizens.

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.