Nation
Sultan, Govs Task Leaders On Selfless Service, Peace, Unity
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged leaders in the country to fear Allah and support the citizens out of hardship.
Abubakar in his Sallah massage in Sokoto yesterday, said that the existing hardship in the country was of great concern, adding that proper measures were required to address it.
“Nigeria leaders need to come up with more measures more measures to address our level of poverty and insecurity, as such will further sustain the unity and peaceful co-existence that is in existence in the country.
“It is no longer a story but a reality, people are in dire need of the leaders’ commitment to address the high rate of poverty, insecurity and hunger among other numerous challenges.
“Therefore, leaders should fear Allah and shoulder their responsibilities in order to enhance Nigerians’ living conditions,’’ the Sultan said.
In his message Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State called on leaders to promote peace and unity among various nationalities irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations.
“As leaders, we must emphasise things that would promote peace, unity and mutual coexistence among the people” he said.
The governor stressed that no nation would develop in atmosphere of differences and crises.
He said that collective efforts were required to tackle the current security challenges facing the country as government alone could not do it.
From Kano State, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje urged Muslims to pray for peace, unity and stability in the country.
Ganduje also called on Nigerians to continue to pray against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality in the country.
“I also urge Muslims to remain steadfast and imbibe honesty and peaceful coexistence,’’ he said.
The governor advised the residents to abide by all the Covid-19 protocols while celebrating the Eid-el-Kabir.
He congratulated the five Emirs and people of the state on successful and peaceful Eid and thanked the Almighty Allah for His innumerable mercies that made it “possible to witness the blessed day.’’
In his sermon, the Chief Imam of Kano, Prof. Sani Zahradeen, urged Muslim faithful to pray for an end to insecurity in the country.
Zahradeen admonished Muslims to use the teachings of the Eid to promote love and brotherhood as well as live in peace with one another.
The chief Imam also advised the people of the state irrespective of their religion to observe all Covid-19 protocols and pray against the spread of the disease.
The Tide source report that Muslim faithful in thousands including children in their colourful attires, thronged to the various Eid praying grounds in the metropolis as early as 7 a.m., to attend the prayer session.
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