Nation
The State
Kano
Kano State Government has urged the State board of Internal Revenue to find ways of generating more funds to augment its receipts from the Federal Government.
The State Commissioner for projects, monitoring and evolution, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba said at a meeting with officials of the board that the effort became necessary in the light of short falls in funds that the state received from the federation account.
Speaking through a statement from the office of the Project Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate in Kano the commissioner urged the board to support the government to successfully execute its programme.
Sokoto
Sokoto state government has sacked Alhaji Isa Bajini the ‘Galadima Garri who is a senior councilor in the sultanate councilor Bajini was also relieved of his membership of the state council of chiefs.
This information was contained in a statement signed by Malam Sani Umar the Media Assistant to Governor Aliyo Wamakko.
The statement said the state government and the sultanate council were only responding to the yearnings and aspiration of the people.
Taraba
Shelter Development Nigeria Limited has called on Taraba State Government to ensure adequate maintenance of the Jolly Nyame International Sprots Complex in Jalingo.
The call was made by a representative of the company’s managing director, Engr. Mohammed Tahir, at the finale handing over of the sports complex to the state Government by the company.
According to him, the complex has modern sporting facilities, and can seat 16,000 people. He said with the finale completion and handing over, of the project to the state government, Taraba can now serve as a hosting centre to any international sports event in the country.
Zamfara State
The Zamfara State Zakkat Endowment board has set aside N91 million for the construction of 28 schools to facilitate educational development among less privileged communities in the state.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Atiku Sani Maradun, said on Thursday in Bungudu during presentation of cash donations to some less privileged that five out of the 28 schools have been completed at a cost of N16.2 million.
He gave the benefitting communities, as Madidi in Bungudu, Yargadaje in Zurmi, Jangeru in Shinkafi, Abarma in Gusau and Mabangala in Talata Mafara Local Government councils of the state.
He said the second phase of the project would cover Tsafe, Kauran Namoda, Maru Maradun and Anka Local Governments and is expected to be completed with in the next six months.
He said that the project was conceived out of the desire to encourage indigent communities to learn both Islamic and western education through the conventional school system.
The schools he said would be handed over to the communities under the supervision of the Ministry for Religious Affairs after completion, for proper co-ordination and guidance.
He also said that the board has contributed N15m to orphans and physically challenged persons under its small scale business support scheme across the state.
Speaking at the occasion, Governor Mahmuda Shinlkafi commended the board for its commitment to the welfare of their professional responsibility to the society.
While speaking at the occasion, senior environmental officer with KEPA, Mrs Maureen Oyedoja, expressed satisfaction and commended the ACPN members for willingly destroying the expired drugs.
Ogun
Pro Chancellor of the Olabisi Onobanjo University (DOU), Ago Iwoye Ogun State otunba Alex Onabanjo has attributed the rot in the university system to the lack of managerial exposure and training of successive vice chancellors.
Speaking as the guest lecturer in the maiden public lecture of the correspondents chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ibadan, Onabonjo decried the politicisation and ethnicisation in the appointments of vice chancellors and the constitution of governing councils of the nation universities stating that merit and vision have been sacrificed.
In the lecture entitled “Taking the public universities to the next level, the managerial challenged, Onabonjo said that politicisation of the appointments have robbed many universities of purposeful leadership.
He advised both the federal and state governments to always look for individuals who are successful in the business world to complement whatever theoretical knowledge academic and non academic members possess.
According to him, the primordial considerations has led to the emergence of universities leadership that lacked managerial abilities, purpose and vision complement the ideal of the founding fathers of tertiary education in the country.
Kaduna
Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) in partnership with the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA) have destroyed expired drugs and related products worth N2.9 million.
Speaking shortly after the destruction the chairman of ACPN, Kaduna State chapter, Mr Alphonsus Okoye said that the products destroyed included anti-cancer drugs, anti-biotics, anti-malaria, cough preparations and analgesics, among others.
He further explained that the expired drugs and related products were submitted to the association by its members to be destroyed based on the demands of pharmacy ethics.
According to him “this is an annual exercise aimed at safeguarding the health of the public by preventing them from accessing expired drug products.”
Okoye appealed to the government at all levels of always patronize registered pharmacies for their drugs so as to avoid buying expired ones and also called on the management of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to ensure that Nigerians access drugs only from NHIS accredited pharmacies.
He also advised pharmacist to continue to submit expired drugs to the association for destruction as part of their professional responsibility to the society.
While speaking at the occasion, senior Environmental officer with KEPA, Mrs Maureen Oyedoja, expressed satisfaction and commended the ACPN members for willingly destroying the expired drugs.
Lagos
Worried by the menance of land speculators (Omonile), the Lagos State House of Assembly has urged the State Security Service (SSS) to assist the government in arresting the trend, especially around Ikorodu.
Speaking at the weekend when he and other members of the House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, visited the Director of SSS, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, the committee chair, Hon. Ipoola Omisore, said the activities of the land speculators could throw the state into chaos.
“We need to look at the Ikorodu axis on the Omonile issue; it is very explosive and capable of causing crisis in the state,” Omisore said.
He spoke on the need for state police to enhance security.
Replying, Abubakar said the service recognised the importance of legislature and was prepared to enhance security.
“We share information with various states and federal agencies to aid the security situation not only in Lagos but throughtout the country,” Abubakar said.
On land speculators, the Director said it was within the purview of the outfit and “and we have been doing a lot about that and we are sure that by God’s grace we shall surmount”.
Abubakar praised the state government for its support for the security agencies, adding “we will continue to do our best to improve the situation.
Oyo
Oyo State Commissioner for establishment and poverty Alleviation, Jeleel Agboola has stressed the need for skill acquisition among women, describing it as a veritable tool for driving away hunger and creating sustainable employment among the womenfolk.
Agboola who said this at a poverty reduction workshop also urged for attitudinal change among the womenfolk, if the effort of the government to reduce poverty must have the desired effect.
The commissioner also urged the womenfolk and the youths to embrace acquisition and thus become self reliant, stressing that the focus on women was deliberate due to their sensitive nature and home support.
“Women constitute a large percentage of the population of this state and playing significant economic roles in the family as opposed to the past when they are limited to just taking care of children.”
In her goodwill message, of the event, the wife of the Oyo State Governor Mrs Oluwakami Alao-Alala lamented the second class role being conferred on the women by political office holders in the country, insisting that they constitute an important stake in the democratic project of the country.
“Clearly, empowering women through capacity building is on essential step to confronting the challenges of poverty and hunger” she said.
Abuja
The South South parliamentary caucus in the House of Representatives, has urged the federal Government not be in a haste to withdraw the Joint Military Taskforce ( JTF) deploy to the Niger Delta until it has been fully ascertained that there were no armed groups anymore in the region.
Secretary to the caucus Hon. Daniel Reyenieja said there should be a limit to the amount of pressure interest groups can bring upon government when it comes to issue of national security.
Reyenieju who spoke to newsmen in Abuja said that every Nigerian should applaud the amnesty programme and the success achieved so for, stressing that urging for the immediate withdrawal of the military from the region w’re doing so move out of the euphoria of the moment than out of the knowledge of the red security situation in the region.
“This is a national security issue and we cannot force the federal government to take certain decisions without considering their implications.
The decision to disown the militant groups was taken by the government in the best interest of the citizenry and as such when the peace has been achieved, to a relative height, government knows what to do.
He also said that the Niger Delta is so vast and so polarized that there are certain parks of the region that would not want the military to move out yet, because of the peculiar security situation prevalent in such places over the years.
Strategic regulators and other stakeholders have expressed satisfaction with the pace, quality and magnitude of work carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In their separate speeches at the 2025 4th quarter key regulators / asset owners meeting held in Port Harcourt, the strategic stakeholders commended HYPREP for the significant milestones achieved with excellent efficiency and transparency, demonstrating capacity and commitment to sustaining collaboration with development partners for the overall success of the Project.
The regulators particularly lauded HYPREP for the landmark success in the implementation of the land and shoreline remediation, mangrove restoration, provision of reticulated potable water, the various sustainable livelihood programmes, donation of ambulances to health facilities in Ogoni, the construction of Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, as well as the ongoing Ogoni Power Project, adding that their independent field reports have shown proofs of HYPREP driving even beyond its mandates.
The goodwill messages were made by representatives of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Centre for Environment and Human Rights Development (CEHRD), Society for Women and Youths Affairs (SWAYA), Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), and Federal Ministry of Environment. Others are the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Rivers State Ministry of Power, the Rivers State University, the Rivers State Ministry of Water and Rural Development, and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
Following the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit’s presentation on the status of HYPREP projects, participants offered feedback on areas of concern. They reassured HYPREP and the people of Ogoni of their continued support for the Project’s success. They also suggested that the quarterly review meeting be sustained as it enables them to report, evaluate and proffer solutions to areas of concern.
Participants also commended HYPREP for improved community and stakeholder engagement and for adding to what they saw the previous time. “We commend HYPREP for the quality work done at sites. The progress is phenomenal, because HYPREP is scoring good grades, above average,” Prof. Iyenemi Kakulu from Rivers State University said.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who was represented by Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services, commended the regulators and asset owners for their cooperation with the Project, and for making themselves available for fieldwork and the regular review meetings.
Prof Zabbey reiterated HYPREP’s commitment to best practice in waste management, particularly waste generation and disposal, calling on the Regulators for adequate logistics support, saying HYPREP’s priority is to focus on the core recommendations by UNEP, especially, remediation(soil, shoreline) mangrove restoration, provision of potable water, interventions in public health care services and sustainable livelihood for the people.
The Project Coordinator further highlighted the status of the Project, the successes achieved across all thematic areas, and assured that HYPREP will soon complete most of the ongoing projects and roll out others. He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of the Ogoni cleanup, ensure quality control, and foster effective collaboration.
Consequently, the quarterly key regulators/asset owners meeting is HYPREP’s strategic stakeholder management model, further underscoring the Project’s commitment to transparency, partnership for development, and accountability, all of which are harbingers of effective project delivery.
Speaking to newsmen, HYPREP Project Support Lead and representative of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, described his involvement with HYPREPas an encouraging and insightful experience, saying, the Project is implementing a wide range of projects across Ogoniland, spanning immediate remediation works as well as livelihood support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of affected communities.
Engr Igbinomwanhia emphasised that Renaissance Africa Energy remains fully committed to supporting the objectives of the Ogoni cleanup project, noting that the company has a long history of collaboration with HYPREP.
He added that the partnership has been characterised by continuous learning, adaptation and a willingness to respond to observations and recommendations aimed at improving outcomes.
He further emphasised the importance of safety in all project operations, particularly given the challenging terrain and operating conditions in Ogoniland.
He noted that safety is treated as a critical priority and that contractors are continually reminded to maintain high safety standards, stressing that lessons learnt from previous operational challenges like the collapse of the water tank in Gwara Community are being applied to strengthen safety practices and overall performance.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
