Nation

THE STATES

Published

15 years ago

December 5, 2011

Adamawa

Ahead of 2012 governorship election in Adamawa, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the education of voters in the state.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Kassim Gaidam, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Yola.

Kassim said that the voter education exercise was necessary as part of requirements of the Electoral Act.

He explained that continuous voter registration would start on Nov. 15 and would last for seven days after which the register would be displayed for claims and objection.

The REC cautioned against multiple registration, pointing out that those eligible to register this time around were those not captured in the last registration and those, who had attained the age of 18 years.

Bauchi

Fulanis in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro LGAs of Bauchi State say 12 of their members have been illegally arrested by soldiers of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Jos.

Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro LGAs have been bedevilled by religious and communal crises in recent years.

Several people were recently said to have been ambushed and killed in overnight attacks in villages in the area.

The Spokesman of the community, Alhaji Muhammad Tukur said in Bauchi on Thursday while addressing newsmen that the JTF had allegedly been arresting and intimidating members of the the community in the area.

Tukur, a former member of Bauchi State House of Assembly said the 12 people were arrested on Wednesday at Tandum market in Bogoro LGA..

Borno

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno has announced the appointment of Chief Kester Ogualili, an Igbo man, as his special adviser on community relations.

Ogualili is the first southerner to have such a political appointment in the state.

A statement signed by Alhaji Usman Chiroma, director of press affairs in the Borno Government House, said 24 other special advisers were also appointed.

They include the former NLC chairman in the state, Comrade Garba Ngamdua.

Shettima described the appointees as credible persons that were carefully chosen to help in the development of the state.

“I quite believe that the calibre of personalities that I appointed as my special advisers will work hard to contribute to the development of the state”, the governor said.

FCT

President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) Mr Mustapha Bulama has stressed the need for available, modern equipment for quality control of road projects in the country.

He made the appeal on Wednesday at an interactive session with directors of civil engineers/highways in federal and states’ ministries of works on the deplorable state of Nigeria roads.

Bulama said the interactive session was important to discuss the engineering profession in Nigeria, which has been inundated and embarrassed by the rate of failure of engineering projects.

“It has become the order of the day in recent times that no sooner has a road project been commissioned, it begins to fail”.

Gombe

The Gombe State Government has awarded contracts for the construction of 17 township and some rural roads at N11 billion.

The Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Works, Alhaji Abubakar Bappa, told newsmen that 12 of the roads in Gombe metropolis would gulp N3.5 billion, while the remaining five which would cost N7.5 billion, were located in the local government areas.

He said those in the rural areas were Ture-Awak Road in Kaltungo Local Government Area, which would cost N1.8 billion, Billiri-Kamu Road in Billiri Local Government Area, at N2.2 billion and Gona-Tukurma Road in Akko Local Government Area at N1.8 billion.

Jigawa

The Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) of Arab Academy of Science Technology and Maritime Transport Studies Alexandria, Egypt, Dr. Alsunosi Balbaa says the academy will collaborate with Jigawa Government to promote education in the State.

Balbaa made the pledge on Friday in Dutse when he paid a courtesy call on the state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Haruna Wakili.

The DVC was in the commissioner’s office to brief him on the progress of 48 students of Jigawa origin studying medicine, engineering and maritime transport in Alexandria.

Balbaa said the academy was impressed with the students’ performances and was ready to admit more students who would want to study in the institution.

In this response, Wakili thanked the DVC for the visit, which he explained, would not only reinforce educational cooperation between Jigawa State Government and Egypt, but would also cement the mutual cooperation between Egypt and Nigeria.

Kaduna

A member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Muhammad Ali, on Saturday said he empowered 102 people with various skills to be self reliant.

Ali (CPC-Kawo), told newsmen in Kaduna that the beneficiaries included 82 women and 20 male youths.

He said they were trained in paint, detergent, candle, pomade and soap making, among others.

“The beneficiaries were trained under our Human Resource Development and Empowerment Initiative and in line with the manifesto of our great party, the CPC”.

The Tide gathered that the beneficiaries would have graduated under batch ‘B’ of the programme on November 27, at the Arewa House, Kaduna.

The legislator urged his colleagues, other elected and appointed political office holders to reduce unemployment in the country by making the citizenry self reliant.

Kebbi

The Kebbi Government is to plant 3.2 million trees next year as part of efforts to expand the scope of the campaign to combat desert encroachment in the state.

The state’s Acting Director of Forestry, Mr Ibrahim Kegudu, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Monday that plant seedlings would be distributed free to people in the state for planting.

He said the government had this year distributed 441,000 seedlings to the public as part of the coordinated attempt to curb the menace of decertification.

Kegudu said the seedlings being distributed include economic tress which were raised from the 15 existing nurseries in the state.

The acting director disclosed that the government had established an eight-kilometre shelter belt along the Dagingari.

Kogi

The National Financial Secretary, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Dr Tunde Arosanyin, has advised farmers in Kogi to judiciously utilise the 70 tractors and N1 billion micro-credit facility granted them by the state government.

He told newsmen in Lokoja that the N1 billion micro credit facility had been delayed for almost three years before it was finally released by the government.

Arosanyin said three categories of beneficiaries, including 150 commercial farmers, 500 cooperative groups of 10 members each and some 750 individual farmers were going to benefit from the grant, and advised them to use the facility for the intended purposes.

Lagos

The Fisheries Association of Nigeria (FISON) has urged the Federal Government to properly fund the fishing sector to boost local production.

Dr Aba Abdullah, the National President, FISON, told newsmen on Monday in Lagos that government should fully support the sector to increase local fish production.

Abdullah said that the current national demand for fish products was 2.6 million tonnes per annum but that the country could only produce less than one million tonnes.

He said that climatic changes along with other factors had considerably reduced local fish production.

Oyo

An Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court has sentenced an 18-year-old boy, Ayobami Erinfolani, to eight months in jail for stealing and intent to commit felony.

The prosecutor, Foluke Adedosu, had told the court that the accused on Saturday at Alubarika Street, Odinjo Muslim area of Ibadan, entered the premises of one Sadeeq Adebola and Momoh Adesewa.

She said Ayobami committed the offence with the intention of stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 412(2) of the criminal code 38 Vol II of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.

Plateau

The management of Jos University Teaching Hospital Football Club (JUTH FC) has blamed its relegation from the Premier League on the Jos crisis.

Mr Shola Alao, the club’s media officer, told newsmen last Wednesday in Jos that the crisis had adversely affected the club.

Aloa said that there were times the club played its matches without holding training sessions as a result of the security situation in the state.

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.