Nation

THE STATES

Published

15 years ago

January 30, 2012

Adamawa

The Fadama III Office in Maiha Local Government Area of Adamawa says it has expended about N21 million on the programme.

The Desk Officer for the programme in the area, Malam Nasiru Lawan, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Maiha on Wednesday.

Lawan said that N15 million was spent on rural community development projects while N6 million was committed to pilot assets acquisition in the last three years.

“Some 15 Fadama User Groups (FUGs) benefitted from the pilot assets scheme to enable them to engage in agricultural processing, crop, fishery and livestock production,” Lawan said.

He identified the benefitting FUGs as Lingal, Alheri and Soran, Imani Support, Pakka Widows, Hamdala Women and Rahma Poultry.

According to him, the programme has so far registered 12 Fadama Community Associations (FCAs) and 134 FUGs serving 2,010 members in the area.

Ekiti

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has recommended resuscitation of railway and water transport systems as means of reducing high incidence of auto crashes on Nigerian roads.

The Corps Transport standardisation Officer of the FRSC, Dr. Kayode Olagunju, said this in an interview with journalists in Ado-Ekiti.

Olagunju said the pressure on Nigerian roads was too much, while stating that deplorable road condition, violation of traffic rules and bad management practices among flect operators in the country had contributed largely to heavy carriage on the roads.

The FRSC boss who was in the state to ensure flect operators compliance with safety requirements for flect owners, including government ministries, departments and agencies, said the commission would no longer treat violation of safety rules with kid gloves.

According to him, the Commission in a report on Road Traffic Crashes involving buses between 2007 and 2010 recommended that government should resuscitate railway transportation and water transportation systems to reduce the pressure on the road as well as high incidence of crashes.

FCT

The House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has called for the submission of memoranda from members of the public.

The Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the committee, Mr Emeka Ihedioha, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, requested the public to state the sections they wished amended.

The statement also called on those submitting memoranda to provide justification for the suggested amendment and indicate how it would promote good governance, unity and rule of law in the country.

The statement further requested that memoranda should be submitted to the Clerk of the committee within 30 days.

It noted that the commencement of the review was based on the previous successful alteration of the constitution by the sixth National Assembly.

Gombe

The President, Gombe Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (GOCCIMA), Alhaji Adamu Annuri, has called on the State Government to address the problems of robbery in Gombe metropolis.

Annuri told newsmen in Gombe on Wednesday the government should intensify efforts to ensure adequate security at the central market and its surroundings.

“There is the need for the government to send intelligence security personnel to the strategic areas to enable them provide information that will lead to the arrest of the robbers,’’ he said.

He said between last year and early this year, five robbery incidences had occurred in the market and the robbers left with thousands of naira.

Kaduna

The Association of Solid Waste Contractors in Kaduna has described the sanitary condition of the metropolis as an “eyesore” and a “threat” to human health.

The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Shehu Ibrahim, said this on Tuesday in Kaduna while speaking with newsmen.

He decried what he called the care-free attitude of some residents to waste management.

“The care-free attitude of some residents of the city has worsened the sanitary situation in the metropolis,’’ he said, adding that it posed a challenge to attaining the MDGs on sanitation.

“The attitude of some residents is sabotaging government’s efforts to maintain a clean environment.

Ibrahim told newsmen that the state government sacked eight solid waste contractors last year for non-performance.

He also said that the waste collection coverage allocated to the contractors last year was reduced from 60 per cent to 50 per cent.

Katsina

Tomato farmers in Danja, Kafur and Bakori local government areas of Katsina State, have solicited the assistance of both the Federal and Katsina State Governments to expand their business.

A cross section of the farmers made the call on Wednesday in Danja, Katsina State, in separate interviews with newsmen.

They identified the lack of storage and processing facilities and inadequate water supply as some of the constraints militating against the growth of the business.

Alhaji Kabiru Usman, who plants tomato at Gozaki village, appealed to the state government to construct a dam or sink boreholes for tomato farmers to boost their business.

He said that he and his colleagues recorded huge losses annually due to the lack of water, storage and processing facilities.

Lagos

Contract for the second phase of expansion of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway— LOT 2A— has been awarded to China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation (CCECC).

Mr Biola Fagunwa, the Assistant Director, Public Relations Department of the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

The statement said that the commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Kadiri Hamzat, disclosed this at a meeting with stakeholders on the project at Alausa, Ikeja.

It said that CCECC was one of the five companies which bidded for the contract in 2010.

It added that the new phase of the project would start at Mazamaza area of the road to Okokomaiko, adding that CCECC would also have the responsibility for the railway content in the LOT 2A as in LOT 1.

Nasarawa

Governor Tanko AlMakuru of Nasarawa State has said that the state government will collaborate with the Abuja Market Management Limited to effectively and efficiently put Lafia modern market to use.

Al-mkura said the completion of the market was to ensure the utilisation of its values and give prospective business people the opportunity to contribute to the economic advancement of the state and enjoined the market association to cooperate with AMML.

He also said that the state government was determined to boost the economy of the state even as he wooed investors into the state.

Ogun

A Senior Registrar at the Nephrology and Geriatrics Unit, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Dr. Folashade Oluwole has advocated for the passage of an Elders Rights Act by the National Assembly to cater for the aged.

She made the call in a lecture on “Active and Healthy Ageing” delivered on Wednesday in Abeokuta in commemoration of the 54th birthday anniversary of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun.

Oluwole urged the Federal Government to facilitate the passage of the Act, “because most of the senior citizens have suffered untold hardship as a result of old age”.

“If animals can have their own rights in some countries, how much more human beings.”

She said that it had become imperative for the proposed bill to be passed into law to ensure adequate protection of the rights of senior citizens.

Oluwole also called for a periodic review of the nation’s pension laws to be commensurate with the inflation rate in the country.

She advised the senior citizens to always ensure periodic check of their blood pressure and their blood sugar level.

Oluwole identified some of the diseases that were associated with old age as arthritis, stroke, romanticism and insomnia, stressing that eating right, exercising and taking adequate rest would elongate lives.

Zamfara

The chairman of Zamfara State Primary Schools Assessment Committee Prof. Tukur Adamu, has promised to dig out the net bedevilling Primary Schools development in the state.

Adamu said the States’s Primary Education Board had made some discoveries of mismanagement in the sector in recent times, including the existence of over 1500 ghost teachers, adding that the committee would be intensive in its investigation and was likely to come up with more revelations.

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.