Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

April 12, 2012

Adamawa

Women Education Empower Initiative (WEEIN), an NGO, says it trained 120 women in different skills in Adamawa.

Addressing the trainees at their graduation ceremony in Yola, the Chairperson of WEEIN, Hajiya Zainab Nyako, urged them to make good use of the training, to become self-reliant.

Nyako, who is also the wife of the Adamawa governor, urged them to form cooperative societies, to enable them source loans and assistance to establish their businesses.

She said WEEIN would assist them secure registration with relevant bodies and organisations, such as NAFDAC for their products.

Benue

The Commissioner for Education in Benue State, Dr Elizabeth Ugo, has charged the host community of the College of Advanced and Professional Studies (CAPS) to support the college to enable them benefit from the institution.

Ugo made the call in Makurdi at a meeting between the college management and the host community.

The commissioner was represented by Dr Jem Tor-Anyiin, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry.

She said the institution needed absolute peace to enable it to operate effectively for the overall benefit of the state in particular and the country at large.

Ekiti

The Ekiti State Government has concluded arrangements to provide jobs for 1,500 youths under its Youth Commercial Agriculture Development Programme (YCAD).

The move is aimed at reducing unemployment in the state and ensuring that agriculture contributes 50 per cent of the state’s Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR).

The initiative is also intended to turn the Farm Settlements in the state into Centres of Excellence in Agriculture and ensure all-round production of cash crops in the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Babajide Arowosafe, disclosed these in an interview with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti.

FCT

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has advised Nigerians to ensure they know their HIV/AIDS status before planning marriage.

The Director General of the agency, Prof. John Idoko, told newsmen in Abuja that most Nigerians would usually wait until they were about going into marriage before they go for tests to know their status.

“Nigerians should not wait until when planning their marriage or when they are sick before knowing their status. It is advisable to go for voluntary counselling and testing early.

Kano

A Kano-based environmentalist, Malam Haruna Balarabe, has advised residents to clear their drainage ahead of the rainy season.

Balarabe, who gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Kano said that it would prevent the state from being flooded during the season.

“Everybody has an obligation to contribute to the environment and prevent it from being affected by disasters because disasters affect everyone,’’ he said.

Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested four suspected drug traffickers, including two men who ingested 124 wraps of liquid cocaine sealed in condoms.

NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju said in a statement issued in Lagos that the liquid cocaine, weighing 3.3kg, was poured into male condoms before it was ingested by the suspects.

The statement added that the two suspects excreted 70 and 54 wraps of the oily cocaine.

Niger

Governor of Niger State Babangida Aliyu has promised to sponsor interested directors in the state civil service to obtain masters degree in their fields of specialisation.

Aliyu made this known in Minna during an interactive session with Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and Directors in the service.

He expressed the hope that the gesture would impact positively on their service delivery.

According to him, directors with more than five years before retirement from service will receive full grant, while those with less then three years will receive half of the cost of their education.

Oyo

The Oyo State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr Yunus Akintunde, says the 50 roads being constructed by the state government will be inaugurated in May.

Akintunde said this while inspecting construction work on the Wakajiye, Isebo–Papa, Olosan and Ajibode Alfonso-Apete roads in Ibadan.

The commissioner, who expressed satisfaction with the level of performance of the contractors, appealed to benefiting communities to monitor the projects to ensure quality jobs.

He said the ongoing road and bridge projects would cost N11 billion, adding that the initiative was to make life more meaningful to the people of the state.

Sokoto

The Federal Government has spent more than N5 billion on the 35 Model Almajiri Schools established nationwide, since the project began in December 2010.

The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund ( TETF), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, told newsmen in Sokoto that the schools were not part of the 51 currently being constructed by the Universal Basic Education Commission.

Yakubu, who was in Sokoto for the inauguration of one of the schools on Tuesday by President Goodluck Jonathan, said the schools were located in the 18 northern states and that 10 of the schools had boarding facilities.

Taraba

The Nigeria-Sao Tome and Principe Joint Development Authority has donated a block of hostel worth N22.5 million to the Government Secondary School, Jalingo.

The Acting Chairman of the Authority, Mr Collins Kalabare, made the donation in Jalingo on behalf of the two countries.

He said the donation of the female hostel was one of the numerous benefits in the cooperation between the two sister countries which shared common economic interest in their Joint Development Zone (JDZ) in the Gulf of Guinea.

Yobe

The Yobe Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Idi Gubana has said that a comprehensive transport system and fertiliser distribution network would be provided for farmers, this cropping season.

The commissioner disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu.

He explained that ministries of Agriculture, Youth Development and Local Government Affairs “were working on a convenient means of transport for farmers across the state in view of the ban on motorcycles”.

Idi said that arrangements had reached advanced stage to provide farmers with alternative transport in the 17 local government areas in the state.

Zamfara

The Acting Governor of Zamfara, Alhaji Ibrahim Wakkala, has ordered the demolition of part of the on-going water treatment plant at Talata Mafara over non-adherence to contract specifications.

Wakkala ordered the demolition after an inspection visit to the project site.

The project, which was awarded at N6.7 billion, is expected at its completion, to provide five million gallons of treated water to Talata Mafara, Maradun, Bakura and Maru Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

The acting governor expressed reservation on the competence of the contractor handling the job.

Wakkala also directed that part of the project must be demolished and adjusted to meet the specified standard.

He said that engineering consultants handling the projects had raised observations over the contractor’s violation of contract agreement, which made the government to take action to forestall poor job completion

He said the government would not compromise quality and standard in any job it awarded in line with its principle of transparency and accountability.

Wakkala directed the State Ministry of Water Resources to invite the company for further discussions so as to ensure that every part of the project was done in accordance with the design and contract agreement.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Adullahi Abdulkadir said the project consisted of a five million gallon capacity water treatment plant, laboratory, office complex and a staff canteen.

He said the project was first awarded by the immediate past administration to supply water toTalata Mafara and Maradun LGAs, pointing out that it was reviewed and expanded to cover Maru and Bakura LGAs.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

4 weeks 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

4 weeks 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.

Nation

Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

Published

4 weeks ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

Residents of Ajah, Mafoluku and other flood-prone communities in Lagos have recounted how Thursday’s torrential rainfall left them stranded, submerged homes and cut off access to major roads.

The residents, who spoke with Tide source, on Friday called for urgent government intervention to tackle the recurring flooding blamed on poor drainage infrastructure.

Along Mobil Road in Ajah, Mrs Rukayat said floodwaters submerged about 200 metres of the road, forcing commuters to wade through waist-deep water.

“The water level was almost up to my lap. People literally had to wade through it to get home,” she said.

According to her, many motorists turned back, while others abandoned their vehicles and continued their journeys on foot.

“The only way to pass through the water was by walking or using a tricycle. Even then, the tricycles broke down and had to be pushed,” she said.

Rukayat said some youths assisted stranded tricycle operators by pushing their vehicles through flooded sections for a fee.

She said residents had repeatedly alerted authorities to the flooding but little had changed.

“We reported this when the rains started, but apparently nothing has been done about the problem,” she said.

She attributed the flooding to poor drainage and possible blockage of a major canal serving the area.

“There is a big canal here, but I don’t know what is preventing water from flowing through it properly,” she said.

According to her, overgrown vegetation and sand deposits might have obstructed the canal, reducing its capacity to discharge stormwater.

She added that although floodwaters usually receded after a few hours, sections of the road remained waterlogged.

In Mafoluku, residents said several streets, homes and access roads were submerged, leaving many unable to return home after going about their daily activities.

Mrs Iriagbonse Okunkpolor, a resident of Agboola Street, said what began as a short trip to buy household items became an hours-long ordeal.

“I left my house to buy a few items nearby, but the rain started suddenly and flooded the entire street.

“I was stranded for hours because there was no safe way back home,” she said.

Another resident, Mr Mukaila Idris, described the flooding as both dangerous and distressing.

“The current was very strong. I watched people pay young men to carry them across the water because they were afraid of being swept away or falling,” he said.

According to him, only physically fit residents could navigate the floodwaters safely, while many others waited several hours for the water level to subside.

Mr Williams Ekpo, who lives in the Eyinogun area, said the flood extended beyond the roads and entered residential compounds.

“The floodwater entered our compound and damaged some household items.

“This happens almost every rainy season, yet nothing seems to be done to address the drainage problem,” he said.

The residents urged the relevant authorities to investigate the persistent flooding and improve drainage infrastructure to prevent a recurrence during the rainy season.