Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Students of Technical College, Mubi in Adamawa, have commended the member representing Mubi North constituency in the House of Assembly, Alhaji Abubakar Jarengol, for rehabilitating and equipping the school library.
A representative of the students who is also the head boy, Abbas Suleiman, said the rehabilitation and equipping of the library with books and furniture was a big relief to the staff and students.
Suleiman said that Jarengol, a former student of the school, had proved to be a good old boy and should be emulated by others.
The head boy appealed to his fellow students to be committed to their studies so that one day they too could contribute their quota to the development of the school.
The principal of the school, Mr Reuben Manvi, also said that the school authorities and students would ever remain grateful to Jarengol for his good work.
“He is a worthy ambassador of this school and I will like to appeal to other old boys of this famous school to emulate him by complementing government efforts in catering for the growing needs of the school.’’
Bauchi
Hajiya Talatu Barwa, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Childs Development, said the ministry had established a centre for orphans and vulnerable children.
Barwa who stated this at this year’s Children’s Day celebration in Bauchi. She said the centre would ensure that the children were protected and provided with essential services.
Barwa said plans were on to stamp out child labor through collaborative work with the Federal Ministry of Labor and Productivity and the International Labor Organisation.
She urged the children to reciprocate government’s gesture by being responsible and avoiding deviant behaviour.
Gov. Isa Yuguda, who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Sager Sale, said the government had put in place several projects and programmes for the development of children in the state.
Borno
A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Support for Widows, Orphans and Tsangaya pupils (SWOT) on Sunday presented materials to Tsangaya schools in Maiduguri.
The SWOT Executive Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Bello, said that the materials were donated to uplift the living condition of the Almajiri pupils in the state.
The items were presented at a ceremony marking the maiden Almajiri Day in Maiduguri.
Bello explained that the NGO had made similar presentations to the vulnerable and less privileged groups in the society.
“You will recall that the wife of the governor requested for 100 tricycles for distribution to teachers of Tsangaya schools under the poverty alleviation programme. “She also provide electricity generating sets to some Tsangaya schools for evening classes as well as provided sowing machines and others items to widows to alleviate their sufferings,’’ Bello said.
He said that the provision of first aid boxes in the items distributed was to safe the lives of many Almajiri pupils, who often fell sick at the school.
Ekiti
The Teachers Development Needs Assessment (TDNA) in Ekiti will not lead to retrenchment of teachers but enhance their capacity.
Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti made the clarification, while speaking at the 2012 Children’s Day celebration on Sunday in Ado Ekiti.
Fayemi explained that TDNA was designed to revamp the education sector in the state and better the lot of teachers’ as well as that of the students.
“It is pertinent to say that while many have misconstrued government’s intention, we are convinced that it will better the lots of both the teachers and the students,” he said.
He vowed that his administration would ensure that the state returned to its leading position in the education sector as the fountain of knowledge.
Fayemi said the State Government had commenced the process of creating conducive environment for productive teaching and learning
Gombe
The Gombe State Government is to organise townhall meetings to generate feedback from the people on government policies and programmes to ensure provision of quality service.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Rev. Habu Dawaki said in Gombe on Sunday that the newly established Directorate of Orientation and Ethics, would coordinate the programme.
“We will soon start town hall meetings in various communities in the state; local governments and ward levels. “These town hall meetings will be a means where we will publicise government activities and programmes. ‘It will also be an avenue where we will receive feedbacks as to how people think so that from there, government will know what it ought to do in so many areas,” he said.
Dawaki said the government had constructed 51 roads, provided fertiliser, expanded the Gombe Greater Water Scheme, electrified 55 communities and installed solar traffic lights across the state, among some of its achievements.
He said Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo had approved the estabilshment of a state Ethics and Moral Committee that would champion attitudinal changes in people.
Kaduna
Alhaji Rilwanu Shehu, Chairman, Interim Management Committee, Soba Local Government Area in Kaduna State, said the council procured 100 trucks of fertilisers at N100 million for this year’s farming season.
He told our correspondent in Soba headquarters of the council on Sunday that farmers in the area would enjoy 50 per cent subsidy.
“We are going to sell the fertilisers to our farmers at half the price; this is part of government’s efforts to assist the farmers. “Our aim is to encourage mass agricultural production in the area to reduce the level of poverty amongst the people.’’
Shehu gave the assurance that the fertilisers would be distributed judiciously to all categories of farmers with emphasis on peasant farmers.
The chairman appealed to the farmers to be patient as sales of the commodity would commence soon.
Shehu lauded Gov. Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State for embarking on developmental projects in the area.
“We are grateful to the state government for constructing a road that links Soba with Ikara, where you can now spend 15 minutes instead of two hours. “The road has been upgraded and standard bridges were constructed, now you can move comfortably on this road.’’
According to him, work is also ongoing on Gujungu-Turawa-Dinya road.
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
