Nation

THE STATES

Published

13 years ago

March 22, 2013

Benue

The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) hasintroduced cargo delivery services in Benue State.

The Area Postal Manager in Benue, Mrs Mmayen Ujong, made the announcement at the inauguration of a post office cargo outlet for Mbayion Community in Gboko Local Government Area of the state.

Ujong explained that the cargo delivery service would include the postage of farm produce such as yams, rice and oil.

Others include Expedited Mail Service, bulk post and parcel post.

Borno

The Borno State Government has said it would overhaul the Sanda Kyarimi Zoological Garden, Maiduguri, in a bid to attract more patronage.

The Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zannah Mustapha, on a visit to the garden said that the garden had lost its status as the main tourists attraction in the state capital.

Mustapha gave the assurance that the state government would address the problem by putting in place mechanism to revive the garden.

He said: “The garden used to be the main centre of attraction for visitors in the past, but unfortunately, the situation has changed for the worst now”.

Kaduna

Seventeen workers of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State, have been relieved of their appointments by the authorities of the institution.

The Acting Registrar of the institution, Malam Ahmed Kundila, announced this in a special news bulletin issued in Zaria.

The bulletin reads: “The Governing Council of ABU at its (Regular) meeting held on January 25 and 26, 2013, considered the report of the senior staff disciplinary committee on some cases of staff discipline referred to it by the management.

“The nature of the offences ranged from violation of study fellowship, leave of absence to gross misconduct.”

Kano

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said that the proposed plan by the PDP to amend its constitution would not succeed.

Atiku made the remarks while fielding questions from newsmen after he paid a courtesy call on Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso, at the Government House, Kano.

“The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives any interested Nigerian the right to contest for any position of his or her choice.

“It is also unconstitutional as far as the PDP constitution is concerned. Nobody should stop anybody from contesting for an election,” he said.

Kebbi

The Yauri Local Government of Kebbi State has started pro-active measures to prevent the outbreak of measles and meningitis in the state.

The council Chairman, Alhaji Bala Mohammad, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that adequate drugs had been procured against the child-killer diseases.

He said that a centre to cater for victim of the diseases had been established while health awareness enlightenment campaigns had been intensified.

Mohammad, who did not disclose the amount involved, said there was no outbreak of measles in the area, adding that threats of any outbreaks would be guarded against.

Kwara

The Federal Ministry of Education in Ilorin has inaugurated a Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship programme for the 2013/2014 session.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyat Rufai in a speech, said that selected students in six states in the North central zones including the FCT would be interviewed for the programme.

She said that the sholarship programme was as a result of the partnership the country had with its international agencies on education exchange programme.

Lagos

The absence of the judge last Tuesday stalled hearing in a case of production of a killer teething syrup preferred against the Barewa Pharmaceutical Company Ltd.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) charged the company with producing an adulterated teething syrup –My Pikin – before Justice Okechukwu Okeke of a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Trial in the case was to continue last Tuesday, but Okeke was not available. He was said to be at a conference in Abuja. The trial will now continue on April 15.

Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, has arrested 62 suspected fake corps members, including a nursing mother, at an illegal orientation camp.

The Commandant, Mr Andekin Musa, told newsmen in Lafia.

He said men of the command, acting on a tip-off, arrested the fake corps members last Sunday at a hidden camp near Government Secondary School, Tammah in Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.

He said among those arrested were 44 females and 18 males.

According to him, one Mr Chinedu, believed to be the coordinator and director of the camp, is still at-large.

Ondo

The Federal Government has in Akure advised the Ondo State Government to make the provision of water supply its priority.

The National Commissioner, Strategic Communications, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Dr Adewumi Abitoye gave the advice while fielding questions from newsmen in Akure.

Abitoye was speaking shortly after leading a team on inspection of the Owena dam and water treatment site.

He expressed concern over the shortage of water supply despite the enormous investment made in the execution of the Owena Multi-purpose Dam and the multi-billion Naira water treatment plant in Igbaraoke in Ifedore LGA of the state.

Ogun

Ogun State Government will pay more attention to the prevention of non-communicable diseases, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Olalokun Soyinka, has said.

The commissioner said this in Abeokuta at a three-day Cardio Metabolic Care Clinic Plan Capacity building programme organised for health workers in the state.

Soyinka said that some of the non-communicable diseases included diabetes and hypertension.

He bemoaned the high rate of diabetic patients in the country, saying that an average Nigerian family owns a diabetic patient.

Osun

The Fiscal Responsibility Commission, has commended the contractor handling the on-going construction of the Gbongan-Iwo road in Osun State.

The commendation was made in Gbongan, Osun, by the Commissioner representing the South-West in the commission, Dr Adewunmi Abitoye, who visited the project site.

Abitoye, however, attributed the slow pace of the project to inadequate funding.

Our correspondent reports that the 30.2 kilometre Gbongan-Iwo road was awarded in 2011 at over N7 billion.

The budgetary allocation for the project since 2011 had been N500million, resulting in the current 31 per cent execution.

Oyo

The Managing Director of Odu’a Investment Company Limited (OICL), Mr Adebayo Jimoh in Ibadan said that the Sketch Newspaper was not dead, but “ resting.’’

Jimoh said this at the public presentation of a report by the Odu’a Group-Ex-Sketch Staff Reconciliation Committee on the paper’s crisis.

‘‘Sketch is not dead, but only resting and waiting for a messiah to revive it,’’ Jimoh said.

The Odu’a-Ex-Staff of Sketch Press Limited Reconciliation Committee was set up in September 2012 to look into complaints of the former workers.

Zamfara

The Zamfara State Government is to relocate three communities living in flood-prone areas, as part of measures to avert loss of lives and property due to incessant floods in the state.

The Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Mukhtar Lugga, said at a news briefing in Gusau that the government would relocate residents of Jangeru and Dole villages in Shinkafi, and parts of Moriki in Zurmi Local Government areas.

He, however, said that the relocation was being hampered by the delay in the release of the state’s share of Ecological Fund by the Federal Government.

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.