Nation

THE STATES

Published

13 years ago

April 8, 2013

FCT

The police last Thursday in Abuja arraigned a hair stylist, Mr Martin Asayande of Mpape, before a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court for allegedly cheating his employer.

The police prosecutor, Francis Tanko told the court that Asayande cheated Charles Daniel, who runs the Sleek Salon in Wuse 2 on March 28.

Tanko said that sometime in Dec. 2012, Asayande collected a loan of N50, 000 from Daniel on an agreement that N10, 000 would be deducted monthly from his salary.

He said Asayande paid N10, 000 for the month of December and absconded with the balance of N40, 000 until March 29 when he was arrested.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

Gombe

Ashaka Cement Company in Gombe State said it had trained and resettled 70 youths on various skills acquisition as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative in host communities.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the trainees in Ashaka on Thursday the Managing Director, Mr Neeraj Akhoury, said the idea was conceived two years ago when he assumed office.

Learning and Development Manager of the company, Malam Tukur Lawal, who also oversees the training, commended the participants for conducting themselves in a good manner.

He said the 70 started well, while one of the participants died after a brief illness and that the participants would be issued two certificates, one from the company and one by the Federal Ministry of labour.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State government said last Thursday in Dutse that it vaccinated more than 600,000 cattle, sheep and goats in the last four months under a comprehensive animal vaccination exercise.

Miko said that 430,050 cattle were vaccinated against contagious pneumonia, while 212,123 sheep and goats were immunised against ruminants’ diseases.

He explained that other animals such as dogs were also vaccinated against rabies across the 27 local government areas of the state in the ongoing exercise.

Miko said the vaccination was designed to control outbreak of contagious animal diseases and encourage livestock production.

Kano

Eminent persons, including the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, last Thursday attended a special prayer for sustainable peace and stability in Kano state and Nigeria.

The prayer, which was organised by the Kano State government in collaboration with the Kano Emirate Council, was also attended by the state Deputy Gov., Dr Abdullahi Ganduje and members of the state executive council.

The session witnessed the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, after which the chief Imam prayed for peace, stability and the security of lives and property nationwide.

Kebbi

The Kebbi Urban Development Authority (KUDA) has embarked on evacuation of drainages in the metropolis to prevent flood in the coming rainy season.

General Manager of KUDA, Alhaji Aliyu Galadima ssaid in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, that the measure was to avoid the devastation by flood this year as predicted by NIMET.

Galadima said that drainages in flood prone areas at Rafin Atiku and Sabuwar kasuwa had been cleared while the clearance would be sustained in other urban centers.

He said the authority was against construction of structures along areas prone to flood and lamented that farmlands had been transformed into buildings without authorisation.

Kwara

The Third Eye Group, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), last Thursday said it raised N6 million for the rehabilitation of some primary schools in IIorin Emirate.

The Chairman of the NGO, Dr Yusuf Lawal, said in an interview in IIorin, the fund, which was contributed by members of the group, would be used to rehabilitate some public primary schools in the IIorin emirate.

He said the money would be used to provide infrastructure, teaching aids and other education materials for the selected schools in five local government areas of the emirate.

Nasarawa

The Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, Justice Suleiman Dikko, last Thursday promised to decongest prisons in the state.

Addressing inmates during a visit to Keffi Prison, Dikko said,“Decongestion of prisons cannot be handled by the judiciary alone. It needs the collaboration of the Police, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and other stakeholders.’’

He called on magistrates and area courts judges to apply the necessary sections of the law before remanding accused persons in prison custody.

“Some of the inmates are unjustly and unconstitutionally remanded,” he said.

Ogun

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) last Thursday said availability of ICT facilities at the grassroots was key to the attainment of Vision 20:2020.

The Director-General of NITDA, Prof. Cleopas Angaye, made the remark at the inauguration of eight ICT centres facilitated by Abiodun Akinlade, a member representing Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency.

Angaye said that the NITDA would continue to focus on provision of ICT in rural areas to enhance internet penetration and deployment of ICT services in the rural areas of the country.

Ondo

An Akure Magistrates’ Court last Thursday remanded a 32-year-old policeman, Alonge Abdul, in prison custody for allegedly killing one Mrs Segi Olajiga.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Charity Adeyanju, ordered that the accused be remanded in Olokuta Prison, pending an advice from the office of the Ondo State Director of Public Prosecutions.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, ASP. Ayodele Atandeyi, told the court thatthe accused person unlawful killed Olajiga, noting that the accused committed the offence on April 2, at about 6:30 p.m. at Plaza Hotel Junction in Akure.

Oyo

The late Publisher of the Nigerian Tribune, Chief Oluwole Awolowo, approved the payment of the National Minimum Wage for staff of the media house on his sick bed.

The Managing Director of Nigerian Tribune, Mr Edward Dickson, disclosed this on Thursday in Ibadan when a three-man delegation of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) visited the media house on a condolence visit.

The team, which was led by NGE president, Mr Femi Adesina, had as members Mr Isaac Ighure, the Secretary of the guild, and Mrs Funke Egbemode, the Social/Publicity Secretary.

He said the late scion of the Awolowo family was committed to staff welfare in the 27 years that he was in charge of the Tribune titles.

Plateau

The Plateau State Government has banned brothels operation and directed operators to immediately close them.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Abraham Yiljap, said in Jos on Thursday after the weekly State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Jonah Jang, that government had never endorsed the operations of the brothels.

He stressed that revenue officers had always been cautioned against visiting such areas to source revenue and described brothels as “detrimental’’ to the spiritual well being of the Plateau people.

Taraba

The Federal Government says it will register 25, 000 farmers in Taraba under the 2013 National Farmer’s Registration exercise.

The North East Zonal Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Samuel Adaji, made this known in an interview in Jalingo on Thursday.

Adaji said the ministry had released at least 12, 000 forms to each of the 16 Local Governments since the commencement of the exercise on March 20.

He said the registration, which would be conducted at ward levels, was in line with the Federal Government’s transformation agenda and he assured of gender balance in the enumeration exercise, saying women interest was captured.

Zamfara

The Fadama III programme Coordinating Department in Zamfara, has disbursed N4.2 million to 1,000 Fadama User Groups to undertake community development projects.

The state Coordinator, Alhaji Aliyu Altine, disclosed this on Thursday while inaugurating some of the projects in Shinkafi. The projects inaugurated includes eight blocks of market stalls, eight VIP toilets and a modern slaughter room.

He said the programme had provided 550 tube wells and wash bores, 2,250 water pumps, as well as 825 sets of work bulls to various fadama groups 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.