Nation

THE STATES

Published

13 years ago

May 1, 2013

Abuja

The Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN), says the Nigerian Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition (NTIFE), will focus on funding for the development of tourism in the country.

The maiden exhibition of the body which will hold from May 21 to May 22 in Abuja, is expected to feature seminar and exhibition of Nigerian tourism and hospitality destinations.

The National President of the association, Chief Samuel Alabi, told newsmen that the two-day event would address the issue of funding as a vital element in promoting development and maintenance of tourism products and destinations.

He, however, urged the Federal Government to give the tourism sector a commensurate attention given to the oil sector as a way of diversifying the nation’s economy.

Adamawa

The Chairman of Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Malam Mohammed Bako, says that a female police constable has been killed while three persons in detention were released by gunmen who attacked the Mayo-Belwa Police Station recently.

Bako made the disclosure while touring the scene of attack, saying that the gunmen used Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) in the attack.

“A female police constable, Rahila Azoko, was killed while a policeman was injured during the assault on the Divisional Police Station.

“Three civilians, including a security man, were also injured in the attack on banks.’’

Bauchi

Bauchi State Government has said that it spent about N10 billion to renovate and provide facilities at the Yankari Game Reserve.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Isa Yuguda, Mr Ishola Michael, stated this in Yankari, Bauchi State, while briefing members of the state chapter of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and Heads of Media Organisations.

Michael explained that the renovation, which started in 2005 during the tenure of the past administration, had been on-going, adding that the reserve now wore a befitting look.

According to him, when completed, the reserve will be leased out to private organisations or individuals for efficient management that will ensure the recouping of the money spent.

NAWOJ Chairperson in Bauchi, Hajiya Kaltume Shall later told newsmen that heads of media organisations in the state were includd in the programme because of their contribution to the development of journalism.

Benue

A 29-year-old man, Levi Achivin, has been arraigned before a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court, charged with illegal possession of firearm and criminal conspiracy.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Omaye Ujata, told the court that an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdulsalami Busari, arrested the accused while on patrol along Airforce Base in Makurdi.

Ujata said that Busari handed Achivin over to the State CID where one locally-made pistol and six live ammunitions were found on him.

Ujata said that the accused hails from of Tongov in the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue.

During interrogation, the accused admitted committing the offence.

Kaduna

The Kaduna State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service announced the arrest of 182 illegal aliens in Zaira.

The state Comptroller, Mr. Hamman Abdullahi-Yerima, told journalists shortly after the operation in Zaira, that the raid was to rid the state of illegal immigrants.

The comptroller said that arrangement had been made to repatriate them to their respective countries.

Those arrested had neither valid travel documents nor entered Nigeria through established controlled posts.

Abdullahi-Yerima attributed the influx of aliens to the country’s porous borders, saying thousands of motorcyclists were moving people illegally along the Nigeria/Niger border.

Kano

The Kano State Government has said it spent N238 million on the third batch of mass wedding for 1,000 couples in the state.

Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso announced this at a reception in honour of the couples held at the Government House in Kano.

Kwankwaso said government came up with the idea after counselling from Islamic clerics.

“They stressed the need to ease the hardship being encountered by the less privileged in the society who are in dire need of marriage.’’

The government gave out N20,000 to each bride to start a small scale business to complement the efforts of their husbands.

Kebbi

The Kebbi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (KPHDA), has received drugs worth N2.5 million from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency(NPHCDA) to combat outbreak of measles.

The Executive Director of KPHDA, Dr Abubakar Koko, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi recently that the drugs were distributed to primary healthcare clinics to combat the disease.

He said that the donation of the drugs from the NPHCDA was timely considering the fact that measles outbreak had been recorded, and had resulted into the isolation of victims.

Koko said that health personnel had been deployed to all local government areas of the state to combat the disease.

Kogi

President Goodluck Jonathan has called on the new Attah-Igala, Idakwo Ameh-Oboni II, to use his reign to bring peace, unity and development to the kingdom and the country.

The president made the call at the inauguration and presentation of first class staff of office to the new Atta Igala in Idah by Goveror Idris Wada of Kogi State.

Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, congratulated the monarch, and prayed for his peaceful and successful reign.

Presenting the staff of office to the Attah, Wada said the appointment followed due process and laid down rules, traditions and culture of the people.

Lagos

The Lagos State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods, has said that it had sealed about 30 illegal patent medicine stores in the Ajah-Lekki area of the state.

A statement in Lagos by the Lagos State Ministry of Health said that the state government was worried about the dangers posed by illegal drug hawkers.

It quoted the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Public Health, Dr Yewande Adesina as saying that their nefarious activities needed to be urgently curtailed.

The statement alerted members of the public to the risks and dangers of purchasing drugs from hawkers.

“The shops were sealed for offences ranging from sales of drugs without licence from the regulatory authorities, to failure to relocate from a market area/adherence to the mandated distance between a patent medicine shop and the market place, among others.

Nasarawa

The Commissioner of Police (CP) in Nasarawa State, Mr Abayomi Akeremale,has enjoined residents to join hands in providing security for lives and property, as it was a collective responsibility.

He stated this when he inaugurated a police post which was upgraded to a Divisional Police Station in Azara, Nasarawa State.

According to Akeremale, various security agencies need the support of all Nigerians in discharging their constitutional responsibilities.

He advised the traditional rulers, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) and the public to always furnish the police with useful information on activities of suspected criminals.

Akeremale said there was no hiding place for criminals in the state as the command was more determined to track them down and bring them to justice.

Ogun

The Board of Technical and Vocational Skills in Ogun State has advised students in institutions of higher learning to embrace technical and vocational skills.

The Chairperson of the board, Mrs Doyin Ogunbiyi, who gave the advice, said that acquiring skills would prevent students from depending desperately on white collar jobs after graduation.

Ogunbiyi spoke at a seminar organised by the Icon of Change Initiative, a non-governmental organisation at the Tai Solarin University of Education in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

She said that technical and vocational education was important part of higher education which all students must embrace to live fulfilled life styles.

She said that students should engage themselves in handiwork while in school for them to become useful, noting that the state government was making efforts to give priority to vocational education.

Oyo

The Police in Oyo State have arrested Alhaji Abass Oloko, a former vice-chairman of the State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim Wing) over alleged murder.

The Tide gathered that Oloko was picked up by the police at his house in Ibadan after policemen had laid an ambush for him .

Oloko was arrested in connection with the attempted killing of Chief Ayodele Adigun, a former Secretary to the State Government during the administration of former Governor Rasheed Ladoja.

The Tide learnt that Oloko was also being held in police custody as a suspect in the murder of one of Adigun’s guards on March 26.

Gunmen had invaded Adigun’s Ikolaba residence on March 26 and frantically searched the house for the former SSG.

Adigun was, however, lucky to have escaped unhurt since he was away to Ado Ekiti, in Ekiti State with former governor Rashidi Ladoja to formally inaugurate the state chapter of the Accord Party.

The state command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs Olabisi Ilobanefor said that Oloko was under interrogation over the murder of Adigun’s guard.

“We are interrogating him and if he is found culpable, your guess is as good as mine; he will face the music and be charged to court.

Zamfara

The Federal Government has said that it would soon dredge River Benue up to Yola fringes in Adamawa State.

Information Minister, Labaran Maku announced this at a town-hall meeting in Gusau as part of the on-going Good Governance Tour to Zamfara State.

Maku said the government had concluded arrangement for dredging that would pass through Benue and terminate in Yola.

He stated that the Federal Government had attained 50 per cent in the modern rail line project, which would at the end link up Kano and Abuja through Kaduna.

The minister explained that the tour was aimed at showcasing projects and programmes being executed by the different tiers of government and projecting same to the rest of the world.

While commending the Zamfara Government for ensuring peace in the state, Maku assured that the Federal Government would revive all collapsed dams in the country, open up new ones in Benue and Taraba.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

2 days 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 days 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

2 days 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.