Nation

THE STATES

Published

13 years ago

May 20, 2013

Bauchi

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Bauchi State has called on wives of the local government chairmen in the state to educate rural women on government policies and gender mainstreaming issues.

Director of the agency, Hajiya Jummai Liman-Bello made the call in an interview last Friday in Bauchi.

She said that the measure would foster better understanding of gender mainstreaming issues by women at the grassroots, and commended the state’s Ministry for Women Affairs for enlightening the wives of top government functionaries in the state on gender issues.

FCT

A former Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI), Mr Anthony Ubani, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for showing courage and good judgement in slamming state of emergency on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.

In a statement in Abuja last Thursday, Ubani described the president’s state of emergency declaration as a bold and constitutional move, designed to arrest the mindless bloodletting in some parts of the north.

He expressed his optimism that the president’s action would restore peace, law and order in the three states that had been under siege because of the activities of the Islamist Boko Haram sect.

Jigawa

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Jigawa last Thursday appealed to the state assembly to enact laws to prohibit the sales of illicit drugs and substances.

The Commandant of the NDLEA, Malam Ibrahim Abdu, who made the appeal in an interview in Dutse said this had become necessary in view of the proliferation and abuse of drugs, including cough syrup, forte-win injection, rubber solution, tramol, and local gin (ogogoro), among others.

He said that the trade had persisted in the state because there were no laws banning the sales and consumption of these substances.

Lagos

One person is suspected to have died in a collapsed building located at Godo Blocks Estate, Ibereko in Badagry last Saturday.

The victim, Kehinde Williams (28), a carpenter, was working in the building when it collapsed.

An eyewitness, who visited the scene, learnt that the building collapsed about 10a.m. but the rescue work did not begin till 12.24p.m.

An eyewitness said that the deceased was trying to remove the planks from the deck of the building when it collapsed.

“At about 10a.m., Kehinde came to the building to remove the planks from the deck recently constructed.

“From our observations, it appeared that the blocks used for the construction were not of high quality and the cement was not yet dry before he started removing the planks from the deck.

“It was while removing the planks that the building collapsed,” the witness said.

The source said if attention was immediately rendered to the victim, he might still be alive.

Kaduna

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), last Thursday said it would constitute a team that would monitor the conduct of the military in enforcing the state of emergency declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

The decision was contained in a statement issued by the ACF Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Fati Ibrahim after its National Executive Council meeting chaired by Alhaji Aliko Mohammed in Kaduna.

Sani-Sidi made the call last Thursday in Abuja when he received a delegation from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), on a tour of the agency.

The director-general said that the collaboration among government institutions, individuals and critical stakeholders would safeguard lives, property and vital infrastructure, as well as sustain the development of the country.

Kano

Bayero University Kano (BUK), has indicated interest to partner with universities in Saudi Arabia in the area of science, technology and staff exchange.

This is contained in the official bulletin of the university issued by its Publications and Documentation Unit and made available to newsmen in Kano recently.

According to the bulletin, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Abubakar Rasheed, made the proposal to the Consul-General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Majid Muhammad Al-khatani when he visited him.

Katsina

The Katsina State Government has begun the disbursement of N35.8 million under its Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme to 6, 966 primary school girls in the state.

The Special Adviser to Gov. Ibrahim Shema on Girl-child Education and Development, Hajiya Bilkisu Kaikai, said the amount was being disbursed to selected pupils under the fifth round of the programme.

She said while issuing out the grant to some of the beneficiaries at Unguwar Tsamiya village in Kaita Local Government Area of the state recently, that each of the girls would receive N5,000.

She added that the money was to support pupils from very poor homes in the pursuit of primary school education and urged parents in the state to enrol their wards especially girls into schools.

Kogi

The Kogi State Government is to partner with a U.S. firm, Carghil, to establish a starch company at Agbadu in the Kogi West Senatorial District.

Gov. Idris Wada, who made the announcement in Lokoja recently, said that the company would also produce sucrose and other sweeteners to be used in the manufacturing of other products. He said that the company would source its raw materials from a special variety of cassava which it intended to introduce to Nigeria through the Kogi Government, adding that 15, 000 hectares of land has been allocated to the company.

Oyo

The Chairman, National Certification Committee for Guinea Worm Eradication, Prof. Kayode Oyediran, has expressed optimism that Nigeria would be certified free of guinea worm by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“I believe we will be certified fully in June when the International Certification Team of the WHO comes to Nigeria for the final assessment,’’ he told newsmen in Ibadan last Saturday.

Oyediran spoke on the sideline of the sensitisation meeting organised by the Nigeria Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (NIGEP).

The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan said the WHO certification team would be concerned about the number of the disease’s “rumoured cases and actual cases’’ during the period.

Plateau

Rep Godfrey Gaiya (PDP-Kaduna) has suggested the return of mobile police check points to deter criminals, especially in flash points around the country.

The lawmaker said in Jos that “their mere presence is enough to scare many criminals”.

Gaiya said that such complaints were nothing compared to the usefulness of the road blocks to the Nigerian society.

He blamed the massive insecurity on the absence of the police on the roads and decried a situation where criminals could travel very long distances without being accosted with their loots or illegal arms.

Sokoto

The Minister of Youth Development, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, has restated the commitment of the Federal Government to maximise the desired impact of the NYSC programme on national unity.

Abdulkadir said this in Sokoto Wednesday at the opening of the 2013 Annual Management Conference of the NYSC scheme, recently.

He noted that the NYSC Programme was in tandem with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The theme of the conference is “The Relevance of NYSC to National Development: Achievements, Challenges, Prospects and the Way Forward.’’

Abdulkadir, however, said that the scheme would have recorded greater successes but for the current security challenges.

Zamfara

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, says police will now strengthen partnership with communities to identify potential national security threats.

The IG said this on Saturday in Gusau at the opening of a one-day Intelligence Sensitisation and Community Partnership Workshop.

Abubakar, who was represented on the occasion by the AIG North West Zone, Suleiman Fakai, said partnership with communities would now take “central role in preventing and responding to terrorism and reducing citizens’ security concerns”.

The measure, according to him, will also enhance national security, protection of lives and property and stabilise democracy.

He said through community vigilance, an effective policing of the society would be ensured as more useful information on criminals and their activities would be forthcoming.

He said the workshop, which also involved the participation of media practitioners, would encourage newsmen to assist in reducing tension.

He said through feedback methods, “the media can also help to monitor and evaluate government performances to meet the minimum expectations of the people”.

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.