Nation

THE STATES

Published

13 years ago

December 11, 2013

Bauchi

The first batch of Christian pilgrims from Bauchi State last Sunday left for Abuja on their way to Jerusalem for pilgrimage.

The state Head of Service and the leader of the delegation, Mr Abdin Dalla-Gin, said while addressing the prospective pilgrims that arrangements had been concluded to stop any pilgrim from defecting in Israel.

Dalla-Gin also called on the pilgrims to pray for peace in the state and Nigeria at large.

He said government had given the assurance the operation would be hitch-free.

Borno

Senator Ali Ndume (PDP-Borno), says, said security agen

cies in the country have the capacity to end the insurgency in the North East.

Ndume, who made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri, also urged the security agencies to take proactive measures to end the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Boko Haram is a calamity that befell our country but I think our security agencies have the capacity to end the whole thing in a short time.

“I think the problem we are having is that of strategy. The security agencies need to apply new strategy to end the problem’’, he said.

Ekiti

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, has warned

against any effort to distort the history of the Yoruba race so as not to jeopardize the people’s culture and misinform the younger generation.

The monarch gave the warning in Ado-Ekiti last Monday, at the launch of “Ekiti Historical and Royal Compendium”, a book written by all traditional rulers in Ekiti State.

Sijuade lamented that those involved in the distortion of the history of the Yoruba people had reduced the race to a “laughing stock”.

The Ooni said that for centuries, the Yoruba race had no “other source than the cradle, Ile-ife”, regretting, however, that many facts about the existence of the race had been distorted.

FCT

The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) said

it had constituted a task team to complete ongoing rehabilitation of roads to ensure they became functional throughout the Christmas season.

The Chairman of the agency, Mr Jide Adeniji, told newsmen in Abuja that the team would specifically ensure that the rehabilitated roads were free for motorists especially during the festive season.

“We have already constituted a task team for free passage of vehicles during the yuletide for the 34,120 kilometre-road network.

“Last year I went on air and said if there is a failure nobody should take Mr President for such a failure, they should hold me responsible. And by the special grace of God most of the roads are passable”.

Gombe

Malam Umar Adamu, Chairman of the Academic Staff

Union of Universities (ASUU), Gombe State University (GSU) chapter, has expressed concern over the exodus of Nigerian students to other countries for studies.

Adamu, who criticised the situation, said in Gombe last Monday that it was not for the educational development of the country. He expressed concern over the movement of the students to other countries that had lesser quality of staff.

He said the problems in the education system in the country was attributable to incessant and lingering crises in the sector.

The chairman advised government to honour its agreement with the union to restore confidence in the system.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State command of the Nigeria Security and

Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has in its custody, a 23-year-old man (name withheld) who allegedly threatened to kill his father.

The NSCDC Commandant in the state, Mr Muhammad Gidado, newsmen in Dutse that the suspect was arrested in Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

The commandant said “the father told us that the suspect came home drunk and he (the father) tried to counsel him to desist from taking drugs.

“The suspect then brought out a knife and threatened to kill the father if he did not leave him alone.’’

Kaduna

The Federal Government, said the planned deregulation

of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry was to ensure availability of products to Nigerians.

The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said this in Kaduna during an inspection tour of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC).

Maku said deregulation was the best solution to problems in the sector.

He added that middlemen and other players in the industry had taken advantage of government’s monopoly in the industry to shortchange the country.

Kwara

A group, the Magaji/Alangua Forum in Ilorin, has called

on politicians in Kwara to shun politics with bitterness in order to ensure steady development of the State.

The group made the call in a statement signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Abdulwahab Issah, and made available to newsmen in Ilorin.

The statement said the high chiefs in five local government areas of the emirate, including Issah, the Alajagusi of Ajagusi in Asa LGA, appealed to the politicians to bury their differences.

In the statement, the chiefs urged the politicians to work together in peace and harmony in the interest of the people and the development of the state.

Lagos

A Catholic cleric, Rev. Father Philip Obasi, has described

advent “as a time of repentance and holiness in preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ.’’

Obasi, an Associate Parish Priest, Saint Patrick Catholic Church, Alaba, Lagos, made the remark while delivering his homily.

The homily was delivered at St. Anthony Catholic Church out-station, Okoko in a Holy Mass to commemorate the second week in advent.

He called on Christians to imbibe the virtue of repentance, so as to demonstrate true Christian faith.

“‘It is a time for repentance and holiness, in preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. There is need for Christians to have deep sober reflections on their daily lives.

Nasarawa

Governor Umar AI-Makura of Nasarawa State has presented N21.4 billion Supplementary Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly for consideration.

Majority Leader of the House, Mr Godiya Akwashiki, who presented the governor’s letter, said the bill was to address the security challenges facing the state.

The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ahmed Musa, directed the Clerk to schedule the bill for further legislative action.

Governor AI-Makura had on December 2, 2012, submitted a budget estimate of N107 billion for 2013.

Niger

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has ordered the enforcement of the traffic law banning the operations of commercial motorcyclists in Minna from Jan. 2, 2014.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Danladi Ndayebo, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, made available to newsmen in Minna.

The statement said adequate arrangements had been made to cushion the effect of the ban.

It added that the Ministry of Transportation had received 1,000 tricycles in addition to eight units of 18-seater buses.

Ogun

The Ogun State government said that it had earmarked N400 million and flood control in 2014.

The state Commissioner for Envrionment, Mr Ayo Olubori, made this known in Abeokuta while defending the 2014 budget proposal of the ministry at the House of Assembly complex.

Olubori also said that the ministry had proposed N513 million for the purchase of trucks for effective service delivery adding that the ministry would construct 8,303-metre-long drainage channels across the three senatorial districts of the state.

The commissioner put the targeted for 2014 at N157.3 million while N2.2 billion had been budgeted as total expenditure.

He further said that N878 million was budgeted as recurrent expenditure while N1.3 billion was earmarked for capital expenditure.

Plateau

Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, Archbishop of Catholic Archdiocese of Jos has called on Christians to emulate people with exemplary lives like former South African President, Nelson Mandela.

Kaigama made the call during his pastoral visit to the Church of Immaculate Conception (CIC) Parish, Zaramaganda, Jos.

The Archbishop said that by emulating good people, their legacy would continue to impact on society.

“The Catholic Church had long identified such and had been immortalising people that lived righteous and exemplary lives as saints.

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.