Nation

THE STATES

Published

13 years ago

December 18, 2013

Adamawa

A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees

member, Prof. Jibril Aminu, last Monday, called for provisions in the constitution to check defection by elected political office holders in the country.

Aminu, a former Senator, said at a rally in Yola that the ongoing constitution review should consider forcing elected office holders to leave office whenever they defected from the party that brought them to office.

He also called for the removal of immunity clause and the inclusion of stiffer penalty for corruption practice.

Ekiti

The Director-General, Ekiti State Centre for Arts and

Culture, Mrs Yetunde Fosudo, said that cultural festivals could be utilised to enhance the wellbeing of the people.

She said this in an interview with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti.

Fosudo said that cultural festivals were a potent means of celebrating the people and their cultural heritage.

“Culture is a way of life of the people and their communities.

“Cultural festivals serve as means whereby people display and showcase their culture and ways of life to the world,’’ she said.

FCT

The Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission

(CAC), Alhaji Bello Mahmud, said in Abuja that the CAC’s goal was to be able to register companies within two hours, anywhere in Nigeria.

Mahmud in a lecture: Nigeria’s New Business Environment and CAC’s Intervention,’’ said it had been able to reduce the period of registration of companies from five days to 24 hours.

The registrar-general, at the 3rd Annual Seminar for Trade and Investment Correspondents and Editors, said that its activities had helped to expose “the wonder banks“ in the country.

“Our collaboration with the EFCC, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other financial agencies have exposed over 370 `wonder banks` out of 400 ones that were investigated.

Gombe

The Gombe State Government has empowered 233

trainees in various skills with equipment and funds in Dukku and Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Areas of the state.

The beneficiaries were trained under the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Office.

Special Adviser to Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo on MDGs, Alhaji Adamu Audi, announced this at the graduation ceremony of the trainees in Deba, headquarters of Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area.

Jalingo

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) last Monday said that

it had trained 1000 youths on welding, cell phone repairs and yam flour processing in Taraba.

The ITF Area Manager, Yola Office, Alhaji Saleh Garba, said in an interview in Jalingo that the training started in September and was held in Jalingo, Wukari and Bali local government areas.

Garba said that the objective of the training was to empower the youths to start their own businesses so as to reduce attention on civil service.

“The reality is that there is too much competition in acquiring a public service job these days.It is in the interest of the youth to embrace entrepreneurship; by so doing, they will certainly be self-reliant,” Garba said.

Jigawa

A member representing Dutse Constituency in Jigawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Adamu Sada, has donated an 18-seater Peugeot bus to people with disabilities in the state.

Sada, who was on wheel chair while presenting the bus, said the gesture was to ease the peoples’ movement.

He said “the bus donation will ease the movement of my brothers and sisters that were living with disabilities like me.’’

The lawmaker said movement was one of the greatest challenges of such group of persons, adding that the bus would enable them to move freely within and outside the state.

Kaduna

Vice President Namadi Sambo has described late former

Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State as selfless and patriotic leader.

Sambo said this at a one-day public lecture to commemorate the first year memorial of the former governor.

He said Yakowa rendered patriotic service to the state and country as a whole. “He dedicated his entire life to the advancement of mankind.’’

“He brought to bear his experience on any assignment given to him’’, he added.

Sambo said the gathering of personalities from all walks of life was a testimony of the lives Yakowa touched positively throughout his life time.

Kano

Some former employees of Nigeria Airways in Kano State

staged a peaceful protest over non-payment of their entitlements for 20 years.

The protesters, who thronged their former office on Bank Road in Kano at about 2p.m., carried placards with inscriptions as: “pay us our entitlements’’, “we are dying.’’

The National Vice Chairman, Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Airways Branch, Alhaji Mohammed Adamu, said the protest was informed by the failure of the Government to pay their entitlements.

According to him, over 900 of their members have so died of frustration while a number of them are still battling with one sickness or the other at home.

Kwara

Not less than 1, 755 teaching and non-teaching staff,

across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State, converged on Ilorin to sit for the 2013 promotion examination.

The Executive Chairman, Kwara State Teaching Service Commission, Alhaji Umar Aboki, told newsmen that the promotion examination was to ensure that the teachers were able to impart quality knowledge on their students.

He said that the conduct of promotion examinations was a constitutional provision.

“This is a democratic government where every segment of the society should benefit from the dividends of democracy.

“Through promotion, civil servants would benefit from the dividends of democracy,” he said.

Lagos

A former Chairman of the Lagos chapter of the Nigerian

Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Mr Jide Ologun, has urged the electorate to ask politicians credible questions about the 2015 election.

Ologun spoke with newsmen in Lagos recently.

“Definitely, the elections will hold but I am appealing to the electorate to ask questions concerning where Nigeria will be in 20 years.’’

Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Government in collaboration with

the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) said 1000 youths were trained on various vocational skills under the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).

Governor Umaru Al-Makura made this known at the graduation of the trainees in Wamba on Monday.

Al-Makura said the state government was poised to curb restiveness through a robust youth empowerment programme.

He said that vocational skill acquisition was crucial to the nation’s transformation agenda, adding that it would engender a technology-driven economy and fast track diversification from oil.

The governor said the youth were trained in furniture making, welding and fabrications as well as electrical installation.

Osun

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State last Monday

presented a bill for the creation of 27 additional local government development councils in the state to the state House of Assembly.

Presenting the bill, Aregbesola said the essence of the creation of more councils was to bring government closer to the people at the grassroots.

He said that the current councils in the state could not bring the desired results.

The governor said this was because they were too large to achieve what the administration intended to achieve through the councils.

Oyo

The National Missioner, Ansar-ud-deen Society (ADS),

Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Ahmad, has declared that the Boko Haram insurgency is a collective embarrassment to all faiths in the country.

Ahmad, who spoke with newsmen, in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, said the group represented no religious interest, adding that their objective had yet to be known.

He said that it was difficult to know in whose interest they were fighting as they had attacked all faiths.

“I state unequivocally that Islam is different from Boko Haram. We don’t know who they are, their sponsors and why they are killing people.

Sokoto

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Sokoto

State chapter, said it had concluded plans to start giving tractors to large-scale farmers in the state as loans.

The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Murtala Gagado, made the disclosure in a telephone interview with newsmen in Sokoto State.

He said the association, in conjunction with a Kaduna-based firm, Kaka Nigeria Ltd., was set to give out 50 tractors, worth N340 million, to large-scale farmers as loan.

According to him, each tractor will be given to the beneficiaries on loan at the cost of N6.8 million.

L-R: Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111 and Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola-alao, at a reception to mark Governor Ajimobi’s 64th birthday in Ibadan last Monday.
Photo: NAN

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.