Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

January 8, 2014

Benue

Two persons died in a motor accident that occurred last Friday in Wannune, Tarka Local Government Area of Benue State.

Mr Daniel Ezeala, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Benue State, said in Makurdi that the accident occurred when a lorry conveying members of the NKST Church, travelling from Ukum to Makurdi, fell off the road after hitting another vehicle, killing two persons with others sustaining injuries.

“`The vehicle, which tried to avoid a speed bump, ran into another vehicle in front, thereby causing it to fall into a ditch, which resulted into the death of the two passengers,’’ he said.

Ezeala said that the passengers were travelling for a conference of the NKST Church in Makurdi,

FCT

The Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Mr Reginald Stanley, last Saturday assured Nigerians of steady fuel supply.

A statement issued in Abuja by Mr Lanre Oladele, the Public Relations Officer of PPPRA, quoted Stanley as saying that the NNPC and other marketers had sufficient fuel in stock.

The statement said that the agency gave the assurance to remove the fears created in the minds of the public that there might be fuel scarcity.

It said that the agency, however, expressed regret that some marketers usually hoarded petroleum products so as to make profit during festive periods.

“We wish to assure Nigerians that there is steady trucking out of products across the country and the trend shall continue without any hindrance,’’ the statement said.

Gombe

The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Gombe has been upgraded to a Teaching Hospital.

According to a release signed by Malam Haruna Abdulrasheed, Assistant Director, Public Relations of the hospital issued last Friday, the approval for the upgrade was given by President Goodluck Jonathan

It said copies of the approval have been sent to the Minister of Health, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Governor of Gombe State.

The release further said the upgrading was to enable the hospital to be used for the training of medical students of the Gombe State University.

Jigawa

The Police in Jigawa State said it recorded 21 murders and four suicides from January to December 2013.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr Kayode Theophilus, made the remarks in Dutse last Sunday.

Theophilus said 13 of the cases had been charged to court while the remaining ones were being investigated.

Theophilus stated that 72 persons were arrested for causing grievous harm/ inflicting injuries on people. “The suspects have been charged to court.’’

He disclosed that 10 armed robbers were arrested while 426 people were nabbed for stealing and three others for forging currency notes and disclosed that crime rate in the state had drastically reduced when compared with the past.

Kadunaa

The Kaduna State Police Command last Saturday in Kaduna paraded seven suspected members of a gunrunning syndicate involved in the sale, manufacture and repair of locally made guns.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Olufemi Adenaike, said that the suspected gun-runners were arrested following a tip-off from a member of the public.

Adenaike said that seven suspects, including Malam Aliyu Yahaya, the Village Head of Sabon Gidan, Kakau, in Chikun Local Government Area of the state, were arrested in the operation. According to him, investigations are still going on, with a view to arresting other members of the syndicate and others involved in the manufacture and repair of locally made guns.

He urged the public to continue to support security agents by providing them with useful information that would aid efforts to safeguard the state against terrorism and other crimes.

Kano

The Kano State Government says it will establish an e-learning centre in each of the 44 local government areas of the state this year.

The state Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Tajuddeen Gambo, said last Friday in Kano State that the project, which would be executed in collaboration with a Canadian non-governmental organisation, was part of the government’s effort to encourage e-learning.

“By 2015, JAMB examination is going to be done electronically. “So you have to ensure that all your students taking the examination are computer literate otherwise they will not pass the examination.

“The e-learning centres will be opened in each of the local government areas with no fewer than 30 computers in each centre,’’ he said.

According to him, the state government will also provide 61 computers in every secondary school.

Kebbi

The Kebbi State chapter of the Nigeria Cassava Growers Association says it is collaborating with local government councils to secure a N500-million loan for cassava growers and processors.

The association’s Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Nasiru Magaji, in a statement in Birnin Kebbi last Saturday, said that 20,000 cassava growers and processors would benefit from the loan.

He said that the gesture was to encourage more people to participate in cassava farming and processing and commended the state government for assisting 1,488 cassava farmers to obtain loans from the Bank of Agriculture.

Magaji also said that the moribund Cassava Processing Plant in Birnin Kebbi was being revived to produce pellets, chips, industrial starch and flour for domestic and international markets.

“The national body of the association will also assist the state branch with six additional cassava processing plants to boost the fortunes of cassava farmers,’’ he said.

Kwara

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and youths under the auspices of Youths for Change Initiative (YCI) in Ajase-Ipo in Kwara State, last Sunday pledged to work for the victory of the party in the 2015 general elections.

The groups, in a joint communiqué issued at a meeting on political developments in the state, said the party deserved their support at this critical period.

The communiqué was jointly signed by Yusuf Rasheed, Ward 2 Secretary of PDP and the Public Relations Officer, Oyinloye Simeon, while Suleiman Mansur, signed for YCI.

According to the groups, the achievements recorded by ex-governor Bukola Saraki and his successor, Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed, were made possible by the people-oriented policies of the PDP.

Lagos

Commercial motorists in Lagos State last Saturday appealed to the Lagos State Government to extend the December 31, 2013-deadline fixed for the new registration of commercial vehicle operations.

Lagos State Ministry of Transportation commenced the new registration of commercial vehicles on November 1, 2013 and the exercise was expected to end on December 31, 2013.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, said at a recent meeting with transport service providers that the new vehicles’ registration was for purely security reasons.

He said that the measure was adopted to address some security issues, including kidnapping, which were always linked to commercial vehicles in the state.

Yobe

Yobe State Government has refuted the claim by the Minister of State for Finance that the Federal Government is building the 31km Gashua-Yusufari road.

In a statement by the Special Adviser to Governor Ibrahim Gaidam on Information and Press Affairs, Abdullahi Bego, the government said the claim is “stunningly false”.

The statement reads, “the attention of this office has been drawn to a false claim by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, that the Federal Government is building the Gashu’a-Yusufari road. “The minister made the claim during the 9pm network news of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) last Thursday.

“Why would the minister ignore the lack of Federal Government projects in the state and instead choose to make desperate and false claims to projects being executed by Governor Gaidam.

“Coming from a politician desperate to explain the troubling lack of federal presence in Yobe State and much of the Northeast, the minister’s claim, though unbelievable, is understandable,” Bego said.

Plateau

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Plateau State said last Monday it secured 122 convictions and seized 1,494.185 kilogrammes of hard drugs in 2013.

The NDLEA Commander in the state, Mrs Ngozi Madubuike, said in Jos that all the convicts were males between the age of 17 and 22 years.

Madubuike said that their jail terms also ranged between 30 days and seven years in prison and she attributed the rise in the use of drugs in Plateau to various factors, including peer group pressure, family disintegration, unemployment and cold weather.

She appealed to the public to cooperate with the agency by providing it with useful information that could assist in stopping drug trafficking and abuse.

L-R: Majority Leader, Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Oyeniyi Akande, Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Badejoko Adeniji, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, the deputy, Otunba Moses Adeyemo, and Chairman, Oyo State All Progressives Congress, Chief Akin Oke, at the inter-religious prayer session to usher in 2014 in Ibadan last Monday. Photo: NAN

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

3 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

3 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

3 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.