Nation

THE STATES

Published

13 years ago

February 14, 2014

Bauchi

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), North-
East Zone, has said delegates to the proposed national conference should be elected so as to be accepted and trusted by Nigerians.
The association’s Zonal Chairman, Rev. Shuaibu Byel, said in Bauchi that delegates that were appointed would only be loyal to whoever appointed them to the conference.
Byel said that groups which are responsible for electing their delegates would hold them accountable to their interests and also ensure that such was protected.
The CAN official faulted the Federal Government’s resolve to nominate as many as 492 delegates, and pointed out that nominations would cause serious disagreements.
While noting that there were 55 ethnic groups in Bauchi State who would want to be represented, he said no random nomination could give them a fair representation.

Ekiti

It may soon become a crime punishable under the
law for any husband to abandon his wife after childbirth in any part of Ekiti State.
The wife of the state Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, gave the indication in Ado-Ekiti while on a sympathy visit to one Mrs. Bosede Omole.
Omole’s husband had run away after she was delivered of triplets at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital.
Fayemi condemned the manner in which mothers were usually abandoned by their husbands soon after delivery of new babies, especially multiple births.
“Such a behaviour is not only callous and wicked, but a betrayal of the marriage trust between couples,’’ she said.

FCT

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Com
mission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has advised politicians to guard against utterances that can trigger violence as the 2015 elections are gathering momentum.
Jega made the call at a forum on 2015 elections’ coverage organised by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in Abuja, recently.
He expressed concerned over lack of civility in the conduct of some politicians, urging them to give priority to national interest in ensuring peaceful political atmosphere before, during and after 2015 elections.
“ The attitude of political class is one of our biggest challenge in INEC, politicians have a responsibility to change their behaviour to stop overheating the polity,’’ Jega said.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State Government says it has earmarked
N76 million for the renovation of Dutse Open Air Theatre.
The Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Alhaji Ibrahim Babandi, said this in an interview with newsmen in Dutse.
Babandi said that the theatre was being renovated in order to raise its standard.
He explained that the gesture would assist in promoting and sustaining the traditions and cultures of the people of the state.
The commissioner said that an archive library would be built in the theatre so as to document historical events in the state.

Kaduna

The New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC),
Kaduna, has awarded a N740 million contract for the building of a 3-storey shopping complex to Lubell Nigeria Limited.
The Group Managing Director of the company, Dr Ahmed Musa, said the Multi-Purpose Shopping Mall would be built along Muhammadu Buhari Way, Kaduna.
Musa said the building would have 51 spaces of different sizes, adding that space would be provided to accommodate a Bank, a restaurant and at least 62 cars.
He said the building was expected to be completed within 65 weeks.

Katsina

The Katsina State Government has constituted a com
mittee to verify complaints on the payment of pension to retired civil servants in the state.
This is contained in a statement issued in Katsina by the Press Secretary to the Secretary to the State Government, Malam Sani Kabomo.
According to the statement, the committee will be headed by Justice Sadiq Abdullahi Mahuta, a retired Chief Judge of the state.
Other members of the committee included the Chairman, State Local Government Service Commission, Alhaji Abdulkarim Abubakar, as well as Alhaji Danyaya Mashi, Alhaji Labiru Musa and Alhaji Sada Abubakar.

Nasarawa

The police have arraigned Ibrahim Abdullahi and
Lawal Jibril, both of Mararaba in Nasarawa State in a Mararaba Upper Area Court, Nasarawa State for criminal conspiracy.
The two men are facing a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, intimidation and mischief.
The prosecutor, Joseph Ahua, told the court that Isah Kogi of Masaka, Nasarawa State and Nurudeen Shamsudeen of Jikwoyi, Abuja, reported the matter at ‘A’ Division Police Station, Nasarawa State, on February 1.
He said that on the same date at about 8 a.m., Abdullahi and Jibril conspired and destroyed the foundation of Shamsudeen’s building valued at N205,400, situated behind Medical Centre, Mararaba.
Oyo

The wife of Oyo State Governor, Mrs Florence
Ajimobi, has given automatic employment to 88 outgoing corps members under her pet project, Educate A Rural Child (ERC), for their dedication and selflessness during the service year.
Mrs Ajimobi who announced this at a reception organised for the outgoing Batch “B” corps members who served in her office said that the appointment was, however, subject to their willingness to stay in the state to continue with the work they had been doing in encouraging rural pupils.
The benefiting corps members were volunteers under the ERC project put in place by the governors’ wife to bridge the gap in the quality of education to rural children.
Ajimobi said that incoming corps members, who would be ready to go to rural areas and work with ERC, would get stipends monthly from the ERC in addition to their state allowances.
She said the purpose of recruiting corps members, under the ERC, to interface with children, parents and teachers in rural areas had been achieved.

Plateau

The Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources,
Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has donated N10 million to Plateau State Fadama III Farmers’ to aid them in establishing Fadama Micro-finance Bank.
The bank is a brain child of the Fadama III farmers who contributed five percent of their savings to set it up, to enable them to get a one digit interest loan to finance the farming business.
Adesina made the donation on behalf of the ministry in Jos during a visit to assess agriculture facilities in Plateau.
The minister lauded the initiative by the farmers, comprising 75 percent women, and assured them of the Federal Government’s support.

Zamfara

The police in Gusau has confirmed the killing of
16 persons, including a policeman, by armed bandits in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Lawal Abdullahi, told newsmen that about 150 armed hoodlums riding on motorcycles perpetrated the act.
He said the hoodlums had invaded the three villages of Tungar Rakumi, Mallamawa and Kangarawa on Saturday night.
The police spokesman said 12 persons were killed in Tungar Rakumi alone, while the rest four were killed in Mallamawa and Kangarawa.

L-R: Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, Minister of FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed, former Governor Of Yobe State, Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim, President Goodluck Jonathan, Managing Director, Suntrust Investment Ltd, Alhaji Mohammed Jibril and Minister of Steel and Solid Minerals Development, Mr Musa Sada, at the inauguration of FMBN Aviation Village in Abuja last Thursday. 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.