Nation

THE STATES

Published

13 years ago

February 17, 2014

Bauchi
The Federal Government has been urged to resolve its
differences with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and end the seven-month-old strike by the lecturers.
The call was made by the president of the students union government of Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Malam Abubakar Bako.
Bako told newsmen that the lingering strike by the lecturers was having a toll on the students hence the need to end it and prevent idle polytechnic students from taking to crime.
He said that the strike, if not resolved, could force students into social vices due to idleness and frustration.

Benue

The Benue State House of Assembly has elected a new
Minority Leader, Mr Benjamin Adanyi, representing Makurdi South constituency on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adanyi was before his elevation the chairman, committee on Culture and Tourism.
Reading the letter on the elevation during plenary last week, the Speaker, Mr Terhile Ayua, stated that Adanyi’s elevation became possible due to the vacuum created by a Supreme Court’s ruling.
However, Mr Ianna Jato, (Katsina-Ala East), objected to the method used in Adanyi’s appointment, saying it breached the House’s Standing Rules.

Borno

The Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) has
distributed 1,500 irrigation pumps to 70 farmers’ associations in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to boost food production in the country.
The CBDA Managing Director, Dr Garba Iliya, announced this while inaugurating the 2014 dry season farming in Maiduguri.
He said that the authority also drilled boreholes in the Jere Local Government Area of Borno State to provide irrigation water to farmers in the area.
He said that CBDA also cultivated 150 hectares of rice in two irrigation schemes in Yobe in spite of the current security challenges in the area.

FCT

The Head of Service, Alhaji Bukar Aji, has charged Per
manent Secretaries in federal ministries to create programmes and policies that would improve the lives of women in the country.
Aji gave the charge when he led a team of federal permanent secretaries on a peer review meeting to the Ministry of Women Affairs, Abuja.
He said it was important for all permanent secretaries to align themselves with the activities of their ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) to make the civil service a world-class institution.
He said that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) had been restructured to focus on training and welfare to improve the lives of all civil servants.

Gombe

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)
has conducted advocacy campaign on computer-based test for 100 secondary school students in Gombe State ahead of its April Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME).
The JAMB Deputy Director in charge of Test Development, Alhaji Muhammad Buba-Sabo, stated this at a one-day sensitisation campaign for secondary school students in Gombe State.
Buba-Sabo told the students that JAMB decided to unify its examinations to give the students the opportunity to exhibit their abilities, and urged candidates who registered for its examinations to read hard to pass.
“Your performance will determine where you are going – university, polytechnic or college of education,’’ he said.

Kano

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) says it will col
laborate with some key stakeholders on environmental issues to prepare a work plan for the “Keep Kano Clean” campaign.
The acting Director of the agency in Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir, made this known during the agency’s campaign on “Do the Right thing: Keep Kano Clean” campaign in the Kano Municipal Council..
Bashir expressed optimism that the government would facilitate the execution of the work plan in all the 44 local government areas of the state.

Kebbi

Two female hostels in the Yauri Government Girls Sci
ence Secondary School were destroyed by fire, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technical Education, Alhaji Garba Kangiwa, said recently.
Kangiwa who made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.
He said the hostels were destroyed by an early morning inferno when the students were at the assembly ground.
He added that though no life was lost, many personal belongings of the students were destroyed.
The permanent secretary said an alternative accommodation had been provided for the 400 students displaced.

Kwara

The wife of Kwara governor, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed, has
promised to set up a cancer community of Okuta, Baruten Local Government Area of the state.
The governor’s wife disclosed this in Okuta during her cervical and breast cancer awareness campaign in the community.
Ahmed, who is the founder of LEAH Charity Foundation, said the centre to be established in March would provide facilities for screening of breast and cervical cancer at a token fee.
She told the people that cancer could be cured if detected early.

Lagos

The Nigeria Police Force has commenced training of of
ficers and men, nine months after the rehabilitation of the Ikeja Police College.
The Force Spokesman, CSP Frank Mba, told newsmen in Lagos that some officers were currently having their promotion training at the college.
It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan paid a surprise visit to the institution on January 19, 2013, after a television station exposed the decay of its facilities and promised to refurbish it.
Nigerian Army engineers completed the rehabilitation of the college in May 2013, after carrying out works on 29 different buildings, including the hostels, for about three months.

Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Chapter of Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) has directed workers in the state to shun calls by the state government for a staff audit.
The congress advised the workers not to attend any screening exercise called by any of the government offices, including the office of the head of service.
The directive of the workers’ union was contained in a statement issued in Lafia by the state NLC Chairman, Mr Asoloko Maku, and the Secretary, Mr Jacob Makama, which was made available to newsmen.
The statement was also signed by Chairman and Secretary of Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the state, Mr Danladi Namo and Mohammed Umar,.

Osun

A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress
(APC), Bola Tinubu, said that the large turn-out for membership registration was an indication of the party’s readiness for elections.
Tinubu made the remark while answering questions from newsmen on the just-concluded registration exercise of the party in Osogbo recently.
The APC chieftain said party faithful came out on their own, adding that the exercise was transparent and well organised.
In Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, there was a massive turn-out for the registration exercise.

Plateau

The Plateau State Executive Council has ap
proved N368 million for the completion of office accommodation for special advisers to the governor.
“Part of the money will go for the purchase of official vehicles for the speaker and deputy speaker of the state House of Assembly,’’ the Commissioner for Information, Mrs Olivia Dazyam, told newsmen after the weekly meeting in Jos.
She said part of the money would also be utilised for the purchase of equipment for the Plateau Publishing Company.
Dazyam said that the meeting, chaired by Governor Jonah Jang, also considered and approved a submission for the award of contracts by the Plateau Tender’s Board.

Vice President Namadi Sambo (left) with Govwenoe Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, at the National Quranic Recitation Competition in Dutse last Friday. 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.