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THE STATES

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12 years ago

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Borno

The Borno State Government said it would construct 250
houses for 800 residents of Bulabulin Ngarnam in Maiduguri who were displaced by the Boko Haram crisis.
Governor Kashim Shettima made the disclosure while inspecting the site for the construction of the houses near the Maiduguri Flour Mills.
Shettima said the gesture was aimed at providing shelter to the victims who had lost their property to the crisis and directed the committee handling the project to commence work on the site next week for early completion.
Responding, the Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Ali, commended the governor for approving the construction of the houses and expressed willingness to commence work as soon as possible.

FCT

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala
Mohammed, has condemned media reports on a purported foreign trip by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, for medical treatment
Mohammed, who spoke  in Abuja, when the first lady paid him a condolence visit over the death of his brother, Malam Yusuf Mohammed, described the report as malicious.
“We want to dispute media reports that you are sick and rushed abroad, but here you are resplendent and beautiful. “We wish to tell the ‘Judases’ that they are not God and that anybody can fall sick,’’ he said.
He said that Mrs Jonathan’s support to her husband, the nation and vulnerable women was important, noting that she had a “positive impact on our lives’’.
Mohammed said that his late brother was a technocrat who lived a life worthy of emulation.

Kaduna

The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Agency said it was
collaborating with UNICEF to revive 1,700 health committees at ward level to effectively fight poliomyelitis.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Sufyan Babale, stated this at  a  one-day Sensitisation and training Workshop for traditional leaders’’ on their roles in polio eradication held in Sabongari, Zaria.
The programme was organised by the agency in collaboration with UNICEF “C” Field Office, Kaduna.
Babale said the revival of the committees became imperative in view of their importance toward the eradication of the disease.
In a speech, Mr Ufuwai Bonet, Chairman, Kaduna State Task Force on Polio Immunisation, tasked village and ward heads to attend review meetings regularly to enhance the fight to end the disease by the end of the year.

Kano

The National Chairman of the Peoples  Democratic Party
(PDP), Alhaji Adamu Muazu, has commended  traditional rulers in the country for promoting peaceful coexistence in the country.
He made the commendation when he paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero in his palace in Kano.
He expressed appreciation to the Emirate Council for organising prayer sessions for peace and stability in the country.
He told the emir that he came to introduce himself as the national chairman of the PDP and seek the blessings of the emir in the task ahead.

Katsina

Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State says it
immunised 127,263 children against poliomyelitis and other child killer diseases in January.
The Primary Healthcare Coordinator in the area, Alhaji Abdu Isa-Yankara, said this in Funtua while distributing treated mosquito nets and other consumables to hospitals under the Roll Back Malaria Programme.
He said 137,460 doses of oral polio vaccines were received for the exercise, while 125,354 children were immunised against the child killer diseases.

Kebbi

The Assistant Inspector-General(AIG) in charge of Zone10,
Amman Sule,  has assured political parties that the zonal command would remain neutral in the 2015 general elections.
The Zone 10 of the Nigeria Police Force comprises Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states with headquarters in Sokoto.
The AIG gave the assurance in Birnin Kebbi, during an interactive session with officials of political parties in the state.
He said the police would be strict in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities of keeping law and order and not engaging in partisan politics.
Kwara

The Alamayo of Amayo in Kwara State, Oba Jamiu
Oyewole, has called for closer collaboration between religious and community heads to promote lasting peace in the country.
Oyewole who made the call in an interview  at his palace in Ifelodun Local Government of the state said the collaboration would help to sustain government’s effort at ensuring peaceful co-existence among the people and also engender development.
He commended the Federal Government for the provision of social amenities across the state and appealed to the people to protect government installations cited in their areas.
The monarch said the process of ensuring peace and security was not for government alone, adding that it was a collective responsibility of citizens to ensure peace and stability in their localities.

Kogi

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State has assured youths
in the state of his administration’s support towards re-orientation of youths and positive engagement.
Wada made the pledge while inaugurating some tricycles purchased by Mopamuro Local Government and subsidised by 25 per cent.
Wada, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, said the state government was working on a lasting solution to enable the various councils in the state overcome their financial challenges and meet their obligations.
A statement issued by the press secretary to the Deputy Governor, Mr Michael Abu, said that Wada also commended the council for the youth empowerment initiative.
He commended the Chairman of Mopamuro Local Government, Mr Funsho Daniyan, for prudent management of resources.

Lagos

Some Nigerians have commended the plan to restructure
the Nigeria Police  by deploying Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) to zonal headquarters to strengthen policing.
The DIGs, to be replaced by Assistant Inspectors-General of Police at the Force Headquarters, will be empowered to deploy, discipline and promote officers and men in their zonal commands. The restructuring is to be done by the Police Service Commission.
In an interview in Lagos, some Nigerians said that the restructuring would enhance the performance of the police.
A security expert and the Chief Promoter, Chief Detective Magazine, Mr Dipo Kehinde, commended the plan to empower DIGs and some other senior officers to promote hardworking men under them. Oyo
Oyo
Some aggrieved members of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) in Oyo State are set to defect to the Labour Party, a letter made available to newsmen on Sunday in Ibadan has revealed.
The letter, which was signed by Labour Party’s National Chairman, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, stated that its National Working Committee had accepted the defecting APC members.
It said the new members would soon be inaugurated by the national leadership of the Party.
According to the letter, the faction of the APC set to defect to LP were mainly young politicians in the age bracket of between 40 and 50 years.
It said the defectors included some immediate past board chairmen in Governor  Abiola Ajimobi-led administration and aggrieved loyalists of the late leader of APC and former governor of the state, Alhaji Lam Adesina.

Plateau

Two suspected cattle thieves have been allegedly killed
by a vigilante group  in Kombili village, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau recently.
Their corpses were brought to Mangu Divisional Police Station by officers and men of the force.
Our correspondent reports that the suspects, together with others, were alleged to have invaded the village to rustle cattle but met stiff resistance from the vigilante of the village.
A witness said that the rustlers came to the village around 2.00 a.m. and succeeded in moving the cows from the house of a respected resident.
The witness said the suspects were moving away with the cows when members of the vigilante accosted them.

Sokoto

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in
Sokoto State, Alhaji Abubakar Kantoma, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the release of N250 million to the victims of a recent fire that gutted the Kara market, Sokoto.
Kantoma, who is also the Secretary of the Special Committee set up for the disbursement of the money, made the commendation in a statement  in Sokoto.
The market was razed by fire on February 5 and property worth millions of naira were lost. There was however no loss of life or injury during the incident.
Jonathan announced the donation on February 8 at a reception in Sokoto to welcome former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa to the PDP. Kantoma said the president had since redeemed the pledge.

L-R: Former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, former Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) National Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Muhammed and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, at the inauguration of new leadership of ACF in Kaduna, yesterday.

L-R: Former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, former Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) National Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Muhammed and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, at the inauguration of new leadership of ACF in Kaduna, yesterday.

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REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

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4 weeks ago

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June 29, 2026

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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.
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Self Help Africa programme expands water access for 320,000 Nigerians

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4 weeks ago

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June 29, 2026

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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.
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Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

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4 weeks ago

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June 29, 2026

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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.
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