Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

February 24, 2014

Borno
The Borno State Government has donated N200,000
to each victim of the recent insurgency attacks in Kilde and Gashigar communities of Mabar Local Government Area of the state.
Chief Of Staff (COS) to Governor Kashim Shettima, announced the donation on behalf of the government in Maiduguri when he addressed people from the area.
He said that the assistance was offered to lessen the hardship being faced by the victims.
Kyari said that the gesture as in line with the governor’s directive to disburse N30 million as donation in sympathy with the victims.

FCT

The President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Femi
Adeshina, has called on INEC to be impartial in disseminating information to the media to ensure credible elections in 2015.
Adeshina made the call at the Strategy Meeting on Media and the 2015 Elections Agenda organised by Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) in Lagos.
“INEC must be seen to be truly independent and impartial in all ramifications to ensure that come 2015, we have a peaceful and transparent elections in Nigeria,” Adeshina said.
He stressed the need for INEC to enforce the provisions of the Electoral Act in an impartial way to enhance transparency in the conduct of political parties in the country.

Jigawa

The Chairman, Interim Committee in Hadejia Local
Government, Jigawa State, Alhaji Ahmad Abdullahi, has urged workers to support the council to fast track sustainable development of the area.
Abdullahi made the call at the inauguration of the committee in Hadejia.
The chairman also urged communities in the area to support the committee to enable it to effectively manage the affairs of the council.
He assured that the committee would be transparent and fair in the discharge of its duties.

Kaduna

The International Federation of Women Lawyers
(FIDA), Kaduna State branch has expressed worry over the increasing cases of rape in the state.
The FIDA Chairperson, Mrs Sidikat Adegboye, who said this when he spoke with newsmen said the figure against the vice had not been won in the state.
She, however, attributed this deficiency to dearth of correct statistical data on cases of rape and administrative bureaucracy in the state judiciary system.
“The fight against rape in Kaduna State is far from a battle won; as rape cases are now on the increase on a daily basis.
Kebbi

About 4,000 qualified candidates are to benefit from
the distribution of free Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms valued at N16 million by the Kebbi State Government.
The Executive Secretary, Kebbi Scholarship Board, Alhaji Sahabi Birnin-Yauri, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Birnin-Kebbi.
He said that the forms would be distributed to secondary school students who graduated between 2010 and 2013 with minimum of five credits including English and Mathematics.
Birnin-Yauri said that zonal inspectors would identify the five best students in each secondary school in their zones and provide them with the forms.
Kwara

Kwara

The University of Ilorin says it expelled no fewer than 51
students for various acaemic offences in the last two years.
The university’s spokesman, Mr Kunle Akogun, told newsmen in Ilorin that the exercise was a routine one.
According to him, it is meant to sustain the rich tradition of the university in line with character and learning.
Akogun said that their offences ranged from being members of secret cults to bribing lecturers to upgrade their scores after examinations.

Lagos

An unemployed man, Saka Afeez, 21, who allegedly stole
property worth N120,000 belonging to a church, was arraigned in Lagos.
Afeez, whose address is unknown, is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, burglary and theft at an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
The Prosecutor, ASP Godwin Eze, told the court that the accused committed the offences on February 15, at about 1:30 a.m. at 22, Mojirade St., Shibiri, Ajangbadi, Lagos.
He said that the accused unlawfully entered into Rain Day Christian Assembly and stole a speaker and an amplifier engine, both valued at N120,000.

Nassarawa

Governor Umaru Al-Makuraof Nassarawa State has
urged exporters in the country to explore and exploit the export potentials of the state.
He made the call in Lafia at a one-day sensitisation seminar organised by the North Central Coordinating Office of the Nigerian Shippers Council with the theme: “Tapping the export potentials of Nassarawa State”.
Al-Makura, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Emmanuel Yaji, said the state was endowed with enormous solid minerals, including high quality precious stones, semi-precious stones and precious metals.
Others are metallic and non-metallic minerals as well as mineral fuel that are of high economic value.

Ogun
A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Isabo, Abeokuta, has
remanded a 26-year old welder, Dare Ojo, for allegedly defiling a three-year old girl.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Anthony Araba, ordered that Ojo be remanded in Oba Prison.
The prosecutor, Insp Banji Sangotokun, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on February 15 at Ogunji Estate, Somorin in Abeokuta.
He said the accused, a friend to the girl’s father, defiled and inflicted serious injury on the minor.
Ondo

The Ondo State Direct Labour Agency in
Akure said it had completed 49 projects across the state in five years.
The Chairperson of the agency, Mrs Mobolaji Suara, told newsmen that the projects ranged from the construction of markets to health centres.
“We have completed about 49 projects across the state in the last five years in the markets, auto marts, mechanic villages and emergency health centres.
“We are also into the construction of public buildings as long as they have positive effects on the people.
Plateau

The Plateau State Government has called on
the electorate not to allow desperate politicians to buy their voters’ cards during election
The state Commissioner for Information, Mrs Olivia Dazyem, made the call during a sensitisation campaign for Plateau South Senatorial District in Shendam for the February 25 council election in the state.
“Your voter’s card is your weapon of electing a credible representative to any elective position and should be guarded jealously not to allow anybody deprive you of it.
“As electorate, you should not allow desperate politicians buy off your voters cards; doing that means selling off your conscience and the right to elect the leader of your choice, “ she said.

Sokoto

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar
III has urged politicians to ensure peace in the country as the nation approaches the 2015 elections.
Abubakar made the appeal in Sokoto when the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu paid him a courtesy call.
“So much acrimony and mudslinging is now going on in Nigeria and there is the need to stabilise the nation’s polity.

L-R: Chairman, Lagos Public Works Corporation, Mr Gbenga Akintola, Governor Babatunde Fashola and Ranadu of Imota, Oba Mudashiru Agoro, at the inauguration of Imota Asphalt Plant in Imota, Lagos State recently.

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.