Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

April 18, 2014

Adamawa
A former Governor of Adamawa State, Mr Boni Haruna,
said that the era of imposing candidates on the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was over.
Haruna, who is also the Minister of Youth Development, told newsmen in Yola that the state now had a reformed PDP where everyone was carried along.
“We are now going to play by the rules. It is not going to be like what happened in 2002.
“We will go back to the original formula of PDP in 1999 where people emerged through the popular will and not through the manipulations of structures by those in positions,” the minister said.

Borno
The Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Zannah
Mustapha, has urged the military to redouble efforts in ending the Boko Haram menace for peace to reign in the country.
Mustapha gave the advice at a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in Maiduguri.
Mustapha expressed gratitude to the military for the efforts in maintaining peace in the state, in spite of numerous suspected Boko Haram attacks in the area.
“We commend the role of the military in fighting the Boko Haram insurgency.
“Your presence has made us to remain in the state.
“Everybody will have fled if not for your presence,” he said.
Ekiti
The National Conscience Party (NCP) has named Mr
Ilesanmi Bankole as its governorship candidate for the June 21, election in Ekiti State.
The announcement came just as INEC closed party primaries in the state.
Our correspondent reports that Bankole, a retired civil servant with the National Board for Technical Education, (NBTE) was elected by a total of 51 ward delegates through a “yes” vote since he was the only aspirant.
The event started with the accreditation of delegates, which lasted for one hour, after which the candidate was nominated and ratified by the entire house.

FCT
The Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen. Aliyu Gusau (Rtd)
has called for greater collaboration among the armed forces in the fight against insurgents in the country.
Gusau made the call in Abuja at a dinner and award night to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and also to honour the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Badeh, on his elevation.
The minister commended the Nigerian Air Force for its support and participation in “operations” within and outside Nigeria.
He said that the force, in the last 50 years, had proved itself to be a competent force to rely on and reckon with.

Gombe
The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
in Gombe State has arrested two suspected traffickers with 7.1 kilogrammes of cocaine.
Mr. Aliyu Adole, Commander of the agency, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Gombe State recently.
He said that one of the suspects was arrested along Gombe-Kano road with the substance which led to the arrest of the other suspect.
“My patrol team intercepted a bus coming from Kano with a young man found with cocaine, in an attempt to question him, he ran into bush before he was arrested.’’
Adole further said that investigation had been concluded, and they would be charged to court for prosecution.
The commandant called on the people of the state to assist the agency with useful information that would lead to the arrest of such people before they destroyed their lives.
He advised parents, traditional and religious leaders to ensure that their children and wards were properly guided.
Kano
The Kano State Government said that it had trained 632
youths on modern poultry farming.
Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who announced this in Kano at the graduation of the trainees, said that the training was organised to empower youths in the state.
The governor said that the beneficiaries were selected from the 44 local government areas and were trained for one week with the aim of eradicating poverty among the youth.
Kwankwaso also presented an economic empowerment package of N129, 000 each to 500 of the trainees.

Kogi
Suspected kidnappers have abducted two of the children
of the Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Momoh-Jimoh Lawal.
Our correspondent gathered that the abductors invaded the Speaker’s residence at about 4 a.m., scaled the fence and broke into the house at Okengwe in Okene Local Government Area.
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Speaker, Mr Austin Akubo, told newsmen that three of the abductors entered the house.
“The abductors demanded for the children: Ogirima, 7, and Hafeez, 3, and also made away with other valuables.

Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board
(SUBEB) says it has concluded arrangement to employ teachers to fill existing vacancies in primary schools in the state.
The Executive Chairman of the board, Malam Abdulkarim Abdullahi, made this known in an interview with newmen in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Abdullahi said that the employment of teachers by the board would help to improve the standard of education in the state and the country at large.
He said Governor Tanko Al-makura had done much to improve the standard of education, especially in the classrooms construction and renovation of the existing ones.

Niger
The Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Fati Abubakar,
has ordered the release of four inmates serving various sentences at the Suleja Prisons.
Abubakar released the inmates, who had between four days and two months left to complete their sentences, during her visit to the prison.
The released inmates, Salisu Mohammed, Mohammed Ibrahim, Francis Okon and Lawal Yakubu, had been convicted of offences of theft, joint act, criminal trespass and conspiracy.
Abubakar advised the inmates to be useful to themselves and the society at large and to change from their old ways.
Ogun

The management of Olabisi Onabanjo University
(OOU), Ago-Iwoye, has failed to honour the invitation of the Ogun House of Assembly over the feud between OOU and its medical students.
Our correspondent reports that OOU management was invited over the breakdown of an agreement reached with the final year medical students and their parents on additional school fees.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Saburi Adesanya, at a stakeholders meeting on March 3, was quoted as saying that the graduating medical students, who had paid the mandatory six-year school fees, should pay a “one-off” N40, 000 development levy.
The students claimed that the school had breached an agreement by directing them to pay extra tuition fees to cover the extra time they spent in school.

Plateau
The chairman, Bokkos Local Government Area
of Plateau State, Mr Monday Kassa, has appealed to traditional rulers in the area to ensure peaceful co-existence among all the ethnic groups in their domains.
Kassa made the appeal at a joint peace and reconciliation meeting of Fulani herdsmen and farmers in the area in Bokkos.
The meeting followed the series of clashes recorded in the area in recent times, with the last one occurring in Angwan Kwano community in Maikatako Distrct.
Kassa described as unacceptable, the clashes between herdsmen and farmers as well as the attacks on citizens of the council by unknown gunmen which often claimed lives and property.

Taraba
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps
(NSCDC) has called on Taraba State residents to be vigilant always and report suspicious persons to the security agencies in the state.
The State Commandant of the corps, Mr. Deteer Andy, made the call in Jalingo, at the swearing- in ceremony of the newly-elected officials of NSCDC Cooperative Society in the state.
Andy said that security was everybody’s responsibility and should not be left in the hands of security agents alone.
“It is the responsibility of everybody to report suspected individuals or things around him or her to security agencies for immediate action,” he said.

L-R: Secretary to Oyo State Government, Mr Ismail Alli, Deputy Governor, Moses Adeyemo, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, Mr Bayo Fatusi and Senator Emmanuel Onwe, during former Governor Kalu’s visit to the governor in Ibadan 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.