Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

June 25, 2014

Adamawa

The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) last Saturday
said decisive measures were being taken to stop the cases of building collapse in the country.
The National President of the society, Mr Ademola Olurunfemi, made the pledge at the ground breaking and foundation laying of NSE branch office in Yola.
The president, who was in Yola for a two day visit, was represented by the National Vice President of the society, Mr Kunle Mokolo
Olurunfemi said the society was disturbed by the cases of building collapse in the country, adding “the society is taking decisive measures.”
He said among the measures being taken was effort to bring out the intellectual capacity of Nigerian engineers to eradicate the syndrome.

Bauchi

Darazo Local Government in Bauchi State and the state
Basic Universal Education Board (SUBEB) have donated 21 bicycles to disabled primary school pupils to ease their transportation to schools.
The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Kabiru Sade presented the items to the beneficiaries on Sunday in Darazo, headquarters of the area.
Sade, represented by the Head of Administration of the council, Alhaji Yusuf Ningi, said it would reduce the transportation problems being faced by the pupils and he commended SUBEB for its initiative and commitments by alleviating the plight of the beneficiaries.
The Secretary, Local Government Education Authority, Alhaji Adamu Disina, explained that SUBEB procured 11 of the bicycles while the council had the rest and called on the beneficiaries to ensure that the items were properly maintained.

Borno

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Borno
State last Saturday said it would train 25 graduates on industrial attachment to enable them to acquire skills to be self-employed.
State Coordinator, NDE, Alhaji Wakil Kalanga, said in Maiduguri that the graduates would be trained under the Industrial Attachment Programme of the Agency.
Kalanga said that the selected beneficiaries were state indigenes who graduated last year and had not yet secured job adding that said the programme was designed to train them to showcase their potentials, so that they could be gainfully employed and also be employer of labours.
The coordinator said the gesture was in line with the President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda to create job opportunities and reduce unemployment.
Kalanga said last year, NDE trained 50 graduates, saying that most of them were now gainfully employed or self-employed.

Jigawa

The Chairman of Gwaram Local Government in Jigawa
State, Alhaji Hanafi Yakubu, has advised new councillors in the area to protect the interest of the people that voted them into office.
Yakubu who gave the advice during the swearing-in of the councillors on Saturday in Gwaram, urged them to make laws that would bring about development and positive impact on the lives of the people.
The chairman emphasised the need for the councillors to take the oath they took seriously and not to do anything contrary to their oath of office.
Yakubu enjoined the people to be loyal to their leaders and support them to facilitate rapid development of the area.

Kaduna

The Director, Public Affairs, Kaduna State Muslim Pil
grims Welfare Board, Alhaji Adamu Muhammad, said government had established a committee for practical demonstration of Hajj operations to enhance success of 2014 Hajj.
Speaking shortly after the flag-off of the practical demonstration of the exercise in Zaria last Saturday. Muhammad lauded Governor Muktar Yero of Kaduna State for establishing the committee, assuring that it wiIl go a long way in keeping the state intending pilgrims well informed for successful Hajj.
The director said the committee would visit all the 23 local government areas of the state to practically educate them for enhanced and better result.
In an interview, Alhaji Adda’u Muhammad, Pilgrims Officer, Zaria Local Government, appealed to intending pilgrims to cooperate with the tutors for the good of all.
Muhammad said the practical demonstration would not interfere with the normal weekly Hajj training.

Lagos

An educationist, Mrs Rose Omonubi, last Saturday
called on Nigerian universities to adopt new courses that would make their graduates employable and entrepreneurs.
Omonubi, Executive Director, Nubi Educational Counselling Ltd.,who spoke on the sideline of the 2014 Nubi Education Fair in Lagos, advised universities to restructure their courses to meet the needs of the nation’s industry.
She said that courses like accounting, marketing, banking, engineering and pharmacy were no longer competitive in the labour market.
“If you go to the University of London Library, the best theses there were written by Nigerians”, she said.

Niger

President Goodluck Jonathan last Saturday said the Fed
eral Government would comprehensively tackle challenges facing all sectors of the country’s education.
Jonathan said this at the combined 21st, 22nd and 23rd convocation of Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna.
He stressed the need for reorientation of our value system with increased emphasis on conduct, character and competence.
The president who was represented by Dr John Mack, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education enjoined educated elite in the society not to see people who did not have university degree as second class citizens.

Ogun

The Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta
(FUNAAB), last Saturday graduated 81first class students at its 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 convocation.
The institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, said in Abeokuta that of the 3,859 graduating students, 3,555 were for first degrees, while 304 were post-graduate students.
Oyewole said the Colleges of Animal Sciences, Livestock Production and Natural Sciences had 20 first class graduates each.
He said the institution was committed to the provision of visionary leadership, sustainable management of resources and committed to providing world-class future leaders.

Oyo

The Sultan of Sokoto State, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has
appealed to Oyo State government to immortalise the late Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola-Alao.
Abubakar, who was in Ibadan Saturday to commiserate with the family and the state government, said though Arisekola-Alao was dead his legacies should not be forgotten.
The Sultan, who is the President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), said Nigeria had lost a prominent son but not lost his spirit. He said the deceased would be difficult to replace in Nigeria because he dedicated his life in the service of his creator and mankind.
Plateau

Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has urged Nige
rians to observe regular exercise to enable them to stay fit, healthy and live longer.
Jang, who gave the advice last Saturday at the 25th edition of Olympic Day Run in Jos, said exercise was crucial for the body.
Represented by Mr Agwom Sani-Zandi, Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Jang advised people to know their health conditions before embarking on strenuous exercise, stating that his administration embarked on massive projects in the sports sector in recognition of its importance.
Zamfara

Top government officials in the Gov. Abdulaziz Yari-led
All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in Zamfara are gradually resigning their appointments and leaving the party.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Malami Yandoto and three directors-general had resigned their appointments in the last one month.
The DGs included that of Governor’s Office, Alhaji Mustapha Bukkuyum; Alhaji Shehu Yanware of the Directorate of Inter-Party Relations and Alhaji Haruna Jangebe of the Directorate of Non-Governmental Organisations.

Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe,at the National Economic Council Meeting in Abuja yesterday Photo: NAN

Nation

HYPREP Marks 15 Years Of UNEP Report, Highlights Major Cleanup Milestones

Published

12 hours 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

1 month 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

1 month 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.