Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

November 3, 2014

Adamawa
The Adamawa Police Command on Friday warned resi
dents of the state to stop spreading unfounded rumour that often cause panic movement.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Gabriel Adaji, gave the warning during a press briefing in Yola.
Adaji said that report reaching the command was that the present situation in Mubi town was generally calm.
“The situation in Mubi town is generally calm; members of the public are strongly advised to stop spreading rumour and causing panic movement as this will only worsen the situation,” Adaji said.
He maintained that security agencies were on top of the situation and were doing everything humanly possible to restore normalcy in Mubi and other troubled areas in the state.

Borno
The Borno Government State, on Thursday said it would
procure a recycling plant to convert the increasing waste generated in Maiduguri, to positive uses.
The General Manager, Borno State Environmental Protection Protection Agency (BOSEPA), Alhaji Nasiru Surundi, said this in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri.
According to him, the plant will help to create wealth out of the huge refuse generated daily in the state capital.
On flooding, the general manager attributed its annual occurrence in some parts of Maiduguri to the “wrong attitude of residents to waste management”.

FCT

A delegation from Kenya’s House of Assembly has re
quested for partnership with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to strengthen the fight against corruption in the country.
Mr. Njoroge Baiya, the leader of the delegation , made the call during a courtesy visit to the bureau, a statement by the bureau said.
The statement was signed by Mrs Iyabo Akinwale, the spokesperson for the organization, and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.
Baiya, the chairman, Constitution Implementation Committee, Kenya House of Assembly, said the objective of the visit was to tap from Nigeria’s experience in the fight against corruption.
“We are here to seek ideas on the strategies adopted by CCB in the fight against corruption in Nigeria,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Jigawa

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC)
in Jigawa State on Thursday said it recorded 939 cases in the state during the first nine months of 2014.
The NSCDC commandant in the state, Mr Muhammad Gidado, told newsmen that the cases involved criminal assault, intimidation, defamation of character and sexual abuse.
Others, he said, were cases relating to vandalism, fuel diversion, drug peddling, public nuisance and criminal trespass, among others.
He said that some arrests were made through the combined efforts of the command’s detectives.
The commandant said that some of those arrested had been convicted, some cases were transferred, while some others were still pending.
Gidado reiterated the determination of the corps to make Jigawa a crime-free state.
He called on the people to continue to cooperate with the corps.

Kaduna

The Chairman, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties
(CNPP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, has urged youths and women to participate actively in the 2015 general elections.
Musa told newsmen in Kaduna that youths and women in particular, should be involved in the affairs of the country and ensure free, fair and transparent election that would lead to legitimate government.
The former Governor of old Kaduna State, said a lot of youths and women could do more and must realise that their capacity would help in many ways.
Musa commented on the National Assembly’s delay in amending the Electoral Law, saying that the law was needed in good time to give proper direction to the 2015 general elections.
Katsina

The Musawa Local Government Council in Katsina State
on Thursday said that it spent N2.5 million to rehabilitate vandalised electrical installations in the area.
The Council Chairman, AlhajiTanimu Kira, told newsmen in Musawa that the money was spent by a committee established by the council to purchase electrical poles and other parts.
Kira said that the rehabilitation had restored electricity to the entire area which had been in darkness for nine months.
He said that most of the small-scale businesses and households in the council area experienced some set back during the period of power outage.

Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport ( (MMIA) on Thursday said it had arrested three suspects and seized 14.6kg of cocaine.
According to a statement by the agency, the hard drug which is of high grade from Brazil was hidden in footwears and laptop bags.
“Three suspected drug traffickers have been apprehended for smuggling the drugs from Brazil through Abu Dhabi.
“The estimated street value of the seized cocaine is about N131 illion,” the statement said.
“A suspect was found with 11.3kg of cocaine, Agu had in his possession 1.65kg, while Okoye was found with 1.670kg.”

Lokoja

The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) in Kogi State
said on Thursday it had elected a 26-member executive committee to run its affairs in the state.
This is contained in a statement by the party’s Secretary, Adaji Samuel, made available to newsmen in Lokoja.
It said the election was conducted during the state congress of the party in Lokoja.
MrTunji Mathew, from the Central Senatorial District, was elected as the State Chairman; Olushola Stephen emerged as the Deputy Chairman and Adaji Samuel, Secretary.
The positions were filled by candidates from all the three senatorial districts in the state.
The election was conducted in a consensus manner approved by the zoning fomular of the National Secretariat of the party.
Niger

Coordinator, National Directorate of Employment (NDE),
Niger State, Mr Abdullahi Mohammed, says the agency has trained and empowered more than 1, 940 youths in the state.
Mohammed told newsmen in Minna that the youths were trained and empowered in different skills to make them self reliant.
He said that the youths were trained in different aspects that included vocational skills development, special public works, rural development and small scale enterprises.
“We have trained youths in our various departments such as handcraft, trades, practical training on agriculture and also linked them with some commercial banks to access loan as capital to set up a small scale business.

Plateau

The Quint Gentlemen’s Club of Abuja, a non Govern
mental Organisation (NGO), has donated relief materials worth N2 million to some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau.
The items consisting of various foodstuffs are to be distributed to the no fewer than 3,000 IDPs in the three camps in the area.
The Chairman of the Club, Mr Amekan Udom said at the occasion that the club was non-political and that the items donated did not have any political undertone.
He said that the aim was simply to ameliorate the plight of the displaced persons who had been going through hardship.

Yobe

Political aspirants on the platform of the All Progressive
Congress (APC) in Yobe State, and their supporters on Saturday stormed Damaturu to showcase their strength and eligibility for the party’s ticket.
Our correspondent reports that elected public officers and new aspirants drove into the venue of the rally in large convoy of vehicles to show their popularity and support at the grassroots.
The aspirants and their supporters were in Damaturu to witness the formal endorsement of Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam, as APC’s governorship candidate for the 2015 election.
Our correspondent also reports that the politicians and their supporters had put behind the protracted security challenge in the state to face politics.
Many youths were at the venue to display posters and banners in support of old and new aspirants.

From L-R: Minister of Housing, Land and Urban Development, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi, Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musliu Obanikoro, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs 1, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, Minister of Police Affairs, Mr Jelili Adesiyan, Minister of Sports, Mr Tamuno Danagogo and Minister of State for Power, Alhaji Mohammed Wakil, at the Federal Executive Council Meeting in Abuja, recently.

Nation

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

Published

3 days 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.