Nation

THE STATES

Published

13 years ago

April 26, 2013

Adamawa

The Adamawa State Government said it received 11,000 improved palm tree seedlings from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Desk Officer, Palm Oil Production Project in the state, Mr Ilyasu Mu’azu, said in Yola that the development was part of the National Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

Muazu said that under the programme, over 1,000 palm tree farmers were registered and about 2,500 hectares cultivated in Ganye, Toungo and Jada local government areas.

He said that the seedlings were of high yield, nutritious and for short time harvest, and called on the state government to support the programme for the development of agriculture in the state.

Benue

Nine persons were last Tuesday arraigned in a Makurdi Magistrates Court over an alleged culpable homicide.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr James Onwone, told the court that one Cpl. Veronica Nwankwo, of the State Investigation Bureau Headquarters, Makurdi, reported the case.

According to Onwone, a complainant reported that her elder brother was shot and killed by cultists in his medicine store at No.7, David Mark Bypass, Makurdi.

He said that following police investigations, the accused persons, Ogenyi Isaac, Javer Jaga, Ibrahim Dahiru, Husaini Mohammed, Ali Abuh, Terver Hindan, Ochaigwu Ochefije, Gambo Yakubu and Ibrahim Sani were arrested in connection with the crime.

When the case came up for mention, no plea of the accused persons was taken for want of jurisdiction. The prosecution said investigation into the matter was still ongoing and asked the court for another date for mention.

FCT

President Goodluck Jonathan last Tuesday forwarded a request for the Senate to confirm the appointment of a new secretary and board members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a presidential letter read by the Senate President, Chief David Mark, on the floor of the Senate, Jonathan said the request was in accordance with the provisions of the EFCC Act, 2004.

The nominees include Mr Michael Ebong (South South); Mr Uwasomba Udochukwu, (South East); Mr Emmanuel Obitolu (North Central), Dr Ismaila Dukku (North East) and Mr Adesojo Olaoba-Efuntayo (South West) as Secretary.

The president in a another letter, forwarded to the Senate, the names of Hajiya Fatima Kwaku and Mr Olumuyiwa Akinboro for confirmation as members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.

The letter read, “Section 154 sub-sections (1) and (3) and Paragraph 12 (e) of Part 1 to the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, provided for the appointment of two persons, each of whom has been qualified to practise as legal practitioners in Nigeria, for a period of not less than 15 years, from a list of not less than four persons so qualified and recommended by the Nigeria Bar Association’’.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State Action Committee on AIDS (JISACA) has trained 50 women living with HIV and AIDS on various trades as part of its empowerment programme to check the impact of the scourge.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Bashir Ahmed, made the announcement in Dutse on Tuesday at a meeting between officials of the state government and persons living with HIV and AIDS.

Ahmed said that the agency had provided free treatment at various ART, testing and counselling service centres in the state, urging persons living with the disease to feed well and adhere to prescribed medications.

Kaduna

Traditional rulers in Kaduna State, on Tuesday appealed to the state government to demarcate cattle routes and help herdsmen to modernise their trade.

The traditional rulers made the call at a meeting with Gov. Mukhtar Yero and leaders of Fulani herdsmen, held at the palace of the Emir of Zazzau, in Zaria.

The Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, recalled that in the 1960s, forestry officials and agricultural extension officers collaborated to carve out cattle routes annually before the commencement of the rainy season.

In his submission, the Bongon Kurmi in Lere local government area of the state, Dr Ishaku Damina, lamented that official cattle routes had been taken over by farmers, thereby it is difficult for the herdsmen to move freely with their flocks.

Kano

The Kano State Zakkat and Endowment Commission has established an office in each of the 44 local government areas of the state to enhance its activities.

The Director-General of the commission, Alhaji Sufiyanu Gwagwarwa, who disclosed this in an interview in Kano on Tuesday, said that the new offices were established to facilitate the collection and disbursement of Zakkat (alms) to the poor across the 44 local government areas.

“We felt it is necessary to create the offices in order to ease the problem encountered by wealthy individuals in the rural areas in giving out the alms. This will also make the commission’s work easier in collection and distribution of the alms to the needy in their respective local government areas,’’ he said.

Katsina

The Katsina State House of Assembly has passed a resolution urging the state government to hasten the evacuation of water-ways and drainages to avert flooding.

The resolution followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Dr Lawal Aliyu, (PDP-Muswa), which was seconded by Alhaji Babangida Nasamu (PDP-Katsina).

Aliyu recalled the forecast by the Nigeria Metrological Agency indicating heavy rainfall with flood in the state this year and said there was need to act promptly to avert disaster.

The lawmakers unanimously called on the ministry for Environment, the state environmental sanitation agency and local government councils to enforce environmental laws so as to maintain clean environment.

Kwara

The Kwara State government has proposed a fine of N.5 million against any state which poaches another’s athlete. The proposal was contained in a memorandum presented at the meeting of the National Council on Sports in Ilorin last Tuesday.

The memorandum recommended that the fine should be paid into the coffers of the state whose athlete was poached in order to discourage the “ignoble’’ practice signed by Tunde Kazeem, the Director, Kwara Sports Council, the memorandum described poaching as callous, unethical and unproductive.

According to it, poaching is an act of reaping where one has not sown. “This is tantamount to abduction at the point of gainfulness by the state or team that invested resources to train such athletes.

Nasarawa

Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has directed that the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), remains closed, pending the implementation of the investigative report on the students’ unrest in February.

Al-Makura, who made the statement in Lafia when he a received the report of the unrest that led to the death of two students, said that the university authorities did not consult with the visitor to the university before recalling the students.

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Dameshi Luke, the governor announced an indefinite suspension of the resumption date, pending full consideration of the report of the commission of inquiry.

Plateau

The Plateau State Government has turned the hitherto popular Plateau Hotel, Jos, into a residential quarters, investigation has revealed.

It was discovered by newsmen that the hotel’s halls usually hired for conferences, wedding receptions and other ceremonies, had been equally hired out to some religious groups.

Further findings revealed that facilities at the hotel, which was the attraction to many tourists to the state in the 1980s and the 1990s, had become deplorable.

“The situation has consistently gone from bad to worse simply because of the paucity of funds by the state government. We are forced to rent out some of the rooms so as to generate funds to maintain the structures,’’ source explained.

Responding, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Sylvanus Dangtoe, admitted that the situation of many of the state-owned hospitality outfits were “very sad”, and said the current administration has put in place a lot of measures to revamp such outfits and there should be a difference very soon.

Sokoto

The Chairman of Wurno Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Alhaji Shehu Chacho, last Tuesday, solicited for the support of religious leaders in the promotion of girl-child education in the area.

Chacho said in Sokoto that the support would enable parents to allow their children to receive both Islamic and western education.

The chairman stated that religious leaders were expected to deliver special sermons on what Islam said about educating children, including the girl-child, noting that the council had reached out to royal fathers to assist in sensitising their subjects on what the society stood to benefit if the girl-child was educated.

He said “Educating a girl-child is like educating a nation as it is said, in Islam and we are ready to mobilise our people to actively enrol their children into schools, especially the girls, to acquire western education.

“The council will continue to give necessary support to ensure the development of education in the area through the provision of adequate teaching and learning materials.

Yobe

Gum Arabic Farmers and Marketers Association in Yobe State said over N700 million worth of gum arabic trees and the product are lost annually to firewood poachers in the state.

Spokesman of the association, Malam Jafaru Ayuba, disclosed this in an interview in Damaturu last Tuesday.

Ayuba explained that, gum arabic trees were indiscriminately cut down by firewood sellers coming into the state from the neighbouring states.

The spokesman noted that about 15,000 gum arabic farmers were loosing their means of livelihood to illegal tree felling in the state and called on the Yobe government to apply the full weight of the law on illegal tree felling so as to safeguard gum arabic and other economic trees.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

2 days 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 days 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.

Nation

Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

Published

2 days ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

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.