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FG raises alarm on 18 states, FCT, says flooding may increase cholera spread

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The federal government Thursday raised the alarm over possible severe flooding beginning from the end of this month, saying 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are likely to be adversely affected.

The states at high risk to include Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Rivers and Taraba as well as the FCT.

The government also warned that prolonged flooding incidents might escalate the cholera spread across some affected states.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Terlumun Utsev, while addressing reporters in Abuja yesterday, said Nigeria had been experiencing flash/urban floods since May, resulting from high intensification of rainfall which has been prolonged, as well as poor and blocked drainage systems in many urban areas.

He said from the end of July, the country might start experiencing river flooding, which might be more devastating.

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had on Wednesday said 63 people had died of cholera with 2,102 suspected cases.

Since April 10, some states and the FCT have experienced flooding resulting in casualties and huge damage to properties.

The Water Resources minister said river flooding was expected from major rivers like the Niger and Benue, urging for continuous monitoring and proactive measures.

He noted that Nigeria is located at the lowest portion of the River Niger Basin, which means that once the upper catchment of the basin gets flooded, the country should be prepared to experience flooding incidents.

On the situation with Lagdo Dam in Cameroon, the minister said the operators had informed the country that they were currently filling the dam for hydropower generation.

He said the flow situation at Wuroboki was relatively normal now and that there was no cause for alarm.

On what the government was doing to mitigate the annual flooding from the release of water from the Lagdo Dam, he said arrangements were almost completed to build buffer dams along the water channel to camp water from that particular dam.

He said the designs of the dams had been done and that the government was almost at the implementation stage.

He said a presidential committee had been set up to see how any possible outbreak could be tackled.

He said the committee was also looking at the issue of open defecation which, according to him, is another causal factor for cholera.

Utsev said a realigned 2023 flood report had led to the formation of a new committee chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima to address broader disaster management issues, including erosion and desertification.

He said the committee had submitted its report which had been approved by the National Economic Council, with implementation strategies set to commence shortly.

The minister urged state and local governments, and other stakeholders to take measures to prevent the ugly flooding menace of the past years.

Clement Nze, Director-General, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), said his agency had, in the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook released in April, predicted that 148 local government areas across 31 states are at high risk of flooding this year.

He said the federal government had dispatched such outlooks to the state governments and even held a meeting on the issue with representatives of the states.

The acting Director-General, FCT Emergency Management Department, Florence Wenegieme, said the FCT Administration had been carrying out enlightenment on the need to clear drainage systems and desist from dumping refuse on waterways. States roll out enlightenment campaigns.

 

 

 

 

 

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NiMet DG Anosike urges service providers to move beyond institutional compliance to measurable impacts on citizens

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The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike, has called on public institutions to move beyond regulatory compliance and certifications to delivering measurable results that create lasting value for citizens.

 

The DG/CEO of NiMet, who was represented by the Director, Engineering and Technical Services, Engr. Hamid Olayinka Abdulkareem, made the call during his keynote address at the 3rd National Quality Improvement Summit and Awards, organised by the Quality Improvement Institute of Nigeria (QIIN) in Abuja on Thursday 12 November 2026. Speaking on the theme, “Quality: Powering Performance – Moving Beyond Compliance to Measurable Results,” Professor Anosike emphasised that institutional credibility must be earned through consistent service delivery, accountability, innovation and continuous improvement.

 

Highlighting NiMet’s commitment to international quality standards, the DG/CEO disclosed that the Agency secured ISO 9001:2015 certification for aeronautical meteorological services at Yola, Osubi and Owerri airports in July 2026, alongside the successful recertification of five other airports, bringing its total number of QMS-certified airport stations to eight. He stressed that quality assurance in meteorological services is critical to aviation safety, agricultural productivity, disaster preparedness and national economic development.

 

Professor Anosike further highlighted the integration of the Balanced Scorecard Performance Management System into NiMet’s 2026–2030 Strategic Plan as a significant step towards strengthening institutional accountability. He explained that the framework connects strategic objectives with measurable performance indicators, ensuring that organisational success is assessed not merely by activities undertaken but by results achieved and value delivered.

 

He urged institutions to invest in people, technology and stakeholder partnerships while embedding quality management into their organisational culture. According to him, sustainable institutional excellence requires leadership commitment, continuous evaluation and a deliberate shift from procedural compliance to measurable public impact.

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Joint Aviation Unions Appoint Keyamo Grand Patron of Renewed Hope Support Group, Present ITF Position Paper Ahead of ICAO Conference 

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The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, today received a high-powered delegation of aviation labour unions under the Joint Aviation Trade Union Forum (JATUF), led by its Chairman, Comrade Ben Nnabue, in Abuja.

 

The delegation comprised top executives of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and other aviation unions, including the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP). The unions are affiliates of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

 

Other members of the delegation included Comrade John Ogbe, Vice Chairman; Comrade Alale Adedayo, Vice Chairman; Group Captain Bunmi Gandeh, Vice Chairman; and Comrade Hector Nnadi, Secretary of the Forum.

 

The visit was primarily to formally present the position paper of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) to the Minister, seeking Nigeria’s support for a motion advocating the integration of social sustainability, decent work and meaningful workers’ engagement into the global civil aviation framework at the forthcoming Seventh Worldwide Air Transport Conference (ATConf7) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), scheduled to hold in Montreal, Canada, from November 16 to 20, 2026.

According to Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser to the Hon. Minister on Media and Communications, the proposed motion, which has received Nigeria’s nod, underscores the need for the international aviation community to recognise that the sustainability and long-term success of civil aviation go beyond infrastructure development, technological advancement and economic growth to include the welfare, rights and professional development of the workforce that sustains the industry.

 

The unions stressed that the future of international civil aviation must be built on a framework that balances economic competitiveness with social responsibility, recognising aviation workers as indispensable stakeholders in the growth, safety and efficiency of the industry.

 

The Minister’s reception of the position paper further demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to constructive engagement with organised labour and the promotion of policies that strengthen the aviation sector while protecting the interests of its workforce.

 

In a related development, the delegation also formally presented the Minister with an invitation to serve as Grand Patron of the Renewed Hope Aviation Support Group (RHASG), under the umbrella of the Strategic Collaboration for the Re-Election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

 

The nomination, made on behalf of the Board of Trustees, National Executive Council and entire membership of the organisation, recognises the Minister’s leadership, professional competence and capacity for strategic coordination.

 

The group congratulated Keyamo on his recent appointment as Director of the Directorate of Air Transport Mobilisation for the All Progressives Congress (APC) re-election campaign, describing the appointment as a testament to the confidence reposed in his leadership abilities, organisational experience and commitment to effective mobilisation.

 

According to the group, the Minister’s wealth of experience in managing complex responsibilities, coupled with his strategic understanding of the aviation industry, makes him well-positioned to provide political leadership, guidance and direction to the organisation.

 

The appointment as Grand Patron is intended to strengthen the group’s strategic direction and consolidate support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his anticipated re-election bid.

 

The development marks another demonstration of the growing intersection between organised aviation labour, industry stakeholders and broader national development objectives, with the Minister continuing to engage stakeholders on issues that affect the growth, sustainability and future of Nigeria’s aviation industry.

 

 

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Gwarzo appoints Shehu Wada Sagagi as campaign DG

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The Kano State governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, has appointed a former Kano State Chief of Staff, Gwani Alhaji Shehu Wada Sagagi, as Director-General of his 2027 governorship campaign.

The appointment was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu, spokesperson to the NDC governorship candidate.

According to the statement, Gwarzo also named Alhaji Adamu Ali Ibrahim Kibiya as Secretary of the Campaign Directorate and Engr. Sunusi Usman Dambatta as Deputy Director-General.

Sagagi, a former Commissioner for Investment, Commerce and Industry and ex-chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kano State, is expected to lead the campaign’s activities ahead of the 2027 election.

The appointments take immediate effect, while the full membership of the campaign council will be announced later.

 

 

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