Wild chimpanzees have been pictured eating and sharing fruit containing alcohol for the first time.
Chimpanzee
Researchers set up cameras in Guinea-Bissau’s Cantanhez National Park and recorded footage of chimps sharing fermented African breadfruit.
The scientists said the findings raised questions about whether and why chimps deliberately seek out alcohol.
And they likened it to humans consuming alcohol far back in evolution, with benefits for social bonding.
“For humans, we know that drinking alcohol leads to a release of dopamine and endorphins, and resulting feelings of happiness and relaxation.
“We also know that sharing alcohol, including through traditions such as feasting helps to form and strengthen social bonds.
“So, now we know that wild chimpanzees are eating and sharing ethanolic fruits, the question is: could they be getting similar benefits,’’ asked Anna Bowland, from the University of Exeter in England
The researchers used motion-activated cameras, which filmed chimps sharing fermented fruits on 10 separate occasions.
Fruit shared by these chimps was tested for alcohol content and the highest level found was the equivalent of 0.61per cent strength.
The researchers said, it may be the tip of the iceberg because 60 to 85 per cent of chimps’ diet is fruit, so low levels of alcohol in various foods could add up to significant consumption.
They stressed the chimps were unlikely to get drunk as this would clearly not improve their survival chances.
The impact of alcohol on chimps’ metabolism is unknown.
But recent discoveries of a molecular adaptation that greatly increased ethanol metabolism in the common ancestor of African apes suggests eating fermented fruits may have ancient origins in species including humans and chimps.
“Chimps don’t share food all the time, so this behaviour with fermented fruit might be important.
“We need to find out more about whether they deliberately seek out ethanolic fruits and how they metabolise it, but this behaviour could be the early evolutionary stages of feasting,’’ said Kimberley Hockings.
Hockings is also from the University of Exeter.
“If so, it suggests the human tradition of feasting may have its origins deep in our evolutionary history.’’
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has announced that some 60 governments from countries around the world – the large majority at Minister or equivalent level – will take part in the international Summit on the Future of Energy Security, which is being held in partnership with the UK government in London from April 24 to 25, 2025.
UK Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband
The Ministers and senior government officials taking part in the Summit are from countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East – including those on the front lines of a wide range of energy challenges, including access, affordability, reliability and climate.
Leaders from all across the energy sector – including oil, gas, renewables, electricity, nuclear, critical minerals and more – as well as from international organisations and civil society, will also take part in the discussions in and around the Summit, which will seek to build consensus on a holistic approach to energy security and ensure governments have the tools they need to prevent and respond to the range of challenges confronting them in a fast-evolving context. Altogether, 120 high-level invitees will participate in the Summit itself, and many more in the associated events.
UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband and IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol will co-host the event and feature among the keynote speakers.
Key sessions of the Summit will be livestreamed on IEA digital channels, including the Summit event page.
The current list of high-level participants is available here.
The current version of the Summit agenda is available here.
The IEA has been at the heart of international energy security for 50 years – helping avoid, mitigate and manage energy supply disruptions and crises. As the world changes, so do the challenges around energy security.
The Summit will examine the geopolitical, technological and economic factors affecting energy security at the national and international level. It will provide leaders and decision makers from around the world with an opportunity to review the trends shaping global energy security – and reflect on the tools needed to address traditional and emerging energy security risks.
Key areas include changes in demand, supply and trade of major fuels; energy access and affordability; the expanding role of electricity in many energy systems; the growth of clean energy technologies and their supply chains; and the availability of the minerals and metals required for many clean energy technologies; energy system resilience to the impacts of extreme weather and climate change; and technology innovation and the rise of AI.
On April 23, government, industry and other experts will convene in London for a series of preparatory sessions and technical workshops on key topics – including critical minerals, gas security, gender, methane and Ukraine’s energy system – that will feed into the Summit discussions.
Oil and gas experts have asked the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL), Mr. Bayo Ojulari, to adhere to the rule of law and the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
Mr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, New GCEO, NNPC Ltd
They said these were key to enhancing transparency, accountability, and investor confidence in the sector.
Ojulari was appointed by President Bola Tinubu on April 2, 2025.
Speaking in separate interviews on Monday, April 21 in Lagos, the experts congratulated Ojulari while highlighting critical areas the new leadership must address.
Professor Emeritus of Petroleum Economics, Louisiana State University, Prof. Wumi Iledare, emphasised the non-negotiable need for legal compliance, warning that failure to uphold the provisions of the PIA could discourage investment.
“Rule of law compliance is essential for accountability. Deviating from this path will deter capital inflows into the NNPCL,” Iledare said.
He urged the company to focus on upstream cost efficiency, especially in joint venture (JV) brownfield projects, while also securing its operational assets.
He advised against “gold-plating” of projects and called for more value extraction from midstream and downstream operations.
“NNPCL is now a vertically integrated commercial entity, not a government agency.
Long-term value lies in leveraging downstream and midstream infrastructure,” he added.
Iledare also warned against treating NNPCL as a government cash cow, urging the Federal Government to avoid imposing subsidies on the company.
He advocated compensation models that reflect the distinct financial realities of each operational segment and suggested selling JV interests to local consortia rather than foreign entities.
On energy transition, Iledare said that NNPCL should focus on reducing emissions while maintaining fossil fuels as its core business.
“Petroleum will remain a key energy source well into the future unless a viable, sustainable alternative becomes widely accessible,” he noted.
Oil and gas consultant, Mr. Henry Adigun, expressed same views, urging Ojulari to prioritise shareholder returns, review asset performance and address operational inefficiencies.
“NNPCL must operate strictly as an oil company and not blur the lines with regulatory responsibilities. Its inability to make that distinction has affected its efficiency,” Adigun said.
He noted that while NNPCL could facilitate sectoral growth, it cannot independently attract significant investment without leveraging its existing assets and joint ventures.
On energy transition, Adigun called for proper internal structures to drive the implementation of policy goals, adding that leadership reform at NNPCL could trigger broader industry improvements.
“NNPCL’s reform can set a positive tone for the entire oil and gas sector,” he said.
Global renewable energy capacity has reached new heights, demonstrating a remarkable progress in the world’s transition to clean, sustainable energy. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)’s Renewable Capacity Statistics 2025, 2024 marks yet another benchmark in renewable energy capacity and growth.
Solar power plant in China
The historic expansion is strong evidence of both the economic competitiveness and the scalability of renewables, prompting a clean energy revolution that can bring the world to achieve its target to triple renewable power capacity by 2030 – if challenges are addressed.
Here are the five key facts about renewable capacity additions in 2024:
1. Record-high renewable energy capacity additions in 2024
Global renewable power capacity increased by 585 GW in a single year, indicating a record rate of 15.1% annual growth, which surpasses 2023’s growth rate of 14.3%. The increase marks a consistent trend of renewables breaking their own expansion records each year, which underscores renewables’ strong business and investment case.
2. Renewables account for more than 92% of total power expansion in 2024
Overall, renewables accounted for 92.5% of total power capacity expansion in 2024, up from 85.8% in 2023. Their share in the world’s total installed power capacity rose from 43% to 46.4% during the same period, reflecting both accelerated adoption of renewable energy and a slowdown in non-renewable capacity additions – a trend further driven by the large net decommissioning of fossil-fuel power plants in several regions. Solar and wind remained key to this momentum, jointly accounting for 96.6% of net renewable expansion.
3. Solar power takes the lead
Solar energy remained the driving force behind this expansion, responsible for 42% of the total global renewable power capacity mix. The solar sector alone grew by 32.2%, adding almost 452 GW to reach a total capacity of 1 865 GW worldwide. Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology accounted for virtually all solar capacity growth, demonstrating its continued cost-effectiveness and scalability. In 2023, the global weighted average cost of electricity from new solar PV projects dropped by 12%, the steepest decline among major renewable sources.
4. Asia dominates, regional disparities persist
Regional disparities in renewable energy capacity deployment intensified from 2023 to 2024, with Asia strengthening its dominance from 69.3% to 72% of global additions at 421.5 GW. China alone accounted for over 88% of Asia’s increase. By contrast, the region of Central America and the Caribbean contributed the least with only 3.2% share of the global addition, while the Small Island Developing States saw their contributions decline from 1.1 GW in 2023 to just 0.7 GW in 2024.
Africa’s capacity grew by only 4.2 GW and the Middle East by 3.3 GW, reflecting the persistent geographic disparities in renewables deployment, which presents a significant challenge to achieving the global tripling target.
5. Progress still falls short to reach the 2030 tripling target
Despite a record growth rate of 15.1% in 2024, progress still falls short of the 11.2 terawatts needed to align with the global goal to triple installed renewable energy capacity by 2030. If the current growth rate persists, the world will be short approximately 0.8 TW by 2030. Achieving the target now requires an annual growth of 16.6% until 2030.
Boosting the annual growth rate requires more ambitious national targets. IRENA has consistently called for clear, quantifiable renewable energy targets in the next round of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). To that end, the Agency continues to support its members in enhancing and implementing their NDCs in the energy sector.
The Nigerian Red Cross Society, in partnership with the European Union, has distributed hygiene and sanitary items to 400 women and girls affected by the 2024 flood disaster in Anambra State.
Red Cross Society and the EU distributing dignity kits to flood victims in Anambra
The items were provided by the EU under its 2024 Integrated Flood Response intervention project.
Mr. Kingsley Okoye, Branch Secretary, Nigeria Red Cross Society in the state, said this at the end of a three-day distribution exercise on Monday, April 21, 2025, in Awka, the state capital.
Okoye said the initiative was a follow-up to the relief items and cash distributed to 1000 households by the organisation in response to the flood disaster.
He said the project targeted 400 women and girls in communities in Ogbaru, Anambra West, and Ayamelum Local Government Areas of the state.
Okoye said the dignity kits include disinfectant, slippers, torchlight, bathing and washing soaps, reusable sanitary pads, undies, cream, detergents, toothpaste and brush, among others.
“These are essential hygiene items to support daily living needs and enhance the well-being of affected individuals, particularly women and girls.
“The primary goal of the programme is to help restore a sense of dignity, hygiene, and comfort in the aftermath of the flood disaster.
“This gesture also reinforced the commitment of the Nigerian Red Cross Society and its partners to stand in solidarity with affected populations during times of crisis,” he said.
Okoye urged the beneficiaries to ensure effective utilisation of the items to maintain proper personal and environmental hygiene.
He also advised the flood-prone communities to adhere to early warning signs and relocate to upland.
“The Nigerian Red Cross Society remains dedicated to supporting vulnerable communities and urges continued support to sustain and grow these impactful initiatives,” Okoye said.
A beneficiary, Ms. Nwanneka Ikpeze, expressed her gratitude to the Red Cross Society, noting that the assistance would help meet her immediate hygiene needs.
The Geoinformation Society of Nigeria (GEOSON) has called for the harmonisation of space-related activities among agencies of government for an effective regulation.
Chief Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology
President of GEOSON, Dr Fikta Steve, who said this on Monday, April 21, 2025, in Abuja, spoke against the backdrop of recently inaugurated space licensing and regulation policy.
Space licensing and regulation is encapsulated in the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) Act of 2010, aimed at generating revenue and checking activities in the ecosystem.
NASRDA, on April 8, unveiled that aspect of the Act which would require it to regulate the activities of space-based institutions, both private and public.
Steve commended the regulation’s move, describing it as a bold step by NASRDA to check activities in the ecosystem for proper revenue generation.
However, he explained that there were some government agencies, like the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, National Population Commission, among others, who heavily utilise space for their mandates.
According to him, the idea of regulating them may cause some resistance and misinterpretation of the situation if they were not fully carried along in the policy implementation.
“There is need to explain this regulation to stakeholders because different agencies provide different geospatial information using space, like Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, National Population Commission.
“NASRDA has started something according to its mandate but how far can it go; how is NASRDA going to regulate some of these agencies, is it by standards or means of acquiring data?
“There needs to be harmonisation of the different space-related functions among agencies of government and how the regulation affects their roles,’’ Steve said.
The president acknowledged that space activities needed to be regulated, adding that some private institutions who relied on space for their functions, were short-changing the government.
“We have lost so much as a result of not regulating the space, we have lost resources, investments; economic value generally.
“People have just been doing things anyhow, no standards, no proper payment to the government to generate revenue from space application,’’ he said.
He further said that aside from saving money for government, space regulation would impact on geoinformation systems.
He said it would achieve that by enhancing accuracy of location information, increased production and better application of geospatial technology.
Steve implored experts in the geoinformation ecosystem to be agents of awareness, adding that the general public needed to understand the benefits of space regulation.
Geoinformation refers to data and knowledge related to the Earth’s surface and its attributes. It encompasses maps and geographic data, among others.
Following active participation in the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum at United Nations Headquarters, the Youth Charter has issued a call for a more youth-centred and action-oriented global communiqué.
Professor Geoff Thompson, Founder and Executive Chair of the Youth Charter
This call urges the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and all Member States to elevate youth engagement and strengthen support for the growing global sport for development movement as a key contributor to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This year’s Forum, themed “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda,” featured inspiring dialogue between youth leaders, UN agencies, and Member States.
However, the Youth Charter notes a critical gap in the formal outputs: the underrepresentation of youth-led, grassroots, and community-based solutions – particularly those harnessing sport, culture, and the arts.
A Global Youth Call2Action
As a United Nations-accredited NGO, the Youth Charter reiterated its commitment to its Global Youth Call2Action, which urges governments and development partners to:
– Support the integration of sport for development into national youth strategies, education systems, and community development frameworks – Adopt and replicate the Youth Charter Community Campus model, which uses place-based innovation to engage, equip, and empower young people through sport, art, culture, and digital learning – Invest in Social Coach Leadership Programmes, to train local mentors who can guide young people away from violence and disengagement toward purpose and opportunity – Ensure youth are not only consulted but co-creators in shaping policies and initiatives aimed at achieving the 2030 Agenda
A Stronger Role for ECOSOC
The Youth Charter is also calling for greater recognition and integration of youth-focused outcomes from the ECOSOC Youth Forum into the formal Ministerial Declaration of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF). This includes adopting an annual ECOSOC Youth Communiqué, co-created by youth, to ensure their contributions are not only heard but embedded in high-level decision-making.
“If we are truly serious about ‘leaving no one behind,’ then young people must not be at the margins of global development discussions—they must be at the centre,” said Professor Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL, Founder and Executive Chair of the Youth Charter.
Looking Ahead
As the world moves toward the halfway mark of the 2030 Agenda, the Youth Charter will intensify its advocacy efforts to ensure that youth voices translate into youth outcomes, and that sport, culture, and creativity are recognized as essential tools in tackling inequality, disengagement, and global youth violence.
“The Youth Charter extends its appreciation to ECOSOC, the UN Youth Office, and all collaborating partners, and stands ready to work with global stakeholders to translate this year’s Forum energy into lasting impact,” stated the group.
Feted for his humility and unorthodox approach, Pope Francis struggled to make the far-reaching changes to the Catholic Church that many progressives hoped to see.
Pope Francis. Catholic communities have committed to switch the management of their finances away from fossil fuel extraction. Photo credit: dailytimes.com.ng
He faced a furious conservative backlash nonetheless.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who died on Monday, April 21, 2025, aged 88, established many firsts during his 12-year leadership of the Catholic Church under the name of Pope Francis.
He was the first pope from Latin America, the first Jesuit, and the first to be named after St Francis of Assisi, a medieval monk who lived in poverty and sought to rid the Catholic Church of corruption.
He was also the first pontiff – at least in modern times – to face open calls for his resignation and accusations of heresy from disgruntled traditionalists.
Pope Francis has faced multiple health challenges in recent years. At a young age, he had his right lung partially removed, making him particularly vulnerable to respiratory illnesses.
He has been hospitalised several times for mainly lung-related conditions. His most recent hospital stay began on February 14 and lasted more than a month, when he was first diagnosed with bronchitis, then with a complicated respiratory ailment and finally with double pneumonia.
When he was elected, on March 13, 2013, Francis quipped that he came “almost from the end of the world.” Three days later, he said he wanted to lead “a poor church, for the poor.”
He took command at a time of deep crisis: his predecessor, Benedict XVI, was the first pope to resign in almost 600 years, in the wake of the global clergy sex abuse scandal and the VatiLeaks affair which exposed alleged cronyism and infighting within the Vatican’s walls.
Early in his papacy, Francis’ unusually free remarks and unorthodox displays of humility made him immensely popular, particularly among those who were not usually close to the Catholic Church.
The Argentine-born pope took up residence in a Vatican guest house rather than in a palatial apartment, shunned some of the most ornate papal garments, and picked an ordinary hatchback, rather than a limousine, as his official car.
In July 2013, he famously said of homosexuals: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?”
Months later, he made the front cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
But as his papacy progressed, Francis’ popularity waned, as he proved to be less radical than some progressives had imagined him to be. At the same time, the pontiff faced a furious conservative backlash.
Francis made “mercy” a key tenet of his papacy. He saw this as meaning that the Catholic Church had to focus less on the strict enforcement of its doctrine and more on reaching out to those who stray from it.
This informed the 2016 papal document known as Amoris Laetitia, which eased a long-standing ban on Communion for remarried divorcees, much to the chagrin of traditionalists who felt it undermined Catholic dogma on the indissolubility of marriage.
In their outraged response to Amoris Laetitia, arch-conservatives went so far as to accuse the pope of heresy. Opposition to Francis’ relatively flexible pastoral approach was so strong that it fuelled talk of a schism.
Traditionalists often looked to the late Benedict XVI as an alternative source of papal authority. But apart from the occasional incident in which the retired German pontiff’s remarks were seen as critical of his successor, the previous pope remained loyal.
Francis said he had had a good relationship with Benedict, following the retired pope’s death, which contradicted claims that there had been tension between the two in the nearly 10 years following Benedict’s resignation.
He lamented the idea that observers were attempting to drive a wedge between the two shortly after the pope emeritus’ death at the end of 2022. “I believe that the death of Benedict has been instrumentalised,” Francis said.
Francis, who was born in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936 to Italian immigrant parents, held strong views on social and environmental justice, earning him the “Marxist” sobriquet in US right-wing circles.
He cried out against Mediterranean migrant deaths, called climate change deniers “stupid,” and denounced US President Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall along the Mexico border to stop migrants coming in as “not Christian.”
In terms of concrete reforms, however, Francis’ legacy is mixed.
Pope Francis was the first pope to appoint women to senior roles in the Vatican. In June 2022, he introduced reforms to allow lay people, and thus also women, to head dicasteries, which are like ministries in the Vatican.
On the issue of whether women should be allowed to serve as deacons however, Francis did not budge.
In an interview with Argentinian news website Infobae in March 2023, Francis declared his openness to revising the celibacy rule for priests, yet no concrete measures were pushed through during his tenure.
Francis ignored demands for a rule change on both divisive issues coming from a 2019 summit of bishops from the Amazon region.
Under his watch, limited progress was made in addressing the decades-old scandal of paedophile priests. New papal laws made it compulsory for clergy and leaders of international associations to report cases of abuse and cover-up to their church superior – although not to the police.
Francis also struggled in his attempts to reorganize the Vatican’s central bureaucracy, the Roman Curia, with delays in the drafting of a new Vatican constitution. As for the Vatican’s finances, he only partially succeeded in making them more transparent.
One notable misstep was his appointment of controversial Australian Cardinal George Pell as the Vatican’s de-facto finance minister. Pell was forced to resign over allegations of child abuse that eventually earned him a conviction and a six-year jail sentence. That verdict was later overturned after he spent 400 days behind bars and Francis spoke out against the “injustice” the former cardinal had faced.
The late pope led the Catholic Church through turbulent times, most notably during the coronavirus pandemic.
Francis, who was known for going deep into crowds to be close to the people, was forced to keep his distance from his supporters for almost two years. He presented his usual public masses to a lonely St Peter’s Square.
The coronavirus pandemic also plunged the Vatican into financial troubles, leading Francis to cut the salaries of senior clergy and scrap rules that granted Vatican members free accommodation.
On foreign policy, one of Francis’ achievements was a landmark 2018 deal which ended decades of hostility between China and the Vatican. Some, however, criticized this as a sell-out to Beijing’s communist regime.
In 2016, in a wide-ranging interview with Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, Francis was asked how he would have liked to go down in history.
He responded, “I have not thought about it, but I like it when someone remembers someone and says: ‘He was a good guy, he did what he could, he was not so bad.’ I would be happy with that.”
Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON) has urged the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) to prioritise the plight of women farmers for enhanced agricultural production and food secured nation.
Women. Photo credit: UN Women/Joe Saade
Mrs. Mary Afan, immediate past President of the association made the appeal in an interview on Monday, April 21, 2025, in Abuja.
Afan, who identified women farmers as responsible for food production in the country, however, said that they lacked access to land, fund, credit, mechanisation and extension services, among others, in the country.
She said that they could only farm between zero and two hectres of land because cultures and traditions denied women ownership or inheritance to land in the country and some parts of Africa.
The agric expert, however, urged NADF to prioritise smallholder women farmers in all its programmes and interventions geared towards food security and sustainability.
“NADF should give special attention to smallholder women farmers who are the major producers of food, we put food on the table of every household.
“So in making sure that this fund intervenes in bringing food security to the nation, the interest of smallholder women farmers have to be considered.
“We appeal for the fund to intervene in procuring small farming implements, like power tiller and hand planters that the women can operate independently,” she said.
According to Afan, if we don’t encourage smallholder farmers, we will be at risk of not being able to feed ourselves as a country and we would lack empowerment in that area.
“Special interventions should be looked into on how smallholder women farmers will be able to have access to NADF directly because when it passes through commercial banks, the organisation will have big challenges of access.
“We are over two million grassroot farmers grouped into cooperatives, so NADF can leverage on SWOFON in ensuring the nation achieve food security and sustainability.
NADF established by the Federal Government is mandated to address agricultural finance challenges and enhance Nigeria’s agricultural potential.
These include, providing financial and technical support to agricultural projects that boost food production, create jobs and improve farmer livelihoods.
It also promotes sustainable development and food security by bridging the funding gap, facilitating access to finance for farmers, and strengthening the agricultural ecosystem.
The Police Command in Bauchi State has confirmed a tragic industrial accident which claimed the lives of four workers at the Gubi Water Treatment Plant in Bauchi, the state capital.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State
The spokesman of the command, CSP Ahmed Wakili, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Bauchi.
He said the incident occurred during a sludge cleaning operation inside the plant’s tunnels.
Wakili listed the victims as Shayibu Hamza (48), Abdulmalik Yahya (29), Jamilu Inusa (29) and Ibrahim Musa (42).
They were all residents of Firo village in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state.
Wakili said the workers had entered a clarifier to dislodge pit pipes when the incident occured.
“They were retrieved unconscious from the tunnel and rushed to the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi, where they were later confirmed dead.
“Police personnel were swiftly deployed to the scene as investigation into the cause of the incident commenced.
“The management of the water treatment facility is said to be cooperating fully with the authorities to ensure a thorough review,” he said
Wakili, however, stressed the importance of stringent safety measures in such high-risk environments.
“Safety must be non-negotiable in operations like this,” he said.
He urged the management and workers across the sector to adhere strictly to established safety protocols.
Wakili said the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, extended condolences on behalf of the command to the victims’ families, colleagues and management of the plant.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the police to improving safety standards to prevent such occurrences in future.
Meanwhile, Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has condoled with the families of the four workers who lost their lives at the Gubi Dam.
In a condolences message, Mohammed expressed deep sorrow over the incident, describing it as a moment of profound sadness to the entire state.
“This devastating incident has cast a dark shadow over Bauchi State as we mourn the loss of these hardworking and committed public servants.
“They died in the line of duty contributing to the essential task of ensuring clean water supply for people,” he said.
The governor said the sacrifice and service of the deceased would never be forgotten, stressing that their legacy would continue to inspire all those who work tirelessly to build a better state.
He prayed for the repose of their souls, and Almighty God grant the families the strength to bear the loss.
Mohammed stressed the need for enhanced safety protocols and strict adherence to established guidelines in government and industrial operations.
He also tasked workers to prioritise safety in their duties to prevent future occurrences.
The governor said the state government has commenced investigation to unravel the cause of the accident, improve workplace safety and pledged support to the bereaved families.
