By Isaac Eranga  Benin City : As part of measures towards ensuring the fitness of Edo football Referees for the year 2026, the State Chairman- Mr. Sylvester Okungbonwa has announced Saturday 17th January, 2026 as resumption date for the weekly keep fit exercises .  Mr Okungbonwa made this known in Benin while revealing plans for consistent fitness programs for Referees in the State.  According to Edo Referees ' boss, "the reason why we are intensifying efforts in promoting fitness programs this year, is to ensure that no Referee fails in this year's National Fitness Test . This will help increase the number of Referees that will officiate in the different football leagues in the State.  "This year, we are going to embark on different training programs that will help enhance the capability of Edo Referees. These training programs will be in the areas of health/nutrition literacy , physical fitness and interpretation of the Laws of the Game ", he said.

A training program aimed at empowering individuals with the knowledge needed to implement composting in their daily waste management practices has been held in Ekiadolor community dumpsite , near Benin City , Edo State .  The training which brought together nine waste pickers in the community, was conveyed by the Sustainable Environment and Development Initiative (SEDI).  Welcoming the participants, the program coordinator, Dr. Tom Aneni , emphasized the importance of composting in waste management. He reiterated that the workshop was designed not only to provide theoretical knowledge but also to offer practical, hands-on experience to participants. He said the goal was to equip waste pickers with the necessary skills needed to manage organic waste and integrate composting techniques into their daily practices. He also expressed gratitude to the participants for their commitment to improving the local waste management system which in turn fosters a cleaner, more sustainable e...

As part of effort towards restoring the Okomu landscape from deforestation and forest degradation , communities and stakeholders recently met at the Okomu National Park under the auspices of Okomu Biodiversity Stakeholders Platform (OBSP). The meeting also served as the inception of a new project aimed at galvanizing partnerships amongst  communities, government  and private organisations towards long-term  restoration of the Okomu Forest Landscape , enabling the forest to recover and improve the livelihoods and well-being of over 100 households.  The Technical Program Coordinator, of the Society for Sustainability and Conservation Education for Rural Areas (SCERA), Mr. Joseph Molokwu , unveiled the project’s core objective, which includes, incentivizing local communities to support the restoration of the Okomu forest landscape through community empowerment and livelihood programmes. This will benefit about 100 households, support the construction of nurseries and ...