TheNewsGuru

Tag: Babatunde Raji Fashola

  • Second Niger Bridge is completed – Fashola

    Second Niger Bridge is completed – Fashola

    Nigeria’s Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji  Fashola, has announced the completion of the Second Niger Bridge.

    Fashola Made this known on  Wednesday in Abuja during the unveiling of President Muhammadu Buhari’s scorecard series (2015-2023).

    However, he noted that some connecting roads to the bridge are still under construction.

    The minister explained the reason why the Federal Government opted for SUKUK bond, saying that SUKUK helped to fund road construction across many regions in the country.

    According to Fashola: “Second Niger Bridge is completed. What is remaining is a 4km interchange road at the Asaba end and 2km out of a 7km link road at the Onitsha end.

    “The first thing we did when we came into power was that we expanded our budget on road infrastructure, sought alternative sources of funding through SUKUK, Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme.”

    The Lagos born politician also listed the achievements of his ministry under the present administration.

    The minister said 12 road projects covering about 896km have been completed, commissioned and handed over to their communities.

    Fashola said the government is executing 83 road rehabilitation projects in federal tertiary institutions across the country with 66 projects completed and 46 commissioned.

    The minister had earlier said that the Second Niger Bridge will be open for use during the yuletide period.

  • LAGOS BUS ACCIDENT: Seven burnt to death

    LAGOS BUS ACCIDENT: Seven burnt to death

    At least 4 females, 2 males and 1 male child have been burnt to death in an auto crash that occurred at Iyana-Oworo inward third mainland bridge in Lagos on Sunday.

    It was gathered that a commercial bus of 14 passenger Mazda with registration number KJA 699 GY was gutted with fire.

    Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed that the incident occurred due to recklessness and overspeeding by the driver which resulted in the fire with 12 passengers trapped.

    He said the driver escaped with some burns, three female adults were rescued and rushed to Gbagada General Hospital while a male adult was attended to by LASAMBUS at the scene.

    “Unfortunately 7 victims were burnt to death (4 female, 2 male adults and 1 male child ) in the bus.

    “All the remains have been bagged by the Agency’s LRT Paramedics, LASAMBUS official and handed over to SEHMU” he said.

    Osanyintolu added that arrangements have been made by LASTMA officials at the scene for the removal of the burnt vehicle from the road.

    He said the operation is concluded, while the road is now partially opened for vehicular activities.

    (LASEMA) was established vide LASEMA Law 16 of 2008 for emergency and disaster management in the State in pursuance to decree 12 of 1999 as amended by Act No. 50 of 1999 which established the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    The Agency is responsible for the overall co-ordination of emergency management in Lagos State, working closely with all its Stakeholders. It came into existence in February 2007, and the legal framework establishing LASEMA was signed into Law on July 22nd, 2008 by Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), who was then the governor of the state.

    The Agency was statutorily charged to provide adequate and prompt response as well as sustaining intervention in all forms of emergency/disaster situations in the State within the territorial boundary called “Lagos”.

    It performs this onerous task through Emergency/Disaster prevention preparedness, mitigation, recovery and relief.

    The law that set up the LASEMA did empower the Agency to coordinate the activities of all its stakeholders and NGO’s who are categorized into Primary, Secondary and Tertiary responders in management of all emergency and disaster situations in the State as well as also to build their capacity toward increasing response capability.

  • Fashola backs Sanwo-Olu on okada, tricycle ban

    The minister of works and housing, Raji Fashola, has expressed his support for the ban of commercial motorcycles and Tricycles in Lagos state.

    Speaking at the United Action for Change public lecture on Thursday, the Minister said motorcycles cannot be preferred choice of taxiing in Centre of Excellence.

    He also cited security concerns fuelled by criminals using motorcycles to deliver harsh drugs to children, attack banks and other facilities.

    Fashola called for the return residents and landlords associations, which according to him, could eliminate in our society.

  • 2019: Why South West will re-elect Buhari – Fashola

    2019: Why South West will re-elect Buhari – Fashola

    The Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) says the South West has more to gain by re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

    Fashola, who was in Lagos on Tuesday for the inauguration of 5000 foot soldiers for the campaign of Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said that the South West already had high stakes/appointments in the current administration.

    He said that the promise of the Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) slot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not enough for the South West to lose the positions it is currently occupying.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Chief Gbenga Daniel, the Director General of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, said that the position of the SGF would be given to the South West, if Atiku emerged as president in 2019.

    “As a South West indigene, I will vote for the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket Westerner, because my people stand to gain more from it,” fashola said.

    He said that the re-election of Buhari would guarantee that power would come to the South West in 2023.

    “ The South West is presently occupying the position of the vice president. We have three sitting ministers and many different federal appointments from the present administration which we cannot afford to lose.,” he said.

    The Minister explained that although the APC promised change In 2014, the party did not promise to do it in four years.

    “The APC has done more in three years than 16 years of PDP administration, yet they say president Buhari is too slow.

    “President Buhari is taking Nigeria to the next level. We are going to the Next Level.

    “The 2019 presidential election is a choice between going back and moving forward to the next level and also a choice of whom Nigerians can trust with their money,” he said.

    He noted that the APC-Buhari led administration has done more in three years with less money than the PDP with all the monies that accrued to the nation in 16 years.

    “Buhari has inaugurated a structural infrastructure fund for road construction. N15 billion has been released for the continued construction of Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

    “There is need for the progress to continue. Dubai was built with oil-money, Nigeria can be built with it too. The past administration squandered oil revenue.

    “Federal Government is constructing at least one road in every state in Nigeria. We are also constructing houses in 34 States in Nigeria.

    “We have collected 690 containers for the construction of 90 transmission stations and through our policy of mini grids, our markets now have uninterrupted power supply.

    “In the last 3 years we have constructed 40 kilometres of roads per year. In 2015, the total number of roads completed nationwide was 80 kilometres. In 2016 after we took over, we completed , 274 kilometres of road, 478 kilometres in 2017 and 474 kilometers in 2018.

    “Electric generation has moved from 4000 Megawatts that we met to 7000MW. That’s an increase of 3000MW, an average of 1000MW a year. We have started an IPP in 9 universities in Nigeria. We have accelerated the distribution of meters by outsourcing it to distributors,” he added.

    NAN reports that at the event are Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, (Lagos East), former Deputy Governor of Lagos State Mrs Adejoke Adefulire and Mr Obafemi Hamzat, running mate to Lagos APC governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu among others.

    NAN

  • Ode to Calestous Juma, By Babatunde Raji Fashola

    Now I accept. Calestous Juma is human.

    The human species will birth, wither and die, what never dies is the good, the impact and happiness they spread.

    It is hard to now speak of him in the past. Sadly this is the new normal about Calestous.

    A man who personified so much goodness, who impacted lives in profoundly beneficial ways that will be our burden to recount and a man for whom sharing and spreading happiness through development was an all-consuming passion.

    From the time I met him in 2010, he gave so much of himself to me, the Government of Lagos State while I served and to Nigerians.

    He was a true African Patriot. If he came across any datum, book information that he thought would be useful, Calestous made it his responsibility to get it to me.

    I would open my mail from time to time and find that “ Santa” Calestous had visited and dropped gifts of development.

    He advised me when we confronted the Ebola virus. The Establishment of the Lagos Innovation Advisory Council was informed by his Idea.

    His thoughts on Agriculture and Farming were most helpful in shaping our State Agro policy.

    If I did not call Calestous never bore a grudge.

    In all that he achieved he thought less of himself and more about what he could do to support others.

    He was a profound thinker whose mind could pierce through layers of perspectives that many assumed did not exist.

    He was a great man in life and I predict that in death he will assume even monumental greatness as many people from different walks of life embark on what I predict will be a journey to understand what we have all now lost.

    Goodnight brother, goodnight friend, goodnight counsellor and goodnight citizen of the world.

    Goodnight Calestous Juma.

    Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN