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Tag: NDDC

  • Cross River Govt. hails Tinubu’s prompt response to NDDC slot agitation

    Cross River Govt. hails Tinubu’s prompt response to NDDC slot agitation

    Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River has commended President Bola Tinubu for acting decisively on the agitation over the state’s nominee for the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC).

    The governor gave the commendation in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche and made available to newsmen in Calabar on Saturday.

    The state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by is Chairman,  Mr Alphonsus Eba, had protested against the earlier nomination of Asu Okang as the representative of Cross River on the board of the NDDC.

    The chairman had alleged that the nominee was a member of the opposition party in the state, PDP.

    Alphonsus had threatened to occupy the Presidential Palace  until the decision was reversed in favour of those who worked for the party during the general elections.

    However, Okang’s nomination was replaced in favour of Mr Orok Duke on Friday by the president.

    The Cross River governor said the president had shown he was a listening person with his prompt response over the agitation.

    “I wish to graciously thank Mr. President for acting timely and decisively in correcting what I believe was not a deliberate anomaly in the nomination of a non-member of our great party into the board.

    “The swiftness in which the matter that had agitated millions of our party faithful, not just in Cross River, but across the country, was addressed, demonstrates that we have a listening president.

    “He is indeed someone who is prepared to respond to the yearning and aspirations of not just APC members, but Nigerians in general,” he stated.

    Otu said that the president’s action  showed that there was indeed renewed hope in the state and country at large.

    He urged Nigerians to continue to give their support to the president’s policies and programmes aimed at boosting the economic fortunes of all citizens.

    The governor also commended  members of the party in the state for being steadfast.

    He called on them to be patient with his administration, as he remained committed to his People’s First Agenda of placing the state among those up in the development index.

  • Tinubu wants to see visible projects by NDDC, Omo-Agege tasks Chairman nominee, Chiedu Ebie+Photos

    Tinubu wants to see visible projects by NDDC, Omo-Agege tasks Chairman nominee, Chiedu Ebie+Photos

    Former Deputy President of the Senate and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has said the narrative and perception of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) must change to that of an agency that truly meets the need of the Niger Delta region.

    And in Mr. Chiedu Ebie, recently nominated as chairman of the commission and Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya, one-time Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Omo-Agege said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has head hunted the men that can change the trajectory of the agency.

    Omo-Agege spoke when Ebie and Igbuya visited him Friday in Abuja to express their appreciation for his role in their nomination for the NDDC job.

    “NDDC has had a chequered history dominated more by tales of failed and uncompleted projects as well as the general perception that it has been unable to optimally meet the expectations of the Niger Delta people. Now, that story and perception must change and I am confident it will change for the better with the two of you there,” Omo-Agege said.

    According to him, President Tinubu wants a change in the performance and perception of the NDDC. “The president wants you to execute visible projects that will add value to the lives of the people of the Niger Delta. Your track records as a Commissioner and Secretary to the State Government speak for themselves”, he said of Ebie.

    “Please bring your digital brain to change the way projects are initiated and executed and work as a team to achieve results. You are deserving of this because you are an innovative gentleman and you worked. I can confirm that you worked,” the Senate Deputy President stated, apparently referring to Chiedu Ebie’s role during the last election.

    On August 29, 2023, President Tinubu announced the nomination of Ebie as chairman of the NDDC board with Dr. Samuel Ogbuku from Bayelsa State as the new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer. Igbuya was named as Delta State’s representative on the board.

  • APC LGA Chairmen hail Chiedu Ebie on his appointment as NDDC chairman

    APC LGA Chairmen hail Chiedu Ebie on his appointment as NDDC chairman

    The APC Local Government Chairmen of Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State have congratulated Chiedu Ebie, Esq on his well deserved appointment as Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The LGA Chairmen in a statement released by their forum Chairman, Norbert. A. Sochukwudinma (NAS) after the meeting of the forum thanked President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for finding the person of CHIEDU EBIE Esq. worthy to pilot the affairs of the Governing Board of the NDDC.

    He said that they are particularly happy because the new NDDC Chairman designate is not just a technocrat but a grassroot politician who worked assiduously for the victory of our great party in the last general elections as attested by his party leaders and his LGA Party Chairman, Hon. Hillary Fada Ibude.

    Part of the statement reads: “We the LGA Party Chairmen, on behalf of the party structure in the nine Local Government Areas of Delta North, heartily congratulate one of our very own and finest, CHIEDU EBIE Esq, a technocrat, distinguished public servant who has served Delta State Government as Commissioner for Education and Secretary to State Government (SSG) and a grassroot politician who worked assiduously for the victory of our party in the 2023 general elections. We cannot thank President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu enough for appointing CHIEDU EBIE, a worthy son of Delta North as the Chairman of NDDC.
    We are confident of his competence and the positive impacts his appointment will make on the good people as well as the Niger Delta region.

    “It is our prayer that as our President Bola Ahmed Tinubu forms a Government of National Unity, God Almighty will engrace him with wisdom and direct his path as he reposition the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the good of all.”
    Those in attendance include Pst. Norbert Akachukwu Sochukwudinma, Aniocha South, Chairman/Chairman Of All Chairmen, Hon. Matthew Chinye – Aniocha North Chairman, Hon. Ekene Kerry Samuel – Ika North East Chairman,
    Hon. Hillary Fada Ibude – Ika South Chairman.
    Others are
    Chief Kris Oputa – Ndokwa East Chairman, Chief Greg Onah – Ndokwa West Chairman, Hon. Austin Nnabuife(Ojeogbue) – Oshimili North Chairman, Ogbueshi Dada Okolo(Igwe Omenife)- Oshimili South Chairman and Comr. Churchill Edem – Ukwuani Chairman.

  • Finally, Tinubu appoints board for NDDC

    Finally, Tinubu appoints board for NDDC

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of a new Board and Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) inclusive of the following Board and Management team members.

    This is contained in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The President said the appointment of the new board and management took immediate effect.

    The following are the Chairman and members of the board:

    Mr Chiedu Ebie – Chairman – Delta; Dr Samuel Ogbuku – Managing Director / CEO – Bayelsa, and Mr Boma Iyaye – Executive Director (Finance and Admin) – Rivers.

    Others are Mr Victor Antai – Executive Director (Projects) – Akwa-Ibom; Mr Ifedayo Abegunde – Executive Director (Corporate Services) – Ondo and Sen. Dimaro Denyanbofa – State Representative – Bayelsa

    Also Mr Abasi Nkono – State Representative – Akwa Ibom; Hon. Monday Igbuya – State Representative – Delta and Chief Tony Okocha – State Representative – Rivers.

    Hon Patrick Aisowieren – State Representative – Edo; Mr Kyrian Uchegbu – State Representative – Imo and Victor Kolade Akinjo – State Representative – Ondo.

    Chief Dimgba Eruba – State Representative – Abia; and Mr Asu Oku Okang – State Representative – Cross River.

    The three zonal members of the board are Hon. Nick Wende – Zonal Representative – North Central; Hon. Namdas Abdulrazak – Zonal Representative – North East; and Sen. Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir – Zonal Representative – North West.

    “The President expects  that the new board and management team will ensure a new era of successful administration in the NDDC, in line with his Renewed Hope agenda.”

  • Niger Delta women to Tinubu: Publish forensic report on NDDC

    Niger Delta women to Tinubu: Publish forensic report on NDDC

    Women Leaders of ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta have called on President Bola Tinubu to publish the report of the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    Ms Ann-Kio Briggs, Leader of the delegation made the call during an interactive meeting with the Managing Director of NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku in Port Harcourt on Monday.

    The women leaders were drawn from various ethnic organisations, civil society groups, community and faith-based organisations, market women and non-governmental organisations.

    The forensic audit of NDDC was set up by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021 to investigate the activities of NDDC from inception to August 2019.

    But several months after the exercise was concluded, the government has maintained a sealed lips as to when the forensic report would be made available to Nigerians.

    Briggs said the delayed publication of the report of forensic audit of NDDC was unacceptable especially as billions were spent to carry out the audit.

    She said, “The women of the Niger Delta are not happy that the forensic audit report of the NDDC has not been published.

    “We wish to remind President Bola Tinubu that the report of the forensic audit under the previous government is unacceptably unavailable to the public.

    “Also, we can no longer ignore the fact that NDDC is owed huge monies running into billions and trillions of Naira,” she said.

    Briggs said the continued delay in the release of the money had limited the ability of the commission to function optimally.

    She said that women of the region have been painfully neglected despite standing with the men in the struggle for justice, equity, accountability, and development of the region.

    “Suffice to add that the Niger Delta women have not had their rights in appointments, development, political and economic recognitions in all areas of government and regional building.

    “The women have been neglected in the development of the region to commiserate with the efforts we have put in over the years.

    “We, therefore, expect you (Ogbuku) to make the concerns of the women one of your priorities by ensuring that this engagement with us will yield better results,” she added.

    The human rights activist commended the managing director for seeking partnership with International Oil Companies, developmental partners, and other government agencies to address challenges confronting the region.

    Speaking, Ogbuku said the commission had concluded plans to initiate projects and programmes that would develop the capacity of women and youths of the region.

    According to him, the commission was currently working on holding a Niger Delta Stakeholders Summit to address many of the challenges faced by the various groups, including women bodies.

    “We want to give all our leaders, political, traditional, youths, women, and other leaders the platform and opportunity to discuss what our future should be.

    “The women form the core of our development programmes. We have met and spoken with the youths, and now, it is the turn of our mothers.

    “Women are critical stakeholders as part of the commission’s programme to engage with all stakeholders in the formulation of NDDC’s overall strategies for the region’s development,” he said.

    Ogbuku said the summit would give women the opportunity to discuss their expectations for the future as well as provide other stakeholders the chance to contribute ideas for the region’s development.

    “Similarly, stakeholders will use the opportunity to leverage on the 2023 budget – which, once signed, we should be able to agree on the areas of priorities on our current realities,” he added.

  • NDDC denies owing 6 months salaries

    NDDC denies owing 6 months salaries

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has denied reports that it is owing its security workers over six months salaries.

    NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Dr Pius Ughakpoteni, gave the clarification in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

    Security workers attached to the commission on Tuesday threatened to carry out a peaceful protest over non-payment of their salaries.

    Ughakpoteni said that NDDC was not directly responsible for the payment of salaries to its security workers, but contractors hired by the commission.

    “We are aware of the reports in the media claiming that our security workers were threatening to protest non-payment of their monthly salaries.

    “We wish to state that the commission engages security companies, who in turn employ and pay security guards to work at our various offices, to safeguard our facilities.

    “These service providers are certainly not being owed for six months as alleged in the media reports,” he said.

    He said the security companies hired by NDDC in Delta and Rivers states had informed the commission in its report that the security personnel had been paid as of Aug. 22.

    “There is no basis for the companies to owe their workers arrears of salaries especially as the contract they signed with NDDC addresses that.

    “The clause states that the company must have the capacity to pay their staff for at least two months in the event of any delay from the commission.

    “So, we want to assure the security workers that monies meant for payment of their salaries were not diverted to other businesses as alleged,” he added.

    Ughakpoteni said the commission has a zero-tolerance policy for corrupt practices and urged members of the public with evidence of such illicit practices to reach out to NDDC for prompt action.

    He said the threat by the security officials to protest at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt was no longer acceptable but through peaceful means.

    According to him, the Samuel Ogbuku-led NDDC has laid the foundation for rapid economic development and sustainable governance structure for effective operations of the commission.

    “We restated that entrenching the tenets of accountability and transparency in our activities forms part of the thrust of the new NDDC management.

    “We assure our stakeholders and members of the public that the NDDC management will not be distracted in its resolve to do things differently in developing the Niger Delta,” he stated.

  • Ughakpoteni appointed Corporate Affairs Director, NDDC

    Ughakpoteni appointed Corporate Affairs Director, NDDC

    The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC has appointed Pius Oghenevwairhe Ughakpoteni as the new Director of Corporate Affairs following the retirement of the outgoing Director, Dr. Ibitoye Abosede.

    This appointment is effective immediately and comes with a new mandate and responsibility. The New Media Department has been merged with the Corporate Affairs Directorate, creating a unified and integrated function that will oversee all aspects of external and internal communications, stakeholder engagement, reputation management, and brand strategy for the NDDC.

    Ughakpoteni is a management expert, a skillful writer with insightful and analytical skills, apparently acquired during his many years in journalism practice.

    Over a period of 30 years, he has garnered a wealth of experience that spans journalism, management, public relations, and practice-driven research across Nigeria’s private and public sectors, as well as universities in England and Switzerland.

    Born on June 26, 1964 in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, precisely in Eruemukohwarien, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Ughakpoteni started his academic career as a home boy in St Paul’s Primary School, Ughelli, from where he moved on to the Government College, Ughelli.

    That humble beginning has today blossomed and taken Ughakpoteni into the international arena where he is currently a doctoral candidate at Business School Lausanne, Chavannes, Vaud, Switzerland, working on Business Administration, Business Transformation & Entrepreneurship, C-Suite Leadership for Corporate Sustainability Performance Advancement.

    His research interests lie at the intersection of leadership, sustainability, innovation, change and strategy implementation. According to him, he is fascinated by collaboration and constructive engagement for change as well as by questions around how to work with top executives to advance corporate sustainability performance for the good of all.

    Passionate about continuous professional development, Ughakpoteni earned three Master’s degrees from three universities in England in six years. These are: Master of Science in Business and Management Research from Henley Business School at University of Reading (2017); Master of Business Administration in Leadership and Sustainability from the University of Cumbria (2014) as well as Master of Arts in Leading Innovation and Change from York St John University (2013). He had earlier bagged the PR Academy, Maidstone House, Maidstone, United Kingdom Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Diploma Public Relations in 2912.

    Before his international laurels, he bagged a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Management from the University of Calabar in 1991. That was more like a consolidation, as he started his higher education at the Auchi Polytechnic, where he graduated with a National Diploma, Business Administration in 1983.

    Ughakpoteni began his working career in 1991 as a Management Assistant. Two years later, he veered into Journalism as a Researcher/Reporter at Nigeria’s THISDAY newspaper, where he worked on the Business, Energy and Politics desks in several newspapers and eventually became Associate Editor of Leadership newspaper.

    While in journalism, he collaborated successfully with other journalists, as a member of the pioneer teams that established two thriving national newspapers in Nigeria: THISDAY and LEADERSHIP. This reinforced his strong need for achievement and ability to work efficiently with others in a team as well as equipped him with work attributes that are transferable to other settings.

    Since joining the public service in 2004, he has risen from the position of Senior Manager to Director Media Relations at the Niger Delta Development Commission, an organisation set up by an Act of the Nigerian parliament to facilitate the sustainable development of the country’s Niger Delta region.

    Ughakpoteni has over the years worked with his colleagues to refocus and strengthen the employee-oriented newsletter and the Oyster Magazine, the external stakeholder-oriented publication of the Niger Delta Development Commission as reliable media of communicating with the organisation’s diverse publics to elicit their understanding and support.

    His roles in different capacities included contributing to broadening and deepening media coverage of the Niger Delta Development Commission by working in collaboration with colleagues within the organisation as well as with external print, electronic and new media practitioners to foster and improve public awareness of, and support for, the Commission’s development projects and programmes.

    Ughakpoteni believes in applying his knowledge, skills, and abilities, working in concert with others, to conduct research and undertake activities that will position NDDC in the minds of government officials, opinion leaders, youths, private sector executives, statutory funding organisations and foreign aid agencies as an organisation that delivers projects and programmes which align with the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, to meet the needs of the people in a cost-effective, efficient, timely and transparent manner.

    Right from his university days, Ughakpoteni has won several awards. These include: Utuks Group of Companies Prize for Best Graduating Student in the Department of Management Studies; United Bank for Africa Prize for the Best Graduating Student in Business Administration; Niger Delta Development Commission Best Senior Staff Award 2007 (Corporate Affairs Department), as well as the Dean’s List Student, York St John University at Robert Kennedy College, Zurich during Master of Arts, Leading Innovation and Change studies in 2013.

    Ughakpoteni is the author of the book entitled: “Making the Niger Delta work: Strategy Execution Tips from the Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan.” He also has several other publications in academic journals, including the one entitled: “Top Management and Leadership Antecedents of Corporate Sustainability Performance: A Scoping Review.”

    He is happily married and is blessed with children.

  • NDDC targets 10,000 jobs for Niger Delta youths

    NDDC targets 10,000 jobs for Niger Delta youths

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says its newly launched Project Hope will create jobs for about 10,000 indigent youths, women and entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta.

    The NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, announced the plan during the launch of the project at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

    He said the Holistic Opportunity Projects of Engagement, christened “Project Hope’’, would create about 1,000 jobs for each of the nine Niger Delta states.

    Ogbuku said: “Today marks a new dawn for youths of the Niger Delta with the launch of Project Hope that seeks to turnaround NDDC’s Youth Development and Empowerment Programme.

    “We decided to launch this project considering that over the years NDDC has invested lots of funds to impact on the lives of youths that cannot be accounted for.

    “Project Hope aims to provide a database that will streamline our programmes into one platform to engage youths, women and entrepreneurs of the region.

    “So, this project will create 10,000 jobs with at least 1,000 jobs created in each of the nine Niger States in the areas of agro-allied and Information Technology, among others.”

    Ogbuku said that once the youths are registered on the database, the platform would enable the commission to know their interests and needs.

    He said knowing the preferences of the youths would enable the NDDC to streamline its empowerment programmes to suit their needs.

    “To this end, we will no longer go about nominating people to benefit from our training programmes as we will only pick from the database.

    “For example, if we want to train welders, then we will go to the database to pick those whose interest are welding. So, nobody needs to know anybody to benefit.

    “The database will eliminate political interest in the area of nominations while giving every youth equal opportunity to obtain support from the NDDC and government.

    “Also, this programme will help eliminate the past practice of youths benefitting in our programmes multiple times. But now, once you’ve been engaged, it will be recorded in our database,” he added.

    The managing director advised NDDC vendors who always brought arbitrary empowerment programmes and proposals to the commission to key into Project Hope.

    Mrs Winifred Madume, Director, Skills Development and Empowerment, said the scheme would empower the youth with legitimate means of livelihood with reference to their educational qualifications, skills and interests.

    According to her, the selection process will be handled transparently to ensure the commission’s employment generation and industrialisation drive is achieved.

    On his part, the facilitator of the project, Mr Blessing Fubara, said the database would provide the parameters for employment generation, youth empowerment and capacity development in the Niger Delta.

  • N/Delta group hails Tinubu for retaining NDDC management

    N/Delta group hails Tinubu for retaining NDDC management

    The Movement for the survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has commended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to return Dr. Samuel Ogbuku-led management of the Niger Delta Development Commision (NDDC).

    Mr Kenedy Tonjo-West, President of MOSIEND, told NAN in Yenegoa that the decision was an ingenious way of keeping development of the region on course.

    He said: “Retaining Ogbuku to keep running the NDDC is a good omen for the Niger Delta and shows that Mr. President appreciated the need to entrust leadership in competent hands.

    “On June 19, President Tinubu approved the dissolution of boards of Federal Government parastatals with the exception of Councils and Commissions listed in the Third Schedule of 1999 Constitution.

    “Consequently, the NDDC board which was inaugurated in January, was dissolved.”

    He said the people of Niger Delta, dismayed by the board’s dissolution, soon had cause to jubilate following the return of the Dr Ogbuku- led management team.

    He explained that Ogbuku, a development expert by training and practice, was well positioned to bring his wealth of experience to the development of the Niger Delta region.

    Tonjo-West noted that MOSIEND was in support of Mr President’s decision because Dr Ogbuku was one of them who had been in the struggle and understood the peculiar development needs of the Niger Delta.

    On the status of the managing director and executive directors of the NDDC, Tonjo-West said the MD and two executive directors could run the commission until replacements were made.

    He said MOSIEND was aware of covert activities of some politicians calculated to foment trouble under the guise of opposing the change of administration in the NDDC.

    He, however, said that violence was not the only means of drawing attention to issues.

    “For us in MOSIEND, we are using the instrumentality of dialogue in pushing for issues that matter for the people of the Niger Delta.“

  • NDDC calls on development partners to collaborate in tangling regional challenges

    NDDC calls on development partners to collaborate in tangling regional challenges

    The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has called on development partners to collaborate with the commission in tackling challenges in the Niger Delta region.

    Speaking at a one-day policy dialogue with development partners and donor agencies in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Nigeria Delta Affairs, Dr Shuaib Belgore, listed several areas of partnership currently open for assistance.

    Belgore said the call had become necessary to present stakeholders a window of opportunity to collectively review it’s past development effort in the region, with a view to charting a new and robust road-map premised on probity and corporate governance structure.

    “You may wish to consider under-listed thematic areas for possible assistance and collaboration: negotiation and peace building effort: facilitate engagement with communities in the region, enlightenment campaigns on peaceful co-existence, support and strengthening existing security architecture.

    “Empowerment of youths and women: facilitation of vocational training programmes, start-up capitals, post empowerment monitoring and mentorship.

    “Health care intervention: equipping of completed health centres and hospitals, provision of drugs and medical consumables, conduct of health researches and medical outreach.

    “Others are public private partnership: opportunities abound for partnership in the construction of roads, bridges, markets, agro processing plants, skill acquisition centres, health centres etc.

    “Some of these projects have attained appreciable level of completion i.e. 30% -70% while new ones could be initiated for partnership.

    “Provision of ICT equipment: Provision of Computer Desktops, ‘Laptops, Storage Devices, Power Back-ups etc to enhance service delivery of the Ministry and NDDC; –

    “Capacity building for Staff of MNDA & NDDC: Facilitation of regular Training of staff on ICT and other professional areas for optimal performance; and

    “Technical support/Assistance for Ministry and NDDC: Provision of Consultancy Services to drive policy initiation and implementation,” he said.

    On his part, the Managing Director of NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, expressed the commission ‘s readiness to partner with development partners.

    “The Niger Delta today is peaceful, it is is one of the most peaceful region in the country as you can attest.we have also put some building foundation, Internal policy, internal administration in NDDC”

    “This will also go a long way to affect our project management, everything about NDDC. So, that is to say if you’re coming to invest in NDDC, you should be rest assured that these projects are going to be judiciously used for the benefit of the people of the Niger Delta,” he said.

    Presenting a paper, titled “A sea of opportunities in the Niger Delta Region,” the Director/Chairman Public Private Partnership, NDDC, Engr. Emmanuel Audu-Ohwaborua, said “the Niger Delta Regional Power Pool Project, Will “Transmit network of 19 gas powered generation, link the 9 braced commission states and supply power to the road centres to guarantee cheap, reliable, and sustainable power in the region at the cost of USD 13 Billion.

    Audu-Ohwaborua added that “This will entail a 330KV Transmission Network (The Niger Delta Regional Power Pool) that links the 9 NDR states and supplies 7GW of subsidized power to the load centres (27 Dynamic industrial parks) one per Senatorial District.

    “The East-West Coastal Road project will connect Odupani junction in Cross- River State will connect over 100 communities, with 704 KM, 104 KM spurs, 180 bridges then terminate at Ibeju- Lekki Epe expressway in Lagos’