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Tag: Roads

  • FG begins repair of roads, bridges in Lagos

    The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Godwin Eke, on Sunday confirmed that major roads and bridges in Lagos State were undergoing emergency and remedial repairs.

    Eke, in an interview in Lagos, said some bad roads required urgent attention and that the Federal Government was determined to make all federal roads in Lagos and across the nation motorable.

    He said some of the roads have been completed while others were still undergoing repairs.

    He explained that remedial works on both carriageways of Apongbon Bridge undulations had since been completed, noting that, speed was achieved on the project because the contractors worked at night.

    He listed ongoing emergency repair projects to include, repairs on Ijora Causeway, Ijora Flyover (East Link), Funsho Williams Avenue, replacement of 1 N expansion joint on Eko Bridge, Costain Roundabout to Eko Bridge Ramp and Costain to Iganmu Bridge (Orile Bound).

    Others projects are: Funsho Williams Bridge to Alaka, Carter Bridge Roundabout to LAWMA Junction (Eko Bridge Bound Carriageway), Herbert Macaulay Way (Jibowu Junction to Adekunle Junction) and Outer Marina to Ahmadu Bellow way (From Apongbon Bridge to Bonny Camp).

    Also listed were Falomo Roundabout through Kingsway Road to Osbourne Road, Apapa Road to Western Avenue (Between Iganmu Bridge Ramp and Western Avenue Bridge Ramp (Alaka Bound Carriageway), Apapa Road towards Iganmu Bridge (Orile Bound) which were receiving attention.

    Eke said Ijora Olopa to Ijora7Up (Beside Oloye Nursery and Primary School (Ijora Olopa Bound), Alaka to Apongbon through Eko Bridge (both carriageways), Onikan Junction through Independent Bridge to Apongbon Bridge (Apongbon Bound) were undergoing repairs.

    According to him, Lagos Island/General Hospital to Apongbon, Onikan/Lagos Island to Apongbon through Apongbon Bridge/CMS (CMS Bound), Eko Bridge Approach to Ijora, Ijora to Apapa Road through underneath Iganmu Flyover (Costain Bound) and National Theatre Train Station to Costain (Costain Bound) were being worked upon.

    He said government was working on concluding plans for other roads not yet captured and appealed to residents of Lagos “to be patient with government” as the repairs would soon reach other roads.

    “Due to paucity of funds government cannot repair all the roads at the same time,” he said.

    The controller said that Apapa Oshodi/Tin Can Island Road was undergoing procurement and that government was also planning permanent reconstruction of roads on the Apapa/Tin Can Island/Oshodi Road corridor to reduce gridlock/congestion to the barest minimum.

    “We will carry out some palliatives as soon as the procurement process is concluded.

    “The high water table in Apapa requires proper design and adoption of rigid pavement to ensure longevity of our roads,” Eke said.

     

  • Edo bans use of schools, roads for parties

    Edo bans use of schools, roads for parties

    The Edo Government has banned the use of the premises of public schools, roads and other public places for social events.

    The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr Paul Ohonbamu made the announcement on Wednesday in Benin in a statement issued to newsmen.

    He warned that violation of the ban would be dealt with in accordance with extant laws.

    He said that henceforth, the government would not condone those who flout the ban.

    The commissioner directed government agencies to ensure the ban is complied with.

    “By our ancestry as Edo people, we have always shown the example of public order and decency which others have emulated over the years.

    “This administration is determined to make Edo a model of magnificence and beauty once again,“ Ohonbamu said.

     

    NAN

  • Fashola, reps sheath sword, lists 44 highways, 63 roads to be repaired

    …says his speech on 2017 budget not meant to disparage lawmakers

    With the Minister of Power Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, clarifying that he never attacked the National Assembly as a body and the Chairman House Investigative Committee on Breach of Privilege, Violation of Appropriation Act and Incitement of the Nigerian Public, pledging the support of the House to the Minister to succeed in his assignment, a truce was Friday reached between the House and the Minister on the disagreement over the outcome of the 2017 Budget.

    The Committee had invited the Minister over the statement credited to him with regards to the alterations in the Ministry’s 2017 Budget, requesting that he clarified his pronouncement at an interview he granted soon after the passing of the budget which the House viewed as having “queried the power of the National Assembly to alter the 2017 budget proposal after the budget defence exercise”.

    In his presentation before the Committee, which also included detailed maps, letters from contractors and the Budget related documents on the Federal Government’s plans and priorities for roads nationwide, Fashola, who said he never referred to the Legislators as a whole with regards to the knowledge of the budget process, said his response was specifically to the Spokesperson of the House who accused him of being “untruthful” in a Press Statement.

    The Minister also pointed out that the interview he gave to a media platform which prompted the investigation was an expression of his concern about the state and pace of development of the country’s infrastructure and the consequences they have on the quality of life and expectations of Nigerians.

    “ Mr Chairman, Hon. Members thank you very much. Let me say once again that my response hopefully has shed some light on the way matters have transpired about what led to what. As I have said here, it was not my intention to disparage the Parliament. It was my intention to speak about development as a continuing matter and if my statement had caused any discomfort beyond what I intended I certainly apologize for that. And I’ve made that very clear before that I’m not fighting the Parliament,” he said.

    In his response while rounding off the proceedings, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki, expressed delight that the disagreement had been amicably resolved promising that henceforth the relationship between the National Assembly and the Minister would be much better than hitherto.

    The Chairman, who described the Minister as a Senior Citizen, declared, “I am sure that from now going forth the relationship between not just the House of Representatives but the National Assembly and the Honourable Minister will be much better than we were having it before this sitting”.

    Pledging that the National assembly would give him every assistance needed for him to succeed in his current assignment, the Chairman added, “Like I alluded, whenever I am talking to other people and his name comes up, I use to say ‘Mr. Prime Minister’ because of the volume of job God has placed on his table”, expressing confidence that the Minister would excel in his assignment on “not just Lagos-Ibadan, not just the Second Niger Bridge, but including Kano-Maiduguri, Kano-Abuja and all other roads”.

    The Minister, had in the course of the proceedings while responding to issues specifically slated for clarification like the status of reconstruction work and budgetary provision for Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Abuja-Kano Expressway in 2016 and 2017 as well as status of 2nd Niger, reiterated the Federal Government’s established plans to build road and bridge network across the country as well as the order of priorities in which they would be built through a revolving plan in the next three years 2017- 2019.

    Fashola reiterated that the intention was to connect states, drive economy, move fuel, food and import and export of goods.

    The Minister said in addition to the plan for 44 Federal Highways construction contained in the 2017 Budget, government has also identified 63 roads in the First Quarter of the year that were identified and prepared for emergency intervention across the country ahead of the rainy season to give relief to Nigerians subject to appropriation.

    According to the Minister, the 63 roads were identified and prepared for intervention during the inspection tour of roads in 34 states of the Federation by the Ministry which he personally led.

    He said for the purpose of effective implementation, the Federal Government has classified the roads into Critical Economic Routes and Agricultural routes to include all roads traversing geopolitical zones, advancing trade and commerce across the states and leading to the ports as well as those passing through agricultural areas across the country.

    Noting that the road projects are spread out in such a way that no zone has been left out, Fashola listed the proposed priority highway projects slated in the 2017 Budget to include Kano-Katsina Road (Phase 1: Kano Town at Dawanau Roundabout to Katsina State Border), Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Yauri Road, Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa-Bokani Road, Ilorin-Kabba-Obajana Road (Sections 1&11), Ibadan-Ilorin Road, Section11 (Oyo-Ogbomosho), Lagos-Shagamu-Ibadan Dual Carriageway, Sections 1&11 and Lagos-Otta Road.

    Also included are Apapa/Tincan Port, NNPC Depot (Atlas Cove) to Mile 2 Access Road, Apapa-Oshodi Road, Third Mainland Bridge, Apapa/Tincan Island Port-NNPC Depot Access Road, Benin-Ofosu-Ore Ajebandele-Shagamu Road, Obajana Junction-Benin Road Phase 2: (Sections i-iv), Sapele-Ewu Road Sections 1&11, Second Niger Bridge, Onitsha-Enugu Expressway (Amansea-Enugu State Border), Yenegoa Road Junction-Kolo-Otueke-Bayelsa Palm and Bodo-Bonny Road with Bridge.

    Others are Odukpani-Itu-(Spur Ididep-Itam)-Ikot Ekpene Federal Highway Sections 1&11, Ikom Bridge, Enugu-Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway Sections i-iv, Calabar-Ugep-Katsina Ala Road, Vandeikya-Obudu-Obudu Cattle Ranch Road, Oshegbudu-Oweto Road, Oju/Loko-Oweto Bridge with approach roads, Nassarawa-Loko Road, Abuja-Lokoja Road Sections i&iv, Suleja-Minna Road Section 11. Kaduna Eastern Bypass, Kano-Maiduguri Road Section 1-1V, Hadejia-Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari Road and Kano Western Bypass.

    Those listed as critical economic routes include Zaria-Kano Road, Abuja-Lokoja Road (Sections i-iv), Ilorin-Jebba-Bokani Road, Ibadan-Ilorin Road (Sections `1&11), Lagos-Shagamu-Ibadan Road (Sections1&11), Benin-Ofosu-Ore-Ajebandele-Shagamu Road and Obajana-Benin Road (Sections i-iv).

    Also in the list are Onitsha-Enugu Road (Section 1&11), Enugu-Port Harcourt Road (Sections i-iv), Calabar-Odukpani-Itu Road (Section1), Calabar-Ugep-Katsina Ala Road (Sections 1&11), Alesi-Ugup (Iyamoyung-Ugup) Road, Ogoja(Mbok Junction) Abuochichie Road, Otukpo Township Road, Kano-Maiduguri Road(Sections i-v), Kaduna-Zaria Road and Kaduna-Katsina Road.

    According to the Minister, roads that pass through agricultural areas across the country include Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Kontangora-Makera Road (Sections 1&11), Makurdi-Naka-Ndoka-Ankpa Road, Akure-Ondo-Ore Road and Benin-Sapele Highway. Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria-Iyanomo Road.

    Others are 9th Mile-Enugu-Port Harcourt Road, Abakaliki-Afikpo Road Sections 1&11, and 9th Mile-Oturkpo-Makurdi Road, Ogboko (Yandev Junction)-Katsina Ala (Ugbema Junction) Road, Wukari-Mutum Biyu-Jalingo-Numan Road, Section1, Numan Jalingo Road, Gombe-Numan Road, Maiduguri-Dutse and Kano-Zaria Road.

    The 63 roads slated for emergency interventions, which cut across the six geopolitical zones of North East, North West, North Central, South West, South East and South South, include construction of bridge at KM 32 along Billiri Filiya in Taraba and the repair of Billiri-Filliya Road in Gombe, Potiskum-Agalda-Gombe State Border (S/B) and Potiskum-Kari-Bauchi S/B Road in Yobe State.

    Also included in the list are Tella Road and Bridge 2 Abutment and Apawa-Junction-Zing-Adamawa (State Border) in Taraba State, Bauch-Darazo-Kari Road in Bauchi State, Numan-Lafia-Gombe State Border Road, Numan-Jalingo Road, Numan-Guyuk (Borno State Border) and Ngurore-Mayobelwa Road in Adamawa State, all in the North East.

    In the North West, roads listed for emergency repairs include Birnin Gwari Road in Kaduna, Kebbi-Argungu-Sokoto (State Border) Road in Kebbi State, Gusau-Chafe-Katsina Road in Zamfara, Rimawa-Sabonbirnin-Niger Republic Road (Section 1), Rimawa-Sabonbirnin-Niger Republic Road (Section 2) and bridge embankment in Sokoto State, Gumel-Mallam Madori-Hadeija Road, Birnin Kudu and Babaldu-Malumuwa-Bauchi S/B Road, among others in Jigawa,Yayasa Bridge in Kano and Dusinma-Kankara Road in Katsina State.

    Makurdi-Lafia Road and Makurdi-Gboko Road in Benue, Okene-Kabba Road and Kabba-Omuo Road in Kogi, Ajase-Offa-Erinle-Osun State Boundary Road in Kwara, Keffi Abuja Road and Keffi-Gittata-Kaduna S/b Road, Nassarawa-Toto-Abaji Road in Nassarawa and Jebba-Mokwa Road, Bida-Lapal-Lambata Road and Makera-Tegina Road in Niger State are listed for repairs in the North Central.

    In the South West, roads listed for repairs include Ibillo-Isu-Epinmi-Akungba Road and Owo-Akure Road in Ondo, Ilesa-Ijebu-Ijesa Road, Ijebu-Ijesa-Ekiti S/B and Ibadan-Ile-Ife-Ilesa Road, Osun S/B-Ilesa in Osun, Ibadan-Ile-Ife-Ilesa Road in Oyo, Ijebu-Ode-Epe-Ibadan Road in Ogun and Ikorodu-Shagamu in Lagos,while in the South East, Abakaliki-Oferekpe Road in Ebonyi, Nsukka-Adani-Anambra S/B Road in Enugu State, Umuokpor section of Ikot Ekpene-Aba Road in Abia and Ihiala-Orlu-Umuduru Road, Owerri-Okigwe, among others make the list in the South East.

    Roads that make the list in the South-South include Ikot Ekpene-Ikot Umoessien-Abia S/B Road in Akwa Ibom, Ebiama-Yenegoa Road in Bayelsa, Auchi-Igarra-Ibillo-Ose Bridge Road and Benin-Ofosu-Shagamu Road in Edo, Ebouchichie-Gakem Road in Cross River, Benin-Asaba Dual Carriageway, Asaba-Illa-Ebu-Edo S/B Road, Igbodo, Benin- Asaba Expressway and Warrri-Sapele-Edo S/b Road in Delta State among others.

    Over 45 bridges, according to the list, are slated for rehabilitation over the next three years. They include two bridges along Sokoto-Gusau Road, Murtala Mohammed Bridge, Koton Karfe, River Ebba to Cheche Bridge, Jebba Bridge, 3rd Mainland Bridge, nine Lagos Bridges and flyovers, Lagos Ring Road Bridge Abutment, Ijora 7-Up Bridge, Ijora-Apapa Bridge by Leventis and burnt Marine Bridge.

    They also include Utor Bridge, Niger Bridge at Onitsha/Asaba, Onitsha-Owerri Bridge, Ibagwa Bridge, Ikom Bridge, Itigidi, Makurdi Bridge, Quata Sule Bridge, Katsina Ala Bridge, Buruku Bridge, Abuja-Abaji Bridge Section 11, Loko Owotu Bridge, Ibi Bridge, Kudzum Bridge, Gombe-Michika-Maraba Bridge, Gamboru Bridge, Katanko Bridge, Jaji Bridge, Borno/Adamawa State Border Bridge, Falani Bridge, Sumaila, Flyover Bridge at Silver Jubilee and Tambuwal Bridge

    While noting that the Federal Character Commission through its Acting Chairman, Dr Shettima Bukur Abba at the 23rd National Council on Works in Abuja acknowledged that the priority given to projects across the country “are Federal character compliant and of benefit to all Nigerians” Fashola, however, expressed regrets that budgetary constraints would have a negative impact on such priority projects.

    According to him, the two principal contractors working on sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Messrs Julius Berger and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) (Nig.) Limited, have given notice of suspension of work on the site due to delay in the payment of agreed contract fees on work already done, which they complained was adversely affecting the pace of work and could lead to default in meeting completion deadline.

    According to the letter, which the Minister submitted to the Committee, written by RCC, which handles Section 11 (Shagamu-Ibadan) of the contract, “In view of the irregular payment and the attendant cash flow problem, we shall be constrained to suspend further execution of work unless there is an appreciable improvement in the Project’s cash flow and adequate funding arrangement is put in place for further works”. The letter, dated June 2, 2017, was signed the Managing Director, Mr. M. Nakhla.

    A similar letter to the Minister received at the Ministry on June 5, 2017, Julius Berger, which handles Section 1 (Lagos-Shagamu Dual Carriageway), wrote, “Honourable Minister, it has become evident that the required adequate funding for the continuation of the project is not available. We trust that you will understand that therefore and as a consequence of the unacceptable financial risk to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, we are left with no choice than to immediately commence suspension of the Works on the project, as earlier notified”. It was co-signed by the Division Manager, Mr. W. Loesser and the Commercial Division Manager, Mr. T. Meletschus.

  • In-Photos: Osinbajo storms Rivers, commissions two roads

    Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has declared that the Federal Government will support every effort to improve the living condition of Nigerians.

    Speaking while commissioning the Chokocho-Umuechem-Ozuzu road and Chokocho -Igbo-Etche-Rumuokurushi Inter- Change in Etche Local Government Area on Thursday, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo lauded Governor Wike for embarking on pro-people projects.

    He charged leaders to always work for their people, saying that is the only way that the people can feel the impact of government.

    The Acting President charged leaders to de-emphasize partisan concerns and work in the interest of their people.

    He said: “We must always look for ways to advance the interest of our people. We are greater together than apart. Today is a very happy day. We will always have happy days.

    “Here with us to commission the project of the Rivers State Government is Senator Magnus Abe, who is from another party. The Federal Government supports every effort that benefits the people “.

    Earlier, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike said the two roads were constructed to revive the economy of Etche Local Government Area.

    He said that the roads were death traps and completely damaged the economy of the area as they could not take their agricultural products to the market.

    He said: “The condition of the two roads to be commissioned today were so bad that the people of Etche could not use them to transport their agricultural products to markets.”

    The Chokocho-Umuechem-Ozuzu road is 16 kilometres while the Chokocho -Igbo-Etche-Rumuokurushi Inter- Change is kilometres .

  • Early morning downpour floods roads, homes in Lagos

    An early morning downpour on Saturday in Lagos brought untold hardships to residents of Surulere, and parts of Lekki and Ajah, as some roads and household valuables were submerged in flood.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the torrential rainfall which started around 5:00am in parts of the metropolis left many roads and neighbourhoods flooded.

    The flood water also swept some debris in its path, causing some drains and drainage channels to become blocked.

    The flooding was noticeable after the rain in areas like Iyana-Ejigbo, NNPC Junction, Ejigbo, Lawanson, Surulere, Isolo Road Junction, Mushin, and at the foot of the Iganmu Interchange, on the Lagos/Badagry expressway.

    Miss Mercy Eneli, a resident of Masha, in the Surulere Local Government Area, told the NAN that her entire street was flooded, while some residents watched helplessly as their household items floated in water.

    Mr. Nelson Eta, who lives at Lawanson, also told NAN that the level of flooding at Ikate in the Itire area was above the knee.

    “I walked from Lawanson to Masha and everywhere was absolutely flooded; people were scooping water and no one was really interested or talking about the election.

    “My uncle’s house was also flooded, including the dogs’ shelter, which we have never witnessed before.

    “We hope the in-coming council chairman and his councillors will work to resolve the drainage problems in this area,’’ he said.

    NAN also observed that some residents of the flood-prone parts of Surulere were more concerned with the task of salvaging some of their submerged valuables, as some of the cars parked on the streets were affected, except those on elevated platforms.

    At Lekki, a resident, Mrs. Comfort Wilson, told NAN that “although there is flooding in the area, it is not as serious as that of about two weeks ago, when canoes had to be deployed in some roads to help residents move around.

    NAN further reports that the rain delayed the congregation of voters at the various polling units for the 2017 council polls in Lagos State, where accreditation and voting were scheduled to commence simultaneously at 8:00am.

     

    (NAN)

     

     

     

  • Dilapidated port roads: NPA, Dangote, others to raise N4.3bn for reconstruction

    Dilapidated port roads: NPA, Dangote, others to raise N4.3bn for reconstruction

    The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said it would raise N4.3 billion to reconstruct access roads around Apapa Port as port operators withdrew services over poor infrastructure.

    The Managing Director of NPA, Ms Hadiza Usman, told a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos on Monday that NPA would provide N1.8 billion while Dangote Group and Flour Mills would provide N2.5 billion.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) had on Sunday given the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum to rehabilitate and make the Oshodi-Apapa Dual Carriage Way and the access roads leading to the nation’s sea ports motorable.

    In Usman words: “We have received proposal for Corporate Social Responsibility of N2.5 billion from Dangote Group and Flour Mills for the full reconstruction of port roads.

    “The reconstruction entails full drainage service and the total cost of the Apapa port access roads project is N4.3 billion.

    “The two entities are willing to provide N2.5 billion, while NPA will pay the remaining N1.8 billion to ensure that the roads are done,” Usman said.

    The NPA boss said that the reconstruction would begin within one month, adding that she would ensure speedy completion of the project.

    She said that the Federal Ministry of Works would request the approval of Federal Executive Council to obtain the necessary approvals for NPA to embark of the project.

    Usman said NPA has asked the Federal Ministry of Works to provide the final engineering design and costing to enable it embark on reconstruction of the Creek road and Liverpool road later this year.

    “I feel concerned about the deplorable state of these roads and I communicated at a meeting with the minister that we are willing to fund these roads irrespective of which agency of government is doing it, she said.

    Usman said that the management of NPA would make provision for an annual budget for the reconstruction of the roads.

    She urged the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently complete the reconstruction of Coconut/Mile 2 road in Lagos.

    Usman said that NPA would seek permission of the Federal Ministry of Works to complete the holding bay under the Public Private Partnership arrangement.

    According to the NPA boss, the congestion around Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports was due to lack of an effective holding bay, trailer parks and non-reconstruction of ports roads in Lagos.

    Usman commended the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello, for dialoging with port operators who had protested poor infrastructure at the port.

    Speaking earlier, Bello stressed the need for regular dialogue with stakeholders on issues militating against port operations.

    He pleaded with the port operators to suspend the withdrawal of their services and await the outcome of the initiatives of the NPA management.

    Also speaking, the Chairman Corporate Fleet Truck Association, Mrs Folake Soji-George, urged NPA to compel security agencies to stop tanker drivers from using one-way roads.

    Soji-George said that security agencies should be committed to their duties by ensuring free flow of traffic to reduce the time of doing business at the ports.

    Mr Kayode Farinto, National Publicity Secretary, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), urged government agencies to address the issue of multiple charges by the customs.

     

     

     

     

    NAN

  • ‘Fix port roads in three weeks or—‘ Maritime Workers’ Union tells FG

    ‘Fix port roads in three weeks or—‘ Maritime Workers’ Union tells FG

    The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) on Sunday gave the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum to rehabilitate and make the Oshodi-Apapa Dual Carriage Way and the access roads leading to the nation’s sea ports motorable.

    The President of MWUN, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, gave the ultimatum while responding to questions from journalists in Lagos.

    He said that it was sad that the access roads to the ports were in a deplorable condition.

    Adeyanju said that the union was worried that the access roads to the nation’s seaports and the Oshodi-Apapa Dual Carriage Way that leads to Apapa and Tin-Can had been abandoned.

    “It is sad that the gateway to the nation’s economy is abandoned. We have written several letters including issuance of ultimatums over these roads but all to no avail.

    “’We can no longer live with the abandonment of access roads to the ports which have been in the state of disrepair for years in spite of efforts to draw government attention to the need to fix them,” he said.

    The union president said that for a long time, the Oshodi-Apapa Dual Carriage Way as well as other port access roads had become death traps to road users.

    He said that the roads had been recording fatal accidents on a daily basis, and in December 2016, and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said that the contract for rehabilitation of the Dual Carriage Way had been awarded.

    ”We are in May 2017, nothing has been done. The sad thing is that no sign that any contract had been awarded to any contractor,” Adeyanju said.

    He further said that last week, NPA wrote again to the union that contracts had been awarded for the rehabilitation of the roads.

    ”If after three months to six months, the rehabilitation project does not start, we shall be compelled to take necessary action without further notice,” the union leader said.

    He appealed to the government to repair the roads to save lives of innocent Nigerians that get trapped on the road or being attacked, robbed, harassed, intimidated and abused by hoodlums.

    He said that hoodlums had been taken advantage of the deplorable roads to perpetuate all sorts of crimes.

     

     

     

    NAN

     

  • FG approves N126bn contract for 12 roads

    FG approves N126bn contract for 12 roads

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday approved the award of contracts for 12 roads to open up the country.

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, announced this while briefing State House Press Corps at the end of the meeting.

    He said the roads would be in Kano, Bauchi, Adamawa, Borno , Kwara, Gombe, Enugu and Kaduna States as well as bridges on Bauchi – Gombe road.

    “The headline figures are in the region of about N126 billion. But I think that is not the story, the story really is what the award of those contracts do to the economy.

    “They restore confidence back to the construction industry.

    “Contractors who have been owed for two or three years before Mr President was elected are back in various states.

    “They recalled back their workers, they are purchasing quarry, gravel, cement, iron rods; the economy is on its way back to a mend.

    “Every place in all of those states, once we mobilise the contractors the money is kept in those states.

    “Most of the workers who drive the trucks, who fix the roads that you see add to the use of the roads.

    “And so, they aggregate to the total output from each of those states to the national productivity and our national recovery.

    “What you then would see is improved journey time which was what we promised you.’’

    The Minister said that as the ministry completes more roads Nigerians would travel more efficiently and thereby improve the economy.

    According to him commuters will travel more efficiently, burn less fuel and reach their destinations quicker.

    Also the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udoma, said that FEC had extensive discussion on the economic growth plan.

    He said that final consultations are being made before the president would launch it.

    Udoma said that the plan being approved would drive economic recovery and lay the foundation for long term growth.

    He said it would address the country’s poor competitiveness, improve business environment and attract investment in infrastructure, especially power, roads, rail and ports.

    He said that jobs and social inclusion “are also key focus areas in the plan’’.

    The minister said that immediate execution priorities included agriculture and food security as well as energy particularly power and petroleum products sufficiency.

    He also mentioned industrialization with focus on medium and small enterprises, transportation as well as sufficiency and stabilization of the micro economy.

    Udoma said that FEC also dwelt on implementation of the plan’s implementation with the creation of a delivery unit in the presidency.

    According to him the key principles of the plan were to include tackling the constraints to growth and leveraging the power of the private sector, promoting national cohesion and social inclusion

  • 306 died in tanker accidents last year, roads will be safer in 2017 – Dogara assures

    Burdened by the incessant tanker crashes and the attendant loss of lives on Nigerian roads, the House of Representatives on Tuesday said it is making frantic moves to make Nigerian roads safe again for all categories of users.

    The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara said it was unfortunate that in 2016 alone, 306 people lost their lives to accidents involving petrol tanker/trailers.

    This is in addition to 750 others which left victims with various degrees of injuries, he added, while explaining that this necessitated the urgent intervention by the House of Representatives to ensure that such incidents are reduced to the barest minimum.

    Dogara, while declaring a public hearing on the need for government to address the menace of accidents involving fuel tankers organised by the Adhoc Committee To address The Menace of Accidents Involving Fuel Tankers at the National open, expressed concern that despite legislations and concerted efforts by agencies of government, road traffic unions and associations to halt accidents involving articulated vehicles namely trailers and tankers on major highways across the country, they still contribute a good number of deaths recorded on our roads.

    He stated, “Reports from the FRSC indicate that between January to December 2016, petrol tanker/trailers were involved in at least 338 cases of road traffic crashes, consisting of 306 death and 750 others with various degrees of injuries.

    “The tasks before the ad-hoc Committee is to find out the causes of the accidents involving fuel tankers and other articulated vehicles. Whether they are as a result of the design of our roads, the vehicle, human errors, recklessness or mental state of the drivers and to liaise with relevant stakeholders to fashion out ways of reducing, in the short-run and ultimately eliminating these destructive accidents which are claiming unquantifiable number of lives and property across the country.”

    The Speaker expressed optimism that the enforcement of speed limit, which the parliament approved last year, will reduce the number of accidents and make Nigerian roads safer to ply, while the National Assembly works towards achieving Nigeria’s vision of becoming one of the 20th safest countries, in terms of road transportation and mobility, by 2020 and meeting the UN decade of Action of reducing road crash record by at least half by 2020 .

    “On its part, the House had last year, approved the installation of speed limiting devices on commercial and fleet vehicles and is passionately waiting for the takeoff and the anticipated reduction in the number of carnages on our highways.

    “Road safety is a dynamic field and the National Assembly is poised to providing the institutional framework for safer mobility, roads, vehicles and post-crash care through increased budgetary allocation to the relevant sectors. These include those with the mandate for construction and maintenance of roads as well as increased co-operation between government and non-governmental organization for the proper utilization and overall safety of road users.

    “I am pleased to state that as a legislature, we have put in place deliberate measures to achieve a vision of becoming one of the 20th safest countries, in terms of road transportation and mobility, by 2020 and meeting the UN decade of Action of reducing road crash record by at least half by 2020.”

  • Fashola decries neglect of inter-state roads

    Fashola decries neglect of inter-state roads

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has expressed displeasure over the neglect of inter-state roads in some parts of the country in preference for inter-community roads.

    Fashola expressed the feeling in Umuahia on Thursday during an interview with newsmen.

    He came to inspect reconstruction work on Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road in Abia.

    The minister, who earlier inspected federal road projects in Imo, said that in the state, funds meant for the construction of the Owerri-Umuahia Road were deployed to building inter-community roads.

    The minister said that there was no part of the country “where the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing is not doing one thing or another.

    “But it is important to emphasise that in Imo State, for instance, in the past, funds that were perhaps meant to build inter-state roads, have gone into inter-community roads.

    “So we saw on our records Owerri-Umuahia Road under construction but the truth is that no work is going on there.

    “The work is going on in the roads leading to the villages instead of using the money to build Owerri-Umuahia Road, which connects two big economies down to Akwa Ibom and Enugu states and facilitate more trade.

    “The villages where those roads are built, what is the business there other than one person making coffin?

    “Regrettably, the main road where all the economic activities take place was not getting attention but that was being represented to us as being done,” he said.

    The minister promised to change the scenario.

    He said that the ministry would seek legislative backing to enable it to focus on its mandate of building inter-state roads, such as Owerri-Okigwe-Umuahia Road.
    “These are the roads we will concentrate on without prejudice to what the elected representatives of the people want to do at the local level,” Fashola said.

    He said that it was not a diversion of funds by states that preferred to do so but stressed that it was imperative to place more emphasis on roads with the heaviest traffic than the community roads with lighter traffic.

    The minister expressed delight that contractors had returned to work on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, which was abandoned midway because of the lack of funds.

    He said that the contractors were not paid for three years but that the present administration ensured their payment in 2016.

    “Our government at the federal level is blind to party, when it comes to development,” the minister said, adding: “every state of the federation is part of the constituency of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “We have his mandate to partner not to compete with the state and the mandate goes down to our controllers to make themselves available to support the state.”

    Meanwhile, the Abia Commissioner for Works, Chief Eziuche Ubani, who accompanied the minister on the inspection, said the state government had secured another dump site and would soon fence off the one at the Umuahia end of the expressway.

    Ubani expressed regrets that the dump site, which covered the Enugu-bound lane of the expressway, obstructed construction work.

    The minister was later joined by Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abi to inspect work on the dilapidated Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road.

    He assured the contractor handling the project, Chief Eddie Anyanwu, that the ministry would give him the necessary support to complete the job before the rainy season.

    Contract for the reconstruction of Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway was awarded in 2013 by the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.