News
Over N260bn required to put 2nd Niger Bridge in use
Speaking in Abuja while defending his ministry’s 2024 budget proposal before the joint National Assembly Committee on Works, chaired by Senator Mpigi Barinada, PDP, Rivers South East, the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi said that the bridge was today faced by serious challenges of constructing the Approach roads 2A and 2B which were awarded by the Federal Executive Council, but have funding challenges to take-off.
According to him, the remaining two Bypasses in Asaba (2A) and Onitsha (2B) awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and Reynods Construction Company Nigeria Limited respectively, during the last Administration was initially estimated at about N200billion but now with inflation, the cost may be up to N260billion.
Umahi who appealed for the cooperation of the National Assembly to ensure the full implementation of the policy from next year because there was not existing law that had hindered it from doing so, said that apart from being too expensive to import with foreign currency, the use of asphalt has been counter productive because it doesn’t last or roads compared to those constructed with concrete.
The Minister who noted that while the concrete roads could last up 50 years, asphalt ones had a lifespan of about 10 to 15 years stressed that embracing concrete roads would save the country a lot of foreign exchange because it would prevent frequent upward review of road projects.
Umahi said, “We have received a lot attacks concerning our policy to make concrete roads construction mandatory for our contractors. Some people were saying that it is illegal for us to insist on concrete for road construction.
“However, Article 2 of all contracts and clause 51 of all conditions forming the contracts allow the ministry to change the scope, quality and quantity of every contracts that is ongoing. We have right to change from asphalt to concrete without defiling the contract.
“All the contractors know this. The major reason we want to change from Asphalt to concrete is because we have many ongoing projects that needed to be reviewed.
“If the contract must be increased the President of Nigeria must know. After his approval, we would head to BPP which would evaluate and give approval.
“That’s why we then said the use of concrete apart from the fact that it would last longer is better.
“While the rise in the prices of asphalt is on geometric progression that of the concrete is all about local contents and the rise of it’s price is on arithmetic progression.
“At the moment, we are being frustrated by contractors who are giving us a very high cost of N350,000 per metre cubic. I think it’s unreasonable. We have allowed it in a number of critical roads like Lokoja-Benin and the entire East-West roads.
“We have told the contractors handling those critical roads with asphalt that the new lanes would be built with concrete.
“The first 40 kilometres on the Abuja-Kaduna road is critical and we are doing it with concrete.
“Generally, we have moved back to concrete. Starting from 2024, roads projects apart from palliatives and emergency repairs, would be built on concrete so that we can maintain steady stability in the course of our projects. The basis of the 2024 projects is to look at critical ones and their funding and to keep all projects alive.
“We have bitumen deposit in Ondo State. It should be developed. From the research we made, we discovered that the importation of bitumen that represents about 30 per cent of the cost. We are discussing with the Minister of Steel on how we can partner with him on how to get the steel content.
“He has assured us that before March next year, the production line that would produce the rods we needed would begin full operation.
“We have got those that would finance it and we had guaranteed it. That is the reinforcement. The cement is produced here. The chippings are produced here. The sand is produced here. The labour is here.
“Therefore the local content law as passed by the National Assembly is brought to the front burner.”
Umahi further told the lawmakers that without any presidential pronouncement, some parastatals which were hitherto under the Ministry of Works had been provided for in the Budget proposal of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
He listed them to include, Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGoF); Federal School of Surveying, Oyo (FSS); Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN); and the Surveyors’ Council of Nigeria (SURCON), adding, “it will be good that these Committees do get these Parastatals back to the Federal Ministry of Works,”
Umahi explained that the total sum of N657,228,251,596 was proposed for the Federal Ministry of Works and its parastatals for capital, personnel and overhead estimates in the 2024 Appropriation Bill.
He said the main ministry got allocation of N566,466,977,361; Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA got N 51, 282,456,911; while the African Regional Institute for Geo-Spacial Information Science and Technology AFRIGIST (RECTAS) got N104,039,920 making a grand total of N617,853,474,192
Umahi who underscored the importance of road infrastructure to the over all development of the country said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Funded Projects in two phases.
“The NNPC joined the Road Infrastructure Development & Refurbishment Tax Credit Scheme programme by undertaking to finance 21 roads in the sum of N621bn with total length of roads of about 1,804.6km under the NNPC Phase I.
According to him, these roads were identified by key stakeholders such as the NNPC, Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association (PTD) and the Ministry etc. as being crucial for the efficient distribution of petroleum products across the nation.
As at date, the total drawdown forwarded to the NNPC Limited is in the sum of N247.729 bn out of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved sum of N621,237 bn representing 39.88% performance.
He explained that the funding gap here due to inflation is estimated at over N250 bn. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Funded Projects Phase II
“The NNPC Phase II Funded Projects were approved by the Federal Executive Council in the sum of N1.969 trillion for the execution of 44 No. roads with total length of 4,554.19km while the initial Contract Sum was about N3.969trillion.
“This leaves a funding gap of over N2 trillion at the time of starting the projects and presently, with inflation, the funding gap to have the NNPC Phases I & II completed shall stand at about N3.56 trillion (Inflation about N1.5trillion) for two years from now.
The minister explained that this funding gap is neither appropriated for nor has any source of funding, which means that without the “kind intervention of this Distinguished and Honourable Joint Committees of Works, these projects will not go on mostly from March 2024 when the NNPC funding would have been exhausted”.
“Your kind intervention and advice are highly, highly and urgently solicited. As at date, the total drawdown forwarded to the NNPC Limited is in the sum of N752.093 billion representing 38.18% performance”, adding “the level of drawdown seems low because most of the projects needed to be reviewed due to the inflation”.
On Abuja-Lokoja road , which Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, PDP, Kogi Central complained about because the project has been on for almost two decades, Umahi who noted that the ministry has spent about N72 billion on it, said that the project was divided into 3 sections, each executed by Mother Cat, RCC and Dantata.
Umahi lamented that several reasons are responsible for failure of Nigerian roads, which include the way the contractors execute the works, burning of tires on roads, parking of heavy vehicles on the roads,etc.
“If You Have Evidence Against Stanley Mbam, Charge Him; Otherwise, Release Him” — Oganiru Izzi
A socio-cultural organisation of Izzi extraction, Oganiru Izzi, has challenged Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, to either release the state’s sacked Commissioner for Works, Mr Stanley Mbam, or charge him before a competent court if the government has credible evidence of wrongdoing against him.
The group said the continued detention of the former commissioner without a formal charge raises concerns about due process, constitutional rights and the rule of law.
The leader of Oganiru Izzi, Mr Godwin Mbam, made the demand while speaking with correspondents of National Issue Newspapers at the Crack Department of the Ebonyi State Police Command in Abakaliki.
Mbam condemned what he described as the prolonged detention of Stanley Mbam without allowing a court to determine whether he had committed any offence.
He challenged the state government to produce evidence if it believes the former commissioner committed a criminal offence.
“If there is credible evidence against him, charge him to court and let the court decide. If there is no case against him, he should be released,” Mbam said.
He also appealed to the Ebonyi State Police Command to uphold the Constitution and resist any pressure that could result in unlawful detention.
Vanco Flyover: “We Will Reveal the Full Details”
Mbam also issued a three-day challenge to Governor Nwifuru, declaring that if the former commissioner was not released or charged to court, his organisation would make public what it described as the “full details” of the Vanco Flyover project.
According to him, the proposed disclosure would address issues surrounding the project, including its funding, payments, contractual arrangements and other financial details.
“We will let the world know the full details of the Vanco Flyover and how the funds were utilised,” he warned.
He further challenged the state government to demonstrate transparency by making relevant documents concerning the project available to the public.
“What About the Alleged ₦1.5 Billion Forfeiture?”
The Izzi group also questioned what it described as the selective application of the state government’s anti-corruption campaign.
Mbam referred to allegations involving an account reportedly frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and an alleged ₦1.5 billion forfeiture to the Federal Government.
He questioned why, according to him, the governor had allegedly not taken similar action if the facts surrounding the matter warranted it.
Mbam stressed that he was not opposed to the fight against corruption but insisted that any anti-corruption campaign must be comprehensive, transparent and applied equally.
“If Governor Nwifuru wants to fight corruption, let him fight it holistically. Nobody should be targeted while other serious allegations are ignored,” he said.
“If Nwifuru Says He Knows Nothing, We Will Produce the Facts”
Mbam further challenged Governor Nwifuru to publicly state whether he was aware of alleged corruption issues within the Ministry of Works.
“If Nwifuru publicly claims that he is unaware of corruption in the Works Ministry, I will make public the facts available to me. The facts will shock the state,” he declared.
He insisted that the matter should not degenerate into a political vendetta, arguing that the appropriate place to determine criminal liability is a court of law.
According to him, the people of Ebonyi State deserve clear answers concerning the Vanco Flyover and other issues involving public funds.
“Everybody Should Be Subject to the Law”
The Oganiru Izzi leader maintained that the controversy should be resolved through transparency, documentary evidence and due process.
“If there is a case, charge him. If there is no case, release him. The government cannot claim to be fighting corruption while abandoning the principles of justice and the rule of law,” he said.
Mbam warned that failure to address the issues could compel the organisation to make further disclosures concerning the Vanco Flyover and other matters it considers to be in the public interest.
By Our Correspondent
As Nigeria celebrates its 66th Independence Anniversary, the candidate for the House of Representatives seat representing the Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency, Hon. Chief Kevin Tobias Chukwu, has called on Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to building a better country.
Chukwu, also known as Ochiri Ozua 1 of Amagu Ikwo, made the call in an Independence Day message to Nigerians, particularly the people of Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency and Ebonyi State.
He described the anniversary as not only a moment for celebration but also an opportunity to reflect on the state of the nation and the responsibilities of leaders in building a Nigeria that meets the aspirations of its citizens.
According to him, Nigeria’s journey since independence has been marked by significant challenges, with millions of citizens currently facing economic hardship, while young people continue to search for opportunities and many communities contend with insecurity and uncertainty.
Despite these challenges, the Ebonyi politician said the resilience of Nigerians remained a source of hope for the country’s future.
“I believe in the resilience of our people. I believe in the ingenuity of our youths, the strength of our women, the wisdom of our elders and the determination of ordinary Nigerians who wake up every morning and refuse to give up on this country,” he said.
Chukwu, however, stressed that hope must be matched by responsible leadership, arguing that public office should be viewed as a responsibility rather than a privilege.
He called for leadership that prioritises the protection of lives, creation of economic opportunities, provision of infrastructure, strengthening of institutions and responsible management of national resources.
The candidate also emphasised the need to create an environment where young Nigerians can pursue successful lives within the country and where hard work, merit and enterprise are rewarded.
He said Nigeria had “come too far to surrender to hopelessness,” urging citizens and leaders alike to remain committed to the country’s progress.
“A better Nigeria is still possible, but it will require responsible leadership, accountable institutions and citizens who refuse to give up on their country,” he said.
Chukwu concluded by expressing optimism about Nigeria’s future, declaring: “Nigeria will rise. Nigeria must rise. And together, we must build the Nigeria we deserve.”
He also paid tribute to the nation’s past heroes, praying that their sacrifices would continue to inspire the country.
“May the labour of our heroes past never be in vain,” he said, as he wished Nigerians a happy 66th Independence Anniversary.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
As Nigeria celebrates its 66th anniversary of independence from colonial rule, democracy in the country has continued to evolve and deepen, the Anambra State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, has said.
Anosike made the observation in a message to mark Nigeria’s Independence anniversary, noting that despite the challenges the country had encountered since 1960, its democratic system had continued to improve under successive administrations.
According to him, since the return to democratic rule in 1999, Nigeria has witnessed relatively smooth transitions from one administration to another, while citizens have continued to exercise their fundamental rights to hold governments accountable for their performance.
“Before the return of the democratic process, it was indeed difficult and near taboo to challenge the leadership of the country, and those who may have attempted it in the past faced grave consequences.
“Similarly, we have had smooth transitions from one dispensation to another, producing five presidents through the ballot and not through the barrel of the gun. These elected presidents were produced by different political parties.”
Anosike said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had sustained the country’s democratic principles and created an avenue for Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, race or religion, to express their views on government policies and programmes.
“Under the stewardship of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigerians have been enjoying the freedom to express themselves over issues, policies and programmes of government, and those expressions have been shaping and guiding the administration of Mr President,” he said.
The APC chairman said Nigeria’s 66th independence anniversary provided an opportunity for citizens to reflect on the country’s journey as a nation and the progress made since independence.
He said President Tinubu’s Independence Day broadcast had offered another opportunity for Nigerians to renew their hope for a greater and more prosperous country.
Anosike also commended what he described as the “enormous infrastructural development” taking place across the country under the Tinubu administration.
He urged Nigerians to continue to support and have faith in the administration as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
An Elder Statesman, Chief Hycienth Ngwu, has called on political leaders and policies formulators to ensure governmental policies and programmes directly touch lives of the people and reduce hardship in the country.
Ngwu, who is a prominent community leader in Enugu, urged Nigerians to maintain peace within neighbourhoods and communities, as no meaningful development can take place without peace.
The statesman made the call on Thursday in Enugu while reacting to the developmental efforts of Nigeria at its 66th Independence.
He said that previous and present administrations had put in place policies and programmes to reset the socioeconomic fabric of the nation.
Ngwu said that while the removal of fuel subsidy, and unification of the foreign exchange had good intentions, their impact is yet to reflect on the lives and livelihoods of vast majority of Nigerians.
He urged leaders to ensure that public resources were properly managed while citizens remained patient with reforms aimed at improving the socioeconomic status of the country.
The elder statesman noted that at 66th independence, the country was still struggling on keeping its peace and co-existence as a country; adding that the founding leaders of Nigeria envisaged a closely united, bonded and peaceful country.
He called for return to policies that promote local production, indigenous industries and entrepreneurship, arguing that excessive dependence on imports had continued to weaken the country’s productive capacity.
According to him, we are yet to achieve economic independence even as we needed to do more on non oil revenue earns as the greater part of the world is moving towards greener and clean energy.
“Greater emphasis should be on skills acquisition, creativity and entrepreneurship education system, as academic qualifications without practical skills could leave graduates dependent on scarce white collar jobs.
“We ought to be economically productive nation capable of producing and exporting goods while developing its human capital,” he said.
Ngwu noted that current insecurity and social instability could be partly attributed to poverty and ignorance, while calling for greater honesty and trust between leaders and citizens.
“Corruption, tribalism and selfishness must be addressed if Nigeria is to achieve peace and lasting progress,” he added.
He also called for the scrapping of state electoral commissions as they have not helped in deepening democracy at that level. The National Election body should take over that responsibility.
As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Day, Macmaduson Concepts Limited, a leading provider of HVACR,industrial parts, sensors, electrical and plumbing materials, has extended warm Independence Day greetings to its customers, clients and business partners across the country.
In a goodwill message to mark the occasion, the company expressed appreciation to its valued customers for their continuous support, trust and partnership over the years.
Macmaduson Concepts Limited, which specialises in HVACR,Industrial Materials, sensors, air-conditioners, refrigerators, cold rooms, chillers, refrigerants, electrical materials and plumbing materials, said the occasion provides an opportunity to celebrate Nigeria and reflect on the nation’s journey.
The company wished Nigeria continued growth, unity, peace and prosperity, while expressing hope for a brighter future for all Nigerians.
The message from the company reads in part:
At Macmaduson Concepts Limited, we celebrate our great nation, Nigeria, and appreciate our valued clients for their continuous support, trust and partnership. May Nigeria continue to grow in unity, peace and prosperity.”
The company concluded its Independence Day message with the theme: “One Nation, One People, A Brighter Tomorrow.”
Happy Independence Day, Nigeria!
Happy 66th Independence Anniversary from Macmaduson Concepts Limited.
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