POLITICS
FEC Okays N759bn for Obajana–Benin, Isheri-Ogun Roads
By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Bola Tinubu approved the sum of N759 billion for the Obajana-Benin Road and the Isheri-Ogun Road.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, who briefed alongside his colleagues explained that the council approved additional N757 billion as augmentation for the dualisation of the 489km Obajana-Benin Road, N2.
23 billion for the Isheri-Ogun Road and N114 billion for Outer Marina shoreline protection.He explained, “Today we’ve got augmentation approved for Obajana in Lokoja to Benin Road, a total of 244km and 489km dualized. Recall that in 2012, this project was awarded to four contractors: CGC, Mothercat, Dantata & Sawoe and RCC at a total cost of N122 billion, and that was for light rehabilitation.
“Around 2018, the past administration reviewed the project and dualised it and that’s why you have a total of 489km and then now got ‘No Objection’ from BPP. When I came on board in August, we were supposed to present the no-objection to FEC in line with due process and we decided to review the project, one, to determine whether the dualisation was desirable in view of the economic challenges and two, to see the texture of the soil and what to do.
“So we had to restore the project now, but we didn’t increase the cost. We got approval for argumentation from N122 billion to N897 billion. The contractors were off-site because they would not be working and they would not be paid based on the new basic rate. So we got them back to the site and Today we got approval.”
Umahi said the Council also approved N2.23 billion for the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency for the rehabilitation of the road from Isheri North to Ogun state.
“Now, under FERMA, we got approval for the construction of Isheri north, Lagos route, which is to connect Ogun state. This is an alternative route to Lagos – Shagamu Road and we’re going to toll this Lagos-Shagamu when completed. But by law, you only toll a federal road when you have an alternative.
“This approval of about N2.23 billion to connect Isheri North to Ogun state. It is a breakthrough that has freed the Lagos-Shagamu for tolling,” he revealed.
Explaining the Council’s approval for the N114 billion Outer Marina shoreline protection, Umahi said, “The shore protection was done over 50 years back with sheet piles and we had to take the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, on a tour with Julius Berger through the entire shoreline of 3.92km.
“We took the tour with Julius Berger, CCECC, CBC and BuildWell, and demanded for them to inspect and then give us their proposal. Only BuildWell and CCECC brought their proposals.
“Whereas CCECC was quoting on 3.2km at N134 billion, BuildWell was quoting on 3.9km at N114 billion. We sent the two to BPP and BPP found merit in BuildWell because of cost and, of course, the latest technology in doing shore protection using interlocking concrete, which will not be subject to rusting. So we got approval for Build Well in the sum of N114 billion.”
The minister, speaking on the shoreline protection project, said it was necessary given its proximity to the recently inaugurated Red Line and other existing structures in the area. He added that his ministry sought to leverage the low-water levels of the dry season to drive piles down the shore.
Umahi on Wednesday explained that contrary to the beliefs, the rising cost of production was responsible for the recent cement price hike, and not its concrete road policy.
He added that his insistence on concrete roads will not phase out traditional asphalt roads as it was only an alternative for sites with high water tables and poor conditions.
“This assertion is highly misplaced because the policy has not even taken off,” said the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, when he briefed State House Correspondents after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
He was reacting to warnings by the Cement Producers Association of Nigeria that the FG’s plan to introduce concrete roads will raise the price of cement from N5,600 to N9,000 per bag.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives had invited top manufacturers, Aliko Dangote Rabiu Abdulsamad, among others for discussions on the high cost of the product.
The House’s resolution was a sequel to the adoption of a motion titled “Arbitrary increase in the price of cement by manufacturers of cement in Nigeria,” moved by a member representing Karu/Keffi/Kokona Federal Constituency, Nasarawa State, Mr Gaza Gbefwi, and his counterpart representing Shomolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, during plenary on Wednesday.
Fielding questions on the issue, Umahi cited recently released documents showing that Dangote Cement Plc, BUA Cement Plc and Lafarge Africa Plc spent N598.14 billion on power during the full year ended December 31, 2023.
He explained, “I just got a document this morning where three companies producing cement, Dangote, BUA and Lafarge, said in 2023, the total cost of their gas rose by over 42 per cent. So, if the cost of their gas rose by 42 per cent and then the import duty exchange rate also gone up, it is expected that the cost of cement would go up.”
“But Mr. President has discussed with them and I think there are a couple of incentives being made available to them which should reduce the cost of cement. In Sokoto, where I visited recently, the BUA Executive Director said that the ex-factory was N6000. And that was down from 8000. We are getting there because Mr. President has directed them to reduce the price and they have to comply and I think Mr President has also offered some incentives to them.
“So it’s not because we are going from asphalt to concrete. And we are not totally leaving the asphalt. It is just an alternative, especially where we have a very high water table and then a very poor sight condition.”
By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja
The Senate yesterday charged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja to urgently increase police and military presence in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State, with a view to forestalling the recurring clashes between suspected marauding fulani herdsmen and indigenous people, which has oftentimes resulted in loss of lives and property.
The Senate resolution followed the adoption of a motion on the need for the IGP and COAS to urgently curb the “senseless killings and maiming” of innocent indigenous peoples of Nimbo, Adani in Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu state by bandits, which was sponsored by Senator Okechukwu Ezea (LP, Enugu) and co- sponsored by Senator Chukwu Kelvin (LP, Enugu) and Senator Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu West).
In the motion, Senator Ezea said that on April 7, 2024, five innocent farmers in Adani; a popular rice production community in Uzo-Uwani, were callously murdered by some bandits who invaded the community in the wee hours of the morning to commit the dastardly act.
He said on April 28, 2024, at about 2 pm, another attack was carried out in the same area where four innocent people in the farming village of Nimbo were gruesomely mowed down by bandits in an unprovoked attack that was reminiscent of the April 2016 Nimbo killings.
He recalled that in February 2016, Abbi community was the first to be hit by the same assailants where two people were gruesomely killed while 19 others were declared missing.
The senator noted that there was a major massacre in Nimbo community in the early hours of April 25, 2016, which left over 46 people dead and 14 persons injured, with their houses and other property completely razed.
He expressed worry that the killings did not seem to be isolated as their persistence indicated a pattern, saying that even with the 2016 killings, the authorities both at the state and Federal levels had not taken robust steps to mitigate the menace.
Senator Ezea expressed worry that if nothing very urgent and sustainable was done to put an end to the recurrent menace, people would begin to resort to self-help to ward off the criminal elements, stressing that “this might eventually lead to a complete breakdown of law and order, especially given the already challenging security situation in the region”.
He said that with the strategic location of Uzo-Uwani as a net producer of food in the country, the killings would have a significant impact on the nation’s food security as more and more farmers were now becoming afraid to go to farms for fear of being killed.
He said residents were abandoning their communities and relocating to urban areas, thereby, exacerbating the rural-urban migration crises in the country.
Senator Kelvin Chukwu (LP, Enugu)who seconded the motion added that the killing of members of the community was unacceptable, pointing out that there was need to put an end to the killings.
He said considering the strategic nature of the affected communities in rice production, there was the need to protect the residents from attack.
However, in his contribution, Sen. Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu West) said although he was a co -sponsor of the motion, he was disassociating himself from the fifth paragraph of the motion, which stated that the state and Federal governments had not taken robust steps to stop the killings.
Senator Ngwu said it was a misrepresentation of facts that the state and federal governments through the security agencies were not working hard to put an end to the attacks and killings and protect members of the communities.
According to Ngwu, the Enugu state Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah and the security agencies had visited the affected communities with relief materials, adding that the state and federal governments, together with the security agencies were doing everything possible to protect the people and end the attacks.
Meanwhile, the Senate in its resolution, urged the IGP, COAS and Director General of the Department of State Services to investigate, arrest and prosecute the criminal gangs to serve as a deterrent.
It also mandated its Committees on Legislative Compliance, Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence to ensure compliance and proffer lasting solutions.
It further urged the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to the victims to cushion effects of the unwarranted attacks.
POLITICS
Ebonyi LG Polls: EBSIEC Gives 3rd June Ultimatum for Political Parties to Conclude Primaries
By Godwin Okeh, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission, EBSIEC, on Wednesday gave 3rd June 2024 ultimatum for all political parties in the state to conclude their chairmanship and councillorship primary elections.
The Commissioner in-charge of Public Affairs in the commission, Chief Nnanna Nweze-Offor stated this while answering questions on the commission’s timetable for the Local Government Election.
According to him: “Political parties participating in the forthcoming Saturday 20th July Local Government election in the state must conclude their Chairmanship and Councillorship primaries not later than third June, 2024.
He noted further that the list of nominated candidates for the Chairmanship and councillorship position must be submitted to EBSIEC before the end of Monday 3rd June 2024.
Chief Nweze-Offor pointed out that political parties conducting primaries must invite EBSIEC to observe the primaries as required by the law, noting that the commission was poised to conduct a free, fair and credible election without bias for anyone or political party.
He pointed out that soon the commission will advertise for recruitment of adhoc workers for the election, adding that various trainings will be conducted towards a successful Local Government polls in the state.
Chief Nweze-Offor noted that the commission was working round the clock to ensure a smooth election and called on all to join hands with EBSIEC in the bid to give the people the best Local Government election in the state.
Daily Asset reports that the Local Government election in Ebonyi State is slated to hold on Saturday, 20th July 2024 across the thirteen Local Government Areas of the state.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions, Amos Magaji has called for an urgent financial investment in the Federal Teaching Hospitals across the country in line with the renewed hope agenda of the current administration for the betterment of the citizenry.
Magaji who led members of his Committee on a visit to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo said the need to allocate more funds in the health sector cannot be overemphasized considering the primary place of health institutions in the country.
He appreciated the Chief Medical Director and his management staff for showing interest in the growth judging by the tremendous achievements recorded within a period of one year.
He said that as head of the House Representatives Committee on Health Institutions, he will work with his members to ensure that more funds are made available to develop the needed infrastructure including the medical equipment to meet up with the expectations of the people.
“We are glad to be in Otukpo today to see things for ourselves. We don’t want to depend on second hand information on the true condition of the Federal University Teaching Hospital Otukpo.”
The Committee Chairman assured the management of full support of the Federal House of Representatives as appropriate incentives will be given through interface with other critical stakeholders in Abuja.
Magaji, who also observed that most of the Federal Teaching Hospitals were having almost the same challenges, advised the leadership team to accommodate all Nigerians irrespective of tribe including the host Community.
He however enjoined the Staff who he described as foundation staff to work as a team despite the working condition, “we have seen how the environment is looking and we will continue to monitor the progress. So as foundation staff, you all have the opportunity to write your name in gold”.
In his brief welcome address, the Chief Medical Director, Prof Silas Ochejele Commended the Federal Government for the establishment of the Teaching Hospital in Otukpo which has drastically changed the medical services narratives in the State.
Prof Ochejele also commended the Committee for undertaking pains to come down to Otukpo, ” the Hospital is very happy to have you here as we strongly believe that you’re coming to see things yourselves we go a long way in repositioning the Hospital for the betterment of the people’s health needs’
After the briefing, the House Committee inspected some of the ongoing projects and appreciated the efforts being made by the CMD particularly the level-playing ground provided to both staff and patients which earned them recommendation.
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