The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Calabar-Odukpani road: Firm denies alleged N42b road contract

    Calabar-Odukpani road: Firm denies alleged N42b road contract

    A construction firm, Zeka Global Company Limited, which undertook the construction of Calabar-Odukpani dual carriageway, has described as false and baseless, claims that it received N42 billion as contract for the building of the dual carriageway.

    Dismissing the alleged N42 billion claim, a director with the construction firm, Ibrahim Adesina Tiamiyu, an engineer; disclosed that the contract was not even half of the figure being bandied by an online news portal.

    According to Tiamiyu, “it is completely false and mischievous to insinuate that the cost of the contract was N42 billion. The actual cost of the project was N17bn.”

    Offering insight into how Zeka Global Company Ltd was engaged by the Cross River State government, Tiamiyu said: “We came into the picture when other contractors were asking for cut-throat fees to handle the project and the government could not muster that. What Zeka did for the Cross River State was more or less a direct labour service which went a long way in reducing the cost of constructing the road. The award or engagement letter issued to us was to function as a “Service Provider” under a direct labour arrangement with the state Infrastructure Company, Infra-Cross. It was on the basis of our rich profile that Zeka was engaged. In fact, some contractors had charged the government about N60bn before the immediate past governor had to look in our direction that we should come in as a service provider.”

    The director lamented that in spite of their diligence and commitment to the completion of the project, “we are yet to be fully paid. The company is still being owed a balance of N2bn. This is besides debts owed the company from projects executed outside the dual carriageway for the state government

    “It is unfortunate that the purveyors of the phantom N42 billion contract sum were less concerned about fact-checking with the relevant ministries and agencies of government before speculating on the contract sum. “

    Located on 147 Ndidem Usang Iso Road, the company which began the construction in 2020 finally completed and delivered the project in 2023

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    Speaking on some failed portions of the road, Tiamiyu disclosed that “normally in road construction, there is a period called defects liability period where the road is open to traffic during a six months period in order to observe its behaviour. If there is a defect during the six months period, the contractor returns to site to fix or address whatever the defects are. So it’s not right to say the road has failed. In fact, it is mischievous to insinuate as such.”

    According to the director, there are a lot of factors that could have caused a road to fail. He clarified that “the portion of the road that gave way was later discovered to be sitting on shale materials. That was what caused that particular portion to give way. And with what we have noticed, we are waiting for the rains to cease so that we can return to the site to get it fixed, despite that the shale materials we found was not captured in the Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME).”

    Corroborating Tiamiyu’s assertion, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Dr. Godwin Akeke, Director, Civil, Ministry of Works, Dr. Desmond Ewa and Pius Okpa, Director, Inditek Partners and Consultant to the Cross River State Ministry of Works all agreed that “the issue on the portion of the road that gave way is not about the competence of Zeka as a company that handled the work. There were underlying issues which were not foreseen such as underground seepage of water, presence of amco pipes buried under the ground and prevalence of borrow pits. If these were not foreseen and were not part of the contractor’s design and schedule, the contractor would not handle them because they were not covered under the terms of engagement. So there will be need for variation because he did not know that undersee page was taking place there. Against this backdrop, the portion of the road was likely to give way. However, since it is still within the defects liability period the contractor will go back to site but with variation in the contract.

    So the issue of competence does not arise. People are making insinuation simply because it is an indigenous contractor and they will do everything to discredit them.”

    Tiamiyu, however, appealed: “We will greatly appreciate if the government can pay us the outstanding balance of N2bn due to the company to help quicken our return to site to fix the failed portion.”

  • Otti signs Aba Development Authority Bill into Law

    Otti signs Aba Development Authority Bill into Law

    Abia State Governor Alex Otti yesterday signed into law, the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) Bill recently passed by the House of Assembly.

    Speaking after assenting to the bill, Dr.  Otti said the establishment of the Greater Aba Development Authority is to give Aba a special focus as a commercial hub. He added: “Everyone who had followed the process of the campaigns and elections would have remembered that we have said that we needed a special focus on Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state.”

    The governor said Aba combined what many cities had individually, noting that Aba was not just a commercial zone, but also an industrial hub where “we have all sorts of light manufacturing, heavy manufacturing, micro small and medium scale businesses, trading. Virtually every street in Aba is a market. Although we are working and organising them, it is a strength we recognise.”

    Otti said: “When we invest heavily in infrastructural renewal in Aba, it is because we recognise the potential Aba has and we believe if we improve on ease of doing business, we attract a lot of businesses.” 

    He congratulated the Speaker of the House of Assembly, other lawmakers and members of the Executive Council on the passage of the bill, saying with the law, Aba’s rejuvenation had got a legal backing to bring about the needed development in the city.

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    Presenting the bill earlier for the governor’s assent, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna, said it was passed into law by the Assembly on December 8, 2023.

    He said the Greater Development Aba Authority bill is the first bill Otti is signing into law and congratulated the governor on achieving the feat 

    The Director General of the Greater Development Aba Authority, Mr. Uche Ukeje, described the law as a special vehicle that would drive the development of Aba and realise the governor’s vision about the city. 

     Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu; Special Adviser on Legislative Matters, Luke Onyeani; Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, among other top government officials, were present at the event.

  • Fishermen list pollution, trawlers’ incursion, others as obstacles to vocation

    Fishermen list pollution, trawlers’ incursion, others as obstacles to vocation

    Traditional fishermen operating in the creeks, rivers and Atlantic coastlines of Bayelsa State have listed oil pollution, incursion by industrial fishing trawlers and unnatural fishing methods as obstacles to their vocation.

    They identified the challenges yesterday at a capacity building workshop organised by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in Yenagoa.

    The fishermen identified the obstacles at a brainstorming session facilitated by the Research and Publications Lead at HOMEF, Dr. Ogechi Cookey, saying they were responsible for dwindling catch by fishermen across the Niger Delta.

    According to them, industrial fishing trawlers restricted by law from operating near the coastline often encroach to ‘sweep’ the waterways by overfishing and catching fingerlings that ought to grow to replenish the fish stock.

    They also lamented that some fishermen use some local leaves and mix them with chemicals to boost catch to the detriment of the food chain.

    A community leader in Ikarama, Yenagoa Local Government, Chief Washington Odoyibo, noted that oil exploration and associated spills had wiped out fish species and made the waters toxic to support fishing.

    He said during oil spill incidents, the booms used to trap crude from spreading obstruct navigation by fishing boats and regretted that oil firms often abandon the booms even after clean up.

    Also, a community leader in Ikarama, Chief Mrs Ayibakuro Warder, noted that prolonged exposure to crude and inhaling the toxic fumes had increased the prevalence of asthma and other respiratory ailments.

    Warder said: “The frequent spills in Ikarama has led to diagnosis of many new strange ailments previously not common, and women are worst hit because they stay longer on the farms and get exposed to crude.

    “The report by Bayelsa Oil and Environmental Commission found higher than normal levels of heavy metals in breast milk of breastfeeding mothers.

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    “High rate of miscarriages among women of reproductive ages in oil communities was also reported by the study.” 

    A renowned environmentalist, Chief Alagoa Morris, praised HOMEF for building the capacity of fishermen to defend their environmental and human rights.

    Morris, who is also technical adviser on Environment to Bayelsa Governor, urged the fishermen to make contributions that would help policy makers to formulate policies to improve fisheries.

    Senior Special Assistant on Tourism to Bayelsa State Governor, Dr Piriye Kiyaromo, in his goodwill message, noted that there was a link between fishing and tourism.

    He said tourists often accompany fishermen on fishing expeditions even as they also add to the culinary experience of tourists who crave local dishes.

    Kiyaramo noted that the proposed State Ministry of Blue Economy in Bayelsa would take care of the concerns and challenges faced by fishermen, who form a significant segment of the blue economy.

  • UNIPORT gets 65 new professors

    UNIPORT gets 65 new professors

    The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) has promoted 42 senior academics to the rank of professors and 23 others to associate professors.

    Spokesman Dr. Sam Kpenu said in a statement in Port Harcourt yesterday that the new professors passed through stringent selection criteria set up by the university.

    “The promotions followed approval by the Minister of Education on December 8.

    “The academics were promoted following the recommendations of the Central A & PC Academic meeting of UNIPORT held on November 23.

    “The university hereby announces the promotion of 42 officials nominated as professors of their disciplines and 23 others as associate professors (readers),” he said.

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    A breakdown of the promotion showed the professors’ category has 10 new professors from the Faculty of Education; Faculty of Science got 10, Faculty of Humanities, eight, College of Health Sciences, eight; Faculty of Agriculture, three; Faculty of Engineering, one; Faculty of Social Science, one, and Faculty of Management Sciences,  one.

    In the Associate Professor (Readers’) category, Faculty of Education produced seven new readers; Faculty of Humanities, five, and Faculty of Science, three.

    Others are Faculty of Engineering, two; Faculty of Science, two; College of Health Sciences, two; Faculty of Agriculture, one and Faculty of Computing, one.

  • Bureau trains security personnel in handling guests 

    Bureau trains security personnel in handling guests 

    Cross River State Tourism Bureau, in an effort to ensure proper handling of guests by security personnel, yesterday trained military and paramilitary personnel to better serve tourists during the Christmas festival/carnival 2023.

    The Managing Director, Cross River State Tourism Bureau, Prince Ojoi Ekpenyong, said the security personnel expected to undergo the training included those from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Civil Defence, VIO, Road Safety, Immigrations, Customs and even private security services. 

    He said: ”The essence of this training is to return Cross River State to that world-class destination. Security men are our first gatekeepers, they’re the one who interact with our visitors, so we are here to let them know that they must welcome our visitors with a smile. They must do their jobs with love and professionalism.

    “The training is aimed at promoting a police friendly environment in Cross River. Whether you like it or not, when the police and other agencies solve the problem on the road with love, more people will come to Cross River State.” 

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    Launching the one-day training, House of Assembly Speaker Elvert Ayambem hailed Ekpenyong for taking steps to train security personnel as part of the modernisation of the tourism industry.

    “Most of the countries people travel to, they don’t even have what we have in Cross River State. I’m thanking the governor for rejigging the tourism of Cross River State.”

    Giving the overview of the training, Vice President, Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN), Justina Ovat, said the training would inculcate the spirit of hospitality and excellent service to drive exceptional guest experience during Calabar Carnival. 

  • Lawmaker accuses firm of causing environmental hazards  

    Lawmaker accuses firm of causing environmental hazards  

    The member representing Afikpo North West in Ebonyi State House of Assembly,  Kingsley Ikoro, has expressed sadness about the number of collapsed buildings, cracked buildings, health and other environmental hazards witnessed in Ameta Agba in Ibii/Ozizza autonomous community, following stone blasting by a mining company.

    Ikoro, who expressed the concern on the floor of the assembly during its sitting, noted that many had been hospitalised, while others had lost their homes and properties.

    He called for immediate action against further blasting less than a kilometre to residential areas.

    Ikoro, the leader of the assembly, described the action of the company as wicked and inhumane.

    He accused the quarry company of blasting stones less than just one kilometre to residential houses, against the mining regulation template of Ebonyi State Government.

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    “The action of the company can best be described as wicked and man’s inhumanity to man. You cannot have a quarry site where you do blasting less than a kilometre to where there are residential areas. Quarry sites are supposed to be situated at least three kilometres away from residential areas.” 

    Ikoro expressed concern that besides causing environmental and health hazards to the people of the area, the company also allegedly took mineral resources got from the host community to build roads in other communities, neglecting the host community. 

  • Jigawa, UNICEF, other to address Out-of-School rate

    Jigawa, UNICEF, other to address Out-of-School rate

    The Jigawa state government in collaboration with European Union (EU) and United Nations Children Emergency Funds (UNICEF) have embarked on five days train the trainers for community engagement strategies on mentoring and monitoring to improve and maintained qualities formal and informal schools in the state.

    UNICEF Focal Point Officer at the JIgawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hajiya Umma Abdulkadir, said the project, funded by the EU through UNICEF, is to train 470 School Base Management Committees (SBMCs) and Community Base Management Committees (CBMCs) from 10 local government areas in the state.

    She said: “The 470 participants were members of where drown from School Base Management Committees (SBMCs) and Community Base Management Committees (CBMCs), desk officers and agency for mass education officials whom were also to go back to their respective areas across the selected 10 local government areas to train others”.

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    Hajiya Abdulkadir explained that “our target after these five days training of these 470 participants were to go back to their respective areas to train another 2820 others techniques and strategies using the newly Revised National Operational Manual as well as the Guidelines for Mentoring and Monitoring Systems.

    “The aim is to reminds and develop the skills of the engaged communities base committees their expected roles and responsibilities especially on the issues of attendance, retention, completion etc in the formal and non-formal schools such as Islamiyya, Tsangaya and ensure the children started, proceeds and complete their education.”

    She stated further that “to this regard another training is ongoing at Manpower Development Institute here in Dutse on Learners Unit Record Information and Tracking System (LURITS).

    Abdulkadir maintained that Learners Unit Record Information and Tracking System (LURITS) is a masters training aimed at tracking learners records of enrollment, attendance, performance and completion through attendance register through the head teacher to achieve the control of our of school children.

  • Etsu Nupe urges unity among Muslims

    Etsu Nupe urges unity among Muslims

    The Etsu Nupe, Dr Yahaya Abubakar, has stressed the need for the Muslims to remain united for the progress and development of Islam.

    The Etsu Nupe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the Muslim Ummah must remain unshakably committed to the oneness of Allah and unity of purpose.

    The Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers spoke to NAN  on the sidelines of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) Central Council meeting, an umbrella organisation of all Muslim groups, on Tuesday in Minna.

    According to Alhaji Abubakar, without unity the Muslim Ummah will continue to live in disarray, while development will continue to elude them.

    The royal father said there was the need for Muslims to unite for the course of Islam.

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    The Etsu Nupe further stated that there was also the need for the Muslim Ummah to continue to be their brothers keepers, saying that this could not be more crucial than now when the citizens were facing a lot of socio-economic challenges.

    Etsu Nupe, who is also the JNI Vice President-General, noted that, “I have a very good course to be happy and also to celebrate the visible tendency of the Islamic brotherhood present in this meeting and equally of others who intend to be here but couldn’t due to some reasons”.

    The traditional ruler, however, commended Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General, JNI, for his diligent and pious leadership.

    According to the Etsu Nupe, the Sultan has remained a leader worth of emulation by all, because his preoccupation is to ensure the progress and development of the followers.

    The traditional ruler also commended Governor Umar Bago for accepting to host the Central Council meeting in the state.

  • Minister inspects IDPs’ housing project in Abuja

    Minister inspects IDPs’ housing project in Abuja

    Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Dr Betta Edu, yesterday inspected houses being built for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Idu area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The one and two bedroom houses would be built to accommodate IDPs in states, as part of efforts to address multi-dimensional poverty in the country, Edu said.

    According to her, each house will be constructed at N3 million through direct labour involving the intended beneficiaries.

    She said:”The Tinubu administration is committed to providing shelter to accommodate at least five million displaced and vulnerable households in Nigeria.

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    “If you recall the federal government had just approved the humanitarian trust fund which has 30 percent donation from the government and the remaining 70 percent from donor agencies and individuals.”

    The minister said work on a similar project for IDPs has commenced in Benue.

    ”The ground breaking of this project was done in Benue, and as we speak they have completed the clearing of about 10 hectares for the building of 40 houses,” Edu said.

    She said the structures are easy to build, and this would speed up the provision of the houses to IDPs in different part of Nigeria, especially in Borno, Zamfara, Adamawa, Yobe and other areas.

  • Bauchi Corps member inaugurates N3.5 million classrooms

    Bauchi Corps member inaugurates N3.5 million classrooms

    A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member in Bauchi State, Rahila Garba, yesterday, inaugurated a block of two classrooms worth N3.5 million in Gudun Hausawa Primary School, near Bauchi metropolis.

    Garba, who is serving in the Office of the Head of Civil Service, said that the project was part of her Community Development Service, solely financed by Habibu Engineering Nigeria Limited.

    According to her, the idea to embark on the project was borne out of her eagerness to visit some schools and find out how conducive the pupils were in class and to make positive impact in their lives.

    She said the school caught her attention when she visited and realised that the existing structure was dilapidated as the pupils were sitting under the tree.

    Garba said: “It was this horrible experience that gave birth to the idea for the construction of additional classrooms.

    “Though at first, it was not easy to bring this idea to life, considering my financial status. But because I was determined and so passionate to see that this project is put to life, I decided to make some consultations of what it will cost to construct the entire project. And I began to shuttle here and there seeking for approval and doing some paperwork. Finally, I got the approval of the Habibu Engineering Nigeria Limited for sponsorship.

    “I am proudly saying that this project today is completed and officially inaugurated to commence class activities.

    “I believe education is the key to development in our homes, communities and nation at large, irrespective of our cultures, religion and tribes.”

    She, however, appealed to the state government and wealthy individuals to help in providing the school with chairs and other furniture.

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    Also, the Public Relations Officer, Habibu Engineering Nigeria Limited, Mr Salmanu Baba, said the project, which was estimated at about N3.5 million, was completed within 39 days.

    “When she approached the company, she was asked about her financial capacity and she said she only had promises from other people.

    “We decided to involve the community by tasking them to only provide us with the sand that would be used because we need to see their own commitment to the project too,” he said.

    The Bauchi State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Rifkatu Yakubu, said corps members had been encouraged by the scheme to integrate with their host communities so as to find out their challenges and proffer solutions, where necessary.

    Yakubu said this was what Garba did by finding out the first need of the community and decided to take up the challenge.

    She called on other corps members in the country to always embark on both personal and group community development projects that would impact positively on the lives of their host communities.

    Caretaker Chairperson of Bauchi Local Government Area, Mrs Zainab Baba-Takko, lauded Garba for embarking on the project.

    Baba-Takko promised that the state government would commence the renovation of other parts of the school and also provide the chairs as requested by the corps member.