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Tag: projects

‘We’ll deliver our projects at good cost’

The Akwa Ibom State government says the ongoing political distractions in the state has no effect on its determination to complete all road projects either inherited or initiated by the present administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

Such firm resolve, coupled with the focused disposition of the governor, said to be known by the President is evidenced in the over ten on-going road constructions at various locations in the state, some of which are scheduled for delivery during the first quarter of next year.

Addressing journalists in Uyo the Akwa Ibom State capital, the state Commissioner for Works, Mr Ephraim Inyang said even projects abandoned due to paucity of funds have been re-mobilised for and work commenced in earnest.

“We have released funds for Eket /Ibeno road and we expect this project to be completed in June 2016. For Etinan/Eket road, we have re-mobilised CCECC back to site. We have also paid compensation for structures affected by the proposed remodeling of Eket Urban and work is just about to resume in earnest. Contractors have also returned to Dominic Utuk Ravine control.”

The state government, according to the Works Commissioner had already paid 60% mobilisation fee to contractors awarded the four area roads in the state, adding that the state government will complete payment before the commissioning by next year.

Inyang said five out of the ten billion loan accessed by the state government was paid to contractors handling Etinan-Ndoneyo and Etinan-Uyo road while the government is consistent with the monthly payment agreement to contractors handling the Etinan-Ibeno road.

In his words, “let me announce to you that all the area roads given in the state, 60 percent mobilisation was paid. It has not happened before. If you go to Ikot Udom in Ibiono, the Ukat road, Awa road, these projects were given 60 percent up payment, and I guarantee you that the balance of 40 percent shall be paid. And those roads shall be commissioned in February and June next year.

“For Etinan-Uyo and Etinan-Ndoneyo, I announce to you that the ten billion naira the government got as loan that people were talking, five billion apart was being spared completely to those two contractors.”

Reacting to speculations surrounding recent compensation to property owners around areas earmarked for development, the commissioner said that government is carrying out the exercise with a sense of responsibility and all amount of transparency to check fraud.

He suspected that those spearheading the blackmail on the issue of compensation are those who plotted to benefit from inflated costs to the detriment of property owners.

He faulted the initial compensation cost and stated that his ministry took over the compensation to ensure that property owners could access valuers and also compare with the amount paid, adding that so far, they have done a good job in putting smile on property owners faces.

“What we simply did was to allow Akwa Ibom people to see that whatever the valuers who had valued said, they had access to that valuage report and whatever that was written on the cheque that were meant for them they had access to comparing what was valued and what was paid out,” he said.

He assured the people of Akwa Ibom State of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s commitment to prudently manage resources of the state to rather attract wealth for the generality of the people ýthat channel few hands.

While appealing to federal government to wade into ecological problems threatening some parts of the state, he however assured that the state government on its part will continue to provide remedial measures to tackle this.

November 15, 2015
‘Oshiomhole ‘ll complete all projects’

Prince Kassim Afegbua is the Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs, to Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole. In this interview with OSAGIE OTABOR, he speaks on the governor’s determination to complete the on-going projects, despite the cash crunch that has hit the Southsouth state.

What will the people of Edo State remember Governor Adams Oshiomhole for?

It depends on the perspective that you are looking at it from. Different individuals, groups and persons will have their different appreciation of any circumstance, any situation. To a large extent, if we look at Oshiomhole, Edo people will remember him for several intervention he was able to bring to bare on the generality of the people in the area of welfare, infrastructural development, in the area of prudent management of resources to help move the Edo dream froward. I am talking of a dream that is encapsulated in better life for the people, a dream that has been able to alter the narrative from a callous state of the economy that has earned confidence of the people to one that is being able to ginger the people to own their government and be part and parcel of the power process, from an inherited halitosis to something that has become eldorado in comparative terms. He may not have all the answers to problems in the state but he is being to courageously show leadership by example, he is being able to make very bold statement and step on the right toes to get things done. He is being able to put aside issues of personal friendship and do that which will please the majority of the people so that there can be common good for all. Achievements are very fantastic in view of what was on ground when we came on board. Ten years under the people, we didn’t see much. Now we can speak to a number of issues, we can speak of hospital being built, we can speak of schools. Education is the fulcrum for jump starting any solid economy and when we came, education was in complete comatose and that is agreeable by even naysayers of the PDP. We will beat our chest that it is true we have not being able to address all the problems but the problems we have been able to address have provided enough platform for successive government to built on.

People talk about industries, which Governor Oshiomhole has not built especially the unfulfilled 10,000 jobs promised last year?

The business of government all over the world is to provide the enabling environment for businesses to thrive. The attraction is no longer that of a government sponsor industrial layout or government run businesses. Government is to provide the enabling environment by way of providing the basic amenities that businesses need to flourish. The Dangote group had commenced the process of building a fertilizer plant at Agenebode one time and along the line there were issues of feasibility study and they have to move out. If it has manifested, we would have had 10,000 jobs. Anyway, we have been able to attract the BUA Group to build a brand new cement plant at Ukpilla worth over $2bn. They have commenced test run operation. The previous cement factory was sold at an arbitrarily very low price. The liability was more than the actual cost of the factory. What government did was to provide the moral booster to ensure that the BUA Groups that bought it takes off with that one or we reclaim and resell. Once they saw that political will from the Governor, they quickly came to site and rejuvenated the old cement factory and built a new one. They have started recruiting. There is a bamboo factory at Anegbette which was put in place by some individuals as a function of the 26 kilometer road that was constructed by Oshiomhole. Go and ask the management they will tell you that if that road was not constructed, they won’t make use of the bamboo in that area. That has employed a lot of people. The Vietnamese farmers came and they started planting rice at Anegbette but Federal Government policy under the PDP came up with waivers. They were granting waivers to rice importers killing local initiatives. Once you grant waiver, imported rice will be cheaper than local rice. Those companies that wanted to something genuine had to do a rethink ditto for Leventis Farms in Agenebode. The Leventis people have return to site because they know there is a new government. They have cleared the site. We have given additional land for Okomu and Presco Oil to expand. There are a number of things happening but people want to see government erecting factories. It does not work that way in a civilize democracy. The cost of building is not the issue but you might later discover a Federal government policy that will place it at a disadvantage. What government does all over the world is to generate platform, ideas, create good road network to ensure that businesses prosper. The Azura Power Plant is one of our own investment in the area of electricity and in no time the state will be feeling the impact of that.

What about industries that thrived before the coming of Oshiomhole?

Those companies, the juice factory, the cassavita, have they ever worked? They never worked, they were not even completed. The cost of producing based on what we saw on paper is more than what the companies were worth. The Juice Factory was sold before we came on board. We didn’t inherit it. The Cassavita is there grounded. We are trying to revitalize it by way of selling it off to persons who can run it. Government business is not to run small companies. They did nothing there. You need to visit there. What was expended on it is more than what the company is worth. We will take the best of decisions based on situations on ground to ensure that we are able to move forward. The Bendel Brewery has a lot of issues with litigations. The past administration took loans to reposition the place and that has become a liability to the state government. The people who bought it because of issues of litigations and certain liabilities have not been able to jumpstart anything. When we made effort to reclaim it, they went to court and we are still on that. We are getting some level of commitment in respect of the Comrade Buses. If we can’t run the Edo Line and we have the political will to give it to people who can run it. Have you taken time to know the liabilities and debts of Edo Line we were paying. We inherited a lot of rots. We pride ourselves as a government that has been able to provide economic infrastructure for businesses to grow and flourish. Pan-Ocean moved its headquarters to Benin. There is another gas plant company at Ologbo because the facilities are there and security has improved. The insecurity infrastructure and road network are in place and businesses are moving their headquarters to this place and that means a lot of benefit from our youths.

Do you think Governor Oshiomhole is still popular in terms of aggressive tax collection?

He is very popular. Each time we go out to inspect our projects, you see a lot of people coming out to clap their hands, to cheer him on and all of that. There are quite a lot of people that cannot walk the street of Benin in broad day light. People who have presided over the affairs of this state before but not so for us. We move with people, we interact with the people because we believe that they own the government. There is nothing new about tax policy. What is new is our tax drive. The laws have been there. We inherited the laws. What we are doing is to implement. Before now, they were doing negotiated tax payment. Rather than sit back and begin to lament dwindling federal allocation and IGR of about N250m, we needed to look inward and see what we can do. We decided to implement the tax laws which are federal laws and not state government. The PAYE is a federal tax law. When somebody is in your employment, you deduct tax and remit. People have been deducting without remitting. Taxes and taxation are not necessarily enacted at the convenience of anyone. The tax man is often derided in the society but it is a civic responsibility that must be carried out so that government can earn income to carry out infrastructural development and run its businesses the way it should be run. Where else do you want government to get money. You have been elected to work and you are going to do the work and one of the tools is by paying taxes so that you can own government. If you don’t pay tax, how do you challenge government on spending? If people are not paying taxes, why would they asked for good roads, good health care services and electricity? People know that the comrade governor does not have all the money before he became governor but the people trusted him. He cannot please everybody else he will playing God but by his policies and actions, he has being able to impact on a larger majority of Edo people in critical sector of the economy. Education was completely grounded in this state. We inherited what people referred to as mushroom schools. We don’t need to continue to lament that the state is a civil service state which was the believe in the years of the locust. We were ready to get money to make thing work because the overall benefit will be for the people of the state. People come up to say we have not done much in the GRA. We are asking the rich men living in GRA to pay Property Tax and they are refusing to pay. Instead, they are instigating and inciting the poor people who are not affected by the tax policy to go and protest. They want us to beautify everywhere but they are not paying tax for using the land. There is no where in the world where taxes are not paid on property. It is the same people that own the best automobiles with which they ply the road yet they don’t want to pay tax. Our own is to create a safe haven for the poor by taxing the rich so that we can take care of the poor. If we don’t take care of the poor, the rich cannot sleep well in their palatial homes. What is good and appropriate is to ensure that the rich is tax to get money to take care of the poor. The poor are following the rich ignorantly. We are trying to educate them abut the tax policy. The people need to understand before they go out to protest. Among those protesting, who among them is the son or daughter of a rich man. The people need to shine their eyes but we are not going to be distracted. We are focus as a government on what we want to achieve. Those living in rural areas are exempted.

When will the three model schools be completed?

On the issue of the Model Schools, the one in Benin City has reached the roofing stage but there was some sort of hiccup from the contractor, ditto for the one Edo Central which has also been commenced. We had to convert the one in Edo North to be part of the almost completed University of Science and Technology.

November 13, 2015
Youths advised to protect NDDC projects

The Vision 31 Grassroots Initiatives, a socio-political group in Akwa-Ibom State, has praised the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for its quick intervention on dilapidated projects within the Niger Delta region and taking proactive moves in line with the mandate given to the board by the Federal Government to complete all ongoing projects within the region.

Speaking on behalf of the group, its National Chairman, Otuekong

Charles Uwa said the board under the leadership of Sir Bassey Dan-Abia has initiated, completed and inaugurated several projects since the current board assumed office.

Uwa, who said this in Uyo while interacting with newsmen, noted that the NDDC has done the region proud through its efforts in delivering quality projects, adding that projects embarked upon by the board are those that will stand the taste of time. Such projects, he said, include strategic roads and bridges, school structures in higher institutions in the region, intervention in the health sector and the environment, among others.

While urging youths in the sub-region to protect NDDC projects, Uwa expressed his confidence that Sir Dan-Abia is a man competent enough to lead the NDDC at a taxing period such as the current economic downward-spiral.

“Always meticulous in the discharge of his duties, Sir Dan-Abia is endowed with vital leadership competencies to deliver on the statutory mandate of the NDDC to develop the region.

“He is unassuming and humble to the core with unimpeachable character and temperament to enable him superintend over the affairs of the NDDC as its Managing Director,” he said.

Continuing, he said: “It is imperative to note that a seasoned and pragmatic leadership is indispensable at the helm of affairs of the interventionist agency at this critical time of its existence. Effective leadership of the NDDC is critical toward anchoring the socio-economic development and structural change in the Niger Delta Region.

Uwa, however, called for better synergy between the NDDC and other key stakeholders in the planning and execution of projects.

The group is happy over the commission’s plans to enlist partners for the rebuilding of strategic and life-touching projects in the region.

He said states in the Niger Delta Region were in dire need of such rescue

projects that are virtually in the state of collapse.

He decried under-funding of the commission as one of its challenges affecting the

commission, even as he expressed optimism that the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would get rid of the bottlenecks hindering proper funding of the commission.

November 6, 2015
Enugu road projects take off

Heavy-duty vehicles and other construction equipment have been deployed to various road project sites in Enugu State, marking the take-off of contracts recently awarded by the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration. This has raised the hopes of residents of communities where the roads are.

Yet, not everyone is happy. Some communities have expressed their displeasure that the 5km Ebeano By-pass commissioned in 2006 has been abandoned. Members of the Ezinato Nsude in Udi council protested the take-off of a new by-pass, saying the old one has been left unattended to.

The community staged a peaceful march insisting that work should continue on the old one as the 6 culverts and bridges on the road have been completed.

The by-pass was flagged off by former President Olusegun Obasanjo during a working visit to Enugu in October 2006.

The project was abandoned by the last administration of Sullivan Chime as a result gully erosion devastated the road.

•The abandoned by-pass

But the state Commissioner for Works, Patrick Ikpenwa said the government went for the wiser option of embarking on an entirely new by-pass because the old one has been badly eaten by gully erosion.

He said for government to return to the old one would mean emptying the state revenue into a bottomless pit.

“We weighed the two options and decided to go for a new one. We met with the communities affected and explained the situation to them. It was a meeting the governor spoke to the traditional rulers of the communities and they reasoned along the same line with government and approve,” the commissioner explained.

And the Enugu Urban Renewal Committee led by its chairman, Chris Offor, visited some of the roads including the 9th mile by-pass being undertaken by government to ascertain the level of commitment of the contractors in mobilising to sites to commence work.

Addressing the residents of the area who were happy to experience the development, the committee Chairman told them that their visit was in line with the directive of the sate governor to ensure that contractors handling the roads mobilize to site to commence work immediately.

He disclosed that the governor was in a hurry to commence action on the roads and is equally committed to develop the entire state through aggressive urban and rural development programmes that will open up economic opportunities in the state as well alleviate the sufferings of the people.

Committee chairman noted that the early commencement of construction works at the eight awarded roads was a welcome development which goes a long way to showcase the seriousness of the present administration to bring meaningful development to the doorsteps of the electorate.

Residents, who were on ground when the committee visited, expressed delight over the determination of the Governor to fulfill his campaign promises to the people of the state in spite of the economic challenges in the country, saying he is “a man of his words”.

They said that the commencement of the reconstruction of Abakpa-Nike and Nike lake roads, the Opi-Nsukka dual carriage road, the 9th mile corner bypass, among others, was a good omen for the state and an indication that governor Ugwuanyi means business and is sensitive to the plight of the people.

They assured the governor of their readiness to make sacrifices and collaborate with government to ensure the success of the projects, to ease traffic congestion in the area.

November 6, 2015
Buhari expresses commitment to Ayade’s signature projects

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday expressed the commitment of the Federal Government to the signature projects of Cross River State governor, Prof Ben Ayade, which are the construction of a 260km superhighway and a new deep seaport.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the superhighway that will link Calabar to Northern Nigeria, in Obung Village, Akamkpa Local Government Area of the State, Buhari said the road will open a window of opportunity for the people of Cross River State and Nigeria as a whole, as well as reduce travel time.

His words, “That I am here in person underscores the importance the Federal Government attaches to this. It is indeed a significant milestone in the economic and policy of the governor.

“This is the first groundbreaking under my presidency. I commend Ayade and his team for their foresight in conceptualising this project.

“I want to assure you of the commitment of the Federal Government to ensure the completion of the project. I promise I will come back to commission it. I urge the governor to ensure work is done on it quickly.”

Ayade expressed gratitude to the President for his support.

He said, “You said you are for everyone and today you have proven this by your support for us. That is because given the circumstances of our nation and the politics, Cross River State would not have been worthy of being your first port of call. You have shown that you are truly a president.

“The ontological kinetics of the road started with the loss of oil wells, consequent on the loss of Bakassi. The state was reduced to want. It became imperative to reconstruct a new means of production and open a horizon to get teeming young men employed.

“The road will serve as an evacuation corridor for the new deep seaport. The seaport will have a draft of 14 metres and a key wall of 680 meters that will allow for all sizes of vessels to berth.”

The governor said some features of the road, which he described as digital, will include broadband internet connectivity, speed cameras and ambulatory services.

In attendance at the event were governors of Akwa Ibom and Imo States, Udom Emmanuel and Rochas Okorocha respectively.

October 20, 2015
Alumni inaugurate projects

The old students of Ekiti State Government College, Ado Ekiti have inaugurated several projects to mark the 30th anniversary of the school.

The institution was established as Unity Secondary School on September 6, 1985, before being re-christened Ekiti State Government College, sequel to the creation of Ekiti State on October 1, 1996.

The alumni, who celebrated the founder’s day with a dinner and award night for deserving teachers and pupils, said the gesture was to give back to the school which contributed to their success in life.

The projects inaugurated included a health centre, e-library, lecture theatre, female hostel, motorized borehole and a block of six classrooms.

Principal of the college, Mrs. Roseline Animasaun, who was impressed, said the alumni must be conscious that government alone cannot fund education, adding that contributions from them would help save the school from collapse.

She said: “With the current trend in Nigerian education sector and as applicable to our school, we have the mandate to reestablish the lost glory of education and make it a seat of academic excellence, and to provide education that will make our students very productive and useful members of the society.

“You don’t need an analyst to ascertain whether the college is fulfilling these aims or not, all you need to do is to look into the body of the old students and see how accomplished the college is in relations to these aims.

“These students spread across various professions are a testimony to our hard work, focus and commitment in discharging our hallowed duties”.

The Chairman, Anniversary Planning Committee and Vice President of the association, Mr David Oluwatimilehin , urged stakeholders to help reverse the noticeable fall in the standard of education in the college.

“As students then, we used to get favours because our school was honourable and respected. We have to sacrifice our time, money and knowledge to plan and re-launch all these values, so that this school can remain the best among its peers in the State,” he said.

October 15, 2015
Council inaugurates projects

On Saturday, October 10, 2015, joy and excitement enveloped the Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), as some people-oriented projects were inaugurated by the Office of Auditor-General for Local Government, Mr. M. O. Jimoh.

Though residents of the council area were in festive mood for experiencing what some of them described as unprecedented development programmes being executed by the leadership of the council that aim at making life easier for them, the Executive Secretary of the council, Hon. Moshood Mustapha Abiola’s euphoria was indescribable.

When he assumed office as the Executive Secretary of the council a couple of months ago, Hon. Abiola vowed to deploy all his energy towards making life meaningful for residents of the council. He had promised that he would evolve people-oriented policies and programmes as well as execute projects that would have direct impact on the lives of the people. These he pursued religiously.

Any wonder he was exceedingly excited while receiving the Auditor-General for Local Governments at the Onigbongbo LCDA.

Mr. Jimoh visited the LCDA for the 7th edition of capital projects inspection.

The programme, which is an annual event, takes the Auditor-General round local governments and LCDAs to inspect some projects being embarked on. After the inspection and assessment, the local government area or LCDA that executed not only best capital projects and programmes but also people-oriented projects, is chosen for the inauguration ceremony. His visit was an indication that the Onigbongbo LCDA has performed creditably well.

Hon. Abiola expressed his gratitude to the people of Onigbongbo for their co-operation, even as he remained obliged to the Auditor-General for local government for appreciating the efforts of his administration.

•One of the roads inaugurated

He further explained that in addition to the construction of the two roads, Allen Lane, Folawewo, Esugbayi and Akerele streets, among others, have been rehabilitated to ease people’s movement.

The council chief noted that the council has started some programmes such as vocational training for youths and adults where hairdressing, vulcanizing, video and photography, catering, soap making, bead making and other skills were imparted to them, adding that the aim was to make the residents to be self-reliant in order to contribute their quota to the growth of the council’s economy.

Responding, Mr. Jimoh praised the council chief for his commitment to the people’s welfare. He later inaugurated the construction and rehabilitation of Alhaji Muili and Ayinde Sanni streets in Oregun.

Dignitaries present at the inauguration ceremony were the Executive Secretary for the LCDA caretaker committee, Hon. Moshood Mustapha Abiola; Head of Administrations, Mrs. B. A. Dalumo, Local Government Area Chairperson, Alhaja Iyabo Akerele; party chieftain, Chief Akingbolade; Obas, Baales and other prominent personalities.

October 14, 2015
Awka: Seat of abandoned projects?

The capital projects that would have raised the profile of the Anambra State capital have been discarded, reports NWANOSIKE ONU

Is Awka really the unloved capital of Anambra State? It is the seat of power, but what else does it have befitting a capital city? Some say pretty little. It has no stadium, not even a miniature one.

Former governor Peter Obi completed Zik Avenue initiated by his predecessor Chris Ngige, but both

The abandoned mini-stadium

failed to solve the city’s drainage problems. Obi in his last years in office built roads which linked up some Awka villages and was applauded for that.

He then promised to build a mini-stadium and even mobilised a contractor, Paul-B Construction, to handle the project. Obi also demolished some structures to connect Ezeudu Street from Zik Avenue to the expressway, handing it over to the same Paul-B.

The Nation gathered that he paid the contracting firm over 80 per cent mobilisation fee.

Al those projects have been abandoned.

Shoprite project

Another contract initiated by Obi that has been abandoned is the Shoprite at Agu-Awka, where former Ikenga Hotels built by former governor of Old Anambra State Chief Jim Nwobodo was sited. While the Shoprite complex at Onitsha is still ongoing, work has stopped at the Awka site for almost a year.

Even the three flyovers being constructed by the Willie Obiano administration are now at a standstill.

When Chief Obiano took office, he promised the Awka community that he would give the city a befitting outlook, something that previous administrations could not do. It was then he told the people that the three flyovers would cost N5b to build. The project was flagged off on June 24, 2014 with a one-year completion time.

The chairman of 20 villages out of 33 in Awka, Comrade Obi Ochije said the community is suffering from the disunity in its ranks, urging the town union leadership to rally the people. But he also said Governor Obiano has veered off from his plan.

He said, “Obiano has derailed from his vision he had for the community and that has led to the abandonment of the projects in this community. This community did not fight for the capital city when others were struggling to get it, but Babangida used his wisdom to offer it to Awka on a platter of gold and it is a shame that something like this is happening in the state.

“Awka community voted for Obiano and not Peter Obi during the elections, realising the long-standing [relationship] between us and his Aguleri community.”

Ochije, a human rights activist and coordinator, Transform Nigeria movement (TNM), appealed to the governor not to abandon the projects as others did.

The chairman of Paul-B construction firm, Paul Eridom blamed the rains for the stoppage of work, adding that the projects would restart as the downpours subsided.

The governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media James Eze denied the abandonment charge.

He said, “The projects are not abandoned anywhere in the state…they are temporarily stopped as a result of the rains because you cannot build strong roads under such conditions. As soon as the rains are over, the people will definitely see the working Willie again in action despite the hard-biting economic crunch all over the country.”

October 9, 2015
Rotary raises fund for community projects

It was a gathering of families, friends, well-wishers and members of the Rotary Club of Agege District 9110, Nigeria. They gathered to raise funds for its various community projects. The event was also used to install Rotarian Kolawole Ojelabi, President, Christ Ambassador Society of Christ Church, Elere-Agege, as the 32nd president of the club for the Rotary year 2015 to 2016.

The event began with recitation of some lines of rotary anthem. After the recital, Mr Ojelabi, his wife, Olumuyiwa and some other dignitaries, including the outgone President, Rotarian Adeniji Agboola, his wife and Mrs Lydia Ojelabi (mother of the new president) were invited to the top table amid applause.

Rotarian Seyi Martins presented Rotarian Ojelabi to the gathering after which Mr Agboola installed him as President of the club.

He removed the rotary neck tag and hung it on Mr Ojelabi and inducted him as a world-class President of Agege amid ovation by guests. Agboola and Ojelabi hugged each other after.

Mr Agboola described the new President as someone to be proud of anytime.

The club’s past presidents, members’ families and well-wishers embraced and congratulated the new president on his achievement.

In his speech, Mr Ojelabi said he was happy that members of the club are rejoicing with him. He recalled his past challenges as a Rotarian, saying Rotarian Agnes Olatunmi later brought him back to rotary after five years of nonattendance.

Reeling off some projects he intends to execute during his tenure, Ojelabi said: “During my tenure, I will assist children in orphanage homes; provide relief for internally-displaced persons (IDPs); support post-graduate students; carry out health education programmes; provide six-room toilet facility and water at Central African Primary School, Oniwaya Agege; promote breastfeeding campaigns in selected government hospitals in Agege; renovate dilapidated six-classroom block at Anwar-Ul-Islam Nursery and Primary School, Ogba and provide micro-credit loans to members of the community, among others.”

In his speech, the guest speaker, Mr Sam Omatseye emphasised on volunteerism in the society. He said volunteerism comprises people who have ambition and passion for the less-privileged people.

Mr Omatseye, who is the Chairman, Editorial Board, The Nation Newspaper, defined the less-privileged as people who are in need of water; skills; academic enlightenment and shelter, among others. He said a group of church members built a library and provided books for inmates of Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Apapa.

He recalled how he learnt how to nail a wood to the wall to prevent it from being blown off by windstorm or rainstorm. This, he said, was for members of a family who were living in dilapidated house in the United Kingdom. He added that there is a bad form of volunteerism that is made up of people who take pleasure in destroying people’s lives through killing, embezzlement of government funds, thereby causing increase in poverty.

Mr Omatseye said: “The club is one of the good forms of volunteerism, as the members are always ready to cater for the poor, eradicate poverty and enhance the well-being of the less-privileged in the society.

Quoting copiously the eight verse of the sixth chapter of Isaiah, he said members of the club had made themselves available towards reaching out to the poor; an assignment he said is quite taxing.

The District Governor, Mr Bolaji Onabadejo congratulated the mother of the president, Mrs Ojelabi for witnessing her son’s investiture, adding that some mothers were not opportune to celebrate with their children when they had attained some enviable heights.

Mr Onabadejo also spoke about development of the club, saying without recruitment of new members, no club would be able to receive a trophy.

He inducted Mr Bayo Oke as a new member of the club.

Highpoint of the event was an award of excellence presented to Mr Omatseye and other special guests by the new president.

October 7, 2015
Lawmaker inaugurates community projects

In fulfilment of his promises during the electioneering campaigns to enhance the living standard of members of his constituency, the member representing Akure North/South Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Afe Olowookere has embarked on several projects that will alleviate the suffering of the people.

One of the projects is the construction of one- kilometer concrete drainage and erosion control along Faparusi Layout, off Ijoka Road, Akure the Ondo State capital.

Solely sponsored by Olowookere, the project would cost between N3.5 million and N5 million.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker said it was part of his Akure North/South Community ýDevelopment Project (ACDP), promising to execute more projects in order to reduce the suffering of the people in his constituency.

Expressing sadness over the deplorable state of roads in Akure, Olowookere said: “I’ve gone round the state capital and discovered that the roads within my constituency are in deplorable condition. I am not happy with the state of these roads. I have identified some roads that should have been fixed by the government which have been neglected. I have made up my mind to reconstruct some of these roads.”

The chairman of the Landlords’ Association of Faparusi community, Tolani Ologun, commended Olowookere’s gesture.

He said the construction of the drainage system would help to reduce the plight of the residents.

He said: “We can hardly bring our cars into the community. Even okada riders no longer ply our area because of the state of the road, especially during rainy season. Erosion has sacked some people from their homes. This has been our nasty experience. This project is one of the best gifts any community can get from its representative.

“The road has been abandoned for years. The erosion that has seriously affected the community is caused by the flow of current from Abusoro area of the town. It has rendered so many residents homeless.

All efforts made in the past to address the problem did not yield any fruit.”

Ologun said representatives of the community have visited the chairman of Akure South Local Government Area several times to officially register their plight without any tangible result.

Hon. Olowookere has also commenced the construction of town hall for Emiloro community near Oda in Akure South Local Government Area.

The laying of the foundation of the modern town hall was performed by the lawmaker amid jubilation.

The town hall project estimated by the site engineer, Dele Bello to cost N10 million would boast modern facilities for the convenience of members of the community.

According to the chairman of Emiloro Community Development Forum (ECDF) Dare Olowookere, the sons and daughters of the community must emulate the lawmaker, saying he had not forgotten his roots.

He urged the people to embrace peace and unity, noting that without unity, there would be no development.

The Olu of Emiloro, Chief Tayo Alake, commended Hon. Olowookere for the gesture, saying the lawmaker was a patriotic son who had the interest of the community at heart.

Chief Alake also called on the people of Emiloro to emulate the lawmaker’s example in order to help in the development of the community.

The chairman of the APC in Akure South, Elder Ayo Alogba, ascribed the intervention of Olowookere in Emiloro to the love he has for his people.

Alogba lamented that some people who represented the constituency in the past had nothing to show for their representation.

He commended Olowookere for the giant strides which he said are lasting legacy he will bequeath the community.

The lawmaker said he decided to construct the town hall because the old one where the community holds important events had collapsed.

Olowookere said he made the project a priority because it was in fulfilment of his promise to the people of the community during his electioneering campaigns.

September 23, 2015