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Tag: Renovation

  • Renovation of school brings joy to pupils

    Renovation of school brings joy to pupils

    Joy’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at the newly renovated classroom. Her small hands clutched a brand-new desk and chair. The Primary 5 pupil of Community Primary School, Okpo na Akuma Nkume in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State couldn’t contain her excitement.

    “For years, we struggled with broken chairs and desks,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “But now, we have a beautiful classroom, thanks to our alumni.”

    Joy’s story is just one of many at this neglected primary school that had been forgotten. With only four teachers, including the headmistress, Mrs. Victoria Ahamefule, overseeing the affairs of over 150 pupils, the school was in dire need of rescue.

    That rescue came when alumni of the school, who are currently residing in the United States, renovated one of the dilapidated buildings of four classroom blocks in the school. 

    The commissioning of the renovated building was a moment of joy for the pupils, teachers, and the community.

    However, despite this progress, the school still lacks essential amenities, including security. The school urgently needs perimeter fencing to protect the children from kidnappers and invasion.

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     Additionally, there are no toilet facilities, forcing both teachers and pupils to go to the bush to answer nature’s call, thereby exposing them to dangers such as rapists and dangerous reptiles. Furthermore, there is a dire need for more teachers. Aside from these challenges, the school, which was founded in 1966, had been neglected and forgotten. Its roofs were blown open by wind and age, and some classes had no desks and chairs, leaving pupils to struggle with a few broken ones.

     However, the renovation of one of the dilapidated buildings has brought happiness to the pupils, including Joy, a Primary 5 pupil, who was thrilled to see new desks and chairs, tiles, and ceilings in her classroom.

    “We are happy we will no longer struggle with broken chairs and desks,” she told The Nation.

    As Joy and her classmates settle into their new classroom, they know that there is still much work to be done to ensure that they receive the quality education they deserve. But for now, they can bask in the joy of having a safe and conducive learning environment, thanks to the kindness of their alumni.

    In his opening remark, the Project Co-ordinator, Chief Basil Uzoma Adimora said that the renovation of the building of four classroom blocks was carried out by sons and daughters of the two communities in the United States who were once students at the primary school who after seeing the plight of the pupils had to step in to salvage the situation.

    Adimora who resides in the United States said: “Our sons and daughters in the United States who were once students at this school were moved to tears when the condition of the school was brought to their attention.”

  • Alia begins renovation of 40-year-old secretariat

    Alia begins renovation of 40-year-old secretariat

    Benue state governor, Hyacinth Alia, has commenced the total renovation and refurbishing of the 40 years old state secretariat in the state, housing civil servants, and top government functionaries.

    This is part of his genuine efforts to bring about optimum productivity of the career civil and public servants housed by the gigantic facility.

    When completed, the secretariat which was built by the first civilian governor, the late Aper Aku, in 1982, will be part of efforts by the governor, to provide a befitting working environment for the workers in the state and give them a smooth take off of the current administration’s Spirit of commitment to duty.

    The renovation of the facility will also serve as a beacon of hope for the restoration of maintenance culture in the state which was abandoned by previous administrations.

    The Commissioner for Works and Housing, Mr. Tiza Imojime, who took journalists round the Secretariat, during an on the spot check of the renovation, yesterday, said the entire work is expected to be completed within six months.

    He said the governor is poised to equip the Secretariat with new office chairs, tables, and other furniture that would befit a 21st century working environment for the workers.

    The project he said, would be one of the legacies of Governor Alia’s administration, aimed at prioritizing the welfare of civil servants in the state.

    He explained that the last time the Secretariat was renovated was in 2008, noting that more projects would be launched within the year for the benefit of Benue people.

    He thanked the media for the good work they are doing by projecting the policies and programmes of the Governor in a positive light just as he urged them to maintain the tempo.

    The State Head of Service, Dr. Moses Agbogbo, who received the Commissioner and the team of contractors handling the project, said the renovation and furnishing of the State Secretariat is part of efforts of the Governor to revive the state civil service which was under intensive care, noting that the action, is a fulfilment of the Governor’s campaign promises to the people.

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    He enjoined the civil servants to shun vices that are capable of hindering the growth and development of Benue.

    “I commend the Governor for the passion he has on the welfare of civil servants and pensioners to boast their productivity”, he said.

    The Project Manager of Shake and Bright Nigeria Limited, Mr Bem Iortim, handling the project, said with the cooperation of the State Government for timely release of funds, they are determined to deliver quality work within the specified time.

    The Commissioner for Finance, and Economic Planning, Mr Michael Eglegba, who also joined in the inspection, said the first phase of the project costs over N1 billion, and was the first of its kind since the Secretariat was built, adding that, it has been hooked to 330KVA power supply, while water supply in the Secretariat, has also been restored in the offices, describing it as a remarkable achievement by the governor.

  • Kudos for Lagos schools renovation

    Kudos for Lagos schools renovation

    Chairman, Committee on Education of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Olanrewaju Ogunyemi, has commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the ongoing renovation of schools.

    Ogunyemi spoke with reporters after he led his committee members on a tour of some of the renovated public schools.

    He said he was impressed with the renovation and rehabilitation he saw during the tour.

    “This government must be commended for its efforts. The Governor has really done so much in the last two years, particularly in overhauling infrastructure in the education sector.

    “What we have seen so far shows that there is so much hope for education in the state and I would say that the dilapidation of infrastructure in the schools has been turned around.

    “I must commend the governor and the Ministry of Education ably led by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, for a job well done, and for monitoring the contractors to deliver a good job,” he said.

    Ogunyemi also praised the  House of Assembly for ensuring that the executive is closely monitored: for appropriating funds, following up and monitoring to ensure funds are judiciously used.

    Ogunyemi recalled how the committee, as part of its oversight functions, visited Model College, Meiran, about a year ago, and complained about its poor facilities. He  is happy that the government promptly responded and the school now wears a new look.

    He said: “We visited the school over one year ago and we complained about the state of facilities there. The hostel accommodation, the toilets, the classrooms, the water system have improved.

    “The House of Assembly is happy that our Governor is working and that the Ministry of Education is responsive to the observation of the House.

    “I think on the whole, we are pleased that our oversight function is yielding the desired results. We came and we spoke, and the government has responded.”

    According to him, the committee would ensure that upgraded facilities are used very well. He added that the principals of the schools have been told to ensure that the hostels masters and captains ensure facilities are maintained.

    Ogunyemi explained that it is important for the state government to overhaul the facilities in the schools regularly. He therefore used the opportunity to call on corporate organisations, well meaning members of the public and philanthropists to support government to make education better.

    “We need public spirited individuals, corporate organisations and philanthropists to come up and exhibit corporate social responsibility and support education.

    “Education will always produce personnel that would go back to work in those organisations.

    “I am happy that some organisations, individuals and corporate bodies are contributing to move education forward in the state,” Ogunyemi said.

    Some other schools visited by the committee included Millennium Junior and Senior Secondary School, Egbeda; Estate Junior High School, Ifako/Ijaiye; and Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School, Agege.

     

     

     

     

  • Lawmaker hails Lagos Governor on renovation of schools

    Lawmaker hails Lagos Governor on renovation of schools

    Chairman, Committee on Education of the Lagos State House of Assembly Olanrewaju Ogunyemi has praised Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the on-going renovation of schools and his achievements in the education sector in the state.

    Ogunyemi spoke yesterday during a tour by his committee of some of the renovated public schools in the state.

    The lawmaker said the committee members were impressed with the renovation and rehabilitation they saw.

    Schools visited by the committee included Model College, Meiran, Millennium Junior and Senior Secondary School, Egbeda, Estate Junior High School, Ifako/Ijaiye, and Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School, Agege.

    He said: “This government must be commended for their efforts. The governor has really done so much in the last two years, particularly in overhauling infrastructure in the education sector. I have seen schools that have been renovated and I give kudos to the governor because he has done very well.

    “What we have seen so far shows that there is so much hope for education in the state and I would say that the state of complete dilapidation of infrastructure in the schools has been turned around.

    “I must commend the governor and state the Ministry of Education ably led by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule for a job well done, and for monitoring the contractors to deliver a good job.”

    Ogunyemi also had kind words for the Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa-led state House of Assembly “for ensuring that the executive is closely monitored, for appropriating funds, for following up and monitoring to make sure that the fund expended is put to good use.”

    On the renovation work done at the Model College, Meiran, Ogunyemi said: “We visited the school over one year ago and we complained about the state of facilities there. The hostel accommodation, the toilets, the classrooms, the water system have improved.

    “The House of Assembly is happy that our governor is working and that the Ministry of Education is responsive to the observation of the House.

    “I think on the whole, we are pleased that our oversight function is yielding the desired results. We came and we spoke, while the government has responded.”

    The politician, who promised that the committee would pay regular assessment visits to the renovated schools, called for more support for the state government.

  • LBIC begins renovation of estates

    The Lagos Building Investment Company Plc (LBIC) said yesterday it would begin the renewal of estates under its purview to enhance their economic value and make them safer for residents.

    The company, in a notice, called on the public and residents to cooperate with it and the government in ensuring that the glory of these estates that have been tarnished by illegal structures was restored.

    The firm said: “We confirm that a clean-up has started within our estates to ensure they are maintained in line with the master plans, upgrading of amenities while enhancing return on investment through sustainable property management system.”

    According to the company, it will review and re-engineer its operations, culture and brand reformation to ensure a vibrant workforce.

    “LBIC is upgrading its banking application software to ensure seamless processing and real-time online services that will enrich customers experience.

    “We have also embarked on a major restoration/renewal exercise of existing estates to ensure they meet best standards and that they are dignified environments for residents and their families.

    “There would be long term strategies  to ensure that these estates do not fall to an unacceptable level of disrepute, and investors would be pleased with the return on their investments,” LBIC said.

  • Transcorp Abuja begins $100m renovation

    Transcorp Abuja begins $100m renovation

    Transcorp Hilton Abuja  said it has commenced a major renovation that would upgrade the five-Star Transcorp Hilton Abuja guest experience in every aspect.

    The upgrade, estimated to gulp about $100million, is the first of its kind in the 30-year history of the hotel, the firm said in a statement, saying  it underpins its commitment to deliver an experience that cannot be duplicated by any other hotel.

    When completed, the iconic Transcorp Hilton Abuja would offer guests a brand new and ultramodern furnishing concept to rival other five-star hotels worldwide.

    All 670 guest rooms and suites have been redesigned, as well as  refurbishing of the Executive Lounge, elevators and elevator lobbies, meeting rooms, Congress Hall and the hotel lobby. The spa and restaurants will also be upgraded to reflect the standards of the modern traveller with high expectations, it said.

  • Benue expends N200m on nursing school renovation

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, today disclosed that his administration released N200 million for the renovation of infrastructure at the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Makurdi preparatory to its reaccreditation.

    He made the disclosure after inspecting the ongoing renovation.

    “I’m impressed with the quality of work and confident that at the rates it was progressive the renovation would be completed within six weeks because those handling it are on the same page with us and they commenced work before being mobilized,” he stated.

    Governor Ortom expressed regret that the accreditation of the school had been withdrawn in the last three years and expressed hope that it would be restored by the end of the year.

    “The neglect of the school is a sin against humanity, the people of the state, and God,” he stated.

    “Our administration which has job and opportunities creation as one of its major priorities cannot neglect an institution whose products are in demand in any part of the world and who can also become self-reliant.”

    He also visited the Makurdi Sheraton where he directed the commissioners of Housing and Urban Development, Works and Transport as well as Justice to put heads together and suggest how encroachment on the land of the hotel could be resolved.

    One of the handlers of the project, Mr. Shima Adum had informed the Governor that out of the 15 hectares of land for the project 11 have been encroached upon blocking the access road to the river with a huge building standing on the sewage dump.

    Governor Ortom proceeded to the industrial layout where he visited the cassava and orange processing plants as well as plastics company.

    He called on indigenes of the state to take the bull by the horns by investing in industrialization as the viable strategy to create massive jobs, wealth and opportunities.

  • Students grumble over renovation

    Students of the Kogi State University (KSU) in Anyigba have bemoaned the relocation order by the management asking them to vacate their hostels for renovation. The students, who were yet to finish their exams and final year projects, said the management should have allowed them to complete their examination and other engagements.

    The aggrieved students made their complaints known while speaking to our reporter. They said the management did not put their plight into consideration before giving out the order. They wondered why the renovation could not be done at the end of the session.

    The management said the renovation was in the best interest of the students, noting that it would make the academic environment conducive for them.

    Chairman of the institution’s chapter of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Comrade Moses Balogun, said the renovation was in the best interest of the students. It would address the accommodation challenges in the school, he said.

    But, students saw it from different angle, saying their relocation had exposed some of them to dangers. Some female students, who said they did not have relatives in Anyigba, said they were at the risk of being raped, because they were forced to stay with strangers whose characters, they said, they didn’t know.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that those, who were still writing examinations and final projects, have been relocated to new hostel buildings.

    Balogun said: “Renovation is a normal exercise from time to time in all universities. It is not new here. The students should be happy about the prospect that they would come back to meet brand new facilities, including hostels and lecture theatres. They should embrace it rather than whine about it.”

  • Cash shortage stalls Lagos, Port Harcourt airports’ renovation

    •Contractors insist on payment before returning to sites

    lack of fund has stalled the completion of airport renovation projects at the international wings of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos and the Port Harcourt International Airport , Omagwa,  Rivers State.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Mrs. Binta Bello, said this at the weekend  during  an inspection tour of ongoing projects at the two airports.

    The projects include the Lagos Airport Power Contract, Protocol Lounge and Landscaping as well as Construction of Departure and Arrival Halls at Port Harcourt Airport and others.

    The projects are parts of the remodeling contracts awarded by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration worth several billions of Naira.

    The contractor handling the Lagos Airport Power Project , Messrs Mantrac Nigeria Limited, has vowed not to return to site until the government reimburses the money it so far committed into the contract .

    The firm did not reveal the amount the company is owed and the entire cost of the contract. An official of the company said due to  lack of funds , some generating plants were not operating at the Lagos Airport .

    The firm insisted that until the fund it put into the contract was reimbursed, it would not return to site.

    At the new Protocol Lounge at the Lagos Airport,  where about 80 per cent of work had been completed, the permanent secretary was told that the contractor was also being owed, a situation which led to suspension of work .

    The officials of the contracting firm did not disclose the cost of the contract and how much the firm is owed.

    Besides, the permanent secretary was  informed that the contractor had suspended work until further payment is made.

    At  Port Harcourt International Airport , the contractor handling the construction of the departure and arrival halls, Messrs Inter Bau Construction Ltd, said work on phase 1 (departure) was between 80-90 per cent completion while work on phase 2 (arrival) “is almost nil.”

    The company’s chairman, Sir Nath Okechukwu, said in an interview that the second phase of the project was awarded at the cost of N1.7 billion, adding that the last time he received payment for the work was in 2013.

    “In phase 1, we have done about 80-90 per cent and phase 2 is almost nil. In phase 1, our money got exhausted. We don’t have money and we have to suspend work.

    “In phase 2, the total sum then was N1.7 billion. But it has gone up, though we don’t know how much we are coming up with.

    “We hope very soon they will make some payments so that we may go back to work. The owner of the project has just finished inspection. When she gets back to Abuja, then we will know what she is coming up with,” he said.

    He assured that “if money is made available, we will deliver the project(s) before the current administration marks its first 100 days in office.”

    But the permanent secretary said her mission was to see the projects to know the stages of completion in relation to money spent on them so far.

    On funding for the projects inspected, Mrs. Bello assured: “We will look at it and as soon as money is available, the contractors will be mobilised to site.”

    On the new terminals at the airports and the level of completion, Bello said: “Work is progressing very well. I am actually happy with what I have seen. I have seen the determination to improve infrastructure at the airports and we are taking what we have seen back to Abuja. I’ve been told they had some challenges during the take-off of the projects.

    “They have overcome most of them and they are working very hard to close the gaps created by man-hours lost. I am satisfied with the work done so far. If they didn’t have initial challenges, they would have gone further than where they are,” she said.

     

  • Reps grill Foreign Ministry over N2b renovation bill

    The House of  Representatives Committee on Foreign Relations yesterday queried the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over a N2 billion bill for the renovation of the home of Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN).

    The property, sitting on 16.6 acres of land in Tarry Town, New York, the United States, was bought in 1961 by Nigeria’s late Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa.

    The Committee Chair Nnena Elendu-Ukeje said the House on November 5 mandated its committee to investigate the matter because of an alleged conspiracy, which allegedly inflated the figure for the repairs of the property to force the Federal Government sell it cheaply.

    It was learnt that the public hearing was meant to determine the veracity or otherwise of the allegation.

    The investigation followed a motion sponsored by Yakubu Dogara (PDP, Bauchi), alleging the intention to surreptitiously sell the building for N2.754 billion.

    But the Supervising Minister for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, denied the alleged plan when she appeared before the public hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs.

    The minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Martins Uhomoibhi, who said the ministry received a bill of $16.9 million for a new design and development of the property.

    According to him, $12.8 million was for the renovation of the structure.

    Uhomoibhi said: “The ministry cannot be party to any plan to sell the property. It is not in the power or the mandate of the ministry to negotiate or sell any property. We have directed the mission that whatever it has must be put to instant use to renovate the property.”

    The permanent secretary said the New York property had deteriorated because of the dearth of funds to renovation it.

    He explained that no major renovation had been carried out on the property since it was purchased in 1961.

    Uhomoibhi said: “It has not been sold and there’s no intention to sell it. To the best of our knowledge, as a ministry, we are aware of the essence of the monument and what it means to Nigeria.

    “Again, we have no plans on the sale of the property. We have the responsibility to preserve what it means for Nigeria and Nigerians. I think it is a lie; it is a rumour.

    “The United States has listed the property as a monument; it can’t be sold in that manner. It will be reckless to allow that edifice to go that way. More so, the sale of such property takes a lot of processes, including legalisation and registration, with the host country.”

    The permanent secretary said of the $1.6 million released for the building’s renovation in 2011, only $1.1 million was cash-backed.

    He added that the amount was rejected by prospective contractors because it was insufficient.

    Alhaji Usman Sarki, Nigeria’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, assured that the mission was not contemplating selling the property.

    He said: “I want to assure Nigerians that the property is still under the control of the mission.”

    Prof. Ade Adefuye, the Nigerian ambassador to the U.S, in a letter to the committee on the issue, said: “Let me say that I am surprised. Till now, I do not believe that any plan exists to sell the house in Tarry Town.

    “You will recall that four houses belonging to the Nigerian Embassy in Washington D.C were sold in 2006. The mission in Washington has had to be paying so much on rent when those houses sold should have either been commercialised or turned to proper economic use in the interest of the mission and country.”

    Members of the committee vowed to block the sale of the property, should the rumour be true.

    They said the ministry, in 2006, sold four property belonging to the Federal Government without due process.

    The committee gave the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), which was represented by a director, Mr. Ayo Aderibigbe, a week to tell the committee, if the sale of the four property in Washington and another in Moscow, in 2005 and 2006, followed due process.