The Ogun State government has started the reconstruction of the 23km Papalanto-Ilaro-Federal Polytechnic Road in Yewa South Local Government Area.
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Olamilekan Adegbite said the road will be reconstructed into six lanes, with walkway, median, green belts, streetlights and standard drainage system.
The road, which will have a dual carriage way flyover at Ilaro Junction, is to be completed in 24 months.
The turn of the century has brought about a surge in the demand and ownership of laptops and other information technology gadgets. This has created a need for skilled technicians to fix accompanying problems with these equipment. Some smart Nigerians are smiling to the bank repairing laptops, phones and other electronic gadget. reports Daniel Essiet.
When Nigeria joined the league of countries with Global System for Mobile telecommunications (GSM) in 2001, one of the advantages was its ability to create employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed population in the country.
With the GSM revolution has come a revolution in the country’s information technology, (IT) compliance level. From available statistics, three out of every four Nigerians own either a smartphone or a laptop, with which he connects the world. And with the preponderance of these IT gadgets, the need to have competent skillful personnel to fix the problems that usually arises from the equipment soared. Today, not only has the market opened up astronomically for these gadgets, in its stride has also come the need for repairs, necessitating technical competence. Now, young Nigerians are taking to the trade of repairing laptops, mobile phones, personal computers, amongst several other gadgets, and in the process, smiling to the bank.One of such young Nigerians that have keyed into this trend isChima Chikezie, chief executive officer,Queeneth Queeency Business and Services Nigeria, a firm that deals in computerand accessories supplying and installing of miniature IT machines.
At theLadipo market, in Mushin, Lagos, where Chikezie has his headquarters,on regular basis, laptops and tablets are delivered to him from business associates who imports the gadgets from Europe, Asia, and the United States. On delivery of the consignment, theyare sorted according to their brand either for sale or repair. At this point, technicians get all kinds of repair jobs, ranging from worn-out power supplies to fried disk drives. Some technicians get as much as 10 units of products to repair daily, which are later resold as”tested products.”This explains whyhis office buzzes with huge business activities as technicians tackle a seemingly endless supply of old devices requiring their attention. Though Chikezie refused to disclose the worth of his business now, he revealed that he ventured into the computer repair business with less than N100,000. This has grown so much that he beats his chest, saying that it is offering him “returns that are self-sustaining.”
For him, his cutting edge is the quality of service he renders since there are several outlets to purchase or fix used laptops and other gadgets.
“If customers don’t have a good after sales experience, they won’t buy from one again. It’s all about after sales service,” he explained, adding that there will always be plenty of businesses and all the technicians needs to do is to simply adapt and get the requisite competence on the job.
But as much as there are opportunities inherent in this trade, there appears to be threat to the business. Dealers in this trade are seeking new business models as computers become more replaceable than ever before. This is because many Nigerians are very comfortable with their phones and using them exclusively.
Others will be happy to settle for occasional tablet use. At least, these people will not be willing to spend as much to repair their computer since they have a good alternative. But gamers will hold onto their PCs for a long time to come.
For Chikezie, and other small computer business owners, the PC will never be replaced, since other devices are not convenient for power-hungry applications or comfortable typing.
This believe is further strengthened given the fact that computer repair and sales shops have grown massively, meaning that there is still an opportunity for new entrants so long as they can afford between N200,000 and N300,000 to start a standard sales and repair business.
THE government of Abia State has said the federal government owes the state the sum of N21 billion being the amount it has expended on the repair of federal roads in the state in the last one year and eight months.
It also said that the amount is even more, bearing in mind that the FG has not paid other amounts used to work on federal roads since the present state government came into existence and urged them to pay up for the state to fast track its developmental projects.
Speaking with newsmen on the extent of work done by his ministry in the last three months, the state commissioner for works, Chief Kingsley Mgbeahuru said that the huge sum being owed the state government has hampered the construction vision of the present administration.
The commissioner said that the state government has done 52 roads across the state, including the 16 intervention roads that have been done in Aba, the commercial centre of the state, which the governor started off late last year.
Benue state Governor Gabriel Suswam has continued to draw attention to the deplorable condition of federal roads in the state.
When the Labaran Maku-led team toured the state a few months ago, Suswam spoke up about the roads.
He re-echoed the complaint during the courtesy visit of officials of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and committees of the federal legislature on Works and Housing.
Newsextra investigation revealed that a journey from Makurdi to Gboko, a federal road, takes about 45 minutes. But because of the deplorable nature of the road, it takes more than two hours.
It was further gathered that for more than 30 years since the road was constructed, no repairs had been effected on it. Hardly a week passes without a serious accident that soetimes claims several lives.
Trucks belonging to Dangote Cement that ply the road have worsened their condition.
It is the same story from Makurdi-Otukpo-Enugu that linked Benue with the East. Unfortunately, it is the road that leads to the country home of Senate President David Mark in Otukpo. Many souls have been lost on this road.
Another worst road is Makurdi -Abinisi- Agasha-Ityulen-Wukari Road that linked Benue with Taraba State. As a result of the deplorable nature of the road, it has been abandoned by commuters.
One hardly finds a vehicle on Abinsi -Agasha-Tyulen federal highway; not even on days of busy rural markets like Kwatan Sule, Agasha, Ayilamo, Uzer and Anyiin, that are situated on the road, except those residing in the areas.
From Makurdi to Agasha and Ayilamo takes between 30 and 60 minutes respectively. But because the road has failed totally, it takes one more than two hours to reach the agrarian communities located along this federal highway.
Not all vehicles apply the road, but okada and Peugeot 504 station wagons are the common means of transportation.
A member of the community Hon Audu Moses told Newsextra that despite the area being yam producing area, transportation is difficult. He appealed to the Federal Government to reconstruct the road and build a bridge at Tyulen for easy access to the agrarian communities.
But when will the Federal Government take up the responsibility of constructing federal roads in Benue State? Labaran Makurdi told the government and people of Benue State that the matter would be presented before the federal executive council after the good governance tour.
•’We’ve restored hope to the people’
Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday said the Federal Government is owing the state N6 billion for the repair of federal roads.
Fayemi spoke at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, during the grand finale of activities marking his administration’s second anniversary.
He said his administration has sustained the peace in the state and reduced the child/maternal mortality rate.
The governor said 20 ongoing road projects across the state would be inaugurated in December.
He praised the House of Assembly for passing 32 bills into law, which he said has aided the state’s development.
Fayemi said it would have been impossible to record the level of progress in the state without support from the legislature.
He said the laws include the Bond Law, Fiscal Responsibility Law, Social Security Benefit Law and Gender-based Violence Prohibition Law, among others.
Fayemi said: “Today, the state has successfully risen to address the critical questions of development and the restoration of hope. Even though we cannot claim to have reached our destination, we have nonetheless moved away from the spot of stagnation in our recent history.
“Our administration recognises the power of trust as the necessary variable to implement our vision of unparalleled progress for our state within a short period of time.
“We are living witnesses to the parlous state of affairs in our dear state when we assumed office in October, 2010. Over N40 billion was hanging precariously on the state along with many uncompleted and abandoned projects in all sectors.
“At that time, the state was collecting N2.8 billion monthly from the Federation Account. At the time, there was a palpable loss of hope in the state among residents. Violence and all forms of criminal activities reigned supreme. Also pathetic was the state to which governance was reduced.
“Everybody was helping himself to the slices that could be taken, while acts of governance became thoroughly politicised in areas of resources allocation and location of social amenities and public facilities.
“We have to recreate the parameters to make people trust the intentions of government, especially those who have the legitimate mandate to represent the people and superintend over their commonwealth.
“This is not an easy task, but I thank you, the good people of Ekiti State, for believing in us and showing us tremendous support everywhere we turn since we assumed office.”
Various trade groups, including the Market Women Association and the Commercial Motorcyclists’ Association said they were impressed with the governor’s performance and urged him to contest for a second term.
The Federal Government has begun repairs on the Port Harcourt/Enugu Expressway in Abia State.
Members of the House of Assembly had decried the state of the road.
The Nation correspondent, who travelled on the road yesterday, said the Federal Road Emergency Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and some construction firms were working on the Port Harcourt and Enugu end.
The portions had caused many deaths.
The Abia portion, which is the worst, runs through five states in the Southeast. It had several heaps of crushed stones were deposited by the road side.
Work is ongoing at Alaoji and Osisioma, both in Aba.
Mr Nasiru Bello, the Federal Controller of Works in Abia State, told reporters yesterday in Umuahia, the state capital, that the Federal Government would repair the failed portions on the road before the Christmas and New Year festivities.
He said the damaged spots would be repaired while the entire road would be rebuilt next year.
The Works Controller urged road users to be patient with the agency during the period of repairs.
Bello said the repairs on other federal roads in Abia were also receiving attention, adding that the Federal Government would live up to its responsibility.
He said: “Rehabilitation of the Umuahia/Ohafia Road was recently completed. Works are ongoing on the Olokoro/Ikwuano, Calabar/Aba, Umuahia/Ubakala and Nkporo/Ohafia, among other federal roads in the state.”
The Works Controller said the slow pace of work in some areas was caused by persistent rains.
According to him, once the rains stop, the pace of work would increase so that a lot can be done before the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Bello, however, denied a statement credited to him that the former contractors handling the Port Harcourt/Enugu road fled when kidnappings became rampant in the state.
He denied ever saying so.
The Works Controller said there were no pending issues to be resolved with the former contractor handling the project.
He explained that funding was not the reason the former contractor left.
Bello said: “Whatever the case was, work has begun in earnest on the rehabilitation of the roads.
“I am about one year old in Abia and can firmly account for things that happened while piloting the affairs of the office as the Federal Controller of Works in the state. What I can tell you is that we are back fully on road maintenance in the state.”
He assured the people of Abia that all roads that are currently being executed would be done to the highest standard of federal ministry of works, adding that there will be no compromise of any sort on any of the roads.