The Nation Newspaper

Tag: road

  • Osinbajo’s visit: Taraba governor flags off Wukari-Tsokundi road

    Osinbajo’s visit: Taraba governor flags off Wukari-Tsokundi road

    Keen to receive the Acting President Yemi Osinbanjo in Taraba State on Thursday, Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku at the weekend flagged off the construction of Wukari-Tsokundi road in the ancient Wukari local government area.

    The 30-kilometre road contract, awarded to a Chinese firm, Wiz China Worldwide Limited, costs N5.8 billion and is expected to be completed in 12 months.

    Wukari-Tsokundi road flagging comes 12 days ago after the 20-kilometre Lacheke/Pantisawa road was flagged off in Yorro local government area at the cost of N6.3 billion.

    During his visit, the acting president will commission the multi-billion Green House project and the Kona-Lau road, among other capital intensive projects, Ishaku said.

     The Green House has been a huge investment in agriculture in respect to President Buhari’s quest that the nation’s oil driven economy be diversified, particularly to agriculture.

     The new roads are to open up the rural areas for villagers to be conveying their farm produce to the markets

     Speaking in Wukari, Ishaku said the projects are a fulfillment of his promise to Taraba people during his election campaign in 2015.

     Ishaku reiterated his administration’s commitment towards rescuing the State from its economic backwardness, pointing out that the provision of roads across the State becomes imperative to achieve the set goals of his administration.

     Road network, agriculture, water and power supply are his top priorities in turning around the fortunes of the state, he said.

     Commissioner of Works Tafarki Agbadu Eneme said the roads are not only meant to enhance the movement of people but a deliberate effort by the Ishaku administration to remove Taraba from stagnation, for development.

     Eneme disclosed that the Taraba State government has also spent N11.4 billion on the Bali-Serti-Gembu road, though a federal project.

     Ishaku appealed to the people to give his administration “peace, maximum support and cooperation” to serve them better.

     “As I had promised, my administration is going to do more,” he pledged.

  • Police vow to end crime siege on Abuja-Kaduna road

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has vowed to end the menace of kidnapping, robbery and other crimes on the Abuja/Kaduna Expressway.

    A statement by force spokesman Jimoh Moshood said Idris spoke after a sensitisation and mobilisation visit to communities, military and police personnel deployed in the 209km highway, at the weekend.

    The statement reads: “Concerned with cases of kidnappings, robberies and other crimes on the Abuja-Kaduna road, the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris, in June, deployed an additional 600 officers of Special Intervention Forces, comprising Police Mobile Force (PMF), the Counter Terrorism Units, Federal Highway Patrol Teams, Safer Highway Patrols, Intelligent Response Team (IRT), Special Tactical Squad (STS), Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and Anti-Kidnapping Units, in the road.

    “Their mandate is to root out these vicious kidnap-for-ransom and robbery gangs and render the highway safe.

    “The operations have been yielding positive results. Consequently, the IGP, on July 13, began an official visit to officers deployed in the road.

    “He also did an on-the-spot assessment of the security situation on the Abuja/Kaduna/Kano highways to ensure high alertness of officers there.

    “The IGP also addressed the communities and other stakeholders in the towns and villages along the road, on the need to be vigilant and cooperate with policemen.

    “At Suleja, the IGP visited the Emir of Suleja, Alhaji Muhammad Awwal Ibrahim, to commiserate with him on the flood disaster in his domain.”

  • Lagos set to deliver ‘Right of Way’ for Alapere Road

    Lagos set to deliver ‘Right of Way’ for Alapere Road

    Determined to ease the traffic on Ibrahim Babangida Boulevard, at the Ketu/Mile 12 end of Ikorodu Road, the Lagos State Government has begun the recovery of conservative of Right of Way of Alapere-Agboyi-Ketu.

    The gridlock on the road, according to the state, usually originates at Alapere Junction and its contiguous roads.

    The project, which is a four-lane road of 18.6m width, inclusive of a carriageway, will see the development of Oluwakemi/Ajiboye Street with additional ingress into adjoining streets from Alapere to Agboyi. It is being developed to carry traffic from Alapere through Agboyi towards Ikorodu. The project is a follow up to the first phase of the Alapere layby, constructed to ease traffic off the major road into Alapere.

    Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Wasiu Anifowoshe, in a statement said the Right of Way project began with the marking of affected buildings.

    The statement indicated that the owners of affected structures had been engaged and notified as well as given enough time to remove their wares and salvage their property before the  commencement of the operation.

    The statement, attributed to Anifowoshe, read in part: “We run an all inclusive government and do not embark on any removal of structure without first obtaining the buy-in of the affected people and communities through the engagement of stakeholders in interactive meetings. Some weeks ago, the state government embarked on a stakeholders’ meeting with the Alapere -Agboyi-Ketu community and interestingly, they embraced the idea, which led to this development.We know what it takes to put up a structure. So, we have planned this project and pledged minimal removal. It is all in the overriding public interest and the economic growth and development of the community and Lagos State as a whole.”

  • FRSC deploys 40 officers on Owo-Oka-Okene Road

    FRSC deploys 40 officers on Owo-Oka-Okene Road

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed 40 officers to reduce traffic congestion on the Ilesa-Owo-Oka-Akoko-Okene Road.

    Commuters were having a hectic time on the road, occasioned by the recent collapse of the two bridges linking the North and South at Mokwa, Niger State.

    The development forced motorists to divert from Jebba-Mokwa Road to Lokoja-Okene-Oka-Akure-Ilesa Road, resulting in a heavy gridlock.

    FRSC officials were having a tough time yesterday controlling the traffic on the route.

    FRSC’s Zonal Commander for Osun, Ondo and Oyo commands, Augustine Aipoh said the development followed the diversion of long vehicles from Mokwa-Jebba Road to ensure that travellers did not have to sleep on the road.

    He said: “We are here on the directive of the Corps Marshal to control the severe traffic gridlock along the axis.

    “There has been a massive increase in the volume of traffic here. This was caused by the Mokwa-Jebba bridge collapse, which the Federal Government is making effort to fix.”

    “We have deployed about 40 additional workers, towing vehicles, reflecting jackets, torch lights, ambulance and other necessary things to enable us put the situation under control.

    The FRSC zonal commander said the deployed officers were from Osogbo (Osun) and Akure (Ondo) offices.

    He urged long vehicle owners to fix their vehicles before setting out on a journey.

    Aipoh advised his men to be more dedicated to their duties.

    Also, the Ondo state Sector Commander Vincent Jack said the additional workers would be on the busy road for two weeks to control traffic.

    The Olubaka of Oka-Akoko, Oba Adebori Adeleye, expressed appreciation to the Corps Marshal for tackling the traffic challenge.

  • OPS differs on 5% Road Fund

    Members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) seem to differ on the merits of the proposed five per cent Road Tax aimed at revolutionalising the road sector.

    While some agree that it is a global best practice to ensure sustainable funding of roads and the most viable model of generating development fund, others say the additional petroleum levy will further escalate the already high cost of living.

    The reports of the Senate Committee on Works recently came out with a Bill for an Act to establish the National Roads Fund. The report stated that it would be used to finance the sector.

    The N5 petroleum levy per litre on any volume of petrol and diesel products imported into Nigeria and on locally-refined petroleum products will be used to partly fund the proposed National Roads Fund.

    The Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), Mr. Muda Yusuf, said the concept of a road fund was desirable, noting that one of its advantages is the easy collection.

    Besides, the fund, he said, is progressive because the rich consume more fuel than the poor and will, therefore, pay more.

    Yusuf, however, said the dilemma is Nigerians’ perception of fuel as a social product because of the long history of government involvement in pricing.

    He said: “Economic rationality is one thing, political expediency is another. But ultimately this is the way to go. Funding the road infrastructure through the annual budget will not give the economy the quality of road infrastructure that we deserve.

    “The truth is that the economic cost of poor road infrastructure in Nigeria is phenomenal. The Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the generality of the citizens will gain more from the creation of a road fund and the consequential impact on road infrastructure.”

    The LCCI boss said that presently, over 90 per cent of freight and the movement of persons in the country are by road. According to him, poor road infrastructure is a major factor in the current high cost of goods and services in the country, especially agricultural products.

    He argued that good roads would improve the linkages between the rural areas and the cities, and between the various economic zones in the country.

    He also stated that it would facilitate the integration of the domestic economy, spur growth, increase incomes, enhance productivity and lead to the creation of more jobs.

    But the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs, disagreed, citing harsh economic environment.

    He said, for instance, that given the current macroeconomic challenge of high inflation rate, negative national output growth and dampened aggregate consumption due to erosion in real income of the consuming public, additional petroleum levy will further escalate the already high cost of living.

    Jacobs said: “This (5% road fund) will further depress aggregate consumption as real income of Nigerians will further decline. The effect will be a slowdown in business activities across all categories – Micro, small, medium and large businesses alike.

    “I would therefore, advise the government to have a re-assessment of the implications of the proposed action on the fragile and slowly recovering economy.”

    The MAN president advised government to engage the private sector more in infrastructure development through concessional arrangement such as Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) especially in road and rail construction and operations. This, he said, will free some funds for other fiscal responsibilities.

    Jacobs, however, stressed that the importance of infrastructure to the development and growth of the economy cannot be over-mentioned. According to him, good roads and other economic infrastructure are no doubt critical to the manufacturing sector.

  • Long road to peace

    Long road to peace

    The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has deproscribed the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), 18 months after it was banned. The deproscription is seen by members as a special Ramadan gift, MIFTAUDEEN RAJI (300-Level Mass Communication) reports.

    It took time in coming, but when the step was taken, it was well received on campus. The University of Lagos (UNILAG) deproscribed the Muslim Students of Nigeria (MSSN) 18 months after it was banned. The society was proscribed because of internal wranglings.

    The Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Prof Ademola Adeleke, announced MSSN’s deproscription. He said were plans to restructure the group to ensure harmony among  members.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Rahamon Bello, and the DSA brokered  peace among the warring groups  to facilitate the deproscription.

    After reviewing the crisis, it was gathered that Bello moved to restore peace by meeting some key players, including the UNILAG Muslim Community (UMC). The VC, it was learnt, appealed to UMC to allow students control MSSN’s affairs.

    The crisis followed a petition by some aggrieved members to the VC, accusing the Abdur-Rasheed Adeoye-led MSSN leadership of corruption. They urged the management to dissolve it to allow for fresh election.

    Their demand contravened the MSSN by-laws, which prescribe selection of the association’s leaders through Shurah (consensus). The Shurah membership comprises representatives from all faculties.

    The VC constituted a panel chaired by Dr Luqman Adams of the Faculty of Science to investigate the matter.

    The panel did not find any of the MSSN leaders guilty of corruption. But, it abolished Shurah and recommended a review of the MSSN by-laws. Its recommendations stirred controversies, which led to MSSN’s proscription.

    At the peace meeting, CAMPISLIFE gathered that Bello appealed to Muslim academics involved in the matter to sheathe their swords and allow students to run the society.

    This was considered a major step towards  resolving the crisis. After he resumed office, the DSA, it was learnt, met with interest groups in the MSSN, including the society’s representatives, the Salafis and Tijaniyya Muslim Students’ Association of Nigeria (TIMSAN).

    According to a source, the warring groups agreed to sheathe their swords because of the DSA’s openness.

    The source said: “We salute the DSA because he took the time to study the issues in the by-laws and he resisted all pressures to deviate from due process. He heard from all sides.”

    The peace move was followed by a congress last Tuesday where the group’s new by-laws were ratified. At the congress attended by all interest groups and members of the teaching staff, Adeleke said the VC wanted the crisis resolved before Ramadan began.

    The by-laws were said to have been proposed in April. They comprised 24 sections,  including the general provisions, organisation of the branch, tenure of office, organs of the branch and electoral process.

    Adeleke, a professor of History and Strategic Studies, said the objective of the congress was for peace to reign in the group.

    He analysed the by-laws, while the students took turns to debate the provisions and ask questions.

    According to the DSA, the by-laws were drawn from the Quran, Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammad, constitution of the MSSN’s national body, and the university regulations. He told the students that the deproscrition would pave the way for the process of selecting the Shurah membership and election of the executive members.

    Adeleke said the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba branch of the MSSN must adopt the  by-laws for its operation.

    The DSA urged students not to tinker with the by-laws to prevent another crisis, saying: “To maintain peace, we have to exercise a lot of patience and sacrifice.”

    He said the Shurah would be supervised by three representatives to be appointed by the Office of the DSA. He added that staff advisers would be appointed by the VC in consultation with the UNILAG Muslim Community.

    After deliberations, Abdul-Hamid Sanusi, a Cell Biology and Genetics student, moved the motion for the adoption of the by-laws. Sulaiman Abdullah, a Geo-physics student, seconded the motion.

    Members of the academic staff in attendance included Prof Fatai Badru and Dr Ismail Ibraheem of Faculty of Social Sciences, Dr Abdul-Amid Sulaiman and Dr Musa Obalola of Faculty of Business Administration and Dr Hikmat Koleosho of the Department of Environmental Sciences.

    The MSSN congress held at Afe Babalola auditorium last year ended in stalemate. The congress was presided over by the then Staff Advisers, Dr Ismail Musa of the Department of Islamic Studies, and Dr Koleosho.

    While the crisis festered, students alleged that there were plans  to hijack the group’s activities by some academic staff at the Department of Islamic Studies.

    To ensure lasting peace, students said their views must be sought before new Staff Advisers for MSSN are appointed.

    They said Musa’s appointment as the MSSN’s Staff Adviser by former DSA, Prof Tunde Babawale, fuelled the crisis, because the majority of students opposed his choice.

    A student, who preferred not to be named, said: “The DSA needs to accomplish one more thing to ensure lasting peace. The majority of students don’t have confidence in Dr Musa as Staff Adviser. He was imposed by the management in 2015. He is from Islamic Studies Department that has been having problems with MSSN.”

    Badru urged students to abide by the decision.

  • Fed Govt. to kick off N800m road in Anambra

    The Federal Governm-ent’s Otuocha-Anam-Nzam-Abaji Road to Abuja will take off soon, The Nation has learnt.

    Members of the House of Representatives’ committee on works led by the chairman, Hon. Okechukwu Tobi have visited Anambra State from where the road takes off. The committee said N800 million voted for the road was included in the 2017 budget which has been passed by the National Assembly.

    Addressing members of the Anambra East and West Federal Constituency in the state at Nsugbe , the member representing the area, Hon. Dr. Tony Nwoye, said soon work would start on the project by the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said since 2009, no allocation had been made on the road by the previous administrations, adding that the budget had over N250 million for other smaller projects in the area.

    Nwoye, who is also vying for the governorship ticket of the APC in the state, said about 28 persons from the constituency, had been offered employment in the current dispensation of APC.

    He said that grants had been given to over 3,500 persons in Anambra East and West Federal Constituency, adding that about 2,500 others would soon be empowered.

    According to the lawmaker, a committee had been set up to oversee the distribution of sewing machines, tricycles, motorcycles, hair dryers, grinding machines among others to his constituents.

    Nwoye, lamented that his constituents were the most neglected in Anambra state, while thanking the committee on works for visiting the state and the bad road.

  • Travelling the same road all over again

    We have found ourselves on the same path; the more things appear to change, the more they remain the same or even worse.  To be doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result would be amnesia of the first order.  At independence, a leadership of ethnocentric bigots was unleashed on the nation that promoted nepotism and religion over national integration; a leadership characterized by graft and waste of unimaginable proportion.  This made the military to find justification and support to sack the corrupt political class in an exercise that was ill-executed that sharpened ethnic suspicion that eventually led to a bloody civil war.  With all their flaws and errors, it cannot be said of those young military officers that executed the coup d’état that they were not patriotic.

    The take away point from the aftermath of the coup is that the military are not good managers of men and resources in a political environment and governance.  Events later showed that the military engaged in the worst form of primitive acquisition and official corruption than the politicians they sacked. If you put the tally of the humungous worth (if you like), loots of the military heads of this country from Generals Obasanjo in 1977 to Abacha in 1999, you would discover that the military cannot stand on a moral high ground to clean our Augean stables.

    There is therefore, no basis and justification for anyone in his right senses to call, invite or in any way suggest to the military that it has a role in the political leadership of this country due to the failure of the politicians of today.  In any case, we should not even lose sleep over that because the military itself is fractious enough and incapable of acting with cohesion due to politicking and politicization.

    While it is obvious that the current bunch of political class that parade as leaders have not help the lots of this country, the solution to real change lies with the people; as men at times are masters of their fates.  It could not have been better put than the way William Shakespeare did in Julius Caesar: “At some time of their lives men have the power to control what they will become.  If we are under the control of others we must blame not the stars under which we were born but our own characters”.  He went on to say that, “So every bondman in his hand bears the power to cancel his captivity”.  I do not believe in the civil society organizations because they are not engaged in demanding for social re-engineering of our polity for the good of all.  I have since lost faith in the labour unions because they are self-serving, divisive and distracted and more concern with their check-off dues than the general good.

    The students’ movement made up of dynamic youths that should be the engine of change, trail-blazing in demanding accountability has no ideological base and intellectual capacity to propel the society.  One thing is certain, that is the fact that the political class is racing recklessly on a precipice and it is going to generate its own forces that would eventual consume it in a spontaneous demonstration like a whirlwind across the nation.  Look at the vast army of the unemployed, look at the huge number of under employed and those who have been driven out of job milling around refuse heaps so as to live by the day.  Those who manage to eke a living on the road sides and shanties are chased up and down by government officials who force heavy taxes on them that eventually drive them out of trade.  It portends an ill omen that we should not ignore because the repercussion will be like a tsunami.

    The present crops of political leaders appear like simpletons consuming the future of our nation. The youths should be reflective and act with circumspection before agreeing to be rented as placard carrying minions in defence of mediocrity, graft and incompetence. Whatever view anybody holds, it is incontrovertible fact that the 8th National Assembly is the worst in the annals of our political history; lacking in patriotism and moral character to drive a nation.  Instead of giving teeth to the fight against corruption which has become the nemesis of our nation, they are busy sitting on their high horses in the green and red chambers shooting down and dampening the vigorous spirit to pursue the fight. The fight may appear selective but it is a fight all the same that is worth our collective support.

    The fight against corruption is not a witch-hunt as some people would make us believe if there is evidence against those brought before the law; after all, ours is not a perfect society yet and I wonder if there is one anywhere in the world.  What is trending today is that the youths all over the world are championing the change they want in the 21st Century which belongs to them.  It is time for the Nigerian youths to take up the challenge and borrow a leaf from their counterparts in other countries.  The Arab Spring was triggered off by a youth and a fruit seller in Tunisia.  In France, Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year old man (youth) is comfortably at the driver’s seat piloting the affairs of his country.  For the old brigade, who still think they can hold this country to ransom, it is a race against time.  My advice to the ruling class is for them not to wait until this gathering storm brings with it a great hurricane the consequence of which is better imagined.  We should not take the unity of this country for granted, it is not cast in stone; great kingdoms and dynasties have broken up: remember Soviet Union. A word is enough for the wise.

     

    • Kebonkwu Esq writes from Abuja.

  • FERMA satisfied with Abia road repair

    ‘What we did was to repair the roads and make them passable for motorists and we have done them to the best level available’

    The management of Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has commended the work done by its Abia State office on both the Umuahia-Bende and Umuahia-Ariam-Ikot Ekpene federal roads.

    The commendation was given by Mr Bonaventure Nweke, an engineer, and Deputy General Manager, Operations, Abuja, when he led a team of four other engineers Ilegbusi Adebayo, GM Mechanical, A. J. Adedayo, Zonal Director, Southeast II and Timothy Nehemiah, Operations I Abuja, to Abia, saying that the state office has done well.

    Speaking while conducting the four visiting engineers round the two sites, the resident engineer for Abia State, Abraham Akange said that both roads were awarded on direct labour basis as captured in the 2016 budget.

    Akange said that the management staff came as part of their oversight function to see the extent of work done on the roads, adding that the repair works have been done while the work on drainage system will come next.

    He said that the work on the roads was given out to be done on direct labour basis.

    “What we did was just to repair the roads and make them passable for motorists and we have done them to the best level available.”

    The Abia FERMA boss praised motorists plying the Umuahia-Bende Road for their understanding while the repair work was going on and urged them to be careful as the work has not been completed.

    On the Umuahia-Ariam-Ikot Ekpene road, Akange said that the roads was so bad before now that vehicles were falling into ditches, while others were traveling through bush parts, “But after the work we did, the road is now good enough for motorists to move at good speed”.

    He said that after the work on the road which was flagged off by Senator Theodore Orji representing Abia Central senatorial district and Sam Onuigbo representing Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency was completed, “We are going to work on the drainage system”.

    The Abia FERMA boss said that as the 2017 budget is about to be passed that they expect that the federal government will allocate more funds to the agency to enable them tackle more roads in the state.

    Akange praised the people of Ariam for being peaceful during their stay at the area, stressing that there was never any incident such as theft and youth harassment which normally occurs in such situation.

    He used the forum to warn motorists using the newly repaired road to drive with caution, “When the road was bad FERMA was called and we have done our work and now that it is good they have been speeding which could lead to accidents”.

    In his response, the leader of the team, Nweke said they were impressed with the level of work done by their Abia office and urged them to continue to do quality works.

    Nweke said that they were in the state to see the level of work done on their projects as given out through direct labour within the period as budgeted in the outgoing 2016 budget

  • Atan/Agbara alive for Ogun’s 600-metre bridge, road

    The Ogun State government has begun the construction of a six-lane 12-kilometre (KM) road and a 600 metre bridge in Atan/Agbara, Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area of the state.

    The project is part of measures to  end the hardship being experienced by motorists and other road users due to the bad state of the road.

    The construction work, according to a from the state’s Ministry of Works And Infrastructure, signed by its Head of Media, Adekunle Ewuoso, said the road would be completed before the expiration this administration in 2019.

    The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, was quoted in the statement as saying: “The contractor has been mandated to start work at two locations. He is going to start the road from Atan and there is a great separator at Lusada and the contractor will start the bridge at the same time Lusada junction. We have given it careful planning, the contractor has been mobilised with substantial amount of money, so I think all things being equal we should complete it before the expiration of the second term,’ he said. Adegbite, the statement said, spoke with reporters in his Abeokuta office, after the demolition of some structure that would give way for the construction of the bridge.

    Reacting to the issue that the road in question is a federal road, Adegbite assured that the state government would continue to lay emphasis and priority on the comfort of the people irrespective of where they are from adding that as far as government is concerned there are no federal road when it comes to the issue of road construction.

    The statement said the Commissioner pointed out that most of roads that are classified federal  have become township roads, so there was no point referring to them as federal anymore, adding that state government was discussing with the Federal Ministry of Works on the need to release these roads to it.

    A resident of the area and the Otun Balogun of Igbesa, Chief Fatai Idowu, thanked the government for embarking on the construction of the road, saying that it was a long-awaited gesture which would bring succour to the hardship faced by motorists and other road users when completed.