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Tag: seaport

  • Concessionaire seeks revalidation of $27.29b Escravos seaport project

    Concessionaire seeks revalidation of $27.29b Escravos seaport project

    The Chairman of the Mercury Maritime Concession Company (MMCC), Rear Admiral Andrew Okoja (rtd), has called on President Bola Tinubu to expedite the revalidation of the $27.29 billion Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex (ESIC) project in Delta State.

    Okoja underlined the urgency of revalidation to unlock the much-needed funding for the project’s development during a press event yesterday in Lagos. According to him, delays by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investments (FMIT&I) and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy (FMM&BE) have stalled progress for over a year.

    “We are at risk of losing a significant $27.29 billion foreign direct investment due to prolonged inaction. The Federal Government’s intervention is critical to clearing the bottleneck and enabling our financiers to release funds,” Okoja stated.

    The ESIC project is envisioned as a transformative infrastructure initiative, connecting Nigeria’s hinterland via marine, rail, road, and air routes. It is projected to stimulate economic development in Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Anambra, Kogi, Niger, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through inland dry ports.

    Okoja described seaports as gateways to economic prosperity, facilitating the movement of raw materials, semi-processed goods, and finished products.

    “A viable seaport serves as a catalyst for national economic development. Communities within its influence enjoy relative wealth, trade opportunities, and improved livelihoods,” he explained.

    “This understanding drove MMCC’s vision for the Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex to create wealth and uplift Nigerians’ well-being.”

    Okoja also commended President Tinubu and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for their unwavering support of the ESIC project, highlighting its alignment with the President’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.

    The MMCC Chairman expressed frustration over delays, recalling a similar call for action during a news conference in June 2024. He noted that the project could have achieved 20 per cent of its performance targets by now if the revalidation process had not been stalled.

    Read Also: BACCIMA pushes for action on $2.5b Badagry Seaport

    “The former Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investments, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, failed to deliver the required revalidation before her redeployment. These delays have hampered our progress significantly,” Okoja said.

    MMCC General Manager, Patrick Wodah, also pleaded for swift action from the Federal Government.

    “With Nigeria’s current economic challenges, including high unemployment, naira devaluation, and low productivity, it is unwise to neglect this opportunity. The ESIC project has the potential to catalyse a massive turnaround in Nigeria’s economy,” Wodah said.

    Wodah further stressed the project’s strategic importance, highlighting its ability to drive regional development in West and Central Africa. He urged the government to diversify its financing sources to enhance project sustainability.

    Okoja and his team remain optimistic that President Tinubu’s intervention will resolve the bureaucratic gridlock and set the stage for the Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex to deliver its promised economic benefits.

    “The ESIC project is not just a seaport; it is a legacy initiative that aligns with Nigeria’s national development goals,” Okoja concluded.

  • ‘Enemies of Akwa Ibom jealous of seaport, power projects’

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel has accused enemies of the state of plotting against key projects of his administration. Emmanuel did not name the ‘enemies’.

    He listed the projects to include the Ibaka Deep Seaport and the power sector projects aimed at boosting the industrialisation.

    The governor spoke at the weekend during a parley with reporters at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Uyo as part of activities to mark the third anniversary of his administration.

    He said the government was at the last lap of obtaining the Federal Government’s nod to go ahead with the Ibaka Deep Seaport Project.

    Emmanuel said the state would soon become a hub for Microsoft, adding that his government was committed to the development of the information, communication and technology sector (ICT).

    The governor claimed the state government runs the most transparent government in terms of financial reporting.

     

  • FEC okays N61b for roads, seaport, others 

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved N61.464 billion for roads, dredging of seaport and building of houses.

    Minister of Works, Power, and Housing Babatunde Fashola, and his counterparts in Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau; Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu; Education, Adamu Adamu and  Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President Garba Shehu made this known to reporters after the FEC meeting.

    The meeting was chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    Amaechi said the council approved N13 billion for the dredging of Escravos Warri Seaport and the replacement of bad navigational aids.

    Fashola said his ministry got approval for three contracts. These are: Babalampa – Sharam road in Plateau State for N19.92 billion, Lagos – Ota – Abeokuta road revised upward by N22 billion  to N56.7 billion and Enugu -Port Harcourt Expressway for N6.31 billion.

    Fashola said: “One was for Baban Lamba-Sharam Road in Plateau state for the contraction of 44.625 kilometers for N19.392 billion. The second was for Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Road 81 kilometers. That road was first awarded in year 2000 and it has since been left uncompleted because they want no budgetary provisions for it.

    ”The third approval was for the section four of the Enugu Port Harcourt Road, the part between Abia and Port Harcourt, particularly in Port Harcourt that has been problematic and has failed severally. We have a contractor there but we needed to change the design because of the storm water drainage needs and the high water tables there so that the road does not fail.

    ”So that requires a revision of the scope of work to include retaining sidelanes and also drainage facilities in the sum of  N6.309 billion.” he said

    Danbazzau said N234 million was approved for the construction of two buildings, cadet mess and cafeteria.

    ”FEC approved contract for the completion of two faculty buildings and Cadet Mess and Cafeteria for Police Academy in Kano. The reason being that there is minimum requirement  to be met by the academy before accreditation of programmes.

    ”In May 2010, a memo was submitted for the approval of a draft bill when it was upgraded to a decree awarding institutions. So the total amount of the contract is about l N234 million. Once it is completed, we will invite the NUU to have a look at some of the programmes that are yet to be accredited.” he said

    Adamu said FEC approved the establishment of a Nigeria Army University in Biu, Borno State.

    Although he gave no detail about take-off time and others, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai had in March announced that the Nigerian Army would upgrade the Institute of Technology and Environmental Studies to a full fledge University of Technology and Environmental Studies.

    The Water Resources Minister said: “We highlight the fact that urbane water supply is regressing, access to improve sanitation has also decreased over time that we have not be able to meet the Millennium Development Goals and that works services in the rural areas are unsustainable, and spending on water sector has declined by .7% to .72% of the GDP in 2010.

    “We submitted a memo to council to approve an action plan on how to address these issues. We had three prayers for the council to approve the action plan: to declare a state of emergency on water and sanitation sector; to approve the establishment of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Fund for the country. This fund will be one that federal, states and international donors can put in money so that we can begin to address the crisis water and sanitation sector in the country.

    ”We also requested that henceforth the budget for water and sanitation in the country to be significantly increased so that we will be able to face these challenges. Council accepted our prayers and we will move on.”

    Mallam Garba Shehu said the  Minister of Women Affairs, briefed council on women empowerment programme undertaken, capacity development  for women, promotion of human rights, fighting violence against women, rehabilitation of victims of gender violence, promoting the health of women and children, and efforts on the rescue of Chibok and Dapchi girls.

    He said that Council commended the Women Affairs Ministry for a job well done.

    down the wall that screens out Nigerians in the military engagement in the northeast, the role played in the prompt release of the Dapchi girls and have instituted town hall meetings, 11 of which have been held so far across the country. He said the town hall meetings are ways of getting feedback from the country. He also spoke about the national sensitization campaigns on insecurity in the country.

    “He spoke about the institution of regular interaction with the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Journalists and other relevant bodies.

    ”Also interaction with International Press Institute that are coming into Nigeria for their World Congress in June this year. They have made progress with the digital switchover campaigns.

    ”At the end of the day, the council decided to set up an inter-ministerial committee to fashion out a marshal plan for the communications for the ministry to sit down and advise government on how policies and programmers can be better disseminated. In particular to advise government on how the ministry and its agencies can deliver on its own mandate.

    ”The ministers on the committee are finance, agriculture, budget and national planning, power, works and housing, transportation, communications, Information and Culture, petroleum and Niger Delta

    Speaking with State House correspondents after briefing FEC, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mrs Hadiza Bala Usman, said “I am at the State House today requesting FEC to approve the dredging works for escravos channel in Warri and its navigation. Is a challenge we have had in the Nigerian ports we need to ensure that the the channels into the Warri ports are dredged.”

    On the economic implications of the project, she said “It will fundamentally change the fortunes of Warri ports, it will expand the utilization of our eastern ports, we believe in the need to ensure that all ports locations are given the seamless access by providing dredging works and that is what we are here to do today.”

    According to her, she has been able to execute transparency and elimination of corrupt practices in the NPA.

    “We serve the need to ensure that whatever government legal with an entity there is full compliance. We have noted the Treasury Single Account, we have had entities complied to the TSA, we have also made our budget very transparent.

    “We believe in building institutions and we have done tremendous work in deploying Human Resources capacities within our systems.”

    Asked if corruption is fighting back in the NPA, she said “Oh definitely corruption is pushing back, its fights back all the time. We have had instances where corruption is pushing back and we have remain resolute with the support of Mr. President in assisting us to fight corrupt practices in Nigerian Ports Authority.

    On how much saved in the fight against corruption, she said “I will say we have saved billions of dollars in terms of ensuring that corrupt practices are eliminated. One of the key things the government has been able to do is to remove the monopoly of the oil and gas cargo, now in the Nigerian oil and gas you are able to take cargoes anywhere leading to any location in the country. Hitherto designated terminals got priority considerations to the extent that only those terminals had access to oil and gas cargo which made exploration of oil and gas in the country very expensive.

    “This has tremendously assisted, we have saved billions and billions of dollars in crude exploration following the removal of the monopoly by President Muhammadu Buhari of oil and gas cargo designation.” she stated

  • Ayade finalises Bakassi Deep Seaport construction

    Ayade finalises Bakassi Deep Seaport construction

    Work is due to resume at the Bakassi Deep Seaport following weekend’s meeting between Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade and some Chinese investors in Changsha and Hanan in Hunan Province.

    Ayade is in China with some of his commissioners and advisers, a trip he made a few hours after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on the project.

    After the meetings, Ayade said construction work on the seaport, billed to be the deepest in the country, would soon commence. The 260km superhighway also to be constructed will serve as the evacuation corridor for the seaport.

    The Federal Government had approved the proposal by the Cross River State government to procure a transaction adviser for the project, following the setting up of an advisory and implementation committee by the Federal Ministry of Transport.

    The deep seaport will boost the export of produce, such as rice and banana as well as solid minerals but it will not compete with the existing Calabar Port but will accommodate mother vessels, especially from the Far East.

    “Even in the face of several challenges and the fear that this project was impossible, the president has kept giving me proper encouragement and I am happy to acknowledge that,” Ayade had said while receiving top officials of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).

  • $1.65b Lekki seaport for completion in 2019, says Ambode

    Lagos  State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has assured that ongoing construction works at the $1.6 billion Lekki seaport would be completed in 2019.

    Speaking yesterday at the formal unveiling of the office of Overseas Affairs, also known as Lagos Global, he said the seaport, on completion would be the deepest in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Represented at the ceremony by  Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, Ambode said other projects that would get the attention of would-be investors in the state include the $1.3 billion Badagry Creek Industrial Park that will be completed in 2018 and the $12 billion Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Park among others.

    He said his administration has resolved to prioritise the achievement of the four pillars of the Lagos State Development Plan (2012-2015) which include economic development, infrastructural development, social development and security, and sustainable environment.

    He said the Lagos Global is an initiative of his administration, designed to encourage ease of doing business and help to turn Lagos into Africa’s model megacity and global economic and financial hub that is safe, secure, functional and productive.

    The governor recalled his inaugural speech on May 29 last year, where he stated the commitment of his administration to make Lagos an investment destination of choice by creating a favourable environment for local and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

  • LASTMA launches 23 tow vehicles to tackle gridlock

    When the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) went on a road show with its 23 tow trucks, the intention was not to scare motorists, many of who dread the agency’s officials.

    Rather, it was to demonstrate its enhanced capacity to decongest traffic and get motorists moving in record time.

    The vehicles, which are of various capacities, will help reduce the 40 million manhour said to have been lost to accidents, traffic gridlocks and delays, last year.

    LASTMA’s Deputy Comptroller Mr. Philip Ogunlade told The Nation that the agency would key into the vision of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who on Wednesday, urged it to stop harassing motorists.

    He said the trucks would assist the agency to improve on traffic flow by the speedy removal of broken down vehicles, adding that this would enhance the implementation of traffic laws.

    According to Ogunlade, LASTMA has also embarked on reforms to reposition the agency.

    He said the agency has continued to improve its human and institutional capacity for an accident-free and unimpeded flow of traffic in the state.

    The agency had been incapacitated in the past in this area because of its relevance on privately owned tow trucks which were often ineffective and inadequate.

    That was why former Governor Mr Babatunde Fashola invested in the rehabilitation of the vehicles which had been grounded for years.

    The LASTMA chief said the agency has embarked on human capacity training to ensure seamless traffic flow.

    He said: “Our personnel have undergone local and overseas trainings in order to improve traffic management efficiency and service delivery. This is coupled with other trainings on good conduct; inter-personal relationship, quick response to road safety and emergency and having a knowledge of the law.”

    These trainings were responsible for the new found relationship between the agency, stakeholders and motoring public and an improved motorists’ voluntary compliance with traffic laws.

    LASTMA’s Provost Marshal Mr Biliamin Apena said many departments have been re-organised, repackaged, upgraded and equipped with state- of- the- art facilities to improve their efficiency.

    Apena, who confirmed that the agency’s image is still being soiled by some of its officers, said LASTMA has sufficient rules to deal with bad eggs.

    He said: “At all our trainings or seminars, the attention of our men are drawn to the state traffic laws, the criminal code and the Nigerian Constitution. We have also being sanctioning our men and between 2003 and last year, over 400 LASTMA officers were either disciplined, sanctioned or prosecuted.”

    Apena said adequate provisions are in place to take care of the welfare of all its officers adding that they now work in a serene work environment to boost officers’ morale.

    The government, he said, have also placed premium on traffic officers’ safety and security through the provision of insurance and welfare package while an annual award was instituted to appreciate dedicated staff.    He said many were dismissed for various acts that were at variance with the state Civil Service rules and regulations.

    The Head of Recovery Department Mr Henry Akintomide said the refurbished tow vehicles would boost the agency‘s capacity to remove broken down vehicles from the roads, help ensure safety, free flow of and improve service delivery.

    He urged public to respect traffic law and cooperate with traffic officers.

    He also urged aggrieved motorists to make use of LASTMA’s feedback mechanism to lodge complaints against any infraction against any LASTMA officers. “Such would be treated with despatch and without fear or favour,”Akintomide said.

  • Once upon a seaport

    Once upon a seaport

    The once popular Ejinrin seaport near Epe, Lagos State, which was once a beehive of business activities from slavery trade to general goods merchandising over 100 years ago, has become a shadow of itself. Taiwo Abiodun reports.

    The seaport of no return

    The water seemed to be still, but was moving slowly. Sighted on the terrifying water were about five or six young men slowly paddling their canoes- they were arriving from their fishing expedition and now coming to berth on the shore that evening .Ejinrin is said to be the second largest seaport in Nigeria where our forefathers had their mouths padlocked, legs manacled, hands chained, and ferried to Badagry and fr om there to the West Indies to work in their coffee and sugar cane plantations.

    The Ejinrin seaport was called like that of Badagry, a port of no return .This was where man showed inhumanity and their bestiality to fellow humankind, and where weeping and gnashing of teeth were experienced on a daily basis since the 18th century till the 1940s. This was also the seaport where parents were separated from their children and where the crack of the whips landed on their backs and their souls brutalised and their blood ran cold. This is the seaport where human beings were exchanged for glass mirrors and gunpowder by the powerful monarchs and the wealthy barons. In fact, then it was assumed that a healthy corn was better than an unhealthy slave at the Ejinrin seaport in those days. This was the seaport where the white men threw our forefathers overboard.

    Welcome to the monstrous seaport that had consumed human lives from slavery days till recent times. The late Professor Claude Ake, a prominent Nigerian political scientist, was among the 142 passengers killed when the plane, operated by a local airline landed into the Ejinrin River leaving no survivors on the 7th November, 1996.

    The present Ejinrin

    Today, things have changed as the roads leading to the seaport and Ejinrin town, though well constructed and tarred, but hardly will one find vehicles plying the route, unlike before when it was highly patronised. According to a fisherman, Lekan Onitiri, “This tarred road was constructed over 34 years ago has now been abandoned because there are no commercial activities going on in the town any longer. This place has become desolate and no one hears or comes here any longer. This is sad; a popular seaport that has wharf is no longer in use!”

    Empty Market

    Ejinrin Market was one of the most populated and popular market in Nigeria in the 18th century .The town thrived in business activities then and there never was there a dull moment. Singing its praises, the popular International  musician, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, in one of his albums sang: “Boko kan o r’Ejinrin, egbegberun re a lo’ (if a vehicle refuses to ply Ejinrin route, thousands will not hesitate to go).

    But today, the opposite is the case as the market no longer bubbles – no thanks to the abolition of slave trade. A trader simply called Monica who was pained said: “Now the Ejinrin market has been deserted, it has become desolate as only few people live and trade here .The seaport has no ship to berth again while no goods are there to be supplied. It has become the shadow of itself. No more slave trade and no more exchange of goods for human beings.”

    A pastor, who does not want his name to be mentioned in print, said: “It is the sins of that slave trade that have grossly affected the market, not because we have other markets. We need to go and cleanse the place. How can we have such a seaport and it is no longer being used? I believe it is the sins our forefathers committed by selling their kin and family members”

    Post office overgrown with weeds

    The post office in Ejinrin is also noted as the first post office in Nigeria  helped by the business world of slave trade , and other trades like ornament, clothing as well as buying and selling of other prohibited things. But today the once revered post office has become a shadow of itself .When The Nation visited, the 10 pigeon holes used then have become rustic and no more in use. The windows have become broken while the roofing and facing-board had been eaten up by termites and some had fallen off. In a nutshell, the post office has become overgrown with weeds. It is no longer in use.

    “This should be a monument, but who remembers this again?” Chief Olusegun Michael , the Apena of Ejinrin lamented to The Nation.

    The town

    The town is clean, quiet and tarred. The townspeople are farmers and fishermen. The town is now dominated by Ijaws whose business is fishing. Chief Olusegun Michael, the Apena of Ejinrin describes the place as a lost city that has lost its beauty of business activities due to neglect. He said: “This was once a thickly populated town that was very popular and known all over the world because of its age-long business activities.”

    However, he said the town forbids many things as their taboos here. “In this town one must not swear falsely. Whoever does that will die.” Giving examples, Apena said: ” In 1999 many were dying, things were happening to them. We later learnt that those dying were going to the shrines to swear falsely.” Apena praised the community’s monarch, Oba Babatunde Rafiu, the Elejinrin of Ejinrin who has been trying to resuscitate many things. He said the monarch tried to convince our chiefs to obtain post office boxes but still it was not patronised.

    Mr. Oyeyemi Ajayi said the town has “strong and well-constructed colonial buildings wasting away, over 5,000 lock up shops that have been abandoned and overgrown with weeds as they are no longer in use. The good tarred roads begging for vehicles to use them.” He suggested the first post office in Nigeria in Ejinrin should be made a monument. He pleaded that both the federal and state governments should come to their rescue

    When The Nation visited the monarch, Oba Babatunde Rafiu , who was obviously not happy for the state of affairs in the town refused to grant any interview declared: “Oh , I don’t want to say anything again.”

  • Anenih angry as senator’s firm gets seaport contract

    Anenih angry as senator’s firm gets seaport contract

    A multi-billion naira contract for the dredging of Calabar and Ibaka Deep seaports was secured by a serving senator, investigation has revealed.

    The contract was awarded to a recently incorporated Calabar Channel Management, jointly owned by the senator’s firm, Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited, and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). About N3 billion was voted in this year’s budget for the beginning of the capital dredging of Calabar Port alone.

    It was also learnt that the senator’s company holds 53.3 per cent of the equity participation in the contract while the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) holds the rest, contrary to Chief Tony Anenih’s claim.

    But Anenih, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has petitioned Transport Minister Idris Umar over the contract.

    He sent a strong-worded petition to Umar, querying the rationale behind the choice of the senator’s company to manage the two international channels.

    Anenih, who is also the chairman of the NPA board, detailed in the five-page petition what he called irregularities that characterised the creation of the Calabar Channel Management as well as the flaws in the partnership agreement.

    Although his petition put equity participation at 60 per cent for NPA and 40 per cent for the senator’s company, available records indicate that NPA owns 53.3 per cent while Niger Global owns 46.7 per cent. Of the 300 million shares belonging to Calabar Channel Management, 160 million belongs to NPA and 140 million to the firm.

    Investigation also revealed that what exists is a partnership between NPA and Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company, not a consortium, as Anenih indicated in his petition to the minister.

    According to Anenih, nothing recommends the senator’s company for such huge project, given what he called its “poor record with the Nigerian Ports Authority”.

    The PDP board chairman reminded the minister that the company neither participated in the bid process for Calabar channel nor was its competence and capabilities assessed, as was the case with the other firms jostling for the same contract.

    Anenih said: “The consortium has no reference whatsoever of previous jobs done. They were completely alien to the Calabar channel project and did not even take part in the bids of 2010 and the later procurement process.

    “The consortium was not prequalified and did not pass through the selection process like other companies. It, therefore, follows that the Presidential approval for the appointment of the consortium, led by Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited to enter into a joint venture with NPA, which culminated in the agreement to form Calabar Channel, was obtained without following due process.”

    This is the fourth controversial attempt at making Calabar River navigable. Only two years ago, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) cancelled the entire process following protests over NPA’s attempt to award the contract to itself.

    The current conflict is prompted by the decision of the Ministry of Transport to circumvent procurement procedures as well as its refusal to adhere to BPP’s directive designed to achieve transparency. All these, as maritime watchers say, are prompted by their desire to impose their preferred firm on the nation.

     

  • Akeredolu promises to build seaport in Ilaje

    Akeredolu promises to build seaport in Ilaje

    The governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the October 20 election in Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), concluded his campaign tour of wards yesterday with a promise to transform the riverine areas by building a seaport in Ilaje to boost the economy.

    The ACN standard bearer, his running mate, Dr. Paul Akintelure and other party leaders like Chief Tayo Alasoadura, Director- General of the Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO), Madam Erelu Modupe Johnson, the Women’s Leader, Mr. Wale Omojuwa, Chief Olu Tawose, Chief Ade Odoro among others were given a rousing reception by the supporters.

    The traditional rulers at the event promised to support Akeredolu and his running mate by mobilising their subjects to vote for them.

    The ACO spokesman, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, said in a statement that he cried because of the environmental degradation he saw during his visit to the Ugbo Constituency.

    He said despite the oil wealth, the people are wallowing in poverty.

    Ajanaku decried the parlous state of the people and identified with them. He promised that they would no longer be neglected if Akeredolu is elected the governor.

    Ajanaku said the electorate are justified to feel cheated by the Governor Olusegun Mimiko-led Labour Party administration.

    The ACO spokesman assured the Ilaje people that under the Akeredolu leadership, the area would be transformed, as the seaport would attract economic activities from the neighbouring countries, which would complement the operations of the Lagos ports.

    “The seaport will serve as a source of income for the government and create jobs for the people,” he added.

    Ajanaku said Akeredolu would fulfil his promise to the electorate and would not abandon projects like Governor Mimiko who could not inaugurate a road in the three and a half years of his administration and who specialised in petty projects, such as building of market stalls, town halls and motor parks, while the rural areas and cities are in deplorable condition despite receiving over N600 billion from the federation account.