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Tag: Works and Housing

Osinbajo okays issuance of 615 land titles

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has approved the issuance of 615 pending land titles to the applicants.

He gave the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola approval to sign the land titles.

The Minister briefed State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with the Acting President at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Tuesday night.

The approval, he said, is to enable land transactions, mortgages, assignments and debentures across the country.

According to him, the letters were already being issued to the applicants.

The Ministry, he said, received the delegation of authority on July 27, and was awaiting another delegation of authority to issue the Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) for the approved titles.

He said “Just to update the members of the public about the delegation of authority to issue consent for land transactions.

“It has accumulated for a while but we received the delegation, I believe, on 27th of July.

“On the first week of August my office approved all of the 615 pending applications for land transactions, mortgages, assignments, debentures and all of those things,” he said .

He added “So, letters are being issued now to all the applicants and those who haven’t received theirs should just tally a while.

“In a matter of a few days to fortnight from now we would have cleared that backlog then we go and deal with the pending applications for Certificates of Occupancy.

“Again, we are expecting delegation of authority for that one.’’ he stated

Fashola said that the applications had piled up which should not have happened adding that it was important to tell the public about the approvals.

According to him, the implication is that it is a further boost to the economy.

He said that those who wanted to borrow or lend money or had sold or planning to sell their land could complete those transactions and money could move round.

The Minister explained that titles could change hands as all businesses related to land whether the person was running a school, bank, a newspaper agency or catering outfit.

“Everything revolves around it so it helps to drive us closer to our journey out of recession and implement the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan,’’ he said‎.

August 15, 2017
I’m not fighting lawmakers – Fashola

The Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on Tuesday said that his face-off with the National Assembly is to get better results for the country.

Fashola spoke with State House correspondents at the venue of the Presidential Quarterly Business Forum at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

He said that he was not fighting the lawmakers but only had disagreement with them.

Stressing that he has many friends among the lawmakers, he said that that would not stop the right thing from being done.

Fashola said “There is no problem between me as an individual and the National Assembly. And let me make that very clear, many of the senators and honourable members are my personal friends, and so you don’t fight your friends.

“But we have a disagreement. And the context of that disagreement. You will remember when President Muhammadu Buhari launched the economic recovery and growth plan; he had enormous support from the leadership of the National Assembly. So it means that we all agree there is a problem.

“There is also disagreement which I don’t think should make us disagreeable about the best way to implement that plan and I think that is all there is to it.

“It is perhaps possible that in the heat of the moment while trying to canvass different positions we are misconstrued as fighting but I am not fighting anybody. We have a disagreement it shouldn’t make us disagreeable.

“So my responsibility is to continue to engage. Also even if I wasn’t a minister, I am a citizen also so the parliamentarians are also representing me. So these are the issues and if I have been misunderstood my intention was not to quarrel with anybody but to see a better Nigerian which I believe they also want to see.” he said

On the belief that the feud may delay the presentation of budget virement and the 2018 budget to the National Assembly, Fashola said “Again I say the words that we use portends potentially redirects our attention from what the real issue is. I don’t think a feud is the right word to use. A disagreement yes, a very healthy disagreement.

“Don’t forget we are not disagreeing on who should head what, who should take what share of the National cake but we are disagreeing on how to develop Nigeria. And for me that is a very healthy development of our democracy.

“I’m sure with the leadership of the National Assembly- Senate President, speaker of the House of Representatives, the principal officers and the Acting President, we will resolve this in the ultimate interest of the Nigerian people.” he said

Speaking on what his Ministry has been able to do concerning the power situation in Nigeria, he said “Well is an ongoing undertaking. As I have said our road map is incremental power first and stable power and then uninterrupted power and that’s a journey. But we are focusing on incremental power.

“Just yesterday as one of our incremental power initiatives, we commissioned the Kukoba power substation to increase light to Abuja by another 120 megawatt carrying capacity. So it involves not only transmission but also involves generation work, distribution work, enabling the distribution companies perform better, enabling.

“The GENCOs perform better and doing our own responsibility which is transmission.
So is an ongoing undertaking. As I said you must measure what we have done from where we started. on May 29,2015, the power on the grid was 2,690 megawatts and we kept it now at relatively at about 4,000. With that it’s going to be the minimum except for occasions where we have mechanical and electrical outages and we fix them back.

“Everyone knows that mechanical devices from time to time sometimes they breakdown, sometimes they don’t work, sometimes you need to maintain and fix them.” he said

He said that the private sector has always been in any economy with a capital disposition, being the driver of growth, the driver of development and ultimately government must interface with the private sector the way we are going at this presidential quarterly business forum to hear from them where the shoes pinches most, where we can make it easier, where we can make it better, how we can do so.”

According to him, it is only by understanding problems that quality solutions can be offered.

The quality solutions, he said, will include executive actions, sometimes legislative actions, sometimes judicial interventions.

“As I have announced today as a mixture of government’s policy options to help private sector do its best. Our focus has been on ease of doing business, enabling the private sector be the best they can to compete and be efficient locally and globally,” he stated.

July 11, 2017
Fashola: Lagos Assembly demands apology from Goje

The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, on Monday directed the Clerk, Mr Sanni Azeez, to write a protest letter to the Senate over a comment by Sen. Danjuma Goje.

This followed a motion moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Mr Tunde Braimoh, in respect of a statement credited to Goje (APC-Gombe Central) against the House.

Former Governor of Gombe State, Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje

Braimoh recalled a statement made by Goje, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, on July 5.

He said Goje had reportedly told the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, not to see the National Assembly as an institution he could control the way he controlled the Lagos Assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Goje had replied Fashola over issues bothering on the 2017 budget.

Braimoh said that the matter was reported in the national newspapers edition of July 6, 2017.

“The senator derogatorily referred to the Lagos State House of Assembly by saying that the National Assembly was not Lagos State House of Assembly.

“The statement is derogatory, uncomplimentary and it is an insult on the Assembly.

“The constitution does not give the senate power to superintend the state assembly.

“All the newspapers reported the story and it is an uncomplimentary and disparaging as well as an unparliamentary statement. The context in which the statement was made was slanderous,” he said.

According to him, the statement brings the House to public ridicule and it made people to feel that the House is a rubber stamp.

“Goje ought to be more civil with words with his status,’’ he said.

In his contributions, the Chairman, House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, said Lagos Assembly was an institution that people of other climes appreciate.

Olowo said that if Goje has issues with Fashola, he should sort it out rather than insulting the assembly.

He, however, said that the house should write the Senate to reprimand the senator on the matter.

In his remarks, Mr Yinka Ogundimu, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, described the statement as provocative.

Also, Mr Tobun Abiodun, the Chairman, House Committee on Works and Infrastructure, said that there were certain expectations from lawmakers based on ethics of the office.

“What Goje said is an insult on the leadership of this House. We demand an apology from Goje and the senate,” he said.

The House later adjourned the plenary session until Tuesday.

July 10, 2017
Budget comments: Senate attacks Fashola

The Senate Wednesday descended on Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, over his comments that the National Assembly distorted the 2017 budget by inserting new projects in the budget.

The upper chamber warned the minister to desist forthwith from accusing the National Assembly of over stepping its bound in the budget preparation.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje who raised the issue, said that Fashola should be told in clear terms that the National Assembly is not Lagos State House of Assembly.

He said that the National Assembly must not be treated as Lagos State House of Assembly by the minister.

Goje said that Fashola should also appreciate the fact that the Senate is constituted by former governors and former ministers.

The Gombe Central lawmaker said that the Senate would await the result of the House of Representative handling of the issues raised by Fashola before deciding the next line of action.

Goje said that since the Senate and the House are running the same National Assembly, further action may be taken pending the decision of the House on the matter.

Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki who said that the issue was not open for debate also said that it was good that the House of Representative was handling the matter.

Saraki said that the actions of the House would determine whether the Senate would take the matter to another level.

He said that it was important that Goje raised the issued and asked Senator to exercise patient until the conclusion of the engagement by the House.

July 5, 2017
Fashola calls for teamwork among agencies

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has called for team work among departments and agencies under in the ministry to ensure better service delivery.

Fashola made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the opening of a three-day retreat organized for heads of the ministry’s departments and agencies.

He said that the retreat was organized to foster relationship among participants, and urged the directors to take advantage of the forum to improve their performances and be acquainted to each other.

He advocated regular retreat for the ministry, saying that it would enhance teamwork needed to achieve its tasks.

“This retreat is an opportunity for us to exchange our emails and telephone numbers because service delivery is more difficult if we cannot identify ourselves.

“We must see ourselves as one of the privileged few that determine what affects the entire citizens of the country and to achieve our targets, we must apply civility and courtesy.

“Our responsibility as government is to understand that we are serving the entire public, starting from the lowest on the street to the highest,” the minister said.

He stated that the ministry had the highest fiscal allocation in the 2016 budget, because its services had the greatest impact on lives of citizens.

“We must set out targets to get maximum value for our budgetary allocation, and to do this, we must understand that maximum value is not a destination but a journey.

“We must understand that the performance of any government is measured by the prosperity of human lives,” he added.

Some of the participants, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that the retreat was a step in the right direction considering the need to know each other as colleagues.

Mr Olatunji Ajayi, a director in the ministry said the forum had availed him the opportunity to meet other directors he had never met in the ministry.

Ajayi commended the minister for putting up the programme and called for regular meeting of participants for performance evaluation and knowledge sharing.

May 19, 2017
FG to tackle high project costing in construction sector

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has called for a systematic approach in ensuring proper project costing to tackle high cost of projects and corruption in the construction sector.

Fashola made the call at the 2017 Annual National Project cost Reduction Summit organised by the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN) on Thursday in Abuja.

The Summit has the Theme: “Fighting Corruption through Proper Project Costing in Nigeria’’.

The Minister, who was represented by Mr Sani Gidado, Director Public Building and Housing, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, said this would guarantee the availability of more funds for the development of infrastructure.

“The economy will be enabled to appropriate the maximum benefits from this strategic sector by ensuring efficient allocation and utilisation of resources in this manner.

“All stakeholders have a duty to ensure value for money through proper projects costing in this all pervasive sector.”

Fashola said that one of the root causes for high costs of projects in the construction sector was corruption in the form of deliberate inflation of cost to satisfy pecuniary interests.

According to him, decayed infrastructure is one of the indices of underdevelopment that corruption promotes in a nation.

“The construction sector is one of the most important in any economy because of the profound effects of the activities of that sector on the overall national economy.

“Apart from its known capacity to generate employment on a large scale, its huge multiplier effect on the economy stand it out as one of the leading sector of economic development.

“Not only is it capable of pulling an economy out of recession; it is always handy in reflating a depressed economy’’ he said.

The Registrar, QSRBN, Mr Godson Moneke, said that the costs of constructing projects in Nigeria are rated among the highest compared to other countries in the world.

He said that corruption and lack of patriotism have caused Nigeria to lag behind her peers in all indices of development, industrial product and human-centred development.

“Our hearts bleed for Nigeria when we watch with amazement as monies which could achieve three units of projects achieve only one, while the rest are shamelessly diverted for fraudulent appropriation.

“To stem this anomaly, QSRBN is in the forefront of advocating the establishment of costing templates for all categories of construction projects across Nigeria.

“Such templates should create a cost bands/ranges for roads, bridges, railways, public buildings housing projects among others showing central tendencies, environmental zones and geological zones’’.

Moneke said that the summit was a way out of corruption which was induced by inflated project cost in the construction industry.

According to him, the summit was aimed at bringing some sanity into this important sector so that it can play its rightful role as a leading sector of economic development.

In his speech, Prof. Femi Odekunle, Member, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), said that in the current fight against corruption, the QSRBN should be commended for conceiving and executing this summit on corruption.

He said that the committee’s engagement with professional bodies was justified by the fact that in this country many professionals are collaborators in the perpetration of medium–to-large-scale corruption.

“In actual fact, and perhaps needless to say, there is hardly any instance of such corruption that could succeed without the collaboration of a surveyor, architect and engineer before or after the fact,’’ he Odekunle.

April 20, 2017
Aregbesola’s intervention on roads highly commendable – Fashola

Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola was on Thursday in Osun to inspect federal government road projects across the state just as he described the efforts of Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the projects as fantastic judging by the meagre finances of the state.

The inspection by the minister is part of the inspection of federal roads in the Ondo, Ekiti and Osun axis.

Federal road projects visited in Osun include the 30-kilometre dualization of Gbongan-Akoda road and Chief Adebisi Akande Trumpet Interchange Bridge, the 30.20-kilometer reconstruction and rehabilitation of Gbongan-Iwo-Oyo road.

The minister also assessed the condition of the Ifetedo-Ile-Ife road as well as the Ilesa-Ife dual carriage-way.

Fashola who paid a courtesy visit to the Osun Governor in his office shortly after the inspection stressed that the federal government is not in competition with any state governor concerning road projects, but that the federal just wants good roads delivered across the country.

The minister while commending the intervention of Aregbesola on the Gbongan to Akoda road and especially the Adebisi Akande Trumpet Interchange bridge stressed that the job will certainly be a masterpiece when completed.

Fashola says the visit is necessary in order to take stock of the state of federal roads and also to liaise with necessary ministry officials to facilitate support for the drive of governor Aregbesola in terms of road networks.

The minister who was led around the project sights by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, state of Osun, Engr. Nurudeen Adeagbo also charged the contractors handling the road projects to ensure a timely completion of the job.

While at the sight of the ongoing projects, the former Lagos state governor also urged the handlers of the project to do a thorough job and keep to the specified standard given to them at the beginning of the project, stressing that standard should never be compromised for any reason whatsoever.

He said: “I want to sincerely appreciate the efforts of Ogbeni Aregbesola on his intervention on federal roads in the state despite the paucity of funds.

“He is not only attempting at doing the roads, I can see that the projects have been given to competent contractors who are doing a good job.

“Road construction is a continuous thing, we will see how we can partner with you and support your efforts. I assure you that the debts on these roads will be paid very soon, the President is serious about making this easy for you.

“I am so delighted seeing the kind of mutual relationship that exists between the federal controller of works and that of housing with government officials in Osun, these people should be seen as ambassadors because they are to assist in delivering good projects for Osun.

“Let me make it clear that the federal government is not in competition with any state governor concerning road projects, we are just concerned about the delivery of quality road projects across the country. He said.

Speaking on the issue of power and housing as it affects Osun, Fashola expressed gratitude to the Osun governor, saying Osun is one of the few states in the country that out land for the federal housing project.

He said such a project will go a long way in generating employment opportunities for the youths of the state adding that the federal government has recently approved the extension of the Osogbo transmission station which according to him will boost energy supply in the country.

According to the minister, “I want to sincerely thank the government of Osun for being one of the few states that gave us land for housing a project, this will go a long way in enhancing building as well as reducing the rate of unemployment in Osun.

“We are also responsible for the delivery of power to Nigerians, we have recently approved the extension of the Osogbo transmission station, this will also help in boosting energy supply all around the country.

“We have got the letter from the government of Osun seeking to provide power through involvement in a solar project, I want to assure you that we are fully in support of it and I have forwarded it to the minister of finance and we are only awaiting financial approval.

The minister then promise to see to the payment of procurement cost on the roads as the federal government is committed to redeeming the expenses incurred by the state government stressing that all stakeholders involved will put hands on deck in making sure that there is smooth relationship between the state government and the ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

In his response, Governor Rauf Aregbesola commended the passion of Fashola on the welfare of the Nigerian people as well as the development of their standard of living.

The governor while appreciating the efforts of the minister since assuming the seat, urged him to see to following the correct alignment of federal roads in the state, while expressing gratitude to the minister for extending the construction of the Ilesa-Osogbo road to the railway junction in the state capital.

He also charged the federal government through the minister to intensify efforts at rehabilitating the Ilie-Ikirun-Iragbiji Road, stressing that it will be a major break as it will go a long way in Opening a lot of agricultural communities in the area.

Ogbeni Aregbesola also used the minister’s visit to solicit for transformers from the federal government, noting that the state government had supported a lot of distribution centres and would need assistance from the federal government in that regard.

He also charged Fashola to expedite action on the federal housing estate in the state, saying the state deserves it as a matter of right.

“I am grateful for your commitment to the improvement of our nation and we urge you not to look back, I have absolute confidence in your capacity to deliver.

“Concerning most of the federal roads in Osun, I want you to please follow the actual alignment in the rehabilitation of these roads, for example, the Ilesa-Osogbo road is not just from the round-about at Ilesa, but from “Eti oni”.

“I know there is the paucity of funds, but will be very glad if you can embark on the Ilea-Ikirun-Iragbiji road, it will be a major breakthrough for the government as it will go a long way in opening a lot of farming communities in that area.

“As you go about doing your job around the country, in whatever capacity you feel you can assist us to better the lives and living conditions of our people in terms of the social amenities which your office oversees, please do,” Aregbesola stated.

March 24, 2017
Akeredolu wants FG to dualise Isua/Okene road

Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu has urged the Federal government to dualise the Isua-Akoko/ Okene road because of its economic importance to the state.

Governor Akeredolu said the road, being the link between South West to the federal capital territory, Abuja will serve a great interest if dualised.

The governor spoke at the exco Chamber of the governor’s office in Akure, the state capital while playing host to the minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

The minister was on official inspection of federal roads in the state.

Governor Akeredolu who lauded the federal government for investing so much on infrastructure than any other administration pleaded with the federal government to complete all ongoing projects in the state.

He particularly said dualizing the Isua-Akoko /Okene Road will boost the economy of the state and also help to ease transportation in the area.

He said “the Federal government is doing a lot but there are so many things to be done, the Federal Government have spent quite a lot on infrastructure, far more than any other administration, building infrastructure

“The Ipele /Ifira / Isua to Okene Road is very important. I wish it could be made a dual carriage way, it is important to the economy viability of Ondo State, it is also good for commuters, coming from Abuja to Ondo State ”

The governor also frown at the over four years of total blackout in the southern Senatorial District of the state comprising six local government.

He wondered why the whole community would be thrown into darkness when the electricity body can deal directly with individual, saying anyone who refused to pay for elect consumed can be cut off from the system but not the whole community.

The governor who noted that power is crucial to economic development, urged the Federal government to intervene into the situation.

Fashola appreciated the state government for giving the federal government lands for the housing unit schemes which is ongoing in the state.

He informed the governor that Federal government has concluded plans to commence work on the Akure/Ado express road.

According to the minister, the federal government is concern about connecting roads between states, saying the main concern of the government is on highway.

The former Lagos state governor also hinted that the federal government has concluded arrangement to ensure that gas is adequately supply for the Omotosho power plants.

He said “we have concluded plans to commence work on Akure /Ado Ekiti high way, so as to connect you to Ado Ekiti your neighbouring state

“As far as power is concern, we are working to increase the gas supply in Omotosho power plant, your state owns the power plant

“I like to thank your state for giving us land for the housing, most of the people who will be working in the construction sites will be residents of the state, by that, the federal government is helping the state government to create employment, and stabilize the economy”

Fashola also promised that the Federal government will soon offset the claims of state government over their investment on federal roads.

March 24, 2017
I am not frustrating Lagos state govt, says Fashola

The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing says allegation that it is frustrating the developmental initiatives of Lagos State Government is untrue.

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode had recently accused the ministry of frustrating his administration’s efforts to carry out a total reconstruction of the International Airport Road from Oshodi.

Ambode also reportedly accused the ministry and security agents of denying the state government access to the Presidential Lodge in Lagos, six months after President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval.

A statement on Friday in Abuja by Mr Hakeem Bello, Special Adviser, Communications to the ministry, said the minister, Mr Babatunde Fashola, had in 2016 approved the use of the Ministry of Works yard at Oworonsoki for Lagos State Government to create a lay-by to ease traffic.

It further said that Fashola had also approved Lagos government’s request to manage the street lighting on the 3rd Mainland Bridge to support the security initiatives of the state.

It said the ministry also supported the approval of a World Bank loan of 200 million dollars to Lagos State, a request denied it by the previous administration.

On the International Airport Road being the grounds for the allegation, it said that the government had presented a request for four roads that it wished to take over.

The ministry, however, said the request was inconsistent with its conditions for states to take over roads within their jurisdiction.

It therefore said, “As far as the Presidential Lodge is concerned, it is under the management of the Presidency and not the ministry.

“After the approval by Mr President that the Presidential Lodge be handed over to the state government, there was a directive to the ministry to work out the modalities for handing over.’’

It said that the ministry had prepared a vesting instrument to convey the transfer and all that was needed was a survey plan.

It said that the Presidential Lodge was a high security location and officials of the ministry also required security clearance to enter, to do any works, noting that access to the lodge was not under the control of the ministry.

It said that the ministry remained committed to serving the government and people of Lagos and would treat all their requests on merit in accordance with necessary due process.

March 10, 2017
Fashola seeks extra 3,000MW with Niger Delta peace

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN has advocated peace, especially in the Niger Delta in order to secure gas for generation of additional 3,000Mega Watts (MW) .

According to him, “that will give comfort to small businesses, villages, communities, welders, when we have the extra 3,000MW. Then it is in that atmosphere of peace that we can then solve the problems of our brothers. Everybody wins when there is peace and nobody wins when there is conflict.”

Fashola, who spoke while touring on-going Federal road projects across the five South-South States of the country, said in spite of political and ideological differences, the most important objective of the nation was to develop Nigeria for the benefit of all Nigerians.

His Special Adviser on Communication, Mr. Hakeem Bello disclosed this in a statement Tuesday.

The minister, said the statement, noted that in all the States he paid courtesy calls on the Governors after inspecting the projects, the Minister reiterated the importance of peace as a vehicle of development through investments by both local and foreign investors pointing out that no investor would want to commit his capital in an insecure and conflict prone environment.

Speaking against the backdrop of constant sabotage of gas pipelines in the Niger Delta region which had a negative impact on Gas supply to power plants in the country, Fashola told his hosts, “We need to find peace here very quickly and the story must change and this is not a place the story suggests you can’t work”, adding that the main reason for his visit was to come and see first-hand whether what was being said about the region was true.

The Minister, who acknowledged that the grievances of those who sabotage the pipelines was equally important added, “You will see that in the last few days, the Acting President has been particularly busy in this area trying to reach out to communities to see what methods and efforts would bring peace; because that is really when we will begin to talk of the economy and prosperity, when we have peace”.

“So as I continue to say, our brothers who are angry in this Nigerian family must understand that damaging the household is not the best way to express their anger. That does not make their grievances unimportant; but destroying the house and bringing down the roof does not solve their anger. So there must be a meeting of minds somewhere”, the Minister said.

According to him, “Let us produce fuel, let us earn money; we fought for OPEC to cut production so that the price can go up so why are we now breaking the pipelines? It means that we can’t produce and benefit from what we fought for. The price of oil has gone up from over $40 to over $50. We made all the efforts through OPEC and now we can’t benefit from it, it doesn’t make sense”.

The Minister, who pointed out that peace would mean that teachers and workers could be paid, while gas production would be enhanced to support more power production, declared, “That will give comfort to small businesses, villages, communities, welders, when we have the extra 3,000MW. Then it is in that atmosphere of peace that we can then solve the problems of our brothers. Everybody wins when there is peace and nobody wins when there is conflict”.

Fashola, who said more ambassadors were needed who would be proud and feel safe to work in the region, said that would encourage investments in infrastructure which, according to him is desperately needed in the region adding, “But we can only do that by collaboration, by peace and partnership.”

The Minister, therefore, advocated a better synergy between the Federal and State governments in the development of the country pointing out that the Federal Controllers of Work in the various states were sent as ambassadors of the Federal Government for the establishment of partnership between the two levels of government.

At the Government House Yenagoa where he paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Bayelsa State, for example, Fashola reiterated his message to all the other Governors he had visited during the tour of the region, “I will urge you to accord the Federal Controller of Works here the same if not better treatment which we accord the foreign people that come here. They are our Ambassadors for partnership and collaboration with you and not to compete with you”.

According to the Minister, “We can only address the infrastructure work that needs to be done here by peace and partnership”, adding that not only did the Governor and himself have their jobs cut out for them but the governors in the South-South “must step up now and change the conversation” around the region.

At an interview after inspecting the road projects in the State including the construction of the Yenagoa-Okaki –Kolo Road, the Minister, who acknowledged the challenges of infrastructure in the region due to its topography, however, said the importance of the region to the Federal Government was such that it must get all the attention it deserved.

He reiterated that paucity of fund was not the major challenge to completion of road projects, especially in the Niger Delta region adding that it took the commitment of the Buhari administration, which he said increased capital budget from 15 per cent in the 2015 and previously to 30 per cent in 2016, to remobilize contractors back to sites they abandoned for more than two years due to non-payment of contract fees.

According to the Minister, “As at the time when we had money, when a barrel of oil sold for $100 per barrel, we did not take the issue of roads seriously because the capital budget then used to be 15 per cent. It is the Buhari administration which is increasing capital budget to 30 per cent which means that this government is taking the issue of roads more seriously and that is why we are here.”

The Minister commended the members of National Assembly for their supportive role in approving budgetary provisions for the Ministry and especially for their cooperation towards the proposed new bulk budgeting system for infrastructure development which would help ensure that Contractors no longer abandon project sites simply because their names were not in the budget for a particular year.

Fashola also thanked the lawmakers especially those representing the people of the Niger Delta states, for their contribution and support to the on-going infrastructure development across the country and Niger Delta saying their cooperation had enabled the government to forge ahead with the remobilization of contractors to previously abandoned road contracts including the Yenagoa-Okaki –Kolo Road.

February 21, 2017