The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Works and Housing

  • Senate summons Adeosun over N2b planted in Housing Sector budget

    Senate summons Adeosun over N2b planted in Housing Sector budget

    The Senate Tuesday invited the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun to throw light on the vote of N2 billion discovered in the 2017 budget of the Housing Sector,

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola disowned the money saying he knew nothing about how the vote crept into the Housing Sector budget.

    Fashola told the Senate committee on Housing that the Ministry of Finance may have inserted the money in the 2017 budgetary profile of the Ministry of Housing as its own initiative tagged under “Regional Housing Scheme.”

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Barnabas Gemade had wanted to know how the regional housing scheme came about.

    Fashola said; “I know as much of it as you do because it is not our initiative”.

    Apparently not satisfied, Gemade ordered the committee clerk to write the Minister of Finance,  Adeosun to appear before the committee  to explain how the N2 billion was inserted into the budget.

  • Arepo residents protest five months of darkness

    • Estimated bills to IKEDC office

    Journalists and other professionals living in Arepo, an outskirt of Lagos State on Monday protested to the office of the Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (KEDC), Alausa, Ikeja, over  five months of darkness and estimated bills in the Journalists Estate, Beachland Estate and other estates in the area.

    As early as 7am the protesters blocked the entrance to IKEDC office brandishing placards. They called for the intervention of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola. Some of the placards read,  ‘Fashola must Sack IKEDC’; ‘Arepo in total darkness’; ‘We say no to estimated billing without light’; ‘IKEDC is a fraud in journalist Estate’, Say No Billing without Light’, ‘Restore our Light’.

    Speaking on behalf of the protesting residents, Chairman of the Journalists Estate Residents Development Association, Mr Nosiru Salau said the entire Arepo Community has been without light for months, adding that despite IKEDC’s gross inefficiency, they are fond of bringing over-estimated bills at the end of the month.

    According to him: “Arepo and its environs have been without light for months. We bought a new transformer with our money but IKEDC refused to energise it because they insisted we have to bring some money for them to buy some accessories.

    “They used to bring estimated bills in which we are over billed. We have paid for prepaid metres for close to three years now, yet they have not brought the metres. That is why we are staging this protest to drive home the point that we cannot continue to be in darkness. We are calling on the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola to intervene.”

    He vowed that the protest will continue until the management of IKEDC give them a listening hear; even as he said further steps will be taken if their demands are not attended to.

    Also speaking, Secretary to Arepo Residents Association, Mr Friday Irabor said IKEDC does not provide light to the estates in the area until every month ending when it will supply light for an hour and an estimated bill of N36,000 per resident.

    He called on IKEDC to buckle up otherwise the estates will mobilise millions of residents for another protest.

    Another resident, who spoke with our correspondent, Mr Demola Bidmus said the residents decided to stage the protest in order to demonstrate their seriousness about the issue on ground.

    He said IKEDC is being fraudulent by giving the residents estimated bills without supplying electricity; saying “we are calling on Fashola to do something because he is the one in charge. We cannot continue to live in darkness, it’s not conducive for us.”

    Those present during the protest include Deputy Editor, The Nation newspapers, Lawal Ogienagbon and Managing Editor, Abuja Sports Day, Ben Alaiya.

  • Arrest of judges, not wrong – Minister

    Arrest of judges, not wrong – Minister

    • Says Govt has right to search anybody, anywhere, anytime
    • FEC okays N700 million for Federal secretariats in six states

    The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Wednesday said there was nothing wrong in stepping on judges’ toes in the fight against corruption.

    It would be recalled that the Department of State Services (DSS) had last weekend stormed the houses of some judges, arrested them and recovered the huge sum of money in different denominations.

    But briefing State House correspondents at the end of Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided by President Mohammadu Buhari, Mohammed said that there was nothing wrong with the method adopted by the DSS.

    Mohammed was accompanied by the Ministers of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika.

    While stressing that governors who have immunity are still open to investigation, he said that judges don’t even have immunity.

    He said: “What the government is concerned and passionate about is to fight corruption. In the process of fighting corruption, it is not unusual that you step on some very sensitive toes but the question to ask and I think these has been adequately answered by the Attorney General is that let’s remove emotion from facts.

    “One, do judges have immunity? The answer is no. Can judges be arrested? The answer is yes. Have judges that are serving been arrested in Nigeria? The answer is yes. Justice Okoli had been arrested and tried.

    “Now the next question to ask is what is the proper procedure for arresting anybody including judges? There must be properly executing of the search warrant. Was such presented? The answer again is yes. People have tried to muddle the facts about when do you search the person’s house, the truth of the matter is that under the new criminal justice law, you can search anybody, anywhere, anytime.

    “Again they have tried to muddle issues by trying to say that the NJC is the only authority that can attend complain and discipline, the answer once again is no,” he added.
    He pointed out that there is a difference between what is happening to the judges now and when a judge is accused of professional misconduct.

    “If you suspect anybody including Governors who have immunity they are still subject to investigations.” He said

    The government, he said, has the highest respect for the judiciary and does not intend to ridicule the judiciary.

    “We are not painting the whole of the judges with the same brush but we also have a duty to fight corruption at whatever level and in doing so, we will do so within the ambit of the law.” He said

    The Minister expressed displeasure that some people have started raising issues that are completely irrelevant to the matter.

    He said: “Some people are saying oh, the reason why they went to some particular judges house is because the President wants somebody from one part of the country to be Chief Justice of Nigeria. I think that is preposterous.

    “I want to assure you that this government has no intention to humiliate the judiciary and for those who are talking about separation of power, I think you are stretching it too far. I and members of the Executive, I can be invited by any arm of the government and I will go. So I think we should situate this thing in the right perspective.” He added

    He recalled when 22 out of 32 judges in Ghana, who were caught on tape by journalists asking for a bribe, were dismissed in 2015.

    He added: “Yes it’s true that what is happening today has probably never happened at this level before but frankly speaking and with all due respect we do not intend to humiliate any judge, we have no intention to humiliate the judiciary but believe me what we have done we have done within the ambits of the law.

    “I think the Federal Government is being very careful with handling of this particular issue, I want to state clearly that this government believes very much in separation of powers, this government has a lot of respect for the judiciary and for obvious reasons, not just because the constitution says so but I think probably this is one cabinet that has the highest number of lawyers as ministers.

    “As at the last count about eleven or twelve council members are lawyers and we have female lawyers also in the cabinet until death robbed us of late Ocholi we had five SANs in our cabinet and I think this is unique, therefore you can understand the kind of respect we have for the judiciary.”

    He also pointed out that the President himself, who sought to be President four times and had it thwarted three times, took his case to court on the three occasions.

    “He took his case to the judiciary, so I can say clearly that this administration has a lot of respect for the judiciary and I think I stand by what Mallam Garba Shehu said that please do not confuse the fight against corruption as a fight against judiciary,” he added

    Fashola disclosed that the FEC approved N700 million for the completion of abandoned Federal secretariats in Anambra, Bayelsa, Gombe, Nasarawa, Osun and Zamfara states.

    According to him, the fund for the completion of the secretariat projects, which were abandoned since 2012, were captured in the 2016 budget.

    He said when completed, the projects would provide office accommodation to Federal Government staff deployed to the affected states.

    “They are at various stages of completion. There have been changes in cost as a result of project designs, amendment, cases where original location and contract are changed and they have to be redesigned in such structure,’’ he said

    He said that the second memo approved by FEC from the ministry has to do with ongoing projects for the construction of the abandoned 10 megawatts Wind Farm power project in Katsina state.

    According to him, the wind farm project is part of government’s strategic plan for  renewable energy.

    He added that the project was a major component of the government’s road map towards achieving incremental power in the country.

    Fashola  noted that the contract cost of the power project escalated following the kidnapping of the contractor, who after being rescued abandoned the  project.

    Sirika said that the council approved an outline Business case for Industrial Port Development in Badagry, Lagos State.

    According to him, the Council also approved the relocation of flight training simulator from Lagos to Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria in Kaduna state, for the training of pilots and engineers.

  • Power: FG to concession eight dams

    The Federal Government Wednesday said it has earmarked eight hydropower dams for concession in order to improve power generation.

    The hydropower dams, the government said, will be handed over to the unnamed firms soon.

    Assistant Director, Hydropower in the office of Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this when officials from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources carried out a familiarization tour to Bakolori Irrigation Scheme in Talata Mafara, Zamfara state.

    Aliyu said the ministry of power, works and housing was partnering with Federal Ministry of Water Resources to increase power generation in the country.

    “Eight hydropower dams have been earmarked to be concessioned on power generation. It will take effect soon,” he said.

    Earlier, Project Coordinator, Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING), Mr. Peter Manjuk, said about six states will benefit from the irrigation project.

    The states include Zamfara, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Gombe.

    He said the project is targeted at rehabilitating all existing dams to make them meet irrigation and hydropower needs of the country.

    Manjuk noted that Nigeria must get it right if it hopes to meet the demands of food production and food security.

    He stated that despite huge investments on dams and irrigation in the country by the government, Nigeria had not achieved any meaningful socio-economic impact, adding that there was need for deliberate efforts to meet this target.

    He stressed the need for farmers to take ownership of all irrigation projects to enable them boost food production at its optimum level.

    The project coordinator said the World Bank sponsored project has begun rehabilitation of the Bakolori irrigation scheme, adding that it would be completed within three years.

    Project Manager of Bakolori Irrigation Scheme, Alhaji Lawal Maidoki, said since 1983 that the dam was created, it had been providing domestic water supply to Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

    Maidoki said there was need for investors to come in to rehabilitate the dam towards improving food production, flood control and power generation.

    He said the dam was faced with low workforce, due to retirement, and infrastructure vandalisation, calling for improved security to reverse this trend.

    Maidoki added that with the TRIMING project, farmers would put in their best to increase food production.

    Federal Government recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Songhai Farms Limited in Porto Novo to reposition the River Basins across the country.

    Part of the provision is the introduction of the Graduate and youth empowerment scheme to boost food security.

  • Buhari will dualise Trans Saharan routes – Fashola

    Buhari will dualise Trans Saharan routes – Fashola

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to dualising Trans Saharan routes in the country.

    The Minister also disclosed that future road projects in the country would be upgraded to double-lanes.

    Fashola who spoke at the 65th session of the Trans Saharan ‎Road Liaison Committee, Monday in Abuja stated that the present administration attached great importance to developing the Trans Sahara road which traversed Algeria, Tunisia, Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Mali.

    He said the country had so far made significant development, including the 127.70km Lagos-Ibadan‎ and the 50km Oyo-Ogbomosho.

    His words: “The efforts of the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari are fully committed to the dualisation of the entire section of the Trans Saharan route in Nigeria

    “The 65th session of the Trans Sahara Road Liaison Committee further offers member countries the opportunity to strengthen the existing bilateral relations and provide an avenue to assess the extent of work that has been undertaken in ensuring the completion of the Trans Sahara route

    “The fact that out of a total length of 9, 500km of the Trans Saharan Route, more than 8, 000km of it has been surfaced with bituminous material which is a great achievement and more is expected to maintain and ensure the serviceability to the benefit of member countries and its peoples.”

    In his remarks, the Secretary General of the Committee, Mohammed Ayadi lauded the progress at which the project has witnessed.

    He said despite limited resources, three of the six countries‎ where the road passes had constructed almost all the totality of their respective sections and were involved in dualizing their roads.

    Ayadi described the project as a good example of active cooperation stressing that participating countries and institutions would immensely benefit from its proceeds when completed.

  • Nigeria’s future can no longer depend on oil revenue- Fashola

    Nigeria’s future can no longer depend on oil revenue- Fashola

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has said that Nigeria could no longer build its future on oil revenue following the fall in global price of oil.

    The minister spoke on Hard Talk, a weekly programme on British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) monitored by our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday.

    He stated that Nigeria failed to spend oil money wisely by building infrastructure despite making huge profits from oil in the past.

    The minister specifically blamed the last administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for failing to save profits made from the sale of oil.

    ‎Nigeria, he said, is now facing the consequences of global downturn in oil price resulting from making “regrettable choices.”

    Fashola explained that although Nigeria had made bad choices on how oil money was spent in the past, the present administration, he said, was ready to change that by focusing on taxation as a source of revenue.

    He said: “As I have argued, at the time when there was a lot of prosperity, there was money to spend, we made some now regrettable choices.

    ‎“No nation is immune from what is happening now and people who are better able to weather the storm are perhaps those who invested wisely in educational assets, in security assets, in transportational  assets, power generational assets but it does not make them immune. So it is like preparing for winter really.

    “It is evolving in an era where there is a global economic downturn and there will be local consequences. ‎We did not spend on investments particularly on infrastructure and therefore we consumed all our extraordinary income.

    ‎“You can’t plan a future around extraordinary income that you don’t control the circles. This budget will be driven by resources from taxation and any serious government, any forward looking government like this government must understand that the boom that comes from commodity prices really is extraordinary income.

    “We may have made some very poor choices over the time about how we spent that money (oil money), this administration has a focus now that we will deal with our funding issues first from taxation, corporate taxation.

    “No country survives on her own investment but every country thrives first on the investment of her people and as first Nigerians are responding and investing on that economy ‎I think that we will turn this corner.

    “There is a global downward trend. National growth projections are been revised downward and in this downward global times, there will be diverse local consequences. Ours is not different‎. We are not under

    Performing. We are facing a turbulent time, difficult time but we will navigate. We will come through and I see that happening within a shorter time than a longer time.”

    Speaking on the fight against Boko Haram in the North-East, the minister said that president Muhammadu Buhari had done well in restoring peace to the region.

    Fashola, who debunked claims that thousands of children were dying daily of malnutrition in the region, noted that Buhari had ordered the release of food to the region.

    He said: “Again I have issues with those numbers. They are people who are displaced but to the point to make also is that there is progress now in the north-east.

    “The president has fulfilled his mandate to taking control of the security challenges of the north-east.

    “In terms of restoring order to the north-east I believe the evidence that speaks today, people beginning to trade today on the streets of Borno, and Damarturu, in Yobe.

    ‎“In the last three to four months the president himself ordered release of food support from our strategic reserves of agriculture. So we are mindful of the problems.

    “Construction going on in Adamawa that I am aware of.  Roads being built means that order has return. Securing law and order is the first leg to being able to provide for those child, to put them back, to relocate families back to their homes. It is already happening as a result of government taking responsibility, states and civil society organization.

    ‎Fashola also said Buhari was winning the war against corruption, adding that Nigerians now believe that there is consequences for stealing public funds.

    “The people of Nigeria believe that the president has walked his talk in terms of corruption. Now how many people you ultimately see in jail ‎is one thing and I think that the point must be made and very clearly too that there are many interests here involved.

    “The interest to see people convicted the interest to recover, and the interest to ensure that it won’t happen again. And all of these are going on simultaneously and that people believe that there will be consequences for their actions,” he added.

  • FEC okays Multilateral Agreement to check companies’ tax evasions

    FEC okays Multilateral Agreement to check companies’ tax evasions

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement to prevent tax evasions and avoidance by multinational companies, among other benefits.

    This was disclosed to State House correspondents by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, at the end of FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The briefing was also attended by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi.

    Mohammed also disclosed that Nigeria has lost over N1 trillion to tax evasions by multilateral companies.

    The Council, he said, also approved the outline business case for development of Greenfield port facilities at Badagry in Lagos state.

    He said: “In respect of the first memo which is the memo for Multilateral Competent Agreement and the exchange of country by country report, the whole essence is to give the government a better grip on its tax laws and also to prevent tax evasions and avoidance by multinational companies.

    “Where multinational companies operate in more than one country, it is quite easy for them to move profit from one territory to another territory where the tax laws are very favourable to them.

    “And what has happened over the years is that the revenue companies have lost a lot of money. As at the last count over 1 trillion has been lost over a period of time and the revenue companies have found that they were losing more money in terms of tax evasion and avoidance than what they were even receiving as grants from multinational agencies.

    “So this is a law that provides that if a company like MTN or Nestle for instance, is operating in Nigeria, not only must he file returns on his activities in Nigeria, he must also file returns on his activities in every other country that they are doing business so that you can see from there whether there is any attempt to hide figures.

    “Apart from shoring up our finances, I think it is part of the fight against corruption and it also enhances transparency,” he added

    He said that the approval for Greenfield port facilities in Badagry is the first step to approving the establishment of a new sea port in the country.

    The approval, he said, showed that Nigeria is still a very preferred investment destination in Africa despite the challenges it is facing.

    Fashola said that the Multinational competence authority agreement is consistent with the macroeconomic policy of government to fund its operation and economy with more tax incomes.

    According to him, it will allow government to see how much taxable revenues are accruable to it especially from companies.

    He said: “It is for transparency and accountability on the private side of the economy because transparency and accountability has been focused perhaps a little more on the public side of our national life.

    “When you look at the profit that is coming from the private sector beaming the ray of transparency and accountability on revenues that should come into the public space and be used for national development only helps to strength the economy in the long run and bring probity across board,” he said.

    Noting that the Badagry port was long overdue, he said that the ports in Nigeria are behind in terms of technology in the maritime industry.

    He said: “There are bigger vessels now being built across the world that require larger depths and drafts berth. Now some of our competitors on the continent like Djibouti are building bigger ports, so if we don’t build this port we risk becoming uncompetitive and we risk a threat to our maritime hub status in the sense that we may become a transshipment port instead of a port of original destination.

    Stressing that the work on the port started in 2012, he said that all its financing is coming from the private sector.

    “Again that is consistent with what this government stands for in terms of allowing private capital and competency to come into the development of our infrastructure,” he added.

    He said that the Badagry port was delayed because of the refusal of the last administration to grant approval for it as the port development was under federal government control

    Ameachi said that it would take five years to construct it from the end OBC and FBC concessional agreement.

    He said that the port will bring $2.558 billion into the system.

    “And that in this period when we are looking for foreign exchange, it is going to bring a total of $2.558 billion into the system and federal and Lagos state government would not contribute financially other than the land given by the Lagos state government,” he stated.

  • Reps, Fashola trade words over N35b Housing budget implementation 

    Reps, Fashola trade words over N35b Housing budget implementation 

    House of Representatives Committee on Housing Tuesday accused Babatunde Fashola – led Ministry of Power, Works and Housing of incompetence over the implementation of the 2016 N35b budget for the Housing component of the Ministry.

    This is as Fashola expressed concern over poor response from States for provision of land for the National Housing project with 17 out of 36 States responding to the request so far.

    Chairman of the Committee, Mustapha Bala (APC, Kano) during an interactive session with the Ministry on the status of the implementation of the budget doubted the competence the Ministry to implement the National Housing project, six months into the fiscal year 2016.

    The Committee became agitated when the Minister, Babatunde Fashola in his presentation said the Ministry was still in the process of sorting out the designs for the project.

    Fashola, who said he inherited a 2012 Housing plan that had no blueprint on how to implement it, disclosed that the public private partnership (PPP) agreements entered into by previous administrations could not solve the country’s housing challenges.

    With a target of 21,008 units, the previous PPPs could only deliver 2750 units over the years.

    He regretted that most of the PPPs that claimed to have delivered their targets had no evidence to show for it, while the delivered houses were inaccessible and out of the reach of most Nigerians.

    In view of the failure of the previous PPPs, he said the Ministry had to look at a sustainable and affordable housing project for Nigerians.

    Besides going into partnership with a German firm for the provision of energy efficient housing units to be incorporated into the National Housing code, the Minister disclosed that the Ministry has commissioned Shelter Afrique for a $5,000 housing unit for low income earners.

    He said the Ministry is looking at either mortgage financing or rent-to-own option as modes of payment for the prospective house owners.

    According to the Minister, the Ministry was yet to advertise for the project because it has just was in the pruned down the unit designs from 480 to 12 but had to further reduce it to six.

    He also disclosed that letter have been written to States for provision of suitable land in the capitals and Local governments headquarters for the project but only 17  have so far given commitments from the 19 that responded.
    He said the Ministry can only commence with just four States that have completed the process from 17 that have given their commitment.

    He said the Ministry will not provide single design nationwide but different House types that include one, two and three bedroom bungalows and duplexes taking into consideration  the peculiarities, culture and  environment of each State.

    The Committee Chairman was not however impressed by the Minister’s presentation saying it appears the Ministry is incompetent to implement the budget.

    He said: “What has the Ministry been doing since November last year when the budget was presented till now that appropriate designs are not ready, you have not even advertised for it?

    “Are you not competent or what, because you ought to have competed the design by February so that once the budget was passed you commence. Design should not take more than 15 days because your experts in the Ministry have been doing it for years.

    “By the time you start this project, you will have just about three months left in the year, even if the budget is extended to March 2017 that will be just six months”.

    The Committee also wondered why the Ministry could not dispense with redundant and non-performing PPPs while wondering if there was a framework and criteria for qualification.

    Fashola, in his response said the blame for the late implementation of the budget should not be heaped on the Ministry

    He said: “That is a strange question because a bulk sum was proposed in the budget for the National Housing project and we asked States in need to access it willingly but the House insisted that it must go round.

    “The result is what we are seeing now; many did not respond because housing needs of each State differs, taking into cognizance the role migratory factor plays here”.

    He also said the Ministry should be commended rather than criticized for the work it has done on the project, adding, “The Ministry should be commended and not condemned because the budget is inadequate.

    “As a result of that, we are focusing on sustainable housing plan that works rather than rushing the budget, affordability and slum prevention is key to this design.

    “Other countries that had housing program decades ago did not even have 100 percent home owners but they have a near uniformity of designs. By the time we go full circle, we won’t be talking of N35b but hundreds of billions

    “Why it took so long for the design to be ready, infrastructures-roads, sewage disposal, water and others   have to be planned into the housing and that’s what the Ministry is doing.

    “To say all these should be done in three months is difficult because we need a plan that will accommodate cultures and other peculiarities of each State. Our designs are based on feedback.

    “I appeal to the Honourable House that we look at the larger picture, even if you are not impressed with my staff, I have a different opinion.”

  • Work to commence on Lagos-Ibadan express way – Fashola

    Work to commence on Lagos-Ibadan express way – Fashola

    Motorists plying the Lagos- Ibadan express way will soon begin to smile, as Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola announced that work on the road will commence next week.

    His counterpart in Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed also reassured Nigerians that the Muhammadu Buhari led administration was on track.

    The duo spoke Thursday at the Inaugural town hall meeting in Abuja they assured Nigerians that while there is still much work to be done, this Administration neither lacks the political will nor the discipline and the determination to fulfil its electoral promises and take Nigeria to greater heights.

    Other ministers at the event included Ministers of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma; Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh and Environment, Amina Mohammed.

    Fashola also said that government is working out on formalities and standards for the smooth implementation of its mass housing plan.

    Fashola, who lamented the ongoing vandalization of the oil pipelines, expressed the determination of government to deliver on steady power supply in the country.

    He stressed that what the government was working on was to ensure gradual and steady power supply in the country.

    Information minister on his part thanked Nigerians for their perseverance and patient with the administration; adding that the Government will not shy away from its electoral promises.

    He announced that the first rollout of the 500,000 Social Intervention Scheme of the present administration will start this Saturday

    The minister said, “I believe that my only sin is talking too much before the elections and I now have to pay the price.

    “The first one was held in Lagos. Any meaningful assessment must be situated within the right context.

    “We campaigned on three broad areas, corruption, revamp the economy and security. Have we met our targets? If you ask me, I will say we are on track.

    “When we came in, many local governments in the north-east were under the control of Boko Haram. They hoisted their flags, they were even collecting taxes, but today not even a single local government is under the control of Boko Haram.

    “We have been able to liberate 16,000 captors from the enclave of Boko Haram.”

    ‘‘In order to prove that this administration neither lacks the political will nor the discipline and the determination to fulfill its electoral promises and take Nigeria to greater heights, Mohammed assured that the Change they promised is real.

    The Minister noted that the administration campaigned on three broad areas: to tackle insecurity, fight corruption and revamp the economy and boasted that the promises had been met to a great extent, insisting that the administration is on track.

    ‘‘We acknowledge that the nation is passing through a very difficult situation at this time, with the loss of over 60 per cent of our national income due to the crash in the price of crude oil.

    ‘‘Though Nigeria has faced the challenges of ethno-religious violence, armed robbery, cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom, militancy and violent agitations, the most daunting security challenge faced by the country when we assumed office on 29 May 2015 was the Boko Haram insurgency.

    ‘‘The Administration is also tackling other security problems with the same decisiveness, whether is it cattle rustling, herdsmen/farmers’ clash, militancy and regional agitations. We are not only desirous of communicating to Nigerians, we are actually taking practical steps to address issues.’’

    The Minister of Budget and national Planning on his part, said that his ministry had put a mechanism in place to track the efficient implementation of the 2016 budget in tune with the Change agenda of the government and appealed to Nigerians for patience.

    The forum was meant to allow the government to give account of its stewardship to the citizens and also engage directly with them on burning national issues.

    It is also expected to strengthening democracy help in bridging the communication gap between the government and the people.

    The first edition of the town hall meeting under the present administration was held in Lagos on April 25th 2016, over a month to the first year anniversary of the Administration. It had since held the town hall meeting in Kaduna and Kano.

    The next edition is slated for Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital on Monday June 13th 2016 before Enugu state.

  • Fashola unfolds 13-point agenda to revive power sector

    Fashola unfolds 13-point agenda to revive power sector

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on Monday unfolded a 13-point agenda to drive efforts towards enhancing power supply in the country.

    Fashola said in Abuja during his maiden meeting with power generation, distribution and transmission companies, and other stakeholders that the agenda was drawn up to ensure effective monitoring of the sector.

    The minister said the agenda involves continuous public engagement on tariff collection, debts, power generation, maintenance, ancillary services, dispatch orders and discipline.

    Other areas include gas requirement and constraints, transmission constraints, 33KV load off take, imbalances-locations of excess, overload safety, service quality, new captive and embedded generation, franchising and other issues relevant to the growth of the sector.

    According to Fashola, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved that all stakeholders in the sector should hold monthly meetings on issues concerning the industry.

    He said that the meeting would be rotated among the various GENCOs, DISCOs, TCN and other stakeholders across the country.

    Fashola said that all decisions reached in such meetings would be binding on all the stakeholders.

    In this respect, the minister stated that the various companies and stakeholders would each be represented by a management member with authority to take decision on behalf of their companies.

    He explained that in order to minimise the cost of hosting the meetings, the companies were advised to jointly pull up resources required to hold the meetings.

    The minister further said the meetings would also involve lawyers, engineers, planners and other stakeholders, adding that the ministry would issue a communiqué at the end of each meeting on steps taken to address challenges in the sector.