Fashola Inspects Federal Road Projects Executed By Yobe State Government ...Minister promises to submit his findings for consideration by FG The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, on Monday inspected the Nguru - Machina and Gashua - Yusufari, federal road projects that the Yobe State Government executed for which they are requesting reimbursement. While speaking to journalists during the inspection, the Minister said President Muhammadu Buhari promised that refund would be made to all states that intervened in Federal Roads though such interventions took place before the advent of this administration in 2015. He explained that some State Governments got their own refund in the first term of this administration while some others got theirs late last year. However, States like Yobe and Kebbi who were yet to get their own sent their requests to the Federal Government which led to the reconstitution of the Presidential Committee to assess the claims by the State Governments and submit their reports for consideration. Fashola said in response to a question on the possible amount being expected by the State, " You know that there are standard prices for materials and also standard design, we will file our report based on what we find, we have a method for making quantification and we will send it to the government Cost Control Centre and they will then advice government as to appropriate payment ". Speaking on the impact of the ongoing special repair of the heavily flooded area in Zangwon Kanwa on Nguru - Machina Road by the Federal Government, Fashola described the work as a relief measure for the Community because due to the excavation of some of the construction materials from the area, it was burrowed thereby turning it into a pond which has become the lowest point in the place, a situation that brought a lot of challenges to the people. He said the current work by the Government is a temporary measure which would be followed by a permanent solution that would be considered by both the State and Federal Government. The Secretary to Yobe State Government, Baba Mallam Wali expressed gratitude to the Honourable Minister for coming to assess the projects and hoped that he had seen quality work. Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Yobe State, Engineer Olusegun Babalola Akinmade informed the Minister that the repair work in the flooded area in Zangwon Kanwa on Nguru - Machina road will intensify after the raining season. He said the water in the pond will be rechannelled while the capacity will be increased downward by 2 metres just as it is done in residential houses when Septic Tanks are emptied. The Controller said the situation was so bad before work commenced in the area to the extent that some residents were evacuated. The Minister was received at the border between Jigawa and Yobe by the Federal Controller of Works in Yobe State, Engineer Olusegun Akinmade and a high-level delegation comprising the Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Lawal Mirwa, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali, the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Umar Wakili and some traditional rulers. He was accompanied on the inspection tour by the Director Highways, Construction and Rehabilitation, Engr. Folorunsho Esan and the Director Highways, North East, Engr. Celestine Shausu among others.   ...

Governor Bagudu Commends President Buhari For Completing Legacy Road Projects In The State The Excutive Governor of Kebbi State, Sen Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has commended President Mohammadu Buhari GCFR, for completing one of the legacy roads his administration inherited; the Sokoto-Tambuwa-Gwandu-Aliero-Jega-Yawuri-Kotongora road. The Governor said this over the weekend when the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, FNSE paid him a courtesy visit. He said: “The road is one of the most important roads, not only does it link other states with the Federal Capital Territory, but it is the main gateway to Lagos.” Continuing, he said: “I remember in 2015 when we came in before the completion of the road, whenever we were having security council meeting, it was a nightmare for the Emir of Yauri to come, but today, he even looks forward to coming for the meetings.” He commended the efforts of the Ministry that made it possible for Mr. President to complete the road saying that it was one of the numerous uncompleted roads that were inherited by the Buhari’s administration. Speaking on the importance of the road, the Commissioner of Works and Transportation, Alhaji Chika Ladan commended Mr. President also saying that it has saved the road users more travelling time. “Traveling from Yauri to Birnin Kebbi used to take about five hours traveling time, but today, it takes less than two hours on the same road,” he said. The Minister, who was in the state to verify the claims of refund on the Federal Government roads undertaken by the State Government, said that out of the total distance of road we have in the country, about 34,000 kilometres of the distance is under the jurisdiction of Federal Government. “Out of the 34,000 kilometres, we are currently working on over 13,000 kilometres simultaneously with over 800 contracts currently going on all over the country, covering all the Six Geo-Political Zones” he added. The long distance Sokoto-Tambuwa-Gwandu-Aliero-Jega-Yawuri-Kontogora road is divided into two sections. The Kebbi section of the road is about 171km with an origin at Jega township roundabout with a standard 7.3m carriageway. While the Sokoto section is about 133km with additional 8.0km Bye pass and it originated from Sokoto Airport roundabout through South West direction passing through Bodinga-Shagari-Tanbuwal, Aliero and terminates in Jega town at the Birnin Kebbi-Koko roundabout. The overall percentage completion of works to date is 100% in Sokoto section and 99.94% in Kebbi State section respectively.  Lane Marking in the Kebbi section is in progress. ...

FG To Reinburse Road Projects Done By Kebbi State - Engr Aliyu Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu has said that Federal Government would refund the monies spent on Federal Government’s road projects by Kebbi State. The Minister said this over the Weekend when he paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Kebbi State Sen. Abubakar Bagudu. Aliyu told the Governor that they were in the state to verify claims for reimbursement submitted by Kebbi State Government for the Federal Government’s road projects undertaken by Kebbi State adding that the Cabinet Committee set up by Federal Government would look into their claims for refund. “We are here for the verification and after that, we are going to report back to the main Committee for consideration,” he said. The visit was sequel to the directives of Mr. President to the Cabinet Committee to review the requests from states seeking reimbursement for the road projects executed by them. The Committee had earlier inspected the two selected road projects built by the Kebbi State government that were slated for reimbursement. It could be recalled that the Federal Government had made reimbursements of N477 billion to twenty five states in 2016 based on the recommendation of the Committee. Similarly, another disbursement of N143 billion was made to additional five states by the Federal Government in 2019 making a total of N620 billion refunded to States for Federal Government’s road projects undertaken by States. Accordingly, the Minister disclosed that the President had approved the reactivation of the Committee to look into the additional requests for disbursements on the 17th May, 2021, for Yobe, Taraba and Kebbi States. Kebbi State Government is seeking reimbursement for the 42 kilometers Melando-Garin Baka-Ngaski Wara and the 87 kilometers Dabai-Mahuta-koko federal road projects. The State was claiming over N2bn reimbursement for the 87km long Dabai-Mahuta-Koko road, which the Minister said, was why the committee came to verify. “We are here today to verify the claims by the state and get back to the Committee,” he said. Responding, the Executive Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagugu commended the federal government for the bold step it has taken in refunding States the monies spent in executing Federal Government road projects. The Governor said that the debt of over 500 billion naira paid by this administration were inherited debts. “Yes, we are one of the states that have done federal government roads. I am happy that you have come to verify our claims and we shall be grateful if your report will lead to refund so that we will do more,” he said. Speaking further, he commended Federal Government for completing the Sokoto-Tambuwa-Gwandu-Aliero-Jega-Yawuri-Kontogora road, saying that  the road was one of the most important roads and one of the numerous uncompleted road inherited by President Muhammadu Buhari.  “The road does not only link us with the Federal Capital Territory, but also serves as our main gateway to Lagos" he said.  “The road passes through a vast area of farm lands and many farming communities of Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States will benefit from it,” he said. The Cabinet Committee has the Minister of Works and Housing as the Chairman and the members include; Ministers of Transportation, Education, Finance, Works and housing (State), as well as the Permanent Secretaries of Works and Housing and that of the Cabinet Office and the Director, Bureau of Public Procurement. The Committee's delegation to Kebbi State for the verification was led by the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, and the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).   ...