FG Reiterates Commitment To The Completion Of Abuja - Kaduna -Kano Road. ....Work on Abuja - Kaduna road to resume fully The Federal Government has reassured Nigerians of its commitment to the completion of the Abuja- Kaduna- Kano road. The Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing, Hon. Umar Ibrahim El- Yakub gave the assurance while inspecting   the road from Abuja to Kaduna eastern bypass on Thursday, October 20, 2022. The Minister said the contractor suspended work on the first section of the road due to the security threat especially after the train attack in March this year will soon resume  work fully on the road because of the obvious improvement on the security in the area. He said contrary to the speculation that the contract was abandoned, palliative work was being done after it was discovered that the road had deteriorated due to the effect of rainfall.  He added that the contractor has been working on the second and third sections of the road which have reached appreciable level and would be delivered on schedule. The Minister said, " We are still optimistic that sections two and three of the roads will be finished between now and first quarter of next year. However, section one will be longer than that for obvious reasons." El-Yakub said work on the three sections were moving simultaneously before the train attack and over fifty percent of the work on section one was achieved before the contractor suspended the work due to the security problem. Speaking on the progress of work at the eastern bypass in Kaduna, the Minister lamented that the contract which was awarded by the previous administration in 2002 was neglected until the advent of  the President Buhari led administration who has placed premium on infrastructure development across the nation due to its significance to the development and prosperity of the people and the country. He disclosed that the bypass has a total of ten bridges: four land bridges, five river bridges and one bridge over the railway line. He commended Mr. President, the Chief of Defence Staff and the entire security operatives for their tireless efforts in ensuring the security of life and properties of the people. The Minister who reassured Nigerians that maximum attention will be given to the work on the road to ensure its completion as soon as possible, observed that no administration in recent times has committed so much efforts and resources on infrastructure be it road, rail, airport, health or digital communication. Similarly, the Honourable member representing Tudunwada - Doguwa Constituency of Kano State in the House of Representatives, Honourable Alhassan Ado Doguwa who was passing by during the inspection commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Ministers of Works and Housing for their commitment to the work on the road, adding that when completed it would ease the security threat in the area. He also praised the commitment of the President and security architecture in the country for their efforts in addressing the security problem in the country especially in recent times.  The Federal Controllers of Works for the Federal Capital Territory and that of Kaduna State expressed gratitude for the encouragement by the management of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and gave the assurance of the commitment of the contractor to the project.   ...

Infrastructure, Most Legitimate Way Of Wealth Distribution - Fashola The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, CON.SAN, has said that infrastructure development is the most legitimate way of distributing wealth in an economy, explaining that its impact on job creation and economic growth is very significant on the Nation’s economy. Fashola stated this, Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at the National Press Center, Radio House Abuja, during the media briefing of his Ministry’s scorecard during President Muhammadu Buhari's Administration, 2015-2023. This is the inaugural edition of this series.  The event being coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, was presided over by the Honourable Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed. According to Fashola, the Change Agenda which was unfolded in the Ministry of Works and Housing in 2015 as part of the larger objective of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was to grow the economy through the revamping and expansion of the nation’s infrastructure on a scale that has not been seen in a long while. “Indeed, the Ministry of Works and Housing is present in all the States of the Federation either through a Road, Bridge, National Housing Programme, Federal Secretariat or Special Intervention Project.” he said. Explaining further, Fashola stated that in the last seven and half years, the administration of President Buhari has been very resolute in the pursuit of Progressivism, which is globally recognized as the improvement of the human condition, pointing out that the administration has never abandoned any project of the previous administrations but rather, President Buhari gave a matching order to complete existing projects instead of starting new ones. Fashola asked “If in 2015 the conversation was on the existence of a large number of abandoned infrastructures and the seeming lack of political will to complete those infrastructures in spite of the availability of resources and today the Buhari administration has made these possible in spite of lean resources; if in 2015 such critical infrastructure as the Second Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway were either totally non-existent or in a very deteriorated state and if today the Buhari administration has demonstrated that needed political will to break the jinx on our nation’s historically most difficult projects, does it not stand to reason to conclude that the Party which formed the Government deserves to continue to deliver to the people of Nigeria these lifes- defining infrastructure”  Fashola disclosed that the second Niger bridge was now completed and will soon be opened to the public for use, pointing out that what was delaying the commissioning was the construction of the link road to the bridge from both the Asaba and Onisha axes.  “I can confirm that the second Niger Bridge itself is finished. People can walk through it now. What remains now is the link roads.” he said On Housing, the Minister said that the National Housing Programme that was initiated by the Ministry of Works and Housing at the onset of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration had affordability and accessibility as key considerations.  He said “the National Housing Programme is now delivering on its objective of stimulating the economies of the 35 states and the FCT. Jobs have been created in the communities where the construction of the houses are being built. Such needs  for artisans, builders, engineers, and other skilled persons in the built industry, the construction sites have been and remain centres of supply for building materials and other commodities”   He explained that with the Programme now in a season of completion, many of the houses have been completed and are now being handed over to the beneficiaries who follow the allocation procedure set out in the National Housing Programme web portal (https://nhp.worksandhousing.gov.ng ) “The National Housing Programme has therefore produced new home owners but in the process also produced citizens who found economic fulfilment as contractors, suppliers of various construction items and artisans’ he concluded   ...

Federal Roads, Bridges Construction in Oyo State: Local Contractors to Be Given Opportunities .....2022 Sukuk, NNPC Tax Credit Scheme and 2023 Budget to tackle Road Funding Challenges-Fashola   The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has said that local contractors in Nigeria needed to be given opportunities in federal highways and bridges construction. He made the remark during his assessment tour of some federal roads and bridges under construction in Oyo and Osun States Fashola said, “If you don’t give local contractors the opportunities, they can’t acquire the experience and the equipment.   I have pointed out some areas where I think the contractors can improve upon. They are not structural but aesthetics. So far so good the standard has not been compromised but to have some equipment for smooth finishing on some concrete works, they just have to improve. However, Mr. President is committed to engage local contractors. That is the purpose for Executive Order No.7, i.e.  Local Content and Contractor participation on Road Infrastructure Development." During the inspection tour of rehabilitation of outstanding sections of Iseyin- Okeho Road including two bridges in Oyo State, he promised the local contractor handling the road, Messrs. HMF Construction Ltd that when 2023 budget and 2022 Sukuk are being considered government would be able to accommodate the 4 billion naira needed by the contractor to complete the remaining part of the construction works on the road. The Minister charged Messrs. Kopek Construction Company, the contractor on the reconstruction of Ibadan –Ife-Ilesha Dual Carriageway in Oyo /Osun States not to stop work and to make some sections of the road motorable during the ember months. While inspecting the dualization of Oyo – Ogbomosho Road, he remarked, “Relief will soon come the way of the road users, though the rainy season has slowed down the construction works on the project, the earthworks will improve as soon as the rains subsides." He said dualization of the road is being funded through Sukuk and the NNPC Tax Credit Scheme for Roads, therefore, there wouldn’t be funding challenge in delivering the road at the time due. Fashola said the importance of road infrastructure cannot be underestimated as it affects our businesses, the number of times spent on the road while going to work or school and everywhere roads are built the land value appreciated. He enjoined commuters not to abuse the roads and maintain road speed limits when the roads are completed. Oba Rafiu Adeitan II, the Onjo of Okeho who approached the Minister during the   inspection visit within his jurisdiction, thanked him for the good job the contractor is doing on Iseyin- Okeho Road. The king pleaded with the Honourable Minister to include the road that leads to Ayegun border from his domain in the project because of the economic importance of the border to his area. The Minister was accompanied on the inspection visit to the various projects in Oyo State by the Director of Highways, Construction and Rehabilitation, Ministry of Works and Housing Engr. Folorunsho Esan, the Zonal Director South West in the Ministry, Engr. Ademola Kuti and Federal Controller of Works, Oyo State, Engr. Kayode Ibrahim and others. ...