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).   ...

Special Townhall Meeting: Fashola Renders Impressive Account Of Ministry’s Activities …Says Infrastructure Legitimate Way to Grow the Economy, Deliver Prosperity to the Citizenry. *With 895 On-going Highway and Bridge contracts across the country, the rehabilitation of Internal Roads of 43 Federal Tertiary* *Institutions,  construction of Six new Federal Secretariats in Anambra, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Nasarawa, Osun and Zamfara States and Construction of Housing Estates in 34 States of the Federation under the National* *Housing Programme (NHP) among others, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN on Thursday rendered an impressive account of the Federal* *Government’s infrastructure programmes under his Ministry.* Speaking at  Special Townhall Meeting organized by Business Hallmark Public Policy Forum with the theme," Nigeria's Infrastructure Revolution: Road to a New Future,”* the Minister explained that activities involved in infrastructure development are the sure and legitimate way of growing the economy and delivering prosperity to the citizenry. This reality, Fashola explained, informed the decision of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to make massive investment in Infrastructure a matter of choice and necessitated the expansion of the budget of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing from N18bn by the previous administration in 2015 to about N260bn despite the fact that the price of crude oil  which sold at an average of $97.98 between 2009 and 2014  fell to an average of $65.23 per barrel from 2015 to 2021. According to the Minister, the priority given to infrastructural development, informed the need to improve road transport infrastructure assets, formulate policies to address the problem of deteriorating public assets while taking advantage of the socio-economic opportunities created by the maintenance of such assets and to develop a National Strategy for sustainable Maintenance of all Public Infrastructure Assets in the country. Fashola noted that due to paucity of fund, government had to look for alternative sources of funding which include the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund, SUKUK fund, Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme (RITCS), Multi-lateral loans/grants and collaboration with other Government Agencies like The North East-Development Commission in order to achieve the objectives of the Economy Recovery and Growth Plan ( ERGP) as it concerns the Ministry. Fashola also listed the rehabilitation of 60 Bridges across the country, scheduled maintenance of 5,461.88KM of roads and 8,000KM of Highway maintenance which include vegetation control, desilting of drains, Sleeves and ducts by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and the rehabilitation/Maintenance of 24 Federal Secretariats across the country as some of the results of the investments in infrastructure. Fashola explained that on the result and economic impact of the infrastructure investment of the Federal  Government, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) benefit immensely from infrastructure projects as  a lot of activities such as designing, award of contract for supply, direct employment, banking and so on that take place, generate income for the people any time an infrastructure project is ongoing, pointing out that the small firms and enterprises were engaged in supplies of cements, diesel, laterites and others in the course of construction activities. The Minister noted that the narrative in the past about no federal government presence in some state has been replaced by a new narrative about when the ongoing projects will be completed in such states. The Minister also reminded Nigerians that the recession alarm raised in 2012 by the then Coordinating Minister of the Economy Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala was the recession that the Buhari administration inherited and was able to overcome it despite the impact of Covid – 19 through the massive investment to renew and expand the nation’s infrastructure at a time when the country was earning much less from oil. The Chairman, Busines Hallmark Forum, Sir Marc Wabara disclosed that the aim of the Townhall Meeting was to ensure that public policy met the basic standard of service delivery to the public. He expressed satisfaction that the event was holding at a time when the nation was going through the path of growth and development. The occasion was chaired by the former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, the Guest of Honour was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha. Other speakers at the occasion were the Minsters of Federal Ministries of Water Resource and that of Power; Engr. Suleiman Adamu and Engr. Saleh Mamman respectively.   ...

Nigeria / Cameron Border Bridge Will Facilitate International Trade- Fashola The completed border bridge at Mfum community between Nigeria and Cameroun and the Ikom bridge will facilitate international trade between the two countries when inaugurated. The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing,Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola,  SAN  made the remark while inspecting the two -lane bridge over the Cross River at the Cameroun and the Nigeria new Border at Ekok /Mfum and the new Ikom Bridge  in Cross River State. “This is the A-4 Axis coming from Calabar to Maiduguri through Ogoja to Katsina-Ala. So you will expect more volume of trade. And it is no accident that Cross River State bears its name.  It is actually the River that named the state. That River opens to the sea and the Gulf of Guinea.  And so high impact on international trade is expected”, he said. Fashola also said, "We have had very strong relationship with Cameroun in terms of trade and business and if you go to Aba, Enugu, Abakaliki, for example, this is the route that facilitates trade, agro produce, merchandise, manufactured goods from Aba in Abia State.'' The Minister explained that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration's strategy of planning and execution of infrastructure projects was yielding results through successful completion. “This is a very strategic infrastructure to take Nigeria to the future for many more decades to facilitate relationship between brothers and sisters in Cameroun and Nigeria and to strengthen the bond of relationship in a joint development with the Republic of Cameroun and Nigeria.” Fashola said, adding that ‘’We are now entering the season of completion of infrastructure projects.” The Minister while speaking with journalists after inspecting both the Nigeria /Cameron Joint Border Bridge at Mfom /Ekot and the New Ikom Bridge at Ikom in Cross River State noted that these bridges would increase the prosperity of the people, facilitate hundreds of jobs, movement of agro produce and manufactured goods, joint border patrol that would lead to security efficiency and position both nations to take the benefit of the free trade zone agreement. Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade who was represented by the State Commissioner for Works, Engr. Dane Osimasu at the sites of the inspection said the Minister is a conceptualizer ,  implementor and committed to road development in the state. He assured the Honourable Minister that counterpart funding from the state would always be provided where it is necessary in infrastructure development projects. The Director Highway Bridges and Design Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Engr. Emmanuel Adeoye said during the inspection of Ikom bridge, "The project was awarded in October 2018 and it is due to finish by 7th November, 2021." The Director said, "The rate at which the contractor is working, by the end of October it should be finished. Right now as we speak, the job is 92% completed, with the time lapse of 68%. We are moving faster than the scheduled time, so by end of October we should be done with the bridge." According to him "the Road Lane Marking has also been done. The Federal Controller of Works in Cross River State, Engr. Bassey Nsentip disclosed that several road projects were progressing without hitches in the State. The Executive Chairman of Etung Local Government Council Cross River State, Hon. Nkom Etuk praised the Ministry of Works and Housing for the remarkable job done on the bridges. The Ajassor Community Representative, Hon. Victor Njor said the border bridge has enhanced joint border patrol linking Cameroun and Nigeria within their community and the people shall come out en mass when the bridge will be inaugurated soon. The border bridge between Nigeria and Cameroun is funded by the African Development Bank while the Ikom bridge is through the Sukuk bond.   ...