FG Commences Partial Closure of Third Mainland Bridge for Repairs and Restoration ….Lists alternative routes and calls for patience and understating of road users The Federal Government has announced the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, Nigeria, from Friday July 24, 2020 to January 24, 2021 for repairs. The Federal Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola announced this on Tuesday during a Press briefing to the nation on Government’s plans of assuaging the pains the closure would cause the over 132,702 light and vehicles that ply that route on a daily basis. Fashola during the Press briefing also announced alternatives routes: Costain, Ebute-Metta and Ijora as road users could use during the period of the repair. He also called for patience and understanding of road users adding that it was well-meaning Nigerians who drew the attention of the government to the bridge through comments and videos, pointing out that the maintenance was a direct response to those calls which was what governance is all about. Fashola explained:  “The Bridge is 11.8km; we are closing 3.5km so it is a partial and not a total closure.” He said that the Third Mainland Bridge was conceived in 1970 as a result of rapid modernisation of Lagos and that the construction work of the bridge spanned over three decades and was done during the oil boom, pointing out that the need for maintenance of the bridge was inherited by the current administration. According to Fashola, the Federal Government had so far intervened on thirty–seven bridges across the country, maintaining that Lagos has the highest number of bridges. He further said that the work on the Lagos Mainland Bridge is a collaborative effort between the Federal and Lagos State Governments. He commended the commitment of the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari in the maintenance of the nation’s infrastructure nationwide. Acknowledging the pains the closure may cause, Fashola called road users to be patient as the construction works last.  “The best will happen if we all show understanding, restraint and patience, because we will have a better and safer bridge in a short while to come,”he said. In his presentation, the Director of Highways Bridges and Design, Engr. Emmanuel Adeoye  stated that the Third Mainland Bridge which is about 11.8 km long links Lagos Island to the Mainland and it is the busiest bridge in Nigeria with a daily average of traffic count of 132,702. Explaining further, he stated that the bridge provided the most direct route for commercial and industrial traffic leaving Lagos Island to other parts of the country and vice versa, pointing out that, it was necessary to always ensure regular maintenance to keep it in a serviceable state. “The periodic maintenance of the bridge was carried out in 2008, 2012, 2018 respectively and the present maintenance was a continuation of the process” he said On his part, the Director of Highways South-West, Engr. Adedamola Kuti said that the bridge would be partially closed for six months and that the partial closure would be in two phases to ensure operational efficiency. He said alternative routes have been provided to ease traffic flow during the maintenance work on the bridge. Accordingly, he explained that the two phases would be sub-divided into morning and afternoon traffic to minimize disruption of traffic during peak hours which are mainly from the Mainland to the Island in the morning and a return traffic in the evening from the Mainland to Island. He further disclosed that during the phase one, the Mainland bound carriage way would be partially closed to traffic from Adeniji-Adele up to the Ebute-Meta axis and that of phase two, the partial closure would be from the Ebute-Meta axis of the Island bound carriage way to the Adeniji-Adele axis. Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Boboye Oyeyemi, who also spoke during the briefing said that  “The partial closure has therefore placed the Corps in a position to provide strategic plan that will ameliorate the envisioned traffic situation the closure is certain to throw up,” He said the Corps has deployed massive personnel and logistics to guide and administer road traffic within the six months of the closure, adding that the Corps had commenced publicizing alternative routes to the teeming road users. ...

SUKUK: Fashola Commends Govt-Private Sector Partnership on Infrastructure Development. Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has commended the partnership between the government and the private sector in the provision of SUKUK financing in roads project across the country. Fashola spoke during a presentation of N162, 557,000,000 Sovereign Sukuk Symbolic Cheque to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Abuja,, Monday,  July 20,2020. According to Fashola, fourty-four (44) Federal Roads spread across the six geo-political zones are being financed under this SUKUK roads project. He listed the number of roads project being executed per geo-political zone as follows: North Central having eight, North East Eight, North West Seven, South West Six, South East Five and South South having Ten road each with the breakdown of the financial implication as follows: North Central N26.5b, North East N30.5bn, North West N26.5bn, South east N26bn, South South N26bn and South West N27.05bn. Speaking on the recent public debate on govt borrowing and the concerns being raised by Nigerians, Fashola explained that, with this Sukuk projects distribution, Nigerians will now see where and how the monies were being spent. Fashola also listed the many economic benefits of roads construction to the people, saying that a lot of jobs have been created for labourers,  artisans,  suppliers of building materials, sands suppliers, farmers and even food vendors who make their daily earnings from the construction sides. "President Muhammadu Buhari has been legitimately distributing wealth through investment in road infrastructure and the 100 million Nigerians he would take out of poverty in a decade would be achieved" he said. Earlier in her remarks, the Minister of Finance Zainab Ahmed, said one of the key pillars of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), is the development of critical infrastructure projects with a view to removing the impediments to growth and development in the economy. She explained that, the President through the annual budgets had prioritized capital expenditure on the development of roads, rail, power and agriculture infrastructure projects. She stated that the amount N162, 557,000,000 now released signified the 100 per cent full deployment of the total amount raised by the Debt Management Office (DMO), dedicated to roads project The Director General Debt Management Office (DMO), Dr. Patience Monica said also that the released of this N162, 557,000,000 was the third and final release of the SUKUK secured financing for road project out of the total N462, 5577,000,000 raised by the DMO. Chairmen of relevant National Assembly Committees that attended the symbolic public presentation of the cheque include:  Committees on Works and that of Aids, local and foreign debts of both chambers (Senate and House of Representatives. In separate remarks, the Chairmen Senate Committee on Works, Senator Adamu Alieru and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Honourable Kabiru Bichi expressed satisfaction with the zeal to work demonstrated by the Minister of Works and Housing and the quality of work done by the contractors and promised that the National Assembly would collaborate fully with the executive to ensure that Nigerians enjoy good quality roads. Responding on behalf of the Contractors, the Managing Director of Reynolds Construction Company, (RCC) Nigeria Limited, Engr. Nabeel Esawi, appreciated the effort of the government in promoting roads financing through SUKUK. He promised government that, with this positive development of funding, contractors would take full advantage of the coming dry season to achieve more and recover the time they had lost as a result of COVID 19 lock down. "SUKUK is gradually changing the face of Nigerian road to the better.  Our Bulldozers and Machineries will speak for us " he said ...

Fashola Inaugurates Presidential Committee on Zik Mausoleum, Urge Members to Protect the Facility The Honourable Minister for Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN has inaugurated the Presidential Committee for the Management and Maintenance of the Zik Mausoleum and Conference Centre, Onitsha. Speaking during the occasion conducted virtually, Fashola, who noted that the National Public Buildings Maintenance Policy provides a framework and attendant guidelines for the maintenance of Federal Government owned buildings across the country, charged members to ensure proper maintenance and protection of the facility. He said, “The Committee will take responsibility for the effective maintenance and management of the facility in accordance with the National Public Maintenance Policy and ensure its protection, work at optimal capacity and attain its full life span.” Mr. Fashola said the purpose of setting up the Committee was borne out of concerns expressed at the inauguration of the building on the need to ensure the Mausoleum served the purpose for which it was built which included honoring Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, propagate his ideals and promote tourism. Speaking on the commitment of the administration to infrastructure development, Mr. Fashola said, “facility management and maintenance is one of the cardinal points of the Buhari led administration which aimed at prolonging the life of the infrastructure, support Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and drive employment”. Terms of reference for the committee Include: Liaise with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to draw up strategies and the framework that will guide the Committee in the effective maintenance of the facility, determine the composition of the professionals to be involved in the management and maintenance of the facility and make recommendations to government on ways of using the facility to project the nation’s rich cultural heritage. The acting Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Engr. Yemi Oguntominiyi expressed his gratitude to the Federal Government for the inauguration of the Committee to safeguard the structure and urged members to work assiduously to achieve result. Speaking earlier, the Director Federal Public Asset Management Department (FPAN), Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Arc. Tina Onokwai disclosed that the project was initiated to serve as a national monument and a tourist centre in memory of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, first President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  She added that it consists of a mausoleum and an administrative block and conference building. The Director further said that the infrastructure which commenced in 1997 and attained completion in October 2018 was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari on the 24th of January, 2019. Ach. Onokwai said that the need to ensure its maintenance and optimum use informed the setting up of the Committee. Members of the Committee are: Mrs. Osuagwu Victoria, representing the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr. Gabby Onyejekwe, representing the government of Anambra State, Ms Sandra Ngozi Azikiwe, representing the Azikiwe family, Mr. Nnaemeka Maduegbuna, representing the Obi of Onitsha, Arc. Tina Onokwai representing the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Mrs Aileru Abosede Jumoke, representing the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Members of the committee will choose their Chairman and Secretary at their inaugural meeting. ...