Our Three Years Score Card on Infrastructure Development:  A Fulfillment of the "Change Mandate" The Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has presented the Ministry’s scorecard and achievements on infrastructure development and provision across the country in commemoration of his three years in office.  He added that the ‘’present government has no doubt move the nation forward by consolidating on the mandate of change promised Nigerians. 2. Addressing the media and the general public at a press conference held in Abuja, today, he noted that there is the need to refresh on his inaugural statements titled, ‘’Setting the Agenda for Delivering Change,’’ when President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the present Federal Executive Council and the subsequent creation of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing. 3. The Minister noted that with regards to power supply, ‘’I promised that we will improve on gas supply, increase transmission capacity, pay MDAs' debts to the DisCos and generally improve your experience with power supply, first by getting incremental power, then proceed to stable and hopefully reach uninterrupted supply.’’ 4. Fashola also reported that with regards to works, ‘’as at May, 2015, many contractors have stopped work due to lack of payment and many fathers and wives employed by them laid off as a result. The possibility to return those who have lost their jobs back to work is the kind of change that we expect to see’’. 5. Retrospectively speaking on the Housing sector, the Minister stated that, ‘’it presents an enormous opportunity for positively impacting the economy to promote not only growth but inclusion’’. He further stated that ‘’Government will lead the aggressive intervention to increase supply starting with a pilot’’. 6. Fashola, however, noted that where the nation is standing today, despite little resources to work with, is a clear evidence of qualitative progress in the delivery of infrastructure across Nigeria, adding that this is a remarkable departure from past Administrations. 7. Further in his address, the Minister disclosed that power generation has increased from 4,000 MW to 7,000 MW, transmission from 5,000 MW to 7,000 MW and distribution from 2,690 MW to 5, 222 MW. He noted that the consistence progress recorded in the power sector from 2015 till date is a clear departure from what obtained before, also a proof of change. 8. In relation to public works, the Minister stated that the dogged determination of the present Administration to deliver on critical infrastructure has brought about expansive spending on Federal road projects across the nation. He stressed that this development saw the budget of the works sector growing from N18.132b in 2015 to N394B in 2018. 9. The outcome of these massive spending and investment on infrastructure has not left any state in Nigeria today without a Federal Government visible road project(s) with thousand of construction workers, who were formerly laid-off now being fully engaged. 10. Fashola stated that the Ministry’s intervention on roads does not stop on interstate highways alone. It has also affected 14 Federal Universities, where failed internal roads are now receiving proper attention. 11. According to the Minister, the present government also took a giant stride by creating a Presidential Infrastructural Development Fund to address critical economic projects across the country. Projects such as the 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Mambilla hydro - power project and many more are expected to benefit from the Fund. 12. Speaking on the housing sector, the Minister stated that the pilot National Housing Programme, second in the history of the nation, has led to a nationwide housing construction currently at various stages of completion in 34 States where landed properties were provided. 13. He added that construction works at these project sites are an ecosystem of human enterprise, where artisans, vendors, suppliers and craftsmen are direct beneficiaries, as well as contributing to nation building. 14. The Minister opined that the Ministry is also tackling the backlog of issuance of Consent and Certificates of Occupancy on Federal Government lands. He stated that ‘’a total of 1, 216 applications for Consent to Transfer Interest in Land and 1, 300 Certificates of Occupancy were approved and signed’’. 15. Fashola noted that without the team of dedicated staff, the landslide achievements and growth in these sectors would have been a mirage.    In attendance were, the Permanent Secretaries of Works and Housing, Mohammed Bukar and that of Power, Engr. Louis Edozien, Directors from the three sectors, Heads/CEOs of Parastatals.  ...

Nigerian-Sweden Collaborate To Improve Electricity Supply In Nigeria The Minister of State I for Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri has applauded the Swedish Government for their expression of interest to collaborate with the Federal Government of Nigeria in the provision of infrastructure needed to move the economy forward and make life meaningful for Nigerians. Baba Shehuri made the commendation when he receivedthe representatives of Her Excellency, the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs. IngerUltvedt,  Charge d’ affaires of the Swedish Embassy, Mrs. Ida Hockerfeldtand Head of Economic Affairs, Mrs.Fanny Nylanderwho paid him a courtesy call. The Minister revealed that with the privatization of the generation and distribution aspects of electric power supply, it makes economic sense for any foreign country to invest in Nigeria, a country that already has the population and enabling environment for Foreign Direct Investment to thrive. He stated, “We have the population and a lot of potentials in the areas of renewable energy which some investors like the Chinese have already keyed into by providing mini grids to generate andsupply electric power to some communities”. The Head of Economic Affairs of the Swedish Embassy in Nigeria, Mrs. Fanny Nylander had earlier explained that the meeting is a follow-up to the Swedish Minister for Trade, Mrs Ann Linda’s, visit to theHonourable Minister for Power, Works and Housing, BabatundeRajiFashola, SAN in 2016 and thesigning of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria under the Nordic Umbrella on Energy. Mrs. Nylander further invited the Minister to be the “Country  Host” to the ‘Swedish – Nigerian Sustainable Energy Conference’ holding in Lagos on November 13, 2018, adding that the event is to create an avenue for Swedish companies to explore ways of supporting Africa, particularly Nigeria, in power generation, transmission and distribution. ...

FERMA Gives Nigerian Roads Facelift, Completes Over 300 Capital Road Projects Nationwide ABUJA - (FERMA Report) - The Managing Director / CEO of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Nuruddeen Rafindadi (Engr) has said that the agency has completed an additional 212 capital projects to the 88 road projects earlier reported and over 100 direct labour works within FERMA's scope of work nationwide. Some of the completed projects, according to him include: the rehabilitation of Bambal - Buzawa Road along Kiyawa - Jama’are Federal Road in Bauchi State where the patching of potholes and laying of asphalt were done. He identified the other general maintenance works completed as the Kari - Yobe State Border Road. Adding, the Ganjuwa - Gubi Road linking Wussarawa Road has also enjoyed rehabilitation works such as scarification, provision of stone base, asphaltic overlay and construction of culverts. Rafindadi also mentioned that the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency has recently disilted drainages on some Federal Roads in Edo State, while carrying out repairs on some bridges and failed portions of roads in the state, including the Benin Bypass and Ugonoba bridge amongst others. He however said that work on the failed carriageway at Ogheghe Junction along the Benin - Warri dual carriageway is ongoing. He later informed that other works that have been completed here include: site clearance, laterite work on shoulders, boulder placement on carriageways and cement stabilization of challenging sections; repairs of failed carriageway sections and pothole patching on the Ogheghe Junction along the Benin - Warri dual carriageway; the Benin Township Road along Benin - Asaba dual carriageway and the Oluke - Sobe - Fon linking Ondo State Border Road in Edo State. The MD also revealed that that in Plateau State, potholes along the Jos - Gimi - Fadan Kashi Roads and the Jos - Makurdi Road were also patched, including the general maintenance of other roads in Ilesha, Osun State through the intervention of FERMA. While noting that in the North - Central Zone direct labour works were carried out up to 100% completion along the Abuja - Keffi Road and Gwagwalada Road, involving patching of potholes, disilting of drains, reinstatement and embankment washout, the Managing Director hinted that in the South - West Zone, road construction activities such as hydraulic structures, routine disilting of open covered drains, washout and repairs, palliative works and patching of potholes were done in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States respectively. "Some other completed projects in the South West include - maintenance works on the Lagos - Badagry Expressway stretching from Agbara - Atan, Olosha Bus Stop along Western Avenue - Agege Motor Road to Gbongan - Iwo - Oyo State Border Road. The work continued from here to Abeokuta Bakatari Road in Ogun State, up to Odo Oba along Oyo - Ogbomosho Old Road to Ibadan - Idi Ayunre Mamu Road," he depicted. "In the North East, the construction of reinforced concrete line drain along Kurba Gayiwuyo Road in Borno State, the patching of potholes along Maiduguri - Jos Road in Borno State (Sections I & II), construction of two cells reinforced concrete Box Culvert and Washout repairs along UBA - Askirambalala Road in Borno State as well as special repairs of Gumel - Maigatari - Niger Republic Road in Jigawa State were executed. Tthe disilting works on culvert/line drains and vegetation control along Kano State Border - Birnin Kudu - Bauchi State Border in Jigawa State have been 100% completed." In his analysis, Nuredeen stated that the reconstruction of failed sections of Box Culvert (Abuja Bound) along Kaduna - Abuja dual carriageway in Kaduna State and the reinstatement of collapsed portions of single and multiple Cell Pipe Culverts along the Kaduna - Birningwari - Niger State Border Road in Kaduna State are other interventions. He inferred that emergency repairs of collapsed 2-cell culverts and the reinstatement of embankment washouts along Kachia - Kwoi (Niger State) Border Road in Kaduna State and the repair of critical failures along the Kaduna - Abuja - Niger State (Abuja Bounds) are significant as well as the repair of critical failures along the Kaduna - Abuja - Niger State Border dual carriageway which is Kaduna Bound in Kaduna State. He continued that vegetation/silt control of the Kaduna - Abuja dual carriageway (Section I-V) along with the vegetation/silt control of the Kaduna - Birnin Gwari dual carriageway (Section II) in Kaduna State have been done. "Still in FERMA's resolve to reach to all roads within its scope of works nationwide, FERMA has completed the reconstruction of failed sections, effected vegetation control, reinstated failed portions and reinforced concrete stone base on carriageways. It has also embarked on asphalt repairs and cutting of potholes to regular shapes, just as the disilting of line drains on roads in Kano and Kebbi States have been delivered," he stated explaining to some concerned citizens the reason why FERMA is not carrying out activities on some roads. Responding to questions on the cause of non-involvement in the rehabilitation of Agbor - Amukpe Road in Delta State, he announced that FERMA cannot carry out any rehabilitation work on roads where there is an ongoing contract. On the Ondo - Ore Road, the MD said that the contract for the road is being supervised by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and so the agency can not intervene there. Speaking on the Ukpagada - Ogoja Road in Cross River State, the MD allayed that the mandate of FERMA is for Federal Roads, adding that FERMA can only intervene on State and Local Government roads when such roads are appropriated under constituency projects. He further clarified on the roads in Nnewi, Anambra State that the agency has four road works proposed to be done in the 2018 capital appropriation around Nnewi which comprises the Oba - Nnewi - Okija Road, saying it has been advertised for tender. ...