Feb

10

2019

Hon. Shehuri Gives Directives on Smooth, Safe Passage

The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri has directed the Contractor handling rehabilitation works on the 9th Mile - Orokam road in Enugu State to focus more attention on the pothole - riddled sections of the alignment. He gave the directive, while on a working visit to Federal highways projects in Enugu and Anambra States.

2. Speaking with the Project Manager, Messrs RCC (Nigeria) Limited, Engr. Harel Vaknin, at the road rehabilitation site, the Minister directed that further palliative measures should be provided immediately to ensure that the rough portions of the road are completely rehabilitated to ease the sufferings of road users, stressing that the President Muhammadu Buhari's Administration places high premium on providing succour to Nigerians. While commending the Contractor on the pace of work, Hon. Shehuri called for more proactive measures before the rainy season  sets in.

3. The Minister also inspected the on going rehabilitation of outstanding section of Onitsha - Enugu Expressway (Amansea - Enugu) in Enugu State, where he assured the Contractor, Messrs RCC (Nigeria) Limited that funds would be made available when the necessary processes are completed.

4.The Minister enjoined the contractor to speed up the tempo of work in order to deliver the projects as at the time due without prejudice to engineering designs and specifications.

5. While briefing the Minister on the two projects, earlier, the Federal Controller of Works, Enugu State, Engr. Femi Oyekanmi stated  that remarkable progress has been made on the 9th Mile - Orokam road compared to how it was in December 2018, promising that the Ministerial directive will be carried out to the latter.

Feb

06

2019

No Nation Develops Without Building Its Infrastructure - Fashola

The Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola SAN, has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is committed to providing the necessary roads, bridges, rails and electricity that will, in no distant time bring about the overall social economic and political development of Nigeria inspite of visible and sharp decline of oil revenue.

Fashola disclosed this late yesterday, when he received in audience the Management, 18 facilitators and 57 participants of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, who paid him a courtesy call in his Mabushi office.

He commended the effort of NITT for including Transport Planning and Logistic works in their curriculum which is useful in the chain of production and distribution of goods and services in Nigeria, adding that the present administration needs the services of the institute and that Mr President is providing a very useful laboratory material for members of the institute to thrive.

The Minister described members of NITT as stakeholders and partners in the wheel of progress and development of the Nigeria economy, noting that ‘’ the elements of national development and prosperity have come together at the appropriate time’’. He therefore enjoined members of NITT to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to achieve his mandate of providing the basic needed infrastructure for the overall benefit of Nigerians.

Earlier, the Acting Director General and Chief Executive of NITT, Dr Abimbola Odumosu stated on behalf of his institute that the reason for their visit was essentially to seek for partnership with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in the development of manpower as regards transport and logistics which is NITT’s  area of specialisation, stating that collaboration between NITT and the Ministry will provide the nation with the needed impetus for sustainable growth and development.

Dr Abimbola disclosed that NITT was established in 1986 as a Management Development Institution to among other things provide management training for personnel employed in all modes of transport and Serves as a Transport Intelligence Centre for monitoring transport and logistics system and to conduct research in all modes of transport in Nigeria

Feb

01

2019

FG’s  Maintenance Policy Is To Empower Nigerians At The Base Of The Economic Pyramid, Enable Small Businesses Grow- Fashola

* As Minister addresses the Press on Infrastructure Maintenance Framework for Public Buildings recently approved by FEC
* Says Buhari’s signing law to protect people living with disability from discrimination, exclusion also offers job opportunities to redesign, remodel, retrofit assets nationwide

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, Thursday in Abuja, briefed the Press on the recently approved  National Infrastructure Maintenance Framework saying it is a choice of the Buhari Administration to drive the small business sector, skill utilization and to move the economy from growth without jobs to growth driven by new jobs that reward services.

Addressing newsmen at a conference, attended also by Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as Parastatals and Members of the National Assembly, among other stakeholders, Fashola said, however, that the Framework, which applies to public buildings for now, would ultimately extend to other public assets like roads, bridges, rail, power installations and other infrastructure of a public nature.

The Minister, who said the Framework was approved on January 9, 2018, explained that the Federal Executive Council’s approval meant that “after decades of agonizing about lack of maintenance, the Buhari government has chosen to act”, describing it as “policy decision of enormous profundity”, as, according to him, “the records do not indicate that any such policy decision has previously been taken at the federal level”.

He said the decision to approve the Framework was provoked by a memorandum from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing that challenged the conventional thinking that "Nigeria does not have a maintenance culture", adding, “The memorandum argued and FEC agreed, that maintenance of infrastructure, whether public or private, is not a cultural issue but an economic one”.

According to him, the memorandum showed that in the built industry, only about 23 per cent of the workforce was employed by Design (6%), Construction (15%) and Governance (2%), while the remaining 77 per cent were employed by Maintenance and Operation adding, “the Council was persuaded to accept that while skill training and vocational centres exist almost nationwide for training artisans like plumbers, painters, bricklayers, welders, tilers, electricians etc., there is a lack of National policy that makes the practice of these vocations economically worthwhile on a sustainable basis”.

The Minister said available data showed that many people trained in vocations such as Plumbing, Carpentry, Tiling, Masonry, Painting, Bricklaying, Welding, Electrical installations etc often resort to other vocations in which they do not have training such as riding motorcycles and tricycles in order to make a living.

Giving details on what the Framework entails, Fashola said the first step would be to conduct Site Assessment of the affected buildings involving measurements, valuation and data collation, all of which, he noted, require the employment of people to carry out the process thereby creating jobs even from the very first step, adding that it would also provide for credible data such as lettable space, value of the property and so on “which could form the basis of the economic decisions or even actions in emergency periods”.

The next step, the Minister said, would be Condition Assessment which would also, according to him, require people to be trained and employed to assess the conditions of affected buildings from foundation to roof and for mechanical and electrical sustainability for purpose adding that the maintenance programme would then be developed from the assessments as to what jobs would need to be done to restore the building to fitness while award of maintenance contract, also based on the assessments, would then be following the existing procurement law.

Citing an example, Fashola, who said the Ministry carried out a pilot programme on nine buildings comprising a Federal Government College, a Federal Hospital, a Federal Court building, a federal prison, a federal secretariat and four office buildings belonging to the Ministry, pointed out that in one of the sample buildings leading up to the memorandum to FEC, out of 63 air-conditioning units, 11 required replacement or repairs while windows, doors, tiles, roofing materials, plastering works were also identified that required replacement or repair.

And in another building, he said, out of about 30 toilets or so, about 12 were not functional, providing jobs for those in the Plumbing business, pointing out that buildings owned by parastatals, airports and others were yet to be reached where such jobs were likely waiting for skilled workers.

“This provides a window of opportunity for small businesses who are into facility management and for young graduates of building technicians, architecture, engineering and even technical schools to register for these contracts”, he said adding that successful bidders would then be in a position to employ artisans to execute the maintenance contract they have won in the bid.

Fashola said each Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) would be responsible for its own procurement for its own building after training of their designated personnel by the staff of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing who would guide them through the framework approved by the Federal Executive Council, adding that because data is critical to the programme, “each MDA will file data with the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing who will centrally manage data and use it to advise government and brief the public, while the MDA reserves the right to keep its own data”.

Reiterating that the implementation of the Framework would start with public buildings, the Minister, who noted that the award of contracts would not only drive employment for artisans but the demand of manufacturing and suppliers of parts like wood, pipes, paint, tiles, electrical fittings, windows and tools, in addition to those of  cleaning items like soap, detergent, polish, varnish etc, declared, “This is the economy that we see ahead as we set out to implement this approval as we progress”.

On the cost of implementation, Fashola said the pilot survey showed that the nine buildings would cost about N40.3 billion to reconstruct, while it would cost N922 million per annum to maintain them, which is about 2.3 per cent of cost of replacement, adding that if maintenance was pursued the buildings could last their lifespan of between 50 and 60 years and instead of using N40 billion to replace existing buildings it could be used to expand and provide more buildings for the nation’s growing population.

“Just these nine buildings will require about 400 people to keep them well maintained a year. For example, the school will require at least 30 people to be employed per school for maintenance; and the federal government owns 104 Unity schools which potentially will require 3,120 maintenance staff. So you can see the economy we see when this extends to all our hospitals, all our courts, all our prisons, all our police stations, all our universities and covers all public buildings”, the Minister said.

Comparing the new economic initiative to the Lagos Green Economy, Fashola declared, “This is an economic choice by this government to drive the small business sector, to drive skill utilization and to move the economy from growth without jobs to growth driven by new jobs that reward services”.

The Minister also disclosed that President Buhari also in January signed the law to protect people living with disability from discrimination and exclusion thereby “raising the bar for construction, services and a new way of life for Nigerians”, adding, “We have five years to comply, and this requires that all our buildings must have lifts and well-designed ramps for people confined to their wheelchairs, not hills they cannot use on their own.

“We must modify all our toilets with support for our brothers and sisters who are living with disabilities, as we must build sidewalks for them to use our roads without colliding with vehicles. Our airports and parking lots in buildings must become compliant with international best practice by providing corridors and facilities for people living with disabilities at arrival and departure points, while a minimum number of slots clearly designated must be provided for vehicles owned by people living with disabilities”, he further explained adding that this was another opportunity for jobs to re-design, to re-model, to retrofit all assets nationwide to comply with the law as signed by Mr President.

“This is Nigeria that beckons upon us from today and the immediate future. A Nigeria where public infrastructure works because they are maintained; a Nigeria where everybody has a secure sense of belonging because they can use their skills and labour to earn a decent income and retain their dignity, a Nigeria where government cares for the people living with disability by providing the basic minimum facilities that gives them a sense of belonging to demonstrate their ability”, the Minister said.

Pointing out that Government has taken the leadership role to provide the policy and the how to make the present Nigeria possible, Fashola urged all and sundry to take ownership of the platform of opportunities and make it work. “It is now your responsibility and mine to take ownership of this platform of opportunities and make it work for all of us”, he said.

Responding to questions during the interactive session with the media and other stakeholders, Fashola explained that the maintenance contracts that would emerge from the implementation of the framework would be funded through appropriation adding that the members of the National Assembly were invited to also take note of the Framework and work out modalities in the annual budgets.

On how to engage artisans and technicians who are already in government and those outside governments, the Minister explained that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation would provide clarification adding that there are certain levels of entry that government has dispensed with and some of the artisans fall within those entry levels while the services are now contracted out.

Also responding to the question on whether or not there would be sanctions for non-compliance, Fashola said the implementation would be largely by voluntary compliance adding that just as an individual would not wait for sanction before repairing broken down domestic utilities, MDAs would not need sanctions before embarking on maintenance of their facilities.

Earlier in their goodwill remarks, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation who was represented at the occasion and the Director General, National Orientation Agency hailed the Framework as highly commendable in a country where maintenance culture had been jettisoned for decades while the Chairmen, House Committees on Works and Housing in the National Assembly, Hon. Dr. Abubakar Kannike and Hon. Mahmud Mohammed respectively, commended the Ministry for coming up with the Maintenance initiative pledging to play their role in ensuring that it gets consideration in the nation’s annual appropriations.

Jan

29

2019

FG Flags Off Multi Billion Naira 73km Rehabilitation Of Odukpani-Ikom-Ogoja Road In Cross River

The Federal Government once again has reiterated its commitment and effort towards bridging the infrastructural gap across the entire six geo-political zones of the country with the aim of stimulating economic growth ease of doing business as well as providing improved standard of living to its citizenry.

Towards the realization of the Ministry’s mandate by Mr President to complete and rehabilitate all exiting road projects in the country,   the Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, formally flagged off the Rehabilitation of 73 kilometres single carriage way stretching from Odukpani Junction through Ikom to Ogoja in Cross River State at the contract sum of over 14 billion naira awarded to an indigenous contractor, Messer Sermatech Construction Company.

Fashola, who was represented by the Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon. Mustapha Baba-Shehuri, said that the present administration is investing heavily in the provision of critical infrastructure with at least one on-going road project per State in Nigeria.

The Minister stated that the project completion period is within twenty-four months, adding that the federal highway links the industrial and agricultural towns of Akamkpa, Biase and Yakurr. The frequent plying of the 44 year old road by industrialists and haulage of agricultural produce has led to its deterioration with shoulders completely eroded’’.

Earlier in his speech, the Chief Host and Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Ben Ayande appreciated President Buhari for his support and goodwill to the state regardless of political differences, adding that the state is enjoying the dividends of democracy by partnering with the Federal Government.

Representing the Governor at the occasion, the Commissioner for Works in the state, Engr. Dane Osim-Asu noted that one of the major policy thrusts of Cross River state government is industrialization, noting that this cannot be achieved without good and motorable roads which will create a nexus between these two to grow the economy of the state.

The Director, Highways, Construction and Rehabilitations from the Ministry, Engr. Yemi Oguntominiyi, in his opening address commended President Buhari for his commitment to the project and support to the Ministry in the course of the procurement process and eventual award of the contract by the Federal Executive Council in November, 2018.

Oguntominiyi further stated that the completion of the rehabilitation works on the corridor will, no doubt, reduce vehicle operating costs; improve travel time, reduce road accidents and also stimulate the socio-economic growth and general security of towns and cities in the state.

The Minister and his entourage also inspected some completed and ongoing rehabilitation projects along the road corridor of Calabar-Ikom-Ogoja federal highway led by the Federal Controller of Works in the state, Mr Bassey Nsentip

Jan

15

2019

Hon. Mustapha Shehuri Warns Contractors Against Delay in Project Delivery

The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri has warned the contractor handling rehabilitation works on Yola - Hong - Mubi road against delay in the delivery of the project.

2. Hon. Baba Shehuri gave the warning on Saturday, while on an inspection tour of Federal Government's ongoing road projects in Adamawa State.
He expressed dismay over the slow pace of work by the contractor, Messrs AG Vision (Nigeria) Limited. Baba Shehuri described the road as a vital artery to the socio-economic development of area, the entire State and beyond, hence the need for urgency in its delivery.

3. The contract, which commenced in May, 2017 with a 24 - month completion period, is presently at a dismal 15.10% completion, which the Minister described as unacceptable. 

4. According to the Contractor, the major cause for the delay is insecurity  occasioned by activities of Boko Haram Insurgents in the area and inadequate funding. Hon. Baba Shehuri, who did not hide his displeasure with the Contractor, agreed that though the project was facing some security and funding challenges, he reminded him of the Federal Government's commitment to ensuring security of lives and properties, while the Ministry is making frantic efforts to ensure that  certificates are being paid. 

5. The Minister urged the Contractor to expedite action on the project by improving on its capacities, stressing that the project is already running out of time. While also commending the communities along the corridor and road users alike for their cooperation and understanding, he reiterated the resolve of the President Muhammadu Buhari's Administration towards the provision of critical infrastructure.

6. In his briefing on the project earlier, the Federal Controller of Works, Adamawa State, Engr. Salihu Abubakar revealed that the  contract sum is N21.8 billion, the Contractor fully mobilised to site in 2017 and presently has a total of N6.3 billion unpaid certificates.

7. In the same vein, Hon. Baba Shehuri has summoned the Contractor handling the rehabilitation of Mararrabar Mubi - Michika - Madagali road, Messrs Rhas (Nigeria) Limited to his Office for apathy to work. The Minister, who was visibly livid with anger, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Contractor for abandoning the project despite being fully mobilised. He added that  based on the tempo of work on the site, the fate of this all - important project is already jeopardised.

8. The Minister also used the opportunity to express misgivings over claims by the Contractor that the project was initially delayed due to non - availability of working drawings.

9. According to the Federal Controller, the 90 - kilometre road with 3 bridges, which were distroyed by Boko Haram Insurgents in 2014, has a completion period of 18 months, which had already elapsed and the project at a mere 1.7% completion.

10. However, the case of the Contractor handling the rehabilitation of Cham - Numan road project in Gombe and Adamawa States is different, as the Minister was highly impressed with the level of  work achieved thus far.  Eventhough the Minister  applauded the pace of project, he still urged for increased tempo, while assuring the prompt release of funds to meet the project's timeline.

Dec

21

2018

Fashola Eulogizes Colleague For Outstanding Performance

The Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, on behalf of the management and staff of the ministry has congratulated the newly appointed Minister of Environment, Surv. Suleiman Hassan Zarma, mnis, who until his appointment by Mr President, was the Minister of State II for Power, Works and Housing.

Fashola eulogized the outgoing Minister of State II for his outstanding performance and display of discretion at which he carried out tasks and assignments within the shortest period he served in the Ministry.

In his farewell statement, Fashola said ‘you have done very well here and we wish you very well for what you are going to do in the Ministry of Environment, we will miss you dearly, even though you are leaving us in the ministry, we will not leave you alone.’’

He added that the Minister will still be relevant to the Ministry because in building roads, power and housing projects; it will require environmental impact assessment studies, survey planning and social settlements plans.

The Minister stated this at the valedictory session held in honour of Surv. Suleiman Hassan Zarma, who is now a substantive Minister to the Ministry of Environment following his pronouncement and appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Fashola noted Mr President’s commitment to the cleaning up of the oil spillage in Ogoni Land for the benefit of the people in that region and the country at large and therefore solicited the cooperation of the Ministry of Environment and the newly appointed Minister to achieve this huge project.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Works and Housing sector, Mohammed Bukar and his counterpart in the Power Sector, Engr. Louis Edozien noted that Surv. Zarma was an embodiment of managerial competence, hardwork and a model to be emulated, adding that his adaptation to work since assumption of duty is amazing and marked with outstanding achievements.

There were good will messages from Directors and Top Management team, attesting and eulogizing the former Minister of State II for his brilliant contributions to the ministry and the nation at large.

In his response, Zarma appreciated the Honorable Minister, Permanent Secretaries, Directors of the Ministry and other Top Management for their kind words.

According to him, ‘’I have benefited so much from the wealth of experience from Mr Fashola throughout my stay at the ministry,’’ adding that the knowledge and experienced gained in the ministry will certainly assist him in his new assignment to bring about the desired impact.

He also thanked the Permanent Secretaries and Directors of the ministry for their loyalty and unwavering support shown to him and prayed for God’s guidance in the discharge of duties in everyone’s various fields of endeavor.

The Minister is expected to resume work at the Ministry of Environment with immediate effect.

Dec

17

2018

Infrastructure: Buhari Creating Wealth, Securing The Future, Building Foundation For Employment, Prosperity – Fashola

* As Minister inspects the Loko  Oweto Bridge, connecting Road amidst praises from beneficiary communities
* Says project is uniting people, Loko-Oweto  farming communities, Traditional Rulers, the country
* Describes Infrastructure as most dependable fortress against tomorrows bad weather

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has described infrastructure as the foundation for national prosperity and unity saying it is the most dependable fortress against tomorrow’s bad weather, bringing people together and laying the foundation for job creation, economic growth and agricultural development among others.

Fashola, who spoke at the Loko-Oweto Bridge and road project site while on the inspection of the project, said by investing in infrastructure renewal, President Buhari was creating wealth and securing the future of Nigeria as well as building a solid foundation for employment and for prosperity.

The Minister, who had earlier inspected projects in Anambra and Benue States,  told the large and excited gathering of the Loko and Oweto Communities, including Traditional Rulers, who gathered at the project site as early as 8.00 a.m. to receive him, “President Buhari has demonstrated commitment to infrastructure renewal, building roads and bridges like the Loko-Oweto Bridge, the Loko – Oweto Road, the Enugu-Otukpo Road, the Township Road in Otukpo, the Second Niger Bridge, the Federal Secretariat in Awka. That is the foundation for prosperity”.

“Infrastructure built the American Nation out of the Great Depression and Recession; whether it is the Second World War or Marshal Plan in Europe; whether it is the ascent of the Chinese Empire today, the backbone is infrastructure-Road and Rail and Airports. It was after that they could host the Beijing Olympics to show off what they had built”, the Minister said.

Reiterating that infrastructure is the foundation of unity, Fashola declared, “It is an unfailing foundation. It is the most dependable fortress against tomorrow’s bad weather, tomorrow’s oil prices going back and forth. Once you invest in what President Buhari is doing, that is what creates wealth, that is what secures the future; that is the foundation for wealth, for employment, for prosperity”.

The Minister thanked the contractors, Messrs Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), and Federal Controllers of Works for Benue, Engr.  Celestine Shausu and Nasarawa State, Engr. Wasiu Adetayo Taiwo  as well as the Director North Central, Engr. Dayyabu Mamman for their untiring work in helping to rebuild the country adding, “Work continues here. If you hear those (politically opposed) people tell you that the country is divided tell them they divided it. If they had built this road, there would have been unity”.

“This road unites two traditional rulers-the Ada Agatu (of the Agatu Community of Oweto in Benue State)  and the Mai Loko (of the Loko Community in Nasarawa State) . It is uniting farmers; so infrastructure is the basis for national unity. It brings people together, it brings prosperity, it is the foundation for jobs, it is the foundation for Agriculture, it is the foundation for industry and this is what President Buhari is committed to. Very soon and very soon this road and this bridge will connect and unite Nigerians forever irrevocably”, he said.

Earlier, while welcoming the Minister to the site, the Federal Controller of Works, Nasarawa State, Engr.  Wasiu Adetayo Taiwo explained that the Loko-Oweto Bridge connects Nasarawa State at Loko with Benue State at Oweto adding that the Bridge has reached 91 per cent completion; the main bridge is 1.835 kilometre length while the smaller bridge is 220 metres bringing the total length to 2.055 km.

He said the contractor has been doing a good job on the project pointing out that the Loko bound (Eastern) portion of the bridge had been completed including the parapet walls and the walkways and other accessories while the Oweto (Western) portion has just about three pier axis to be connected to round off work on it.

According to him, the two smaller bridges had been completed structurally leaving only the connecting roads from Oweto and to link it to the Loko Road coming from the other side. He said the road, when completed, would reduce travel time to the South Eastern part of the country by not less than two hours adding that it would be the best road linking the South Eastern borders with people of the Northern Central and the entire Northern zone.

“It will also increase agricultural produce and, as you know, the people of this area are agrarian. So it is going to be a very big achievement for the Federal Government and the Loko and Oweto people”, the Controller said adding that trade would be enhanced especially in agricultural produce as traders across the country would have reduced travel time and better travel experience connecting the communities to purchase the commodities.

Other community leaders who spoke at the brief but impressive briefing of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing and his Agriculture and Rural Development counterpart, Chief Audu Ogbe, were the Traditional Ruler of Loko, Mai Loko Abubakar Ahmed Sabo, the Chairman of Oweto Community, Mrs. Achoda Comfort  Alhassan and the President, Oweto Farmers, Ada Agatu Chief Godwin Onah all of whom testified that the project has impacted positively on the two communities and commended the Buhari administration’s resolve to complete the Bridge.

The contract for the construction of Loko-Oweto Bridge was awarded to R.C.C. Nigeria Limited on November 2, 2011 with an initial completion period of 48 months but take off was delayed by issues bordering on change of project alignment which affected the original design.

The change in alignment/design was aimed at relocating the bridge closer to Loko-Oweto communities with the attendant economic benefits, reduce length of approach roads from 22.4 kilometres to about 6 km and its diversion from swampy terrain, reduce proximity to Guto-Bagana Bridge and increase the original bridge height necessitated by the impact of the 2012 nationwide severe flooding during the rainy season of that year which presented a new High Water Level.

Aside the bridge construction, the works also include the construction of 3,850 metre-long approach road at Loko end, 3,090 metre-long approach road at Oweto end, and 550 metre-long road linking the two bridges at the Island separating the Southern and Northern bridges. The overall progress is 91per cent.

Dec

13

2018

More Rural Communities To Get Access To Electricity - Fashola

The Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola says the Federal Government is determined to the provide critical infrastructure that will boost the economy as well as impact positively on lives of Nigerians.

The Minister revealed that more rural communities are having access to electricity by the policy of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. He made the remark when he received in audience, the the Village Head of Gora Community in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa state in his office. The delegation was led by Hajia Kareen Fatimah Mohammed.

He said “One of the reasons I have you here is that you are the faces of electricity under this Administration: Dozen communities are having access to electricity whether on mini grid or off grid like Gora community and this demonstrates that the government is working”.

Fashola further revealed that the rural electrification plan enabled government to access about 200 million dollars to run a pilot in 70 communities in 5 States of the federation, adding that the data of the communities yet to access electricity would be gathered so as to ultimately extend access to them.

He explained that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration is running an all-inclusive government by also appointing young people to leadership positions. He also said that young Nigerians under 40 years of age presently constitute the membership of the Board of the Nigeria Rural Electrification Agency (NREA) including the Managing Director, Mrs Damilola Ogunbiyi, starting that “it is the young people who have done the work, the unsung heroes of Buhari’s government”.

Fashola said that apart from providing electricity to the Community, they are also connected to roads, rail and bridges, maintaining that “what is good for the people in the cities, must be good for people in the rural communities”. He pointed out that the rural and farming communities are “the most critical pillars of diversity of Nigerian government, being treasures store of food and construction materials.”

The Minister pointed out that Nigerians are now more united than ever before, adding that the projects such as this has connected men, women and communities across Nigeria, citing the case of Hajia Kareem Mohammed who though hails from Gombe State, yet solicited for electricity for Gora Communities where her farm is located.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Hajia Mohammed and the Head of Gora Community, Alhaji Jafaru Adamu took turns to appreciate the government, saying that the communities have benefited immersely in improved education, health and day to day activities of the people.

Alhaji Adamu, however requested that the solar power be extended to other communities in the State

Dec

04

2018

Nigerians Will Remain Grateful To The Fallen Heroes - Fashola

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN has Stated that Nigerians will remain ever grateful by remembering the supreme sacrifice paid by our brothers and sister who laid down their lives for the service of our father’s land, Nigeria.

Fashola made the statement, on Monday, in his Mabushi office when he received in audience the National Planning Committee of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration (AFRDC) 2019 who decorated him and also commended him for his immense contributions during the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration.

While been decorated alongside the Minister of State 1 for Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri, Fashola noted that the seeming peace which is being enjoyed in Nigeria is as a result of commitment and sacrifices of our fallen heroes who fought gallantly and fearlessly to defend the integrity of our father land. He however commended the Nigeria Armed Forces for being combatant ready and for exhibiting professionalism at all times.

The Minister maintained that the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration is an important event which should be made more elaborate by calling on all well-meaning Nigerians, friends and well-wishers to contribute generously to an endowment fund that will cater for the families who lost their beloved ones. He also suggested for an improved production and redesigning of the Emblem so as to be more appealing to the eyes while the basics and the fundamental messages remains.

Earlier , Major Issa Abdulhamid who represented the Chairman , National Planning Committee of the 2019 Armed Forces  Remembrance Day Celebration, Major General Edward Chijioke Obi, disclosed that the reason of their visit was to identify with the Ministers in order to raise funds for the families of our fallen heroes and by so doing alleviate their plight and predicaments.
Major Abdulhamid also thanked the Ministers for attending to members of his committee in spite of their busy schedules.

Nov

25

2018

President Buhari Reiterates Government’s Commitment To Infrastructure Development

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the present Administration’s commitment towards massive infrastructural development in the country, saying that the Executive Order No 5 issued earlier this year is to ensure that Nigerians benefit from the various completed and on-going investments in infrastructure across the country.

The President, who was represented by the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babtunde Raji Fashola SAN, stated this at the 60th Anniversary Colloquium of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) with the theme: “Re- Engineering the Engineers for Optimum National Economic Growth and Development”, held today at the NAF Conference Centre and Suites, Abuja.

Fashola disclosed that the policy of infrastructural development embarked upon by the present Administration will bring about a total diversification of “our economy away from oil dependence and open new opportunities for prosperity to Nigerians”. He further explained that the Executive Order No 5 on local content is a step towards ensuring that, in the short term, the economic benefits of these investments in infrastructure are maximized for the benefits of Nigerians.

Fashola noted that massive projects like the Kano-Maiduguri dualisation, the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway, the East - West road, Lagos- Ibadan expressway, the Benin- Okene- Lokoja dualisation, the 2nd Niger Bridge, the Bodo- Bonny highway, and the Mambilla Hydro Power will form the foundation for building the country’s prosperity.

He said, “these projects and many others like our rail projects from Lagos – Kano, Port Harcourt to Maiduguri and Air and Sea Ports at various stages of completion will form the foundation for building our household of prosperity.”

The Minister revealed that a snap audit of 77 works construction sites and 50 housing sites was conducted to ascertain the number of foreigners employed on those sites which showed that more Nigerians are employed on these sites.

Earlier, the President of NSE, Engineer Adekunle Olumuyiwa Mokuolu, in his welcome address, disclosed that the association which was founded in 1958 by young and vibrant Nigerian engineers to build a cohesive organisation for recognition of their professional expertise. He noted that the tenacity of the founding fathers has not faltered.

He further noted that NSE has become “a veritable platform for true professional development of Engineers and the vehicle for driving the technological advancement of our country”.

Presentations of “Diamond Jubilee Awards,” an appreciation award, were presented by the Minister, on behalf of the NSE, to some past presidents of the Society for their commitment.

Nov

16

2018

Third Year Progress Report As Delivered By H.E Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN At The Conference Room Of The Ministry Of Power,Works And Housing

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Saturday the 10th day of November 2018 was the 3rd anniversary of the day when President Buhari inaugurated the current Federal Executive Council and announced the merger of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing into one new ministry, on the 11th November, 2018.

Shortly after the inauguration and specifically on the 8th day of December 2015, I addressed members of the public in a statement titled “Setting the Agenda for Delivering Change” in which I set out what we inherited, what we plan to do, and what members of the public should expect from us.

For the sake of consistency, let me refresh your memories by repeating some of what I said about each sector, as a benchmark for assessing our progress in the report which I will present shortly.

With regard to our mandate on power supply, I promised that we will improve on the gas supply, increase the transmission capacity, pay MDA debts and generally improve your experience with power supply, first by getting incremental power, then proceed to stable power and hopefully reach uninterrupted power.

With regard to works, I said:

“As at May 2015, many contractors have stopped work because of payment and many fathers and wives employed by them have been laid off as a result. The possibility to return those who have just lost their jobs back to work is the kind of change that we expect to see…”

And with regard to Housing, I said:

“The Housing Sector presents an enormous opportunity for positively impacting the economy to promote not only growth but inclusion.”

I also said that:

“Government will lead the aggressive intervention to increase supply” starting with a pilot.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of my colleagues, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri and Surveyor Suleiman Hassan Zarma, the Honourable Ministers of State who manage this ministry with me, the Permanent Secretaries; Mohammed Bukar for Works and Housing; Louis Edozien, for Power, the Directors and all the staff of the ministry, the heads of our various parastatals and their staff, I am proud and happy to report that we have walked our talk, and we have delivered visible results and recorded qualitative progress.

With regard to power, we have improved on what we met, by increasing generation from 4000 MW to 7000 MW, transmission from 5000 MW to 7000 MW and distribution from 2690 MW to 5,222 MW.

Our work is clearly not finished, and we are still in the process of delivering additional:

* Generation from Kaduna 215MW, Afam IV 240MW, Kashimbilla     40MW, Gurara 30MW, Dadinkowa 29MW, power for 9 universities, 15 markets and 2 big Hydro power plants of 700MW in Zungeru and 3,050MW in Mambilla.

* Transmission from 90 projects nationwide with Apo, Mayo Belwa, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Odogunyan and Ejigbo being recently completed ones.

* Distribution through over 100 injection sub-stations and a distribution expansion programme to be funded by the Federal Government now in an advanced state of procurement.

Although there are still people we have not reached, although there are still disruptions from time to time, and although there are still people who also need meters, and we are working to reach them, it is indisputable that we have delivered on incremental power.

The evidence of our progress is not only captured in the last quarter of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Report for Q2 of 2018 which shows a growth of 7.5% in the electricity sector, previous quarterly reports from 2017, have consistently recorded growth, a clear departure from 2014-2015 and proof of change.

As I promised you in my inaugural address, it will not just be electricity by numbers, it will be borne out by personal experiences.

The report of our survey and feedback mechanism confirm that many of you now have public power for longer hours compared to 2015, and you now run generators for shorter periods compared to 2015 and you now spend less money on diesel to power your generators.

As some Citizens recently reported, they no longer have to iron all their clothes one week in advance as they previously used to do, because the supply is proving reliable and predictable even if not yet fully Stable and uninterrupted.

This is progress that we must move forward by consolidating on our mandate of change. We cannot go back.

As our policies on Mini Grids, Meter Asset Provider, Eligible Customer, and liquidity sustenance and improved governance deepens, your experience with power supply can only get better.

Our progress report on public works relating to roads and bridges also confirms that we have fulfilled our promise.

We have recovered the thousands of jobs that were lost to public works.

This recovery is the result of   an expansive infrastructure spending that saw works budget grow from N18.132b in 2015 to N394b in 2018.

The outcome is that there is not one state in Nigeria today where the Federal Government is not executing at least one road project and construction workers are engaged on these sites.

Difficult or abandoned projects like the 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Bodo-Bonny Bridge have been brought back to life.

Sections of Ilorin-Jebba, Sokoto to Jega, Sokoto-Ilela have been completed, while progress of works continues nationwide from Jada to Mayo Belwa, Enugu to Port Harcourt, Lagos to Otta, Ikorodu to Shagamu, Benin to Okene, Lokoja to Abuja, Kano to Maiduguri, Abuja – Kaduna, Kano to mention a few.

Apart from recovered construction jobs and growth in construction sector of the economy, the feedback from road users is that the journey times are reducing on the completed roads.

Only last week a commuter sent a text message to me that he travelled from Warri to Lagos in Five and Half hours.

This is what we promised in my inaugural address.

That journey used to take a whole day before President Buhari was elected and sometimes people slept on the Road. We cannot go back to that era. We are determined to move forward.

We acknowledge that the work is not finished, but as long as we remain able to finance the projects, I have no doubt that it will get better.

Our intervention on roads does not stop on interstate highways. It has also entered 14 Federal Universities where unattended internal roads are now receiving attention in:

1.   University of Nigeria, Nsukka;
2.   Federal University Oye, Ekiti,
3.   University of Benin,
4.   Federal University, Lafia
5.   Fed University, Otuoke Bayelsa
6.   Bayero University Kano
7.   Federal University of Technology Owerri  (FUTO)
8.   University of Maiduguri
9.   Federal University, Lokoja
10. Federal Polytechnic Bauchi
11. Federal University, Gashua
12. Kaduna Polytechnic
13. Federal College of Education Katsina
14. University College Ibadan

This is the First Phase under the 2017 Budget and we are preparing to do more under the 2018 Budget.

It is important to highlight this intervention and the 9 (Nine) Indepedent Power projects in Federal Universities as an investment in Education for the benefit of those who seek more funding for education.

As we build roads, we are also attending to old or damaged bridges and restoring the value of maintenance.

So, while the Loko -Oweto Bridge is nearing completion, the damaged Tatabu Bridge linking Ilorin and Jebba has been reconstructed and the Tamburawa Bridge in Kano, the Isaac Boro Bridge in Rivers, Eko Bridge in Lagos and the Old Niger Bridge that links Anambra and Delta are receiving regular maintenance attention.

As for housing, permit me to start with public buildings like Federal Secretariats in Zamfara, Bayelsa, Nasarawa and Ekiti where public works are being undertaken, and to mention the Zik Mausoleum in Onitsha which has now been practically completed.

Let me also point out that our pilot National Housing Programme has led to a nationwide Housing Construction being undertaken in the 34 states where we have received land.

No less than 1,000 people are employed on each site apart from the staff of the successful contractors.

These sites are an  ecosystem of human enterprise, where artisans, vendors, suppliers and craftsmen converge to partake of opportunities and contribute to nation building.

These are some of the most vulnerable people for whom President Buhari has delivered.

Our parastatals like the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) are also contributing.

Policies like the reduction of equity contribution from 5% to 0% for those seeking mortgage loans of up to N5million, and reduction  from 15% to 10% for those seeking loans over N5million are helping to ease access to housing.

The ministry is also tackling the backlog of issuance of consent  and Certificates of Occupany to Federal Government land.

A total of 1,216 Application for Consent to transfer interests in Land application and 1,300 Certificates of occupancy have been approved and signed respectively as at 25th October 2018.

Some of these transactions started over a decade ago and those just getting certificates acquired their properties years back but never got title.

You will go a long way back in our history to find out when a Federal Government set out such clear objectives and is able to come back to show its progress report.

As you all know, we are now in the month of November and heading to the end of the year.

What this means is that festivity, end of year activity and consequent movement of goods and services will put pressure on our roads nationwide.

Our Ember month planning committee, working with FRSC and FERMA have been meeting to prepare themselves to make your movement during this period as conducive as the circumstances will permit.

FRSC will deploy their personnel across the major transport corridors of the country during this period of heavy movement to help manage traffic.

They have committed to setting up 9 camps and 18 help areas across the zones to provide support and help to commuters in need.

The ministry staff have identified 53 critical roads requiring intervention while construction is going on in order to move traffic and we will be working with our contractors to provide relief gangs.

We are also deploying the Zonal Directors to their zones of responsibility until this period of peak traffic subsides.

What is true of pressure on roads at the end of the year is true of pressure on the power supply with the heat and weather change that comes with end of the year.

There will be increased demand for water and cooling in dry and hot weather which translates to increased demand for electricity in our homes, offices, and other places of activity.

Our ember month team have been set up to keep the supply on and, where possible, increase it to meet demand.

We have prepared for the worst and we now hope for the best.

The success of our plans now depend on the cooperation of road users who must drive carefully and energy users who must comserve energy when not needed.

Ladies and gentlemen, we came to this job in November 2015 with a mountain to climb.

With careful thinking, planning, and a dedicated team of public officers, we have a firm foothold on our way to the top.

Our policies have shown what is possible with critical sectors recording growth.

What remains is time that it takes for the full harvest of the fruits of our policies in plenitude and prosperity of our people.

We cannot go back to the bottom of the mountain when the plateau is now within reach.

Let me conclude by wishing you all a Merry Christmas in and a prosperous 2019 in advance and assure you of our readiness to continue   to serve you.

Thank you for listening.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing

Nov

13

2018

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. 

Oct

27

2018

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.

Oct

25

2018

“The True Situation Of Electric Power In Nigeria Today And The Prospects For The Future”  Speech By H.E Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN At The Nigeria-South Africa Chamber Of Commerce (NSACC) Breakfast Forum

Thank you for inviting me to be your speaker at this Breakfast meeting and for choosing the topic, that seeks to know where we are, and where we are heading as regards power supply.

I think I will like to start by setting a context as to why I feel qualified to speak here and also about the subject without sounding immodest.

First, I think you deem me qualified by your invitation. Next reason of course is that, by virtue of my current office as Minister for Power, Works and Housing you expect me to know.

Furthermore, for those of you who live in Lagos, my tenure as governor heralded the development of  Independent Power Plants in Iju, Lagos Island, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja GRA, Lekki Phase 1 and Lekki Free Zone, all of which were targeted at supplying power to public institutions and facilities like the water works, courts, schools, and street lighting, except the Free Zone which was for commerce.

Most importantly I have visited almost all of Nigeria’s power plants in operation and those under construction, the National Control Centre, all the Distribution Companies, Major Transmission Sub-Stations and I know their current state of operation.

In addition, for 29 months, I had monthly meetings with all the operators in the power value chain across Nigeria’s states and commissioned not a few transmission and distribution assets.

Of course, I am not an engineer, but I have many brilliant Engineers  who work with me and advise me.

I am also not an arm-chair analyst. I speak about what I have seen and experienced.

This background is important as context to the matter which you wish me to speak about, which is the real status of progress in the Power Sector.

So too are two other items of context; namely, where we were in 2015, and what we promised.

If you do not define your Goal against your reality, progress will be difficult to recognize.

As to where we were in 2015, power generation was averaging 4,000 MW; transmission was averaging 5,000 MW and distribution was averaging 3,000 MW.

As to what we promised, I stated in my very first public briefing in November 2015 that contrary to previous practice, we were committing to a journey; first of getting incremental power, with the plan to proceed to steady power, and ultimately get uninterrupted power.

I made it clear that our intention was to improve your power supply experience gradually rather than discuss the megawatts as quantum of power, and that any reference to the megawatts would be measuring milestones of our progress in the journey of incremental power.

As to where we are today: from 4,000MW, generation has reached 7,000MW, averaging incremental generation of 1,000 MW every year since 2015;

Transmission has reached 7,000MW from 5,000MW, averaging 666 MW of incremental transmission every year; and

Distribution peaked at 5,222MW in January of this year, from about 3,000 MW in 2015, averaging 740 MW incremental distribution capacity every year.

We have moved the needle forward – I  see progress.

This was the essence of my promise to you that we will increase the available capacity and your experience will get better; however, we have not finished our work.

How far we can go depends on what those of you who will decide who forms the next government do when you vote.

You will compare our record of three years with what we met after the previous 16 (sixteen) years.

If you compare our performance record in three years with the 16 - year record of the previous administration in the areas of Generation, Transmission and Distribution you will get the following instructive results:  Incremental Generation of 1000MW per year against 4000MW in 16 years which amounts to 250MW per year; Transmission capacity improvement by 666MW per year against 5000MW in 16 years which amounts to 312.5MW per year ; and Distribution capacity improvement by 740MW per year as against 3,000MW in 16 years which amounts to 187.5MW per year.

You will also compare the resources available to us in the last 3 years, with what was available over the previous 16 years.

In addition, you will have to ask yourself whether you are running your generator for longer or shorter periods today, than in 2015; and also whether you are spending more to buy fuel for your generator than three years ago.

Those of you who are well-meaning and right thinking know the answers.

The feedback from Consumers also reflect the impact of the results being underscored. I will share some of these with you. In the opening piece to the Law Section Pull-Out of October 16th , 2018 titled “ Lessons from Rome”  Onikepo  Braithwaite writes:

“… With regards to power supply in Nigeria, I had to encourage the Learned Silk and congratulate him, because the power supply in my area of residence, has been extremely steady in the past one year, to the extent that my generator is lying there unused, not even connected. I have been able to live comfortably, without a generator or an inverter, for almost one and a half years. However, we are eager to see this feat performed throughout the country, so that Nigerians can enjoy a better quality of life.”

Another Consumer gave the following feedback via sms :

“Just say I let you know in ajah now people worry more about buying meter card than petrol for generators.  I was in the store in my neighbourhood and people were actually having the conversation I just smiled. And it's also economic growth for this axis  as an home owner, cause more people are moving here I can say that boldly for my estate...well done Sir…”

Also, a Consumer who resides in the Mowe area of Ogun State, Steven Shobiye, gave the following testimonial which he titled, “ Mowe Comes Alive”:

“Since 2014, power supply in Mowe was dead until last year when hope was renewed and the town came alive again. This good news is not only for Mowe but all the neighbouring towns and villages like Ofada, Owode, Ogunronbi to mention a few. Thanks to tireless Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN and his formidable team…”

The story of Magboro and its environs which got connected to power  after 17 years of non – supply  also remains a glowing testimony to progress in the Sector.

Of course, there are people still unserved or not well served. However, the good news is that there is a mechanism put in place by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to monitor complaints by Consumers. A total of 166,543 complaints were resolved out of 262,096 from January to June 2018.

You will also have to compare our plans for tomorrow with the plan of the others, and this takes me to the other part of the topic about PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE.

Today I can tell you that by the end of this year another 945 MW will be ready for supply from the following power plants;

(i) Azura 450MW (which is finished and producing)

(ii) AFAM IV 240MW (which is finished and awaiting commissioning)

(iii) Kaduna 215MW (which is undergoing pre-commissioning testing)

(iv) Kashimbilla 40MW (which is nearing completion).

Between 2019 and 2020 (Q1) Zungeru 700MW, Okpai II 450MW, totalling 1,150MW should come into operation.

These do not include about 7,000MW of installed but inoperative power plants that are constrained either by Gas supply or transmission capacity or both, about which action is being taken.

It does not include independent power plants now under construction in 9 federal universities with a plan to scale to 37 , neither does it include 15 independent power projects targeting major markets now under construction to power 85,000 shops and small businesses.

On the transmission side, we have finalized a 10-year transmission expansion plan from 2018 to 2028.

We have recovered 690 containers of power equipment abandoned at the Port as part of the legacy of the previous 16 years, and deployed them to the sub-stations they were originally meant for.

Currently, there are not less than 90 transmission sub-station projects at different stages of construction.

This year we have completed a few, and last week we commissioned Damaturu sub-station in Yobe, and Ejigbo sub-station in Lagos will be commissioned today , and so will the Ilase tourist beach in Lagos, which will soon be connected to grid power for the first time in its history.

On the distribution side, first let me remind you that all the eleven companies that distribute power were sold to private investors.

It is their responsibility, not that of Government to supply distribution equipment like breakers, transformers and meters.

So, if there is any problem there, as indeed there are, it is private businessmen who should solve this problem.

Of course their ability to respond partly depends on what government does. So, to the question what is government doing ? I say:

We have 7000 MW of power operationally available but distribution can only take 5000.

We have engaged with Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) to offer the rights to take the 2,000MW and enunciated the Eligible Customer Policy for consumers who take up to 2MW and beyond.

The policy took effect recently, 5 major industries have connected and we have dozens of new applications being processed;

For meter shortages, we have enunciated a policy of licencing Meter Asset Providers, independent of the Discos but who will be supplying their customers. 180 applications have been received.
Discos are also investing in meters and supplying them.

Off-grid supply – we have enunciated a Mini Grid Regulation that allows people to build and distribute up to 1MW under licence, and up to 100kw without licence.

Distribution Expansion- In order to support distribution equipment capacity, government as a shareholder of the Discos is investing about N72B in distribution equipment at the 33kv and 11kv points of the value chain.

In summary, incremental capacity is heading in the right direction, we are planning to solve today’s problems, liberalize participation in the sector, and enable private sector undertake the business of generating and distributing power, which it contracted to do with the privatization programme that took place in 2013.

The prospects for the future are clear, they portray hope, and I am optimistic that today’s problems represent opportunities in the power sector for tomorrow.

Thank you.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing

Oct

19

2018

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.

Feb

11

2019

Minister Guarantees Continuous Funding Of Second Niger Bridge Construction

The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri has guaranteed Nigerians of Federal Government’s determination to continue funding on-going construction works on the 2nd Niger Bridge linking Asaba, Delta State with Onitsha, Anambra State. He gave the assurance while on an inspection visit to the site.

2. Hon. Shehuri reiterated that since the present Administration came on board, its priority has, essentially, been on infrastructural development. He added that this has placed a huge obligation on the construction of an additional bridge to compliment the existing one built in 1965 as a crucial link between the Eastern and Western regions of the country.

3. Hon. Shehuri said the Federal Government will stop at nothing to ensure that funds are released, as at when due, to the contractor in order to  accomplish the project for ease of vehicular traffic and socio - economic enhancement.

4. The Minister revealed that since the commencement of the Main Works for the construction of this national infrastructure in 2017, after the completion of Early Works, Phases I - IV, there has been no delay in payments. This is evident in the appreciable progress achieved so far.

5. On the issue of compensation, the Minister appealed to the affected communities to co-operate with the Federal Government as the project, when eventually completed, would be of benefit to them, in particular, and Nigerians, as a whole.

6. Speaking earlier, the Federal  Controller of Works, Anambra State, Engr. Ajani Adeyemo established the fact that the Ministry has already paid compensations to the tune of N3.5Billion for claims on the project corridor. He also disclosed that compensation was paid from Km 23 - 34.9 of the project,  though there were still pockets of claims coming in from time to time. These  outstanding claims have already been forwarded to the Ministry for consideration and settlement, he added.

7. Engr. Adeyemo, while allaying the fears of Nigerians on the scheduled delivery of the project, further explained that the 2nd Niger Bridge, alongside two other Federal Government projects, are specially funded from the National Sovereign Investments Fund (NSIF) and as such will not experience paucity of funding. The Federal Controller, gladly, informed the Minister that, while the completion period for the contract is 42 months, it is presently at 17%  within 4 months.

8. The Project Director, Julius Berger (Nigeria) Limited, Mr Frederick Weiser stated that his Company has received payment on work done thus far and the communities have been co-operating as well. The major threat to the project, according to him, is the River Niger itself. He believes the river was going to rise between 10m to 12m as the rainy season was fast approaching. This, he said, calls for intensive work, 24 hours of the day, seven days a week to ensure it progresses before the River level rises.

Feb

07

2019

FG Reopens Apapa/ Leventis Bridge, Pledges Repairs On Third Mainland Bridge

After closure for over one year, the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing on Wednesday reopened the Apapa/Leventis Bridge to traffic.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the bridge was closed for emergency repairs in August 2016 after a portion of the bridge deck damaged by fire caved in.

Some of the reinforcement rods on top of the bridge’s centre had become exposed as the asphalt covering them had been eroded.

It was re-opened to light traffic after the emergency repairs and later shut in 2017.

The permanent repairs began in 2018 after Julius Berger, the contractor on the project, imported some materials to aid the repairs.

The 40-year-old bridge links Nigeria’s premier port to both the Lagos Mainland and Island.

While performing the tape cutting ceremony to open the bridge, the Director Highways, South West, Mr Funsho Adebiyi said that the opening would ease gridlock on the Apapa axis.

“It is my pleasure to open this bridge in the name of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Today we are having a new bridge as well as a new access road. So, hopefully gridlock will end here,” he said.

He said that government was going to take drastic action against all forms of abuses that would cause damage to bridges in Lagos.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti said that the bridge was damaged in 2016 due to “activities of some miscreants living under the bridge’’.

“When the contractor came on board and removed the slab, that is the deck that got damaged, we discovered that the beams carrying the weight of the slab itself had been affected by the fire.

“So, there was no way we could go ahead with the replacement of the slab, other than for us to start from the beams. So we had to produce new distress beams, and then, of course, the slabs.

“And we have also done the surfacing of the other adjoining slab close to the damaged one,’’ he said.

He thanked residents for their patience during the period of closure of the bridge and pledged Federal Government’s commitment to continued maintenance of all the roads and bridges in Lagos.

He listed bridges that had been repaired to include the Marine Beach Bridge, Coconut Bridge and Ijora 7Up Bridge.

He added that work was ongoing on the Alaka Bridge in Surulere and the Third Mainland Bridge.

He further explained that repair works were ongoing on Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta, Lagos-Ibadan, Ikorodu-Sagamu Expressways and some other federal roads in the metropolise.

Kuti said that materials for total rehabilitation of the Third Mainland bridge had been imported and that permanent repair works would soon begin on some damaged expansion joints alongside the ongoing rehabilitation of the bridge.

“We have completed the Adeniji Adele bound, we are working on the Mainland bound. So the repair works on the Third Mainland will start very soon because our materials are on the way,’’ he said.

Speaking on the newly installed beams on the Apapa/Leventis Bridge, Mr Thomas Balzuweit, Julius Berger’s Regional Manager, said that experts were used to get “a comprehensive design study to get high quality materials“.

Balzuweit added that various quality control checks were done before installing the beams to ensure structural integrity of the bridge to cater for the huge vehicular traffic on the axis.

Alhaji Wasiu Olowuntoye, President, Container Truck Owners Association, who led a delegation of truck drivers to witness the opening, said that the hardship to truck owners would be minimized.

“We are happy today because our members have suffered so much, they spend several days and sometimes weeks trying to go in or out of the ports but with this bridge opened, there will be good for traffic flow,’’ he said.

Source: (NAN)

Feb

04

2019

Infrastructure- Key To A Sustainable Economy And Development- Fashola

The Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, has reiterated President Buhari’s commitment to renew and expand the Nigerian economy through the provision of critical infrastructure, which is the gateway to a sustainable economy and development across the globe.

The Minister said this when he received members of Federation of Construction Industry in Nigeria (FOCI) who paid him a courtesy call in his Office today.

Fashola  emphasized that all gratitude should go to President Buhari who merged the three ministries namely; Power, Works and Housing so as to create rapid development  in infrastructural growth of the nation as well as maximum impact on the economy.

He explained that the Ministry is almost completing 34 pilot National Housing programme in the States that have provided land for the take-off of the programme, adding that rehabilitation and reconstruction of Federal Secretariats are also going on in Bayelsa, Anambra, Zamfara and Nasarawa States.

The Minister stated that power generation has increased from 4, 000 megawatts in 2015 to 8, 000 megawatts in 2018. He noted that Nigerians now spend less on fueling of generators and plants because of frequent and improved electricity supply nationwide.

He said that President Buhari’s led Administration is rebuilding and expanding the Nigeria economy policy decision through building of infrastructure, adding that the Federal Government recognizes the efforts of the Association in helping to galvanized the quarry and mining industry due to the volume of construction going on in the built environment and the road sector.

He said “’When I first met you, there were complains of non- payment for three to four years before the coming of this Administration. But I can confidently say there is not one year since the beginning of this Administration that contractors have not been paid, the money move round the economy.”

Fashola also explained that Executive Order 5 seeks to achieve local participation for Nigerians and Nigerian companies, stressing that the Ministry is already compiling list of Nigerians working on sites, arguing that government is set to protect its citizens as is a global practice.

He further explained that the latest Executive Order 7 signed by the President is a driver to Industrialization, adding that this will expand construction work and manufacturing jobs that will evidently create more jobs and improve the economy.

The Minister noted that the essence of these Executive Orders is government’s commitment to create next level jobs, employment, infrastructure and manufacturing.

Earlier, the Director General of the association and leader of the delegation, Engr. Mrs Olubunmi Adekoje appreciate the Ministry for the support given to the Association and timely intervention in the area of finance to boost the activities of the industry.

In attendance was the Permanent Secretary of Power, Works and Housing, (Work and Housing) Muhammed Bukar and Directors from the Ministry

Feb

01

2019

Speech Delivered By H.E, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN At Press Briefing On National Infrastructure Maintenance Framework At Federal Ministry Of Power, Works And Housing Headquarters Mabushi, Abuja

I welcome you warmly to this press briefing to share information about two very important developments that occurred in the month of January 2019.

The first was that on the 9th January 2019, the Federal Executive Council, Nigeria's highest decision making organ of the Executive arm of government approved a National Maintenance Framework for public buildings.

The second is that on the 24th January 2019, President Muhammad Buhari signed into law a bill to prohibit discrimination against persons living with disabilities which included provisions for specific actions that must be taken within a period of 5 (FIVE) years to provide opportunities for such persons to live as normal a life as possible.

This briefing is meant to discuss what these developments mean for Nigeria and Nigerians, and to highlight the possibilities that they offer for our way of life and our economy.

National Maintenance Framework for Public Buildings

Let me start with the National Maintenance Framework on Public Buildings and first point out that for now, this only applies to public buildings but will ultimately extend to other public assets like roads, bridges, rail, power installations and other infrastructure of a public nature.

What the FEC approval means is that after decades of agonizing about lack of maintenance, the Buhari government has chosen to act.

This is policy decision of enormous profundity because the records do not indicate that any such policy decision has previously been taken at the federal level.

The decision was provoked by a memorandum from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing that challenged the conventional thinking that "Nigeria does not have a maintenance culture".

The memorandum argued and FEC agreed, that maintenance of infrastructure whether public or private, is not a cultural issue but an economic one.

The memorandum showed that in the built industry, only about 23% of the workforce is employed by Design (6%) and Construction (15%), Governance (2%) , while the remaining 77% are employed by Maintenance and operation.

Council was persuaded to accept that while skill training and vocational centres exist almost nationwide for training artisans like plumbers, painters, bricklayers, welders, tilers, electricians etc., there is a lack of National policy that makes the practice of these vocations economically worthwhile on a sustainable basis.

The available data showed that many people trained in these vocations often resort to earning a living by resorting to other vocations in which they do not have a training, such as riding motor-cycles and tri-cycles in order to make a living.

Therefore, the federal government’s decision on maintenance is an economic one, to empower Nigerians at the base of the economic pyramid who are artisans, those at the middle of the pyramid who own small businesses, SMEs who are involved in manufacturing of building and allied materials.

What it entails is that:

* Site assessment of the affected buildings will have to be conducted, measurement are to be taken, valuation conducted and data is collated. This on its own requires the employment of people to carry out this process and therefore jobs will be created from the very first step.

* It will also provide for credible data such as lettable space, value of the property and so on which can form the basis of the economic decisions or even actions in emergency periods.

* Condition assessment is the next step that requires people to be trained and employed to assess the conditions of affected buildings from foundation to roof and for mechanical and electrical sustainability for purpose.

* In one of our sample buildings leading up to the memorandum to FEC, we found out that out of 63 air-conditioning units, 11 required replacement or repairs. We also identified windows, doors, tiles, roofing materials, plastering works that required replacement or repair.

* The maintenance program is then developed from these assessments as to what jobs need to be done to restore the building to fitness, what needs to be replaced and what needs to be repaired.

* This is the basis for the award of the maintenance contract following the existing procurement law.

* This provides a window of opportunity for small businesses who are into facility management and for young graduates of building tech, architecture, engineering and even technical schools to register for these contracts.

* Successful bidders are then in a position to employ artisans to execute the maintenance contract they have won in the bid.

* Each ministry, department and agency will be responsible for its own procurement for its own building  after training of their designated personnel by the staff of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing who will guide them through the framework approved by FEC.

* Because data is critical to the programme, each MDA will file data with the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing who will centrally manage data and use it to advise government and brief the public, while the MDA reserves the right to keep its own data.

* The award of contracts will not only drive employment for artisans, it will drive demand of manufacturing and suppliers of parts like wood, pipes, paint, tiles, electrical fittings, windows and tools, in addition to those of  cleaning items like soap, detergent, polish, varnish etc.

This is the economy that we see ahead as we set out to implement this approval starting from buildings, and as I said, and extending to roads, rail, bridges etc. as we progress.

Our pilot programme covered 9 buildings  comprising a Federal government college, a Federal Hospital,  a Federal Court building, a federal prison, a federal secretariat and our office buildings at our headquarters here in Mabushi.

The pilot survey showed that these 9 (Nine) buildings will cost N40.3 billion to reconstruct, while it will cost N922.8m per annum to maintain them which is about   2.3 % of the cost of replacement.

Just these 9 (NINE) buildings will require about 448 people to keep them well maintained a year. For example, the school will require at least 30 people to be employed per school for maintenance; and the federal government owns 104 Unity schools which potentially will require 30 X 104 = 3,120.

So you can see the economy we see when this extends to all our hospitals, all our courts, all our prisons, all our police stations, all our universities and covers all public buildings.

This is an economic choice by this government to drive the small business sector, to drive skill utilization and to move the economy from growth without jobs to growth driven by new jobs that reward services.

But as if this was not enough, President Buhari raised the bar for construction, services and a new way of life for Nigerians when he signed the law to protect people living with disability from discrimination and exclusion.

We have 5 years to comply, and this requires that all our buildings must have lifts and ramps. (By this I mean well designed ramps for people confined to their wheelchairs, not hills they cannot use on their own).

We must modify all our toilets with support for our brothers and sisters who are living with disabilities, as we must build sidewalks for them to use our roads without colliding with vehicles.

Our airports and parking lots in buildings must become compliant with international best practice by providing corridors and facilities for people living with disabilities at arrival and departure points, while a minimum number of slots clearly designated must be provided for vehicles owned by people living with disabilities.

This is another opportunity for jobs to re-design, to re-model, to retrofit all our assets nationwide to comply with the law as signed by Mr President.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Nigeria that beckons upon us from today and the immediate future. A Nigeria where public infrastructure works because they are maintained.

A Nigeria where everybody has a secure sense of belonging because they can use their skills and labour to earn a decent income and retain their dignity.

A Nigeria where government cares for the people living with disability by providing the basic minimum facilities that gives them a sense of belonging to demonstrate their ability.

Government has taken the leadership role to provide the policy and the how to make this Nigeria possible.

It is now your responsibility and mine to take ownership of this platform of opportunities and make it work for all of us.

Thank you for listening.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing

Thursday 31st January 2019

Jan

25

2019

FG Commissions The Zik Mausoleum: Says Edifice Will Promote Nationalism, Patriotism And Public Service

The President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration has once again made a landmark achievement in his effort to ensure provision of critical infrastructures across the nation.

The President was in Onitsha, Anambra State to officially commission the Nnamdi Azikiwe Mausoleum (The Zik Mausoleum), a public building of national and international significance and a monument to honour the late Nigeria’s first President and a nationalist, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. 

In his speech, President Buhari noted that the building will serve the purpose of promoting nationalism, patriotism and public service while urging Nigerians to emulate the best values that the foremost nationalist espoused in knowledge, service and leadership. He said the late legend will be remembered for his comradeship, brotherhood and engaging politics.

President Buhari also noted that “rather than Zik choosing to be a local, he chose to be a nationalistic, he embraced all the territory of Nigeria”, adding that his legacies will remain evergreen.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, expressed with delight that the completion and commissioning of the Zik Mausoleum was a dream come true and mission accomplished.

He said that Mr President’s mandate to the Ministry to complete as many abandoned and uncompleted federal projects is a reality today, but regretted that the national monument and tribute to patriotism was subordinated to private interests that did not benefit the Nigerian economy as a result of corruption.

Fashola stated that for the period of 19 years (between 1996 to 2015) when the Zik Mausoleum project was conceived, oil income and proceeds accrued to Nigeria were in the hundreds billions of United States Dollars, yet there was no significant progress on the building until this administration came into power.

The Minister however added that the construction period of the project generated economy activities in the state by engaging the services of suppliers, transporters, drivers, food vendors, bricklayers, carpenters, welders and ordinary hardworking Nigerians whose livelihood was taken away by corruption. 

Speaking at the occasion, the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for delivering the monument which successive governments lacked the political will to complete.

Obiano stated that it is indeed remarkable that 23 years after the Great Zik of Africa died, he’s finally given a befitting mausoleum as a resting place, adding that the Great Owelle of Onitsha has now joined leaders like Kwanme Nkrumah of Ghana and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and others whose mausoleum have become a major tourist destinations in Africa.

He appealed to President Buhari to declare Zik’s birthday, November 16, a National Day in Nigeria, nothing that this will be in keeping with the honour and dignity conferred on other great and illustrious leaders in Africa.

Appreciating the Federal Government on behalf of the Ziks’ family, one of the Sons of Dr Azikiwe, Ambassador Emeka Azikiwe, described the monument as a wonderful legacy initiated in honour and recognition of his father’s immense contributions to the nation’s independence, democracy and national development. ‘’As we celebrate the commissioning of the Zik Mausoleum and Conference centre, the historic legacies left by him are numerous and vital to the revitalization of the development potentials in Africa’’.

The Zik Mausoleum is located in the city centre of Onitsha, comprising of the main Mausoleum and the Administrative/Conference building. Construction works commenced in 1997 and was conceived to serve as a national monument and a tourism centre in memory of the late legend and foremost Nationalist globally recognized as the Father of African Nationalism.

Jan

14

2019

Mambila Power Project : The Fictional Allegations Of Leno Adesanya  Contradict Logic

The attention of the Hon. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN has been drawn to the spurious and unfounded allegations of Leno Adesanya with regards to the ongoing Mambilla Power Project.

It has therefore become necessary to debunk the lies and resist the unjustified and malicious attack on the person of the Hon. Minister, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN and save the innocent members of the public from the rather misleading and offensive publication widely circulating in various media platforms, authored and sponsored by Mr Adesanya  in order to damage good name and  reputation of the Minister to  claim   undue  credit and attract unwarranted   attention  and  sympathy.

Nothing is more further away from the truth than the claim that the loan negotiations have stalled since 2017 because of an attempt to utilize $600 Million (equivalent of N219 Billion) from the 3,050MW hydropower project for a “pet project” not hitherto considered by the Federal Executive Council.

There is currently no budgetary provision or cash provision of $600 million or the N219 Billion in any budget of the Federal Government for the Mambila Project.

Therefore you cannot attempt to divert what does not exist.

For the avoidance of doubt, the China Exim Bank disburse money to specific projects and on conclusion of negotiations, the loan will be devoted to the construction of the Mambila Power Project, which has been on the drawing board for close to 40 years before the advent of the Buhari administration which is now working assiduously to get the project off the ground.

The latest publication of fictional claims by Mr. Leno Adesanya in a national daily and the social media is the desperate attempt by him and his political sympathisers to destabilize a project that they could not bring to fruition.

The antics of Leno Adesanya and his ilk would readily explain why the project has taken so many years without lift-off.

Since Mr. Adesanya has chosen to go to court, he would be required to prove his baseless allegation in court.

The Federal Executive Council which is the highest decision making organ of the Executive Arm of Government never awarded a contract for the project to Mr Adesanya.

The allegation with regard to stalling the Mambilla project is  untrue , baseless and a figment of Adesanya's imagination .  The events and relevant facts will show that because Mr. Fashola first presented a memo on the Mambilla Power Project to the Federal Executive Council in August 2017; which was the first ever Federal Executive Council approval given to the Mambilla project in favour of a Chinese Joint venture.

The Minister has also accompanied the President twice to China on trips that had the project as one of the headline agenda.

The Hon. Minister in June 2018 attended, alongside officials of the Ministry of Finance, a meeting of the China Exim Bank to negotiate the terms of the loan for the project further.

And only this week, after the Federal Executive Council meeting, he briefed Nigerians about the approval of contracts for surveyors to demarcate the areas for the project.

These are the first contracts to start preparatory work on the project after 40 years delay.

These actions are not consistent with delay falsely being alleged against the Minister by Mr Adesanya.

Indeed, available evidence does not support the claims of Leno Adesanya and well-meaning Nigerians will be well advised to ignore him.

We hereby state, that no amount of negative effort to distract, intimidate or threaten the Hon. Minister in the performance of his duties in line with the pledge of the present Government to the Nigerian people on the provision of adequate infrastructure in all relevant sectors of the economy will succeed.

Dec

18

2018

Fashola Reiterates FG’s Commitment To Infrastructural Development

The Honorable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN has reiterated the commitment of President Mohammadu Buhari’s Administration to providing basic infrastructure needed for the overall development of the entire nation.

Fashola disclosed this Yesterday in his Mabushi Office when he received in audience the Executive Governor of Osun State, His Excellency, Adegboyega Oyetola who paid him a courtesy call.

He described Adeboyega Oyetola as a brother and friend whom he shared common ideas with, adding that they never knew that divine providence would have them in exalted positions as Governor and minister respectively

While congratulating him for his emergence as the Governor of Osun State, he wished him the very best in Office as Adegboyega enunciates his various programmes to develop Osun State. He also assured him of his readiness to assist the Governor when called upon.

Earlier, the Governor disclosed that the purpose of his visit was to plead for the refund on the Federal roads his state has rehabilitated on behalf of the Federal Government. He specifically solicited for the speedy completion of the Iwo –Oshogbo road, the Oshogbo-Ilogbo-Ogbomosho road and the Oshogbo-Ilesha road which are under construction but becoming impassable, stressing that the present condition of the roads has paralysed the economic activities in the state.

He further requested for the rehabilitation and upgrading of Dams in the state in order to generate power. He called for the Ministry’s support in Rural Electrification and completion of the construction of Primary Health Centres within the State.

The programme was attended by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (Works and Housing Sector),Mohammed Bukar and his counterpart in Power and Housing Sector Engr. Louis Edozie, Directors of the Ministry and it’s Agencies.

Dec

15

2018

FG’s N72 Billion Distribution Expansion Programme Is A Commitment Towards Enhancing Power Distribution-Fashola

* Says amount was arrived at in consultation with the DisCos as to their priority investment areas within their franchise to improve evacuation of power to consumers
* Although the power sector Operation is now in private hands, Government is concerned, he assures
* Calls for consistency and understanding saying decision to privatize is a matter of policy and policies take time to take effect
* Lists Mini-Grids, Meter Asset Providers, among others as initiatives aimed at tackling post-privatization challenges

The Minister Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, Wednesday reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the distribution segment of the Power value chain saying the approval of a N72 Billion Distribution Expansion Programme by the government was a clear demonstration of that commitment.

Speaking at the December 2018 Nextier Power Dialogue in Abuja, Fashola said the Government, as a 40 per cent shareholder, had to make the approval in order to enhance the distribution of power across the country pointing out that although operationally there is 7,000 Megawatts of electricity ready for deployment, the operation was still constrained at the distribution end.

Reiterating the concern of government towards correcting the anomaly, the Minister, however noted that the decision to intervene was done after asking the DisCos where they would want to spend their money within their franchise, if they have it, that could evacuate “some of the power that is available and that can yield a maximum collection report” adding that it was with that data that Government put the amount together that it would inject into the Distribution sector.

The Minister, who quoted the 3rd Quarter Report of the National Bureau of Statistics as revealing that Electricity made the highest contribution of 18 per cent to the 1.8 per cent growth in the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) recalled the “Thank You” visit of the Gora Community of Nasarawa State to his office early in the week to express their gratitude to the Federal Government over the provision of Solar Power to their Community saying it was a testimony to the growth in electricity supply and increasing accessibility to the rural communities.

The Community delegation, led by its Traditional Head, Alhaji Jafaru Adamu, thanked the government of President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the rural electrification programme and the Minister for driving it adding that since the installation of the Solar electricity, the Community has consistently enjoyed several benefits hitherto not known to them, especially in the areas of social life, Education and Health.

Also the Minister seized the opportunity of a question to clear the air on an alleged statement made by him in 2014 as to his ability to solve the nation’s power problem in six months explaining that the statement attributed to him was made in 2015 in Lekki in respect of distributing power to the Lekki community within six months from the residual power in an Independent Power Plant earlier commissioned by him to power some government Water Works and Street lighting on the Island.

He declared, “I think it was in 2015 during the run up to the elections and I was in Lekki where we had gone to commission the Lekki IPP. It was Sam Amadi who gave us a license to do an IPP dedicated to power our Water works in Lekki, our Water Works in Victoria Island and our Water Works in Oniru and the street lighting in Lekki Phase 2.

“When we switched on that power plant that night and all of the street lights came on, as I was leaving, the residents accosted me and said “Governor you can’t go; we like this; but how would we get it into our houses”. I explained that it was Eko Distribution Company’s franchise and if they wanted the power in their houses, there was reserved power still in the IPP and if they could tell NERC to issue him a license, he would do the distribution and connect the Lekki residents in six months. That was what I said”.

The Minister recalled that the policy outline laid by his Ministry at inception set out a roadmap to first get incremental power and then go to steady power and then to uninterrupted power, which, according to him, “is not just a function of how much power you have”, but also “how you manage the power”.

“I think that if you followed the policy outline, we set out our roadmap first to get incremental power and then we will go to steady power and then to uninterrupted power and uninterrupted power is not just a function of how much power you have; it is also a function of how you manage the power. So in terms of our first leg of incremental power, we have delivered what we promised. We have increased the power on all sides”, he said.

Fashola pointed out the amount of diesel that he used to power his residence was now less than two years ago adding, “The man who buys the diesel knows and the man who supplies the diesel knows that I don’t buy as much as before. And that is the story from many parts for people on the grid. But that doesn’t mean that there are no problems”.

Responding to a question posed by a participant during the Interactive Session concerning the supply of transformers, Fashola, who reiterated that all the assets that the Ministry of Power used to control for power distribution have been sold by the last administration pointed out that the people now operating the Generation and Distribution segments of power sector are now privately owned companies.

The Minister added, “I am here because I am concerned. If your telephone is not working, it is not the Minister of Communication that you go to; let us be very clear. My role is regulatory, oversight and policy”, adding, however, “I cannot separate myself from the problem; I am trying to get involved to do what the law allows me to do. So the people you should be talking to about transformer is not me; the Ministry does not supply transformer anymore”.

In response to another question bordering on whether or not to cancel the Privatization policy and hand back power to the government, Fashola, who called for caution, declared, “Let’s be careful what we wish for. We wished, many years ago, after 60 years or so of government run power, we wished and decided that Private Sector should take over this Power. That was our decision. No sooner had we decided, five years after, we are now asking government to take it from them. Is that what we really want?”

“So let’s be consistent here and let us understand that the decision to privatize is a matter of policy. When policy is made, it takes time to take effect. When it begins to take effect, its impact takes time to spread. And that is why we can share here that five years ago nobody could talk about mini-grid, we are talking about it now; five years ago nobody was talking about Meter Asset Provider, we are talking about it today, five years ago who dared to go into the military formation to meter them; the President has directed that all the military formations must be metered”.

The Minister said ministries and agencies of government now pay their electricity bills regularly adding, “I just signed the letter for this month because our office is the collection warehouse. This wasn’t happening five years ago. So we are making progress and let no one downplay that”.

“Can we move faster, certainly we can”, he said adding, however, that if the consensus was that government should take it over the power sector from private hands, then there was need to “go back to Parliament and repeal the law; because I asked you, do you want a five-year old to have a moustache?”

Arguing against the reversal of the Privatization Policy, Fashola, who again reiterated the existence of challenges in the sector which, he assured were being dealt with, declared, “But you must decide in this country whether you want to continue to see devils or angels. I like to see angels; my glass is always half full and problems are opportunities for me to show that nothing is wrong with us and to benchmark what I have achieved. There are problems no doubt and we must deal with them”.

According to the NBS Report for Budget 3, the 3rd Quarter GDP result was 1.81 per cent growth; up from 1.50 per cent in Q2 with Electricity as the biggest motivator scoring 18 per cent, Metal Ores 17 per cent, Telecoms 14 per cent, Transportation 11.9 per cent Quarrying and Mining 3 per cent and, for the first time in about six consecutive quarters, the Services Sector grew by 2 per cent.

“It is not enough”, Fashola said adding, “But it means we are heading in the right direction back up. What is also important to share is that the growth was driven by non-Oil Sector and that is important because the growth came in a quarter when oil prices have not done well and that is what this team set out to achieve; to diversify the economy. We welcome the Oil money, but when the oil money suddenly disappears, our prosperity will not go with it and that is important”.

The Minister added, “So, in a period when oil prices began to flounder Nigeria’s economy did not flounder and that is important. But more importantly, who drove the growth? It means that if we continue with the foundations that are being laid-infrastructure- the jobs that all of us want to see will multiply. That is where we are”.

Dec

11

2018

FG Commends Contractors On Quality Of Roads; Advocates For Alternative Funding Sources

The Federal Government has commended contractors handling various road and housing projects in the South South region for doing a good and quality job.

2.      The Honourable Minister of State I for Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri expressed satisfaction on the quality of road   rehabilitation and construction, as well as the construction of mass houses under the present administration,  since its inception three years ago. He added that contractors are now fully back to sites with attendant effects on rejuvenating the economy and enhancing human capital development.

3.      Shehuri noted that in tackling infrastructural deficits across the country, there is a dire need for alternative and innovative sources of funding beside the usual annual budgetary allocations, adding that government is presently using the SUKUK (bond) funding option and Public - Private - Partnerships (PPP) to bridge infrastructural gaps in the country.

4.      The Minister stated this in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State during a working tour to the South South geopolitical zone to inspect ongoing projects being embarked upon by the Ministry.

5.      Earlier in his tour, the Minister inspected the Dualisation of Lokoja – Benin road, Section II: Okene – Auchi, Section III: Auchi – Ehor, as well as Section IV: Ehor – Benin City.

6.     He also visited the ongoing Dualisation of  Sapele - Ewu road, sections I and II, Sapele - Agbor and Agbor - Ewu, respectively.

7.      The Honourable Minister expressed satisfaction in the level and quality of work being carried out, especially in Bayelsa state inspite of the difficult terrain. He said this while inspecting ongoing construction works on Yenegwe – Okaki – Kolo road and the Dualisation of Yenegwe Road Junction – Kolo – Otuoke – Bayelsa Palm road.

8.      While in Rivers State, the Federal Controller of Works, Engr. J. O. Fadire briefed the Minister on the progress of work on the Rehabilitation of Enugu – Port Harcourt Expressway, Section IV, Aba - Port Harcourt, as well as the 39 - kilometre Bodo – Bonny road with bridges across Afa, Opobo and Nanabie Creeks, the only one to link the Ogoni people with Bonny Island.

9.     Engr. Fadire stated that though there are challenges affecting the pace of work such as  the environment, compensation and youth restiveness,  he, however, commended the contractor, Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) Ltd. for the progress made within a short period of time. He further assured the Minister that the project will be delivered as scheduled because funding is not an issue as the major financiers, Messrs NLNG Ltd. is committed.

10.     The Minister visited the  construction sites of houses under the National Housing Programme (NHP), the second of its kind in the history of the nation since the President Shagari Low Cost Housing of the early 1980s, in Benin City, Edo State, Asaba, Delta State, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and Calabar, Cross Rivers State. He also inspected the ongoing construction of the Federal Secretariat in Yenegoa, Bayelsa, where the Federal Controller of Housing in the State assured the Minister that the project will be completed by February, next year.

11.    Hon. Shehuri noted that with the construction of these affordable Mass Housing Estates across the country, the present government is delivering on its campaign promise of bridging the housing deficit in the country, creating jobs and  generating wealth.

12.    The Phase I of the NHP projects, according to the Minister, have reached advance stages of completion and will be due for commissioning in the first quarter of next year, stressing that the houses are for all interested illegible Nigerians.

13.     The Minister further disclosed that the procurement processes for the second phase of the Programme will soon be concluded and contracts awarded for its commencement in all the states that have provided the Ministry with land.

14.     During the course of the Tour of Duty, the Honourable Minister also visited the 132 KVA Transmission Substations at Uyo and Calabar in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, respectively, where the present Government installed and commissioned an additional 1 * 60 MVA Transformer each, in April.

15. While conducting the Minister round the Uyo Facility, the General Manager, Port Harcourt Region of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. Solomon Uyouko lamented that out of the 144 megawatts capacity of the transmission infrastructure, the DisCo utilise a meagre 2% daily, leaving most of the generated and transmitted power idle.

16. The story is almost similar at the 132 KVA Transmission Substation in  Calabar, where the Acting Assistant General Manager, Engr. Nasiru Bello stated that out of the 192 megawatts  transmitted daily, the DisCo evacuates between 20 - 30%.

17.      Commenting on the unfortunate state of power distribution infrastructure in the country, Hon. Shehuri said the present scenario is unacceptable, while admonishing the DisCos to up their game or pave way for those with requisite capacities. He further urged Nigerians to start blaming the DisCos for lack of electricity, not the Federal Government.

Nov

29

2018

FG To Carry Out Remedial Works In Major Arterial Roads Across The Country- Fashola

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has disclosed that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the sum of N1.85b to carry out remedial works on the major arterial roads across the country for ease of movement and also reduce travelling hours during the ember festive period.

He said that money will be released to the 37 Federal Controllers of Works to effectively carry out the reconstruction works in the identified heavy traffic routes frequently used.

Fashola stated this while declaring open the Capacity Building Workshop for the Federal Controllers of Works with the theme: “Learning and Development for Greater Stature”, organized by the Ministry recently in Kaduna.

The Minister encouraged the Federal Controllers to apply the principle of emotional intelligence and project management taught during the workshop, adding that Zonal Directors of Works from the Ministry would be deplored to all the zones to oversee their activities and performances during this period.

Speaking earlier at the workshop, the Coordinator and Director Highways, North East Zone, Engr. Rufai Mohammed, said that part of the aims of the workshop was to discuss ways to tackle the challenges of the ember months and make necessary repairs where applicable. He noted that the workshop was to enable them achieve the set goals and accomplish government programmes and get value for money.

In a related development, the Minister also visited the Kaduna Power Plant project site to assess the progress of work aimed at providing additional 215 megawatt to the nation’s power grid. He expressed satisfaction on the level and quality of job being carried out in the last one year.

Nov

21

2018

Fashola Lauds The Economic Potentials Of Buhari’s Administration

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Bababtunde Raji Fashola, SAN has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime as the Government that is laying a solid foundation for the economic growth and prosperity of Nigeria.

Fashola stated this at the flag-off ceremony for the reconstruction of the 34 kilometer Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway, a road built between 1975-1978, which he tagged as main artery of all our import and export businesses.  He added that the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota Dual Carriageway will improve the socio-economic lives of the people, generate employment opportunities for both skill and unskill labour.

The Minister disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration, in its wisdom entered into partnership with the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the reconstruction of the road due to his belief and commitment in the Federal Government Ease of Doing Business Initiatives.

Fashola stated that Alhaji Dangote is a man who believes in investing enormous wealth in Nigeria- a place Dangote truly regards as his home, adding that Nigerians should continue to pray for his successes.

The Minister used the opportunity of the flag-off to charge Tanker and Trailer Drivers to exercise caution and decorum while driving on our busy roads, stressing that there are thousands of other road users whose rights of ways starts where that of the Articulated vehicle drivers ends. He enjoined the security agencies to refrain from extorting illegal fees from drivers but partner with them so that Nigerians will witness the seamless flow of traffic especially during this Ember month season.

Fashola urged Nigerians to dispel unnecessary insinuations that they should vote for their brothers or sisters during elections, adding that “tribalism and religion does not build roads. Anybody that does the right thing is my brother,” he stated.

Earlier, Alhaji Aliko Dangote stated that the partnership for the reconstruction of the Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway is a laudable project that will usher in significant infrastructural development, stressing that the financing is coming from his organization’s corporate taxes to the Federal Government.

Before the Flag-off ceremony, the Honorable Minister of Power, Works and Housing commissioned the 4 kilometer Wharf Road in Apapa reconstructed by the trio of Messrs AG, Dangote, Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC and the Nigerian Ports Authority as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility.

The two colourful events were well attended by notable dignitaries which include, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode , Former  Governor of Kano State and Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Distinguished Senator , Kabiru Gaya , Wife of Former Governor of Lagos State and the Senator representing the Lagos Central , Her Excellency, Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu,  Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman, Representative of the Oba of Lagos, Obanikoro, Chairman, Truck Owners Association of Lagos, Chief Oluremi Ogungweyi amongst others.

Nov

14

2018

Buhari-Led FG Has Delivered Visible Results, Addressing Economic Growth Through Infrastructure, Says Fashola

* As Minister delivers Progress Report on activities of his Ministry in the last three years
* Total of 2147 roads constructed/rehabilitated and 79,378 people employed between 2016 and November 2018
* Generation increased from 4,000 MW to 7000 MW, Transmission from 5000 MW to 7000 MW, Distribution from 2690 MW to 5,222 MW
* National Housing Programme ongoing in 34 States that provided land, sites are an  ecosystem of human enterprise that offers opportunities to the society’s most vulnerable
* This is progress that we must move forward by consolidating on our mandate of change. We cannot go back, he says

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN, Monday reviewed the activities and achievements of his Ministry in the last three years saying the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration has delivered visible results and recorded qualitative progress with the outcome that there was no state in Nigeria today where the Federal Government was not executing one project or the other.

Briefing newsmen on his Third Year Progress Report, Fashola, who recalled his first briefing on December 8, 2015 titled “Setting the Agenda for Delivering Change” in which he stated what he inherited, what he planned to do, and what Nigerians should expect, declared that with careful thinking, planning, and a dedicated team of public officers, the Ministry now has a firm foothold on its way to the top.

The Minister told the various news platforms as well as members of the public at the crowded press conference, “Our policies have shown what is possible with critical sectors recording growth. What remains is time that it takes for the full harvest of the fruits of our policies in plenitude and prosperity of our people”.

With regard to power, Fashola asserted that generation, which was at 4,000 MW in when he took over in the Ministry in 2015 has increased to 7,000 MW and transmission from 5,000 MW in 2015 to 7,000 MW while distribution has increased from 2,690 MW to 5,222 MW adding that although the work was clearly not finished, the Ministry was still in the process of delivering additional power to the grid.

According to him, the additional 215MW would come from the Kaduna Power Plant while 240MW would come from Afam IV, 40 MW from Kashimbila, 30 MW from Gurara, 29 MW from Dadin Kowa and a total of 3,750 MW from two big Hydro power plants in Zungeru (700MW) and Mambilla (3,050MW) while power is also programmed for nine universities and 15 markets across the country.

Also expected are transmission expansion from 90 transmission projects nationwide to boost the capacities of the Distribution Companies to distribute power across the country, the Minister said adding that some of the transmission substations recently completed included Apo, Mayo Belwa, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Odogunyan and Ejigbo substations.

According to him, while distribution is being boosted through over 100 injection sub-stations, a distribution expansion programme to be funded by the Federal Government was now in an advanced state of procurement adding that although there are still people yet to be reached and challenges due to disruptions from time to time and people who also needed meters “it is indisputable that we have delivered on incremental power”.

“The evidence of our progress is not only captured in the last quarter of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Report for Q2 of 2018 which shows a growth of 7.5 per cent in the electricity sector”, the Minister said adding that previous quarterly reports from 2017 had consistently recorded growth, which, he noted “is a clear departure from 2014-2015 and proof of change”.

Recalling that he promised in his inaugural address that it would not just be electricity by numbers but electricity that would be borne out by personal experiences, Fashola disclosed that the report of survey carried out by government and feedback mechanism put in place by it had confirmed that many Nigerians now have public power for longer hours compared to 2015 and run generators for shorter periods compared to 2015 while they now spend less money on diesel to power their generators.

“As some Citizens recently reported, they no longer have to iron all their clothes one week in advance as they previously used to do, because the supply is proving reliable and predictable even if not yet fully Stable and uninterrupted. This is progress that we must move forward by consolidating on our mandate of change. We cannot go back”, the Minister declared.

He said as the policies on Mini Grids, Meter Asset Provider, Eligible Customer, and liquidity sustenance and improved governance deepen, the experience with power supply could only get better adding, however, that the success of the plans now would depend on “energy users who must conserve energy when not needed”.

Relating to roads and bridges, Fashola, who also said progress report has confirmed the promise he made at inauguration had been fulfilled, declared, “We have recovered the thousands of jobs that were lost to  public works. This recovery is the result of   an expansive infrastructure spending that saw works budget grow from N18.132b in 2015 to N394b in 2018”.

“The outcome is that there is not one state in Nigeria today where the Federal Government is not executing at least one road project and construction workers are engaged on these sites”, he said adding that  even difficult or abandoned projects like the 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Bodo-Bonny Bridge have been brought back to life.

He noted that sections of Ilorin-Jebba, Sokoto to Jega, Sokoto-Ilela have been completed, “while progress of works continues nationwide from Jada to Mayo Belwa, Enugu to Port Harcourt, Lagos to Otta, Ikorodu to Shagamu, Benin to Okene, Lokoja to Abuja, Kano to Maiduguri, Abuja – Kaduna, Kano to mention a few”.

Fashola said apart from recovered construction jobs and growth in construction sector of the economy, the feedback from road users has shown that the journey times were reducing on the completed roads recalling a text message he received last week from a commuter reporting that he travelled from Warri to Lagos in Five and Half hours.

Noting that the foregoing represents a promise kept, Fashola, who recalled that the journey from Warri to Lagos used to take a whole day with people sometimes sleeping on the Road before President Buhari was elected, declared, “We cannot go back to that era. We are determined to move forward”. He added, “Although the work was not finished, but as long as we remain able to finance the projects, I have no doubt that it will get better”.

And supporting the assertions of the Minister, the Director Highways Planning and Development, Engineer Chukwunwike Uzo, said a total of 1262 roads were constructed and 885 roads were rehabilitated between 2016 and November 2018 while 79,378 persons were employed.

A breakdown of the figure showed that while 277 roads were constructed and 345 rehabilitated with 17,749 people employed in 2016, in 2017, 468 roads were constructed and 256 rehabilitated with 31,227 people employed in the process, while 497 roads were constructed and 284 rehabilitated while 30,402 people got employed

According to the Director, who made a contribution during the Question and Answer session, a total of N907, 628.118, 217 was budgeted for Works between 2016 and 2018 while a total of N499, 609,297,524 were disbursed to contractors during the period.

Pointing out that the intervention on roads did not stop on interstate highways, the Minister said his Ministry has also entered 14 Federal Universities where unattended internal roads were now receiving attention listing the institutions to include, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Federal University Oye, Ekiti, University of Benin, Federal University, Lafia, Federal University, Otuoke Bayelsa and Bayero University, Kano.

Others, according to him, are Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), University of Maiduguri, Federal University, Lokoja, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Federal University, Gashua, Kaduna Polytechnic, Federal College of Education Katsina and University College Ibadan. According to him, “This is the First Phase under the 2017 Budget and we are preparing to do more under the 2018 Budget.

Noting that the intervention and nine Independent Power projects in Federal Universities was an investment in Education for the benefit of those who seek more funding for education, Fashola said while roads were being built, government was also attending to old or damaged bridges and restoring the value of maintenance.

While the Loko - Oweto Bridge was nearing completion, the damaged Tatabu Bridge linking Ilorin and Jebba had been reconstructed and the Tamburawa Bridge in Kano, the Isaac Boro Bridge in Rivers, Eko Bridge in Lagos and the Old Niger Bridge that links Anambra and Delta were receiving regular maintenance attention.

In Housing, the Minister said public buildings like the Federal Secretariats in Zamfara, Bayelsa, Nasarawa and Ekiti and the Zik Mausoleum in Onitsha had now been practically completed pointing out that the pilot National Housing Programme has led to a nationwide Housing Construction being undertaken in the 34 states where government had received land. “No less than 1,000 people are employed on each site apart from the staff of the successful contractors”, he said.

“These sites are an  ecosystem of human enterprise, where artisans, vendors, suppliers and craftsmen converge to partake of opportunities and contribute to nation building. These are some of the most vulnerable people for whom President Buhari has delivered”, Fashola said adding parastatals like the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) were also contributing while policies like the reduction of equity contribution from 5% to 0% for those seeking mortgage loans of up to N5million, and reduction  from 15% to 10% for those seeking loans over N5million were helping to ease access to housing.

According to the Minister, the Ministry is also tackling the backlog of issuance of consent  and Certificates of Occupancy to Federal Government land” adding that a total of 1,216 Application for Consent to transfer interests in Land application and 1,300 Certificates of Occupancy have been approved and signed respectively as at 25th October 2018.

Fashola, who noted that as the year heads to an end, festivity, end of year activity and consequent movement of goods and services would put pressure on the roads nationwide, added, “Our Ember month planning committee, working with FRSC and FERMA have been meeting to prepare themselves to make your movement during this period as conducive as the circumstances will permit”.

According the Minister, “FRSC will deploy their personnel across the major transport corridors of the country during this period of heavy movement to help manage traffic. They have committed to setting up nine camps and 18 help areas across the zones to provide support and help to commuters in need”.

The Ministry’s staff, he also said, had identified 53 critical roads requiring intervention while construction is going on in order to move traffic and would be working with the contractors to provide relief gangs while the Ministry as also deploying the Zonal Directors to their zones of responsibility until the period of peak traffic subsides.

Wishing Nigerians a Happy Christmas in advance with a promise of pleasant travel time during the festivities, Fashola declared, “With careful thinking, planning, and a dedicated team of public officers, we have a firm foothold on our way to the top. Our policies have shown what is possible with critical sectors recording growth. What remains is time that it takes for the full harvest of the fruits of our policies in plenitude and prosperity of our people.We cannot go back to the bottom of the mountain when the plateau is now within reach”.

Oct

30

2018

“Nation Building And Institutional Development, Lessons For Nigeria From The Island Club At 75,” Address Delivered By His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR On The Occasion Of The Seventy-Fifth Anniversary Of The Island Club, Lagos

My chairman of the great Island Club, members of the management committee, worthy members of the club, eminent Nigerians, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.

Permit me to open my speech with words of congratulations and felicitations to the Island Club, her leadership team, comprised of the management committee and her body of members; on this occasion of the Seventy-Fifth Anniversary of the club.

To you all, I say Happy Anniversary and best wishes for many more years.

As an institution, Island Club has endured, not without challenges, but in spite of them: and there are many lessons for us as a people and a nation to learn from 75 years of history that has been woven into the walls and fabric of this club.

The first is perhaps the lesson that dispels the hyperbolic expression that flies around these days that Nigeria lacks institutions.   

The Island Club and many other social clubs who have endured over decades put a lie to those kind of uninformed statements.

Apart from social clubs, and non-governmental institutions, Nigeria has governmental institutions like federal, state and local governments, and indeed judicial, parliamentary, law enforcement and other institutions.

The fact that we expect more from them, the fact that they may be facing challenges does not justify the unsupported assertions that they do not exist.

Many of them have existed before and after the creation of Nigeria as corporate entities and have evolved from sometimes very humble beginnings to what they have become today.

At some times, they have worked very well. At other times, they have been challenged to give more; but they have never ceased to exist.

This is why I said earlier, that there is a lot to be learned from the Island Club.

Her history is all too well known and published to warrant any repetition here.

What is relevant for my purpose is to briefly recall that at any time, this was the place where the Giants of Nigeria gathered.

At the time, Lagos was the capital of Nigeria and ministers, state commissioners, many public officers and captains of industry were regular users of this club.

That has changed in the sense that the capital of Nigeria has moved to Abuja, but Island Club still retains its fair share of members of government at various levels as it does among the leaders of the business community.

But we must remember that just a few years ago this club faced very serious headwinds which threatened it to its very core.

Attendance dwindled, regular events around which brotherhood and conviviality that bound members together were threatened; indeed, there were court cases.

In the end, the storm calmed, Island Club went through a very tedious and I daresay painful process of change, and here we are at a glorious dawn that heralds many possibilities.

The club of which I proudly serve as grand patron has found its groove again.

Because of this process of change, I can confidently predict that Island Club will be here for another 75 years and more, long after we are all gone.

But that process of change and reform did not happen because Island Club did anything.

It happened because people, yes people, members of the club and I believe non-members, who were people of goodwill chose to act.

As an institution, like governments or agencies, Island Club as a creature of charter, brought into existence by laws made by men, can do nothing by herself.

It is men and women who define, who decide and who determine what happens to institutions.

When institutions do well, it is men and women who are entrusted with authority over that institution who have done well and vice versa.

This is an important lesson to learn from Island Club‘s history.

At the time of perhaps the greatest crisis, the men entrusted with the fortunes of the Island Club did not abdicate.

They confronted crises and embraced change; and they reminded me of the story of the Eagle which has been well told but which I crave your indulgence to repeat because of its profound lessons about change and hard decisions.

“The Eagle has the longest life-span of its species. It can live up to 70 years. But to reach this age, the eagle must make a very difficult decision!

In its 40th year, the eagle's long and flexible Talons can no longer grab a prey which serves as food. Its long and sharp beak becomes bent.

Its old-aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers, stick to its chest and make it difficult to fly. Then, the eagle is left with only two options: DIE or go through a painful process of CHANGE!

This process lasts for 150 days (5 months)

The process requires the eagle to fly to a mountain top and sit on its nest. There the eagle knocks its beak against a rock until it plucks it out.

Then the eagle will wait for the new beak to grow back after which it will pluck out its talons. When its talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old aged feathers.

And after this the eagle takes its famous flight of rebirth and LIVES for 30 more years!”

This story is not biologically proven and seems scientifically impossible for the Eagle to live without food for 150 days. But it is nonetheless inspiring. It is the inspiration that I seek to draw from and share.

Why is Change needed?

In order to better our Nation and ourselves, we too have to start the change process. We need to jettison things that have not worked and embrace those that will work.

We need to free ourselves from habits that have held us hostage in the past so that we can embrace the promise of a better Nigeria that beckons ahead.

That process may be painful, it may be tedious, but if an Eagle does it to survive, why can’t we?

When I took office on 29th May 2015 on the basis of the mandate you generously gave me as your President, one of the challenges I had to deal with was Nigeria‘s food security risk.   

With so much arable land, we were entirely dependent on others to feed ourselves, especially for staples and greens.

We were spending about $5 million daily to import rice that could be produced in Lagos, Ogun, Abia, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa and many parts of Nigeria.

In the past, we had laudable initiatives like Operation Feed The Nation and Green Revolution aimed at securing our food supply and empowering our people.

Regrettably, by a combination of many factors, not least the vested interest of those who benefit from us importing food that we can produce, these initiatives did not achieve their laudable objectives.

Those interests were still there when I assumed office in May 2015. They fought back when I announced our commitment to produce what we eat and our refusal to provide foreign exchange to import those things.

I will not inundate you with the details of what they did, except to say that they nearly crippled us economically.

But today, I stand very proud to say that we took the flight of the Eagle in reaction to our food security.

Although they are still fighting, by importing to neighboring countries and dumping on us through smuggling; we are responding, and will do more to defeat them for the benefits of our people.

But I can tell you now that we have made progress.

Not only have we created millions of new rice and wheat farmers, who are not only self employed, they are now employers.

We intend to move this forward and retain the full benefits of what we have created, not only by expanding the number of farmers, but by developing the value-added chain of processing and ultimately building the base that leads us to full industrialization.

This is one of the reasons why I am offering myself to serve you for another term.

Manufacturing, which is a key driver of employment and wealth creation is largely dependent on agriculture, as it is on power supply and reliable transportation infrastructure about which I will speak shortly.

But before I leave the subject of manufacturing, let me say that our modest efforts are beginning to yield results as shown by the recent reports of the National Bureau of Statistics which shows increased growth in the manufacturing sector.

Let me say therefore, that as far as our institutions are concerned, it will require all of us, men and women of goodwill, right thinking and well-meaning Nigerians to get involved, participate, play our roles and do our level best in the way that the members of Island Club have done, in order to change what we do not like and create what we want.

On a related note let me quickly allude to the state of our national infrastructure.

A significant stock of our national infrastructure whether it is power, roads, bridges, schools, airports, rail, hospitals and many more require replacement, repairs, maintenance and expansion.

The challenges we face with infrastructure are not too dissimilar to what Island Club faced in the past and which they have now acted to remedy.

Most of the Roads, Bridges, Airports, Seaports, Power plants that we need to get on with our lives were largely built in the 1970s, and 1980s.

They were the best when we built them, but our population has grown faster than the rate of the growth of infrastructure.

I also recall that at one time, the Island Club had no hall of this size like the hall we now converge in.

The Annual Christmas and Ileya dances used to hold in the open and were dependent on the benevolence of nature, until one Chairman and management team decided to fly like the Eagle.

At the time they took the flight of change to bring down what remained of the old and inadequate structure, they did not have the resources to build this hall but they had a lot of belief and resolve.

And because of their commitment to change, we can now converge in this hall without the fear of the Rains.

Let me remind us that it took more than one term and one election cycle of the Chairman of the Island Club to build this hall, just as it will require more than one election cycle to build a nation and deliver change.

But I can report that the process of change for our infrastructure has commenced.

We have completed the Abuja-Kaduna Rail and the Abuja Business District to Airport intra-city rail and the New Port Harcourt International Airport Building which were not completed because we failed to pay the counterpart funding at the time we were earning about $100 per barrel of oil.

Our administration paid these monies when the price of oil dropped to about $50 per barrel, and simultaneously committed to the Construction of the Lagos- Abeokuta- Ibadan- Kano Rail which has started.

We have revived most of the road contracts that were abandoned and started new ones and I can say to you confidently that there is no state in Nigeria where our Government is not constructing at least one Road.

In Lagos for example, the Ikorodu-Sagamu and the Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta Roads are long abandoned roads we have revived and contractors are now back to work while I have inaugurated an Infrastructure Development Fund to ensure that the Lagos-Ibadan, Second Niger Bridge and Abuja-Kano roads are not affected or delayed by funding problems again. We have also awarded the Tin-Can Island, Mile 2, Oshodi – Oworonshoki Expressway which is contributing to the gridlock in the State and work should start in November this year.

With significantly less resources we are getting a lot more done.

As far as power supply is concerned, we all know that it had been largely privatized before the advent of my administration with only the transmission part left for Government to manage.

But even our harshest critics will admit that we have moved things forward from where we met them.

A significant number of Nigerians admit that the hours they run their generators, and the amount they spend on diesel and petrol to power their generators is reducing.

That is progress and we are not finished.

We know there is a lot of work to do but we are inspired by the progress in generation from 4,000MW to 7,000MW ; in transmission from 5,000MW to 7,000MW and in distribution from 2,690MW to 5,222MW.

Compared to the 4,000 MW of generation that we inherited after 16 years which did not start from zero in 1999, it means that we are averaging 1000 MW per annum of incremental power Generation every year since 2015 when we took office.

This is change for the better, compared to 4,000 MW after sixteen years  (which as I said did not start from zero in 1999), which is an average of 250 MW per annum.

Our policy of Eligible Customers to provide power to industrial customers working with the Manufactures Association of Nigeria is bearing encouraging results, with 5 industries already connected to reliable power and 14 more industries are being processed while many more new applications are coming in.

The policy of Meter Asset Providers to facilitate increased supply of meters excited 103 applicants, out of which 80 no objections have been issued.

As you all know, the only thing that stands between Policy, Impact and Results is time. We can only now wait to see how the solutions we have designed trickle down and bear fruit. But this is only one side of the Power story. The on-grid side.

On the Off-grid development side, another policy outcome of our Government will imminently bear fruits in 9 Federal Universities which are the pilot phase of supplying independent power to our children‘s places of learning.

Two markets, Ariaria in Abia State with 37,000 shops and Sabon Gari market in Kano with 13,000 shops are the pilots of 15 markets comprising 85,000 shops and 255,000 micro small and medium Enterprises that will get reliable and uninterrupted power.

Last week Friday, the Vice President was here in Lagos to inaugurate the Sura Independent Power Project , a product of our Mini Grid policy that has delivered uninterrupted power to 1,047 shop owners in Sura market. The feedback from the shop owners, that they have not used their generators for the last 70 days since the project was completed and that their businesses are growing , they are employing more people , confirm to me that we are on the right track.

It is because of these hardworking Nigerians who need the support of Government that I offer to serve again.

I could not conclude this address without a mention of our progress with regards to Security.

During my campaign for office in 2014, we were in a situation where insurgents had actually captured local governments and hoisted flags with a view to setting up their own parallel government.

We have retaken all of that from them.

But because crime is rewarding to its perpetrators, they do not give up easily.

They now attack soft targets and we will not stop our pursuit of them until they give up their nefarious acts and are brought to justice.

As we deal with new challenges and the dynamic nature of crime and indeed life as a whole, I understand that it is sometimes easy to forget what we overcame and have achieved when we face new challenges.

We overcame a situation where government activity like National day parades could not hold in the open.

They were held inside the villa in Abuja. That has changed since my assumption of office.

We rescued 107 children from Chibok incident and reunited them with their families, although 112 children still remain to be rescued, as very painful reminders that our work is not done.

We had a set back with the abduction of our children in Dapchi, but our response was quicker than Chibok, as we recovered all the children except unfortunately Leah Sharibu, the young girl for whom I will not rest until we bring her home, to the care and love of her anxious and traumatised parents.

I wish there is a crime free world; but sadly this world exists only in the ideal and it is my responsibility in this part of the world to lead the search for that ideal world.

Like the history of the Island Club to which I have referred, where the road to overcoming her challenges took more than one term of the chairman, it is obvious that we cannot solve all the problems we are faced within one term of my Presidency or one term of any President.

Change is not an event, it is a process and requires time.

This is another reason why I am offering myself to serve again. I believe that these problems can be solved and our choices are moving us in the right direction, which is forward.

Mr. Chairman, members of the management committee, Eminent body of members, invited Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, like the Island Club, I believe Nigeria must move forward, consolidate on progress and seek to achieve more. We cannot afford to go back.

This is what I offer and promise, that we work together to build the Nigeria that we desire, and I invite all of you to join me, because it is possible, as we consign our difficulties to history and embrace a future of prosperity.

Let us consolidate and move forward together, because going back cannot be a choice.

Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Oct

26

2018

Speech Delivered By H.E, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN At The South West Town Hall Meeting

We must first commend the Hon. Minister of Information and Culture for inaugurating this series of town hall meetings that have been held across Nigeria over the past 3 years.

This in itself is something that has changed in how the FGN communicates with citizens and is quite different from the previous attempts that were targeted to react to crisis or to catch votes at the 11th hour.

I will start my presentation by giving you an overview of what the government of Nigeria is getting done through my ministry (Power, Works and Housing) across the country and then I will come to the specifics as it affects the South West zone.

Of course, I cannot pretend that politics is not in the air, and that elections are a few weeks away. This means that all Nigerians including those of us in the Southwest have to make a choice about who to choose and which party to vote for.

I am mindful of the fact that this is the first time where we have had two major parties manage our affairs.

One for 16 years and another for 3 and a half years thus far.

I am aware that we still want more service from Government, and therefore decision-making will require deep reflection.

Do we go back to those who have served you for 16 years since 1999; or do we move forward with this government that has had only three years and five months to serve us?

So the next election might well be a choice between going back and moving forward.

Let me start by saying that my ministry is responsible for delivering some of Nigeria’s critical infrastructure for transport, electricity and housing.

In 2015 when you elected this government, the budget for these three ministries, left behind by the previous government, was N19 billion for works, N5 Billion for power, and N1.2 Billion for housing making a total of N25.2 Billion.

In the year 2017, the budget for works was N394 Billion; Power was N69.96 Billion and Housing was N64.9 Billion (Total N529 Billion).

In a country where the population is growing faster than the infrastructure, the difference between these budgets must tell you that this government is more serious about providing infrastructure to support you.

So, if you need more roads, more bridges, more power, more housing and the Job opportunities and prosperity that their delivery will bring, your choice in the next election should be easier.

Don’t go back to a budget of N25.2 Billion for Infrastructure , move forward with a budget for Infrastructure which has grown to N543 Billion in 2018.

Another feature of the difference between these two budget sizes is that the last government was spending less on infrastructure for almost one decade when oil prices stayed at $100 per barrel during that decade.

This government is spending more on infrastructure when oil prices largely hovered between $40-$60.

So, in making your choice, please consider who is the better manager. The one who did less with more or the one who did more with less.

Again I urge you to reflect. Do you want to go back to doing less with more, or move forward with doing more with less.

And before I leave this point, let me just inform you that over the last 10 years, from the proceeds of oil, Saudi Arabia spent $420 billion on infrastructure.

But it is not about spending money alone, it is about what we did with it; and what was left behind for us.

What was left behind were massive debts owed to contractors who had not been paid for 3 to 5 years and who had laid off thousands of workers and shut down equipment and plants.

That was one of the reasons why the economy first went into recession, and, I suspect, one of the reasons they quickly conceded defeat.

They also left behind debts owed to state governments who were forced to intervene on federal infrastructure especially roads and bridges. That figure stands at about N450 Billion.

What we spent the money on, was to pay contractors and today I can tell you that there is no state in Nigeria where we are not building at least one Federal Road.      

We are constructing houses in 34 states in a pilot scheme to determine affordability and acceptability; and we have 90 transmission projects aimed at improving connectivity between the GenCos and the DisCos who serve you.

Those 90 projects are largely resuscitated because this government has recovered 690 containers of power equipment out of over 800 containers left at the Port for almost a decade because they did not pay contractors, who then could not pay the shippers and warehouse companies.

The Buhari government has paid, the projects are making progress. (Adamawa) (Odogunyan) (Ejigbo) (Apo) (Damaturu) are some of those completed Transmission Sub-stations.

Those of you from Ondo and environs will agree that although the work is not finished, your travel time on the Benin-Ore-Sagamu road has reduced.

Our contractor is on site and has to work while you use the road.

The same is true of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway that connects 3 states of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo; and links to Ondo and beyond.

Those of you who use the road will acknowledge that you no longer have to spend the night on the road.

You can go to Ibadan from Lagos and be sure that you can return on the same day.

Yet we have not finished. Please as you prepare to choose next year, remember those long hours on Benin-Ore, Lagos-Ibadan that sometimes stretched into the Night. Do you want to go back ?

Ask yourself if progress on these roads in 3 years is better than what you have seen over 16 years.

It will help you decide who to choose to ensure that the road is finished, and you can move forward.

Also remember those who presided over the cuts in the budget of these roads in the 2017 budget.

As they plan to frustrate and slow down the Buhari government, the president innovates and finds solutions.

There is now a Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund to ensure that the Second Niger bridge, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road, Lagos-Ibadan expressway and some other projects are not deprived of funding again.

Major roads in the Southwest like the Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta Road, the Ikorodu-Sagamu road, which had been deserted and left to decay, now have contractors at work. Do you want to go back to that ?

The Apapa- TinCan - Mile 2 -Oshodi- Oworonshoki road has been awarded and work should start sometime in November this year as the construction equipment are being readied.

This will give a final solution for the gridlock that was inherited from the last government.

These are some of the examples of what has changed and is changing for the better.

Those who ran it aground for 16 years now say we are not quick enough.

The question you right thinking and well-meaning citizens should ask is which Nation has been rebuilt in 4 years?

It is going to take more than one election cycle to consolidate on the progress I have shared with you; and if you do not choose wisely you can reverse it.

A choice to go back is a choice to reverse this progress and a choice to move forward is a sensible choice to consolidate and progress.

Those same people who caused the problem cannot now be trusted to fix it.

You will hear from them that the country has problems as they try to weaponise our challenges to deceive Nigerians.

The infrastructure decayed under their watch; insurgency and bombings started under their watch; the grand corruption under their watch makes it impossible to identify one item of critical infrastructure that Nigeria can point to in a decade during which oil price averaged over $100 per barrel. (1976; 1980s)

On the housing side, as I said we are in every state including all the states of the South West except Lagos. Each site employs not less than 1,000 people made up of builders, artisans, fabricators, and vendors and we plan to do much more.

Through this infrastructure commitment, the President and the government is driving the economy vehicle in the right direction.

The last quarter report of the National Bureau of Statistics for Q2 of 2018 shows the following rate of growth in sectors affected by my ministry:

Transportation – (Road, rail, water and air)  – 21.76%

Construction – 7.66%

Electricity- 7.59%

But it is not just travel time reduction, and economic growth that is impacted, the number of road traffic accidents, injuries and loss of lives are reducing month by month as FRSC figures from June and July 2018 show. While the biggest cause of accidents remains speed violations.

Let me close with some specific comments on power in the South West :- Magboro, Mowe, Ibafo, Ondo (North and South) are communities who were never connected to power supply before.

That story has changed. They are now connected and experiencing power supply. That is change.

This is because we increased generation from 4,000 to 7,000 MW; averaging 1,000 MW per annum; Transmission from 5,000 to 7,000MW averaging 660MW per annum, and distribution from 2,690 MW in May 2015 to 5,222MW in January 2018, averaging 844 MW per annum.

We have not finished and we have not reached everybody yet; but many of you can tell the difference now and attest to the fact that things have changed for the better.

Ask yourself if you use your generator longer today than in 2015 or if you spend less money on diesel today than in 2015, or if you are getting power supply longer today than in 2015.

Please choose next year according to that answer.

Also ask yourself who has done better: 4,000 MW over 16 years at an average 250 MW per annum? Or 3000 MW over 3 years at an average of 1000 MW per annum?

I have addressed the choice before you between going back and moving forward.

Let me end my contribution on another issue that is critical to the decision you have to make about your future.

That issue is TRUST.

Who will you trust to better manage your affairs . The one who did less with more; or the one that is doing more with less.

Without a doubt, we have done more with less time and with less money. That is change and we remain committed to doing more.  

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing

Oct

25

2018

Minister Proffers A“Change Of Attitude” To Tackle Wastes In Nigeria

The Minister of State I, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri has proffered a ‘change of attitude’ as a prerequisite for managing for municipal solid waste in the country.

This was contained in a Keynote Address delivered at the flag off ceremony to commemorate this year’s Urban October, a vehicle established by the United Nations to mark the World Habitat Day (WHD) and World Cities Day (WCD), held in at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.

Hon. Baba Shehuri disclosed that tackling municipal solid waste was a common challenge to urban dwellers, governments and communities andhas continued to create a great toll on public funds, as well as health due to the huge complexities surrounding the processes of generation, collection and disposal.

He decried the effects of solid waste had on the health of citizens, climate and the environment as a whole, indicating the need to clearly separate different aspects of waste management and for citizens to adopt attitudinal change towards tackling them.

The Minister further disclosed that municipal solid waste management is embedded within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has strong linkages impacting on various areas of the SDGs, such as living conditions, sanitation and public health.

Speaking earlier, the Honourable Minister of State II, Surv. Suleiman Hassan Zarma opined that peoples’ lifestyles and consumption patterns could greatly reduce waste. He left stakeholders with a “food for thought” when he quote dthe British Economist, Sir Josiah Stamp, “It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging those responsibilities”.

He then urged urban dwellers to adopt more environmental friendly habits of taking active roles in environmental education for all, reverse the use of polythene, plastics to natural life and avoid exposing the environment to disasters.

The UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, represented by Mr. Jean Bakole, UN Resident Coordinator recommended the 3Rs - Reducing, Re-using and Recycling waste as alternative measures to tackle solid wastes.

Mr. Bakole reported that the UN-Habitat was carrying out its role to support cities to turn them into Waste-Wise Cities, ensuring wastes are properly disposed and managed. According to him, Plans are under way to recognize cities that are leading in waste management.

He said that effective waste management starts with individuals through taking corrective actions; and with this, “we could achieve a world that is cleaner, greener safer, healthier and happier for us to live, work and play in”.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Housing and Urban Development, Senator Barnabas Gemade expressed delight to be part of the commemoration, stating thatas municipal solid wastes management poses a critical issue for Nigeria, he would urge the Parliament and other policy makers to have adequate representation at all levels of government to ensure that all municipal solid wastes management-related policies were properly covered and adapted.

The Minister of State I, Hon. Baba Shehuri presented gifts and awards to the outstanding school’s performance and participation in the World Habitat Day tothe following schools: Fine Trust Comprehensive College, Jikwoyi Phase 3, Anglican Comprehensive Secondary School, Kubwa and Fouad Lababidi Islamic Academy, Wuse, Abuja.

World Habitat Day (WHD) is usually marked every first Monday of October, while World Cities Day (WCD) is deliberated every October 31st worldwide. Their objectives are to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic human right of all to adequate shelter.

It also reminds us we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns. This year’s WHD has as its Theme: Municipal Solid Waste Management and Building Sustainable and Resilient Cities for WCD.