FG Committed To Development Of Quality Education Through Quality Infrastructure - Fashola

..... 1.06 km internal roads with reinforced concrete culverts and drains handed to AKTH

.... CMD lauds Buhari for the intervention
 
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, has said that the Federal Government will remain committed to the development of Education in the county through the provision of quality infrastructure.

The Minister spoke in Kano while handing over 1.06 km internal road, including construction of reinforced concrete culverts and drains at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano (AKTH), Tuesday, March 22, 2022.

Fashola was represented by the Federal Controller of Works in Kano State Engr. Yahaya Baba Ali.

He said " it is undebatable that the quality of education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment and those who doubt it should simply listen to some of the feedback from students in the schools where this type of intervention has taken place".

The Minister stated further that President Buhari's administration has successfully intervened in the internal Road networks of 46 Tertiary Federal institutions and handed over 29 as at 2021.

Accordingly, he said that another 17 tertiary institutions Internal roads are now ready to be handed over, while work is ongoing on 30 roads in similar institutions across the country making a total of 76.

Earlier, in his welcome address the Chief Medical Director AKTH Prof. Abdulrahaman Abba Sheshe expressed happiness an important project of this magnitude has been executed in the teaching hospital, pointing out that it will allow easy access for patients seeking medical treatment in different parts of the hospital.

" We are indeed very happy that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari through the Federal Ministry of Works realized the importance of this project which was carried out through special Intervention, the result is what we are seeing all around the hospital today" he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman Board of Directors, AKTH, represented by Dr. Dahiru M.D Shehu said he is hopeful that the present administration will continue to bring in more projects to the hospital.

" I thank Pesident Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola for the road which will help in the development of the Health Sector in the country" he said.

He also commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for the support given to the hospital in terms of improvement of the health care system in the country.

In an interview, the Principal Iman Academy AKTH Mallam Zakariya'u Muhammad thanked President Buhari and the Minister of Works and Housing for the internal road.

He said " this has brought relief to the people. Before the intervention visitors to this hospital suffer from dust due to the bad road and during raining season patients and pupils finds it difficult to access the road".

The ward head in the Hospital, Alhaji Sulaiman Shehu, expressed his happiness for the intervention and thanked the government for removing the pains of the people while using the road, saying that they can now move freely on the road.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s Acceptance Speech Of The 2021 Trophee Babacar Ndiaye

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is an auspicious African day, in the capital city of Africa’s most populous nation.

It is an African day of Pride, where the story of Africa’s long-awaited Renaissance begins to unfold inside her largest country by population and GDP.

It is a day of Pride for the African Union and Her Dreams for the continent.  The policies and programmes that have been inaugurated over the years are beginning to bear fruits and results.

The Trans African Highway programme, launched in 1971 sought to connect the whole of African through a major system of Nine (9) highways, the TAH1 to the TAH9 covering an aggregate distance of 56,683km.

The African Development Bank, a financial institution set up to support the African Countries in their developmental objectives.

The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement set up to create a unified, borderless market of over one billion people to facilitate intra-African Trade.

I am delighted to report that Nigeria is playing her membership and leadership role in all of these institutions and in the pursuit of achieving their objectives.

Only a few days ago in the city of Lagos, our private sector opened a 3,000 metric tonne granular Fertilizer Company to support Farmers and Agriculturalists on the African continent and beyond.

Our collaboration with the African Development Bank has been productive and results are now manifest in projects like the Mfum-Bamenda Bridge that connects Nigeria and the Republic of Cameroon.   I also acknowledge the support of the Bank in financing Feasibilities, Consultancies and Pre-construction work on the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor comprising Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire which is part of Trans African Highway No. 7 from Dakar in Senegal to Lagos in Nigeria.

I am happy to report that the Nigerian sections of this highway is now under construction on the Lagos-Badagry corridor through our local financing institution such as the Tax Credit Scheme introduced by Executive Order No. 7; and in collaboration with the Lagos State Government.

I am able to report that apart from Trans African Highway No. 7, Nigeria is also connected by Trans African Highways No. 2, Algiers to Lagos and Trans African Highway No. 8, Lagos – Mombasa.

The East to West crossing of Nigeria across the Second River Niger Bridge which will be finished this year is a major investment by Nigeria on the Lagos-Mombasa Trans African Highway, as is the Enugu – Abakaliki to Mfum Highway.

The 375Km Abuja to Kano that is now under construction is Nigeria’s major part of the Trans African Highway No. 2; Algiers to Lagos.

Apart from these Trans African connections, we are rebuilding, expanding or replacing strategic Highways and Bridges across our country.

The Apapa-Oworonshoki Highway in Lagos is strategic for trade and business facilitation to support our busiest and largest Sea Port in Apapa and Tin Can Island.

The Suleja-Minna Highway is critical to our petroleum distribution network and access to strategic petroleum products Depot in Niger State; and it is receiving attention, while the Calabar-Itu-Odukpani unlocks access to agricultural produce and supports mining and extractive activities for construction, in the South South and South East of Nigeria.

Ladies and Gentlemen, these are only examples of over 13,000Km of Road and Bridge construction, expansion and rehabilitation nationwide.

They have been a major boost for the growth of our economy, keeping people at work; driving a supply value chain, stimulating productivity at Quarries, Cement Factories, Steel Factories, and the Petroleum sectors for lubricants, fuel and bitumen.

Our most recent GDP results of 3.40%, the biggest in the last 7 years clearly show that the construction sub-sectors and related sub-sectors of the economy were among the big performers of the growth surge.

Very evidently, infrastructure investment is good for the economy.

By building Roads, we are building Economies.

The founding vision of African Leaders is coming to fruition, Evidence of the African Renaissance is being showed today in Nigeria.

The Trophee Babacar Ndiaye 2022 at the 7th Edition of Africa Road Builders symbolizes this Renaissance.

On behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I accept the Africa Road Builders Award for the Hope, Prosperity and Progress that it symbolizes.

State House
Abuja