National
FG`ll completed inherited projects in spite of fund challenges—Umahi
Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi said on Thursday in Abakaliki that President Bola Tinubu administration would complete inherited projects across the country in spite of funding challenges.
Umahi said while declaring open the 29th meeting of National Council on Works said the administration was determined to solve the perennial road infrastructure challenge in the country.
The minister said that the administration inherited federal roads in poor conditions which made it difficult for people to freely move.
“We have segmented the roads state by state, zone by zone, paying more attention to roads on economic routes and those that are 80 per cent completed,” he said.
Umahi said that in spite of the achievements made by the present administration on the road sector, there were still factors militating against realising the set targets on federal roads.
“The high cost of projects is a huge factor and this makes people query the cost of constructing state and federal roads.
“Most of the state roads have 7.3 carriage way with 1.5 shoulder on surface dressing.
“I wish to announce that we have abolished surface dressing as a policy in the ministry because it is a serious cause of failures on our roads,” he said.
He further said that within one or two months of completing such roads, water will start permeating through the surface dressing.
“Asphalt is not good with water and once it gets to the road’s sub base, the asphalt weakens it and the carriage pavement will fail.
“We have also abolished Variation Of Prices (VOP) and seek the enactment of a law to reserve a percentage of a contact’s sum for the project’s maintenance,” he said.
Gov. Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi thanked the council for convening the meeting in the state, assuring it of the best hospitality by the government and its people.
“This event seeks to address the defects of basic infrastructure in Nigeria and bottlenecks that characterise awards and timely execution of contracts.
“I thank my father and mentor, Umahi for reminding us that works is a national emergency which needs equal attention by government and broad spectrum of the society.
“The minister as a civil and structural engineer is walking on a familiar terrain which enabled him give Ebonyi the best road network in both urban and rural areas,” he said.
He said that leveraging this foundation, his administration had completed over 700kilometre of roads with more on the verge of completion.
Mr Stanley Mbam, the state Commissioner for Works said that improved road infrastructure was cardinal in the people’s charter of needs mantra of the administration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the meeting is: “unlocking infrastructural potentials and opportunities as catalyst for sustainable development under the renewed hope agenda”. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the federal government plans to commence implementing the drill-or-drop provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Section 94 of the PIA gives operators a period of three years to begin oil production or relinquish the assets to the federal government.
Speaking during the Cross Industry Group (CIG) meeting held on Tuesday in Florence, Italy, Lokpobiri said it is in the best interest of the country that all inactive wells go to work.
He said the federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has provided every necessary incentive to ensure international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria run smoothly and profitably.
“Now, it is imperative for these industry players to match the government’s efforts with increased investment by announcing final investment decisions (FIDs),” he said.
Furthermore, Lokpobiri discussed “the challenges, expectations, and measures to enhance the sector’s contributions towards domestic energy needs and regional expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa”.
He emphasised that while IOCs have highlighted engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors as a challenge, “EPCs will not come unless they see strong commitments from industry players”.
“The government has done its part to provide the requisite and investment-friendly fiscals, the ball is now in the court of the IOCs and other operators to make strategic investment decisions that will drive increased production and sustainability in the sector,” he said.
“We must also recognise that domestic crude supply is essential to national energy security. The best solution to this challenge lies in increasing production, which will ensure a balance between domestic supply obligations and external commitments.”
The minister further urged industry players to explore collaborative measures, such as shared resources for contiguous assets and the release of underutilised assets to operators ready to invest in production.
The minority caucus in the house of representatives has condemned the killing of 16 Kano-bound hunters in Edo state.
On Thursday, a mob in the Uromi area of Edo killed 16 hunters of northern descent who were travelling from Elele, Rivers state.
The travellers were attacked and lynched after some vigilance group members raised the alarm on suspicion that they were kidnappers.
The Edo state government said 14 suspects arrested in connection with the killing would be transferred to Abuja for further interrogation.
During a visit to some of the families of the victims at Bankure LGA in Kano, Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, assured that justice would be served.
In a statement issued on Monday, the minority caucus described the killing of the hunters as “barbaric”.
“We find such brutal killings of innocent Nigerians in any part of the country by lawless mobs very reprehensible, and if allowed to fester without being put in check by responsible organs of the federal government, such actions could threaten the peace and unity of the country,” the statement reads.
The lawmakers asked Nigerians never to resort to jungle attacks on fellow citizens but to always report any concerns to security agencies.
“We are a nation under the rule of laws, and our law enforcement agencies are always available to partner with every Nigerian to assuage their concerns,” the caucus said.
While noting that the incident is “already setting emotions on edge” in parts of the country, the legislators urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the security agencies investigate this matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Also, adequate compensation should be paid to the affected families,” the caucus said.
The lawmakers implored Nigerians to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding and allow the federal and state governments to investigate the matter and ensure justice is served.
The statement was signed by Kingsley Chinda, minority leader; Ali Isa, minority whip; and Aliyu Madaki, deputy minority leader.
Seriake Dickson, senator representing Bayelsa west, has condemned the murder of 16 Kano-bound travellers in Edo state.
Describing the incident as “deeply painful”, the former Bayelsa governor warned that those who engage in ethnic profiling are risking a Rwanda-like tragedy in Nigeria.
The travellers were attacked and lynched after members of a vigilance group in Uromi suspected that they were kidnappers.
“There should be no collective criminalization or demonization of any group of Nigerians, ethnic profiling or reprisal attacks,” Dickson wrote on Facebook.
“That was why, when I was governor, even at the height of herdsmen crisis, we insisted on law and order, and made sure that Bayelsa State was safe and free for everyone subject to the laws of the state.
“Those who profile Nigerians according to ethnic group, and criminalize and insult whole tribes are inviting the Rwandan experience which I always preach against. We must isolate and punish criminals wherever they are found and whoever they are.
“In Nigeria, everyone has a right to freedom of movement and should be protected. Everyone has the right to go about their business and feel safe while doing so.
“I call on all leaders to de-escalate tensions and work for unity and mutual coexistence of all Nigerians founded on justice and respect for the rights of all citizens as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution and laws.”
Commending the “proactive steps taken” by Monday Okpebholo, Edo governor, Dickson called on the state government and security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the killings and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
He also demanded compensation for families of the victims.