Fashola Hands Over Road To Federal Polytechnic Offa The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has handed over to the authorities of the Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State  a 2.23 kilometres road in the institution which was rehabilitated by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on behalf of the Federal Government. The Minister who was represented by the Federal Controller of Works Kwara State, Engineer Wasiu Kunle Atitebi affirmed the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration to bridge the gap in the infrastructural needs of the nation through the repairs, renewal and construction of roads on the highways and schools. Fashola observed that good roads would undoubtedly improve the condition of learning in schools which would translate into greater quality education. The Minister disclosed that there were forty three of internal road intervention projects in tertiary institutions across the country out of which eighteen had been completed. Earlier, the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Offa, Dr. Lateef Ademola commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to the advancement of Nigeria by ensuring that internal roads in higher Institutions of learning were rehabilitated and provision of assistance to Institutions oflearning through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND)and other relevant bodies. He also appreciated the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Rji Fashola, SAN for his positive disposition towards the completion of the project. He said the road had subjected the staff and students of the Institution to excruciating pain in the past due to its deplorable condition. The Rector promised to ensure that the road was properly maintained by the Works department of the Polytechnic. In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Intitution, Chief Oseloka Zikora said the road was vital to the Polytechnic in many ways, adding that its rehabilitation had saved the Staff and students of the Institution from some health hazards suffered in the past due to the profuse inhaling of dust before it was rehabilitated. The Students Union Leader of the Polytechnic, Abiola Azeez Babatunde expressed gratitude to the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing for removing the suffering of the students who according to him passed through a lot of stress in the past while passing through the road. ...

FG Shuts Alaka Bridge Linking Eko Bridge In Lagos For Emergency Repairs The Federal Government on Tuesday night shut the Alaka Bridge linking Eko Bridge in Lagos for repairs to prevent  its total collapse, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. NAN reports that officials from both Lagos State Ministry and Federal Ministry of Works and their Transportation counterparts converged on the bridge at about 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday for the emergency closure. The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, told NAN in a telephone interview, that the emergency closure was to prevent total collapse of the bridge. “We are all here closing the Alaka to Costain portion of the Eko Bridge because some bearings are bad. “We just discovered that the bearings are broken and we are here to shut it down for the safety of motorists. “We are shutting it down now so that we can carry out full investigations on the extent of damage to the bearings to begin the repairs,’’ Kuti said. He explained that only Alaka flyover portion from Alaka to Costain section of the Eko Bridge was bad but from Costain Bus stop area beside the National Theatre is in good condition. The Controller said that the traffic regulatory agencies were on ground to ensure that impact of gridlock as a result of the closure was minimized when commuters use the road on Wednesday morning. He advised motorists going to Lagos Island to connect the Eko Bridge through the service lane at Alaka through Iponrin to Costain Bus Stop area to connect the bridge. He also advised use of the National Theatre, as alternative route to connect the Eko Bridge on the other side. (NAN)   ...

UNIMAID Students Appreciate Buhari, Fashola for Internal Roads Students of the University of Maiduguri (Unimaid) have expressed appreciation to   Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN  and President Muhammadu Buhari over the rehabilitation of some internal roads in the University. The appreciation was made during the formal handing over of 1.653 km roads rehabilatated by the Federal  Ministry of Works and Housing under its intervention initiative. The project also included asphalt overlay of 0.303 km road in the University. University of Maiduguri is among the 18 Federal Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria that  benefited from the first phase of  the  internal roads intervention project of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, spearheaded by Fashola. Speaking on behalf of the Students, the President of the Students Union Government, Comrade Abdulrahman Zanna said that the intervention  brought the much needed impact on  the education sector and would greatly enhance  learning  and boost the morals of the students in the pursuit of knowledge. Zanna explained that Unimaid has been witnessing increasing number of students from the entire north east region coming for studies and requested for more of such intervention for the University. He explained that the effort of President Buhari in the provision and improvement of infrastructure in the nation's tertiary institutions was  a clear demonstration of his commitment to close the infrastructural deficit in the country. Earlier in his address, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Professor Aliyu Shugaba said that the road was the busiest road on the campus day and night because it connected the students' hostels and the commercial center on the campus. He said, "Motorists have now found succor plying the road. Prior to the rehabilitation, the experience on the road was bad." The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN was represented at the handover ceremony by the Borno State Federal Controller of Works, Engr. Yahaya Ali. Fashola said, "The gap of our infrastructure needs is steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs, renewal and construction on major highways and it has reached the schools." He also explained that the quality of education would no doubt be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment, pointing out that the feedback from students in the institutions that benefited from such intervention attested to that. "The intervention by Federal Government will improve the ambience and environment of Federal Tertiary Institutions to enhance academic activities," he said. The Vice Chancellor assured the Minister that the road would be taken care of, adding that, "There is greater need for more road to serve the University because of it's expansive land." Among the dignitaries present at the handing over ceremony were the Pro- Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of the University, Professor Biodun Adesanya and other management staff of the Institution. Professor Adesanya, in a good will message, commended the Federal Government and the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN for coming to the aid of the tertiary institutions in Nigeria, describing it as a good initiative that would greatly grow the education sector.   ...