Fashola Urges Nigerians To Be Patient The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has called on Nigerians to be patient and show understanding on the condition of the roads as a lot is being done to ease the pain Nigerians go through while plying them. The Minister made this call when he granted audience to the executive and trustee members of the Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association [PTONA], in his office. Fashola said, “The entire transportation network of road, sea and air is important to the governmentand the President. We have been having meetings with various stakeholders in the transport sector to make life easier for the people.” He further said, “We met with our contractors and work is ongoing in many roads.There is a distance between approval and construction of roads, by the time all these work is completed all we are saying will be a thing of the past, please be patient.” The Minister expressed his readiness to work closely with all stakeholders. He said “We are stakeholders, we need to work together, if it works for you, itworks for us”. Earlier, the leader of the delegation Engr. Isaac Uhunmwaghu disclosed that all major transport owners belong to the association which he said was formed to work closely with government to make life easier for road users. Engr. Uhunmwaghu praised the Minister saying, “We in PTONA thoroughly appreciate you for what we know about you in the past 12 years. We are however sad that despite all your efforts and best intentions, the perception by Nigerians about travelling on the road is extremely negative presently.” He attributed this negative perception to insecurity and bad roads. He expressed the support of his association for the recent demand by the Hon. Minister for additional funding of N255.6 bn for roads. The group also expressed their support for the re-introduction of tolls on all highways in the country. The association suggested that vehicle sensor embedded to it should be used. Uhunmwaghu said toll gates will not only generate virtually all the funds for roads constructionand maintenance but have punitive charges for excessive load carrying vehicles responsible mostly for the quick destruction of our roads. He urged the Minister to give special attention to the following roads: Lagos- Abuja, Lagos –Port-Harcourt, Port-Harcourt to Abuja and Abuja to Kano road. He also urged the Ministryto give priority to major arterial roads. ...

FG Undertaking 524 Highway, Bridge Projects Nationwide – Fashola * Every State including FCT has at least 3 ongoing Highway, Bridge projects being executed by FG * 80 Projects prioritized, to enhance ease of doing business * Projects include 27 Sovereign SUKUK Funded, 47 scheduled for substantial completion in 2020/2021, 4 major bridges and 2 roads leading to the ports * Also 43 Federal Tertiary institutions benefiting from rehabilitation of internal roads, 10 already completed The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has updated the Federal Executive Council on the ongoing road and bridge construction/rehabilitation projects nationwide, highlighting 80 of them as priority projects scheduled for completion in the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Fashola, who gave the updates in a presentation he made before the Council, said a total of 524 road and bridge projects were currently going on across the country adding that every State in the Federation including the FCT has at least three such ongoing projects. He listed those on priority to include 27 financed with Sovereign SUKUK Fund, 47 scheduled for substantial completion in 2020/2021 and other priority projects, two roads leading to the ports and four major bridges. Giving reasons for the prioritization of the 80 projects, the Minister who explained that it would improve the ease of doing business in the country, declared, “The projects on completion will bring about reduced travel time, lower vehicle operating costs and improve the comfort of road users as well as improve the ease of doing business in the country and ultimately boost the Nigerian Economy”. He noted that Federal roads and bridges (categorized from A1 to A9) are major arterial routes that connect all states in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, adding that the routes and bridges linked cities with high economic activities and carried majority of Heavy Goods Vehicles which gradually dispersed through the link routes to different parts of the country. The Minister listed the roads to include Lagos-Ibadan-Ilorin-Jebba-Kotangora-Jega-Sokoto-Niger Border as A1; Warri-Benin-Lokoja-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano-Daura-Niger Border as A2; Port Harcourt-Aba-Umuahia-Okigwe-Oturkpo-Makurdi-Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Maiduguri-Gamboru as A3 and Calabar-Ikom-Ogoja-Katsina Ala-Jalingo-Yola-Bama-Maiduguri as A4. Also listed are Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta-Ibadan as A5; Onitsha-Ihiala-Owerri—A.3 Junction at Umu Uyo as A6; Chikanda, Kosubosu-Kaiama-Kishi-Ilorin as A7; Mayo Belwa-Ganye-Serti-Mayo Selbe-Gembu as A8 and Jibiya-Katsina-Kano as A9. Prioritized road projects being funded through the Sovereign SUKUK Fund, Fashola said, include Abuja-Abaji Road(Section 1,International Airport Link Road Junction-Sheda Village Junction),  Abuja-Lokoja Road Section IV (Koton Karfi-Lokoja), Dualisation of Obajana Junction-Benin Phase 2: Section 1 (Obajana Junction to Okene) , Construction of Oju/Loko-Oweto Bridge to Link Loko and Oweto  with approach roads, Reconstruction of Bida-Lambata Road in Niger State and Dualization of Suleja-Minna Road Phase 11 in Niger State. They also include Kano-Maiduguri Road (Section ii, iii and iv), rehabilitation of outstanding section of Onitsha-Enugu Expressway: Amansea- Enugu State Border, Dualization Of Obajana Junction-Benin Phase 2: (Section ii, iii and iv), Rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt Road Section iv: Aba-Port Harcourt, and Dualization Of Yenegwe Road Junction-Kolo-Otuoke-Bayelsa Palm (20km). Others include Dualization of Ibadan-Ilorin (Section ii) in Oyo State, reconstruction of the outstanding Sections of Beni-Ofosu-Ore-Ajebandele-Shagamu Expressway Phase iii, pavement strengthening and asphalt overlay of Ajebandele- Ijebu Ode-Shagamu Road in Ogun State. Some of the projects scheduled for substantial completion in 2020/2021 and other priority projects, according to the Minister, include rehabilitation of Alesi-Ugep (Iyamoyung-Ugep) Section in Cross River State, construction of Yenegwe-Okaki-Kolo-Nembe-Brass Road and completion of rehabilitation of Ada-Okere-Ukoni-Amedokhiom Old Road, Uromi, Edo State. Also included are the rehabilitation of Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Road in (Section i) and Odukpani-Itu Bridge Head in Cross River State, construction of Bodo-Bonny Road with a bridge across the Opobo Channel, in Rivers State, rehabilitation of Odukpani Junction-Akpet Central Section of Calabar-Ikom-Ogoja Road in Cross River State, rehabilitation of Oshogbo-Ilesha Road in Osun State, Dualization of Abeokuta-Ibadan Road, and reconstruction of Apapa-Wharf Road in Lagos State, among others. The four bridges under the priority projects are construction of Ibi Bridge, completion of construction of Chanchangi Bridge along Takum-Wukari Road in Taraba State, construction of Ikom Bridge  in Cross River State and emergency rehabilitation/maintenance of Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, while the two roads leading to ports are the construction of Agaie-Katcha-Barro Road in Niger State and construction of Baro Port to Gulu Town in Niger State. The brief also provided a detailed  record of ongoing road and bridge projects in the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory. Some of the tertiary institutions where the Ministry is currently intervening on roads, according to the report, include the University of Benin where work is ongoing on the rehabilitation and Asphalt Overlay/Construction of Reinforced Concrete Drains and Kerbs and Asphatic Surfacing of three Car parks of 1.1KM Internal Road. Similar work include the ongoing Rehabilitation and Asphalting at Bayero University, Kano State, Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, University of Maiduguri, in Borno State, Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State, Federal College of Education, Katsina, Katsina State, Federal University of Technology, Owerri and the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo  State. Others include Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State, Internal Road at Federal University Gashua, Yobe State and rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of 2.3 km Internal Road at Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, among others. The Minister, however, told Council that in order to accomplish the objective of completing the prioritized projects in scheduled time, an additional N255.6 billion would be needed to close the funding gap for the projects pointing out that the amount was the difference between the appropriation for the project in the 2020 Budget, which stands N157.05 billion and the actual estimate for the completion of the projects which stands at N412.64 billion. ...

Fashola Underscores Importance of Accurate Data for Developmental Issues Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Raji Fashola has said that, accurate data survey, collection and analysis would go along way in addressing developmental issues in the country He made this remark while playing host to the Managing Director/Editor in Chief of the Folio Communications Ltd, the Publishers of Daily Times Newspaper and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office The Minister stated that "we need research, knowledge and data analyst to report factual information for developmental issues in the country" While noting that many developmental issues and planning were not based on the right data, Fashola encouraged the media houses to invest in strong data collection and employ data analysts in order to have a more credible and informed news materials Accordingly, the Minister implored the media to fund investigative journalism and to always confirm the authenticity of their reports, so that they could properly advise government on policies and to change the negative mindset of the people On the need for the media to have a strong and credible data base, Fashola listed online polls, university campuses and international sites as parts of the areas where reporters can gather their data. Reacting on the vision of the new management envisaging Daily Times for tomorrow's audience, Fashola advised the management to give consideration to sports, entertainment, colleges with heavy activities and invest more on columnist and IT so that the newspaper can be relevant in finding new audience in young people. Responding to a question on the issue of building collapse in the country, Fashola listed; error of design; construction mistake or abuse; malpractice, improper soil test and abuse of law and order, as majorly factors responsible. He enjoined the professional bodies in the sector to live up to expectation by sanctioning erring  builders In his remarks, Minister of State Works and Housing Engr Abubakar Aliyu, blamed the activities of quacks in the built industry as responsible for building collapses. He pointed out that the purpose of any building, residential or commercial must always be stated at the on set before getting approval He explained that building for schools, disco hall and residential houses  are completely different  in design and structures, and whatever goes wrong should be the responsibility of the structural engineers who must ensure the building stands Earlier in his remarks, Aliu Akoshile, the Managing Director/Editor- in Chief, Daily Times, told the Minister that they came to specifically explore opportunity for collaboration with the Ministry and seek its support. He told the Minister that the new management of Daily Times under his leadership had re-positioned the medium which  brought the paper higher in the global ranking. The Editor -in-Chief also disclosed that Daily Times intends to form a veritable platform with the public sector by dedicating a page weekly on the efforts of the government in infrastructural delivery in the country He explained that it was their own way of supporting the government and to change the mindset of people about the current development in the nation. ...