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. ...

Ember Months: Fashola Directs Controllers, Contractors To Embark On Rehabilitation Of Identified  Portions For Better Travel Experience * FERMA, Contractors to embark on special repairs of identified bad portions of highways * FRSC road audit gives an overview of identified damaged portions of roads across the zones * Corps to embark on enforcement of road traffic rules, plans a mass enlightenment on the issue soon In a move aimed at achieving shorter travel time and better travel experience, in the coming Yuletide months across the country, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has rallied all concerned road infrastructure stakeholders into action for the annual Ember Months operations to ensure safe and pleasurable journey on the nation’s roads during the period. Presiding over a result-focused meeting in Abuja, which had the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, representatives of Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Government Contractors and the Federal Controllers of Works from the States, Fashola gave directives to the contractors handling the various roads to remobilize to sites for special works promising that they would receive some payment before the end of the year. In his opening remarks, at the Ministry’s Conference Room, Mabushi venue of the meeting, the Minister said it was expedient for the major stakeholders in the road sector to brainstorm over the issue of smooth travel experience for commuters as the Christmas and New Year Festivities were around the corner adding that there was need to ensure safety for those travelling by road across the country. He recalled that the Ministry started preparing for the rainy season early in the year before the exit of the last administration adding that inspections carried out about March and April revealed rise in water levels in some areas, failures of portions of the roads, washouts and other damages on the roads. Noting that the major challenge on the roads during the Dry Seasons was the spiral increase in the volume of vehicular traffic, he pointed out that the increase was most pronounced at the approach of Christmas and the New Year when, according to him, people travel for family reunions, wedding ceremonies, business transactions  and other activities. The Minister said the meeting was therefore aimed at building a synergy among the major stakeholders, FERMA, Federal Controllers and the FRSC, adding that with the gradual rounding off of the Rainy Season and the onset of dry weather, contractors would return to sites with the purpose of stabilizing such portions while FERMA would also escalate action in providing palliatives to damaged areas. Fashola said the presence of the Corps Marshal of the FRSC at the meeting was to brief participants on the portions of the roads that need urgent attention based on a Road Safety Audit it conducted, while FERMA would also make a presentation on its strategies to achieve smooth travel experience during the EMBER months adding that the contractors were expected to take note of such briefs for immediate response. The Minister, also said some of the Directors would speak to some of the roads in their zones that were responded to under emergency conditions during the Rainy Season. Throwing more light on the need for the meeting, he told his audience, “Because our work is interconnected, the contractors on one hand, the Federal Roads Safety Corps, on the other hand, who are on the roads every day, managing traffic, interface with the commuters, our maintenance agency, FERMA, I thought that, as we normally do every year before December, we should all meet again as we get out of the rainy season and start planning for the EMBER month. “The benefit of this Season is that the weather is dry, more building and construction work can take place, quarrying will be able to progress, stabilization work will be easy as water recedes; but the major problem of the season will be vehicular traffic, people travelling on holidays, importers and exporters moving more goods to meet the season’s demands; all those who want to eat turkey, celebrate marriages and all of that. We must plan for those people; that is why we are here”, he said. Before yielding the floor to the Corps Marshal of the FRSC to give an overview of his commission’s audit on the roads, Fashola urged contractors to take note of the report in order to know where to intervene especially on roads that fall within the purview of their ongoing contracts or which are contiguous with their contracts so they could carry out emergency works on such roads to enable smooth travel experiences for commuters during the festive season. He also told the FRSC to ensure that drivers without driving license were not allowed on the roads. Giving an overview of the audit report compiled by his commission about the conditions of certain portions of the roads that need urgent attention across the country, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, said the audit was necessitated by the need to evolve strategies to ensure that the heavy movement of citizens usually associated with the end of the year did not lead to road traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities. According to the FRSC boss, “In line with this, 2019 Operation Zero was initiated to vigorously enforce road traffic rules and educate road users while embarking on strategic engineering to reduce road traffic crashes on Nigerian roads”, adding that as a build up to previous engagements on road audit and implementation of agreed recommendations, a survey of critical corridors was made nationwide to identify areas in urgent need of attention. Stating that road traffic management during festive period deserved adequate attention “as Nigerians across board are always on the road for business, pleasure and celebration”, Boboye said the repairs of the identified bad parts on the major corridors would go along way to aid smooth vehicular  movement during the festive period and consequently reduce injuries and fatality on Nigerian roads. The Corps Marshal, who enjoined commuters to obey traffic rules and signs, especially on roads under construction or rehabilitation, in order to achieve sanity on the roads, however, warned that the FRSC would enforce the law on the roads during the period. He added that the Corps would soon embark on mass enlightenment of the public before enforcing the law. Others who made remarks at the meeting included the Controllers, who gave account of the roads under their jurisdiction, a representative of FERMA who gave a brief account of the strategy of the agency to contribute to smooth travel experience during the festive season and the Contractors who pledged their willingness to return to their project sites.   ...