Federal Government Approves Funding of 30km Dualization of Three Sections of Benin- Lokoja Highway Under Tax Credit Scheme by BUA Group   1. In a bid to provide urgent and accelerated   intervention on the critical sections of the Benin- Lokoja Federal Highway, the Renewed Hope administration of the President of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has approved the immediate funding of 30km dualization of three sections of the road, to be funded under Tax Credit Scheme by BUA Group. The Hon. Minister of Works, His Excellency Sen Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON made this known during a meeting with all the contractors handling the Benin- Lokoja Federal Highway and some stakeholders from the area.  The Honourable Minister said that the Ministry took some steps to review the texture of the pavement of the project to conform to the new innovation introduced by Renewed Hope administration to ensure best standards and durability According to him, "I first went through the road in September, and when I went through it, I was very satisfied that BPP and the Ministry did very fantastic work. But all I did was to keep the project but review the texture of the pavement. And so we allowed the existing carriageway to be on asphalt and then reviewed the new carriageway to be on concrete. Being satisfied, so we went through the process of notifying the BPP, and from there, we went to FEC, and graciously, FEC approved, and so we are in the process of signing an addendum  to the contract." "Mr. President has approved that BUA Group should do 30km of the road in 3 locations multiplied by 2, that is 60km on Tax Credit" 2. The Honourable Minister  commended  BUA Group for their interest to handle the  construction  of the  30 km carriageway under Tax Credit  Scheme and said the intervention was targeted  at the critical  sections  of the road as already  isolated when he last visited the  Benin- Lokoja road. He stated, "Let me commend BUA plc very highly, because on their own they had indicated interest to do about 30km of the road on tax credit. That was one of the reasons I decided to go and revisit the road to know the section they needed to do and also to open the road. So, we had to open the road. We appealed to  the road transport workers, that work would start  Monday, the next week. That was 18th, and indeed, we briefed the President, and then Senator Adam Oshiomhole now came with the full weight of his person. " 3. Speaking  on behalf  of the people  of the area, the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District and Chairman, Senator  Committee  on Interior, Senator Adams Oshiomhole praised the determination  of the Renewed Hope administration of Mr. President  in  changing the socio-economic narrative  of the nation through  aggressive  road infrastructure  transformation and the  uncommon commitment  of the Honourable Minister of Works in achieving  the vision  of Mr. President  on road  infrastructure  development.  The Senator who came in the company of  the APC   Candidate in the  Edo State September  2024  Governorship election and Senator representating Edo Central Senatorial District, Sen. Monday Okpebholo expressed  his profound pleasure over the new paradigm in the Federal Ministry of Works,  noting  that the Ministry  under Sen. Umahi  has recorded unprecedented  performance in the road infrastructure  development  within the shortest period of time. He said, " I was shocked that within 72 hours this Minister did not only hear the word of the President, he packaged what I have seen from the briefing to be a doable and workable approach to solving a problem that four or five ministers before him could not solve. So I wish to ask us to appreciate his energy, his drive, and his focus, without which we will not be here today." 4. In their separate remarks, the  Governorship  candidate  of APC in Edo, Sen Monday Okpebholo said, "Mr. President has rekindled our hope. Just within the shortest time of our request to the Honourable Minister, magic has been done, if this is how Nigeria works; everybody will want to come back home, nobody will want to 'japa'." On his part, the Group Executive Director of BUA Group, Kabiru Rabiu, assured of the commitment  of the company in delivering the project within a record time. In his vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works,  Yakubu Adam Kofaramata,PhD, appreciated Mr. President for the new narrative in the Federal Ministry of Works, which is made possible by the appointment of a workaholic and highly committed Honourable of Works.   ...

Governors of Kwara and Kogi States Visit Hon. Minister of Works, Seek Federal Government's Intervention on The Ilorin - Lokoja Dualization of the Federal Highway   1.       The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON has assured  that the Federal Government  under the Renewed Hope administration of His Excellency President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR is committed  to addressing  the accumulated road infrastructural  needs of the country as that would contribute  progressively to the reinvigoration  of the  national  and sub-national economies. This was contained in the message of the Hon. Minister of Works during  the courtesy visit  of the Governor  of Kwara  State and Chairman, Nigerian Governors' Forum, His Excellency, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the Governor  of Kogi State, His Excellency Ahmed Usman Ododo at the Federal Ministry of Works, Mabushi-Abuja on 11th March 2024. 2. The Honourable Minister said that holistic  attention  is being  given  to the Federal  roads in all the States  of the Federation by Mr. President, and this could be seen in the numerous road projects going  on in the country under  the Renewed Hope administration. "In all honesty, the roads are very terrible. But if you look at what we had when I took over in the month of August and what we are doing now,  you will see a lot of commitment by Mr. President, not just on that stretch..., but all over the country. That's why he directed that I must visit all the States and all the projects."  He assured the Governors who visited  that the Ministry  would  look at the funding mechanism to kick-start  the project once approved by Mr. President, as it is not contemplated  by the  budget. "And so, for coming and you had discussed this project with Mr. President, he does not joke with the welfare of Nigerians. He's one person that is  infrastructure committed right from when he was Governor. Even on his own personal businesses, you'll see the development of infrastructure. So, he's very much interested. He understands that the road is everything in this country. It will improve security, improve agriculture, improve commerce and so on and so forth." 3. Speaking on behalf  of the  Governors that visited,  the Governor  of Kwara State said the purpose  of their visit was to bring  the condition  of the Ilorin-Lokoja  road to the attention of the Federal Government  for possible  intervention, adding  that  the road which  also stretches  to Markurdi, Gboko up to the Republic  of Benin is key not only to the enhancement of the economy, but also to the development  of solid  mineral and agriculture in Nigeria. He expressed  delight  in the abundant interventions of Mr. President  on road infrastructure across  the nation and hoped that with the outcome  of their meeting, the Federal Government  would look into ways and means to fund the  Ilorin-Lokoja dualization.  He stated, "The primary purpose of this visit is to encourage the Federal Government to look into the Ilorin-Lokoja dualization of the Federal Highway. And it's  a very major important road, which is not just an economic road, it is a belt of solid minerals in Nigeria and agricultural belt. So that road will open up the entire region for business, for commerce, agriculture." ...

Federal Government Addresses Concerns on Benin- Ekpoma- Auchi Okpella-Okene- Lokoja Road, Gives a Marching Order to Contractors To Justify The Funds Released  to them or Risk Termination  of Their Contracts 1. The Federal Government  has issued a marching  order to all the contractors handling the Benin- Ekpoma- Auchi- Okpella- Okene- Lokoja road to immediately commence accelerated  work on the rehabilitation of the road or face termination  of their contracts. This directive was handed over to the contractors by the Hon. Minister of Works,  His Excellency, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON during  his inspection  visit  to the various  project sites in Edo State on 9th March 2024.. The Hon. Minister  who disclosed  that the Federal  Government  under the Renewed Hope administration of His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR had released  funds to the contractors handling  the  federal projects, warned that  contractors who fail to fully mobilize and commence  immediate  accelerated rehabilitation  works on the projects would have their  contracts  terminated and such contractors blacklisted. 2. Speaking  after a meeting  with the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency . Goodwin Obaseki, the Minister described  as unacceptable  the delay of the  contractors in fully  mobilizing  to site and effectively commencing  rehabilitation  work despite Mr. President's prompt release of funds to them for the projects. On the recent protest  along the Jattu axis of the  Benin- Auchi highway  by the residents  of the area,which  disrupted  vehicular  movements, the Hon. Minister said that his meeting  with the Governor  was to brainstorm  on the drastic  measures  to tackle the issues affecting the progress of work in the area."  I have had a very serious  meeting  with the Governor here. We are concerned about what is happening between  Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi- Okpella and the axis of Kogi State. That is what we have been brainstorming on. I have worked  with him throughout  last night to direct that the road should be unblocked, and if you see  the grievances of those people  you will not blame them  so much, because  people  are dying, trucks are falling." 3. On his part, the Governor  thanked  the Hon. Minister of Works for his deep sense  of  commitment to the development  of road infrastructure in Nigeria.  He assured of the unwavering  support  of his administration  to the concrete  technology initiative introduced by the Renewed Hope administration, which  he said was the best model  for the  road infrastructure  along the  East West  and indeed parts of the country. "First, let me thank  my brother and very good friend, the Honourable Minister of Works, who you know  is an engineer  par excellence, for the concern he has shown. Same time last year when I cried  for help ahead of the rainy reason,  we didn't  get this kind of response. " He harped on the need to remove encumbrances to the construction  of enduring  road infrastructure in Nigeria. "We shall not continue  to use expensive  asphalt  to do our roads. We should use  sustainable  local materials; we produce  cement  and steel, there is no reason  why we can not begin  to move towards utilizing more concrete  in building  our roads for sustainability so that our roads can last longer.' 4. The Hon. Minister  who also inspected the Lokoja – Benin Road Dualization Projects, section IV: Benin – Ehor road in Edo State handled by RCC Nig. Ltd; the section III: Ehor – Auchi in Edo State handled by Dantata & Sawoe Nig. Ltd; and the section II: Auchi – Okene in Edo/Kogi States handled by Mothercat Nig. Ltd tasked them on the best standard and timely  delivery  of the  projects. He further  moved to the spot where the residents  were blocking  vehicular  movements and addressed them on the efforts  of  Mr. President  in improving the condition  of roads  in the State." Mr. President has directed  me to go round the entire 36 States and brief him on the state of the  roads. No contractor  is being  owed a kobo from Warri down to Kogi State. We are readdresing  the situation here, you will see action from Monday"   ...