Fashola  Assures AFRIGIST of His Support The Honourable Minister for works and Housing Babatunde Ragi Fashola has assured the Africa Regional Institute for Geospatial Information, Science and Technology, (AFRIGIST) of his support to solve some of the challenges confronting it. The Minister gave the assurance while receiving the management of the institute who paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja. Fashola noted that the statutory activities of AFRIGIST were pivotal to unlocking the potential of member countries and Africa in general. He said, “ I cannot overemphasize the importance of this agency especially in regards to the recent adoption of the free trade agreement among the African countries”.  Fashola further said, “Africa Regional Institute for Geospatial Information, Science and Technology has become too critical for the engagement of the future for human civilization”. The Minister who said the world was increasingly becoming information dependent, emphasized the relevance of the agency to the growth of trade, health care, defense and aviation. Fashola directed the Surveyor General of the Federation Surveyor Taiwo Samuel, who led the delegation on the visit to make appropriate recommendation to the Ministry for its intervention. Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of the Institute, Dr. Adewale Akingbade disclosed that the Institute which was established in 1972 under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, (UNECA), had eight members such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameron, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, the host country. The Director who praised the Nigerian government for promptly paying its dues said the Institute had supported the county in providing training for defence intelligence such as the Nigerian Customs, Immigration and police.  Dr. Akingbade sought the assistance of the Honourable Minister in championing the conference of the Ministerial Committee of the agency. In attendance were the Minister of State for Works and Housing  Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu and some Directors of the Ministry ...

FG’S Renewal, Construction Of Major Highways Has Reached Schools - Fashola * As FG hands over 3 completed internal road projects to FUTO * Gap of our infrastructure needs is steadily being bridged - Minister * Says quality of education would be impacted by the quality of infrastructure, learning environments * VC, Senate Council laud FG, Students say, Now that the roads have been fixed we can move easily to our classes" The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, Monday in Owerri, the Imo State Capital, handed over three rehabilitated internal roads in the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) to the authorities of the institution, expressing delight that the nation’s infrastructure gap was being gradually bridged. In his remarks at the handover ceremony, Fashola, who was represented by the Federal Controller of Works, Imo State, Engr. Anthony Animaku, expressed joy that the roads were now completed and ready for formal handover to the Institution adding that the purpose was to enhance the quality of education. Buttressing the importance of infrastructure development in educational institutions the Minister declared, "The gap of our infrastructure needs is steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repair, renewal and construction on major highways and it has reached schools”, adding that the quality of education would be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environments. Underscoring the positive impact of the projects, the Minister said anyone in doubt should simply “listen to some of the feedbacks from students where this type of infrastructure has taken place”, adding, “The interventions in the various tertiary institutions will have a critical contribution to support education in the country. “Currently, there are a number of internal road interventions across tertiary institutions in Nigeria, and the students are saying that their reluctance to attend classes because of the bad roads, has been replaced by an enthusiasm to do so, now that the roads are better”, he said. Pointing out that the project is an investment in education although a civil Works project, Fashola declared, “During the construction, people were employed in the process contributing to the job creation initiatives of the government, and it is hoped that the school will now ensure that this asset is used properly and not abused”. The Minister, who promised that Government would continue to intervene in education, explained further, “The intervention by Federal Government would improve the ambience and environment of Federal Tertiary Institutions to enhance academic activities". The roads, which are among the 18 completed out of Federal Government’s 43 road intervention projects in tertiary institutions across the country, include the Health Centre, Hostel and Smat Roads. Awarded in 2018 and completed the same year, work done on the roads includes construction and asphalting of Health Centre and Hostel Roads and rehabilitation of Smat Road. Responding, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Francis Chukwuemeka Eze, commended the Federal Government for choosing Federal University of Technology, Owerri as one of the beneficiaries of its laudable intervention. Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Professor Ndukwe James Okeudo, the Vice Chancellor, who stated that the roads are of great importance to the institution as it would aid access and movement around the school, added, “The Senate, Council and the entire Management are very grateful that FUTO was singled out as a beneficiary. We thank Mr. President and the Minister for this honour done to us". He promised that the school would maintain the projects. Also speaking on behalf of all the students of the institution, Mr. Donald Anarado recalled that hitherto the roads were not passable especially during the Rainy Season. In his words, "When rain falls, we cannot move easily from our hostels to classes,  but now that the roads have been fixed we can move easily to our classes. We are very grateful to Federal Government". ...

Aliyu Charged Contractors To Expedite Work On Wudil - Gaya Road Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engr Abubakar Aliyu FNSE has told Dantata & Sawoe, the Contractor handling rehabilation work on Kano-Shuwarin section of Kano- Maiduguri Road Project, to speed up work to deliver the job on target. Aliyu gave the charge over the weekend while on inspection visit of the road to assess the progress of the ongoing work. "I was here last december to see the level of work and I am back here today in February to see the progress you made" he said. The minister stated that he was very concerned for the  road to be delivered in time due to the accidents being recorded on the road as a result of the  bad situation between Wudil and Gaya. Engr Aliyu who showed  disappointment with the level of work by the contractors in two months from his last visit in december, urged the contractor to double up effort to meet the target Accordingly, he told the contractor to confront the rehabilatation work from both Wudil and Gaya sides in order to finish on time, urging  them to bring more machineries and additional staff on site Reiterating the committment of President Buhari to deliver good roads infrastructure for Nigerians, Aliyu said "We can not always sit behind in our offices in Abuja, expecting results without us coming out to have first hand information on the situation of the roads, that's why we are always going out for supervision". Engr.Aliyu also added that, in order to assist Mr President fulfill his promise to deliver  roads, his senior Minister Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN and himself are always running pillar to pole round the clock to ensure achieving good  results. "Just in recent weeks, my senior colleague Minister Babatunde  Rabi Fashola SAN,was in Edo and Niger states on  roads inspection. I was in Numan, Adamawa state yesterday, and now here in Kano state. We divided ourselves to ensure things are going in order" he said Honourable Minister of state, was together with zonal controller of works and the representative of the contractor Dantata & Sawoe.The contractor had promised the Minister that they will mobilise additional machines and staff to the site in the next two weeks as requested. He further added that they will concentrate on the  dangerous areas of the road in order to reduce the rate of accidents, and later come to complete the work on the bridge ...