Nigerian-Sweden Collaborate To Improve Electricity Supply In Nigeria The Minister of State I for Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri has applauded the Swedish Government for their expression of interest to collaborate with the Federal Government of Nigeria in the provision of infrastructure needed to move the economy forward and make life meaningful for Nigerians. Baba Shehuri made the commendation when he receivedthe representatives of Her Excellency, the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs. IngerUltvedt,  Charge d’ affaires of the Swedish Embassy, Mrs. Ida Hockerfeldtand Head of Economic Affairs, Mrs.Fanny Nylanderwho paid him a courtesy call. The Minister revealed that with the privatization of the generation and distribution aspects of electric power supply, it makes economic sense for any foreign country to invest in Nigeria, a country that already has the population and enabling environment for Foreign Direct Investment to thrive. He stated, “We have the population and a lot of potentials in the areas of renewable energy which some investors like the Chinese have already keyed into by providing mini grids to generate andsupply electric power to some communities”. The Head of Economic Affairs of the Swedish Embassy in Nigeria, Mrs. Fanny Nylander had earlier explained that the meeting is a follow-up to the Swedish Minister for Trade, Mrs Ann Linda’s, visit to theHonourable Minister for Power, Works and Housing, BabatundeRajiFashola, SAN in 2016 and thesigning of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria under the Nordic Umbrella on Energy. Mrs. Nylander further invited the Minister to be the “Country  Host” to the ‘Swedish – Nigerian Sustainable Energy Conference’ holding in Lagos on November 13, 2018, adding that the event is to create an avenue for Swedish companies to explore ways of supporting Africa, particularly Nigeria, in power generation, transmission and distribution. ...

FERMA Gives Nigerian Roads Facelift, Completes Over 300 Capital Road Projects Nationwide ABUJA - (FERMA Report) - The Managing Director / CEO of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Nuruddeen Rafindadi (Engr) has said that the agency has completed an additional 212 capital projects to the 88 road projects earlier reported and over 100 direct labour works within FERMA's scope of work nationwide. Some of the completed projects, according to him include: the rehabilitation of Bambal - Buzawa Road along Kiyawa - Jama’are Federal Road in Bauchi State where the patching of potholes and laying of asphalt were done. He identified the other general maintenance works completed as the Kari - Yobe State Border Road. Adding, the Ganjuwa - Gubi Road linking Wussarawa Road has also enjoyed rehabilitation works such as scarification, provision of stone base, asphaltic overlay and construction of culverts. Rafindadi also mentioned that the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency has recently disilted drainages on some Federal Roads in Edo State, while carrying out repairs on some bridges and failed portions of roads in the state, including the Benin Bypass and Ugonoba bridge amongst others. He however said that work on the failed carriageway at Ogheghe Junction along the Benin - Warri dual carriageway is ongoing. He later informed that other works that have been completed here include: site clearance, laterite work on shoulders, boulder placement on carriageways and cement stabilization of challenging sections; repairs of failed carriageway sections and pothole patching on the Ogheghe Junction along the Benin - Warri dual carriageway; the Benin Township Road along Benin - Asaba dual carriageway and the Oluke - Sobe - Fon linking Ondo State Border Road in Edo State. The MD also revealed that that in Plateau State, potholes along the Jos - Gimi - Fadan Kashi Roads and the Jos - Makurdi Road were also patched, including the general maintenance of other roads in Ilesha, Osun State through the intervention of FERMA. While noting that in the North - Central Zone direct labour works were carried out up to 100% completion along the Abuja - Keffi Road and Gwagwalada Road, involving patching of potholes, disilting of drains, reinstatement and embankment washout, the Managing Director hinted that in the South - West Zone, road construction activities such as hydraulic structures, routine disilting of open covered drains, washout and repairs, palliative works and patching of potholes were done in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States respectively. "Some other completed projects in the South West include - maintenance works on the Lagos - Badagry Expressway stretching from Agbara - Atan, Olosha Bus Stop along Western Avenue - Agege Motor Road to Gbongan - Iwo - Oyo State Border Road. The work continued from here to Abeokuta Bakatari Road in Ogun State, up to Odo Oba along Oyo - Ogbomosho Old Road to Ibadan - Idi Ayunre Mamu Road," he depicted. "In the North East, the construction of reinforced concrete line drain along Kurba Gayiwuyo Road in Borno State, the patching of potholes along Maiduguri - Jos Road in Borno State (Sections I & II), construction of two cells reinforced concrete Box Culvert and Washout repairs along UBA - Askirambalala Road in Borno State as well as special repairs of Gumel - Maigatari - Niger Republic Road in Jigawa State were executed. Tthe disilting works on culvert/line drains and vegetation control along Kano State Border - Birnin Kudu - Bauchi State Border in Jigawa State have been 100% completed." In his analysis, Nuredeen stated that the reconstruction of failed sections of Box Culvert (Abuja Bound) along Kaduna - Abuja dual carriageway in Kaduna State and the reinstatement of collapsed portions of single and multiple Cell Pipe Culverts along the Kaduna - Birningwari - Niger State Border Road in Kaduna State are other interventions. He inferred that emergency repairs of collapsed 2-cell culverts and the reinstatement of embankment washouts along Kachia - Kwoi (Niger State) Border Road in Kaduna State and the repair of critical failures along the Kaduna - Abuja - Niger State (Abuja Bounds) are significant as well as the repair of critical failures along the Kaduna - Abuja - Niger State Border dual carriageway which is Kaduna Bound in Kaduna State. He continued that vegetation/silt control of the Kaduna - Abuja dual carriageway (Section I-V) along with the vegetation/silt control of the Kaduna - Birnin Gwari dual carriageway (Section II) in Kaduna State have been done. "Still in FERMA's resolve to reach to all roads within its scope of works nationwide, FERMA has completed the reconstruction of failed sections, effected vegetation control, reinstated failed portions and reinforced concrete stone base on carriageways. It has also embarked on asphalt repairs and cutting of potholes to regular shapes, just as the disilting of line drains on roads in Kano and Kebbi States have been delivered," he stated explaining to some concerned citizens the reason why FERMA is not carrying out activities on some roads. Responding to questions on the cause of non-involvement in the rehabilitation of Agbor - Amukpe Road in Delta State, he announced that FERMA cannot carry out any rehabilitation work on roads where there is an ongoing contract. On the Ondo - Ore Road, the MD said that the contract for the road is being supervised by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and so the agency can not intervene there. Speaking on the Ukpagada - Ogoja Road in Cross River State, the MD allayed that the mandate of FERMA is for Federal Roads, adding that FERMA can only intervene on State and Local Government roads when such roads are appropriated under constituency projects. He further clarified on the roads in Nnewi, Anambra State that the agency has four road works proposed to be done in the 2018 capital appropriation around Nnewi which comprises the Oba - Nnewi - Okija Road, saying it has been advertised for tender. ...

The Bilateral Relationship Between Nigeria And Arab Republic Of Egypt, An Excellent One   -  Fashola The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, BabatundeRajiFashola SAN has commended the excellent bi-lateral relationship between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Arab Republic of Egypt which he described as very cordial and long standing one. The commendation came on the heels of a courtesy call today at his Mabushi office by the former Prime Minister and current Assistant to the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt for National and Strategic Projects, His Excellency, Sherif Ismail. Fasholaexpressed appreciation for the consistent and strong commitment of the Republic of Egypt to partnering with Nigeria Government in constructing solid and durable roads, on contracts awarded to Arab Contractors thereby justifying the confidence repose in them. The Minister posited that with the bi-lateral relationship between Nigeria and Egypt, he is optimistic that very soon theinfrastructural deficit in the African Continent will be reduced to the barest minimum. Fashola, called for the intensification and exploration of new opportunities in areas of trade and investment between the two countries. In his words “trade is our primary concern at the moment. Trade is our focal point of interest.” He noted that the present administration under the leadership of President MuhammaduBuhari investedimpressively in an attempt to ensure that Nigerians have regular power supply. Fashola therefore urged theEgyptian Investors to support their electricity companies in Nigeria to invest in providing meters to Nigerians. Earlier, the Assistant to the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt for National and Strategic Projects, His Excellency, Sherif Ismail stated that he came with members of his entourage to exchange ideas with the Nigerian Government on how both countries can explore opportunities of infrastructural development and further improve on their investment capacity in Nigeria. Sherif added that they came to deepen the bi-lateral relationship that exist between their country and Nigeria – a country which he described as a great nation.   ...