FG Orders Remedial Works On Road Washouts The attention of the Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has been drawn to embankment and road washouts at five different locations across the country today which usual seasonal occurrences arise from heavy downpours around this period of the year and perhaps the current emergent global warming. The embankment washouts include km 7+250 from Bida, along recently awarded Lambata-Lapai-Bida road project to Messrs CGC Nig. Plc, immediately after the Nigerian Cereal Institute in Niger State. The contractor has commenced immediate mobilization to site on the directive of the ministry and will commence emergency reinstatement work by tomorrow Sunday August 26th to enable free flow of traffic. Also in Niger State is the Armco Pipe collapse at km 16 along  Bida – Minna,  Niger State road. The Niger State Government has commissioned a Federal contractor on that corridor, Messrs Triacta Nig. Plc to restore the anomaly for safe passage. Other washouts are at Kwaita bridge along Abuja – Lokoja carriage way where the subsisting contractor, Reynolds Construction Company has been directed to commence immediate remedial works; embarkment washout at Bayo LGA on the road linking Gombe – Biu in Borno State where FIK Construction Company on the corridor has been directed to move in and commence palliative measures and finally the embankment washout at Jabbi-Lamba Village along Yola – Mubi road before Girei LGA. Fashola has appealed to motorists and other road users to be cautious on the mentioned locations and adhere strictly to safety instructions of the Corps Marshalls who have been drafted by the Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi to immediately move in and ensure traffic control and possible redirection of traffic where necessary. Fashola has enjoined all Nigerians to immediately report any such occurrence on the Federal Highways as this season marks the peak of the rainy season in order to avoid loss of human lives and properties. ...

FEC Approves Road Project Linking Anambra and Enugu States The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the sum of N15.7 billion for the completion of a road project that stretches from Enugu State to Anambra State. The Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this while briefing newsmen after the FEC meeting presided over by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday in Abuja. He said the project included roads captured as Umana-Ndiagu, Agba, Ebenebe, Amansea, Awka, Anambra which spurred into Umumba in Enugu State. “The contract was awarded in 2012 and there were spurs off the Enugu-Onitsha Highway to six different communities, Ebenebe, Agba, Umana-Ndiagu, Nkpodu, Ekeagu and Ugwuoba. “Because of lack of appropriate budgeting and funding all of these projects could not be completed. “There were failures in the implementation as we inherited it; there was also the need to provide for erosion control measures and drains. “That has led to the revision of the existing contract awarded in 2012 from N10.3 billion to 15.734billion.” Fashola said that it was the revision to enable the contract to be completed that was presented and approved by the council. Earlier, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, said that Wednesday’s FEC briefing was one of the shortest as only one minister would brief newsmen on projects that had been approved.(NAN) ...

Electricity: Customer Eligibility Policy Yields Result – Fashola The Customer Eligibility Policy of the Federal Government has started yielding result, with five industrial customers presently buying electricity directly from Generation Companies (GenCos). The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola made this known on Monday at the 29th stakeholders’ meeting organised by Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd., in Minna. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Customer Eligibility Policy was declared by the minister in 2017 to improve distribution side of electricity and facilitate better power supply to consumers who consumed up to two mws and above. “From reports reaching me, five industrial customers are now benefitting from the policy and taking their power directly from a GENCO, which incidentally is our host today, messers Mainstream Energy Ltd. “We also have a list of 26 industrial customers who are seeking to benefit from the policy,’’ Fashola said. According him , directives have been issued to the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to work out and implement competition transition charges as provided by Law, to safeguard operators from any losses arising from the policy. “We will continue to monitor the impact of the policy and remain flexible to keep what works and change what does not. “I urge everybody to remain open-minded, adaptive and responsive.’’ He said the provision of N701 billion payment assurance guaranteed by government was to give comfort to investors in the generation side of the value chain. This, he said was designed to ensure the payment of power produced by GenCos. “Since its implementation in 2017, recovery of payments by GenCos has increased from 20 per cent to 80 per cent and power supply capacity has improved from 4,000mw to 7,000mw and there is an appetite by other players to participate. “Is it perfect, certainly not, do the GenCos like it, I am sure that they will tell that 80 per cent recovery is better for business than 20 per cent recovery, but they would rather have 100 per cent recovery,’’ he said. The minster, however, said that GenCos must transparently invoice for their output made on generation of power. “We must harmonise the price of gas for payment under the scheme, where there are differential prices arising from different gas suppliers. “Therefore, we must work as owners of the policy to nurture and improve on its capabilities. On Meter Asset Provider (MAP), he said the policy was introduced to address the meter supply gap, relieve the DISCOs of the financial burden of meters. He said reports reaching him indicated that there was an embracement of the policy, adding that entrepreneurs were showing interest and talking to banks to raise finance. On energising educational institutions and markets, Fashola said, “these are government-led initiatives based on the rural electrification plan approved by the President in 2016 to provide access to power for rural dwellers and vulnerable members of our society.’’ He said government had proposed to use six small hydro dams that had been abandoned for decades to energise Federal Government owned universities and some markets. “There are currently 15 markets under contemplation with Ariaria, Sabon Gari and Sura markets in Aba, Kano and Lagos as flagships. “The six hydro dams are to be concessioned to private operators on Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT),’’ he said. Source: NAN ...