Housing Staff Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Takes A Giant Stride The Staff Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society of the Housing Sector of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has taken a giant step by aligning with the Ministry’s core mandate of ensuring adequate and sustainable housing delivery.   The Permanent Secretary (Works and Housing), Alhaji Mohammed Bukar, represented by the Director, Human Resources Management, Mrs. Morayo Alimi stated this at the commissioning of 9-unit 2 bedroom flats located in Kubwa metropolis of Abuja built by the Staff Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society. The project, which is an initiative of the society, was constructed within six months under the supervision and collaboration of professionals in the ministry. Alimi expressed elation that the project was constructed during her tenure, noting that it is a pointer to great things to come. She added that it is an outstanding success story considering other stories following various co-operative societies, which often end in court cases. She commended the executives of the co-operative society for their commitment and determination in achieving the great feat, adding that in future, staff from other ministries will seek posting to the housing sector of the ministry in order to secure a house to live. She further indicated interest in having the blueprint so that other sectors of the ministry can replicate same. Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman, Association of Senior Civil Servant, (Housing Chapter), Comrade Alaka Olumuyiwa, expressed gratitude to God for a dream come through. He enjoined the management to collaborate with the Union and the Cooperative in achieving other housing projects under construction. Also speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the Staff Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Mr. Frank Obidiri expressed gratitude to God for the completion of the project which started in February, 2017, adding that the houses are strictly for staff of housing sector of the ministry. The cost of each flat is 8 million naira and would be paid for the period of six years. He congratulated the beneficiaries of the houses who are financial members of the co-operative.   ...

Council On Works Calls For Provision, Standardization Of Road Signage By Government At All Levels *    As Council concludes its 23rd Meeting in Abuja *    Approves that adequate budgetary provisions be made for the provision of signage infrastructure *    Urges states to liaise with FRSC and FMPWH on standard of traffic calming techniques to be adopted at design stages of road projects The National Council on Works rose from its 23rd Meeting in Abuja Thursday with a call on governments at all levels in the country to adhere strictly to the provision and standardization of road traffic signage in order to reduce the incidence of road accidents and ensure comfort and safety for travellers on the nation’s highways. The Council Meeting, which was presided over by the Minister of Power Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, was declared open by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, represented by the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, Engr. Umar  Jibril. The meeting was also attended by the Hon. Minister of State, Hon.Mustapha Baba Shehuri, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works , Hon. Toby Okechukwu, Permanent Secretaries in the Ministry, the Chairman, Federal Character Commission, Commissioners responsible for Works matters in the States of the Federation as well as senior officials of relevant Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders. In a Communiqué at the end of the Meeting hosted by the Ministry of Power,Works and Housing at the NAF Conference Centre in Kado District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Council noted that installation of modern signage on the country’s highways would reduce the high rate of road carnage being recorded on the highways yearly. While also urging the Governments to assist research bodies in the country to conduct more research in the production of road signage, the Council called on stakeholders to increase funding for the provision of the signage as well as conduct sensitization programmes to enlighten the public on their use. In order to ensure effective monitoring of traffic on the highways, it called on the Federal, States and Local Governments to approve the use of reflectometer as a quality monitoring device on the highways while urging Federal and State Governments to install ICT cameras and Traffic Aids Posts for recording traffic violations and to enforce compliance by road users. Also to further improve monitoring on the highways, the Council recommended the use of survey techniques of RADAR (Radio Direction and Ranging) and LIDAR (Light Direction and Ranging) in monitoring traffic signage, checking vehicular movement and recording of traffic offences such as flouting the speed limits, beating of traffic lights and failures to respect traffic signage such as zebra crossing, among others. Noting that indiscriminate use of billboards and other forms of adverts on road signage constitutes a menace on the highways, it urged all stakeholders to sensitize the public on the negative consequences of defacement, damage and removal of traffic signs on Nigerian roads while also calling for the establishment of Monitoring and Enforcement Units at Federal and State levels to ensure adherence to the use of road signs. The Council, which noted that the use of unstandardized traffic calming techniques, such as bumps, logs of wood and tyres, defaced the roads and reduced their aesthetics conditions as well as that of the environment, urged government at all levels to adopt the use of modern and standard traffic calming techniques such as impediment/ traffic diversion and standard road bumps adding that states should liaise with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (FMPWH) to agree on a standard, which, according to them, should be adopted during the design stage of road projects. Other road furniture recommended by the Council to improve safety and comfort on the nation’s highways include Survey Techniques used to demarcate, survey and ensure compliance to the Right of Way (RoW) and Solar Road Studs, which, according to them, are visible up to 800 meters in the night while also emitting, rather than reflecting, light, thereby warning drivers at road sections. It encouraged stakeholders to be proactive in adapting new technologies such as performance retro-reflective materials for all road markings in order to advance road safety while they accepted that in all new bridge projects, the crash barriers should be made up of dwarf concrete walls and metal barriers. On the importance of seeking alternative funding means for sustainable maintenance of street lighting and other road infrastructure by Governments at all levels, the Council, which listed such alternative funding means to include Public Private Partnership (PPP), the Special Energy Efficiency Lighting Fund, the Carbon reduction fund, among others, approved that adequate budgetary provisions be made for the provision of signage infrastructure. In line with the its call on Federal and State Governments to direct their relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to provide geo-spatial data for positioning and location of road signage, the Council approved that such geo-spatial data be provided by the use of modern survey techniques by the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGoF) and the Offices of the Surveyors - General of the States (OSGoS). It noted that such Geo-spatial information would create database for national signage for emplacement, monitoring and maintenance of highways furniture and infrastructure adding that all State Governments that were yet to establish Asset Management Units to focus on building database of road furniture and road signage should do so. While encouraging stakeholders in the road sector to consider the use of the LED Solar Road Studs in road design, the Council also urged them to adopt the use of Radio Frequency Identification Technology and other modern technologies and devices in the maintenance and sustenance of street lights along Nigerian Roads, asking them also to assist NITT to design a national strategic ITS plan for effective highways infrastructure and Traffic Management so as to enhance safety and comfort on the roads. Commending the effort of the Yobe State Government in the establishment of computerized Vehicle Inspection Centres and Model Driving Schools, the Council urged other state governments that are yet to establish such Centres and Driving Schools to do so to provide better education for road users. It also urged relevant government agencies to ensure regular review of Road Signs System to conform with the 1968 United Nations Convention adding that stakeholders involved in the review should be expanded to include Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (Works Sector), State Ministries of Works and Transport, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Federal Roads Safety Corps, Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) and the Nigeria Society of Engineers. The Council, which recalled that Nigeria was represented at a workshop in Geneva, Switzerland by a group of experts on Road Signs and Signals, pointed out that a document was presented by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) on the challenges associated with the interpretation and implementation of 1968 Convention on Road Signs and Signals. It noted that a National Road Safety Strategy (2016 – 2020) document has been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the National Economic Council (NEC) and called for the implementation of the document which, it said, could be accessed on http://frsc.gov.ng/ publications. Noting that the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing Highway Manual Part I: Design Volume VI: Road Traffic Signs and Road Markings 2013 was meant to ensure appropriate signage on the nation’s highways, the Council expressed delight that several jobs would be created among skilled and semi-skilled artisans through the adoption of the new technologies in the production of modern signage. And in order to make education of road users on the use of advance road signage more effective, the Council suggested that the enlightenment be done in local languages urging the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) as well as other stakeholders to intensify efforts on sensitization in motor parks, all places of worship, palaces of traditional rulers and other relevant places. The Council had earlier considered the issues raised in the Memoranda presented at the Meeting and noted with delight the Status of Implementation of its key decisions at the 22nd Meeting of the Council which showed that out of the 37 resolutions adopted at the Meeting, 25 tasks were completed with seven in progress while five were “facing challenges”. A total of 26 Memoranda were received and considered under seven thematic groups including Adequate Traffic Signage – An Essential Key for Highways Infrastructure, Safety and Comfort; The Role of Survey and Mapping to Road Signage; Quality Assurance in the Production and Installation of Road Signage; Standardization of Road Signage; Adherence to the Provision of Road Signage on the Highways; Managing the Challenges of vandalization and Damages to Road Signage and; the Relevance of Intelligence to Signage. The Council Meeting preceded by a three-day Meeting of Directors and Permanent Secretaries from 17th – 19th July, 2017. ...

Fashola Stresses Need To Raise Nation’s Road Transport Infrastructure To Global Standard To Aid Mobility *    As 23rd Meeting  of National Council of Works ends in Abuja *    Our development, prosperity, survival is tied to our mobility and so is our productivity, social and cultural interactions, he says *    Ministry to award sub-contracts on roads with sections significantly completed, for procurement in collaboration with the main contractors; to be advertised as required by law,subject to open , competitive bids The Minister of Power Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, Thursday stressed the need to raise the country’s transport infrastructure, especially road signage, to acceptable global standard as a means to aid mobility across states and communities within the country. Fashola, who spoke at the NAF Air Conference Centre venue of the 23rd Meeting of the National Council on Works with the theme, “Adequate Traffic Signage- An Essential Key for Highways Infrastructure, Safety and Comfort,” said the current efforts in building roads, highways and bridges across the country would hardly achieve the objective of mobility if the destinations of these critical transport infrastructures currently being built were not made known through appropriate signage. In his keynote address at the event, also attended by the Minister of State, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri, top Ministry Officials and Legislators as well as Commissioners responsible for Works from the  states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, said the need had become more urgent as mobility had become a major commitment of the global urban agenda. According to the Minister, “As human beings, mobility has become a major commitment of the global urban agenda. This must be so because our development, prosperity and sometimes our survival are tied to our mobility and so is our productivity, social and cultural interactions”. “Yes, we have to build roads, highways and bridges. But the question then is: Roads, highways and bridges to where? Where do they lead?”, he asked, adding that maps alone would not adequately answer the questions without road signs, which, according to him, “indicates to road users, how far their journey is, how far they have progressed, how much is left to travel”, among other things. Noting that before the advent of Internet, smart phones and apps, many countries developed maps to help guide transport infrastructure users through their network of roads, Fashola added that road signs would also indicate to road users how far away they were from one village, city, local government, or from critical services like hospitals, fuel stations and hotels or motels “to help ease the stress and tedium of long distance travel”. The Minister, who expressed sadness that road signs were either non-existent or largely insufficient on the nation’s highways, added that this has made travel through unfamiliar cities and towns across the country difficult pointing out that it would be a herculean task driving by oneself into a city one had never been as one would be ignorant of where to link the next interstate highway, or expect to buy fuel or plan to sleep for the night on a long journey or get medical help in case of a road traffic accident. He said the proliferation of global, country and state maps on the handheld devices has made it both compelling and urgent for the country to start developing and installing signage on her roads, bridges and highways at interstate and intra-state levels adding, “This is one sure way of facilitating mobility and implementing the local component of the global urban agenda for the benefit of our people”. Fashola expressed delight that Nigeria, under the leadership of President Buhari, has played a critical and positive role in developing a common African position since 2016 that has helped to shape the Global Urban Agenda adopted in Quito, Ecuador this year to guide the global development until 2036, adding, “What is left is for us, as champions of that African position and urban agenda, to begin to localize and implement its component parts for the benefits of our people”. Pointing out, however, that it would not be enough to just simply erect any type of sign, in any place or anyhow, the Minister, who noted that they must be produced according to specifications and enduring materials, and “be installed to a minimum standard that ensures their durability, endurance and utility for commuters”, commended the staff of the Works sector of his Ministry for their hard work in developing the specifications and standards. He also acknowledge the technical support and cooperation that the Corp Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and his team had afforded the Ministry “in the process of developing the size, quality and lettering specifications of these signs”, adding that they would help commuters to navigate their journey across the country as “the human benefit of signage and our mobility policy”. On the direct economic benefits of traffic signage, Fashola noted that the existence of highway signs was the reason why “the car rental business and its collateral employment thrives in some countries and not in our own”, adding that it would provide financial reward for those who would benefit from the contracts as well as jobs and the financial rewards that would come from producing the signs, fabricating the steel, printing the signs, and the labour to be employed in installing them. “These benefits are also true of lane marking”, the Minister said adding, “This is why we have chosen this National Council, where states are represented, professional groups are represented and the requisite technical personnel are present to unveil this policy and programme”. He said Nigeria’s economic needs compelled her to commence the installation of the signage while her roads were still in various stages of completion, instead of waiting until everything was done before beginning “to confer the benefits of lane marking and street signage on our people”. Fashola disclosed that the Ministry had agreed to compile the list of roads where significant sections have been completed, and prepare them for procurement and award of sub-contracts in collaboration with the main contractors adding that the procurement would “then be advertised in due course as required by law and subject to open and competitive bids”. Insisting that those who benefit from the contracts perform them to the highest standards of quality, the Minister declared, “We understand that signs can be damaged, and road markings require periodic touching up”, adding that as more sections of roads reach completion they would be subject to similar processes with the expectation that the process would be continuous. “Therefore, we see a future of maintenance jobs and contracts going forward, to create sustained employment in our road transport sector”, he said adding that there was no better time than this period when the nation’s economy needed “to be creative in order to provide inclusion for unemployed young able-bodied people”. Commending the theme of the Council Meeting ‘Adequate Traffic Signage - An Essential Key for Highways Infrastructure, Safety and Comfort’ as apt, Fashola declared, “I could think of no better time, when our economy needs and I can think of no better forum than this National Council of Works, to discuss the economic, safety, and people-oriented basis of this policy, to address the theme of this council”. The Minister, who urged that all hands should be on deck “in order to ensure that the benefits of this policy reach all the sectors of our economy and the people they are designed for”, expressed the hope that the government would be able to count on the stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the policy. Earlier, in his goodwill message, Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Dr. Shettima Bukar Abba, expressed delight that since Fashola assumed duties as Minister of Power, Works and Housing, the National Council on Works had made tremendous efforts in completing and initiating critical projects of monumental importance to drive and reinvigorate economic development in the country. The Chairman, who listed such critical projects to include the Kano-Maiduguri dual carriageway, the Second Niger Bridge, which he noted had defied previous governments, numerous Power and Housing projects springing up in every state of the Federation, pointed out that they were projects that cut across, not only geopolitical zones, but also all states of the Federation. “These projects and infrastructural facilities are, no doubt, fulcrum of national unity and integration”, he said expressing delight that the 2017 Budget allocation to the Ministry of Power Works and Housing “has taken into consideration regional and national spread in citing projects to be executed”, he said. Commending the Minister and his State counterpart for the monumental efforts in driving progress, the Chairman declared, “The Minister’s pedigree as accomplished administrator who has turned Lagos to a model city is gradually being replicated across the country. His zeal, tenacity, passion and workaholic nature is driving the change mantra. We have no doubt that sooner than later the infrastructural deficit the country faces will be a thing of the past”. Also present at the event were the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mohammed Musa Bello represented by the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, Engr. Umar  Jibril, Permanent Secretary (Power), Engr. Louis Edozien ,   Chairman, Committee on Works, House of Representatives, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, among many other dignitaries and stakeholders. ...