Peaceful Co-Existence Will Boost The Nation’s Economy - Surv. Suleiman The Honourable Minister of State II for Power, Works and Housing, Surv. Suleiman Hassan Zarma, mnis, has called on the nation to peacefully co-exist together as this will boost and take the nation’s economy to a greater height. He said that, this is a call for leadership at various levels of government in the country. The Minister stated this during his official visit to Gombe State. Sulieman noted that the peace in the North East is as a result of the resolute and unwavering determination of the Administration of President Buhari to tackle insurgency in the nation headlong. According to him, the celebration of Eld-El-Kabir calls for peace among tribes and nations across the world, adding that people are now celebrating in the North Eastern part of the country because of the drastic reduction in the activities  of the insurgents. He enjoined the people within the region to be part of the confidence building by reporting any strange activities within their community and locality. The Minister also stated that government is doing a lot in road construction and building affordable and adaptable mass housing across the nation with value chain returns. He said that government is also looking at a model that will put the housing needs of the people into consideration as well as their capacity and the power of purchase. He added that this will in effect make the houses affordable and accessible to all Nigerians. Sulieman added that the Buhari Administration is leaving no stone unturned in the fight against corruption. According to him, ‘‘if you fight corruption, the economy will thrive. If you fight corruption, security will thrive, because all of them are anchored on the same thing. We can see that corruption is now at the minimum.’’ He further said that before now, people celebrate corrupt persons, adding that today; it is difficult for someone to come and flaunt a wealth that is illegally gotten. The Minister noted that government through the instrumentality of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Whistle Blowers’ Programme has saved the country a lot, assuring that tackling corruption is prospering the economy. While in Gombe State, the Minister paid courtesy visits to the Emir of Gombe, H.R.H Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III and other Emirs within the state. He however urged them to be patient with the present government and be hopeful of a new Nigeria. ...

FG Partners Private Companies To Rehabilitate Apapa-Wharf Road The Federal Government through the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, has officially handed over the construction works on the rehabilitation of Apapa – Wharf road to AG-Dangote Construction Company Limited. The Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, performed the handing over ceremony of the 2 kilometres stretch of the road in Lagos to ensure free movement of residents living in Apapa area and cargo moving in and out of the Apapa Port to the inter-land. He noted that the rehabilitation of the economic road which had deteriorated over the years will be co-funded by the collaborative efforts of the Nigeria Ports Authority, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc and Dangote Group of Company. Fashola acknowledged the leadership role of Dangote Groups and Flour Mills Nigeria Plc for stepping forward to work with the ministry in finding a lasting solution to the road without any tax relief or deduction coming from federal government. According to the Minister, the ministry has evolved an appropriate design to fix the drainage problem which over the years has been the major cause of deterioration.. The rehabilitation work on the Apapa – Wharf road is expected to last for the period of one year and will cost over 4 billion naira which will be co-funded by Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Dangote Group and NPA working together. The Minister further stated that this is just the first part of government intervention in Apapa, adding that other federal roads within Lagos State will receive government attention as budget is funded. He appealed to all road users within the area to be patient as construction work advances due to sections of the road that would be closed down and other infrastructures such as water and electricity that will be affected during the process of the reconstruction. In his remarks, the Honorary Adviser to the President of Dangote Group, Engr. Joseph Makoju, thanked the Minister for giving Dangote Group the opportunity to embark on the rehabilitation work  and promised that the concrete road when completed will last for between 30 to 40 years. Makoju added that the company always provide some form of social infrastructures to empower their host communities economically wherever the company is located. He appealed to the government to always create an enabling environment for private sectors to thrive as this will encourage other companies like them to embark on other capital projects in the country. The Managing Director of Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Mr. Paul M. Gbededo, noted that Apapa-Wharf road is a major road in the country that generates a huge sum of money on a daily basis and should not be handled with levity. He enjoined all the stakeholders and road users to cooperate and be disciplined in order to achieve the one year time line completion period. ...

Fashola Advises U.N. To Use Nigerian Accident Victims' Data The Honourable Minister of Power Work, and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola while hosting the United Nations Secretary General's Envoy for Road Safety, Mr Jean Todt, called upon the Organisation to dwell more on the data provided by the Nigerian Government on accident victims, explaining that the figures will be more acceptable, especially when there is conflict between those of the UN and Nigeria. 2. The Minister supported his claims by saying that since Nigerian government provides support for the accident victims; make hospital arrangements and sundry for the injured, the country will be in a better position to supply accurate, reliable and acceptable data. Fashola suggested to the UN that data of accident victims should be globally ranked to spur competition for the best positions in the ranking amongst the comity of Nations, thereby reducing road accidents. 3. While responding to the Envoy's remark that pedestrians are the most involved in road accidents, the Minister promised to provide support for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), urging them to hasten the prosecution of offenders to serve as a deterrent to bad road users. 4. The Corps Marshal of FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi disclosed that his Organisation is currently collaborating with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to generate a more accurate data to be used in the country. 5. Present at the event were the Ministers of State I and II, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri and Surv. Suleiman Hassan Zarma respectively, the Permanent Secretary, Works and Housing sector, Alhaji Mohammed Bukar, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Directors of the Ministry and Management staff of the FRSC.   ...