Nigeria / Cameron Border Bridge Will Facilitate International Trade- Fashola The completed border bridge at Mfum community between Nigeria and Cameroun and the Ikom bridge will facilitate international trade between the two countries when inaugurated. The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing,Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola,  SAN  made the remark while inspecting the two -lane bridge over the Cross River at the Cameroun and the Nigeria new Border at Ekok /Mfum and the new Ikom Bridge  in Cross River State. “This is the A-4 Axis coming from Calabar to Maiduguri through Ogoja to Katsina-Ala. So you will expect more volume of trade. And it is no accident that Cross River State bears its name.  It is actually the River that named the state. That River opens to the sea and the Gulf of Guinea.  And so high impact on international trade is expected”, he said. Fashola also said, "We have had very strong relationship with Cameroun in terms of trade and business and if you go to Aba, Enugu, Abakaliki, for example, this is the route that facilitates trade, agro produce, merchandise, manufactured goods from Aba in Abia State.'' The Minister explained that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration's strategy of planning and execution of infrastructure projects was yielding results through successful completion. “This is a very strategic infrastructure to take Nigeria to the future for many more decades to facilitate relationship between brothers and sisters in Cameroun and Nigeria and to strengthen the bond of relationship in a joint development with the Republic of Cameroun and Nigeria.” Fashola said, adding that ‘’We are now entering the season of completion of infrastructure projects.” The Minister while speaking with journalists after inspecting both the Nigeria /Cameron Joint Border Bridge at Mfom /Ekot and the New Ikom Bridge at Ikom in Cross River State noted that these bridges would increase the prosperity of the people, facilitate hundreds of jobs, movement of agro produce and manufactured goods, joint border patrol that would lead to security efficiency and position both nations to take the benefit of the free trade zone agreement. Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade who was represented by the State Commissioner for Works, Engr. Dane Osimasu at the sites of the inspection said the Minister is a conceptualizer ,  implementor and committed to road development in the state. He assured the Honourable Minister that counterpart funding from the state would always be provided where it is necessary in infrastructure development projects. The Director Highway Bridges and Design Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Engr. Emmanuel Adeoye said during the inspection of Ikom bridge, "The project was awarded in October 2018 and it is due to finish by 7th November, 2021." The Director said, "The rate at which the contractor is working, by the end of October it should be finished. Right now as we speak, the job is 92% completed, with the time lapse of 68%. We are moving faster than the scheduled time, so by end of October we should be done with the bridge." According to him "the Road Lane Marking has also been done. The Federal Controller of Works in Cross River State, Engr. Bassey Nsentip disclosed that several road projects were progressing without hitches in the State. The Executive Chairman of Etung Local Government Council Cross River State, Hon. Nkom Etuk praised the Ministry of Works and Housing for the remarkable job done on the bridges. The Ajassor Community Representative, Hon. Victor Njor said the border bridge has enhanced joint border patrol linking Cameroun and Nigeria within their community and the people shall come out en mass when the bridge will be inaugurated soon. The border bridge between Nigeria and Cameroun is funded by the African Development Bank while the Ikom bridge is through the Sukuk bond.   ...

GOODWILL MESSAGE BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF WORKS AND HOUSING, MR BABATUNDE FASHOLA, SAN AT THE PLENARY SESSION OF THE NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE SUMMIT ORGANISED BY THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS ON THURSDAY 15TH JULY, 2021 AT NICON LUXURY HOTEL, ABUJA I bring good tidings to the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) at this Plenary on National Infrastructure Summit. I am enthused by the theme which is:- “Towards a Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Maintenance and Management in Nigeria.”  If this was a shooting competition, I would say that the NSE has hit the Bull’s Eye with the theme. Infrastructure Development, Maintenance and Management lie at the core of the Buhari Administration’s strategy for growing the Nigerian economy, creating jobs and prosperity, and lifting people out of poverty. The stock of infrastructure and the commitment to grow them is the real measure of a Nation’s desire for growth and prosperity. A Nation cannot grow bigger than the capacity of its infrastructure and President Buhari’s commitment to infrastructure leaves no one in doubt about his desire to rapidly grow Nigeria’s economy. The outline of that infrastructure development is made clear by the fact that the Ministry of Works and Housing is currently managing over 800 contracts for Roads and Bridges covering over 13,000 Kilometres of the 35,000 plus Kilometres of Federal Highways and Bridges.  In every state of Nigeria today there is either a Road project, a Bridge project or a Housing project or all combined under construction. This is a critical driver for employment of professionals for design, surveys, and construction practitioners.  It also galvanizes other sectors like mining for gravel, sand, laterite, crushed stones to mention a few, while it drives the demand and supply of lubricants like diesel, and oils, as well as bitumen production and supply. The transport sector is also driven by the need to ferry these inputs across distances from production sites to construction sites by thousands of Trucks employing drivers. At the construction Sites, the urban poor earn their daily living from supply of skilled and unskilled labour by working the materials to finished products. But this is only a small piece of the pie. Design, Construction and Governance account for only about 30% of Jobs in the Built Industry. It is maintenance and operation that provides 70% of the sustainable jobs long after construction has ended. This is why the Buhari Administration must take the credit for approving the first ever FGN Facility Management and Maintenance policy in March of 2019. Implementation is now bearing fruits with 24 Federal Secretariats now fully rehabilitated and under a facility management contract. Thirty-seven Bridges nationwide are now undergoing maintenance and repairs, some of which have been due for decades. NSE’s plenary and the theme have therefore struck the right chord. It would therefore be with bated breath that the Ministry of Works and Housing will await the outcome of today’s conversation on how to scale up and deepen what has already started. In closing I only wish to point one that a significant number of projects such as the Lagos – Ibadan, Enugu – Port Harcourt , Abuja- Kano, Kano- Maiduguri, Enugu- Onitsha, Oyo – Ogbomosho, Ilorin – Jebba, Abeokuta – Ibadan , Calabar – Itu , Second Niger Bridge, Ikom Bridge, Loko – Oweto Bridge, Ibi Bridge and Bamenda – Mfun Bridge, Chanchangi Bridge, Bodo Bonny Bridge and many more, which were recommended for development in the 2013 National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan have now taken off, are progressing, nearing completion or have been completed. The Buhari Government has now commenced the process of developing a new Infrastructure Master Plan up to 2030 and this has progressed significantly.  Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I have no doubt in my mind about the positive direction Nigeria’s economy is heading with these investments in Infrastructure. They are the key to reduced journey times, to efficient and competitive productivity arising from the ease of doing business. I therefore wish you a very engaging and productive deliberations.     BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, SAN MINISTER OF WORKS AND HOUSING ...

FG Hailed Over Ongoing 2nd Niger Bridge, Other Landmark Projects In Southeast As Achina Community in Anambra State pays “Thank You” visit to Fashola Says the people are appreciative of the quantum of projects ongoing in the Zone President Buhari means well, has good intentions toward the people of Nigeria – Minister The Achina Community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, Friday paid a “Thank you” courtesy visit to the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, expressing appreciation to the Federal Government over the quantum of ongoing projects in the Zone, especially the Second Niger Bridge. A delegation of the Community, led by Chief Modestus Umenzekwe, also expressed gratitude to President Buhari for deeming worthy of appointment a son of the Community into the newly constituted Board of Directors of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). Describing Fashola as a detribalized Nigerian, the delegation recalled that the Minister had always supported the Community even when he was Governor of Lagos State, pointing out as example the establishment of  Adem Industrial and Commercial Complex in Lagos by the Community, which it said currently accommodates about five thousand people. In his remarks, Fashola reaffirmed the good intentions and commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari towards Nigerians saying the President has underway so many good projects conceived to better the lives of Nigerians in various sectors, especially roads, bridges, effecting solutions to erosion and other ecological problems. Pointing out that the President needed competent and patriotic people to help in actualizing his policies and programmes for the nation, Fashola declared, “Make no mistake about it, the President needs every good hand and every good mind to give effect to not only his policies and commitment to the Nigerian people but also to their expectations”. Stressing on the need to have competent hands to help in executing the various projects and programmes nationwide, the Minister, who received the delegation in his office in Abuja noted, “No matter how well intentioned he can be, the President cannot be in every room and in every state. He, therefore, requires good men and women who will be part of the solution and not the problem”. He commended the patriotic and selfless commitment of Chief Modestus Umenzekwe to the development of his area and people; “he has been faithful to this cause. He has asked nothing to be done for himself. If he asked for anything at all it would always be for his community”, he said. On his appointment to the Board of FHA, Fashola, who urged him to bring to play the same zeal and commitment towards the development of his community as he assumes office as a member of the Board of FHA, added, “Honourable Umenzekwe has been faithful and committed to the cause of the present administration”.   ...