2020 Budget To Finance Execution Of Priority Road Projects In Nigeria- Fashola Works and Housing Minister Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN said that reasonable amount of the 2020 Budget of his Ministry would be channeled towards completion of some priority on-going road projects in Nigeria. According to Mr. Fashola, the Ministry has about Five Hundred and Twenty-Four road projects across the country, out of this, the ministry had categorized about Forty-Seven as priority projects to be completed. He explained that the Forty-Seven roads projects were chosen by the Ministry because the Ministry does not have enough resources to work on all the Five Hundred and Twenty-Four road projects at the same time. The projects have reached 70 percent completion level, adding that it would be better to complete those roads. “If we get these roads working, Nigeria will get back to its feet.” He added that it would lead to ease of doing business in our ports, movement of energy and fuel across the country, leads to evacuation of goods from our ports and movement of agricultural goods across the country”, he explained. Speaking during the National Assembly House of Representative Committee on Works interactive session, the Minister disclosed that no part of the country was left out in the road projects, but pointed out that the big problem was the ability to complete the on-going work on the roads because of funding constraint. He therefore called on the legislators to join hands with the Ministry in adopting and supporting the policy statement of Mr. President on completing all on-going projects instead of starting new ones, stressing that, “completing them is what will impact the lives of Nigerians.” Speaking earlier, the Chairman, House Committee on Works, Honourable Abubakar Kabir Abubakar stated the purpose of the interactive session was to find out what challenges the Ministry was facing and how to find solutions to them. “We are not hear to interrogate anybody, but rather to work together to create a positive impact in the lives of Nigerians”, he said. ...

Fashola Supports Voluntary Blood Donation  …Says Blood Binds Humanity Works and Housing Minister, Mr. BabatundeRaji Fashola, SAN has supported voluntary donation of blood, saying that blood donation is a binding factor ofhumanity. Speaking during an advocacy visit by the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), the Minister stated that it was Government responsibility to ensure that there was always safe and screened blood availablefor emergencies. He said: “I support voluntary blood donation because it is an asset we keep; we don’t know when we will need it.” Mr. Fashola expressed satisfaction with the enormous responsibility of theNational Blood Transfusion Service and promised to draw Mr. President’s attention to what they were doing. “On behalf of my Ministry, government and Nigerians, I thank you for the leadership role you are playing for safety of human lives.” Speaking earlier, the National Coordinator of National Blood Transfusion Service, Dr. Oluwatoyin Smith stated that the organization responsibility was to ensure that there was adequate supply of safe blood for use by all people. She disclosed that because of the importance of the organization, Government planned to make it a full commission saying, “A bill to establishNational Blood Transfusion Service has passed its first reading and about to undergo the second reading very soon at the National Assembly.” Explaining further, she stated that it was part of their mandate to sensitize and create awareness on the need for voluntary blood donation,pointing out that they collect blood from low risk population and screen it before transfusion. She charged everyone to imbibe the culture of donating blood voluntarily, adding that, “everyone here is eligible to donate blood.” According to Dr. Smith, the National Blood Transfusion Servicewas seeking collaboration withthe Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to enable itperform effectively in the advocacy drive for blood donation. ...

FG To Fix  Roads To Ease Fuel Distribution, Commuting –Fashola * Says funding, inclement weather major challenges The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has assured Nigerians that critical roads across the country, particularly those leading to fuel depots would soon be fixed in order to enhance fuel distribution and ease the usual high traffic during the ember months. Fashola spoke in his office in Abuja while responding to a request by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for urgent intervention by the Ministry on some roads leading to fuel depots without which the distribution of petroleum products during the festive months could be seriously hampered. The Minister, who assured that arrangements were already being put in place to fix such roads and a number of those which conditions had deteriorated as a result of heavy rainfalls, listed such selected roads to include Suleja-Bida-Lapai-Lambata;Oyo–Ogbomosho-Ilorin;Jebba-Mokwa-Tegina;Benin-Sapele-Warri;Benin-Auchi-Okenne;Enugu-Onitsha;Awka-Amansea and Odukpani-Itu roads. On the state of the listed roads, Fashola explained that the Suleja-Lambata-Minna Road was in a fairly good condition adding that the failed portions were slated for emergency repairs during the ember month’s programme while work is ongoing on the Bida-Lapai-Lambata Roads where the contractor handling it has already stabilized a substantial part of the road. The Bida–Minna Road, the Minister explained, is a Niger State Government Road and is in a fairly good condition while the Suleja –Lambata –Minna Road; is a Federal Government road under SUKUK funding. Disclosing that his Ministry had commenced discussions with the contractors handling the various road projects for the commencement of repair and rehabilitation works as soon as the rains subside, Fashola said approval has been given for the Engineering Corps of the Nigerian Army to repair the bad portions of the Bokani-Makera-Tegina-Birnin Gwari Road in Niger and Kaduna States, which is currently under procurement, due to the security situation in that axis. He further explained that funding has also been a challenge, adding that the Federal Government would endeavour to meet its financial obligations to the contractors handling the various road projects to ensure that they returned to the sites.   He said work on the Oyo-Ogbomosho-Ilorin Road is on-going by the contractor handling the project, which, he explained, is one of the projects that received dedicated funding under SUKUK. According to him, although the project is being challenged by the current weather situation and funding, the old alignment of the Oyo-Ogbomosho route is receiving palliative attention. On the Ilorin –Jebba –Mokwa Road, which is under a dualization contract, Fashola explained that the project has been divided into two sections with Ilorin –Jebba in Kwara State as Section1: while Section II comprises Jebba–Mokwa–Bokani Junction in Niger State adding that it is a new project and mobilization was still being processed. For Okene–Lokoja Road, which is in four sections and under SUKUK funding, he explained that all the contractors handling the various sections had been directed to do palliative work on the failed portions of the road.  He said while a Federal Government appointed contractor is currently working on the Enugu –Onitsha Road, the bad portions of the Awka –Amansea Road are being repaired by the Anambra State Government. For the Odukpani –Itu Road, the Minister said the contracting firm which is handling the project, has left the site as a result of the challenges of the weather situation and funding adding that the Ministry is currently intensifying efforts to address the challenges for the company to return to site as soon as possible.   ...