Reward For Hard Work Is More Work-Fashola The Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola has said that the reward for hard work is to be given more work to enhance productivity and service delivery. He stated this at the 2018 Recognition and Reward Ceremony organised for staff of Federal Ministry of Power Works and Housing on Tuesday 19th November 2019 at Idiris A Abudulkadir Auditorium, National Universities Commission, Abuja. Fashola explained that the essence of the award was to inspire the awardees to work harder, bring about healthy competition and in turn increases productivity. The Minister noted that the 100 million jobs to be created by the President Buhari’s led Administration was not for the government alone but a call to duty by all Nigerians. “He said, ‘’Those people whom you will never meet but who by act of fate pass through a place you help to build may earn their living from there.  This implies that whatever you are doing, do it well to favour others.  Own the environment, own the space and do the best you can” Fashola further directed that in subsequent award ceremonies, Team Award (completed projects) should be added among recipients. He congratulated the award recipients and encouraged other staff to emulate them to join hands together to move the nation forward. During his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Woks and Housing, ably represented by the Acting, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Ahmed Abdul noted that recognition/award is an important tool embedded in the Public Service Rule to motivate and reward excellent performance of staff in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) He reiterated that the cardinal objectives of the event were to motivate staff of the ministry towards achieving greater performance/productivity, influence personal commitment and proper conduct. The representative of the Chairman Federal Civil Service Commission and the Commissioner for Osun and Oyo State, Engr. Fatai Adebayo Olapade stated that the reward for diligence and hard work was clearly stated in Chapter 15 of the Public Service Rule.  He said it was given to staff to motivate them to put in their best based on merit and fairness. The categories of award given were, Most Outstanding Director of the Year, Best Performing Senior Staff Award, and Most Hardworking Junior Staff Award.  In all a total of 47 officers from Power, Works, & Housing Sectors were awarded.   The award was for 2018 and the three ministries were together then.  The recipients were given plaques cash and other items such as grinding machines and refrigerators. Responding on behalf of his fellow awardees, the Director Highways Planning and Development Engr. Chukwubuikem Uzor who bagged the award as the most outstanding director of the year 2018 in the Ministry thanked the Minister, Permanent Secretary for initiating the idea of recognition and award for deserving staff of the Ministry. He further praised them for their support and thorough guidance which had made  the staff of the Ministry better  in discharge of their duties. ...

Road: Trans Sahara Committee Inspects Roads Within Nigerian Territory The Trans-Saharan Road Liaison Committee (TRLC) has inspected some of the road projects within the Nigerian territory as part of activities lined up for the 70th session of the committee which took place in Abuja, Nigeria from the 11th -12th of November 2019 The Member countries of the TLC are; Niger, Mali , Algeria Chad ,Tunisia and Nigeria. Nigeria's Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola,SAN who conducted his colleagues round the project sites said “ it is the tradition of the committee that the host country should take other members on inspection of the road projects under its territory in order to see level of progress and compliance on the routes. Fashola explained that Nigeria accounts for over 1000 kilometets length out of the over 9000 kilometers roads in the six sub-saharan countries. He further explained that in compliance with the local content executive order, Nigerian companies are given preference over foreign companies in the award of the contracts. Accordingly the Minister also stated that there were nine highways at different levels of construction that would connect Nigeria with the rest of Africa along the Trans-Sahara routes, pointing out that the ultimate aim was to transform those roads to highways of vehicles and trucks to link them to the ports for ease of doing business. The Minister listed Lagos - Algiers as one of such routes that would connect Nigeria with other parts of Africa, saying that the route cuts across Lagos-Ibadan, Oyo , Ogbomosho, Ilorin, Jebba , Mokwa, Kaduna and Kano leading to the Niger Republic. The team inspected the rehabilitation works of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway which is being handled by Julius Berger Nig Ltd, the 5.4Km Abuja –Keffi expressway and dualisation of Keffi-Akwanga -Lafia-Makurdi road being handled by China Harbour Engineering Company Limited. The delegation from the member countries on the inspection commended Nigerian Government for the local content policy in the construction industry, hoping that such could be replicated in other member countries. ...

Reconstruction of Trans Sahara Highways within Nigerian Territory in Advanced Stage - Fashola Honourable Minister of Works and Housing,Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, has disclosed that the reconstruction of the major highways that link Nigeria's borders with the six member states of the Trans Sahara Road namely: Chad, Niger, Tunisia, Mali and Algeria is 80% asphalted. Fashola made the disclosure at the opening  ceremony  of the 70th session and meeting of the Trans Sahara Road Liaison Committee (TRLC) which Nigeria is hosting in Abuja. The ministers in charge of roads in the six countries are taking part at the meeting. The objective of the meeting of the TRLC member countries was to discuss and share knowledge on how to improve African connectivity, integration and trade. Fashola  noted that the over 9000 kms Trans Sahara Road Which  serves about 37 regions in Africa and  connects about 74 urban cities and 60 million people across six countries if completed would create immense opportunities in Agriculture, information technology  and  the fashion industry among others, adding that most of the roads that were plied by horses and carmels are presently motorable. According to the Minister, “Now if you appreciate that these roads,  roads of horses and camels are now the roads of vehicles and trucks, you can imagine the opportunities that lie ahead as we converge here.” He further noted that Nigeria is part of the large urban network of opportunity as the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Trans Sahara Road would intensify cultural and economic exchange of goods and services across the African region. Accordingly, the Minister also stated that the reconstruction  of these  major roads are due to their busy nature, adding that heavy duty trucks of about 5000 in number ply  these roads on a regular basis. He listed some roads in the trans sharan route such as:  the Abuja- Kaduna- Kano , Lagos - Ibadan-Ilorin-Jebba among others  which are at different stages of completion. In an address by the  President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari delivered by his representative, the Minister of Police Affairs Alhaji Mohammed Dingyadi,the Mr.President reiterated the  committment of his administration to introduce change in Nigeria geared towards a sustainable and quality infrastructure development to drive economic development and job creation. He explained that  provision of  road infrastructure was meant to increase Nigeria’s trunks of roads  to ease the cost and time of doing business and improve  economic competiveness in Nigeria's  Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP). The President, however, maintained that his administration “shares the vision of the Trans Sahara Road Liaison Committee to develop the section of the Trans Sahara road within their respective territories.” The President also charged the delegates attending the meeting to remain committed to the prompt delivery of the crucial development of road transport infrastructure for the benefit of the people in member states. In his address, the Secretary General of the Trans Sahara Road Liaison Committee, Mr. Ayadi Mohammed, commended President Muhammadu Buhari,  the Honourable Minister for Works and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN ,the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engineer Abubakar Aliyu and the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for their hospitality and reception given to the delegates. He added that the member countries of the Trans Sahara and Committee have the task to build excellent relationship that would stimulate trade in the region. ...