IT is disgraceful that the deadline for the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been shifted to 2021. Work resumed this year, but Julius Berger, the contractor handling the Lagos-Sagamu intersection end of the highway, has now dashed any hope of its completion anytime soon. Citing lack of funding and additional designs, it stated that the December 2019 completion date was no longer feasible. This is a severe blow. It betrays a spectacular lack of understanding on the dynamics that underpin a country’s socio-economic development by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Being Nigeria’s most notable road asset, the news of the postponement for another three years is devastating for the users. With a vehicular traffic of 25,000 per hour, the Federal Road Safety Commission says it is the busiest highway in the country. Ordinarily, this pivotal element ought to have compelled the Federal Government to expedite action on its reconstruction. That it did not, portrays the government as bewildered and unable to get its priorities right.

The rigmarole began in 2009, when the Umaru Yar’Adua administration concessioned the project to Bi-Courtney Highway Services. Valued then at N86.5 billion, Bi-Courtney was to build, operate and transfer to government after 25 years. With nothing concrete achieved, the Goodluck Jonathan government terminated the contract in 2012, by which time, the cost had risen to N112 billion. Oddly, that government wagged the dog on the project. The 127.6-kilometre road, now in a sorry state, was opened in 1978.



Eventually, Jonathan realised his unforgivable ineptitude and inaugurated the repairs in 2013 at the cost of N167 billion, which was to be undertaken by Julius Berger and Reynolds Construction Company. He pledged that the reconstruction would last four years. As expected, the inauguration elicited optimism. But it turned out to be a mere political gambit ahead of the 2015 elections: absurdly, in the last budget of his tenure, the Federal Ministry of Works had a capital vote of only N11 billion.

The unending farce has brought untold pain to those who pass through the road. The Buhari government, which succeeded Jonathan, has made efforts to complete the project, but the pace of work is too slow, owing primarily to poor funding.

It allocated only N31 billion to the road in the 2017 budget. However, by then, it owed the contractors N15 billion. But even this inadequate sum was consumed by the bitter ethnic politics in the Senate. Some lawmakers mischievously argued that the road “belonged to the South-West.” Therefore, the lawmakers irresponsibly slashed the vote to N10 billion and used it to fund their corruption-driven constituency projects.

The parliamentarians have continued to play petty politics with such a critical economic livewire that connects Lagos – Nigeria’s commercial hub – with other regions of the country. Although Kabiru Gaya, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, pontificated about the delay when Julius Berger officials told the senators about the 2021 completion during their latest oversight visit, that trip was all about playing to the gallery. Interestingly, in the 2018 budget, the National Assembly unilaterally knocked off an aggregate of N11.5 billion from funds allocated to some capital projects, including the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Second Niger Bridge and the Itakpe-Ajaokuta rail project.

Consequently, there is daily gridlock on the route these days, creating chaos, helplessness and insecurity. That the government is not mindful of this mayhem and is proposing 2021 as the new completion date is baffling.

Click here to read full details >>> http://www.naijahitplay.com/2018/11/disgraceful-lagos-ibadan-road.html?m=1

Indeed, Nigeria has serious infrastructural deficit.

Saraki kept on cutting the budget for capital project, only to replace it with constituency project.... Twice, fashola wailed and yelled but now is their time to lament after PDP's serial election losses

iammo:
Saraki kept on cutting the budget for capital project, only to replace it with constituency project.... Twice, fashola wailed and yelled

But saraki couldn't cut the illegal withdrawals by nnpc or the allocation by President Buhari or Acting President Osinbajo all in multiple trillions of Naira? Shut up!
SARAKI IS ALSO WHY EFCC IS DEFENDING OSHIOMOLE IN THESE CORRUPTION CASES!!

dutchbruv:
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel it to arrest and prosecute the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, over allegation that he diverted public funds to his personal use. APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.


The anti-graft agency, which admitted that it was in receipt of petitions accusing Oshiomhole of complicity in acts of corruption, however, said it was not under any obligation to report or give account of its investigations to any individual or under a timeline within which to carry out its functions. EFCC therefore urged the high court to dismiss the suit that is seeking to invoke an order of mandamus to compel it to initiate criminal proceedings against the embattled APC Chairman.


The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/628/2018, which was lodged before the court by Edo State based cleric and activist, Bishop Osadolor Ochei, is urging the court to declare that EFCC has a statutory duty to investigate different petitions that contained allegations of financial recklessness against Oshiomhole.

Specifically, the Applicant, alleged that Oshiomhole who was sued as the 2nd Respondent, while in office as Edo state governor, acquired properties in United States of America, South Africa and Dubai worth billions of U.S. dollars and far in excess of his legitimate income.


He alleged before the court that the ex-governor built a sprawling mansion worth more than N10billion in his home town known as Iyamho, while in office. According to the Applicant, “The said building was constructed by Verissimo, a South African Architectural outfit.

The said house of the 2nd Respondent has swimming pools, water fountains, multiple theatres for cinema and live performances, huge event halls, bridges, manmade lake, lodges of different sizes amongst others.


“The said cost of building the mansion is well outside the 2nd Respondent’s legitimate income. The 2nd Respondent’s lifestyle and extent of the said property were not justified by his source of income”.

The Applicant told the court that he had on November 4, 2016, sent a petition to the EFCC, detailing some corrupt practices he said the ex-governor was involved in He maintained that EFCC’s refusal to act on petitions containing “weighty allegations” against Oshiomhole, ran contrary to Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which enjoined the State to abolish corrupt practices.


Meanwhile, EFCC, in a preliminary objection that was signed by its team of lawyers led by the Head of its Legal and Prosecutions Department, Mr. G.K. Latona, aside challenging the locus- standi of the Applicant to file the action, said it has discretion on how to use its available manpower to carry out investigations into petitions submitted to it.

“That investigation of cases is a holistic process which entails time, resources, inter-agency cooperation, interview of different persons and gathering of evidence over a long period of time depending on the nature of the case and other variables”, it told the court. .

He argued that the suit has become statute barred, saying the Applicant ought to have instituted the action within three months after the first petition was filed against him before the EFCC. The APC Chairman noted that the cleric first wrote a letter to the EFCC on October 28, 2016, drawing its attention to the allegations of financial misappropriation he made against him.

He told the court that the Applicant wrote another letter that was received by the anti-graft agency on December 13, 2016, reminding it of his pending petition that was allegedly not acted upon by the EFCC.


“The action of the 1st Respondent (EFCC) which is being subjected to review by the instant proceedings for Judicial Review, last occurred on December, 2016, while the proceeding for Judicial Review was commenced on 13th June, 2018, eighteen months after the occurrence of the alleged failure being complained about.

“The suit is statute-barred by virtue of the facts stated above and the Applicant/Respondent’s right of action (if any) has become unenforceable”, Oshiomhole contended. He maintained that the Applicant failed to show how actions he took while in office as Governor, “affected him over and above other residents and indigenes ot Edo State”.


“This Honourable Court is robbed of jurisdiction to entertain this suit for failure of the Applicant/Respondent to commence this action within the time provided by extant rules of this Honourable Court and/or for failure to disclose locus standi to institute the action”, Oshiomhole added. Trial Justice Anwuli Chikere has fixed November 19 to commence hearing on the matter.


The petitioner had in his suit, told the court that Oshiomhole, “bought a property along Okoro-Otun Avenue, G.R.A., Benin City owned by Edo State Government while serving as Governor of Edo State in an insider deal without due process and in abuse of his oath of office”. He said the property acquired by the 2nd Respondent was originally given to University of Benin as a gift by Edo State Government.

“The 2nd Respondent, while a dispute was pending in Court between University of Benin and Edo State Government, forcibly acquired the property for his personal use.


The 2nd Respondent has since erected a structure with an underground apartment, roof-top swimming pool, another giant structure worth more than N500,000,000 (five hundred million naira) which is far beyond his legitimate income.

At the time of the sale, the open market price of that magnitude of property and in that such high-brow location was about N100 million naira. “This transaction took place while the 2nd Respondent was Governor of Edo State and he bought the said property for just N23 million naira vide an Access Bank cheque.

“The 2nd Respondent authorized and awarded the highly inflated contract and payment within a relatively short time for the construction of a 168 room-hostel in Edo State University, Iyamho for the sum of N1.88 billion naira.


The average cost per room translates to N10 million naira for each hostel room. “This contract was awarded to the firm of A & K Construction Limited without compliance with due process.

Similarly, the 2nd Respondent authorized and awarded the highly inflated contract of building the Teaching Hospital of the said University for the sum of N12.2 billion naira without compliance with due process.


“The 2nd Respondent authorized and approved the diversion of N1.2 billion naira approved for the construction of a new accident and emergency ward complex and renovation of existing structures in the Central Hospital, Benin City for the payment of additional 10% advance payment to A & K Construction Limited for the construction of the Teaching Hospital of the University of Science and Technology, Uzairue (also known as Edo State University, Iyamho) without compliance with due process and against public interest.


“The 2nd Respondent borrowed N25billion naira from the capital market through the issuance of bonds. He purportedly paid the first N6 billion naira to Hitech Construction on March 2, 2011 and listed several roads as part of Phase One of the Storm Water Project to include Adolor College road, Textile Mill road, and a host of others.

These roads are largely abandoned with little or no work done by Hitech Construction Company. The gullies created as a result of initial work have become major sources of flooding in Benin – City. More than six persons have been killed by this artificial flood.


“The 2nd Respondent authorized and awarded the construction of the 7.2 kilometer Ogba/Airport Road, Benin – City to Servetek Construction Company Limited for construction of drainage structures and dualization from Ring Road to Ogba River Bridge for an industry record setting sum of N4.4 billion which translates to N611 million naira per kilometer without compliance with due process.


“Following disputes with the Company on how the money was to be shared amongst stakeholders, the Company refused to work further and the contract was terminated.


It was re-awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited for over N12 billion naira, on the pretext that 17 access roads were to be constructed along the main Airport Road. It was later discovered that these access roads were re-awarded as stand-alone contracts with new cost tag. The contracts were awarded without compliance with due process.


“The 2nd Respondent authorized and awarded the construction of the Emergency / Accident Unit of the Central Hospital, Benin – City, to an Italian Company for the sum of N2.7 billion naira and later reviewed same upwards to over N3 billion naira.


The constructed building subsequently collapsed killing the owner of the Company, Dr. Stefano De La Roca and confidant of the 2nd Respondent. The contract was thereafter re-awarded to another company, SCL without penalizing the previous Company for the poor work done and thereby causing serious financial loss to Edo State.


The said SCL is also one of the Companies that constructed the Lord of the Manor Proto-type mansion and adjoining premises of the 2nd Respondents at Iyamho in Edo State.


“In 2012, the 2nd Respondent initiated and authorized the approach to the World Bank to secure a loan of $225 million dollars under the First Edo State Growth and Employment Support Credit project with identification number “P123353 ”.


The World Bank paid Edo State Government $75 million U.S. dollars as initial payment and another $75million U.S. dollars as second installment, despite massive protest by Edo people.


“The said second installment which was domiciled in Access Bank was largely transferred to private off shore accounts and round tripped to the detriment of Edo State.


“The 2nd Respondent authorized and approved the counterpart fund scheme between Edo State Government and Bank of Industry with each party providing N250 million naira each. This agreement was reached in December, 2009. From the enquiries made by Applicant, only N41.6 million naira was disbursed. The balance sum was diverted for personal gain and to the detriment of Edo State residents”, the Applicant added.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/corruption-allegations-why-we-cant-arrest-oshiomhole-efcc-tells-court/

OfficialAPCNGR:

But saraki couldn't cut the illegal withdrawals by nnpc or the allocation by President Buhari or Acting President Osinbajo all in multiple trillions of Naira? Shut up!

Lol, you don't even know how government works... Goto court to seek an injunction and use the freedom of information right to understand how NNPC operates. Talk is cheap!!

iammo:


Lol, you don't even know how government works... Goto court to seek an injunction and use the freedom of information right to understand how NNPC operates. Talk is cheap!!

WE ARE IN COURT ALREADY TO GET OUR SHIAMAN OSHIOMOLE TO FACE JUSTICE ON CORRUPTION AND STEALING ISSUES... BUT SURPRISINGLY EFCC IS THE ONE DEFENDING OSHIOMOLE IN COURT!!

See

dutchbruv:
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel it to arrest and prosecute the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, over allegation that he diverted public funds to his personal use. APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.


The anti-graft agency, which admitted that it was in receipt of petitions accusing Oshiomhole of complicity in acts of corruption, however, said it was not under any obligation to report or give account of its investigations to any individual or under a timeline within which to carry out its functions. EFCC therefore urged the high court to dismiss the suit that is seeking to invoke an order of mandamus to compel it to initiate criminal proceedings against the embattled APC Chairman.


The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/628/2018, which was lodged before the court by Edo State based cleric and activist, Bishop Osadolor Ochei, is urging the court to declare that EFCC has a statutory duty to investigate different petitions that contained allegations of financial recklessness against Oshiomhole.

Specifically, the Applicant, alleged that Oshiomhole who was sued as the 2nd Respondent, while in office as Edo state governor, acquired properties in United States of America, South Africa and Dubai worth billions of U.S. dollars and far in excess of his legitimate income.


He alleged before the court that the ex-governor built a sprawling mansion worth more than N10billion in his home town known as Iyamho, while in office. According to the Applicant, “The said building was constructed by Verissimo, a South African Architectural outfit.

The said house of the 2nd Respondent has swimming pools, water fountains, multiple theatres for cinema and live performances, huge event halls, bridges, manmade lake, lodges of different sizes amongst others.


“The said cost of building the mansion is well outside the 2nd Respondent’s legitimate income. The 2nd Respondent’s lifestyle and extent of the said property were not justified by his source of income”.

The Applicant told the court that he had on November 4, 2016, sent a petition to the EFCC, detailing some corrupt practices he said the ex-governor was involved in He maintained that EFCC’s refusal to act on petitions containing “weighty allegations” against Oshiomhole, ran contrary to Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which enjoined the State to abolish corrupt practices.


Meanwhile, EFCC, in a preliminary objection that was signed by its team of lawyers led by the Head of its Legal and Prosecutions Department, Mr. G.K. Latona, aside challenging the locus- standi of the Applicant to file the action, said it has discretion on how to use its available manpower to carry out investigations into petitions submitted to it.

“That investigation of cases is a holistic process which entails time, resources, inter-agency cooperation, interview of different persons and gathering of evidence over a long period of time depending on the nature of the case and other variables”, it told the court. .

He argued that the suit has become statute barred, saying the Applicant ought to have instituted the action within three months after the first petition was filed against him before the EFCC. The APC Chairman noted that the cleric first wrote a letter to the EFCC on October 28, 2016, drawing its attention to the allegations of financial misappropriation he made against him.

He told the court that the Applicant wrote another letter that was received by the anti-graft agency on December 13, 2016, reminding it of his pending petition that was allegedly not acted upon by the EFCC.


“The action of the 1st Respondent (EFCC) which is being subjected to review by the instant proceedings for Judicial Review, last occurred on December, 2016, while the proceeding for Judicial Review was commenced on 13th June, 2018, eighteen months after the occurrence of the alleged failure being complained about.

“The suit is statute-barred by virtue of the facts stated above and the Applicant/Respondent’s right of action (if any) has become unenforceable”, Oshiomhole contended. He maintained that the Applicant failed to show how actions he took while in office as Governor, “affected him over and above other residents and indigenes ot Edo State”.


“This Honourable Court is robbed of jurisdiction to entertain this suit for failure of the Applicant/Respondent to commence this action within the time provided by extant rules of this Honourable Court and/or for failure to disclose locus standi to institute the action”, Oshiomhole added. Trial Justice Anwuli Chikere has fixed November 19 to commence hearing on the matter.


The petitioner had in his suit, told the court that Oshiomhole, “bought a property along Okoro-Otun Avenue, G.R.A., Benin City owned by Edo State Government while serving as Governor of Edo State in an insider deal without due process and in abuse of his oath of office”. He said the property acquired by the 2nd Respondent was originally given to University of Benin as a gift by Edo State Government.

“The 2nd Respondent, while a dispute was pending in Court between University of Benin and Edo State Government, forcibly acquired the property for his personal use.


The 2nd Respondent has since erected a structure with an underground apartment, roof-top swimming pool, another giant structure worth more than N500,000,000 (five hundred million naira) which is far beyond his legitimate income.

At the time of the sale, the open market price of that magnitude of property and in that such high-brow location was about N100 million naira. “This transaction took place while the 2nd Respondent was Governor of Edo State and he bought the said property for just N23 million naira vide an Access Bank cheque.

“The 2nd Respondent authorized and awarded the highly inflated contract and payment within a relatively short time for the construction of a 168 room-hostel in Edo State University, Iyamho for the sum of N1.88 billion naira.


The average cost per room translates to N10 million naira for each hostel room. “This contract was awarded to the firm of A & K Construction Limited without compliance with due process.

Similarly, the 2nd Respondent authorized and awarded the highly inflated contract of building the Teaching Hospital of the said University for the sum of N12.2 billion naira without compliance with due process.


“The 2nd Respondent authorized and approved the diversion of N1.2 billion naira approved for the construction of a new accident and emergency ward complex and renovation of existing structures in the Central Hospital, Benin City for the payment of additional 10% advance payment to A & K Construction Limited for the construction of the Teaching Hospital of the University of Science and Technology, Uzairue (also known as Edo State University, Iyamho) without compliance with due process and against public interest.


“The 2nd Respondent borrowed N25billion naira from the capital market through the issuance of bonds. He purportedly paid the first N6 billion naira to Hitech Construction on March 2, 2011 and listed several roads as part of Phase One of the Storm Water Project to include Adolor College road, Textile Mill road, and a host of others.

These roads are largely abandoned with little or no work done by Hitech Construction Company. The gullies created as a result of initial work have become major sources of flooding in Benin – City. More than six persons have been killed by this artificial flood.


“The 2nd Respondent authorized and awarded the construction of the 7.2 kilometer Ogba/Airport Road, Benin – City to Servetek Construction Company Limited for construction of drainage structures and dualization from Ring Road to Ogba River Bridge for an industry record setting sum of N4.4 billion which translates to N611 million naira per kilometer without compliance with due process.


“Following disputes with the Company on how the money was to be shared amongst stakeholders, the Company refused to work further and the contract was terminated.


It was re-awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited for over N12 billion naira, on the pretext that 17 access roads were to be constructed along the main Airport Road. It was later discovered that these access roads were re-awarded as stand-alone contracts with new cost tag. The contracts were awarded without compliance with due process.


“The 2nd Respondent authorized and awarded the construction of the Emergency / Accident Unit of the Central Hospital, Benin – City, to an Italian Company for the sum of N2.7 billion naira and later reviewed same upwards to over N3 billion naira.


The constructed building subsequently collapsed killing the owner of the Company, Dr. Stefano De La Roca and confidant of the 2nd Respondent. The contract was thereafter re-awarded to another company, SCL without penalizing the previous Company for the poor work done and thereby causing serious financial loss to Edo State.


The said SCL is also one of the Companies that constructed the Lord of the Manor Proto-type mansion and adjoining premises of the 2nd Respondents at Iyamho in Edo State.


“In 2012, the 2nd Respondent initiated and authorized the approach to the World Bank to secure a loan of $225 million dollars under the First Edo State Growth and Employment Support Credit project with identification number “P123353 ”.


The World Bank paid Edo State Government $75 million U.S. dollars as initial payment and another $75million U.S. dollars as second installment, despite massive protest by Edo people.


“The said second installment which was domiciled in Access Bank was largely transferred to private off shore accounts and round tripped to the detriment of Edo State.


“The 2nd Respondent authorized and approved the counterpart fund scheme between Edo State Government and Bank of Industry with each party providing N250 million naira each. This agreement was reached in December, 2009. From the enquiries made by Applicant, only N41.6 million naira was disbursed. The balance sum was diverted for personal gain and to the detriment of Edo State residents”, the Applicant added.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/corruption-allegations-why-we-cant-arrest-oshiomhole-efcc-tells-court/

OfficialAPCNGR:


WE ARE IN COURT ALREADY TO GET OUR SHIAMAN OSHIOMOLE TO FACE JUSTICE ON CORRUPTION AND STEALING ISSUES... BUT SURPRISINGLY EFCC IS THE ONE DEFENDING OSHIOMOLE IN COURT!!

Then be civilised enough to wait for the outcome of a court rather than all this ridiculous noise making

While the Saraki led Senate was playing ethnic politics and cutting funding for SW based projects, many wailers were hailing him as the best Senate president checking the executive recklessness and dictatorship.
I don't know how many of them have died or got maimed for life on that critical road due to non completion.

Saraki ...see ur life