₦airaland Forum

Symphony007: wike will draw up which list? When did he become lord of the realm, you see how idiotic you are. According to the rivers state PDP constitution, the delegates will be draw from the LGA's to vote for the governorship flagbearer or to represent rivers state in abuja. So how can he control delegates from LGA chairmen who does'nt recognise him? A man whoes LGA CHAIRMAN does't even support. So wike has the following options, remove all the LGA chairmen and put the once will support him so as to vote his way.(impossible), try to change party rules pick delegates himself(impossible, major court battle), hope you're learning a thing or two.

larride: 2pages of absolute childish tantrums and zero contributions.

This news is sketchy and until I see more details, I won't believe any of it. I'm reading vanguard newspaper right now and nothing of such is reported, no single media even deem it fit to report the said clash.

OP, Stop spreading falsehood and hatred where none exist.

Symphony007: pathetic! Swing into action discipling governors who hold levrage over the leader of the party(jonathan) and are in negociation with him. Listen to yourself speak and you'll weep.

dayokanu: Looks like some PDP do or die have infiltrated APC

ba7man: Enforcing safe practices in Aviation is far more important than analyzing a Black Box in Nigeria.

If there are no Plane crashes, there won't be Black box analysis. Why walk through Refurbished Airports to board rickety, unsafe Planes??

The First Officer then suggested to the pilot to abort take-off but Yakubu Abdulrahman proceeded and took off.

I think, if you read my post, it either makes a case for the challenges facing education, and why I feel the ASUU strike is for that cause (as well as our allowances, which I never apologized for. We earned them). You can either agree with the arguments I made in my post, or fault them. I will meet you when you fault them.

Has the government come out at any point to reject ASUU's calculations? To the best of my knowledge, the calculations were done using formulas that were agreed to (at least in principle, if nothing else) with government. If government wanted oversight over the process, don't tell me NUC could not have done that for them.

You speak as if they sat on this for months, with the ASUU guys agreeing all along and then suddenly crying out. Like I told someone earlier, working with government, there is so much smoke and mirrors that one needs to be careful. I assure you that when the ASUU guys realized what was happening, they objected at the earliest opportunity. That is the information I have and I will stand by it until corrected.

Good question. I admit to you that part of this is down to academics themselves. You see, there is red tape in the system. On the other hand though, most of the red tape is there because of heavy-handed attempts at installing check and balances. However, I am also made to understand that the government often frustrates implementers by refusing to release funds at the right time.

ckkris: Sabotage continues

The Peoples Democratic Party has extended an olive
branch to the Abubakar Baraje-led faction of the party,
asking t to return to the main party. This follows the
decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise the Bamanga Tukur-led executive as the authentic leadership of the party.

The PDP, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary,Olisa Metuh, said INEC’s decision has laid to rest all contentions regarding the leadership of the party. “The position of INEC in affirming the leadership of the PDP under the National Chairmanship of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur,and rejecting the demand for recognition by our aggrieved brothers has indeed laid to rest all contentions regarding the authentic leadership of our great party.

“However, we wish to state categorically that this is not a
time for us to gloat or preen ourselves over victory. We
must use this window of opportunity to engender true
reconciliations, put all the issues behind us and move
ahead as one big united family that we are,” Mr. Metuh
said. He also called on the members of the new PDP to
relegate all personal interests and return to the fold so that together, they can ward off all external aggressions and forge a common formidable political front.

“We wish to assure that the PDP as the only true national
party is large enough to accommodate all interests and
persons as we remain loyal to the provisions of our
constitution as a party,” he said. “We must at this time
close ranks and rally around President Goodluck Jonathan
and our leaders at all levels so that collectively, we will
ensure that our great party delivered on its mandate and
promises as enshrined in the PDP manifesto, the ideals of
our founding fathers and the Transformation Agenda of the PDP-led government for the overall good of our people.

“The challenges of the last few months, rather than
detract, have proven that the PDP remains the pre-eminent party that will continue to win elections at all levels in the country.” The statement urged all party leaders, elders members of the PDP across board to continue to support President Goodluck Jonathan and his Transformation Agenda.

Symphony007: you folks are really living in another universe. So as inec has wriiten to the faction, they will all run back to PDP on their knees begging? If anything, this futher distabilizes the party. Nothing has changed, king jonathan will continue negociating.

Futhermore, ameachi is'nt begging anyone. For all they have tried against him, he is still strong as ever, and very soon jonathan will sacrifice wike and his cronies on the altar of 2015 to get ameachi's support.

The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) yesterday said new owners of successor generation and distribution companies of the privatised Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) would now take over operations of their respective assets on November 1, this year.

This is just as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory
Commission (NERC) also told the new investors in the
power assets that it would not allow operators to dictate
the rules governing the electricity industry of the country
irrespective of their huge investments.

The Deputy Director, Electric Power Department of BPE, Mr.Amaechi Aloke, made this disclosure at a public hearing cum workshop to update the new owners on regulatory issues regarding the draft interim market rules for the management of the electricity industry before the eventual declaration of a Transitional Electricity Market (TEM) by NERC in Abuja.

Aloke, who assured the investors of government’s
commitment to hand over the assets to them by November 1, stated that before then, most of the verified workers of the defunct power utility would have been paid their severance benefits.

He, however, reminded them that the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), which is chaired by Vice-President
Namadi Sambo, still maintains its stance that the workers
must be given a six-month lay-off grace, following which
the new owners can sack and recruit from among them
according to their requirements.

The Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, who took time to
explain the interim market arrangement, also had to
defend the neutrality of the commission in discharging its
statutory responsibilities in the sector.

The commission was accused of championing the interests of consumers by the new owners of the privatised power firms without adequate consideration to their business interests, but Amadi in his remarks, stated that the commission’s operational mode was in sync with global standard regulatory practices.

“In making rules, we need to listen to all stakeholders,
operators, experts and those that will be impacted by the
rules. We will not make rules without the inputs from those to be affected by the rules. We will write the rules; not the operators or Disco Roundtable but NERC will write the rules,” he said.

Amadi explained that the forum provides an opportunity for the new operators to understand the various regulations and benchmarks which NERC employs in its regulation of the market and give their inputs before the final rules become an order.

According to him: “We believe that the operators and
consumers do not have irreconcilable interests. Our job is
to converge their interests into a single commitment to
provide to every Nigerian home and business access to
adequate, reliable and safe electricity.”

NERC’s Deputy General Manager, Market Competition and Rates, Abdulkadir Shetimma, had earlier stated in a
presentation on the draft interim market rules which would guide the industry between November 1, 2013, when the power firms were expected to be handed over to the investors, and February 28, 2014, when the TEM was expected to fully commence that the rules were necessary considering that Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and vesting contracts cannot be enforced before TEM.

The draft rules fixed generation companies energy charge
at 100 per cent and capacity charge, 45 per cent, while for the distribution companies, fixed charge and variable cost is 20 per cent, administration cost 100 per cent of MYTO 2 provision, return on capital 50 per cent and depreciation 10 per cent.

However, Robert Yates who spoke on behalf of the
distribution companies argued that fixed variable should be fixed at 70 and return on capital 60 per cent, adding that they need more than NERC is suggesting to cater for
salaries, interest to banks and other cash outgoings.

He also noted that arrangement suggested by NERC would result in their breaching of covenants with their bankers and that they should be allowed to keep cash covering allowable revenue before paying the rest to the Market Operator (MO) in addition to starting loss reduction timeline from November 1, 2013, which is the agreed deal they signed with BPE as against March 1, 2014, suggested by NERC.

They equally called for a more practical analysis on disco
cash flow, adding that NERC was championing consumers
cause rather than supporting everyone in the new interim
rules.

Sincere 9gerian: Interesting! The same group that organised the 2011 presidential election debate which Buhari and co boycotted.

Symphony007: PDP is like a drowing man, the party is imploading and undergoing and slow but painfull death. The signs are everywhere both symbolically and physically, it's my earnest prayer that a well meaning party will rise to fill the space their implosion will create.

taharqa: Finally. Its over.... So can d noise now stop, whilst we all go back to focusing on Development issues..

Commission says Tukur-led NWC is the authentic
leadership of the ruling PDP

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on
Thursday turned down the request by the Kawu Baraje
faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to recognise
its National Working Committee, NWC, as the authentic
leadership of the ruling party.

The Commission, in a letter dated October 2, to the
factional National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, said it
would not withdraw recognition of the National Working Committee, NWC, led by Bamanga Tukur, as the authentic leadership of the party because it monitored the conventions that produced it.

The faction had, in two separate letters, dated September
1 and 23, requested INEC to recognize its own NWC as the authentic leadership of the party.

The faction had emerged last August 31 when a former
Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and five governors left the party’s National Convention at Eagle Square, Abuja in
protest.

The governors were Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Musa
Kwankwaso (Kano), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Abdulfathah
Ahmed (kwara) and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto).

They were later joined by the Governors of Rivers and
Adamawa States, Chubuike Amaechi- who was on
suspension from the party- and Murtala Nyako -who was
not accredited to attend the convention- at the Yar’Adua
Centre, Abuja, where they addressed a conference
proclaiming the birth of the faction, they christened “New
PDP.”

But, the INEC in its letter titled, Re: Notification of Changes in the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party and Request for formal recognition, rejected the request, saying members of the Tukur-led NWC were duly elected at two conventions it monitored.

The letter signed by the Acting Secretary to the
Commission, U.F. Usman, said, “The commission
acknowledges the receipt of your letters dated 1st and
23rd September, 2013 respectively wherein you requested for the commission’s recognition of the Baraje led faction and the newly elected National Working Committee.

“You will recall that the Commission monitored the National Convention and Special National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party held on 24th March, 2012 and 31st August, 2013 respectively at Eagles Square, Abuja after notices to the Commission. A National Working Committee was elected at the two conventions with Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as National Chairman.

“The Commission will not withdraw recognition from the
leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elected at the elections duly monitored by the Commission.
“Please be guided.”

When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the
New PDP, Chukwuemeka Eze, said he had not been briefed about the letter and would not comment on it.

Mr. Eze told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that
he had already sent a text message to Mr. Oyinlola
requesting the factional National Secretary to confirm
receipt of the letter. He said he was yet to receive Mr.
Oyinlola’s reply.

Although he could not confirm the authenticity of the letter,Kayode Idowu, the media aide to the INEC Chairman, said the contents were not different from what the Commission had on its website.

According to Mr. Idowu, in a telephone interview, Mr. Tukur was recognised on the website as the National Chairman of the PDP.

lekanwj: Nigerians are the most difficult to satisfy. Construction,of roads is going on yet they are complaining. We seems to forget where we are coming from. Lagos was a state noted for refuse everywhere n terrible roads. Remember NO PAIN NO GAIN.

geeez: During his tenure there was no single crash. Can you mention one single ant that dropped to the ground in our airspace when he oversaw the Ministry of Aviation

I'm wondering if airlines should budget more for prayers than maintenance going by the current minister's comments

One minister invested in total radar coverage while he was there while the other has been painting the airports. It's obvious that she's only all about cosmetics and makeup than addressing the real substance.

Some roads in Lagos have been under construction for
close to three years, and the residents are grumbling about the pains that this is causing them, SAMUEL AWOYINFA reports

“The construction of this road has been on for over three
years now, and no one knows when it will be completed.
Anytime it rains, many people abandon their cars at home for fear of getting stuck in the muddy road.” Mr. Alex Obute, who resides on Ayobo Road, Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area of Lagos, conveyed this
expression of disillusionment on Monday.

The road leading to his Ayobo residence has been under
construction in the last three years and this has caused
him frustration. Obute is not the only one facing this ordeal in the Centre of Excellence.

Many Lagosians, who ply many of the uncompleted roads
that dot the metropolitan city, have one form of ugly story or another to tell. From Ayobo in Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA,
Wempco Road in Ikeja Local Government Area, Jakande-
Ijegun Road in Alimosho Local Government Area to Ago
Palace Way, Okota in Isolo Local Council Development Area, the sorry situation is the same.

Beyond the fact that some of these roads have remained
uncompleted for some years now, issues bordering on slow pace of work, inconsistent work schedule and near total abandonment have become the lot of some of the projects.And indeed, this is causing a great deal of concern to the residents.

While many of them grumble about the inconveniences
arising from this, others complain about the health
hazards, given the cloud of dust that follows such
construction work.

According to Obute, who has been resident in Ayobo for
over 10 years now, the road project has become a white
elephant. Painting a picture of abandonment, he notes that his son, who was born when the road construction started, has already clocked three.

The rainy season, he also says comes with its own
associated fears and problems. He explains that when it
rains, motorists avoid passing through the route and some of those who summon the courage to risk it usually have sad stories to tell.

He says, “Anytime it rains, I dare not take my car to the
office. Some of those, who risk taking their cars, have nasty experiences to tell. It is either those cars are stuck in the muddy road or the shafts of their cars develop problems. In fact, the bad state of the road has made them regular visitors to mechanics.”

At the beginning of the rainy season this year, when the
contractor handling the project decided to shut some
sections of the road, the alternative route used by
motorists became even worse. Following pressure on the
alternative route, especially around the Oluwaga area, the
regular sight to behold in the community is that of
innumerable commercial buses and private cars trapped in the muddy road.

Saheed Alagbe, a commercial bus driver, who had his LT
Volkswagen trapped in the mud, said it was a nightmarish experience. He says in Yoruba, “It was a terrible experience. The mechanic and I had to practically stay in the mud while repairing the vehicle.”

”Alagbe, while appealing to the Lagos State Government to prevail on the contractor to hasten up work on the Ayobo Road, says “The road dey important for we people wey dey live and do business here.”Stressing the importance of the road, the bus driver, says it serves as a connecting artery to Ogun State, particularly for
residents of Ayetoro, Lafenwa, and Itele among other
communities.

He adds that the hardship faced on the route has
practically forced the residents to seek alternative routes.
According to him, they now link Lagos through Lafenwa/
Itele/Ota Road, journeying for two hours for a trip of 45
minutes.

Shortly after leaving the connecting bridge linking Lagos
and Ogun states, onward from Ayetoro in Ado Odo/Ota
Local Government Area, an undulating, erosion-ridden road is another reality that faces the residents.Before getting to Isefun Junction, heaps of earth excavated
from the drains, stare one in the face by the left side. It
occupies a stretch on that portion, thus reducing the size of the road.

Each time it rains, that portion of the road becomes
nothing but impassable, muddy and slippery.A commercial bus driver, Chito Ehis, who plies Ayetoro-Ayobo-Iyana Ipaja route says, “My brother, anytime wey rain fall, na trouble for this road. The thing go dey drag motor for our hand.”

Though the project contractor dug massive drainage
channels on both sides of the road, when it rains, the
accompanying flood pours on the road and other adjoining streets, houses, schools and business concerns.
There are also no hiding places for some filling stations and churches on the route.Despite having consolidated some portions of the road from Ayobo Bus Stop with gravels,motorists, leaving Ayobo or coming into it, must
compulsorily make a detour to seek an emergency
alternative route.Of late, they have found comfort in a makeshift road adjacent to a Power Holding Company of Nigeria’s sub-station. The emergency route came into being about three weeks ago.

A resident says the contractor was forced to create the
route because one of the trucks belonging to the company got stuck on the major road and it took them some time before it could be recovered.

“The contractor had to open up another route because
their truck got stuck in the mud on the former route. It is
not for any other reason. Other people’s cars have been
stuck in that muddy road but they never did anything until they had a taste of it.

“This is a sign that the contractor must hasten up and
complete that road. Or are they waiting till election time, so as to use it as part of campaign strategies?” a resident, who pleads anonymity asks.

The Meiran-Mologede Road

Another road yearning for completion in the Centre of
Excellence is the Meiran-Mologede-Ile-Iwe Junction Link
Road.A resident, who lives on the route, Mr. Sampson Ike, notes that for over a year now, the better part of the air they breathe comes from dust occasioned by the uncompleted road. Besides the bad air that they inhale, he states that the thick dust emanating from the road project has provided emergency colours for their vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles. Buildings and wares, he adds, are not spared of the “dust dominance” in the community.

Though the contractor has also put some overlay of gravels on a stretch beginning from Mologede, the rehabilitation work has yet to be completed.When our correspondent visited the place, there was no sign of any work on the project.In fact, there was no worker on the site. But three caterpillars were seen at different points, and with a sign board indicating that the contracting firm was First August Nigeria Limited.A motorist travelling from Meiran Junction to Ile-Iwe will have to divert to Omoraga Street, which is also in bad shape. The idea is that the commuter later re-connects to Meiran Road before reaching Ile-Iwe and connecting Ekoro Road and Command-Ipaja Road.

A civil servant, who boarded an okada to Ile-Iwe Junction
just to meet with his office schedule, says, “This is what I
go through every morning. The road is dusty. That is why I do not wear any of my white shirts anymore. The pace of work is rather slow. You can see that a section of the road is now impassable.”

Another resident, Rashidat Asimowu, says the unending
rehabilitation on the road has been her major
concern.When it rains, instead of connecting her residence through Ekoro Road, she further travels down to Meiran bus stop along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, before alighting from the bus.Her shop along the Mologede axis always has her wares caked in dust. Expressing her anguish in Yoruba, she says, “We are tired of wiping dust from our wares on daily basis because of the rehabilitation of the road. The vehicles and okada that pass through here rake dust, and it settles on columns of houses and wares in the shops.”

Okota-Isolo

For residents of Okota and its environs, apart from battling with dust, they have contending issues with gridlock occasioned by the construction work on the Ago-Palace Way. Flooding is another issue that they regularly battle with, especially when it rains.

Curiously, while residents of other communities point to
government for failing to come to their aid, our
correspondent gathered that litigation from a landlord, who is protesting the planned demolition of his house has
stalled the ongoing repair of the road.

Okekoto, Agege

Again, the Okekoto, Agege drainage channel construction
seems to be uncertain for close to two years.The earth dug out from one of the lanes has become mound and it now occupies a section of the road, thus narrowing the road further at Okekoto/Egbeda inter-section. The unlined
drainage system has been overgrown with weeds and
festering with all manner of waste.

A resident, Isa Danladi explains that the contractor has
only succeeded in destroying the road and leaving the
residents and motorists to suffer its consequence.Danladi,
who speaks through an interpreter stresses, “We were
enjoying this road before the contractor came and started
digging the drainage channels. We had thought the
government was trying to reconstruct the road, but we
were wrong.

“The contractor has gone for some time now, later you will see his workers again. Please help tell him to complete what he has started. The heaps of sand dug out of the drainage channel are blocking a section of the road. It causes gridlock when workers are returning from work.”

A landlord, who does want his name mentioned, says he
has to pay a carpenter to construct a bridge with planks
over the drainage channel left open by the contractor to
enter his house. “I paid close to N5, 000 to construct this
plank bridge,” he says.

Wemco Road

Motorists and commuters also face this harrowing
experience on Wempco Road and Acme Link Road, Ogba,
Ikeja, Lagos.

Residents of the area say that the contractor handling the
Wempco Road drainage has made life more difficult for
them. Following the earth moved out from the exercise; a
section of the road has now become difficult to pass,
especially during rush hours.

The situation worsens when it rains, forcing motorists to
avoid the route.

Delivery dates on the roads

Official sources say these roads have their delivery date,
but it is also on record that some of the contractors have
failed to deliver on the due date.

For example, the Acme link Road, being handled by
Palmygra, had failed the six-month delivery date. The
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Femi
Hamzat was not available last Wednesday when our
correspondent visited his Ikeja office.

Official reactions

The Director of Public Relations of the ministry, Mr. Biola
Fagunwa, directed our correspondent to send in a
questionnaire via email, which he would forward to the
commissioner.

Responding to some of the inquiries, the commissioner
notes that every road construction or rehabilitation has a
delivery date. He, however, admits that there are factors
which may affect the delivery date, some of which he says are unforeseen and beyond the control of the contractors.

According to him, funding is another crucial factor. He says,“Our projects are not projects in perpetuity, However, it bears stating that delivery date on projects is a function of many factors. There is a demonstrated commitment on the part of this administration to conclude all our projects within the ambit of the tenure we have.”

When projects are awarded, Hamzat, who notes that all
engineering propositions should last a specific period, adds that “this is always challenged by the circumstances
encountered by contractors when they are on site. There is also the question of funding.”On the Moshalasi-Ikotun,
Ipaja and Ayobo axis, he says, the state government had
proposed a three- phase project.

“Phase I is the rehabilitation/upgrading of Mosalashi-
Ikotun Road which has been completed. Phase II is the
rehabilitation/upgrading of Mosalashi-Ipaja-Ayobo Road
project which is still ongoing while phase III is the
rehabilitation/upgrading of part of Ishefun Road and
Ayetoro Road, which is still under processing,” he explains.

According to Hamzat, the project is still within the
projected period but he fails to state the delivery date of
the project. He adds, “The project was awarded in April,
2011 while the contractor mobilised to site in July, 2011.
“It has overcome the initial challenges of relocation of gas
pipeline, oil pipelines, PHCN installations and
telecommunications facilities along the axis.

“Equally, there is the challenge of getting the buy-in of
many stakeholders. There was a need to move walls, some buildings were also affected. To sort the challenges usually takes time.”

Hamzat says alignment usually poses a challenge, because according to him, there is an existing federal road in that axis and permission of federal authorities has to be sought so that the state government can utilise the road.

On drainage channels construction, Hamzat explains that
their construction is not within the purview of his ministry.

But he notes that there are specifications to be met for a
particular drainage channel. He says, “More often than not,there are challenges of existing facilities. Lagos is not a virgin land. The challenges we face are challenges of built-up areas.”

Underscoring the monitoring of its projects, Hamzat says
the budget ministry, officials from the Governor’s Office
and project engineers, who have responsibilities for quality assurance, are involved.