₦airaland Forum

Rossikk: [size=20pt]Nigeria: On the throes of infrastructural boom?[/size]
Written by Gbemi Solaja

TRIBUNE NEWSPAPERS

Tuesday, 23 April 2013 00:00

NIGERIA, home to over 160 million people, has, over the years, been called the giant of Africa, due particularly to its large population and abundant natural resources. However, the ‘giant of Africa’, over the years, has been plagued by the corrupt attitude of its leaders and people in power. This has stalled the economic and infrastructural growth of the nation and encouraged the scourge of poverty among its citizens.

For decades, the nation depended on its agricultural products and later, with the discovery of crude oil, petroleum resources which till date, has helped grow the country’s economy but not without attendant crises from the Niger Delta region from where the bulk of the crude oil is extracted.

The nation was grossly lacking the basic infrastructure needed by its citizens, which was not helped by the corruption and careless attitudes of the then governments which led to a lot of good projects being abandoned midway or not adequately maintained.

[size=15pt]But fast forward to the present day Nigeria and all that seems to be changing drastically. From the capital cities of states to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, it is obvious that most urban centres are wearing new looks, with major infrastructural projects being implemented by each state government to give necessary facelift to its immediate environment.

The visible changes that are taking place all over the nation range from various road constructions to building of bridges, rebuilding of drainage to the reconstruction of rail lines, upgrading and building of airports and stricter laws enacted to regulate corrupt practices between government officials and contractors. Even to the ordinary eye, according to an engineer, Femi Ogundele, infrastructural development is taking centre stage in Nigeria.

For example, the Federal Government, recently approved a contract worth N1.61trn for the modernisation of its railway system, and about 15 different railway projects were pencilled down for completion between now and 2015.
According to a document on the 2013 capital projects of key federal ministries released, 13 of the projects will receive attention this year at a total cost of N44.35bn.

The railway investment, it was learnt, would involve the construction of new rail lines across the country and rehabilitation of the existing narrow gauge lines. Also, the federal government’s agenda to revamp the sea and air ports will be valuable to federal, states and the local governments, importers and exporters.
Toeing the line of the FG’s transformation agenda, many states have also initiated and embarked upon various infrastructural developmental projects.

Apart from enhancing the aesthetic beauty of major cities in the country, the general development, according to societal critics, has also contributed immensely to the socio-economic sectors, more so, with the creation of the needed employment opportunities for jobless Nigerians.

Today, the construction industry is flourishing as everywhere one turns to there is one construction or the other going on.
According to Godson Ihenacho, an electrical engineer, Nigeria is in the throes of an infrastructural boom. “At the beginning of this political dispensation, we were made to know the agenda of some elected members, including the executive arm of the state. With the deplorable state of infrastructure in most states of the country, one would truly affirm the need for any government to focus mainly on infrastructure while making sure that collapsed public infrastructure is rebuilt to make life more comfortable for the people. I am happy that the governments of most states are taking note”.[/size]

Even cities which were known to be critically short of infrastructure are now changing. In this regard, Oyo State, for example, is not left behind in pursuing efficient urban renewal programme, aimed at making the state to compete favourably with other states in the provision of quality infrastructure for socio-economic transformation and sustainable development.

The Governor Abiola Ajimobi-led government had embarked on massive road construction and maintenance, pulling down old structures and relocating roadside traders to newly built markets. Today, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, is wearing a new look and residents are beginning to marvel at the new emerging mega city.

In Ogun State and in most states in the South-West, the same story is the order of the day, with each state governor embarking on state-wide constructions and restoration of state order.

A point of reference is Lagos which, over time and with successive administrations, had enacted laws prohibiting illegal roadside trading, parking, settlement, and with law enforcements agencies more diligent than before, dislodging illegal traders, while earthmoving equipment demolished marked illegal structures in many areas. Illegal structures built on drainage and walkways had been pulled down to pave way for easy movement and traffic flow. Also, the proposed Eko Atlantic City is a project of the Lagos State government that says volume about how aware governments have become about the importance of adequate and tasteful infrastructure for its residents. When completed, the Eko Atlantic City is estimated to accommodate over 400,000 residents and a daily flow of 250,000 commuters, thus increasing job creation for Nigerians and foreigners.

The Tinapa project in Cross River State and the Ibom Tropicana resorts in Akwa-Ibom are also testaments of infrastructural boom in Nigeria, with increased tourism potential.
Today, there is a massive inflow to develop present infrastructure. According to Ihenacho, this would generate economic and social benefit.

So, what are the gains from these infrastructural developments? The strong positive link between infrastructural investment and the rate of economic growth is empirically well established. No doubt, quality infrastructure is an ingredient for sustainable development.

According to an architect, Bala Shehu Awwal, without quality infrastructure, good roads, efficient transportation, sanitation and hygienic environment, thriving energy, it would be hard for any society to prosper because poor and inadequate infrastructure hampers growth, more importantly it limits access to penetration into the global economy.
“An environment with good infrastructure will lead to improved access to education and services such as health.

It will generate employment and enhance any country’s ability to trade while reducing cost of goods and services. There will be ease for economic actors to do business in an improved, conducive environment. Access to good roads, railways and ports for instance, are essential for smooth running of such sectors as agriculture, industry and tourism. Efficient transport infrastructure will improve the delivery of other services. Towards achieving a stabilized and buoyant economy, improved infrastructure is a key ingredient to integrate into the global economy,” he said.

However, the question on the lips of many, as regards the renewed vigour and commitment with which governments across Nigeria are carrying out infrastructural projects is whether these projects would be adequately maintained in the coming years. Over the years, public facilities in Nigeria had been neglected or abandoned by successive governments and Nigerians argued if this wouldn’t be the case this time. According to Henry Aderibigbe, a public servant, the neglect and lack of maintenance of public facilities would, just as it had been before, lead to depletion or a state of disrepair in infrastructure and therefore make economic growth slow because infrastructural development in any country imposed on the cost of running business.

He stressed that infrastructure needs continuous upgrading in order to meet the demand of the growing population. He added, “That’s the challenge that most developing nations such as Nigeria face afterwards. Many stakeholders are of the view that governments that invest in such projects should be commended because it takes foresight to invest in things that will mostly benefit future generations.

Infrastructure doesn’t only include roads and bridge construction but cuts across designing that affords networking of highways; creating a network of well-maintained highways is a boom to industries, as highways that link major growth centres to seaports and airports, would afford speedy and efficient transportation etc. Also, the building of efficient and strategically positioned seaports, the development of industrial and specialized parks, these and some other developments would help take the nation to greater heights.


http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/10123-nigeria-on-the-throes-of-infrastructural-boom

Long story! Where's the infrastructure? We ain't seen nutin yet, more work, less talk abeg!

Jesus question God: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - Mathew 27:46

damosky12: Shuo! am not trying to make sence. It just seems you prefer ignorance to knowledge. You need to see signs and wonders through His name before beliving?

chai! This one don lost, and those wey like hin post come follow.


Na who go find them now

mastercee: 1) A pig is a real garbage gut. It will eat anything including urine, excrement, dirt, decaying animal flesh, maggots, or decaying vegetables. They will even eat the cancerous growths off other pigs or animals.

2) The meat and fat of a pig absorbs toxins like a sponge. Their meat can be 30 times more toxic than beef or venison.

3) When eating beef or venison, it takes 8 to 9 hours to digest the meat so what little toxins are in the meat are slowly put into our system and can be filtered by the liver. But when pork is eaten, it takes only 4 hours to digest the meat. We thus get a much higher level of toxins within a shorter time.

4) Unlike other mammals, a pig does not sweat or perspire. Perspiration is a means by which toxins are removed from the body. Since a pig does not sweat, the toxins remain within its body and in the meat.

5) Pigs and swine are so poisonous that you can hardly kill them with strychnine or other poisons.

6) Farmers will often pen up pigs within a rattlesnake nest because the pigs will eat the snakes, and if bitten they will not be harmed by the venom.

7) When a pig is butchered, worms and insects take to its flesh sooner and faster than to other animal's flesh. In a few days the swine flesh is full of worms.

Swine and pigs have over a dozen parasites within them, such as tapeworms, flukes, worms, and trichinae. There is no safe temperature at which pork can be cooked to ensure that all these parasites, their cysts,and eggs will be killed.

9) Pig meat has twice as much fat as beef. A 3 oz T bone steak contains 8.5 grams of fat; a 3 oz pork chop contains 18 grams of fat. A 3 oz beef rib has 11.1 grams of fat; a 3 oz pork spare rib has 23.2 grams of fat.

10) Cows have a complex digestive system, having four stomachs. It thus takes over 24 hours to digest their vegetarian diet causing its food to be purified of toxins. In contrast, the swine's one stomach takes only about 4 hours to digest its foul diet, turning its toxic food into flesh.

11) The swine carries about 30 diseases which can be easily passed to humans. This is why God commanded that we are not even to touch their carcase (Leviticus 11:.

12) The trichinae worm of the swine is microscopically small, and once ingested can lodge itself in our intestines, muscles, spinal cord or the brain. This results in the disease trichinosis. The symptoms are sometimes lacking, but when present they are mistaken for other diseases, such as typhoid, arthritis, rheumatism, gastritis, MS, meningitis, gall bladder trouble, or acute alcoholism.

13) The pig is so poisonous and filthy, that nature had to prepare him a sewer line or canal running down each leg with an outlet in the bottom of the foot. Out of this hole oozes pus and filth his body cannot pass into its system fast enough. Some of this pus gets into the meat of the pig.

14) According to Jewish law, pork is one of a number of foods forbidden from consumption by Jews. These foods are known as "non-kosher" foods. In order for a meat to be kosher, it must first come from a kosher animal. A kosher animal must be a ruminant and have split hooves - therefore cows, sheep, goats and deer are all kosher, whereas camels and pigs (having each only one sign of kashrut) are not kosher.

15) Quran, Holy book of Muslims also prohibits consumption of pork.

"He has made unlawful for you that which dies of itself and blood and the flesh of swine and that on which the name of any other than Allah has been invoked. But he who is driven by necessity, being neither disobedient nor exceeding the limit, then surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful." Quran 2:173

Nice write bruv







Testimony: I ate the shit once And I since then I took an oath never to even near it, not to talk of eating the shit again


Although I must confess, the chinese noodles soup with vegetable and the shit(pork) is so delicious As the Chinko man serve with their long chinese stick(wetin be dat tin name sef?), as I started eating it men I had put the chinese stick away and get nice spoon to eat it fast.

adewal15: ----oooO----
----(----)----
-----\--(--
------\_)-
-----------Oooo ---
-----------(--- -)---
------------)-- /----
------------(_/ - I follow you waka pass the unneeded page..

Bros as you deh waka make you enter papa charly boy aka linda's house. Ask am when e go cut hin dread. You sabi waka

ichommy: A palm wine seller fron Cape Verde

Cape Verde




You're BiG liar! You lied about his identity and again lied about his nationality? Why is you misleading people, you shoulda kindly kept your mouf shut instead of spewing that sh'it

Charles Shaw: This Nigerian Bùm wil be Feeling Fly.
Fly dat u married ur fellow man's wife
Or that u married a Celebrity?
Both of u Suck

why you deh hate this early morning?

Guy you suck!

Na lie jor! This na photoshop or na PDP set the man up. They very good at that. NeXT!

misreal: what point av u made nw by abusing him??have u asked ursef a question hw come de u.s is now vewi interested in nigeria..or is it nt de same u.s dat sai ghana's economy which is nt even beta dan lagos economy is beta dan nigerias own.......

I don't have to make any gadamn point! The US government is already on point. Can you point out ant false accusation in what was said by the US? The Insincere guy is just here to mislead people like you that's if you guys are not birds of a feather working together. And yes, Ghana economy can be better than ours going by the way things is goin. Our currency is valueless, prices of common commodities are on a increase daily. Poor no fit afford ordinary GARRi for market. Akara is #10 for one, dodo nko, it's #10 for a small slice, to buy bread now na gobe. Rice price has sky-rocketed to 10-12k per bag which is about 6k last year. So wht the Bleep is y'all talking?

Bastaaaaaaards?!

Sincere 9gerian: Another BASELESS report from the US. The fact that the west has suddenly become very critical of the federal govt should raise the suspicion of every patriotic Nigerian. The US have been firing from all cylinders of recent. What are they up to? Does the US mean well for Nigeria? Is this all about the PIB and oil multinationals?

Yes, Nigeria has a problem with corruption and it is the RESPONSIBILITY of every Nigerian and the govt to solve this problem. We do not need a saintly sermon from US before we know we need to get to work to solve the problem of corruption. After all the US is not immune from corruption. Who has been preaching to the US on the need to stop immoralities like gay marriages and homosexuality?

Lets take some quotes from the BASELESS report and puncture them.

"Police corruption remained rampant. Reports of checkpoint bribery and shooting incidents decreased in February after newly appointed Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar announced the closure of all police checkpoints across the country; however, illegal checkpoints remained common in some regions. Police routinely stopped drivers who did not commit traffic infractions, refusing to allow them to continue until they paid bribes,”

This is like speaking from both sides of the mouth. The closure of unnecessary police check points across the country was an action taken by the govt to curb corrupt practices among police officers. Unfortunately, that action has to be balanced with the need to also check insecurity. Not all police check points are "illegal" as stated in the report. Even if the target of completly eradicating illegal police check points have not been achieved, PROGRESS has been made. If one takes a trip all the way from Enugu to Rivers in day time, you'll hardly see police check points (except inter-state check points). But if the journey is done in the evening or night, one would see several check points. I dont know whether these check points are legal or illegal but for someone travelling at night, its a kind of reassurance that the road is safe.

Again, if the govt has banned illegal police check points, it is the responsibility of citizens to report any check point that is nuisance.

"the US government listed the escape of the suspected mastermind of the Boko Haram 2011 Christmas Day bombing from custody, noting how the police commissioner, who aided the suspect went unpunished"

Yes, Kabiru Sokoto escaped. But he was later captured. The police officer, whose negligence led to his escape was dismissed. I recall the case was investigated by the Police Service Commission which later announced his dismissal. Can someone who was dismissed be said to have gone "unpunished"? Some of us expected more punishment and prosecution but the Police Service Commission is an institution set up by law and it is safe to assume they took the RIGHT decision according to rules and law governing the police. There's no point playing to gallery.


"former Delta State governor James Ibori in the Southwark Crown Court in London of charges of money laundering and other financialcrimes totaling N12.4bn, after he was acquitted by a Nigerian court"

It was unfortunate that Ibori was acquitted by a Nigeria court but that happened under previous regime. Again, the Judiciary is a SEPARATE arm of govt. Fortunately, the new Chief Justice of the Federation is taking steps to curb the impunity in the Judiciary. Recently, 3 Justices were sacked. About 14 Justices or so are currently being investigated by the National Judicial Council.

"and the N1.067trn fuel subsidy fund lost to “endemic corruption and entrenched inefficiency”

The planned removal of fuel subsidy would have put a final stop to the corruption in the scheme. Unfortunately, the fuel subsidy was only partially removed. Those who abused the system are currently undergoing prosecution.

"In late July, the EFCC began arraigning suspects, first with a group of 20 indictments, including six oil companies and 11 individuals. By year’s end, the EFCC initiated prosecutions of approximately 50 cases related to the subsidy scam. The majority of these cases involved companies and individuals who had fraudulently received subsidy revenue. Investigations and trials had not produced any convictions by year’s end.”

The executive has done its part by bringing the suspected subsidy thieves to court. The rest is for the JUDICIARY.

"It decried frequent abduction of civilians and lack of press freedom, highlighting cases, where journalists were harassed and beaten up"

Which journalist was beaten up this year? It is very uncommon in Nigeria of recent. I can only remember one incident in Lagos. To use this as proof of "MASSIVE CORRUPTION" is ridiculous.

In conclusion, the report is BASELESS. The instances given to support "MASSIVE CORRUPTION" are porous. Yes, we have a problem with corruption but the solution lies with every Nigerian. We dont need "saints" from US to tell us how to solve our problem

Na Sango go AXE that your shameless head. Bastaaaaard!

coogar: mumu!
uneducated fowl like you want to advise someone else how to manage his income....what do you know about finance?

abeg make una nor fight for here oh.

[quote author=Foxy_Rebirth]Nope!!!

I have a right to express myself which ever way I feel, I don't need to agree with the fact that there was an attempt on the Man's life. Ask the Emir of Kano what he went through. Simple and Short [/quote]bro, it's either you say the fact or shut ya a'ss up.


You saying there's no security in the mosque is a FAT lie. There is security observing everything so I don't think they easily gain access in with weapons. But they can easily throw in their bombs and zoom off. Or is it when they get the man killed fore you believe there's an attempt on his life?

[quote author=Foxy_Rebirth]When I said mistakes I was gunning for something different. You can recall how Yusuf Mohammed's in-law was killed and one other member of his family. They had men with them that were armed with AK-47s but were still gunned down together with their guards. There are no security in Mosques so why waste time carry an explosive device on a bike to go and blow one man and kill several others in the process?

All they needed do was arm themselves, go to the mosque as worshippers and do to the man what they did to Sheik Adam Ja'afar. Only then if they shot and missed and killed other people close to him like the Emir of Kano's bodyguards, only then would I believe that an attempt was made on his life.

Like seriously, look at it na. Una bomb una self, people come dey conclude say na Sheik Gumi una wan go kill. Dead body no get case for court na...[/quote]Hey Foxy will you shut your ignorant mouf the f'uuck up!

Soulja Boy Gumi, Tell em!

mikeyhernadez: .

The Truth na say PAPA na business Man e com be.
1)tv channel
2)2 universities
3)over 80 secondary schools
4)over 120 nursery/primary schools
5)dominion airline
6)private jet
What other business can he now venture into??

All those listed above is for the rich.


There should be a GARRI crusade for the poor. Pastor Goodie.

stjudas: Actually, Buhari is making his place ungovernable and not Nigeria.

bleeping flying-fool!

byrron: Sounds like a wale adenuga super story production to me!
11 yrs old boy had a gallon of fuel and attempted to set a mosque ablaze and was apprehended by a sleeping security gaurd abi? Nollywood style.
But if its a church they go with bombs and hundreds will be killed but if its a mosque they go witha match stick and a bottle of petrol and gets apprehended immediately even with a sleeping security gaurd.
This story sounds more like a tale to exonorate a particular religion from been tagged a terrorist religion but the movie was badly scripted.
Just wondering if it an act of coincidence why mosques are always a waterloo to wld be terrorist but records 100 percent success when it involves a church.
I'm still pondering shaa!

maybe the christian god is sleeping or he's a fake god.

ecosanders: Obviously u havnt bin taking ur drugs lately, dats y u spew dis thrash. Whuuuuu! Shame on u, guess their are no customers 2nite, dats y u r here typing wit ur brain beneath ur shoe.

she has no shoes nor brains. i.e she's clueless

citizenY: How does this affect the price of pure water, gala, mosquito coil or alabukun?? Nigerians sha!!!!!!

see dis ghetto-gutter boy sha

WTF! Our President?!





See wetin cluelessness can cause right!

Producers and directors must enter the place, them no go look Uche (2face) face.

Wow! Roundabout's so BIG!!!

Wow! What a great fight!! And Mohammad use to be Christian, later converts to a Muslim.

Islam this, Islam that






The real terrorists are christians!

Emmyk: Nope

chai! U dey miss oh

It's national "smoke marijuana" day in the USA...
Maybe even the world. But that's what 420 is. It
started out as a time to smoke. There's a lot of
speculation as to when & where it was actually
started, but people would smoke pot at 4:20pm &
am just because it's 4:20, no better reason. Then
the stoner learned that April 20th (4/20) is also
"420." So you get the day 420 where people
celebrate by smoking weed ALL day long.

Guys on the fence, join me to get to the top, click on www.idriisquicksmart.info

Make up too much. What's with girls and make ups sef?

Mr Okroacha na wah oh!

Head on collision with another truck?
Na so hin head strong reach?
This governor man ah vex oh!
Na hin BIGhead e go take ram any opposition be dat oh!

2015 tins

Inik: This same thread was on the front page two days ago https://www.nairaland.com/1260527/ini-edo-wearing-black-dress

so why is it here again?








Take it to the nudity section

Moderator, wut it do!