₦airaland Forum

The Southwest geo-political zone has got the largest share of N88.7 billion for major projects in the 2016 proposed budget for the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, a Daily Trust analysis has revealed.
The ministry has N433.4 billion total sum for the capital projects of the ministry and some agencies under it.

The main ministry’s capital budget is N334.3 billion, NREA N15.3 billion, TCN N50 billion and FERMA N25 billion.
Other agencies are Electricity Management Services Limited (EMSL), N19 billion; National Power Training Institute, N1.8 billion and Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Limited, N2 billion.
The North-West has the second largest allocation of N30.1 billion; North-Central, N29 billion; South-South, N22.5 billion; South-East was allocated N2.9 billion; North-East has N9.4 billion.
The analysis showed that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja brought up the rear with N926.7 million of the total sum.
The analysis showed that a total of 10 projects will be executed in the South-West by the ministry, the National Rural Electricity Agency (NREA) 10; the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) 7; and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) 13.
A total of 44 projects has been earmarked for the North West. The ministry would execute 5, NREA 8, TCN 13 and FERMA 18, while a total of 40 projects will be done in the North-Central.
Similarly, the North-East will have a total of 20 projects; South-South and South-East will have 29 and 23 respectively and the FCT, seven.
Some of the major projects to be executed in the South-west are rehabilitation of Lagos- Ibadan road N50 billion; Apapa - Oshodi- Oworoshoki road N5billion; pavement strengthening and asphalt overlay of Ajebandele- Benin-Shagamu road in Ogun State N6.5 billion; construction of Apakun-Murtala Muhammed International Airport road in Lagos State N5 billion.
In the North-West, major projects include construction of 2x60MVA connection of Gurara to national grid N1.442 billion; construction of Kaduna eastern bypass, Kano western bypass and dualization of Kano-Katsina road N3 billion; 2nd Kaduna-Kano 33KV DC line N1.7 billion; completion of on-going electrification projects in Katsina State N383 million; and rehabilitation of existing /completion of rural electrification scheme in 9 communities in Kaduna State N306 million.
In the North-Central, the major projects are rehabilitation of Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa-Bokani road N6 billion; completion of ongoing construction of prototype housing scheme Suleja N800 million; rehabilitation of Mokwa-Bida road in Niger State N774.6 million; electricity improvement in Langtang North and Langtang South in Plateau N37 million; up-grading and rehabilitation of headquarters building in Minna Niger State(HYPADEC) N82 million; generation of 700 mw from Zungeru hydropower project N750 million.
In the North-East, major projects include rehabilitation of Hadejia-Nguru-Gashau Bamayari road, N4 billion; completion of on-going electrification projects in 5 communities in Adamawa State, N480 million; on-going rural electrification of 6 communities in Bauchi State N195.5 million; provision of 160KW solar mini-grid electrification of Jibu and Wukari LGA of Taraba State N65 million; rehabilitation of existing /completion of rural electrification scheme in 12 communities in Yobe State N349. 5 million; rehabilitation/completion of rural electrification scheme in 13 communities in Borno State N432.6 million and completion of 23 on-going electrification projects in Gombe State N80.6 million.
The major projects in the South-South are the rehabilitation of Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road in Cross River /Akwa Ibom states N6 billion; construction and installation of 10km of 33KV line and associated 2x15MVA 33/11kv sub-station at Ibuzor, Delta State N360 million; bill of engineering measurement for 33kv overhead line single circuit line from glory power station to Federal University at Otuoke with 2x2.5MVA N257.5 million.
For the South-East, it showed that some important projects are concession of 2nd Niger Bridge in Anambra and Delta States, N17 billion; completion of Enugu - Abakaliki road in Enugu/Ebonyi states N29.3; completion of rural electrification in 6 Abia State communities N425 million; provision of 100KW solar mini-grid electrification of Obinaochia, Umudim, Umunneochi LGA of Abia State N65 million; rehabilitation/completion of rural electrification scheme in 5 communities of Anambra State N322.5 million; rural electrification of 15 communities in Enugu State N364 million and completion of the construction of area zonal office in Enugu State N44.4 million.
The projects to be executed in the FCT are construction of ongoing extension of federal ministry of lands, housing and urban development Mabushi, N 93 million; completion of construction of ongoing rehabilitation of admin /classroom block at school of arch. techn., Kuje N286.5 million; provision of furnishings in the new extension of federal ministry of lands, housing and urban development, Mabushi, N125.9 million; completion of 3 communities on-going electrification projects in FCT N122.7 million; completion of on-going electrification projects in Kuchibuyi Sabon Gari, Bwari N40 million; additional work on rural electrification Sabon Gari Bwari-Kuchibuyi Byazhin in Bwari area council, N40 million and Katampe-National Stadium 132KV DC line, N124 million.
It was observed that a number of the projects cut-across several states, while there are also provisions in the capital votes for the purchase of some equipment by the ministry and the agencies, which were not reflected under any of the political zones.
Such projects include renovation of field offices in Kogi, Ondo, Abuja, Bayelsa, Benue, Nasarawa, Lagos, Osun, Zamfara, Abia, Ekiti, Gombe and Kwara N171 million; completion of provision of infrastructure (road & drains) for social housing at Oron, Akwa Ibom State, Keffi, Kwubor, Enugu State N540 million; construction of infrastructure, roads, drainages and asphalt finishing N430. 9 million; completion of the on-going construction of roads, drains and culverts N1.219 billion; and the construction of access roads & drainages linking and within the estate N582 million.
Under the Ministry of Transportation the South-East has the highest with seven projects amounting to N3.173bn.
The projects include the construction of terminal building in Enugu at 1.2 billion, upgrading of Akanu Ibiam airport runaway, Enugu at N1.087 billion, completion of APRON expansion at Owerri Airport at N273million and the construction of control tower and technical building at Enugu at N274.3million.
The South-West came second with 20 projects amounting to N2.6bn.The projects are at MMIA, Lagos Ibadan and Akure airports.
The South-South has seven projects worth N2.16 billion. The refurbishment of Port Harcourt airport was allocated N802m, Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar (Phase 2) N173m, completion of APRON expansion at Port Harcourt airport at N302 million and the upgrade and remodelling of same airport would gulp N821 million.
The review also showed that the North-West got 11 projects estimated to gulp N1.5bn for Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Katsina airport terminal and upgrading of terminal building at Kaduna and construction of bi-metal fence at Sokoto.
The North Central has eight of the projects worth N1.247bn.
The North-East has the least in term of capital project in the areas of Airport Repairs, Expansion and Construction. The three projects are the rehabilitation of Azare airstrip N41m, the upgrade, refurbishment of the Maiduguri airport terminal building at N79m and the maintenance of Potiskum airstrip at N68m.
The transport ministry also proposed to construct of railways at N90bn, waterways at N52bn and Aerodromes at N17.6bn. The breakdown and spread of these three projects were not on the budget estimate of the ministry.
However, a close look at the budget proposal of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture showed that the capital estimate of the ministry was a single line item, as its breakdown was not included.
The N47bn proposed for capital project in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture was shared between the ministry and 40 institutions under it.
Speaking, the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume said “The budget came with a serious lopsidedness in term of allocation especially in the ministry of works. We will balance it because a situation whereby you have more than half of the budget of a particular ministry going to one zone out of the six zones is not good. We are jointly working with the executive to look at the budget.”
Speaking when he appeared before the Senate committee on works, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola said the Southwest got the largest share in the area of roads to enable the federal government complete the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
“These projects have been dragging for years. Give us the opportunity to change the way things are done before and hold us responsible at the end of day,” he said, assuring that other areas would be covered in due course.
http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/budget-s-west-gets-lion-s-share-of-projects/133692.html

Reactions have trailed the school feeding exercise being executed by the Kaduna state government.

The feeding program for primary school pupils in the state was launched on January 19 by the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

Some had severely criticised the exercise, labeling it as a deliberate attempt by Governor El-Rufai to score curious political points.

However, Parents in Kaduna have been reacting otherwise to the free school feeding recently introduced by the state government.

In an interview ith pressmen, a cobbler, Kabiru Abu, said the free feeding program for primary school children has taken off the burden of providing school meal for his three children.

Abu who works at the popular Sati market, Badarawa area of Kaduna, said his three children attend LGEA primary school in Badarawa.

“Let me tell you that this feeding program is not for the children only, it is also for us who are parents in the state,” he said.

“I’m a cobbler who barely makes between 1000 and 1500 naira a day and I have three school children.

“Before now they will come to me every day in the market to collect money for break during school hours.

“Sometimes I do borrow to give them N20 each, but now that has been taking care of by the state government through the school feeding program.”

The cobbler further spoke of his children’s joy for the program.

He said: “For me, it is like taking care of one big responsibility for five days. Every morning they do not wait for their mother to give them food anymore because they know that at 10 a.m. they will be fed in the school.

“One amazing thing that is happening now is how the children are getting more committed to learning. Any time I return home from the market, they are always in a rush to show me something they learnt from school which has never been so.

“Apart from taking off the burden of breakfast for me, my wife no longer wakes up in a rush every morning to prepare something for the children to eat or drink before they leave for school,” he said.

When asked if the government also provides school uniform and books for his children, he said: “Not yet but I have trust in this government and I am sure they will soon do that.”

“You can see that virtually all the schools in Kaduna are witnessing massive transformation. More classroom blocks are being built and renovations is taking place all over the state and the feeding of course, books is not going to be a problem, I am sure about that,” Abu noted.

Premium Times reports that One of Abu’s wards said he is happy he does not need to go to his father’s work place to get money to buy food in school anymore.

“We do not come to Baba again because we eat well in the school and we are happy about that. They serve us with rice and beans, moi-moi, yam and egg,” the primary four pupil said.

Another parent, Zainab Sani, said she does not believe any program could benefit the poor in Kaduna better than the feeding program.

The widow who resides in Kakuri area of Kaduna, said: “This program came at the right time.”

“I have two children who are all in primary two and my problem has always been how to provide feeding at break time.

“I am a tailor and have been struggling to provide for my orphans. My two children, Hafsat and Balki, will always return home during classes to say its break time that they need food. Sometimes they will not return to school that day again,” she said.

She said the situation has changed since the Kaduna government began the feeding program.

“They are always in school now and will only return during closing time. It is a great initiative by the government,” she added.

Another mother, Rebecca Bitrus, said her only child, Usman, who attends LGEA school on Aliyu Makama road, Barnawa, has been returning home happy since the program began; talking about the food they are given in school.

“And for me I have no reason to worry for what to give him every morning to take to school again,” she said.

Meanwhile, there have been some cases of misappropriation since the scheme began. Barely six days after the scheme began, a senior education official in Zaria Local Government was suspended.

According to a report by Dr Shehu Adamu, the state’ Commissioner for Education Science and Technology, an unnamed official was suspended over alleged misconduct with money for vendors.

Some state chairmen of the Odua’ Peoples Congress have called on the President Muhammadu Buhari led government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate Mr. Gani Adams, who they referred to as a former OPC National Coordinator.

While accusing Adams of financial impropriety, they also called on the EFCC to investigate some aides of Adams such as Ogunshola Olugbade and Femi Felix, who they referred to as his fronts.
They spoke on Sunday during a media briefing in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The OPC Kwara State Coordinator, Mr. Maruff Olanrewaju, who addressed the media conference on behalf of other six states’ coordinators was flanked by the Oyo State Coordinator, OPC, Chief Adeagbo Musediq; his Ondo State counterpart, Mr. Rotimi Akinsonwon, a member of the National Coordinating Council, Mr. Lateef Oshodi; a former National Publicity and Director of Programmes, OPC, Mr. Sunday Bankole as well as some other national and Kwara State executives of the organisation.

Olanrewaju said, the Delta State coordinator, Mr. Hakeem Agbo-ola; his Sokoto State and Kaduna State counterparts, Alhaji Yekini Salaudeen and Alhaji Rasaq Ogunsanwo respectively and that of Bayelsa State though absent were in agreement with their position.

He said, “We also call on President Muhammadu Buhari and the EFCC to investigate all Gani Adams banks accounts; Ogunshola Olugbade’s account as well as Femi Felix account from February to November 2015.

“Moreso, President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration should give very closed monitoring to the bank and industry sectors because how can someone within a month save more than a billion in an account without any alarm from the bankers?”
He accused Adams of planning to unleash violence in Kwara State and urged the state government, security agencies to closely monitor the activities of Adams in the state.

According to him, Adams is planning to storm Ira, Oyun Local Government on March 12 allegedly with his hoodlums.

He said Adams was removed as national coordinator of OPC because he allegedly failed the entire members of the organization and allegedly betrayed the entire Yoruba race.

He accused Adams of disrespecting Yoruba leaders including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
Olanrewaju said, “Just of recent, you are all living witnesses when a former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo went to Oni of Ife, he prostrated flatly before Oni. But when Gani Adams went, he just bowed his head with hand shake to Oni. That is disrespectful.

Adams is a disgrace to Yoruba culture. When you are promoting culture and you cannot bow in front of one of the most highly respect Oba in Yoruba land that is unacceptable.”

The Kwara State OPC boss further said Adams was not financially transparent to members of the organization.

According to him, Adams had collected N1.6bn from a former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for empowerment of the members, which he did not make the members to benefit from.

He also alleged that Adams collected N9bn from Jonathan’s government allegedly to destabilize the Yoruba race as well as allegedly received take off grant from Jonathan for pipe-line surveillance contract which OPC members executed only to allegedly deceive the OPC members who he said actually executed the contract that the contract money had not been paid.

Olanrewaju said, “Adams promised our members that if Jonathan released money, each member will get between N200,000 and N250,000 as empowerment. When Jonathan released N1.6bn through Musiliu Obanikoro, for that empower, there was nothing to show for it.


“He should explain how Jonathan’s money was spent. Before the election, there was a publication by a former National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress now Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed that Adams had collected N9bn from Jonathan to disorganize the Yoruba race. We denied that but later we came to the realization that truly he collected the money.

“At the first meeting after the election, he told us that he spent N800m on OPU outside the country. Where did he get the money? He also bought some properties. After the election, he went to London to establish Odua Voice Radio, which cost him thousands of dollars. Where did he get the money from if he did not collect N9bn from Jonathan?”
According to the Kwara OPC boss, Adams collected $22m from a former leader of Libya, late Muammar Gaddafi. He further alleged that Libyans had been demanding for the refund of the money.

“Adams should explain how Jonathan’s money was spent. We demand immediate reaction to the allegation of $22m Gadaffi money. He should show to the world the registration certificate of Olokun Festival Foundation, Oodua Economic Empowerment Initiative and that of Oodua Voice Radio,” Olanrewaju said.

He also alleged that Adams became partisan and supported many governorship candidates that later failed.

He added that Adams had boasted that he would mobilize 6m votes for Jonathan from South West. He stated that even with alleged rented crowd, Adams disappointed Jonathan.
According to him, Adams supported Gadaffi against Libyans while Gadaffi later died.

Olawale who said other state coordinators of OPC were solidly behind them in their revolt to Adams challenged him to sue them if he believed that their allegations against him are untrue.

oluwafemi113:
Boko

jojofelini:
Men. That white goat konji dey another level, in fact na another dimension entirely.

Even after countless body slams, leg locks. Knocks and slaps. The knoji no grew go.

OZAOEKPE:
PDP IS APC, APC IS PDP



OBASANJO...........JONATHAN

AMAECHI..............METUH

SARAKI..............AKPABIO

TINUBU..............DASUKI

ATIKU................SAMBO

FASHOLA...........NIMASA FORMER BOSS

ETC


WE ONLY DECEIVING OURSELVES

OZAOEKPE:
ONLY IN THIS NATION WE PERSECUTE HEROES