President Bola Tinubu will, Monday, pay an official visit to Adamawa State, less than 48 hours after he made a similar visit to Kebbi.
A release by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said during the one-day visit, President Tinubu will inaugurate completed projects, meet with top government officials, and traditional rulers.
Billed for inauguration in the capital, Yola, and Jimeta, is the eight-lane Galadima Aminu Road linking Gimba and the capital. The model school, comprising pre-primary, primary, and junior secondary classes, will also be inaugurated by the President.
Others include the new multipurpose hall, the remodelled High Court, the newly built officers’ complex, and the renovated Government House.
The President will return to Abuja after the inauguration and the interaction with the state’s indigenes.
Ahead of the first anniversary of his administration on May 29, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu departed Abuja for Lagos, Saturday, to begin a commissioning spree of projects completed under his administration.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, disclosed this in a press release issued in Abuja on Saturday.
According to Onanuga, Tinubu will, in Lagos, on Sunday, inaugurate the concrete-paved road to the nation’s major ports in Apapa and Tin Can Island. The reconstructed road which began under the Muhammadu Buhari Administration was financed by the Dangote Group, using its tax credits.
On the same day, the President will formally inaugurate, by virtual means, the refurbished Third Mainland Bridge, which, Onanuga said, “has drawn public acclaim for its excellent finishing and aesthetic furnishing. He will also commission, virtually, the rehabilitation of 330 roads and bridges across the country.”
Continuing, Onanuga stated: “The high point of the President’s engagements on Sunday will be the inauguration of the iconic Lagos-Calabar Superhighway, estimated to cost about N15 trillion. Work has begun on the legacy project that will connect nine coastal states, with Section Two already awarded to Hitech Construction Limited.
“President Tinubu will return to Abuja on Tuesday to begin another round of commissioning. He will first inaugurate the Southern Parkway, which the Nyesom Wike-led FCT Administration named after him.
“On Wednesday, the President will attend the National Assembly Dialogue Series, after which he will unveil the National Assembly Library Complex, named after him.
“President Tinubu will leave the National Assembly to relaunch the commercialisation of Abuja Light Rail, also known as Abuja Metro. He will symbolically join a train ride to the city centre.
“The Abuja Metro was completed in 2018 by the Buhari Administration. It was put into commercial use up till 2020. But with the onset of COVID-19, the train service was abandoned. Vandals descended on the facility, putting it out of use.
“FCT Minister Wike, after spending $15 million and building access roads to the various stations, has refurbished it for commercial service.
“After the train ride, President Tinubu will also inaugurate the Wuye Flyover-Link Bridge and the Defence Intelligence Agency Headquarters.
“On Friday 31 May, President Tinubu will commission the NASENI-Portland Compressed Natural Gas(CNG) Reverse Engineering Centre at Utako.”
Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has announced that his administration has concluded arrangements to begin the second phase of the distribution of fuel subsidy palliatives.
The governor revealed this, Saturday, at a meeting he held with the state and local governments chairmen/secretaries of four grassroots mobilisation platforms at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano. The platforms include: Community Re-Orientation Committee (CRC), Lafiya Jari, Kano PRO-PA and Kwankwasiyya.
According to the governor, the second phase would include the distribution of cash and grains (rice and maize) to youth, women and people living with disabilities drawn from across the 484 wards within the 44 of the 44 local government areas of the state.
According to a press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Mallam Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa,
Governor Kabir Yusuf said that the second batch of palliatives became expedient in view of the difficulties people were still going through in their daily living.
He urged the distribution committees at the state and local levels to be just and honest in the exercise aimed at subduing the current hardship typified by extreme hunger and abject poverty.
The Governor also revealed that plans were in the pipeline for empowerment programmes targeted at three categories of beneficiaries, totaling 4,840 women, youth and people living with disabilities, who will be trained and provided with start-up capital.
“We will also ensure the introduction of Amana taxis and buses scheme for our teaming youth,” the governor said. “We will also include some Tricycles riders (Yan Adaidata Sahu) in this scheme to upgrade their status.”
He also disclosed that the five road projects in the headquarters of 44 local governments initiated by Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso during his second tenure as Governor, would be completed as contractors had been mobilised back to the relevant sites to complete their work as planned.
Not only that, the governor also announced his government’s plan to organise an appeal fund for the security agencies operating in the state to boost their efficiency. This, he explained, would targeted towards providing the agencies with the needed operational vehicles, working gadgets and other interventions that would help them lift their performance to acceptable standards.
Governor Abba Kabir used the opportunity to unveil other development initiatives especially in the areas of education, health, agriculture, expansion of streets in Kano municipality, construction of fly-overs and underpasses to ease vehicular movements, de-silting of dams, as well as renovation of hospitals and schools in the 44 local governments of Kano.
He appreciated the level of support and cooperation accorded his government so far by the people of Kano, urging them to sustain the tempo for the continuous peace, stability and prosperity of the state.
There are wild jubilations and excitement as President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived Port-Harcourt, Rivers State capital for a two-day official visit on Wednesday.
His plane landed at exactly 10:03am at the Port Harcourt International Airport Omagwa.
There was jubilation among residents of the state, who gathered at the airport as Tinubu and his entourage disembarked the jet.
Tinubu is in the State on a two-day visit to inaugurate the Rumuola-Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrate Court Complex delivered by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
The President-elect was received by Governor Nyesom Wike and his entourage.
Leaders that accompanied Wike to receive Tinubu were the National and state Assembly members, PDP leaders, local government chairmen and government appointees.
Hundreds of supporters of Wike were seen at the airport cheering the August visitor.
Tinubu will be hosted at a state banquet on Wednesday evening.
The Governor had declared a public holiday for the visit and encouraged residents to troop out en masse to welcome their President-elect.
Nine unbroken days of work and travel came to a slight pause on Tuesday with a final hurray at Jigawa State, where President Muhammadu Buhari and his team commissioned legacy projects at Hadejia, Birnin Kudu, and Dutse, the State capital.
The peregrination had started in Bauchi, to Lagos, Dakar in Senegal, to Daura, then to a two days official visit in Katsina, to Kano, and finally, Jigawa State.
Anarchists and liars from the pit of hell thought they could throw a spanner in the works of what was a resounding reception for the President all round, when they concocted a story that the delegation was attacked in Kano, and the convoy pelted with stones. Really? Must have happened in their addled and befuddled imagination.
They even said the windshield of one of the choppers we used was broken. Really? And we that were onboard didn’t know. It amazed me to no end to see the fake news leading rag sheets posturing as newspapers, and becoming major talking point on television and radio stations. So we were this idle to waste precious time and space on something that didn’t happen. A major political party even issued a statement on that falsity and fickleness. O ma se o.
Well, the point of focus in this piece are some revelations that came from Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State during a State Banquet to honour the President and his team. He spoke frankly, honestly, of how President Buhari has helped all States in the country, irrespective of political party affiliation.
The country was in dire straits when President Buhari came in 2015. Federal Government was already borrowing monthly to pay salaries, while at least 27 States couldn’t pay at all. And that was at a time when oil prices had crossed 100 dollars per barrel in the international market. At a time the country should be swimming in petrodollars, it was wallowing in lack and penury. What happened? Grand larceny. Plunder. Unmitigated looting.
Let’s hear from from Governor Badaru Abubakar, of how President Buhari came to the rescue, and dazed all the State Governors:
“I want to use this opportunity to congratulate my father Mr. President on the various success stories he recorded, laying a solid foundation for the socio-economic development of our beloved country, and the continued enhancement of democracy.
“In particular, I appreciate the President for his achievements in so many areas for the development of this country despite the collapsing economy he inherited when oil prices dropped to less than $30 per barrel, production dropped to 500,000 barrels per day, as against 2.3 million barrels per day.
“Baba has achieved what the PDP 16 years cannot achieve. On road infrastructure, you are aware of what he inherited, more than 300 road projects were abandoned at the time President Buhari took over.
“Today, most of them are completed and very few are in their last stages of completion. And in addition to that, he has awarded a lot of contracts for road construction. Examples we have in our State, so that you can understand what I am talking about. Kano-Maiduguri dual carriageway was awarded some 12 years before President Muhammad Buhari and virtually nothing was happening on the site when we came in, and today the first and second phases of that road have been commissioned, and the last phase will soon be commissioned.
“This is a gigantic project that you have seen for yourself. Again, the Shuwarin-Kwanar-Huguma road that was awarded almost 7 or 8 years before the coming of President Muhammad Buhari. When he came in, there was nobody on site, he paid and re-mobilised and today the road is completed.
“So, we have many examples on what he has done in road infrastructure across the country. Close by, you have seen the Abuja – Kaduna- Kano Expressway, the Kano-Katsina Road project, the Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi Road project, and this is happening in almost all parts of the country-the 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, across the whole country.
“So, when oil was $100 per barrel; they abandoned the projects, but President Buhari continued with the projects, with one third of the money they were getting.
“In education, we have seen tremendous development, so many around the country and if we come local, we see the new University of Science and Technology, Babura; they have started construction, the two Colleges of Technology and that of Agriculture in Kirikasamma and the one in Birnin Kudu, as well as the Hadejia Science and Technical school.
“In addition to that, we complained and asked for support for the Kafin Hausa University and the President graciously approved the sum N3bn for that university.
“All these are across board in the country. But I am giving the example in Jigawa State. That is the nature of the development that Baba has brought to the table in this country.
“In health care, we have seen a lot of support. The President took over the resuscitated Jigawa State Specialist Hospital, and converted it to a Teaching Hospital with massive investment, constructed the General Hospital in Taura, that is one masterpiece, and supported us heavily during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We got a lot of support again through the Federal Medical Centre in Birnin-Kudu.
“And again, I say these are all projects that cut across the whole country. If I start talking about Jigawa; the same way Kano Governor will start talking about projects in Kano, the same way even Nyesom Wike will stand up and start talking about projects Baba did in his State.
“You have seen the tremendous development in the rail sector. The Kaduna-Abuja, Lagos-Ibadan, the Itakpe-Warri, and on-going projects that have been awarded including Dutse-Kano, Kano-Danbatta-Kazaure-Gwiwa-Daura-Katsina to Niger Republic.
“Compensation has been paid, and contractors have mobilized to the site. The rehabilitation of the Nguru-Gagarawa to Kano rail line has commenced. And again, this is done across the country.
“On Social Investments, in Jigawa alone, 164,000 families received your N5000 monthly support, and again this is across the whole country.
“Baba is feeding 1 million of our students, creating 9200 food vendors to supply food to those students. Not to talk of the N-power, the Trader Moni, and the GEEP, these are unprecedented social investment we have witnessed at this time, I can go on and on and on.
“In power, in 20 years, Maigatari power station has been commissioned during Baba’s time. And that is providing steady power, 24 hours power to our industrial areas in Gagarawa, Gumel, Maigatari, Babura to Taura and Ringim areas. That particular power doesn’t blink.
In addition to that, he has just awarded the contract for another four substations in Jigawa State, one in Kazaure, one in Babura, one in Birnin Kudu, and one in Gwaram. Sites have been taken over already by the contractors. In addition to numerous transmission lines and support that has been granted to Jigawa State.
“On food security, we cannot thank you enough. Your Anchor Borrowers, your Fertilizer Initiative, and the delight for us to go back to the farm has received tremendous support for our people. Today, in Jigawa, we see farming as a business. And the farmers are the richest group in our economic life today.
“On security, we know what you met, the journey that could take us from Dutse to Kano that we do now in one hour 10 minutes, before you came, it’s normally a journey of two to three and a half hours because of so much checkpoints and control.
“Today, we can move freely at whatever time in Jigawa State and most parts of North Eastern states.
“The level of investment that you have put in security is unprecedented across the country and is yielding positive results.
“When we were at Emir’s palace in Hadejia, he mentioned some, I reminded him some and I still forgot some because they are too numerous. I just remember Konadimawa-Kanya Baba-Babura-Babamutum road that is being constructed now. We have been begging for that road for over 20 years. Isn’t it? The Gaya to Jahun road I mentioned in the palace, there are so numerous achievements that time will not permit.
“So, for us in Jigawa, Baba, we are very very grateful. We have never seen it better in the entire life of Jigawa State. We can only pray for you. We can only wish you long life, good health and prosperity.
“You remember Baba, we came against all odds. When we came in, the economy collapsed and I inherited N114 billion on liabilities and contractual obligations. But I had only N16 million. So, that was bad from the beginning. Then, oil prices collapsed.
“Our grant dropped to less than one third and we were faced with the problem of paying salaries. I remember myself and some businessmen discussing, ‘what brought us into this mess?’ We nearly ran away.
But with your intervention Sir, we were able to do well.
We were able to do all the projects that we promised people to do. If you look, within the first few months, you approved for all the governors salary bailout, all the governors in Nigeria were given money to pay salary arrears, in some states up to eight, 10 months.
“Without that support, it could have been difficult for states at that time to even consider running without these funds. After that, the governors came back to you, ‘Baba, we have paid salary arrears, but we need some support for infrastructure’, you graciously approved N10 billion for each state to start infrastructure.
“We came back to you, ‘okay, we have paid salary, we are doing infrastructure, but the money we are receiving will not be enough to continue to pay salaries’, you approved budget support for us, giving every state N1 billion in the first four, six or seven months. It gradually dropped when oil prices started improving then, it dropped to N800 million per State and N500 million until such a time oil price and the internally generated revenues had improved. Without it, we couldn’t have been able to pay salaries at that time.
“Then, we came back to you again and said ‘Sir, there is this Paris Club issue, our deductions that were not paid to us’. You said: ‘How much?’ We said: ‘ It depends on each State,’ and you approved the payment. Jigawa got close to N43 billion.
“Time will not permit me to continue, but Daddy, you know all the support you have given us. All these monies are what is keeping us in government and we can beat our chests and say we have delivered adequately well for our people.
“Whatever we do in Jigawa State, we owe it to your magnanimity and your support and this support is across all the States and party lines. There is no time enough for me to go over what I have done in the last seven and a half years, but Baba, my pride today is that I can walk on any street in Jigawa State comfortably and people are rejoicing. That means I have done what people expect us to do.”
Hmmmmm. Deep. Factual. Shooting straight from the hips, and hitting bull’s eyes. Yet some people will overfeed, pat their corpulent tummies, and exclaim, ‘Buhari has done nothing for this country.’ Indolent, ungrateful souls.
President Buhari responded by appreciating the warm reception accorded him and members of his entourage from the Emir’s Palace in Hadejia, to the various commissioning locations in Auyo, Birnin Kudu and Dutse.
He recalled that he came to Jigawa in 2018 to perform the flag-off of the Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme in Auyo Local Government. “Today, I am delighted to perform the commissioning of the project after the successful completion of its rehabilitation and expansion.
“The project, which covers over 5,700 hectares of irrigable land would significantly contribute to our quest for food security, job creation, economic diversification and the attainment of our objective of non-oil dependent economy.”
The President said he was truly amazed by the extent of projects and programmes executed across all sectors. “I was amazed because of the limited fiscal space that we have faced over the years across all the tiers of Government – but then I recall the financial prudence Governor Badaru has been known for, which earned him the nick-name ‘Mai Calculator.’ “
The President concluded by sincerely thanking “everybody here with us today and for the warm receptions accorded us everywhere we go.”
Yes, the reception was warm everywhere, and President Buhari remains a darling of the people, despite attempts by caterwauling minority to twist and obfuscate matters. Why do the heathens rage, and the people imagine vain things?
Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity
It has been a hectic week. Frenetic. We set forth at dawn on Monday from Abuja to Bauchi, to attend the Presidential and gubernatorial campaign of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates. It was only Muhammadu Buhari, the Mai Gaskiya (honest man), that could have commanded the number of people that turned out. Without inducement. Endless sea of heads. He remains the greatest political crowd puller we have ever seen in the country since the beginning of time.
From Bauchi, same Monday, we flew into Lagos. To commission the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Sea Port, then West Africa’s largest rice mill at Imota, and a lubricant plant at Tin Can, Apapa, owned by MRS Petroleum Company.
Tuesday saw the President commissioning two more projects, including the Blue Line Rail. And from there, we flew to Dakar, Senegal, to attend a summit on food security in Africa, billed for Wednesday. Our President delivered a Keynote Address, and we left for Nigeria in the evening. We didn’t reach Katsina, and Daura till about 1 am Thursday.
Now as I write this Thursday morning, we are in Katsina, commissioning legacy projects, including; Kofar Kaura Underpass, Kofar Kaura Waterworks, Revenue House, Meteorological Institute, Darma Rice Mills, Kofar Kwaya Underpass, Katsina General Hospital, among others. The spree continues Friday, then same at Kano on Monday, and Jigawa on Tuesday.
Our President is 80 years old, don’t forget. And he does all these at a sprint. We that are far younger struggle to catch up with him. On Thursday, after going to bed around 3 am, on return from Senegal, I refused to get out of bed till my colleagues came to evacuate me, saying the President was ready and raring to go. I sprang up. President Buhari is a blessed man, despite a debilitating health challenge he had in 2017. God has been truly merciful.
Now, all these projects being commissioned in States are because the Federal Government created an enabling environment, and enunciated the right policies.. There are even counterpart relationships in some of them. I tell you, this President has done great things for our country, including fighting insecurity to a standstill, and on the verge of winning the war.
Some cynics claim they’ve not seen anything Buhari has done. Yes, the Second Niger Bridge is so small, so they need a magnifying glass to see it. The Lagos/Ibadan Expressway is so minuscule, and they need to wear their medicated glasses. Rail line like catacombs in certain parts of the country? Bring my microscope, let me check. Same for Enugu/Port Harcourt Expressway, Bodo/Bonny road and bridges, Loko-Oweto road and bridge, brand new airport terminals in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Port Harcourt, rice mills everywhere. “We can’t see.” Purblind people.
What of Abuja-Zaria-Kano expressway in the works? AKK pipelines. And many other projects. No, they can’t see, because Buhari has done nothing. Fickle minds. Caviling. Carping. Flippant. Unserious.
Those who know and are honest testify to what President Buhari has achieved for the country. And because there’s no need reinventing the wheel, let me adopt the chronicle of Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a recent press briefing. I then challenge anyone who wants to countermand the achievements to openly come out and say so.
Let’s go:
“Let me use this opportunity to comment on the increasing tendency by some opposition presidential candidates to downplay the achievements of this Administration, in their desperation for power, ahead of the 2023 elections. The worst offender in this regard has been the presidential candidate of the PDP, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. During his recent campaign in Akure, the former VP was quoted as saying the APC had not done anything for Nigeria in eight years. What a preposterous statement from somebody who should know. I guess we can excuse His Excellency the former Vice President who, until recently, had fully relocated to Dubai, thus losing touch with Nigeria.
“And if anyone would accuse the APC-led Federal Government of doing nothing, it should not be Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Why? Because for the 16 years of the PDP rule, eight of which Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was Vice President, there was no motorable road to the former VP’s hometown and indeed to key local governments in the Southern Senatorial zone that served as Adamawa’s food basket and economic nerve centre until the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari
assumed office. Today, gentlemen, the Mayo Belwa- Jada- Ganye- Toungo road has been constructed fully and it’s the road that Alhaji Atiku uses to get to his hometown of Jada.
“What about security? Before this Administration came into office, all the five local government areas in Adamawa’s Northern Senatorial District were effectively under the control of the Boko Haram terrorists. All state institutions, the local government administration, the police, the judiciary, schools, hospitals and markets had been sacked. Traditional rulers, including Emirs and
Chiefs, had been displaced with their palaces taken over by the terrorists as their headquarters.
The affected 5 local governments in the Northern Senatorial zone are:
1. Madagali
2. Michika
3. Mubi North
4. Mubi South and
5. Little Gombi
“In the Central Senatorial zone, two local governments were effectively under the control of the Boko Haram terrorists: These two local governments in the Central Senatorial zone are:
1. Maiha Local Government
2. Hong Local government.
“Today, not an inch of these local governments in Adamawa, the home state of the former Vice President, is under the control of terrorists. All institutions of state have relocated back and are operational. All Emirs and chiefs have returned to their palaces. Schools and markets have opened. Please note, gentlemen, that
throughout that period, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar could not even go home. As a matter of fact, when one of his right hand men, Mr. Adila, was killed by the terrorists, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar could not even go to condole with the family of the deceased. It was that bad.
Now that he can travel home freely, thanks to the Buhari
Administration, it is not sweet in his mouth to accuse the same Administration of doing nothing. As they say, the bedwetter should not join those who are insulting the washerman.
“In the area of Social Investment Programmes, there have been 29,641 beneficiaries, from Adamawa alone, of the N-POWER Programme of the Buhari Administration. Under the Home Grown School Feeding
Programme, some 162,782 pupils from Adamawa are benefitting from one meal a day. That programme employs 2,259 cooks in Adamawa and has
covered 1,236 schools in the state. How many school children did the PDP feed in Adamawa or anywhere in the eight years that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar held sway as Vice President in Abuja!
“We are not done. Under the Conditional Cash Transfer, some 64,607 vulnerable people have benefitted in Adamawa alone, while Trader Moni and Market Moni have reached a total of 38,000 people in the state.
“In the area of infrastructure, some 8 roads projects totalling 714 kilometres are currently being rehabilitated or constructed in the state. That’s out of 43 road projects in the North East alone. These are not phantom projects. We have the full list of the roads and can
make it available to anyone who so wishes.
“Similarly, the North East Development Commission (NEDC) has either completed or is currently working on 140 projects, including construction of classrooms, healthcare facilities and ICT training centres, in Adamawa alone. Overall, NEDC has a total of 593 projects in the entire North East. Again, we have a full list of the projects.
“Gentlemen, you can now see that we didn’t even need to go far to disprove the former VP’s soap box statement.
You can also see the irony of someone who held the number two position in the country for all of eight years but could not positively impact on his own hometown, state or region now condemning an Administration
that has made it possible for him to even access his hometown, anytime he flies in from his new hometown of Dubai! The Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has had a positive impact on all parts of this federation. No amount of fallacious soap box rhetorics can change this fact.”
True. Projects abound in all zones of the country, done by the Buhari Administration, and you will get to have a compendium soon. But let those who have eyes, and deliberately refuse to see, continue. They will fall into a ditch, and great will be that fall.
In the words of Jimmy Scott, a Nigerian drummer, made popular by the Beatles, “O-bladi, O-blada , life goes on bra, la-la-la-la life goes on.”
*Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, December 29, 2022, made a one-day official trip to Kogi State, his first in the seven-and-a-half years of his administration. Though his first, the visit brought joy to the people and government of the state as Buhari expressed great pleasure and satisfaction at what he saw on ground.
Without mincing words, President Buahri said he was impressed by the performance of Governor Yahaya Bello, noting that the youthful governor had one very well particularly in the area of security and projects execution.
The President specifically said the Federal Government was proud of Governor Bello, who he said had shown proof of the All Progressives Congress’ overall sterling performance in Nigeria.
He spoke during his working visit to Kogi to commission myriads of legacy projects executed by Governor Bello’s administration.
“We are an Administration that prides itself in the fulfillment of our electoral promises to the Nigerian people, at both national and sub-national levels. This is why I am glad that we have an impressive array of legacy projects through your own state government as proof of our stewardship in Kogi State,” President Buhari said.
“I am impressed by the performance of Governor Yahaya Bello. He has done very well in the area of security and projects execution in Kogi State. We are proud of him and we urge him to do more for the people. I am appealing to the people of Kogi State to support him so that he can achieve and deliver more dividends of democracy,” he added.
The President, who was very happy to see the impressive projects during his visit, at the Reference Hospital, Okene, congratulated the Governor again, saying, “if one wants to see everything here, he will get lost.”
Buhari acknowledges cheers
He said, “I have been briefed by Yahaya and his team on the myriad of projects we would have loved to commission for you across the State, including the brand new Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) at Osara, the Confluence Rice Mills at Ejiba, the various Township roads networks at Idah, Okene and Kabba and intra-state roads in the three senatorial zones, massive erosion works at Ankpa, Ogugu and other places, as well as other roads, hospitals, schools and sundry vital infrastructure.”
The President also noted that his administration was working to reposition Kogi State as an investment hub through the activation of solid minerals in the state, promising that the Ajaokuta Steel Company would be revitalised soon.
In Kogi State, he commissioned the first-of-its-kind Ganaja flyover project, the world-class Reference Hospital in Okene, the newly constructed Palace of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Ultra-modern GYB Model Science Secondary School, and Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre, among other projects.
President commissions yet another project
In his remarks, Governor Yahaya Bello said, “Today remains a historic day in the lives of the good people of Kogi State.
“We were happy the very day you granted approval to come to Kogi State for the commissioning of a few out of the many projects this administration has executed for the people of Kogi State.
“When I was sworn in on the 27th of January, 2016, we were determined to serve our people and we quickly commissioned a multi-dimensional committee to form what we call new direction blueprint.
“From that period till date, this particular document has served as a guide for accelerated development in Kogi State.
“Mr President, we hit the ground running and you told me to be courageous in Leadership and also taught me how to bring out my best, and today, the projects are an attestation of our best to the people of Kogi State. I followed your footsteps in ensuring projects and infrastructures that have direct impact on the people.”
Gov. Bello appreciated all the support to Kogi State, and appealed for the completion of Ajaokuta steel company, adding that no nation could achieve industrialisation without iron and steel.
“We are still confident that your effort toward revitalization of the steel company will still be achieved before the expiration of your tenure,” he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday projected a voter population of about 95 million for the 2023 General Election in the country.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this at an election security management training in Abuja by the Nigeria Police Force for the police and other security personnel ahead of the 2023 General Election.
The figure, Yakubu said was 20 million higher than the combined voter population of the 14 other West African countries in the sub-region.
He said that the election preparations, deployment and implementation constituted the most extensive mobilisation that could happen in a country, whether in peacetime or wartime.
“In Nigeria, it involves the recruitment and training of staff and managing the logistics for their deployment to 176,846 polling units spread across 8,809 electoral wards, 774 local areas and 37 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“It also involves a projected voter population of about 95 million for the 2023 general election, which is over 20 million more than the combined voter population of the other 14 countries in West Africa.
“Voters will also elect candidates for 1,491 constituencies (1 presidential constituency, 28 governorship elections, 109 senatorial districts, 360 federal Constituencies and 993 state assembly seats),” Yakubu said.
The INEC chairman said that ensuring the safety and security of voters, election personnel and materials, candidates, party agents, observers, the media and transporters was paramount.
He said that the responsibility had become more challenging in the context of the current security situation in the country.
He expressed gladness that the police as the lead agency in election security had once again demonstrated its leadership role by convening the workshop.
Yakubu said that with about seven months to the general election, there was time for proactive measures to ensure that the entire country was secured for the election to hold nationwide.
He expressed confidence that the workshop would also focus on deepening the capacity of the security personnel to imbibe the global standard of election security management.
“Already, the commission, under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), has produced and periodically revised the code of conduct and rules of engagement for security personnel on electoral duty.
“In the next few weeks, the code of conduct, as well as our training manuals, will be revised to align them with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
“And to consolidate on the professionalism displayed by the security agencies in the recent off-cycle elections.
“We will also intensify our cascade training for security personnel ahead of the 2023 General Election,” he said.
Yakubu assured the inspector-general of police, heads of other security agencies and all members of ICCES that INEC would continue to work in synergy with them to ensure a safe and secured environment for the 2023 general election.
“It is a critical election and we must all continue to work together to protect the will of the Nigerian people,” he said.
Some people would wail about anything and everything in the country, particularly if it comes from President Muhammadu Buhari. Early in the week, that honest and forthright man said it was tough leading the country (is it not?), and he was looking forward to finishing his second term next May 29.
The President’s words: “I am eager to go. I can tell you it has been tough. I am grateful to God that people appreciate the personal sacrifices we have been making.”
Forthright. Straight to the point. Leading Nigeria at the best of times is no tea party. A very complex country, if ever there was one. And leading at a time of severe socio-economic challenges can only be a yeoman’s job, a burden you would want to be gladly rid of. Rough. Tough.
The wailers have been into different kinds of paroxysms, misinterpreting what the President said, twisting, contorting it, and asking him to resign. They abhor all manner of truth. They would have preferred a President working surreptitiously for a third term in office, than one deadpan enough to tell them he was leaving at the appointed time.
President Muhammadu Buhari
But that is just by the way. It’s not the issue at stake this week. Rather, we want to talk development, and some recent strides by the Buhari administration, particularly through the Works and Housing Ministry, led by Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN.
There’s a struggle going on in the country. The tussle over how the Buhari government would be remembered. Revisionists want him to be pedestaled by just the insecurity ravaging the land, which has made life nasty, brutish and short.
Yes, we agree that the insecurity is from the bottom of hell, fiendish, Luciferous. But then, it is not peculiar to Nigeria, though it is the duty of government in every country to solve its peculiar challenges.
And the economic problems? Also global, with countries like America, United Kingdom, and many others recording worst indices in about 40 years. But the wailers close their eyes and ears to things happening in other parts of the world. Buhari, Buhari, Buhari, they continue to chant.
In the midst of all the humongous challenges, however, development continues. You have heard of the big ones: Second Niger Bridge. Loko-Oweto Bridge. Bodo-Bonny Road. AKK pipelines. Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway. Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. And many others in advanced stages of completion, and due for commissioning before the administration exits next year.
But let me tell you about some others that were commissioned recently, showing that President Buhari would not just be signposted by insecurity, as crucial and vital as security is to everything else. He continues to work, while trying to also secure the country.
Check out recently inaugurated roads and housing projects, all done despite massive challenges facing the land: Efon Alaye-Erinmo-Iwaraja Road in Ekiti State. Isoko Ring Road in Delta. Hadejia-Nguru, Phase 11, Jigawa. Gombe-Numan-Yola Road, Phase 11. Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari Road, Section 11, Lafia-Obi-Awe-Tunga Road, Nasarawa State. Nnewe-Uduma-Uburu Road Sections 1 and 2, Enugu State. Vandekiya-Obudu Cattle Ranch Road. Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Kotangora-Makera Road. National Housing Program Phase 1, in Imo State. At least 76 federal tertiary institutions have benefited from FG’s road projects. Same for the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, in Ogun State.And more…
This time has been dubbed Season of Completion, Commissioning and Impact, by the Works and Housing Ministry. And Minister Fashola is working his talk. Wait till you see the Second Niger Bridge in its splendor and magnificence by October.
At least 228 housing units have been completed in Kaduna, Sokoto, Kogi, and Osun States, among others.
The work continues, till the very last day of the administration. It’s all about service to the country and her people.
For President Buhari, as Alice Cooper sang in ‘Something to Remember Me By,’: “Something to remember further on down the line,
Something to remember me by,
Bye-bye.”
And wailers and revivers will not win with their false narratives. They can’t.
*Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity
The Federal Government, through the Office of Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, OSSAP-SDGs, recently delivered newly constructed and well equipped state-of-the-art fish kiln, 339 shops at the popular Oluwo fish market, and an ultra-modern Youth Centre in Epe, Lagos State.
The Youth Centre comprises a 960-capacity mini-Stadium, a football pitch, basketball and volleyball courts, administrative offices, changing rooms and other amenities.
The mini stadium
The remodeled Oluwo fish market comprises 240 open stalls, 82 lock-up stalls, five open floors, 12 toilets, and four new offices for Iya Oloja and Baba Oloja, Tourism Board and Local Government Staff Security post.
The two projects, facilitated by the senator representing Lagos East, Sen. Tokunbo Abiru, were commissioned by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
While unveiling the landmark projects, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said they were worthwhile and will have direct impact on the socio-economic development of Epe town, Lagos State, and Nigeria in general.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu
He noted that the market project was a commerce-oriented venture, designed to improve the livelihood and earning capacity of beneficiaries while the recreational facility will positively affect people’s lifestyle and translate to health benefits, as well as improved quality of life for members of the community.
The Governor, therefore, appealed to the beneficiaries to see the projects as public resources entrusted in their care, urging them to productively utilise the facilities with the utmost sense of responsibility.
”This is also what our great party, the APC, stands for, bringing a better life for all our people, regardless of their age, gender, religion, income or class. Our goal is to ensure that no one is left behind, as we spread development around Lagos,” Sanwo-Olu said.
A cross-section of the mini-stadium
In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, OSSAP-SDGs, Princess Orelope-Adefulire, noted that her Office had, in addition to the projects being commissioned, facilitated the rehabilitation of more than 10 schools and four healthcare projects in the Lagos East Senatorial District. These, she said,were crucial for social integration and inclusiveness.
On the remodelled Oluwo fish market and modern fish kiln constructed and equipped by her Office, Princess Orelope-Adefulire, also a former Deputy Governor of the State, said that the project was evidence of the fact that despite the colossal disruption to global economic development by COVID-19 pandemic, the Buhari Government had continued to make remarkable efforts at initiating and executing pro-poor and pro-development projects across the country.
She noted that the project was aimed at helping Nigerians cushion the dragging effects of the global pandemic as well as closing the implementation gap and fast-tracking the actualization of the Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, Senator Abiru noted that he facilitated the projects in line with his mission to improve the lives of the people of Lagos East.
The Senator said in addition to the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Oluwo fish market, about 1,250 market women and traders would be empowered with the sum of N50,000 each as financial grants with N62.5 million to be spent on the empowerment initiative.
Another view of the mini stadium
He added that the empowerment also included distribution of hand-planters to about 200 rural farmers, along with financial grants of N20,000 each.
A novelty football match was played on the pitch of the new stadium between Tokunbo Abiru Football Club and Epe Alaro United. The match ended in a penalty shootout which was won by the Abiru FC.
Other dignitaries who graced the well-attended commissioning included: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Obafemi Hamzat, former Deputy Governor, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, GAC member, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, Alhaji Bode Oyedele, Alhaji Akanni Seriki Bamu, Lagos APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, serving commissioners, federal and state legislators among others.
