Day: April 4, 2023

The Federal Government says it has completed the Loko-Oweto Bridge and the 2nd Niger Bridge and both would be commissioned and handed over before May 29.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, said this during the inspection of the completed Loko-oweto road and bridge on Tuesday in Nasarawa.

Fashola said that the contractors had promised to complete the project by the end of March and they made good their promise.

“So that’s why we’re here today. Today is the 4th of April. So, they indicated last week that they had finished and you saw as we crossed each of the sections all of them with our officers reported completion.

“What remains now on this project is to send a report to the Office of the President to say that on this project, mission accomplished, and whatever date is then possible, to do a ceremonial handover,” he said.

Speaking further on the value of the Oweto bridge, Fashola said it crosses the River Benue while the second Niger bridge crosses the River Niger and that it is a North-South link while the river Niger is an East-West link.

“Coming from the South-East, for example, and you go through Otukpo to link Nasarawa, instead of going through Lafia to Keffi, you can now pass Loko and burst out at Keffi.

That reduces your journey time by about four hours. This is what this bridge has done in terms of business efficiency, reduction of travel time, reduction of travel costs, and ultimately ease of doing business.

“In terms of scope, there are two bridges here; the main bridge is 1.8 kilometers long. So it is 200 meters longer than the main bridge of the second Niger Bridge.

“Although the second Niger Bridge has a total of three bridges, and in terms of project scope, they aggregate to about 2.6 km.

“The two bridges here aggregate to 2.2 km. But individually, in terms of river crossing, this is 200 metres longer than Niger bridge,” Fashola said.

The minister said that the administration should be commended because this was a development that many African countries could not accomplish in today’s economy.

“We should be proud to project these developments because they are the basis of our future prosperity – linking people, creating opportunities, creating trade, driving commerce, and economic exchange.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that there is over 70 km of road linking Benue State to Nasarawa State and 74 km of road linking Benue and Nasarawa into the Federal Capital Territory Abuja is funded by SUKUK IV.

Speaking further on the Second Niger bridge, Fashola said it would be opened to traffic on May 15.

“The link road that we formally opened to traffic, the date we have now is the May 15 as of yesterday. We are rolling out all the stops to support the contractor to see that that date is achieved.

“Just about two weeks before the end of term, the President will be invited to the completion, and may be any day thereafter, he will be able to fly in and do the ceremonial.

“But by the May 15, the bridge should be fully open to traffic.” Fashola said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigeria Civil Society Advocacy Group (NiCAG) on Tuesday in Abuja urged Sen. Godswill Akpabio to contest for the position of President of the 10th National Assembly.

The group, which comprises more than 20 civil society organisations and interest groups across the six geo-political zones, also urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other groups to support him.

While addressing a news conference to call out Akpabio, NiCAG’s Chairman, Mr Kenneth Obi, said they decided to urge Akpabio to contest because of what he has to bring to the table.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Obi, who read out a statement by the group was flanked by their Vice-Chairman, Dr Lawrence Okwara, and Director of Media, Pastor Shedrach Oka.

“Akpabio’s endorsement is coming on the heels of the several declarations made by some Senators who are also qualified for the position but cannot fit into the equation at this time .

“We therefore insist that Akpabio remains the best material for this top position under the present circumstances,” he said.

Obi added that Akpabio’s leadership of the Senate under Tinubu’s presidency would be the best thing to happen to Nigeria in terms of inclusive democracy and good governance.

“There is no doubt that Nigeria as a country and Nigerians as a people are going to through so much difficult times.

“We need patriots of discerning characters, competence and capacity to bring that optimal depth of leadership efficiency, balance and service delivery in our leadership quest for maximum output and impact.”

Obi said, “the National Assembly is a microcosm of the Nigerian state.

“Its politics must be played to reflect and satisfy the yearnings of Nigerians for equity, justice and fairness to the zones which have not produced its leadership since the return of democracy.”

The NiCAG Chairman pointed out that in the 24 years of democracy in Nigeria, the office of the Senate President has been held by almost all zones except the South-South zone.

“From 1999 to 2007 it was held by South-East from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“In 2007 to 2015, the Senate President’s office was held by the North-Central PDP, and from 2015 to 2019 it was held by North Central APC.

“From 2019 to 2023 it was held by North-East APC. So, from 2023 to 2027 at least, who should occupy it? Certainly, it should be the South-South,” he stated.

Speaking also, the group’s Director of Media, Pastor Shedrach Oka, said it was clear the South-West, North-West and South-South were the only zones yet to produce the Senate President in the past 24 years.

“With the President-elect from the South-West and the Vice President-elect from the North-East, the zone left behind and well-positioned to get it is the South-South.

“Therefore, there is the need to call on other zones to support the South-South in this endeavour.”

Oka said Akpabio deserved all support to become Senate President because he is a lawyer, grassroots politician, first-class strategist and a two-term governor.

“Our group has no doubt in our mind that Akpabio will be the most documented and successful President of the Senate that Nigeria would ever produce, given his uncommon Midas touch and track record of past performance.

Akpabio is a trusted bridge-builder and Nigeria needs a man that can uphold the unity of the country, stabilise and strengthen its democracy and the independence of the third arm of government with a strong consideration for national patriotism.

“We therefore, most respectfully, enjoin the leadership of the APC and other major stakeholders to appreciate the effort and sacrifices of the South-South in ensuring that the Tinubu-Shettima ticket emerged victorious during the presidential election,” the group’s spokesperson said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Citizens Network For Peace and Development in Nigeria (CNPDN), a civil society group, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC), to zone Senate Presidency to the South-South geo-political zone.

Making the call in Abuja on Tuesday, its National Secretary, Mr Francis Wainwei, told a news conference that the zone was better positioned to produce the next Senate President.

He said it was important and fair for the National Working Committee (NWC) and various organs of APC to consider the region for the post.

According to him, aside the fact that the zone has a ranking senator in the person of Sen. Godswill Akpabio, it has not produced a Senate president since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999.

Wainwei also said that zoning the president of the senate of the 10th Assembly to the region would foster true sense of belonging.

“Considering the South-South zone will make for peaceful and smooth take-off of the new dispensation under the president-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

“The call is also strengthened by the fact that the APC got more than 25 per cent votes in each of the six South-South states.

“This feat was achieved in spite of the fact that the region has been known as the stronghold of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before now,’’ he said.

Wainwei added that the South-South contributed greatly in ensuring that the APC won the 2023 presidential election.

On Apkapbio’s credentials, he said: “Godswill Akpabio is the right senator-elect.

“He has the competence, national acceptability and political experience to effectively pilot the affairs of the senate.

“As a former governor and minority leader in the Senate, representing the PDP, becoming President of the Senate as an APC member makes Akpabio a formidable bridge between the Executive and the Legislature.

“We call on all patriotic senators-elect to support and vote massively for Akpabio.

“We also call on all patriotic Nigerians who want the `Nigeria of our Dreams’ to prevail on the APC to zone the position of Senate President to the South-South geopolitical zone,’’ Wainwei stressed.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that based on Senate Standing Rules, only ranking senators are eligible to contest for the position of President and Deputy President of the Senate.

Wainwei said also that the in-coming government should distribute available political positions equitably among the six geopolitical zones to enhance national unity.

“As patriotic citizens, our primary interest is the unity and prosperity of the nation; hence, this is a clarion call to the ruling party to do the needful.

“The party and incoming government should promote government of national inclusion, equity and fairness to all geopolitical zones,’’ Wainwei said

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has called for consideration of industrial relations department in all government agencies and private organisations.

The call was made on Monday in Abuja at the opening session of the 14th NANNM labour/induction workshop for labour unions of Federal Health Institutions sector (FHIS), across the federation.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the workshop, which would last for four days, has the theme: “Building grassroots leadership capacity for managing modern trade unions in Nigeria”.

Mr AbdullahiYahaya, a former Chairman, NANNM-FCT, said that the industrial relations department would serve as a mediator between government, management and employees.

Yahaya, who is also a former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), FCT-council, said industrial relations, if properly harnessed and used, would avert industrial crisis.

He said such department in most organisations in Nigeria, was lacking, adding that with such department on ground, strikes and lockouts seen in work places would vanish.

“Unfortunately in many of our ministries, we don’t have that department, this department is supposed to be headed by a director, the function of the department is to interact with leaders of industrial union, labour leaders in the organisation.

“This department will be the one to set agenda for peaceful negotiation, workers by nature will definitely have demands from their employers being it promotion, wages, hours of work, equipment for work.

“These are issues that will always come up between the two parties. The department of industrial relations is that middlemen that looks at the issues the workers are demanding and bring it up to the management.

“So there should be a deliberate effort by factories, ministries and hospitals to have this department that will solely be responsible for labour issues and nip them in the bud to avert crisis,” he said.

Mrs Francisca Okafor, Director, Nursing Services, Federal Ministry of Health, expressed happiness about the workshop and the success of the election that brought the labour leaders to power in their various organisations.

According to her, the labour leaders from the FHIS are starting well as the workshop will arm them with what they need and the kind of leadership they should exhibit for unionism.

She said that unionism was not to be quiet, unionism represented a professional group before the government, before the management, adding that they had come, armed with the needed tools for trade union.

Okafor urged the labour leaders to see themselves as serving in the place of Christ, the divine physician and the ultimate healer, irrespective of their belief.

“God has called us to be able to minister to people who are less privileged, this must be done in a conducive environment; we chose this profession in love to be able to minister well for government and to give us the support.

“This is why I am happy that this people are starting on a good note with the workshop, on how to negotiate better, to reach out, advise government and improve the working environment,” she stressed.

Dr Farouk Abubakar, Secretary General/Registrar, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) called on the participants to be attentive to every details at the workshop, to make them sound leaders.

Abubakar who was represented by Yahaya Sumi, Director, Special duties in NMCN, said that nurses did not only work in the hospital, they should be able to also manage issues in their environment.

Dr Ngozi Osunde, the former National Secretary of Forum, FHIS, and a Senior Lecturer in the nursing department, Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, urged the labour leaders to use the knowledge from the workshop wisely.

Osunde who is also the chairman of the occasion, advised the union leaders to always carry their members along in whatever agreement reached with the employers, to achieve their aims.

Deborah Yusuf, Chairman, NANNM FCT-Council, who spoke on the theme, called on the inducted union leaders to always adopt the instrument of collective bargaining with management/employers.

According to her, collective bargaining strengthens and settles a lot of things, and that they must always put themselves in order before any negotiation.

Earlier, Chairman of FHIS, Nurse Morakinyo-Olajide Rilwan, decried the incessant assault on its members by patients, their relations and other health workers while discharging their duties.

He recommended that issues of assaults at the workplace should be handled with stringent measures and equal representation of people involved.

Rilwan said that any attempt to intimidate or unduly suppress its members shall henceforth no longer be accepted. (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria