Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has okayed the sum of N140billion 2025 budgetary provision for the commission.

The lawmakers charged it to utilise the allocation judiciously when approved by the Senate.

The Committee, chaired by Senator Titus Zam, gave the approval when the Managing Director of the NCDC, Tsenyil Yiltsen, appeared before it to defend the proposal.

Zam said: ‘After a careful look at the issues contained in the budget and the eloquent presentation by the Managing Director and his team, the committee has approved the budget of N140 billion as presented by the Commission.’

Committee however urged the commission to ensure judicious utilisation of the N140billion when finally approved by the Senate, particularly the N100billion, earmarked for capital expenditure.

It also urged governments of the benefiting six states in the zone and the FCT to provide office accommodations for branches of the commission in their respective states.

Yiltsen, had in his presentation, said the N140billion was the envelope given to the Commission for the 2025 fiscal year by the federal government.

He said out of the amount, N100billion for capital expenditure across the six states in the North Central zone and the Federal Capital Territory while the remaining N40billion is for recurrent expenditure covering overhead and personnel cost.

He explained that the N100billion is tied to numerous projects across the six states.

He said: ‘We have eight thematic areas in terms of infrastructure deployment which are security, agriculture, mining, environmental degradation, education, health, road construction, etc.’

He assured the committee that the commission under his leadership would ensure even execution of projects across the all the states in the zone and the FCT.

‘We will go out for proper needs assessment in all the states and will be fair in the distribution of these projects in all the six states and FCT,’he said.

He added that the bulk of the N40billion earmarked for recurrent expenditure, will be used to pay salaries of proposed 200 staff to be recruited after approval by the office of Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Elders from the Niger South Senatorial District, under the auspices of Niger-South Senior Stakeholders’ Forum (NSSF), have called for the completion of the Baro port and the exploration of hydrocarbon potential in the Bida Basin, along with other federal government infrastructure projects in the zone.

The elders claimed that completing these projects would unlock economic opportunities, boost trade competitiveness, and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, thereby addressing unemployment and stimulating regional development.

At an expanded meeting where the forum engaged with experts and political officeholders from the zone, the lawmaker representing Bida-Katcha-Gbako Federal Constituency, Saidu Musa Abdul, identified a lack of political will from past administrations, an inadequate funding framework, and insufficient cooperation among critical stakeholders as factors impeding the revitalization of Baro port.

Abdul, who is the chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on the Rehabilitation and Operationalisation of Baro Port, expressed disappointment that six years after its inauguration, the port remained non-operational.

Abdul said, ‘We are still where we are; nothing is happening at the level of the port. The access roads have not been provided. The rail corridor is not working. The capital region has not been done.

‘For a journey that is not supposed to last more than 30 minutes, we spent close to four hours.’

The lawmaker said his committee has devised ways to bring all critical stakeholders and sectors related to the Baro port together to work in harmony, ensuring its full operationalization.

‘Our major challenge was that in the past, people were not working together. But as we are progressing as a committee, even before we do our final report, we already have the buy-in of critical stakeholders. We are working with the Ministry of Blue Economy, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Transport, the National Inland Waterways (NIWA), and the National Hydrographic Agency.

‘So we were moving at the same pace with all critical stakeholders. This is what you didn’t get in the past. NIWA and, by implication, the Ministry of Transport were then busy doing the procurement and installation of equipment without carrying along all the critical stakeholders.

‘But what we have today is different. We have virtually everybody under the same umbrella today. And we are sure this is what will propel Baro port into reality.

‘On the issue of capital, we are putting all things together. We are coming up with a funding framework that will not be too burdensome for the government.

The lawmaker described the meeting with members of the NSSF as a welcome development, which provided a platform for him to engage with constituents and elders, and receive valuable guidance, information, and advice.

In his presentation, a consultant on Baro Inland Port, Prof. Mustafa Zubairu, noted that the port has, at present had a capital asset of N66 billion and is capable of creating 800,000 jobs and 300,000 smart homes.

He highlighted business opportunities at Baro port, including ferry services, barge operations for bulk commodities and containers, aggregation centers for agricultural produce and solid minerals, commodity processing facilities, tank farms, modular refineries for PMS and biodiesel, and boat courses.

NIWA Area Manager (Niger-Kwara), Akapo Adeboye, noted that Baro port should be viewed as a business opportunity, and encouraged indigenes of the area to start investing in the various opportunities available, even before full operationalization.

He identified areas such as the sand business, which he said would help harness the water resources and generate income for investors.

Earlier in their remarks, the Chairman of NSSF, Alhaji Ibrahim Liman, and the Secretary-General, Dr. Mohammed Santuraki, stated that the organization was formed to protect and advance the developmental and political interests of the Niger-South Senatorial District, highlighting the challenges faced by the zone.

They noted that the meeting was convened to synergize with professionals on the issues surrounding Baro Inland Port and Bida Hydrocarbon exploration, to ensure they become a reality soon.

On the Bida Inland Oil Basin, the Forum acknowledged the various investments made by the Niger State Government, especially the current government, but fears that all this will come to nothing if the state does not fully secure the interest and commitment of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), its frontier service division, and the federal government.

This, according to the forum, is because all matters relating to oil exploration and development are exclusive to the Federal government.

Ademola Lookman made his first start of the season for Atalanta as the Italians came from behind to beat Club Brugge in the Champions League.

The England-born Nigeria winger was left out of the Italians’ squad for the first three Serie A games of the season after handing in a transfer request at the start of August.

Lookman was reported to have been a target for Inter Milan but a move failed to materialise.

He looked sharp on his return to the first-team fold and had an early shot blocked, but it was Belgium’s Club Brugge who took the lead against the run of play when Christos Tzolis curled in a fine effort just before half time.

Atalanta dominated the second half and substitute Davide Zappacosta went close with a low drive that flew just wide of the target.

They got the equaliser their dominance deserved when Nordin Jackers was adjudged to have brought down Mario Pasalic inside the box, and Lazar Samardzic stepped up to convert the penalty.

That prompted an open end to the game as both sides had chances to snatch a winner, but it was Atalanta who got it as Pasalic headed home with three minutes left.

The result secured Atalanta their first win in this season’s Champions League while it was Club Brugge’s first loss after thrashing Monaco 4-1 in their opener.

Five operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were knocked down by motorists while performing their duties on various roads across the country.

The Corps Marshal of FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, who announced this on Monday, September 30, directed immediate prosecution of the culprits to serve as a deterrent against future occurrences.

According to the Corps Marshal, the incidents occurred across five sector commands: Ekiti Sector Command on September 6, Ogun Sector Command on September 8, Taraba Sector Command on September 15, Jos By-Pass Unit Command on September 19, and Obollo Afor Unit Command on September 24.

‘Their deaths are not mere statistics, they represent human lives of dedicated fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and breadwinners, cut short in the line of duty while safeguarding Nigerian roads,’ Mohammed said in a statement issued through the Corps Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Olusegun Ogungbemide.

The Corps Marshal noted with great concern the increasing hazards faced by FRSC operatives, whom he said beyond being exposed to speeding vehicles, now contend with kidnapping, violent attacks, and targeted assaults.

He stressed that the FRSC would no longer tolerate acts of recklessness that endanger its staff, warning that offenders would be made to face the full weight of the law.

The Corps Marshal urged personnel across formations nationwide to exercise more level of alertness and ensure their safety is highly prioritised, noting that they need to be safe and alive to save others.

Mohammed also directed stronger engagements with relevant authorities on the protection of its personnel and installations, emphasizing that the measure was not intended for aggression but as a ‘safeguard to deter assaults and ensure that officers can perform their duties without fear of attack.’

While commiserating with the families of the deceased officers and saluting their courage and sacrifice, the Corps Marshal urged Nigerians to ‘honour their memory by respecting traffic laws, showing regard for FRSC operatives on duty, and supporting the Corps in its mandate to end avoidable deaths on the nation’s highways.’

He warned that disregard for traffic laws and the safety of FRSC personnel would attract serious sanctions and legal consequences going forward.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Tuesday sustained the shutdown of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The association commenced the industrial actions on Monday because Dangote Refinery laid off over 800 workers for unionizing.

Recall that PENGASSAN President Comrade Festus Osifo on Sunday confirmed on Channels TV that the association had cut gas supply to Dangote Refinery and Fertilizer plant.

The Nation monitored the situation on Monday to discover that the protesting PENGASSAN unionists remained at the entrances of the NNPCL, NUPRC, and NMDPRA despite a court order that barred the association from cutting gas supply to the refinery.

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on Tuesday said mass road networks across the FCT will give credibility to Nigeria’s quest to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030.

The projects, Wike said, were anchored on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

Wike said this at the official flagged off of the construction of Arterial Road S1 with a three-span bridge from Ring Road II to the FCT Fire Service station in Kaura District, Abuja.

The minister said the crucial road will not only open up the Kaura District for development but will also enhance the operational capacity of the Fire Service Station within the area.

The Minister said; ‘It will help the fire service station in case of emergencies. By the time this road is constructed with a three-span bridge, of course, anywhere there is any fire incident and they are called upon, they will respond immediately. Again, this is also to contribute to their efficiency in their job delivery’.

Wike expressed confidence that the contractor, Infiouest Construction Company, which is currently undertaking the Abuja/Kaduna/Zaria Road, will deliver a good quality job and appealed to the company to also give opportunity to the youths to participate in the road construction.

He said: ‘I understand that Nigeria is bidding to host the Commonwealth Games, and it will be difficult for us to achieve that if we don’t have a good network of roads. When the Committee comes and they see that the basic infrastructure is being provided, that gives us the leverage to be given the hosting rights of the Commonwealth Games.

‘So, all these linkages, all these networks of roads are also geared to showcase to the world that we have a city that can host the Commonwealth Games’.

Stressing that the construction and rehabilitation of key roads in each of the six Area Councils was designed to extend development beyond the city centre, Wike reiterated that Abuja city will compete with some of the developed cities of the world by the end of President Tinubu’s first tenure.

‘As I have said before, it is the hope of the Renewed Hope Agenda that before the first tenure of Mr. President ends, Abuja will be a different place. Abuja will be competing with some other cities of the world’, the Minister stated.

Minister of State, FCT, Mariya Mahmoud, while delivering the vote of thanks, expressed deep appreciation to President Tinubu for his leadership and vision in the provision of infrastructure that directly improves the lives of the people and thanked the FCT Minister for his consistent drive to transform Abuja into a modern, functional, and inclusive city.

Providing an overview of the road project, the Acting Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Richard Yunana Dauda, said access roads being developed under the project included part of Arterial Road S1 to connect to the Ring Road II in collector Road CS2, as well as a minor access road that formed part of the Kaura District Development.

He said the scope of work includes the construction of 2.4km of asphalt-paved roads with the three-span bridge, surface water drainage, as well as erosion control measures, among other engineering services, adding that the road project, during its construction, will provide direct and indirect job opportunities.