News
‘FG Incurs N956bn Outstanding Liabilities On Road, Housing Projects’
The Federal Government has told the Senate that it was having outstanding liabilities and owed contractors handling road and housing projects across the country to the tune of N956billion as of September, 2022, just as he lamented the drastic budget cuts earmarked for the road and housing sectors in the 2023 fiscal year.
The government said that of the N956billion outstanding liabilities, it was owing are for contractors handling the National Housing Scheme N191.75billion while the remaining balance of N765billion was owed to contractors handling road projects across the country from the total contract value of N10.4trillion.
It also said that it has touched on 8,352kilometres of roads in the last seven and a half years across different parts of the country out of its total contract value of N10. 4trillion earmarked for road construction in its development plan.
According to the government, it was part of its infrastructure development roadmap in the country.
Speaking in Abuja when he appeared before Senator Adamu Aliero, Kebbi Central-led Senate Committee on Works and that of Senator Sam Egwu, PDP, Ebonyi North-led Senate Committee on Housing to defend the budget for 2023, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, disclosed that the Federal Government has a total of 36,000kilometres of roads across the country.
Specifically, in his submissions before the Senate Committee on Housing, Fashola said that the National Housing Project which started in 2016 has been executed in 35 out of 36 states of the federation with 1,250 contractors, adding that the 6, 000 housing units have created 46 construction sites across the country, 29, 030 direct employment and 57, 874 indirect employment.
He said, “The National Housing Project is very much on the course but the problems of the paucity of funds through drastic budget slash and outstanding liabilities of N191.75billion, need to be urgently looked into.
“ In the 2022 fiscal year, while the total capital votes for both Works and Housing Components of the ministry was N441.18billion, the proposal made for the 2023 fiscal year is N146billion.
“Out of the proposed N146billion as capital expenditure for the entire ministry in 2023 fiscal year, only N45billion is earmarked for the Housing sector.”
Making similar submissions to the Senate Committee on Works, the Minister said: “The main challenge to highways development in the country remains inadequate funding. As at date, the government is committed to highway contractors to the tune of about N10.4trillion while a total of about N765billion are unpaid certificates for executed works.
“Secondly, the shortage of younger engineers/technical officers in the ministry as a result of the embargo on employment is affecting proficient project supervision at the sites.”
Speaking on the achievements of the ministry under his watch, Fashola, who noted that while some of the roads have been successfully executed and completed; others were in advanced stages, said that out of the contract value of N10.4trillion for the construction of roads.
The minister lamented to the Senate Committee members to make provision for the outstanding liabilities owed contractors’ suppliers for executed work in their final review of the ministry’s budget for 2023, warning that the non-payment of the money could affect the livelihood of many families along the value chain.
Fashola said, “These are monies owed to contractors’ suppliers who supply building materials, cement etc. It is very important we find a solution otherwise we will have consequential social and economic effects.”
The minister, who noted that the ministry intervened in the construction of 85kilometres of roads in several federal tertiary institutions as part of the ministry’s investment in the education sector, said that the ministry also initiated major repairs of bridges under its 2022 budget even as he announced that the bridge component of the Second Niger Bridge is completed; pointing out that only the Onitsha and Asaba roads components of the project are left to be completed.
Fashola welcomed the Tax Credit arrangement initiated by the Federal Government in 2019 which has enabled the government to transfer the construction of some key roads to some private entities like the Dangote Group, MTN, PZ and subsidiaries of NNPC.
The total budget for the Ministry of Works and Housing for 2022 stood at N515billion with N441.1billion as capital for works.
In the projection for 2023, the budget for the ministry was slashed to N198billion, out of which N45billion was allocated to housing.
Fashola lamented the paucity of funds, especially in the face of outstanding liabilities which he said would greatly hamper the ministry’s ability to embark on new projects in 2023.
However, chairmen and members of the committees commended the minister for a series of roads and housing projects executed across the country in the face of scarce resources and other challenges.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Sam Egwu, told the minister to use the proposed N45billion capital votes in the 2023 budget to complete the remaining 3,000 units of the 6,000 units National Housing Project.
At the Committee on Works, the Minister was tasked with ensuring the completion of the 2nd Niger Bridge this year and the critical road projects he highlighted.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.