Nigeria is set to receive a whopping US $22m for the Abidjan-Lagos highway project after ECOWAS and the African Development Bank (AfDB) signed the loan agreement to develop the project.
ECOWAS Commission President, Jean-Claude Brou confirmed the reports and said the 1,080 km Abidjan-Lagos corridor would connect some of the largest and economically dynamic cities in Africa and also link vibrant seaports which served landlocked countries of the region.
“With the approval of the member states, the ECOWAS Commission forwarded financing requests of approximately 89 million dollars to several development partners, including AfDB and European Union, to fund the technical and project preparation studies,” said Jean-Claude.
Abidjan-Lagos highway project
The signing of the Grant Retrocession Agreement was between ECOWAS, AfDB, and the contracts for the feasibility, environmental, socio-economic. The signing and detailed engineering designs for the six-lane highway, was in recognition of the decision of the Presidents of Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin in 2014 on the construction of the highway.
“Promoting regional trade is enshrined in articles establishing AfDB and is a key pillar in the High Five priorities of the bank.”That is why the bank is investing heavily in high quality regional transport infrastructure throughout the continent,” said Senior Director, AfDB, Mr Ebrima Faal.
Technical studies to be undertaken
The AfDB representative added that the objective of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Study was to undertake all the needed technical studies for the effective implementation, operations and economic development of the highway.
Mr Mayne David-West, Pearl Consultants and Civil and Structural Engineers, who spoke on behalf of the other consultants, said the project design would take two years and would connect to the planned East-West coastal road.
The EU representative, Mr Kurt Cornelis, commented that the project fitted in the framework of the cooperation of the EU with the continent and also the region.and acknowledged that the project would strengthen the competitiveness of the territories, stimulate investments, encourage regional integration for development growth and job creation.
Ivory Coast is set to receive US $150m grant from World Bank to fund drinking water and sanitation projects in 12 secondary cities.
Part of the funds is earmarked for Phase II of the Strengthening Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project dubbed PREMU in French. The overall aim of the project is to improve water quality and increase access to water services in targeted urban areas.
PREMU
According to Pierre Laporte, World Bank Director of Operations for Ivory Coast, PREMU will help to create an enabling environment for private sector participation in a capital-intensive sector, through capacity building for stakeholders and improving the performance of public water services in urban areas. This includes capacity building for managers of the National Drinking Water Office (Onep) of Ivory Coast, particularly in financial planning.
The 12 secondary cities that PREMU project will established include; Agboville, Bingerville, Tiassalé, N’Douci, N’Zianouan, Béoumi, Korhogo and Ferkessédougou. In the city of Béoumi, with a population of more than 73,000 inhabitants, the project involves the construction of a water intake on the Bandama River in the village of Konsou.
The water will then be treated and stored in a 500 m3 tank. The Ivorian government states that the construction of a water treatment plant for the city of Béoumi and these agglomerations must be based on the continuity of the existing service and its reinforcement to meet the population’s drinking water needs. Thus, the rehabilitation of the existing treatment plant, which has a capacity of 45 m3/h, and the construction of a new treatment plant, which will provide 200 m3/h, will be carried out.
Pierre added that there will be construction of a 300 m3 water tower in Belakro which will draw part of the water treated by the newly built plant. The project will also reduce water losses and improve access to water in cities around the city of Abidjan. This is the case of Bingerville or Jacqueville.
Construction works on the project has been scheduled to begin in July 2019 and upon completion in 2024, it is estimated that it will benefit 1.2 million people.
The government of Nigeria has announced plans to commence construction work on the Gusau Airport project. Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle disclosed the report and said that he has already received the contractors and consultants that would handle the project.
The airport project will be one of the several projects to be executed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP), arrangement which came with a US $1bn approval by the Afrexim Bank. Governor Matawalle signed the agreement on behalf of the state government while Benedict Orama, President of Afrexim Bank, signed on behalf of the bank.
Gusau Airport project
Noting that the arrangement would not cost the state government any money, Governor Matawalle further explained that the state government would only ensure the provision of a conducive environment for the smooth execution of the project.
“We have the manpower needed. Our engineers will join the contractors so that a qualitative job will be executed in record time. The project would create massive employment opportunities for the people of the state.We advised the contractors handling the project to source their labourers and the building materials locally,” said Governor Matawalle.
The airport project site situated along Gusau – Kaura Namoda road in the outskirts of the state capital is expected to also include the revival of the Bakalori irrigation dam to generate electricity and improve irrigation farming activities. Zamfara State currently has the Gusau airstrip serving the region of Gusau. The longest runway is 4.800 feet or 1.463 meters long. Upon completion of the development, it will be an international cargo airport.
Representatives of both the consulting firm, ULO Consultants Ltd, Mr Uche Oko-ponu, and the project bankers – Heritage Bank – Mr George Oko-obah, in their remarks, said that they were ready and capable of executing the project.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that repair works are set to resume on the Third Mainland Bridge. Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mr. Adedamola Kuti said that results of investigative tests on the bridge were ready and that contractors will move to site at the completion of the traffic management strategy.
“Once I get our traffic plans approved, work will soon begin on Third Mainland Bridge. Meanwhile, we have already completed the resurfacing and the markings, such that you can now drive on Third Mainland Bridge smoothly. We are also going to repair some of the piles or pillars carrying the bridge; that is the next phase that we are doing,” said Mr. Kuti.
Third Mainland Bridge
The Third Mainland Bridge is the longest of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland, the other are the Ekoand Carter bridges. It was the longest bridge in Africa until 1996 when The 6th October Bridge located in Cairo was completed. The bridge starts from Oworonshoki which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi express way and Lagos-Ibadan express way, and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.
The bridge was built by Julius Berger Nigeria PLC and opened by President Ibrahim Babangida in 1990; it measures about 11.8km in length. The bridge which was opened about 30 years ago by the then military government has had haphazard maintenance and repairs in the past. The investigative maintenance test done is expected to enable the contractors assess the true state of the bridge after which works will commence.
The Third Mainland Bridge is an essential part of Lagos’ daily commuting, and as such requires to be constantly renovated. It has also come to be a major Lagos icon, offering different views of Lagos – the Lagos Lagoon, the University of Lagos Waterfront and Makoko, a shanty town built on the Lagos Lagoon.
The Ondo State government in Nigeria has started construction of the 29 kilometre OkeAgbe-Irun-Afin-Ese-Ogbagi Road in Akoko Northwest area.
The road project, being handled by Cappa and Dabalto Construction Company one of the leading names in the construction industry, was flagged off by the State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Saka Yusuf Ogunleye. The road had been abandoned for over 20 years making it difficult for vehicles to operate in the area. The road project is expected to be completed in one year.
Construction of 29 kilometre OkeAgbe-Irun-Afin-Ese-Ogbagi Road
According to Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, the road infrastructure programme was one of the fruits of the change the people voted for in All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2016 where he explained that roads within the towns are also going to be made motorable. “The roads in Akoko were in deplorable state; now we are rehabilitating and reconstructing them to meet global standard,” he said.
“Our road construction is not going to be limited to highways alone. Township roads will also be fixed, as the department handling such matters will take care of failed portions and potholes within the towns,’’ he added.
The commissioner has described the rehabilitation of roads as a dividend of good governance in the state. In addition to that, the Traditional rulers said that the road project, which has been long overdue, will be an evidence that the state too is important being beneficiaries of the governments road transformation agenda. The project will form a basis as a cogent reason for our people to support the government.
Upon completion, construction of the roads will help in the development of the society. The project will also help to increase the value of lands, ease movement of farm products and other goods.
The federal government of Nigeria has inaugurated the largest off-grid solar hybrid power plant in Africa at Bayero University, Kano (BUK).
The project was under undertaken by the Energising Education Programme of the Federal Government and is expected to provide constant electricity supply for about 55,815 students and 3,077 staff.
Largest off-grid solar hybrid power plant
Managing Director of METKA West Africa Ltd, Mr. Evangelos Kamaris pointed out that the state-of-the-art solar hybrid power plant would help to save 108,875,120Ibs of carbon dioxide
The 7.1MW-capacity solar hybrid power plant is the second project to be commissioned under Phase 1 of the Energising Education Programme that will deliver clean and sustainable energy to nine federal universities and one university teaching hospital in the next four years, using solar hybrid and/or gas-fired captive power plants.
The inauguration also included the launch of 11.41KM of solar powered street lights as well as a world-class renewable training centre. Managing director of REA, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi, described the project as mission accomplished in the commitment of the Federal Government towards sustainable energy and education.
“Students and staff of Bayero University, Kano, can now experience learning and teaching in a safer, cleaner and more conducive academic environment,” said Mrs. Damilola.
The Energising Education Programme (EEP) is a federal government intervention focused on developing off-grid dedicated independent power plants, and rehabilitating existing distribution infrastructure to supply clean, safe and reliable power to 37 federal universities and seven affiliated university teaching hospitals. It is being implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved US $6.2m for the rehabilitation and upgrading of water supply in eight towns affected by insurgency in Adamawa.
Maurice Vunobolki, Adamawa project coordinator announced the report and said that the contract agreement was signed with six contractors for the immediate take-off of the eight months projects.
Water supply programme
The project are under the federal government’s North East Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project ( MCRP) in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe in partnership with the World Bank. The water supply programme is part of the federal government milestone in the implementation of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) under component two of the project. The towns set to benefit from the project include; Garkida, Gombi, Hong, Pella, Uba, Maiha, Michika, and Gulak.
Out of the six contractors who have met the standard procurement protocols, five were indigenous. Emnamu Global Enterprises Nigeria Ltd will execute the Hong town water rehabilitation and upgrading while China Zhonghao Nig Ltd will execute Gombi and Garkida water system rehabilitation and upgrading. Fieldrill Nig Ltd and City International Dimensions Construction Ltd, will handle the Michika and Uba water rehabilitation and upgrading, while Hillwater Resources Ltd and Bellsworth Resources Ltd target the Maiha, Gulak, and Pella water rehabilitation.
A significant fraction of residents in Adamawa State has no access to potable water provided public water authorities. Often residents rely on unofficial sources. They buy water from small scale water vendors or collect it from unimproved water sources; they also rely on self-water supply (free source) such as rivers, perennial streams, water ponds and unprotected wells which is susceptible to water borne diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery, malaria parasites etc.
Nigeria is set to commence construction of modern Ruga Settlements in Zamfara State. Governor Bello Matawalle revealed the reports and said that the government will spend US $24m for the project.
The three pilot Ruga Settlements will be situated in three senatorial districts in Zamfara State. Each settlement will be fitted with 210 two and three bedroom houses, western and Islamiyya schools, earth dams, grazing land and mosques.
Ruga Settlements
The settlement will be additionally feature police stations, 130 shops and mini markets, livestock markets, diary collection and social centres, roads and drainages among others. Construction of each plot will cost US $8m.
RUGA as an acronym for Rural Grazing Area, which was formed since pre-colonial era for improved pastoral and farming growth. According to the President, the Ruga Settlement seeks to settle migrant pastoral families in which animal farmers, not just cattle herders, will be settled in an organized place with provision of necessary and adequate basic amenities such as schools, hospitals, road networks, vet clinics, markets and manufacturing entities that will process and add value to meats and animal products.
He pointed out that beneficiaries will include all persons in animal husbandry, not only Fulani herders. So far, twelve states have applied to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, making lands available for the take-off of the scheme in their states. President Umar further estimated that each RUGA settlement will provide at least 2,000 jobs and will be a major attraction for foreign investors.
“The overall benefit to the nation includes a drastic reduction in conflicts between herders and farmers, a boost in animal protection complete with a value chain that will increase the quality and hygiene of livestock in terms of beef and milk production, increased quality of feeding and access to animal care and private sector participation in commercial pasture production by way of investments,” said the president.
Nigeria has flagged off construction of 81 km urban roads project worth US $64.6m in Imo State. Governor Emeka Ihedioha cut the sod and said and said the project is part of his promise to address the dilapidated infrastructure in the state, with a view to ensuring economic development.
The 16 roads earmarked for construction cut across the three zones of Orlu, Owerri and Okigwe, inclu=ding the famous Assumpta-Port Harcourt road and the Naze-Nekede-Ihiagwa-Obinze stretch.
Roads project
Others are Control-Post/World Bank; Ahiara Junction/Okpala; IMSU/Bishop’s Court; Okigwe Town/St. Mary’s Catholic Church, MCC/Toronto junction, Aba Branch/Ahiara Junction, and Concorde/Zuma/Port Harcourt.
“Part of my administration’s cardinal agenda is to run a one-stop state, where democracy dividends will be evenly distributed across the 27 local government areas of the state. We have deliberately chosen state roads while we have started discussion with the federal government on how we can rehabilitate the many bad federal roads in the state,” said Governor Ihedioha
“In order to ensure that a good job is done and to guarantee the durability of the project, painstaking processes were observed. The process of getting to this point was transparent and followed due process. All these were done to ensure not just quality assurance but value for money,” he added.
The governor also flagged off the reconstruction of Government Technical College, Okporo, Orlu, Government Technical College, Owerri, Dan Anyiam Stadium and Grasshopper International Handball Stadium, Owerri.
Governor Ihedioha also that the construction of both the government technical colleges, and the stadium would meet the international standards to boast technical education and sports development in the state.
The government of Nigeria has approved a 6.7 hectares of land for the construction of the Northeast Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) model school in Bauchi State. Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed revealed the report and said that the approval gesture is to fast track the execution of the project.
“The project as a perfect example of meaningful partnership between the Federal Government and the State, in the provision of qualitative education to students,” said Governor Mohammed.
The model school
According to Hamid Bobboyi, Executive Secretary of UBEC, the model school will have facilities for pre-primary and junior secondary school, classrooms, special needs classrooms, audio visual rooms, science laboratories, vocational workshops, libraries, multi-purpose training centre, staff room, offices, clinics, playground, toilets, assembly ground and cafeteria.The school will be equipped with the state-of-the-art ICT devices, including interactive boards, computers, ipads, tablets and Internet enabled television sets, among others.
“The introduction of the Model School Initiative is a turning point in the delivery of education within the basic education sub-sector, by providing conducive environment for effective teaching and learning, and serve as centres which will promote teaching and learning through ICT devices.,” said Hamid Bobboyi.
“The deployment of Information Communication Technology-based facilities in school management and administration, is another landmark, as it will check absentees, give monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in addition to ensuring better acquisition of knowledge especially in critical subjects,” he added.
On his part, the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nnajiuba, reaffirmed the determination of the Buhari’s administration towards improving the quality of basic education in the country.
Nigeria through Lagos State Public Works Corporation announced to have executed rehabilitation and palliative 150 roads across the state.
The road repair intervention by the Lagos State Public Works is in actualization of the vision of His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s administration to ensure free flow of vehicular movement with the removal of hindrances such as pot holes and other gridlock elements across the State.
Rehabilitated roads
General Manager, Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Eng Olufemi Daramola commended the works done and said that it will ease human and vehicular movement across the State hence boosting socio-economic activities and job creation.
The roads that underwent the rehabilitation include; Iju road, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ogudu Road, Kosofe, Town Planning Way, Mushin, Ikorodu Road: Maryland Independence Tunnel, Mile 12 inward Ketu axis, Kosofe, Oke-Afa-Ejigbo Road, Oshodi Isolo, Apongbon Round About, Marina in Lagos Island, Oba Akran Avenue, Aromire and Akilo Road in Ikeja, totaling 82,787.61 sqm.
The State also executed urgent palliative road works along Lekki-Epe Expressway, Itoikin Epe, Ikotun Ejigbo Road in Alimosho, Ikotun Ijegun road, Alimosho, Ikotun Egbe road- Alimosho, Iddo inward Idumota.
The palliative road works were done using materials such as Asphalt, Concrete Granite Boulders, Crushed Granite Stones and in some cases, Paving Stones to repair damaged road pavements and consequently provide comfort to motorist across the State.
“We are not there yet. Rehabilitation and maintenance of roads across the state is a continuous schedule with plan of intervention for different areas and road sections,” said Eng Olufemi Daramola
