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Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, has approved the release of N949 million for the completion of the new state secretariat complex in Birnin  Kebbi.

This is contained in a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Dakingari, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.

“Gov. Atiku Bagudu has approved the release of N949,198,886 to the contractor handling the construction of the new secretariat complex at Gwadangaji, Birnin Kebbi to hasten the completion of the project,” the statement said.

It added that the release of the fund followed negotiations with the contractor, Rockwell Nigeria Limited.

“The contractor has been directed to return to the site immediately to complete work without delay, which is part of the present administration’s commitment to complete all ongoing projects for the benefit of the people of the state.

“When completed the State Secretariat will serve as offices for Secretary to the State Government, Head of Service as well as a number of ministries and departments,” it said. (NAN).

Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River on Wednesday unveiled Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) produced at the state owned garment factory.

Ayade disclosed that the protective gears, which included face shields and overalls would be deployed to schools free for use by students as the state government planned trial resumption of public schools.

The governor said medical personnel in the state would also be given PPE for free.

He said that production of the protective gears was part of his administration’s effort to fight COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think that the Federal Government will be excited to encourage the resumption of schools because obviously coronavirus has come to stay with us.

“The reality is that countries that have attempted to resume schools have had to contend with the increased prevalence of the virus, but obviously how long can we wait as a country?

“So, perhaps we have to adopt a new lifestyle that will integrate coronavirus as part of our lifestyle.

“For Cross River, we have a strong commitment that our children cannot continue to stay at home. The more they stay, the more the moral decadence, the more the indiscipline and the more they become lazy of getting back to school.

“For every stage in life there is time where you have to be in class and once the children miss that delicate phase, it becomes very difficult,” he said.

The governor noted that it was wise for the kids to go back to school, adding that in China kids were back to schools with their nosemasks and shields.

Ayade said: “We have always led from the front and we think the mass production of PPE is an added advantage.

“All health practicioners from doctors to nurses to radiographers must be given PPE for them to work.

“Because we care, we want to support our public schools with free distribution of PPE. But our PPE for schools is limited only to nose masks and face shields.

He recalled that recently, doctors in Nigeria issued strike notice and their major reason was that their colleagues were dying in their numbers due to the lack of PPE.

According to him, the face shields will be the first and major shield production in Nigeria.

Earlier, the state Commissioner for Education, Mr Godwin Amanke, said that a trial resumption of schools would begin on June 16. (NAN)

The Speaker of Osun House of Assembly, Mr Timothy Owoeye, on Wednesday, reiterated that anyone found guilty of rape will face life imprisonment.
Owoeye stated this during plenary and while receiving members of the Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), who visited the assembly.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FOMWAN members had visited the assembly to appeal to the lawmakers to take necessary steps to stop the raising cases of rape in the state.
The speaker, while accommodating the Muslim group during the day’s plenary, said that cases of rape in the country had reached an alarming stage and must be addressed by all stakeholders.
He said the assembly had, in 2002, enacted an anti-rape law, which prescribed life imprisonment for perpetrators of rape.
“Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. 11, Laws of Osun State, 2002, prescribes a life sentence for anyone found guilty of committing rape, while an attempt to commit rape attracts an imprisonment of 14 years,” he said
Owoeye said that the Director of Legal Services in the assembly had also been directed to be present at all rape- related cases in the courts in the state so that victims could get justice.
According to him, the assembly will not rest as far as the issue of rape is concerned.
Earlier in her address, Alhaja Kudirat Oladunmoye, the state Amirah of FOMWAN, said that the issue of rape, both in the state and in the country, was becoming a pandemic.
“No woman is safe again now, because women of different ages and even babies are being sexually-violated,” she stated.
Oladunmiyo, therefore, appealed to the assembly to take steps that would curb the rising menace in the state.
She also said that the national Amirah of FOMWAN had directed that the state leaders of the association to appeal to the people in authority to take bold steps to stop the rising tide of rape in the country.
The group, after presenting its matter before the assembly, also submitted an appeal letter, which was received by the Clerk, Mr Simeon Amusan.
NAN reports that the assembly members, thereafter, listened to a lecture, delivered by Prof. Kayode Alao of Guidance and Counselling Department, Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun.
NAN also reports that the lecture, entitled: “Practical Implication of Leadership Psychology and Emotional Intelligence for Healthy Living”, was part of the activities marking the first anniversary of the lawmakers.
It was aimed at teaching the legislators the importance of their emotion and psychology to their roles as political leaders. (NAN)

The fractional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo chapter, Mr Anslem Ojezua, says  clearance by the authorities of the University of Ibadan (UI), has further strengthened the integrity of Gov. Godwin Obaseki.

Ojezua told newsmen on Wednesday in Benin, while reacting to the confirmation by UI, that Obaseki actually graduated from the institution.

“This is not a case of Toronto or Chicago. UI is not a university that you just walk into and graduate.

“It just takes about three hours from Benin to go to  the university and verify if you are in doubt or visit the internet.

“Shame on  all those who have been witchhunting Obaseki that he never graduated from the university,” Ojezua said

According to him, the clearance from UI has strengthened the integrity of Obaseki, laid to rest the issue of whether he graduated from the institution.

Speaking on the decision of the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC), to use direct mode of primary to conduct APC governorship primary in Edo, Ojezua asked “is INEC a member of APC? It is not.”

On the relocation of APC secretariat in Edo, Ojezua said it was contempt of court to do so by the National Chairman and the other APC factional Chairman in the state, Col. David Imose (Rtd).

“The new secretariat according to the national chairman is an illegal secretariat,” he said

Meanwhile, a chieftain of the APC, Mr Samson Osagie said, “INEC is simply following the law according to the provisions of the Electoral Act.”

According to Osagie, the party has communicated the mode of the primary to INEC and INEC has to follow the law. (NAN)

The Federal Controller of Work in Lagos, Mr Kayode Popoola, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to deliver the Apapa/Oshodi/Ojota/Oworonshoki Expressway project on schedule.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari flagged off the N73 billion project in November 2018 to address gridlock on the axis, promising to deliver it in two years.

During inspection of the highway, on Wednesday, in Lagos, Popoola said that the road had achieved varied proportions of completion levels on different sections.

He explained that the progress was better to be presented in segments, but that a merger brought the entire projects to about 40 per cent completion level.

“On section one here, we have achieved about 22 per cent completion and on section three, it is about 55 per cent.

“On section four, we have achieved about 20 per cent completion,’’ he said.

On the completion date, the controller quoted the Minister, Mr Babatunde Fashola, as saying “it is still November this year’’.

While inspecting section one of the project, Popoola said “we are carrying out purification; which means, we removed the existing asphaltic concrete, add the stone base and now lay it’’.

He explained that several layers of construction went underneath, with up to eight inches thickness of concrete, to make the rigid pavement strong for durability.

The controller said that because of the huge vehicular and axle load on Apapa roads, the design was made to have iron rods as reinforcement to make the road stronger than normal asphaltic roads.

He said that the project had created about 600 direct jobs and over 1,000 indirect jobs, thereby improving the livelihoods.

He further explained that the project, being handled by the Dangote Group, had reduced travel time because completed sections that had been opened to traffic and had eased congestion on the axis.

The controller also inspected section four, which is about 10.5 kilometres and spans from Anthony Village to Old Toll Gate.

According to him, the award of contract for section two is being processed.

“Section two, which spans from Beachland to Cele bus stop, is not part of this contract, but it is being processed and very soon, work will begin there.

“We are completing sections one, three and four in November 2020,’’ he restated.

While inspecting section four, Popoola said that the team had gone round Tin Can Island Port, Liverpool Road and various sections and subsections of the highway.

He said that skeletal work continued on the project during the COVID-19 lockdown, adding that, full capacity operations were still hampered.

According to him, this is because some staff were trapped in other states and could not return due to inter-state travel restrictions.

“However, the workers resident in Lagos are coming to site.

“We have over 600 workers working here and it has improved the economy,’’ he said.

He appealed to Lagos residents to take ownership of the project and stop all forms of road abuses.

He decried dumping of refuse in drains of the ongoing project and others across the state while soliciting the support of residents on proper refuse disposal.

During an inspection of the 2.7 kilometres segment on section one B, Mr Ashton Davies, the Project Manager, Hitech subcontractors on the project, said that the technology used ensured continuity.

Davies explained that “with the concept of continued reinforcement pavement, there is no breakage and there is continuation of the concrete’’.

He added that various completed sections could easily be linked.

Some road users who spoke to journalists expressed satisfaction with the speed of work on the project.

Mr Adelani Friday, a data analyst, called on the government to replicate rigid roads across the nation.

Also, Mr Gafar Olakunle, a truck driver that plies the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, commended the quality of work being done.

Olakunle called on other private sector concerns to partner with the government on road construction as the Dangote Group has done. (NAN)