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Oyo, Ogun, Lagos will jointly light up Lagos-Ibadan expressway – Makinde

Published

2 years ago

March 5, 2023

The entire 120km stretch of Lagos-Ibadan expressway will benefit from a joint light-up project being planned by the governments of Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said.

The governor disclosed this on Saturday as part of the lofty programmes his administration planned for the residents on his re-election for a another term of four years.

He spoke on the light-up of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway while featuring on Splash FM 105.5 Ibadan programme.

He said he initiated the discussions with his colleague in Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for the three state governments to work together on the possibility of lighting up the entire stretch of the expressway.

According to him, the proposed project will benefit all the three states.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted Makinde as saying, “Under Omituntun 2.0, we are exploring and I am talking to my colleagues in Ogun and Lagos states. We have a 120km stretch from Lagos to Ibadan. What we have done under the Light-Up Oyo project is to put infrastructure on 250km of our road. So, we can do it. There is nothing that says if you are coming from Lagos, there cannot be light every night between Lagos and Ibadan. I can give you that assurance that it will happen.

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“As for Lagos, they have up to the bridge head at Berger, and Ogun State has up to Onigaari. They have the longest stretch. And if we say each state should bear the burden accordingly, they will bear the lion share. But I told my colleague in Lagos that this is something that should benefit all of us. Even if we have to share the burden in such a way that Ogun State is encouraged to come in, we will do it. But this is something that will happen under Omituntun 2.0.”

The governor appreciated the people of the state for giving him the opportunity to serve, while calling on them to do it again on March 11, so that socio-political order, economic prosperity and other good things being enjoyed in the state would continue for another four years.

He said, “Once again, let me thank the good people of Oyo State who gave me the opportunity to serve them. Just like four years ago, the election is going to be a one-day event but the ramification and effect will stay with us for another four years.

“So, I want to urge our people to come out and not be afraid. Come out and make your choice. Vote for me again. What we have enjoyed for over three years in the state was the result of the step you took by voting for me on March 9th, 2019. Now, on the 11th of March, 2023, go out and do the same thing and we will have an Oyo State of your dreams.

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“Now, we are talking about civil servants and pensioners being paid for 45 months unbroken out of 48 month of this tenure. That is about 94 per cent really gone. So, if we want to extend it and not stop at 48 but go to 49, 50 and even to 96, then, come out to vote for PDP and all the PDP House of Assembly candidates. I will work with the House of Assembly members who will approve budgets and bills that we want to turn into law.

Speaking on what residents of the state should expect under Omituntun 2.0, Governor Makinde declared that the government would, upon his re-election, activate a lot of projects including the Ilutuntun Business District in Akinyele, which would have a digital technology hub for the youth.

While responding to questions on how his administration had fared in the education sector, the governor pointed out that the administration had been able to put in place a massive infrastructure reform in the sector, while also successfully moving about 60,000 students back to the classrooms through its various efforts on provision of free and qualitative education.

He said the administration’s success story in the tertiary education sector included the consistent ranking of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, LAUTECH, as the best state university in the country in the last three years.

“LAUTECH, for over three years running, has been adjudged to be the best state university in Nigeria and we will keep pushing. It is work in progress but I can say confidently that we are laying the right foundation for the Oyo State of our dream,” the governor said.

Related Topics:Featured Lagos-Ibadan expressway Makinde

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

Published

5 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

metro

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

metro

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.