News

Benin-Auchi-Lokoja Road: Senate Urges FG To Mobilise Contractors To Site

Published

2 years ago

July 12, 2023

Editor

The Senate has urged President Bola Tinubu to as a matter of urgency, Mobilise Contractors to Site and stem further deploration state of Benin–Auchi- Lokoja Road, just as it asked the President

to grant approval for the augmentation of costs on the road through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing pending the constitution of the Federal Executive Council for ratification.

The Senate has also urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to, as a matter of urgency, commence repairs on the failed portions of the Road as well as provide adequate funding to complete the reconstruction of this road.

The Upper Chamber had also asked the Ministry of Works and Housing to Come up with a plan to settle all lingering issues bordering on the dualisation of the Road with contractors and also review the terms and conditions of the contract to meet current realities of inflation.

Resolutions of the Senate yesterday were sequel to a motion titled: “Urgent Need for the Federal Government to Mobilise Contractors to Site and Stem further Deploration State of Benin–Auchi- Lokoja Road.

The motion was sponsored by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North.

In his presentation, Senator Oshiomhole said that the Senate: “Notes the deplorable and dangerous state of Benin–Auchi–Lokoja Road that links the South East and South South States to the Northern parts of the country.

“The contract for the reconstruction of the road was awarded to Dantata and Sawoe, Reynold Construction Company, Mother Cat and GIG company in 2012 by the Goodluck Jonathan Administration, following cries and complaints by commuters about the hardship they encounter daily on the road;

“Also notes that certain portions of the road have failed completely, especially around Ekpoma to Agbede axis, and this development is causing sufferings to the many Nigerians who rely on this route for their socio-economic activity, despite the over 200 billion Naira that had been budgeted since the award of the contract for the reconstruction of the road.

“Aware that the federal government, in January 2023, as part of the Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme Phase, further approved the sum of N75 Billion to hasten the reconstruction of the road, specifically extending from Obajana Junction in Kogi State to Benin City in Edo State.

“Disturbed that the pace of work on the road has been very slow and certain portions of the road have failed completely. This has become a nightmare to motorists, especially because heavy-duty trucks spend days in the same spot without movement, thereby preventing smaller vehicles from navigating their way through the road.

“This situation, now sadly compels smaller vehicles to opt for longer alternative routes through Ondo State, totally out of their normal direction, in order to avoid the many kilometres of gridlocks and sometimes the inability to manoeuvre through the failed portions.

“Also disturbed that transporters now hike their fares due to increased hours of the time it takes for them to arrive at a journey that they would otherwise spend less time to arrive at, thereby passing the buck to the passengers and travellers who now pay astronomically high fares to their destinations.

“This situation is disheartening, considering the current high cost of living that Nigerians are already grappling with.

“Worried that the deplorable state of the road has caused damage to properties and led to the death of numerous innocent commuters through accidents.

“Also worried that the road passes through the sites of two major cement factories in Okpella, Edo State which attracts heavy duty vehicular movement 24 hours of the day, throughout the year, making it a very strategic route for the country’s development.”

News

Two Schoolchildren Electrocuted In Anambra During Rainfall

Published

2 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Editor

Tragedy struck in Nnewichi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday when two schoolchildren were electrocuted while taking shelter from the rain at a roadside shop.

The incident, which occurred at St. Peter’s Claver Junction, threw the community into mourning.

Eyewitnesses and CCTV footage revealed that several pupils had gathered at the shop to escape the downpour when the tragedy happened.

A resident near the scene, who pleaded anonymity, recounted, “Several pupils were taking shelter at the roadside shop during the heavy rainfall. But tragedy struck when the wet bodies of two of the schoolchildren came in contact with a live metal, and they were instantly electrocuted.”

According to witnesses, panic spread as the children collapsed instantly, while others narrowly escaped.

The shop owner was said to have not yet opened for business when the incident occurred.

“It took the intervention of some security officers and passers-by, who used protective gloves to evacuate the bodies,” another eyewitness said.

The incident came just days after a similar tragedy in the same Nnewi area, where a woman was swept away by floodwaters in the Uruagu community.

When contacted, the Anambra State Police Command spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, noting that an investigation was underway.

“The facts are not clear yet, but the divisional police officer has been directed to find out the details for a comprehensive report,” Ikenga stated.

The latest tragedy adds to recent cases of electrocution in the state.

In May, a three-year-old girl was killed in Awka after stepping on a live cable belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.

Residents had reportedly alerted officials about the fallen high-tension wire, but it was not repaired until after the fatal incident.

A resident, identified as Uche, said, “The cable fell on Friday and wasn’t fixed until Sunday, after it had electrocuted the girl. The officials even requested ₦30,000 to fix it but didn’t show up until it was too late.”

The repeated incidents have reignited public concern over poor electricity infrastructure and safety negligence in Anambra communities.

News

Oyo Orders Traders To Vacate Airport Road In Two Weeks

Published

2 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Editor

The Oyo State Government has issued a two-week ultimatum to traders operating along Airport Road, Old Ife Road, and Onipepeye areas of Ibadan to vacate the roadside or face enforcement action.

The directive was detailed in a Tuesday statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Dr. Suleimon Olanrewaju.

He warned that the state would no longer tolerate roadside trading or the placement of container shops on drainage.

According to the statement, “the government has provided markets and other designated spaces for trading across the city, making it unnecessary and unsafe for traders to occupy roadsides.”

The government said the action was necessary to safeguard lives, prevent environmental hazards, and protect public infrastructure.

It also warned that trading on walkways and blocking drainage channels increases the risk of flooding and undermines the state’s efforts to promote tourism.

“The government has a duty to protect citizens from all manner of danger,” the statement said, noting that roadside trading exposes people to serious risks.

The ultimatum expires on October 27, after which enforcement will begin.

The government said “non-compliance could lead to the confiscation of goods and prosecution of offenders.”

It appealed for cooperation from residents to ensure a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment in the state.

News

Admissions: Mathematics No Longer Compulsory For Arts Students, Says FG

Published

2 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Editor

Nigerian senior secondary school students in arts and humanities will no longer be required to present a credit in mathematics in their Senior School Certificate Examination, organised by the West African Examination Council and National Examination Council, as a condition for admission to universities and polytechnics, the Federal Ministry of Education said on Tuesday.

For years, admission seekers in arts and humanities, like their contemporaries in sciences and social sciences, have been mandated to have five credits, including mathematics and English language, to secure admission into higher institutions.

“The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards.

“The new framework applies to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies across the country as follows:

“Universities: Minimum of five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics is mandatory for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.

“Polytechnics (ND Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programs.

“Polytechnics (HND Level): Minimum of five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

“Colleges of Education (NCE Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes in relevant subjects, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, and Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programs,” a statement by the FME’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, said.

An education analyst, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, who spoke to our correspondent in Abuja, hailed the reform.

“This is a brilliant reform, which we hope will open the doors and improve the ease of admissions into tertiary institutions for more seekers.”

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the reform as a deliberate effort to expand access to tertiary education.

The ministry also approved a comprehensive reform of admission entry requirements into all tertiary institutions across the country, increasing the average annual intake from about 700,000 to one million students.

According to the government, the new policy aims to expand access to higher education and create opportunities for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 admissions each year.

The minister explained that the reform became necessary after years of limited access, which left many qualified candidates unable to secure admission despite meeting the required standards.

“Every year, over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), yet only about 700,000 gain admission. This imbalance is not due to lack of ability but outdated and overly stringent entry requirements that must give way to fairness and opportunity.

“The reform is a deliberate effort to expand access to tertiary education, creating opportunities for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students each year. It reflects our commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian youth has a fair chance to learn, grow, and succeed—putting the Renewed Hope Agenda into action,’’ he said.

The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards.