FG To Spend N17bn On Lagos Bridge Damaged By Fire

Published

4 months ago

July 5, 2025

The Federal Government has negotiated the cost of the Iddo Bridge rehabilitation from an initial N27bn to N17bn.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made this known to journalists during an inspection of the bridge on Friday in Lagos.

He said, “Julius Berger quoted, I think, N27 billion or thereabout, but after much negotiation and discussion, we now arrived at N17 billion.”

Umahi commended Julius Berger Nig. Plc. for demonstrating a sense of cooperation under its new leadership.

He described the company as a “born-again Berger”, attributing the breakthrough in negotiation to the understanding and openness of its new managing director.

The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to prudent spending, insisting that all contractors must align with the ministry’s standards and directives.

Umahi noted that the project had been reviewed from mere rehabilitation of the burnt section to a major work.

He expressed concern over the poor condition of the bridge, blaming it on years of neglect and human abuse, including illegal occupation and collisions by heavy-duty trucks.

He said that three spans of the bridge were severely damaged by fire, which he attributed to activities of illegal occupants who had built makeshift homes under the bridge.

“They brought in chemicals, built block walls and set up homes. Then, they set up fire that burnt the bridge and damaged three spans. Now we are going to fix the bridge completely,” Umahi said.

The minister said the Iddo Bridge, now with a headroom of about 4.5 metres, had suffered significant structural damage due to continuous hits from trucks and illegal structures beneath it.

He announced that the ministry would be creating a headroom of at least 5.6 metres.

He said that the Federal Ministry of Works was committed to restoring the bridge for the safety of all Nigerians and ensuring such incidents would not occur again.

On the issue of displaced persons, the minister said that no one would be allowed to return under the bridge.

“Nobody will stay under Iddo Bridge again as long as I remain the Minister of Works.

“The lives of the people are more important,” he said.

He warned that the government would no longer tolerate any abuse of national infrastructure.
NAN

Tinubu Addressing Development, Economic Growth, Peace, Security In N’Delta – PAP Boss

Published

4 minutes ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, has said that President Bola Tinubu is very strategic in his approach to addressing the issues of development, economic growth and sustainable peace in the Niger Delta.

According to a statement by his
Special Assistant on Media, Mr Igoniko Oduma, Otuaro spoke on Saturday at a town hall meeting with PAP stakeholders and Niger Deltans residing in Lagos, hosted by prominent Niger Delta activist and Founder/President of Ijaw Monitoring Group, Chief Joseph Eva.

Among other notable stakeholders in attendance were the Chairman of Ijaw National Congress, Lagos chapter, Prince Tonye Harry; Prof. Dauphin Moro, Engr. Titus Posibi, Chief (Mrs) Amarian Benedicta, Chief (Mrs) Ogbogbo, Evangelist Agboro, Chief Emmanuel Fiawe, Robert Fiawe, Elder Regent Youmor, Mrs RoseMary Aluko, and the Chairman of IYC, Lagos chapter, Comrade Owen Naphatin.

He stated that Tinubu’s strategy as captured in his Renewed Hope Agenda is working for the Niger Delta, and could be seen in his deliberate effort at tackling the challenges of development, security and sustainable peace in the region.

According to him, the President’s administration has not only restored peace in the area, but also delivering on his campaign promises around human capacity and infrastructure development for the area.

According to Otuaro, the solid support of the President, and the National Security Adviser for the PAP, is responsible for the expansion of the scholarship scheme and other milestone achievements the programme has recorded in vocational training, peacebuiliding and stakeholder engagement.

He told the stakeholders that while in-country scholarship deployment was 3800 in the 2024/2025 academic year, the figure increased to 3900 in 2025/2026 and foreign scholarships were about 200.

He assured them that the PAP under his leadership would continue to do its best to ensure that more indigent youths were provided access to higher educational attainments with requisite skills and knowledge for self-reliance and nation building.

The PAP boss stressed that human resource development was pivotal to the socio-economic advancement and development of the region’s people as well as sustainable peace and security.

While thanking the President for not holding back support for the PAP, he re-assured the stakeholders that Tinubu would do much more for the region after his reelection in 2027, and urged them to reciprocate his large-heartedness.

Otuaro further said, “One of the things you must know about His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, is that he is very strategic and systematic in his approach to resolving issues of development, socio-economic growth, security and sustainable peace in our region- the Niger Delta.

“You all can see how Mr President’s deliberate approach is producing positive results in our region. There is no doubt that Mr President’s strategy is working for the Niger Delta.

“This applies to the huge support that he has been giving to the Presidential Amnesty Programme under my leadership, for which we are very grateful.

“Because of His Excellency’s massive backing, we have been able to expand the programme’s scholarship scheme, and it is our strong hope that more students of indigent backgrounds from impacted communities will benefit from the initiative. We will also continue to strengthen our policy of inclusivity.

“I want to, again, thank His Excellency for finding me worthy for appointment; to take up the baton of leadership at the PAP with the help of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who has been very supportive of our initiatives since I assumed office.

“I urge you and all the people of the Niger Delta to continue to support the administration of Mr President because we are confident that, judging from the many good things he is doing in our region, he will do even much more for us after his reelection in 2027.”

In his remarks, the host, Chief Joseph Eva expressed confidence in the PAP Administrator’s leadership ability, and commended him for the remarkable achievements the agency has recorded under him.

“I am not surprised because I have known Dr Dennis Otuaro very closely for many years, and the values he stands for. He is a very focused person.

“Indeed, Dr Otuaro has achieved a lot in human capital development, vocational skills and peacebuilding process for our region. We have confidence in his leadership, vision, and dedication to regional development”, Eva said,

The highpoint of the town hall meeting was the conferment of ‘Best Iconic Administrator Award’ on Otuaro by the stakeholders.

News

Newswatch Co-founder, Dan Agbese, Is Dead

Published

2 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

Dan Agbese, the veteran journalist, columnist and one of Nigeria’s most influential media figures, has died at the age of 81.

In a statement issued on Monday, Okibe Agbese, speaking on behalf of the family, said the renowned writer passed away earlier in the day.

“Chief Dan Agbese transited to eternal glory this morning, Monday, November 17, 2025,” the statement reads.

The family added that burial arrangements would be announced in due course.

Born on May 12, 1944, in Agila, Ado LGA of Benue state, Agbese became a towering voice in Nigerian journalism, widely admired for his incisive satire and enduring contributions to media development.

He served as editor of the Nigeria Standard and the New Nigerian newspapers before being appointed general manager of Radio Benue, Makurdi.

A co-founder of Newswatch magazine, Agbese later became its editor-in-chief, a role he held until April 2010.

Until his passing, he maintained weekly columns in Daily Trust and The Guardian, remaining an active and respected commentator on national affairs.

He also co-managed a media consultancy with Ray Ekpu, Yakubu Muhammed and Soji Akinrinade, continuing his commitment to mentorship and professional excellence.

Agbese is survived by his wife, Rose, six children and seven grandchildren.

News

Legal Practitioner Backs Conversion Of ATBU To Conventional University

Published

2 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

A legal practitioner in Bauchi state, Barr. Jibrin Jibrin, on Monday, expressed support for the conversion of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi to a conventional University.

It could be recalled that Shehu Buba, senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District sponsored a bill seeking to alter ATBU’s status and in October, the Senate passed the second reading of the bill seeking to amend the ATBU act to remove technology from the institution’s name and convert it into a conventional University.

However, the management of the university alongside the institution’s alumni association and staff unions, dissociated themselves from the move at the Senate to convert the university from a technology-based institution to a conventional university.

They argued that the management was neither consulted nor informed at any stage of the legislative process adding that the development came to the university as a shock.

Meanwhile, Barr. Jibrin who explained that Bauchi state, despite being the most populous state in the Northeast geopolitical zone, remained the only state without a conventional federal university, highlighted some of the benefits the conversion of the university could bring to the state,

“By expanding ATBU’s mandate to include a full range of disciplines like Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, Education, Arts, and Humanities, the university will become a major national training ground for the next generation of professionals across all sectors of national life.

“Transforming ATBU into a conventional university will ensure fair distribution of educational opportunities and bring Bauchi State into alignment with the national educational framework.

“A conventional university serves as an anchor institution for regional development and expanding ATBU will attract a greater number of academic and non-academic staff, generating employment.

“It will also stimulate the local economy through housing, commerce and services, encourage public-private partnerships in research, innovation, and community development as well as reduce the educational migration of students to distant states, thereby saving families and governments significant costs,” he said.

According to him, empirical evidence from institutions like the University of Maiduguri and Federal University, Lafia showed that university diversification significantly boosts small-scale enterprises, healthcare services, and real estate development in their host communities.

Jibrin, a former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Bauchi branch, further stated that it was the view of many people that by converting ATBU to a conventional University, opportunities and means of promoting the already attained legacy of innovation would not only be sustained but also be improved upon.

“This is because it is a statement of fact that in the whole of Northern Nigeria, the leading Universities in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics otherwise known as STEM consist of both conventional and specialized universities.

“I call on the political class, the traditional institution, the academia and other stakeholders in the state to rise in solidarity with authorities concerned towards the success of the exercise,” he said.