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JUST IN: FG Bans Use Of Laterite For Road Construction

Published

2 years ago

October 6, 2023

The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has announced a ban on the use of laterite as a base in road construction.

He directed that henceforth, contractors should use lumps, sharp sand and stone base to form the base before laying of concrete or asphalt pavement.

The Minister gave this directive while inaugurating a committee for the supervision of the Reconstruction of Benin – Warri dual carriageway and the dualization of East – West Road, Port Harcourt – Onne Port junction road in River State.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Director (Information), Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Lere-Adams Blessing, in Abuja, on Friday.

According to her, Umahi noted that laterite has a limited load bearing capacity, susceptible to erosion and weathering especially in areas with heavy rainfall and this can lead to degradation of the road surface overtime, maintenance challenge and does not last long.

She quoted the Miniater as saying, “We are giving very serious attention to the roads between Benin and Warri. The road between Eleme and Onne Port, we are mindful of the site conditions of these roads, the water conditions and the boreholes instead of pot holes on these roads.

“No more laterite, contractors are now to use lumps, sharp sand and stone base in place of laterite”

The Minister also directed the newly inaugurated Road Taskforce Team that there must be a continuous maintenance of all the roads under construction until the end of the project.

He enjioned them to ensure that the contractors are duly informed of the development, and that they should remember that the ministry is under a matching order given by Mr. President, to fix Nigerian roads for the citizens to have ease of movement from one location to the other.

Umahi said, “The committee must implement the contract agreement with maintenance culture as key. Committee members are to monitor the contractors closely to make sure things are done right.

“Our contractors can now understand that we are not insisting that things have to change without a reason, but that the society is demanding for sustainability and integrity of the work they are doing”.

Umahi disclosed that road infrastructure is one of the key factors for the revolution of our commerce, education, security and power in this country and that Mr. President is committed to our road infrastructure improvement and thus the Ministry is on a mission to uphold the renewed hope agenda of this administration on road infrastructure provision.

“I want to say that road infrastructure is one of the key factors for the revolution of our commerce, education, security and power in this country and Mr President is committed to our road infrastructure, so we are on a mission and we must take back our country,”
He added.

The Minister equally mandated the committee to ensure daily proper supervision and documentation of what the contractors are doing and that they must ensure the new methods of construction are followed including maintenance because it is part of the elements of the project and anything contrary to this will attract appropriate sanctions.

Umahi said, “We are not at war with the contractor but contractors should not put the public to suffering. Proper daily supervision and documention of what the contractor is doing is compulsory.

“They must ensure the new method of construction is followed and maintenance follows too because it is part of the elements of the contract and any offence is punishable.”

Umahi ordered that contracts must be stable; no variation (VOP) on the contract will be accepted.

He charged the contractors using asphalt pavement to ensure that their contracts are stable, sustainable and can stand the test of time and warned that the ministry will not go to Federal Executive Council (FEC) to ask for increment because of the fluctuating price of bitumen, insisting that the ministry will not go beyond the N6trillion set aside for the ongoing projects completion.

He also said, “Those contractors using asphalt concrete and have achieved 80 percent completion can go ahead but no cost variation because I cannot be going to the National Assembly on weekly basis asking them for increment of contract sum”

The Minister added that before mobilization fund can be released to any contractor, the contractor must have mobilized 50% of its equipment and personnel to site.

He noted that the ministry will respect the rights of contractors and contractors have to also respect the right of the citizens.

Meanwhile, the committees constituted are as follows :
Reconstruction of Benin-Warri Dual Carriageway (Section 1 : By Levant Construction Company Ltd)
Engr. C. Oke, Deputy Director HSSI; Engr. B. W. Hassan; Representative of the Honourable Minister; Representative of Highways MG&QC; Representative of Human Resources Department, FMW; Representative of Legal Department, FMW ; Representative of COREN; Representative of NSE. Among others.

News

FG, UK Rally Support As 2 States, 150 LGAs Become Open Defecation Free

Published

8 hours ago

November 23, 2025

Editor

Following the declaration of about 158 Local Government Areas and two states as having achieved Open Defecation Free status, the Federal Government, Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), and Self Help Africa have called for concerted efforts to sustain and scale up the achievement to other states.

They made the call on Sunday in Abuja at the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Systems Learning Forum organised by Self Help Africa WASH Systems for Health Project, funded by the UK government.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, in a keynote address, said that although, with the help of development partners, two states and 150 LGAs have been declared open defecation free, it is important that the progress is sustained; otherwise, it can vanish easily.

He said, “These milestones are worth celebrating, yet we must remain humble: victory in WASH is never final; it must be continuously maintained. Otherwise, progress can vanish faster than a bucket of cold water left in the Abuja sun.”

The Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Richard Pheelangwah, however, noted some of the persistent challenges in the WASH sector, including monitoring gaps, weak data reliability, and limited accountability.

He added, “Our WASH Information Management System (WASHIMS), although innovative, is not yet fully operational across all states and local governments. The WASHNORM exercise has not been conducted since 2021, creating data gaps that affect planning. In the WASH sector, no data is as dangerous as wrong data—both lead to poor decisions.”

He applauded the learning forum, saying it is an opportunity to pause and ask how to fully operationalise WASHNORM nationwide, as well as automate and institutionalise WASH norms, and also ensure that every investment is traceable, measurable, and accountable.

‘Scale up efforts to end open defecation, achieve sanitation target by 2030’
The Country Director of Self Help Africa, Joy Aderele, stated that through the support of FCDO, the organisation is implementing a five-year project named WASH Systems for Health Programme in West Africa.

The project, according to her, is aimed at strengthening systems, enhancing capacities, and reforming policies across the countries where it operates, including Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and enabling communities to continue thriving even after the programme ends in 2027.

She pointed out that through collaboration, ranging from government ministries driving reforms to local actors designing context-specific solutions, systems can be transformed, but she emphasised that much work remains.

She said, “Only 158 of more than 700 local government areas in Nigeria have achieved open defecation-free (ODF) status. This figure shows progress but also underscores the scale of the challenge.”

Aderele explained that the sessions will provide opportunities to share ideas, tackle barriers, and draw on practical insights, while also celebrating milestones with humility, recognising that future gains depend on the work being done today.

The representative of FCDO, Gill Fletcher, in her remarks stated that the WASH Systems for Health project is being implemented in six countries: Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Tanzania, Nepal, and Bangladesh, to drive systematic change to ensure sustainable and equitable WASH services.

She emphasised that WASH is not just a sector, but it is central to achieving SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation, improving health outcomes, advancing gender equality, unlocking economic growth, and is also critical to Nigeria’s national development agenda of reducing poverty and meeting global commitments.
(Guardian)

News

JUST IN: Tinubu Orders Withdrawal Of Police Guards From VIPs

Published

8 hours ago

November 23, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to provide security for Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country.

In a statement released by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the administration said the police will henceforth refocus on their primary responsibilities instead of guarding individuals.

The directive, according to the statement, followed a high-level security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja with the heads of the police, army, Air Force, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The presidency clarified that, going forward, “VIPs who want police protection will now request well-armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.”Africa Grain Supply

The statement added that many rural communities are underserved by police personnel, leaving residents vulnerable. It explained that the President wants to strengthen security nationwide by ensuring more officers are deployed back to local stations.

“In view of the current security challenges facing the country, President Tinubu is desirous of boosting police presence in all communities,” it said, noting that Tinubu has already approved the recruitment of 30,000 new police officers.

The federal government is also partnering with state governments to upgrade police training centres across the country.

Those present at Sunday’s meeting included Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, and DSS Director-General Tosin Adeola Ajayi.

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JUST IN: 50 Abducted Niger Catholic School Students Escape, Reunite With Families — CAN

Published

11 hours ago

November 23, 2025

Editor

At least 50 students kidnapped at the St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Agwara local government, Niger State have reportedly escaped and reunited with their parents, bringing hope to families of the abducted victims.

Recall on November 21,2025 armed bandits stormed the school and abducted 303 students and 12 teachers bringing the total to 315.

The state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna who is also the Proprietor of the school and Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese gave the update in a statement issued by his Media Aide, Daniel Atori in Minna.

The chairman explained that the pupils escaped between Friday and Saturday and have reunited with their parents as they could not return to the school after they escaped.

“We were able to ascertain this when we decided to contact and visit some parents.

” This is to notify the public that, as at Sunday 23rd November, 2025 we have received some good news as fifty pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents. We were able to ascertain this when we decided to contact and visit some parents, ” the statement disclosed”

“For the records, we now have Primary 251 pupils, 14 Secondary students and 12 teachers still with their abductors”.

”In the primary section out of the total number of 430 pupils we have in the school, 377 of them are boarders and the remaining 53 others are non boarders”

“Currently, aside from the 50 pupils that escaped and have returned home, we have 141 pupils who were not carried away. As it stands now, we have 236 pupils, another 3 children who belong to our staff, 14 Secondary students making a total of 253 children including 12 members of staff with the abductors, ” the CAN chairman stated.

The cleric called on everyone to remain calm and prayerful as he assured of continous active collaboration with security operatives, community leaders, government and relevant authorities for the safe and quick return of all abductees.

“As much as we receive the return of these 50 children that escaped with some sigh of relief, I urge you all to continue in your prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims, ” Bishop Yohanna added..