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Nigeria Needs $35bn To Begin Concrete Roads, Says Umahi

Published

2 years ago

November 21, 2023

Editor

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has revealed that the Federal Government needs $35bn to kick start the construction of concrete roads nationwide.

He also stated that the moribund Ajaokuta steel company will provide 16 per cent of the steel material needed for the construction of Nigeria’s roads in concrete pavement.

This far-reaching resolution was the crux of discussion when the works minister met with the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaib Audu, at the ministry headquarters in Abuja.

The Chief Press Secretary to the minister, Orji Uchenna, in a statement on Tuesday said, the meeting underscored the imperative of coordination, cooperation, and coherence in the execution of the Federal Government’s action plans for national development.

The minister noted that the funding which would be gotten through a partnership with a commercial bank will be assented to by the federal executive council.

Umahi said, “How do we reactivate the Ajaokuta Steel. We are going into the concrete road, in this concrete road, about 16 per cent of it is from Steel while 30 per cent is cement. We need a lot of money to start but we decided to face it and God has given us an idea.

“We need about $35 billion to start. If we start waiting for FG it might become difficult. We did an analysis on the Return on Investment and the profit we could have made, part of it will go to bank interest. We are looking at a partnership with a commercial bank but Federal Executive Council has to endorse it. If this could be done it means Mr. President is living up to his words and this is going to be possible.”

According to the statement, the ministers resolved to synergise and strategise on steps to tap into the opportunities in Ajaokuta Steel Plant for the development of road infrastructure in Nigeria.

He said that tapping into the opportunities in the steel industry would create jobs and wealth for Nigerians and encourage global market industrialisation.

The former Ebonyi State governor also assured the steel minister of his support to enhance the potentialities of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant.

The Minister continued, “One of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President is to think outside the box, Mr President inherited a large chunk of debt from the past administration, the beauty about it is that he is not complaining, he knew how the country was before he took the job and how it is. The good thing is that if you have passion for something God will give you an idea.”

Earlier in his remark, the minister of Steel Development emphasised the importance of the initiative and expressed hope that it would provide the needed economic boost for the nation, generate revenue and provide thousands of direct jobs for skilled and non-skilled technicians and hundreds of thousands of unskilled jobs in Nigeria stressing that, “We are to achieve three things, one to create job opportunity for Nigerians as a whole, two, to ensure that the corridor around the North Central Zone and the Ajaokuta-Warri axis is busy with activities and thirdly, the plant has been inactive for close to four decades and we are here to restart the plant within the shortest possible time.”

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Idahosa Optimistic Shaibu Will Perform As National Sports Institute DG

Published

10 hours ago

June 22, 2025

Editor

The Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, has expressed optimism that his predecessor in office, Hon. Philip Shaibu will excel in his new role as Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS).

The deputy governor expressed his optimism during the Thanksgiving Mass to celebrate the appointment at St. Paul Catholic Church in Benin on Sunday.

Idahosa, who appreciated President Bola Tinubu for the appointment, said Shaibu will bring to bear on the new job his experience as an astute sports administrator.

“We are indeed grateful for what God has done. We will continue to thank God on his behalf, because, he has served our state.

“Now, God has given him the opportunity to serve the nation. We will continue to pray for him for a successful tenure,” he stated.

The former deputy governor appreciated Idahosa for according him the honour with his physical attendance at the Thanksgiving Mass.

He assured the state of his readiness to effectively be a good ambassador effectively by working to reposition of the NIS in line with the renwew hope agenda of the President.

“I will try my best to bring the institute back to life. I will ensure that the reason for setting up the NIS is achieved,” he stated.

News

Falana Slams Government Over Failure To Prosecute Suspected Killers In Benue

Published

10 hours ago

June 22, 2025

Editor

Human rights lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana (SAN), has criticized the Federal and Benue State Governments for consistently failing to prosecute suspects arrested in connection with ongoing violent attacks across Benue State.

In a statement issued under the platform of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), which he chairs, Falana lamented that although hundreds of suspects have been arrested over the years for crimes ranging from illegal possession of firearms to mass killings and kidnapping, most of them are never charged or brought to trial.

The legal luminary’s reaction follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue, during which he directed the Nigeria Police Force to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the latest wave of violence in the state. However, Falana described the president’s order as potentially symbolic, pointing out that previous arrests had not led to convictions or justice for victims.

Falana also berated the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, for alleging that residents of Yelwata community provided shelter for the killers. He described the statement as an attempt to shift blame onto victims instead of addressing the systemic failures of security and governance.

Providing a timeline of law enforcement actions, Falana stated:

On December 30, 2024, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hassan Yabanet, announced the arrest of 273 suspects involved in capital crimes, along with the recovery of 20 firearms and 51 rounds of ammunition.

On January 17, 2024, Police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi revealed that an illegal firearms factory had been uncovered in Benue. Two suspects—Friday Aduduakambe and Iorwashima Iornyume—were arrested, and a cache of weapons, including nine locally made pistols and one unfinished AK-47, was seized.

On April 17, 2025, Governor Hyacinth Alia disclosed that three herdsmen were arrested over the killing of 11 people in the Otobi community, Otukpo Local Government Area.

On June 19, 2025, Community Volunteer Guards apprehended three suspected kidnappers at the Otukpo motor park with ransom money collected from their victims.

According to Falana, between January and June 2025 alone, dozens of violent crime suspects have been arrested, including 43 suspected killers in the last 10 days. Despite these arrests, no significant prosecutions have been reported.

“It is undoubtedly clear that the authorities have continued to treat suspected killers in Benue State like sacred cows,” he said. “The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Benue State, Mr. Fidelis Mnyim, must take immediate steps to ensure that justice is served.”

Falana stressed that the right to life, guaranteed under Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution, is meaningless unless the state acts decisively to punish those who violate it.

He warned that unless concrete action is taken, the ongoing culture of impunity will only worsen the bloodshed and erode public trust in the rule of law.

News

Troops Nab 8 Kidnap Suspects, Rescue 2 Victims In Kwara

Published

11 hours ago

June 22, 2025

Editor

Troops of the 22 Armoured Brigade, deployed at the Forward Operation Base (FOB) Patigi, in Kwara have nabbed eight suspected kidnappers and rescued two victims.

This is contained in a statement signed by Lt. Stephen Nwankwo, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the Brigade in Ilorin on Sunday.

“Acting on credible intelligence, troops launched a tactical operation on Saturday, targeting a hideout on the outskirts of Latandaji Village in Patigi Local Government Area.

“During the engagement, troops encountered mild resistance, but swiftly subdued the criminals with superior firepower,” he said.

Nwankwo said that the operation led to the rescue of two kidnap victims, identified as Amos Moses and Philip Michael, while eight suspected kidnappers were arrested.

He, however, said that one Mohammed Mohammed sustained gunshot wounds during the exchange of fire and had been taken to hospital for medical attention.

The brigade spokesman said that further operational exploits in the area led to the recovery of two motorcycles and two expended cartridge shells, believed to be used by the suspects.

“All arrested individuals are currently in military custody for preliminary investigation and will be handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution,” Nwankwo said.

He said that the operation underscores the Nigerian Army’s unwavering commitment to ensure safety of lives and property across the country.

“We urge members of the public to continue providing actionable intelligence to security forces in order to dismantle criminal networks.

“The Nigerian Army remains resolute in its mission to safeguard communities and restore lasting peace in all regions of deployment,” he said.