News
Makinde okays additional scope of work on Iseyin-Fashola-Oyo road project for N1.5bn
The Seyi Makinde-led Oyo state government has approved an additional scope of work on the 34.85 kilometres Iseyin-Fashola-Oyo road project.
The additional scope of work, according to the Commissioner for Public Works and Infrastructure, Prof. Dahud Sangodoyin, includes extra width, stone base and thickness of 12.5 mm in line with the Federal Government road specifications.
The Commissioner, who stated this, while addressing the press shortly after a meeting of the state’s Executive Council, explained that the additional scope of work would cost N1.5 billion, summing up the entire project cost to N9.9 billion.
A statement by Mr. Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, indicated that the commissioner stated that the project was initially approved last July and had since received a positive nod from the Federal Government.
He stressed that the road would not only connect the Fashola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, but that it would also equally create ease of doing business and positively impact the state economy.
He said: “Today, at the Executive Council meeting of Oyo State, we approved additional scope of work for the Iseyin-Fasola-Oyo road.
“You will recall that at the 12th Executive Council meeting, we actually awarded the entire scope of work which is 34.85km based on state specifications. But in a meeting with the Federal Government, the Minister of Works and Housing, said that the state is to conform with the Federal Government specification, so we now have to do some adjustments and it implies some cost.
“What we did is to increase the width of the road which was 10.5m, to 12.75m, which is the Federal Government specification. Also, some other items like stone base and the binder’s cost and some other things that we have to put in place to make it conform with the Federal Government specifications have been added.
“The additional scope to the job is about N1.5 billion and it is added to the initial cost of the project that was awarded in July, which is N8.4 billion; and so, now, the total cost of the entire road is N9.9 billion.
“The road is to be completed within a period of 12 months and it will be funded through the Alternative Project Funding Approach ( APFA).
“The implication is that after a while that the project must have been achieved, the government continues to pay on a monthly basis for 17 months.”
The commissioner maintained that the road is strategic to the economy of the state, as it is connected to the Fashola Agribusiness Industrial Hub being put together by the state government, saying that the state’s focus is on facilitating ease of movement of agricultural produce and adding value to agribusiness so that the economy of the state can be stimulated.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Energy and Solid Minerals, Barrister Seun Ashamu, disclosed that the Executive Council has granted approval for the overhauling of electrical infrastructure at the state secretariat, Government House and other adjourning state government facilities.
The commissioner, who explained that there would be about 14 kilometres underground cable laying, change of some transformers and other technical works, added that most of the electrical facilities have spanned over 30 years.
He noted that the project was estimated to cost N710 million and that it would be executed within six months.
“In essence, what we are going to be doing is that we will have about 14 kilometres of cabling; armored and unarmored, which is going to be underground and we will replace all of the transformers as well.
“This will actually bring a new face to the state government and its infrastructure and will also importantly key into the vision that His Excellency has for the state to have an independent power project; and this will enable us to derive maximum benefit from such a project.
“The timeline within which the project is expected to be delivered is in the next 6 months, definitely before mid-2022 and the total cost is set at N710 million. Like I said, it would complement the IPP,” Ashamu said.
A recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the severe economic challenges faced by Nigerian households, revealing that two-thirds of the population struggle to afford healthy and nutritious meals. The survey, titled Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024), underscores the worsening multidimensional poverty and the erosion of purchasing power due to the persistent rise in the cost of goods and services.
The report shows that approximately 63.8% of households have been forced to eat only a few kinds of food due to financial constraints. About 62.4% of respondents admitted worrying about food insufficiency, while 60.5% ate less than they thought they should. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the last survey, as the proportion of households expressing food insecurity concerns rose from 36.9% in the previous wave to 62.4% in the current one.
Power Outages and Access to Energy
The survey also sheds light on the nation’s energy crisis, revealing that Nigerian households experience an average of 6.7 power blackouts per week. While 82.2% of urban households have access to electricity, the figure drops to 40.4% in rural areas.
Cooking remains predominantly dependent on traditional methods, with 65% of households using three-stone stoves and 70.2% relying on firewood. However, the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is reportedly increasing.
Sanitation and Asset Ownership
In terms of sanitation, the report highlights that many households still lack basic toilet facilities, relying on bushes or streets for waste disposal. Access to clean drinking water is often through tube wells or boreholes, reflecting a lack of formal infrastructure in many areas.
On asset ownership, the survey indicates a decline since 2018/19. While two-thirds of households own mobile phones, only 21.3% have internet access. Housing ownership remains significant, with 70.4% of households owning their homes—80.1% in rural areas compared to 49.1% in urban centers.
The NBS report provides a stark reminder of the challenges many Nigerians face daily, from food insecurity and power outages to inadequate sanitation and declining asset ownership. It calls for urgent policy interventions to address these critical issues and improve the living standards of the population.
US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
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