BREAKING: Buhari Arrives Imo to Commission Projects, Despite IPOB's Threat | AgegePulse Magazine

  

By Ayodele Ifasakin 

President Muhammadu Buhari arriving Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri, Imo State

Buhari lands in Imo

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived in Owerri, the Imo State capital to commission yet to be ascertained a number of projects.

Buhari landed at the Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri and was received by dignitaries.

Governor Hope Uzodinma had earlier stated that the President is in the state to commission some projects through a Facebook post.

He wrote, “It is with a heart full of gratitude that I, on behalf of the good people of Imo State, welcome His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR to the Eastern Heartland on a working visit to commission some of our completed people-oriented projects.

“Mr. President, we are delighted to have you in Imo State on this august occasion despite your tight schedules and it’s our pleasure that while in Imo State, you will enjoy the hospitality and conviviality of our people.”

JS Babatunde To Employ 600 Youths Through N50m Agricultural Projects In Orile Agege | AgegePulse Magazine

 

The Executive Chairman, Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State,  Johnson Babatunde, has vowed that the council has projected about N50 million agricultural projects for 600 youths.

JS Babatunde 

Babatunde fielding AgegePulse and a other Newsmen recently stated that the project would create jobs for unemployed youths in the area.

He said his plan was to establish “Orile-Agege Village’’ in the neighbouring state where no fewer than 600 youths from the LCDA would be empowered in the agriculture sector.

According to him, the project will involve cash and arable crops and poultry farming, while some sectors will focus on livestock production.

“This development will force the food price to go down, as things are costly nowadays, because we have failed to do the needful.

“If our leaders can rise up to their responsibilities, the cost of living will be reduced,” Babatunde said.

The council chief said he planned to engage youths from Orile-Agege in the agricultural projects, with 100 youths per ward in the LCDA and empower them in “Orile Agege Village”.

He said, “If from LCDA, I can get N50 million for them to start the projects with proper supervision, I think it will open our eyes, and the development will go a long way to help youths and the economy at large.”

Babatunde said that youths involved would be able to access some external financial facilities from Agricultural Development Bank, Bank of Industry and Central Bank of Nigeria.

The chairman also said the project would go a long way in helping interested youths to become self-reliance, assist economy of the village and major towns through sales of the farm produces.

“Through this project, the village involve will be developed socially and economically,’’ the chairman said.

He said further that agricultural project would focus on poultry feed through large cultivation of maize and other crops use for livestock feeds.

“Very soon, this project will start yielding positive result; we must be selfless in serving the people and, youths, especially must not be neglected in any society,” JS Babatunde advised.

Prudent Spending Helped Us Deliver More Projects With Limited Resources Says Hon. JS Babatunde

AgegePulse Magazine

The Chairman of Orile Agege Local Council Development Area(LCDA), Hon. Johnson Sunday Babatunde has said that his administration's focus on prudent spending of the limited resources available has helped his administration to deliver huge dividends of democracy to the people of Orile Agege LCDA within two years in charge of the Council.

Hon. Babatunde stated this at a Media Parley organized for press men in Orile Agege.

He reeled out his administration’s achievements in the last 27 months, "Our administration has invested hugely in providing infrastructure, education, health, security, sports and welfare to Orile Agege Residents".

"On Youth and Women Empowerment, We have financially empowered over 2,385 youths with our monthly N100,000.00 and N30,000.00 stipends for startup business"

The Council Chair said, that all these would not have come to reality without his wise spending and ability to block revenue leakages of the Council on assumption into office.

Recall, Hon. JS Babatunde recently presented about 250 furnitures, writing materials to Public Primary Schools in the LCDA at the Council Secretariat to address issue of lack of furniture and to improve learning curve of primary school pupils in Orile Agege.

However, He has also promised to revamp the moribund Orile Agege LCDA Schools of Vocational Training with "World Class"equipments that would face the test of time globally and avail our secondary school leaving students opportunity to acquire vocational skills.

While answering questions on the allegation of abandonment of some infrastructural projects, Hon. Johnson assured that his administration has never abandoned any project as the Council contractors are still working on all the existing projects.

He said, “we are not neglecting any projects. Up till yesterday, our men are still working. For example, James Okiki Street, Ademolu Street, Afuwape Street, Ifeloju Street, Okusanya and other areas of the council".

"Year 2020 Budget will be more promising in providing dividends of democracy to the residents of our dear community". JS asserted

A look at projects in Lagos State that may suffer after Ambode’s exit

AgegePulse Magazine

It is no longer news that Governor Akinwumi Ambode failed in securing his party’s ticket for the next gubernatorial election and by implication, the current administration in Lagos State comes to an end on May 29 2019 when a new administration will be sworn in.

As party campaigns for the next year’s elections gather momentum, there are growing concerns among the business community over the fate of some current government policies in areas of infrastructural projects, and job creation initiatives.

In this article, Nairametrics takes a look at some ongoing projects vis-a-vis policies under threat with the exit of the present administration in Lagos State next year.

When the Ambode-led government came on board, he stated that the project would be delivered to Lagos residents in 12 months. That deadline fell on July 2016; in fact, five months after he promised to deliver the project, he shifted the goalpost and said it would be completed in December 2016. But by November 2016, the governor made another volte-face, extending the date of completion to sometime before the end of 2019.

Ongoing Road Projects 

A visit to some major road project sites such as the Murtala Muhammed Airport road, Pen Cinema Bridge in Agege, and Iyana Ipaja road shows that the pace of work has slowed down significantly.

The Lagos State Government had promised to deliver the Oshodi-Airport Road in 15 months. It was to be expanded from four to 10 lanes and work commenced in September 2017. The Agege Pen Cinema Bridge has a December 2018 completion date.

Sadly, with the current pace of work on these projects, there are doubts over the ability of the present government to deliver before the expiration of this administration, while residents of these areas continue face untold hardships daily.

Light Up Lagos Power Project 

The Ambode-led government launched the “Light-Up Lagos Project” which was conceived to light up major highways and streets in the Lagos metropolis with the aim of boosting commercial activities, enhancing security, and improving the aesthetics of the state and living standards for residents.

The project which has three segments (Light up Lagos Advisory Committee, Community Electrification, and the Street Lighting Initiative) was greeted with high hopes among residents, but most highways in Lagos are still in total darkness.

Early this year, the Lagos State government signed a N2.52 billion partnership agreement with a UK firm to construct 10,000 LED street lights covering 300km across the state. Lagosians still await the execution of this project.

The Cleaner Lagos Initiative 

Waste management has been a major challenge in the state. The Ambode administration, through the Ministry of Environment, introduced the Cleaner Lagos Initiative and subsequently appointed Visionscape Sanitation Solution Limited, as its strategic partner for the deployment of waste management infrastructure in the state.

Subsequently, the State Executive Council passed a resolution to secure the financing structure adopted by Visionscape and its partners to raise up to N50 billion in bonds for the implementation of the CLI through the issuance of an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) as a charge on the State Internally Generated Revenue Account/ Environmental Trust Fund. The company thereafter raised an initial first tranche of its bond issuance, a N27 billion at 17.5% fixed rate with a five-year maturity due 2022.

Visionscape

Currently, there is an ominous future for Visionscape. Last week, the company vowed to suspend its operation following attacks by residents on its staff and equipment as a result of political outcomes in the state.

Lagos State Employment Trust Fund

One of the high points of the Ambode administration is the establishment of the Code Lagos Initiative and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund. The fund was established to provide financial support to residents of the state, for job, wealth creation, and to tackle unemployment. The fund is expected to create 300,000 direct and 600,000 indirect jobs within a period of three years by supporting at least 100,000 MSMEs in the state. It is, however, not certain if a new administration will continue with these laudable initiatives.

Way forward

Ideally, Government should be a continuum, where an incoming administration continues with the projects and policies of the preceding administration, but this is not the case in the Nigerian political landscape as several projects are starved of funds immediately a new government comes into power. The Ambode administration also scrapped several policies and projects of the Fashola administration.

Sadly, the list of abandoned projects and policy somersaults in the state are endless, all of which are not good signals to investors. Recall that the Lagos State Government terminated a PPP arrangement it entered with Lekki Concession Company, LCC, which could have seen it fund the construction of the Lekki-Epe Expressway and recoup its investment through tolling on the road over a period of 30 years. The government had to buy back the concession agreement by way of buying back the company.

Whichever way the pendulum swings at the next governorship election in the state, the new administration should act maturely by improving the existing infrastructure in the state. The race of making Lagos a “smart city” can only be achieved if there is consistent improvement of infrastructure in the state.

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