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Declare Emergency on Lagos Roads, Buhari Urged

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Muhammadu Buhari
  • Declare Emergency on Lagos Roads, Buhari Urged

President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to support the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in finding a solution to the gridlock on the Apapa/Tin Can Island roads to reduce the hardship the road users encounter.

The problems of moving in and out of the ports and their environs were high, importers, motorists and the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) said, had increased, urging Buhari to declare emergency on the road

The stakeholders said there was an urgent need to fix the Tin Can Island road as the NPA, Dangote Group and Flour Mills Plc embark on reconstructing the entire Wharf Road.

They said the deplorable state of Apapa roads was hampering access to the seaports and affecting businesses around the area.

They commended the board and the management of the NPA for injecting N1.8 billion in fixing the Apapa road, which hinders access to the ports.

Successive administrations have been criticised for being non-challant to the gridlock on the roads.

The importers and clearing agents said they were happy that NPA was working on the road to make it motorable.

An importer, Mr. Adeyemi Adeleke, said the Federal Government should complement the effort of the NPA.

“To tackle the problems, which we attribute to the poor port access road and the nefarious activities of tanker drivers and operators of articulated vehicles, the Federal Government needs to declare an emergency on the road so that we can enjoy the support of other government agencies like the NPA.

“Although the roads leading to the ports are in bad shape, we must also understand that the problem on that road comes from the tankers and containerised truck drivers who go to the ports to lift fuel and others. So, it is necessary to appreciate the bold step being taken by the NPA because it is not the only government agency generating money from the ports. We have Customs and others. Therefore, it is inaccurate and uncharitable for anybody to say that NPA is not doing enough to solve the problem road users face on that road or that the agency has lost the battle.

“The problem from the port was that vehicles that used to park in the port have been driven out by the concessionaires and they have no option than to park on the road to gain access into the port,” Adeleke said.

ANLCA President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, said the bad roads were causing avoidable accidents and man-hour losses.

He said the bad roads were affecting economic activities and the health of the road users.

“Everyday, importers, clearing agents and other port users sit for hours trying to get in or out of Apapa and this is causing a lot of stress that can lead to various health problems.

“Apart this, the additional cost the importers pay to terminal operators and the revenue the Federal Government is losing due to these unnecessary delays are serious issues that need to be addressed o make the ports attractive in the sub-region.

Mr. Sunday Collins, a banker, urged the government to repair the road.

“Everyday, we spend several hours on this road before we get to our offices and by the time we get there, we are already exhausted; we are really suffering.

“It is difficult for commuters to access Tin Can due to the road.

“Buses coming from Oshodi stop stop before Coconut bus stop because of the failed sections of the road. Commuters from Oshodi pay N150 or N200 instead of N100 and are dropped off at West Minister bus stop from where they take bikes to first gate of Tin-Can port and beyond. The monetary issue is one, but the danger people face on this road is a matter of life and death as many people, including journalists, have been either killed or injured by truck drivers on the road.

“Apart from the risk of taking commercial motorcycles through those gullies, road users also face the risk of accidents because containers fall around there frequently,” Collins said.

Also a senior official of one of the terminals at the Tin-Can port, who craved anonymity, urged President Buhari to fix the road.

“It was reported few days ago that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Tin Can Island Port Command generated N183 billion from the port between January and August. The figure excludes the amount generated by the Apapa Customs Command and other government agencies at the port,” the official said.

NPA’s Assistant General Manager Corporate and Strategic Communications Division, Ibrahim Nasiru, said the dilapidated condition of the road, which has been like that for about two decades, was a thing of concern to the Authority, whose prime facilities are located in Apapa axis.

“This accounts for the Authority’s decision to collaborate with other stakeholders who agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Power Works and Housing to reconstruct the entire Wharf Road. These stakeholders include the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dangote Group and Flour Mills Plc.

“Although the repair of roads is not the statutory responsibility of the Authority, it has committed N1.8 billion to the reconstruction and contractors from Messers AG Dangote Construction Company were mobilised to site in July 2017.

“As a result of this, the stretch of road for the outbound lane (Ijora Bridge-Barracks Junction) has been condoned off as work has commenced.

“It was in anticipation of the congestion that the reconstruction would cause that NPA Managing Director, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, set up a committee chaired by the General Manager, Western Ports on the decongestion of the port’s access roads.

“The committee include representatives of the Lagos State government, the Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Ports Police Command, and Department of State Security Services and other major stakeholders, including truckers as mainly represented by the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMARTO)

“To further alleviate the envisaged congestion, the Authority awarded the contract for palliative works on Creek Road to Messers CGC Nigeria Limited.

“Palliative works was carried out on the damaged portion of the roadway and is designated as an alternative route in and out of the Lagos Port Complex. Further repairs were carried out on other alternative routes around the corridor

“In addition, realising the need for a bleeder route to relieve pressure on Wharf road during construction, the General Manager, NPA Western Zone heads a committee of all terminal operators, millers and other stakeholders, which worked to fashion out ways of fixing the Tin Can axis route with enduring palliatives works while the wharf road construction is ongoing.

“The Authority is aware of the situation on the access roads and assures all users of the ports that everything possible is being done to alleviate the situation,” Nasiru said.

But a truck driver, Emma Okwudili, said the government knew what to do if they cared about the sufferings of people in the area.

“This road is very important to the government because of the ports and the government is making a huge amount of money from the ports, which they can use in fixing the road and that is why we, the truck drivers, are supporting those calling on President Buhari to declare emergency on the road.

“You can see that this road is bad and there is no way to avoid accidents here because of the gullies,” he said.

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

Government

EFCC Nabs Ex-Delta Governor, Okowa, For Alleged N1.3trn Fraud

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Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, over the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion.

Sources with the EFCC revealed that Okowa visited the EFCC office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday before he was subsequently detained by officials.

The N1.3 trillion reportedly represents the 13% derivation fund from the federation account between 2015 and 2023.

It was gathered that Okowa was at the Port Harcourt office of the Commission following an invitation from investigators probing the allegations against him.

The former governor was said to have been apprehended no sooner than he arrived at the anti-graft office.

Okowa was also accused of failing to account for the funds, as well as another N40 billion he allegedly claimed was used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.

Sources said the former governor reportedly bought shares worth N40 billion in one of the country’s major banks, representing an 8% equity stake, to support the offshore LNG project.

The funds are alleged to have been misappropriated for other purposes.

They noted that investigators are also examining the alleged diversion of funds by the former governor to acquire estates in Abuja and Asaba, Delta State.

Okowa was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the 2023 election.

He was the governor of Delta State from 2015 to 2023 and was succeeded by Sheriff Oborevwori, the incumbent Governor.

When contacted, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrest but declined further comment on the matter.

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FG Frees Minors Remanded For Protesting Hunger In Nigeria

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Some minors who joined the nationwide #EndBadGovernance in Nigeria have regained their freedom.

Their release followed the striking out of the treason charge against them by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday.

Investors King had reported that the Federal Government through its security agencies arrested and preferred treason allegations against the minors who participated in the August #EndBadGovernance protest.

However, President Bola Tinubu had directed the release of the minors owing to the outrage that greeted their arrest, prosecution and incarceration.

Carrying out the presidential directive when the matter resumed on Tuesday, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, made an application for discontinuation of the case.

Abubakar, who is the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), premised his application on provisions of Sections 174(1), (b), and (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

He informed the court that the AGF had officially taken over the case file, saying the Federal Government no longer has interest in the case against the protesters.

The DPPF also applied for the proceeding to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266 (b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Child’s Rights Act.

Counsel to the defendants, including Mr Femi Fanala, SAN, did not oppose the application.

To this end, Justice Obiora Egwuatu struck out the charge against the protesters who were minors.

Recall that the judge had last Friday admitted the 114 protesters arraigned by the police to N10 million bail each with two sureties each in like sum.

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Knocks, Kudos For Judiciary Over Stoppage of Allocations to Rivers State as Fubara Boasts of Coping Without FG’s Funds

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Siminalayi Fubara

A mixture of condemnation and praises has trailed a judgement of a Federal High Court that stopped the release of state allocations to the Rivers State Government.

Investors King had reported that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the stoppage of the release of monthly federal allocations to Rivers State.

Justice Abdulmalik predicated her action on the grounds that the state government was in violation of the Constitution as regarding the state expenditures.

According to the judge, the current budget being operated by the state was not passed by a lawful arm of the Rivers State House of Assembly, therefore, Fubara is not entitled to allocations from the government at the centre.

Meanwhile, some stakeholders in the country have knocked the judiciary over the decision, calling on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to rein in on judges’ actions over the political crisis ravaging Rivers.

For former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the judiciary should be cautioned against setting the South-South State on fire.

In a statement by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, the former Vice President, said it was appalling that some elements loyal to the Federal Government were pulling the strings from behind.

Atiku wondered why Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the order when it was public knowledge that Rivers State had already challenged the Court of Appeal’s judgement on the legality of Rivers State’s 2024 budget.

He, however, called on Justice Kekere-Ekun to ensure that those found wanting are disciplined in order to restore the fading glory of the nation’s judiciary.

In the same vein, Chief Emeka Kalu, National Coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Coalition observed that the ongoing crisis plaguing Rivers State must be handled with caution to save it from unnecessarily being flamed in uncontrollable state of lawlessness.

Kalu in the statement said the judiciary is expected to maintain its integrity and protect her independence by working to avoid being politically purchased to harm democratic processes and the ethics of law.

According to him, the recent judgement by the Abuja Federal High Court division directing the RMAFC to stop releasing statutory monthly allocation to the State government was done out of bias and politically motivated plans to disrupt Fubara ‘s administration.

The group affirmed that it remains the height of injustice for a political party under the guise of personal interest to continue raising the dust of anarchy against the will of the people and the judiciary is expected to redeem and revitalize the failed system instead of allowing herself to be used to ruin the polity.

On the contrary, the National Democratic and Change Coalition has hailed the court for the judgment banning further release of allocations to Rivers and called on Governor Fubara to refund all monies spent without appropriation to the state coffers.

The coalition, while expressing satisfaction with the ruling, said the people of Rivers State have been vindicated and the long-awaited justice has been served on the governor.

Reacting via a press release by John Uloko, president of the coalition hailed Justice Joyce Abdulmalik for the judgment, saying that since January 2024, Rivers State had received and spent allocations based on an “illegitimate” budget, thereby describing it as a “constitutional aberration”.

The group, made up of lawyers, agreed with the court that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget before a four-member Rivers House of Assembly was an affront to the constitutional provision.

It added that the ruling is a victory for democracy and will teach rogue governors the bitter lesson that the Constitution of the Federal Republic must be respected and the sanctity of the nation’s democratic institutions upheld irrespective of their political desperation.

Nonetheless, the embattled Governor Fubara, on Wednesday said the restriction placed on the state allocations is “the least” of his problems.

Governor Fubara stated this during a special thanksgiving service organised by the state government to celebrate his administration’s resilience amid escalating political crises, which began with the arson attack on the State House of Assembly complex exactly one year ago.

Governor Fubara assured that despite the court order, his administration would continue payments to contractors and ensure workers’ salaries are disbursed from today (Thursday).

He also confirmed that allocations for the 23 Council Chairmen would be credited, as the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee procedures have been completed.

The governor encouraged his supporters to remain resilient, assuring them that all challenges are surmountable.

Reflecting on his administration’s success, Governor Fubara noted that despite predictions that his government would not last even a week, he has successfully led for over a year.

He said his administration has also conducted local government elections against all odds and maintained a full cabinet despite attempts to undermine his leadership through resignations.

Highlighting his administration’s progress, he mentioned ongoing project executions across the state, countering critics who claimed he would be unable to deliver.

He also cited recent reports that position Rivers State as one of the leaders in financial accountability and transparency.

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