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FG can’t refund states for money spent on Federal Roads now – Works Minister
The Federal government cannot refund money spent on Federal Roads by State Governments for now, says Works Minister David Umahi.
Umahi made this known on Thursday when he visited Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in Ibadan.
The Minister is on a two-day working visit to Oyo State.
”The economy right now will not permit any commitment by the federal government.
”However, records of such road projects done by the states would be kept and could be revisited when the economy improves,” he said.
He commended Makinde for his administration’s intervention in road projects.
The minister said that the intervention was alleviating the suffering of people.
“Be it state or federal roads, we are one government. The aim and oath of office is to place the welfare of the people ahead of any other interest,” he said.
Umahi urged Makinde to embrace Concrete Pavement Technology in road construction projects, saying it was more durable and less expensive to asphalt roads.
He said road projects with concrete pavement in Lagos state had been successful, adding that he built almost 95 per cent of road projects on concrete pavement as Governor of Ebonyi.
Speaking on the purpose of his visit to Oyo State, the Minister said that he was touring federal government road projects in the South West.
Umahi said he had met with all the contractors handling road projects in North West, North Central and South West, in Abuja.
“After the meeting, I decided to visit these projects to know quality of work done and other things on ground,” he said.
He further sought for more cooperation of the Oyo state government in achieving success on federal government’s projects in the state.
Responding, Makinde appreciated the minister for the visit.
Acoording to him, Umahi’s track records while governing Ebonyi speaks for itself.
The governor said that his administration prioritised road as project that was important to economy.
“We are committed to rehabilitation and reconstruction of many road projects, be it state or federal roads.
“For example, the 34km Oyo-Iseyin road took us two years to get approval from federal government and we awarded it to contractor immediately we secured the approval because of its important to the agri-business of the state.
“The road will be inaugurated on Sept. 15 by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo. We are not asking for refund immediately but the records are there and we will give it to the Minister,” he said.
Makinde further said his administration would continue to invest on road infrastructure for the development of the state.
He told the minister of his willingness to partner the federal government to dualise the Oyo state portion of the Ibadan-Abeokuta road.
The governor also informed the minister that he had agreed and his counterparts in Ogun and Lagos States to light up Lagos-Ibadan Road.
He said the road was the most busiest road in the country and that lighting the entire stretch of the road would enhance security on the road corridor.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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