Tag: FG

The Federal Government has expressed dissatisfaction with the quality and pace of work on the Keffi–Nasarawa–Toto–Abaji road project in Nasarawa State, accusing the contractor, Wizchino Engineering Limited, of failing to meet required standards.

Speaking on Friday after inspecting ongoing federal road projects across the state, the Federal Controller of Works in Nasarawa, Ishaku Mamri, said the contractor had not adhered to the specifications of the Federal Ministry of Works despite repeated directives.

Mamri lamented that the pace of work remained slow even after funds were released to ensure steady progress on the project. He said several efforts had been made to compel the contractor to follow laid-down procedures, but compliance had remained unsatisfactory.

“To be honest, I’m disappointed. The work is not done the way it is supposed to be done,” Mamri said. “When we give them instructions, they ignore them and do what they like. This is not a banana republic; the ministry has procedures that must be followed.”

According to him, the ministry had already summoned the contractor to a meeting at its headquarters, where assurances were given that improvements would be made, but no significant changes had been observed since.

Also reacting, the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nasarawa State Council, Salihu Alkali, urged the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to revoke the contract due to the slow pace of work and alleged use of substandard equipment.

Alkali criticised what he described as unprofessional construction practices, claiming that workers were seen pouring bitumen on the road using watering cans. He said such actions amounted to a disservice to both the state and the federal government.

Similarly, the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Mu’azu Adamu Gosho, expressed concern over the contractor’s performance. He noted that the road project was of major importance to the state and called for faster progress before the onset of the rainy season.

Gosho warned that failure to accelerate the work could worsen road conditions once the rains begin, adding that residents were eager to see the project completed.

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Works commended progress on the 15-kilometre Lafia bypass linking Lafia to Makurdi, saying the project had reached 92.6 per cent completion and would be ready for use by the end of March 2026.

Officials said the bypass is expected to ease heavy traffic congestion in the Lafia metropolis and improve connectivity to Nigeria’s south-eastern region.

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to strengthening enforcement of the Federal Character principle across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure fairness, balanced representation and equitable distribution of opportunities among all states.

The Federal Character Commissioner representing Oyo State, Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, gave the assurance during a press briefing and inaugural meeting with staff of the Commission, stating that oversight mechanisms have been intensified to promote compliance with recruitment, appointments and resource allocation guidelines.

He said the Commission, inaugurated on January 22, 2026 under the leadership of Executive Chairman Ayo Hulayat Omidiran, is strengthening monitoring systems to ensure federal institutions adhere strictly to constitutional provisions on equitable representation.

Abass-Aleshinloye noted that the Federal Character mandate extends beyond employment to include fair access to national resources and balanced infrastructure distribution across states and ethnic groups.

He assured residents of Oyo State that their interests would be represented in federal opportunities while emphasising that the Commission remains committed to promoting transparency, merit, professionalism and national cohesion in public service governance.

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to convert scientific research in Nigeria into commercially viable products and businesses through a new push aimed at strengthening collaboration between federal and state stakeholders.

Speaking at a strategic meeting in Abuja on research commercialisation, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, said Nigeria must shift from producing academic research alone to transforming innovations into market-ready products and services.

He noted that many research outputs from universities, polytechnics and research institutes remain unused, stressing that economic growth depends on the country’s ability to convert knowledge into value through practical application.

The minister announced the establishment of a committee to develop a National Policy on Commercialisation of Research and Development Results and Inventions to coordinate efforts between federal and state governments and support innovation ecosystems.

Stakeholders at the meeting, including the Permanent Secretary Philip Ndiomu Ebiogeh and the Director-General of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, pledged support for initiatives that promote patenting, incubation, venture funding and youth-driven innovation to drive economic growth and job creation.

Former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of stifling civic freedoms and undermining citizens’ rights in Nigeria.

In a post on X titled “A Memo to Nigerians: A Call to Collective Voice on the Shrinking Civic Space and Erosion of Citizens’ Rights in Nigeria”, Ezekwesili condemned what she described as a “deeply troubling trend” of shrinking civic space and intolerance toward dissent.

She called on Tinubu to order the immediate release of activist Omoyele Sowore and his colleagues and urged Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to publicly apologise to EiE Nigeria’s Executive Director, Yemi Adamolekun, and fellow activist Ms. Nafziger.

Ezekwesili highlighted three recent incidents as evidence of this trend: the harassment of Adamolekun during a peaceful #EndSARS memorial, the police crackdown on pro-Nnamdi Kanu protesters, and Sowore’s repeated arrests despite a valid court order granting him bail. She warned that these actions reflect “an unmistakable dangerous trend” of a government “intolerant of dissent, allergic to accountability, and fearful of citizens’ voices.”

“True strength of a government does not lie in its ability to suppress criticism, but in its capacity to protect the rights of those who speak truth to power,” Ezekwesili wrote. She urged Nigerians to defend their democratic rights, emphasizing that sovereignty belongs to the people, not government officials.

“Nigeria’s democracy cannot survive on the silencing of conscience. Every act of repression against one citizen diminishes the liberty of all. We must collectively safeguard our right to speak, assemble, and demand accountability,” she added.

States in the South-West have stepped up border security following a surge of attacks and killings in Kwara State by suspected bandits and terrorists.

Security chiefs in Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo confirmed on Thursday that they had activated containment measures to prevent fleeing gunmen from crossing into their territories amid ongoing military operations in Kwara.

The Federal Government also disclosed that intelligence agencies were tracking the movement of bandits attempting to infiltrate the region. Sources said a detailed report on the threat had reached the highest levels of government, with a containment strategy already in motion.

Kwara has suffered a spate of deadly attacks in recent weeks. On September 29, gunmen killed at least 12 members of a local forest guard unit in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area, leaving four others injured and a traditional chief dead.

Earlier, on September 23, suspected terrorists raided Maganiko Ndanangi in Edu LGA, abducting a woman and a teenage girl. Days later, another assault on Oke-Ode left 15 vigilantes, a traditional ruler, and other residents dead, with five more abducted.

The bandits also carried out coordinated raids in Patigi and Lafiagi, killing a pregnant woman and abducting at least 18 people, forcing many villagers to flee to Ilorin and nearby towns.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the killings and called for stronger military presence. On Thursday, he visited Oke-Ode alongside security chiefs to commiserate with bereaved families, pledging enhanced protection. The Nigerian Air Force has since deployed fighter jets to support ground troops and provide surveillance.

Despite these measures, residents remain fearful, with many criticising the government’s response as inadequate

Oyo Amotekun Corps Commander, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd.), assured residents that the state was prepared for any attempted incursion, while dismissing fears of a spillover from Kwara.

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, offered to collaborate with the Kwara government to curb the violence, urging the Federal Government to bring culprits to justice and warning against complacency on security matters.

In Osun, police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi said seven tactical teams had been deployed to border communities, with traditional rulers directed to report suspicious activities.

The Ondo Police Command confirmed that mobile officers had been stationed across its 18 LGAs, with checkpoints and intelligence operations intensified along border communities.

Ekiti’s Security Adviser, Brig.-Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (retd.), disclosed that troops and police had been deployed to boundary areas, adding that operations were being coordinated with forces in Oyo, Osun, and Kwara. “This time around, we don’t want them to infiltrate the South-West,” he said.

The Ekiti Amotekun Corps Commander, Brig.-Gen. Olu Adewa (retd.), urged residents to report strange movements and assist with intelligence sharing

Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, warned that insurgency, terrorism, and banditry remained serious threats across Nigeria and the wider Sahel. Speaking at the closing of Exercise Haske Biyu in Jaji, he stressed the need for regional cooperation, saying, “At the end of the day, the only thing we must do is to look for the bad guys and take them out.”

He noted that porous borders were being exploited by armed groups, urging security forces to combine regional operations with community cooperation to deny bandits safe havens.

The Defence Chief also commended the media for shaping public perception of military operations, urging officers trained at the exercise to deliver results in the field.

AFCSC Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Alhaji, explained that the 2025 exercise — the largest in recent years — was themed “Family and National Security” to highlight the link between social stability a

The recent call by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, urging China to halt the export of substandard products to Nigeria, deserves stronger diplomatic backing from the Federal Government.

Adelabu, through his aide Bolaji Tunji, made the appeal during a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai. He noted that while China has the capacity to manufacture high-quality goods—as seen in its exports to the United States and other advanced nations—products shipped to Nigeria are often of inferior quality.

According to the minister, this discriminatory practice damages China’s reputation and undermines Nigeria’s development. He stressed the need for a uniform minimum standard for all Chinese exports, regardless of the destination. He also called for greater technology transfer from Chinese companies to Nigerian professionals.

Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imports makes the country vulnerable to becoming a dumping ground for substandard goods. Adelabu warned that unless firm measures are taken, this trend will continue to amount to economic sabotage.

He urged Nigeria to complement diplomacy with stricter import procedures to protect its economy. Pre-shipment inspections, he said, should be strengthened, with inspectors held liable for negligence. Persistent Chinese offenders should be blacklisted, with their goods banned from the Nigerian market.

Despite these concerns, Nigeria and China maintain robust trade and investment ties. Trade between both countries has reached $20 billion. In 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria renewed a $2 billion currency swap agreement with China to encourage cross-border trade and reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar.

China has also played a major role in Nigeria’s infrastructure development, funding and constructing projects such as the $1.4 billion Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant and the $2.5 billion transmission project for the Eastern and Western super grid.

While calling on China to rein in unscrupulous manufacturers, Adelabu also emphasized Nigeria’s internal failings. Corruption among importers, Customs officials, clearing agents, and regulatory bodies like the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) contributes to the influx of substandard products.

He condemned Nigerian importers who deliberately patronize low-quality goods in pursuit of profit, even at the expense of citizens’ safety and lives. Faulty appliances, adulterated drugs, and unsafe food items have led to avoidable tragedies across the country.

To safeguard public health and the economy, Nigeria must strengthen enforcement, enhance regulatory oversight, and hold both foreign and local players accountable. Only then can the country stop being a dumping ground for dangerous and substandard products.

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to reduce road accidents across Nigeria through targeted interventions in driver training and certification.

The Minister of Transportation, Alhaji Saidu Alkali, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja when he received a committee tasked with addressing critical road safety challenges in the country.

The committee, comprising key stakeholders, is responsible for developing mandatory training and certification programmes for trailer and tanker drivers, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Alkali, represented by Alhaji Musa Ibrahim, Director in the Office of the Permanent Secretary, emphasized that achieving the committee’s objectives would enhance road safety, national security, and public confidence.

“The government of President Bola Tinubu is committed to prudent governance and road safety. The ministry will support your mandate and ensure our roads are free of accidents,” Alkali said.

Mr. Jide Owatunmise, speaking on behalf of the committee, praised the ministry for establishing the body to address road safety, particularly within the haulage sector. He noted that the committee was created following a directive from the National Assembly (NASS).

Owatunmise explained that the project would retrain drivers of fuel tankers and other articulated vehicles within six months. The committee has already drafted and fine-tuned a workshop plan, which has been submitted to the ministry for approval and funding.

He stressed that implementing the programme is now more urgent than when NASS issued the directive, noting that it could significantly reduce accidents that have claimed lives and destroyed property.

“We believe that the success of the retraining and recertification programme will enhance the ministry’s Performance Management Score and improve overall road safety,” Owatunmise added.

The committee urged the ministry to mobilize resources promptly to fund the driver retraining and recertification initiative, underscoring its potential impact on national safety standards.