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FG needs over N16 trillion to complete federal road projects he inherited: David Umahi

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Works minister David Umahi says President Bola Tinubu’s government needs over N16 trillion to complete inherited federal road projects nationwide.

Mr Umahi disclosed this when he briefed journalists on the works ministry’s achievements under Mr Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ on Thursday in Abuja.

The works minister said the Tinubu administration inherited 18,932.50 kilometres of ongoing road projects, totalling 2,064 contracts.

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The minister stated that the total value of all the ongoing projects as of May 2023 was N14.42 trillion. He also revealed that the amount certified was N4.73 trillion; however, N3.12 trillion was paid, and the amount owed contractors for certified works was N1.61 trillion.

“The funding gap to complete all the inherited projects is about N13 trillion as of May 2023 and will be more than N16 trillion when all projects are reviewed, in line with current market realities. This is due to the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira.

“It is a very sound economic decision by this administration, considering the fact that some of the projects have lingered for between five and eight years. Consequently, the projects are being reviewed to match current market realities; this position excludes all the new projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda and the four legacy projects,’’ Mr Umahi explained.

He said, however, that over the years, budget provisions have seemed inadequate to address the challenges of highway development. Mr Umahi stated that to meet funding for road projects, the ministry embraced alternative funding mechanisms like the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) and Sovereign SUKUK issued by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

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The minister also said the funding included the Road Tax Credit Scheme (NNPCL, NLNG, Dangote, BUA, MIN, Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd., and GZI Industries) and multilateral loans. Others are the Public Private Partnership (PPP)/Highway Development Management Initiative (HDMI) and the newly established Renewed Hope Infrastructure Funding model.
He said 82 projects were approved under the SUKUK fund, with N100 billion invested in road construction and rehabilitation in 2017.

Mr Umahi added that the projects included N100 billion in 2018, N162.55 billion in 2020, and N210.56 billion in 2021; for 2,812km of road, N110 billion was approved in 2022, and the approved 2023 SUKUK provision stood at N250 billion.

He said N2.59 trillion was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the funding of 65 highway projects under Phases I and II of the NNPCL Funding. The minister said that the projects were to cover a total of 6,358km, while the available funding for the projects up to 2025 was N2.59 trillion.

“The reviewed total contract sum due to inflation is N5.288 trillion. The funding gap for the completion of both phases I and II is N2.702 trillion. To date, the total payment made by NNPCL is in the sum of N840 billion, and the total outstanding funding approved by FEC is N1.750 trillion. The projects are spread across the six geopolitical zones of the country,’’ said Mr Umahi.

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(NAN)

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Commercial S3x Worker Arrested For Stabbing Bartender To Death Over N200 Debt

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A 32-year-old sex worker, Riyanatu Musa, has confessed to have stabbed to death a bartender, whom she owed N200 in Adamawa State.

The sex worker stabbed her victim, identified as Yohanna Musa, during an altercation over N200 balance for liquor in Mubi, according to the police.

Spokesperson for the police in Adamawa State, SP Suleiman Nguroje noted that Musa confessed to the crime during interrogation.

“She narrated that she had collected a bottle of dry gin known as ‘big ben’ and one other from the victim and promised to pay the following day, saying that she paid the sum of N1,500 remaining a balance of N200.

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“She explained that the fight ensued between her and the victim when he demanded his money and in the course of it she stabbed him with a knife in the chest to death,” Nguroje said.

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Nigerians man nabbed for k!lling his mother for rituals

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A 29-year-old man has been nabbed by the police for allegedly killing his mother for ritual purposes in Cross River.

Spokesperson for the Police Command in the state, SP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the suspect’s arrest and detention to newsmen on Friday in Calabar, albeit without further details.

The incident had occurred on Dec. 25, 2024 in Batriko, Eastern Boki Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

Credible source revealed that a combined team of police and the security team of Obudu council area made the arrest on Friday.

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According to reports, the suspect had dumped his mother’s body in a well in Obudu LGA, while security operatives had been tracking him since the incident occurred.

The source said that the suspect, who was arrested alongside a native doctor, would be brought to the state command for further investigation.

Recall that the suspect was alleged to have shaved his dead mother’s hair and dumped her remains in a well thereafter.

The source told NAN that the arrest of the fleeing suspect was effected by security operatives at the shrine of a native doctor, with a bag containing his late mother’s shaved hair.

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“As I speak with you, the suspect and the native doctor are presently cooling off at the Obudu Divisional Police Headquarters,” said the source. (NAN)

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Royal matter: Appeal Court Orders Fresh Hearing into Kano Emirate Tussle

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The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ordered a fresh hearing in the legal battle over the disputed Kano Emirate involving Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero.

The Appellate Court, in a judgment delivered on Friday, held that Bayero was denied fair hearing due to the shoddy manner in which a Kano High Court conducted proceedings against him.

Justice Mohammed Mustapha, who delivered the lead judgement, stated that the Kano High Court was unfair to Bayero by conducting proceedings without serving him a hearing notice to enable him to present his case.

Justice Mustapha held that all courts of law are bound to ensure justice for all parties by giving them equal opportunities, adding that the conduct of the proceedings against Bayero amounted to a travesty of justice.

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Specifically, the Appellate Court held that Bayero ought to have been served with a hearing notice to allow him to present his grievances before judgment was delivered against him in what it described as a shoddy arrangement.

The Court of Appeal, therefore, ordered that the case be remitted to the Chief Judge of the Kano State High Court to be reassigned to another judge for expeditious determination.

Justice Mustapha did not award costs against the respondents in the appeal filed by Ahaji Ado Bayero.

Details later.

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