NLNG, Rivers renew commitment to healthcare, infrastructural development - ITREALMS

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The Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and the Rivers State Government have renewed their commitment to developing healthcare and infrastructure in the state, reports ITREALMS.

During a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, NLNG’s Executive Management, Dr. Philip Mshelbila (Managing Director and Chief Executive) and Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye (Deputy Managing Director), assured the Rivers State government of the company’s continuous support for the State through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes to meet common goals of sustainable development.

National Dialogue post 3rd BR: Ene Obi harps on infrastructural investment for agriculture - ITREALMS

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Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), Ms Ene Obi, has harped on infrastructural investment for agriculture growth across Nigeria, reports ITREALMS.

In her welcome address to the National Dialogue & Dissemination on Nigeria’s Performance at the 3rd Biennial Review Exercise on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development (CAADP), on Wednesday at Hawthorn Suites, Abuja, Ene said, improved investment on infrastructure has become imperative especially in the agriculture sector.

Lai says ‘FG has 69 ongoing infrastructural project in South East' – ITREALMS

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The Federal Government has refuted the statement credited to the Governors of the states in the South-east, that the region has been shortchanged in the implementation of infrastructural projects, saying there are 69 ongoing projects in the region alone, reports ITREALMS.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, issued the rebuttal in Ilorin on Thursday, at a lecture by Mr. Festus Keyamo, spokesman for the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization.

''While this claim may have made headlines, it is totally untrue. His Excellencies were either misquoted or they were quoted of context.

Either way, this allegation flies in the face of available evidence,'' he said, promising to publish THE full list of the projects and the state-by-state breakdown.

Alhaji Mohammed said no part of the country, including the South-east, has been left out of the massive infrastructural projects of this Administration, adding that from the proceeds of the 100 billion Naira Sukuk Bond alone, the South-east got 16.6 billion Naira worth of projects, just alike any other zone.

He listed the four projects covered by the Sukuk Bond proceeds In the South-east as Enugu-Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway Section II (Umuahia Tower-Aba Township Rail/Road Bridge Crossing in Abia State; Enugu-Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway Section I (Lokpanta-Umahia Tower) in Abia State; Outstanding section of the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway (Amansea - Enugu State Border) and the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway Section III (Enugu-Lokpanta) in Enugu State

The Minister said he had gone on a media inspection of the roads, as well as the Aba-Port Harcourt section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and the 2nd Niger Bridge, where the contractor has completed the first three phases of the project.

''In conclusion, the South-east has never had it so good in the area of infrastructure. Had the previous Administrations done even half of what we are doing now in that region, no one will be complaining today. It is alright to ask for more, but it is unfair to say nothing -has been done,'' he said.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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FG battle PDP over SE, SS infrastructural development - ITREALMS Online

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The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to present its scorecard of achievements, especially in the area of infrastructural development, in the South-East and the South-South in its 16 years in office, reports ITRealms.

The Minister, who threw the challenge while inspecting ongoing construction of the Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway on Thursday, said it’s disheartening that some politicians have made it their pastime to criticize the current administration for allegedly neglecting the two regions without any verifiable proof.

“I’m particularly glad that we came on this trip for two reasons. I think it has given the lie to those naysayers, who have painted the administration as having done nothing for the South-East and the South-South.

“When we were coming on this (third) stretch of the road, I was informed that until this administration came, an entire lane was completely impassable after it was turned to a refuse dump. Now the question is: In 16 years, what did the PDP do on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Road?

''Everything that we saw (along the Enugu-Port Harcourt road) today is what this administration has achieved, yet some politicians are so fraudulent. They sit in Abuja and accuse the administration of doing nothing for the South-East and the South-South,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said the intervention of the present administration in the provision of infrastructure in the South-East, in particular, has exposed the PDP for deceiving the people of the region for the 16 years it was in power without anything to show.

''From what you have seen yesterday and today, you will see that this administration has done so much for this zone. We can now see that some people are just misinforming the public. I am glad that from the feedback we are getting, the people in the South-East know what is going on because they know what was going on for 16 years and are also here in the last three years and they have seen the difference,” he said.

The Minister gave the assurance that the federal government will remain focused on completing inherited projects across the country.

“The most important thing is that this government has been faithful, sincere, passionate and committed towards infrastructural development. What we are doing has never been done in almost 16 to 20 years at least along this axis,” he said.

The Minister, who is currently on a nationwide media tour of federal government infrastructural projects, had earlier inspected ongoing work at the Second Niger Bridge, where he expressed satisfaction with the pace of work.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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INSERT: Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (right); Mr. Adetunji Adeoye, Director Federal Highways, Federal Ministry of Power, Work and Housing (middle) and Mr. Wael Farouk Salem, Operational Manager, Arab Contractors Nigeria Ltd., when the Minister inspected the full stretch of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway under construction on Thursday.

Pic: A completed section of the ongoing Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway project during the inspection by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Thursday.

Commendation galore for Dickson on infrastructural development

ITRealms:

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon has lauded the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson for his commitment to infrastructural development and the building bridges of unity across the country.

Gen. Gowon, who made the commendation at the official commissioning of the new Governor’s office complex in Government House, Yenagoa, described the edifice as exceptionally beautiful.

 He congratulated Governor Dickson on the successful completion of the magnificent complex, noting that, his visit to Bayelsa has confirmed reports concerning the Governor’s commitment to consolidate on the achievements of his predecessors.

According to Gen. Gowon, the completion of projects and promotion of the people’s wellbeing are the hallmark of good governance and therefore, urged the Governor to continually carry everybody along irrespective of political affiliation. 

Recounting his experiences as Head of State, he acknowledged the roles of Major Isaac Boro and Chief Harold Dappa Biriye and expressed gratitude to the people of old Rivers State for their unflinching support to his government and the unity of the country.

 In his remarks, Governor Seriake Dickson described Gen. Gowon as a father of the nation, who has contributed tremendously to the unity and the progress of the country, both during and after his reign as Head of State.

Governor Dickson, who noted that, his administration has in the last 5 years, embarked on a silent revolution to turn around the fortunes of the state, promised to do more even in the face of the prevailing economic challenges.

He said the commissioning of the edifice marks the beginning of the unveiling of the new Bayelsa, where excellence in education, health, security and other critical infrastructure would be pursued with renewed vigor. 

Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Edwin Clark also congratulated Governor Dickson for his developmental strides, describing the new office as the best in the country.

 The Ijaw national leader used the opportunity to restate the need for the country to be restructured to give both minority and majority groups a sense of belonging to enhance national security and development.

 In his speech, the chairman of the state Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diete Spiff, noted that, the Ijaws in Bayelsa would not have witnessed the level of development, if it had not been for the benevolence of Gen. Gowon, who created the old Rivers state from which Bayelsa was carved out in 1996.

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