Friday, September 21, 2018
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
See Pics From The Accident Handling Simulation Carried Out By NEMA And Red Cross - NYSC
NEMA and Red Cross club carried out simulation exercise on auto-crash handling of casualties for NURTW members at old motor Park, Mobil round about in Minna, Niger State..... The exercise was carried out by NYSC members in the state with the aim of enlightening the public on how to handle car accidents....
http://www.nationalhelm.com/2015/08/photos-from-auto-crash-handling.html     Re: See Pics From The Accident Handling Simulation Carried Out By NEMA And Red Cross by dainformant(m): 8:15pm On Aug 31
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Thursday, August 27, 2015
Why construction of 2nd Niger Bridge may be put on hold for now —ICRC
Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief & Levinus Nwabughiogu
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA, Mr. Uche Orji, has expressed shock over the allegation by Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that N140 billion was spent on the consultancy for the Second Niger Bridge.
The MD disclosed in Abuja, yesterday, that only $2.21 million dollars (about N340 million, using the then exchange rate of N154/$1) was spent on the consultancy for that project.
this on-going controversy may put the construction of a Second Niger Bridge on hold until the integrity of the bridge is sorted out, the Federal Government said, yesterday.
Reasons ranging from the actual cost of the bridge, non- issuance of the Certificate of Compliance, non-compensation of the host community and non- adherence to due process in the award of the contract were also responsible for the stoppage.
The Director-General of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, Aminu Diko disclosed this after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The DG, while briefing State House Correspondent, stated that the bridge was one of the issues discussed at the meeting.
Noting the importance of the road that linked the South East and South West, Diko, however, asked the people to be patient with the government.
He said: “The Second Niger Bridge is one of the projects that we discussed with the President. We did say it is in the commission for regulatory oversight. We have been discussing the transaction with the Ministry of Works. But before it can be finalized, the commissioner has to give a Certificate of Compliance, but we have not even done that because we have seen a lot of issues that we are uncomfortable with. We are talking with the Ministry of Works for them to correct them.
“The communities around that area are clamouring that their lands have been taken and that they have not been compensated adequately. As a matter of fact, we got a letter from Onitsha Traditional Council complaining that they have not been adequately represented in this transaction.
“We are not saying that something has not been done properly, but we need to be convinced that these few problems are sorted properly.
“We will also talk about the actual cost of the bridge, eventually we have asked the ministry of works to review it and justify how much the project should cost. For the Second Niger Bridge, there will be a lot of studies that need to be done on the integrity of the bridge itself which will take time. It is not something we can see being completed in the next six months.
“I will like us to be patient about it. We know that it is a critical road. We also know how Nigerians suffer during festive holidays and we hear people sleep on that old bridge. The time has come for us to bring succour Nigerians.”
Present status of the bridge
Asked to comment on the president status of the bridge, the DG said he was not in the know. “I have no idea about the status of the project. What I need to tell Nigerians is that PPPs take a long time to mature. There is a difference between the project which you have money in your pocket or in your account and you just bring it out and tell somebody to go and do it.
“But when it is PPP transaction, you first engage a number of people. You have bankers, lawyers, engineers. They all collaborate to form consultancy for that transaction,” he said.
Initial cost of project -$700m
According to the NSIA Managing Director, Mr. Uche Orji, the cost of consultancy for the Second Niger Bridge was less than one per cent of the cost of the project which was way below global standards.
A document he made available to Vanguard, yesterday, indicated that “the project was initially estimated to cost N108billion excluding duties and VAT, (if duties and VAT are included, the project cost is N117.9billion). This was equivalent to $700million at the then prevailing exchange rate of N154/$. The final project cost would naturally be affected by exchange rate fluctuations and other variables.
“Total consultancy services cost so far is less than one per cent of the estimated project cost. Whilst there is no standardized benchmark for transaction costs, the European Investment Bank’s Economic and Financial Report No. 3 of 2005, indicates that, on the average, the level of transaction cost for the procurement phase of PPP projects is over 10 per cent of the capital value of the relevant project in Ireland, the Netherlands,Portugal, and the United Kingdom,” Mr. Orji said.
The MD said that NSIA’s technical consultants on the project were instrumental in value engineering of the project and reducing the initial cost to the current level.
He said that NSIA had put in place a multi-stage approval process for all disbursements, under which all payments involving construction are made only after approval by a third-party engineering firm, which matches work completed against amounts due.
Mr. Orji said that the Federal government made a commitment of N30 billion out of which it had released N18.3billion so far of which N10.4billion had been disbursed on early construction works.
According to him, “the NSIA assembled a team of Nigerian and international advisers with proven capabilities and global experience in PPP infrastructure projects to ensure the project got first-class advisory services. These consultants were engaged through a rigorous and competitive procurement process.”
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA, Mr. Uche Orji, has expressed shock over the allegation by Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that N140 billion was spent on the consultancy for the Second Niger Bridge.
Niger Bridge
this on-going controversy may put the construction of a Second Niger Bridge on hold until the integrity of the bridge is sorted out, the Federal Government said, yesterday.
Reasons ranging from the actual cost of the bridge, non- issuance of the Certificate of Compliance, non-compensation of the host community and non- adherence to due process in the award of the contract were also responsible for the stoppage.
The Director-General of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, Aminu Diko disclosed this after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The DG, while briefing State House Correspondent, stated that the bridge was one of the issues discussed at the meeting.
Noting the importance of the road that linked the South East and South West, Diko, however, asked the people to be patient with the government.
He said: “The Second Niger Bridge is one of the projects that we discussed with the President. We did say it is in the commission for regulatory oversight. We have been discussing the transaction with the Ministry of Works. But before it can be finalized, the commissioner has to give a Certificate of Compliance, but we have not even done that because we have seen a lot of issues that we are uncomfortable with. We are talking with the Ministry of Works for them to correct them.
“The communities around that area are clamouring that their lands have been taken and that they have not been compensated adequately. As a matter of fact, we got a letter from Onitsha Traditional Council complaining that they have not been adequately represented in this transaction.
“We are not saying that something has not been done properly, but we need to be convinced that these few problems are sorted properly.
“We will also talk about the actual cost of the bridge, eventually we have asked the ministry of works to review it and justify how much the project should cost. For the Second Niger Bridge, there will be a lot of studies that need to be done on the integrity of the bridge itself which will take time. It is not something we can see being completed in the next six months.
“I will like us to be patient about it. We know that it is a critical road. We also know how Nigerians suffer during festive holidays and we hear people sleep on that old bridge. The time has come for us to bring succour Nigerians.”
Present status of the bridge
Asked to comment on the president status of the bridge, the DG said he was not in the know. “I have no idea about the status of the project. What I need to tell Nigerians is that PPPs take a long time to mature. There is a difference between the project which you have money in your pocket or in your account and you just bring it out and tell somebody to go and do it.
“But when it is PPP transaction, you first engage a number of people. You have bankers, lawyers, engineers. They all collaborate to form consultancy for that transaction,” he said.
Initial cost of project -$700m
According to the NSIA Managing Director, Mr. Uche Orji, the cost of consultancy for the Second Niger Bridge was less than one per cent of the cost of the project which was way below global standards.
A document he made available to Vanguard, yesterday, indicated that “the project was initially estimated to cost N108billion excluding duties and VAT, (if duties and VAT are included, the project cost is N117.9billion). This was equivalent to $700million at the then prevailing exchange rate of N154/$. The final project cost would naturally be affected by exchange rate fluctuations and other variables.
“Total consultancy services cost so far is less than one per cent of the estimated project cost. Whilst there is no standardized benchmark for transaction costs, the European Investment Bank’s Economic and Financial Report No. 3 of 2005, indicates that, on the average, the level of transaction cost for the procurement phase of PPP projects is over 10 per cent of the capital value of the relevant project in Ireland, the Netherlands,Portugal, and the United Kingdom,” Mr. Orji said.
The MD said that NSIA’s technical consultants on the project were instrumental in value engineering of the project and reducing the initial cost to the current level.
He said that NSIA had put in place a multi-stage approval process for all disbursements, under which all payments involving construction are made only after approval by a third-party engineering firm, which matches work completed against amounts due.
Mr. Orji said that the Federal government made a commitment of N30 billion out of which it had released N18.3billion so far of which N10.4billion had been disbursed on early construction works.
According to him, “the NSIA assembled a team of Nigerian and international advisers with proven capabilities and global experience in PPP infrastructure projects to ensure the project got first-class advisory services. These consultants were engaged through a rigorous and competitive procurement process.”
Basketmouth To Be Featured On CNN - Celebrities
After being featured on Al Jazeera on August 24, Basketmouth is getting profiled on another international cable news network.
Basketmouth in Al Jazeera documentary
The top comedian announced today (August 27) that CNN is doing a feature on him. He even shared a photo of the CNN crew in his home. “Did I mention that CNN is doing a feature on me ? African Voices. #MyAfrica @cnnafrica. It can only get better” wrote Basketmouth.
Basketmouth in Al Jazeera documentary
On Monday, Basketmouth’s feature on Al Jazeera was aired. The feature is the first in a series of six half-hour documentaries that tells the human story and the energy of Africa’s leading economy. Other Nigerian celebrities such as Kate Henshaw and Deola Sagoe, and also everyday Nigerians feature in the series.
In his feature he speaks about how he got into comedy, the state of the comedy industry, and Nigeria as well.
Dokpesi Heads PDP Committee on Membership Registration
By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has inaugurated committee to conduct a biometric registration of all members across the country.
The committee, which is headed by the Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, is expected to work with the consultant, ‘e-collect Technologies Ltd’ and the states party chairmen to coordinate the state chapters for the effective implementation of the system.
The committee, which is headed by the Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, is expected to work with the consultant, ‘e-collect Technologies Ltd’ and the states party chairmen to coordinate the state chapters for the effective implementation of the system.
Speaking while inaugurating the committee members yesterday, the PDP acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said the essence of the committee is to submit the party back to the common man.
He said: “Gone are the days when the PDP would be controlled by a few powerful members but instead it would now be owned by the ordinary party members as the slogan of our party indicates,” he stated.
He said: “Gone are the days when the PDP would be controlled by a few powerful members but instead it would now be owned by the ordinary party members as the slogan of our party indicates,” he stated.
The PDP national chairman charged the committee to work with the consultant, e-collect Technologies Ltd and the states party chairmen that would further coordinate the state chapters for the effective implementation of the system.
“We believe that for us to succeed in our objective of rebuilding the party, we must be courageous enough to implement the e-membership registration of our party members.
“We believe that for us to succeed in our objective of rebuilding the party, we must be courageous enough to implement the e-membership registration of our party members.
“It is obvious that this is the only single thing that would empower the grass root politicians through a viable internal democracy in the subsequent operations of the party,” he stressed.
Secondus said the committee has six months within which to go round the entire country and duly register all party members in accordance with the dictates of the party.
In his acceptance, Dokpesi assured of their commitment to enlist all the party members across the country as demanded by the party.
Secondus said the committee has six months within which to go round the entire country and duly register all party members in accordance with the dictates of the party.
In his acceptance, Dokpesi assured of their commitment to enlist all the party members across the country as demanded by the party.
He said: “Our collective consolation however lies in the fact that Kabiyesi had left an indelible legacy of selfless service to his fatherland, the NCTRN, his dear state, Osun, the state Council of Obas, of which he was the Chairman during his lifetime as well as his beloved Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba civilisation.
“The departed Ooni of Ife was during his colourful and meritorious lifetime, an active member of your council and also a detribalised monarch whose abiding dream was for the emergence of a Nigerian nation devoid of tribalism, ethnicity and religious intolerance.
While wishing the royal fathers a safe journey to their various states, Oyetola pleaded: “It is our hope that the NCTRN would continue to give its unalloyed support to the Buhari administration as would have been the wish of the late Ooni of Ife.
While wishing the royal fathers a safe journey to their various states, Oyetola pleaded: “It is our hope that the NCTRN would continue to give its unalloyed support to the Buhari administration as would have been the wish of the late Ooni of Ife.
Bono Visits Dbanj In Lagos (Photo) - Celebrities
This evening, kokomaster Dbanj posted picture of himself and legedary American musician Bono on his facebook and instagram who visits him (Dbanj) in Lagos
Dbanj captioned the image thus:
My Godfather in music Arrives home .Bono of U2. This is the Beginning of Great things..thanks to @onecampaign for Your Continuous Support and advocacy for a better humanity.
Dbanj sure know how to connect with the biggest players in music industry
http://ink361.com/app/users/ig-470937101/iambangalee/photos/ig-1060916312821258965_470937101
Dbanj captioned the image thus:
My Godfather in music Arrives home .Bono of U2. This is the Beginning of Great things..thanks to @onecampaign for Your Continuous Support and advocacy for a better humanity.
Dbanj sure know how to connect with the biggest players in music industry
http://ink361.com/app/users/ig-470937101/iambangalee/photos/ig-1060916312821258965_470937101
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