2nd Abuja Airport Runway: We’ll pay N825.8m compensation –Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Mr Nyesom Wike, says the FCT Administration (FCTA) will pay N825.8 million as compensation for the construction of second runway for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Wike stated this in Abuja on Tuesday, while briefing newsmen at the end of a closed-door meeting with members of the Jiwa community and other stakeholders. He said that the amount would be paid through the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for compensation and resettlement of the people of the community affected by the project. He added that as part of the incentive, 12 people from the community would be employed by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and its agencies and 10 by FCTA. He added that the government would also construct the Tunga Madaki bridge along with a five-kilometre road from the bridge to the community for easy movement of the people. The minister explained that the project would be captured in the 2024 budget of the FCTA. Wike also said that FCTA would equally provide a modern health facility to provide quality health care services for people of the community. He said that an undertaking would be signed based on the agreement between the government and the community. He identified the signatories as the permanent secretaries of FCTA and ministry of aviation, the Chief of Jiwa, the Chairman, Abuja Municipal Council and the Commissioner, Public Complaint Commission. “If that is done today, and tomorrow or next tomorrow the money is paid to them, contractors will no longer delay. They have to move to the site immediately and commence work. “So, the second runway has come to stay,” he said. He said that the current administration was determined to ensure that the second runway was delivered. He commended the Chief of Jiwa, Alhaji Isa Idris, for mobilising his people to attend the meeting to resolve the crises. His counterpart, Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, said that he met the issue on his table, adding that the project ought to have been delivered in July. Keyamo said that the contractors could not be mobilised because of the issue of compensation. Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, said that the completion of the project requires the support of all relevant stakeholders. Adesola commended Wike for the intervention to ensure a quick resolution of the issue. Dr Emmanuel Meribole, Permanent Secretary, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, said that the project was approved by the Federal Executive Council in March 2022. Meribole said that the project was awarded to four contractors in April, with CCECC Nigeria Limited as the major contractor. He, however, said that the project was stalled because of the disagreement over compensation to the affected community members. Earlier, the Chief of Jiwa, said that the ministry of aviation through its consultant had earlier pegged the compensation at N2.5 million per hectare, for the 12,000 hectares allocated for the project. Idris further said that the amount was later reviewed downward to N700,000 per hectare when FCTA took over the discussion as the rightful authority to determine how much compensation to be paid. He said that the community took the matter to the Public Complaint Commission with a view to resolve the issue amicably. The community leader said that his people were concerned that the N700,000 being offered per hectare would not be enough for the affected persons to acquire another land.

Minister to sanction NRC MD over poor maintenance of Idu Train Station facilities

Following complaints by passengers of non-functional toilet facilities in some of the train stations, the Minister of Transport, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali has vowed to sanction the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Fidet Okhiria. In an unscheduled visit to the Idu Train Terminal in Abuja at the weekend, the minister was greeted with a series of complaints by passengers at the station. The complaints ranged from non-functioning of toilet facilities in some of the coaches, non-payment of allowances, and unkempt condition of the coaches.   Alkali said, “Seeing is believing, as I have seen by myself. I inspected the coaches and some of the toilet facilities are not working. “I received a complaint from the security escorts that in the last five months their allowances were not paid and I am happy that the MD of NRC is appearing before the ministry on Tuesday to brief. “I am now well informed that the lifts and escalators aren’t working, which makes it very difficult for the elderly and the disabled persons to use the train for traveling. Therefore, he would explain why the disciplinary action wouldn’t be taken against him”. According to the minister, the essence of the visit was achieved. “So, from the experience when the visit is scheduled, they will be able to put some of the things in place because they know you are coming to see it” He assured that in the next 48 hours, the escalators and the lift will be working. “I am also going to ensure that the outstanding allowances of the escorts are paid on Monday.  “I am going to liaise with the Ministry of Defense so that we’re going to ensure that we’ve maintained unmanned area vehicles so that it’d give them protection from the air. “The coaches are unkempt. The seats aren’t clean. So, we need to ensure that all these things are put in place,” he stressed

Stevedore Services: Transportation Ministry to shut down Chevron Warri Jetty

The Federal Ministry of Transportation has disclosed its intention to shut down the Chevron Warri Jetty within two weeks following overt disregard by Chevron Nigeria Limited to hinder stevedore services regardless of extant laws and standard procedures. The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, who made this known at a meeting between Chevron Nigeria Limited, Bena-Franco, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the National Inland Waterways (NIWA) at the Ministry in Abuja, stated that the Ministry of Transportation has the mandate to guide activities going on in the maritime sector and will act accordingly to protect that at all times. In this regard, Ajani informed representatives of Chevron that the Nigerian Ports Authority as the master stevedore has assigned a stevedore company in the last two years to the Warri jetty and has been denied access by Chevron despite all efforts by NPA. Chevron also has avoided all meetings by the Federal Ministry of Transportation & National Stevedore Association to resolve this matter. She advised that it will be in their best interest to grant Bena – Franco access to the jetty. “You have the next two (2) weeks to register this stevedore that has been assigned to you by the Federal Government of Nigeria to oversee what goes on at that jetty” Ajani emphasised. In addition, the inability of representatives of Chevron Nigeria Limited to substantiate the status of the operating license for the jetty, the Permanent Secretary mandated the task force on private jetties to avail her evidence of approval granted to the company immediately. Furthermore, she noted that failure to comply within the next two weeks will leave the Ministry with no option but to shut operations at the Warri jetty.