NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
General News

Mararaba residents decry poor drainage, septic tanks on roads 

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By Daniel Obaje

Residents of Mararaba, Nasarawa State, have expressed concern over the construction of septic tanks and drainage systems on roads, which is worsening flooding and damaging road infrastructure.

 

A cross-section of residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the situation had made living in the community difficult, calling on the authorities to intervene.

 

Suleiman Musa, a shop owner, said the problem was unbearable even though the rains had yet to start.

 

“These septic tanks and drainage systems are destroying our roads. When it rains, the water overflows because the drains are blocked, and everywhere becomes flooded.

 

“Some roads are so bad now that people struggle to walk through,” he said.

 

Musa appealed to the Nasarawa State Government to address the situation before the rains begin.

 

According to Rebecca Iliyasu, a resident, the situation affects hygiene and requires urgent attention.

 

“Many landlords dig septic tanks close to the road, and when they get full, the dirty water spills out. The smell is terrible, and flies are everywhere.

 

“It’s even worse for children who play outside. This is not safe, and something needs to be done,” she said.

 

Another resident, Daniel Oche, believes the situation has worsened because there are no strict regulations preventing people from building carelessly.

 

“People just do whatever they want because nobody is enforcing the rules. If the government does not act fast, some roads will soon be completely blocked,” he said.

 

Ms Amina Yusuf, a student, pointed out the health risks caused by poor drainage and septic tank construction.

 

“During the rainy season, stagnant water breeds mosquitoes, and many people in the area fall ill, especially with malaria.

 

“There have been lots of campaigns on proper drainage, but we are yet to see changes,” she said.

 

Yusuf called on the government at all levels to enforce strict laws to ensure that septic tanks and drainage systems are properly constructed to prevent damage to the roads and the environment. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Tosin Kolade

Oil & Gas

FG bans 60,000 litres petrol tankers from March 1

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By Emmanuella Anokam

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has banned 60,000 litres petroleum tankers from operating on Nigerian roads, effective March 1, to mitigate truck-in-transit incidents.

Mr Ahmed Farouk, Authority Chief Executive, NMDPRA, announced the ban on Wednesday in Abuja, while briefing newsmen shortly after its Stakeholders Technical Committee Meeting.

He added by fourth quarter of 2025, no truck with 45,000 litres capacity would be allowed to load petroleum products.

The meeting had in attendance the officials of the Department of State Services (DSS), Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).

Others are: the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) and NMDPRA.

Speaking to the newsmen, Farouk, represented by, Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, NMDPRA Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, said the decision was made in response to the incessant road accidents involving heavy-duty petroleum tankers.

“The first stakeholder’s technical committee met today to drill down and put timelines for about 10 resolutions that had been taken on how to drive down the significant increase that had been observed in relation to tankers incidents and fatalities,” he said.

Farouk said the meeting which involved stakeholders and key agencies agreed that from March 1, any truck with an axle load of more than 60,000 litres of hydrocarbon would not be allowed to load at any depot.

“The important thing about this is that, for the first time, consensus was built amongst all stakeholders, and we will work together to deliver a safe transportation of petroleum products across the country,” he said.

The Authority’s Chief Executive dismissed recent claims questioning the quality of fuel in circulation across the country, describing them as bogus, misleading and unscientific.

He assured Nigerians that all imported and locally refined petroleum products met strict regulatory standards before being released into the market.

The regulator vowed to ensure compliance with petroleum industry standards and specifications, stressing that recent social media claims about the quality of fuel products in circulation were baseless and should be disregarded.

He said it would usually be more circumspect and not respond to every comment that was being made in the public.

“But it’s important that people who dabble into the social media space are reminded that it is actually disrespectful, if you imagine that Nigerians are gullible.

“Nigerians are discerning enough to know that energies need to be directed positively.  People who make unscientific claims, bogus data expertise are really not helping the situation.

“We’re working very hard in compliance with the presidential mandates to support the local refineries, to build capacity for sufficiency; and not just quality, but pricing is also done in a transparent, competitive and fair way,” he said.

He assured Nigerians that NMDPRA would continue to comply with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021 as well as the specifications set by SON.

He said SON’s specification included parameters such as research obtain number, sulphur content, density, colour, oxygenate level, and many others.

“Before any product is distributed, the regulator ensures that from the load port of the product, whether from a domestic refinery or imported, and as well as at the discharge port, accredited laboratories must test every product.

“The accredited laboratories must duly issue certificates of quality to say that the product that is in the vessel meets those specifications.

“It’s only on that basis that products are then discharged and distributed across the country,” he said.

He further explained that that hydrocarbons were not pure compounds by nature, and as such, the authority regularly specifies a range of acceptable values; and tests results must fall within specified limits to be deemed complaint.

He said the sulphur content must be moderated in products, as higher levels could have corrosive effects and contribute to environmental pollution.

Farouk also said daily Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) supply, which averaged 66 million litres before subsidy withdrawal, now hovered around 50 million litres, with local refineries contributing less than 50 per cent of total supply.

“All of us have experienced a yuletide free from any scarcity. Let me reconfirm that from year to year, we saw an increase in the demand of PMS by 2021, 2022 up to 2023.

“And just before the current administration came in, the daily PMS supply sufficiency was always in excess of 60 million, averaging about 66 million a day for PMS.

“Following the withdrawal of subsidy, we immediately saw a steep decline on consumption and  between then and as we speak, we’ve continued to do plus or minus 50 million that’s considerable reduction in volumes,” he said.

He added that of the 50 million litres average for each day, less than 50 per cent was contributed by domestic refineries, and so the shortfall, in accordance with the PIA, is sourced by way of imports.

He further said none of the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), that owned refineries in country, had imported any PMS this year.

“The other OMCs are the ones that are importing the shortfall, and if we did nothing to bridge that shortfall, we will have scarcity on our hands.

“And that’s something that the regulator is mindful to do, ensuring that there is sufficient supply of petroleum products across the country,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Salif Atojoko

General News

FG invested N89.2bn on infrastructure, schools in Bwari – Wike

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By Philip Yatai

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike says President Bola Tinubu-led federal government has spent more than N89.2 billion on provision of roads infrastructure and schools in Bwari Area Council.

Wike, who disclosed this while inaugurating the five-kilometre Gaba – Tokulo road in Bwari Area Council on Friday, said that the amount was spent in the last 12 months.

He explained that N7 billion was spent on the five-kilometre Gaba – Tokulo Road, while N27 billion on the rehabilitation of Dutse to Bwari Road.

The Minister added that N28 billion was spent on the ongoing dualisation of Ushafa to War College Road, and N27 billion on rehabilitation and construction of schools in Bwari.

He identified the schools as Government Girls Secondary School, Dutse, Government Secondary School (GSS), Bwari, and GSS Ushafa, a new school.

Others, he said, were GSS Dei Dei, GSS Kubwa, and GSS Jibi.

He said that the Gaba – Tokulo road was initiated through a stakeholder engagement.

“The people of Bwari said that they wanted this road and to the glory of God, we awarded the contract in January 2024, and today, we are inaugurating the completed project.

“In 2024, through President Tinubu’s directive, we said that we are going to construct one road in each area council.

“I want to say that since Monday, we have been inaugurating road projects, and we will conclude this exercise tomorrow.

“That is to show that we have been able to touch all the area councils since the inception of the Tinubu-led administration,” he said.

Wike said that the residents also asked for police stations, adding that the two Police Divisional offices under construction would be ready in May to enhance security in the area.

He added that the FCT Administration had made provisions in the 2025 budget for every area council to have at least one more road project.

He promised the residents that the Gaba – Tokilo Road would be extended to Kawu, a border community with Kaduna State, as requested by Council Chairman, Mr John Gabaya.

He directed the Coordinator, Satellite Towns Development Department, Mr Abdulkadir Zulkiflu to capture the road extension in the FCT 2025 budget.

He also directed the contractor that executed the project, Sectraco Nigeria ltd, to install streetlights on the road from Gaba to Tokulo.

Also, FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, said that all the projects executed in the FCT, was a testament to Tinubu’s commitment to improve the lives of rural residents.

This, she said, would enhance connectivity and facilitate economic growth.

“This is more than just infrastructure; it is a pathway to progress and prosperity,” Mahmoud said.

The STDD coordinator also said that the road would enhance the rural economy and promote development of small and medium scale enterprises.

Zulkiflu equally said that the road would improve connectivity and the security of the area.

On his part, the council chairman thanked Wike for the ongoing transformation of satellite towns, saying, “FCT rural communities never had it this good.”

Gabaya described the minister as an “embodiment of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”
He commended Wike for constructing the Gaba to Tokulu Road, saying that his father was kidnapped twice on that road.

He appealed to the Minister to further extend the road to connect with the Kawu community, covering 10 to 11 kilometres.

He also urged Wike to equally consider constructing the road from Murtala Mohammed Expressway via Kubwa to the Nigeria Law School, Bwari. (NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

General News

Yuletide: Nigerians seek better roads to curb auto crashes

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By Mohammed Bababusu

As Nigerians prepare for the festive season, some residents of Lokoja in Kogi have urged the federal and state government to fix bad roads in the state, to prevent Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) during the Yuletide.

A cross section of the residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the measure was imperative to enable Nigerians to ply good and safe roads during Christmas and New Year festivities.

Kogi occupies a central spot in Nigeria where people across the country pass through the state, serving as gateway to southern and northern parts of the country, hence the need to repair the roads.

Amb. Idris Muraina, Chairman, Kogi Non-Governmental Network (KONGNet), decried the poor state of roads in the country, stressing that “Kogi is no exception to bad roads”.

Muraina said the roads were being overstretched by traffic volume considering the multitude of travelers passing through the ‘Kogi corridor’ to other parts of the country.

“Not until recently the state government under the current administration has shown some level of interest in maintaining existing roads and opening up new access roads.

“The federal government had done a great level of disservice to the road infrastructure over the years.

“For instance, the Lokoja – Abuja road has been under construction since 2003 without results,

“The Ganaja junction – Ganaja – Ajaokuta that was recently awarded to be constructed using concrete technology and that job has indeed suffered from a slow pace.

“The Okene – Ajaokuta bypass was being halted for no reasonable cause.

“All these road networks are interconnecting roads that should ordinarily ease the movement of Nigerians within and across the state but they are currently in bad condition,” he said.

Importantly; the ongoing construction of the overhead bridge at Kabba junction was designed to ease traffic flow within the corridor, and allow for free movement during the Yuletide and beyond.

Muraina attributed the deplorable condition of the roads to lack of political commitment; corruption and neglect by relevant authorities in the country.

He also identified corruption as a major obstacle militating against effective operations of road maintenance agencies to fix potholes on the highways in spite of the budgetary provisions.

“The EFCC should beam its search light on projects and contracts not executed or badly executed to bring to book defaulters,” he said.

Also commenting, Mr Alhassa, the Managing Director, Kogi Road Maintenance Agency (KOGROMA), said the agency and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had accorded premium to major roads like the Lokoja – Okene, Lokoja – Kabba, Lokoja – Ejule.

He said that the Ahmed Ododo administration had procured equipment for the KOGROMA, to accelerate road rehabilitation in the state.

According to Alhassan, the agency is conducting road palliative repair works in eight local government areas of the state.

He also attributed the bad roads to poor construction procedure and quality; lack of maintenance culture, load bearing, poor drains, flooding and climate related problems.

“The agency is carrying out road resurfacing, pothole filling, desilt exercise and ⁠maintenance of road shoulder as well as construction of rings and box culverts.

“However, inadequate funding is militating against proactive roads maintenance,”

On his part, Mukhtar Abdulrahim, the Director of FERMA in Kogi, said the agency had initiated a campaign tagged: “Operation Connect to Your Destination,” to ease traffic flow during the festive season.

He said the campaign focused at identifying and rectifying critical areas on highways, to ensure free flow of traffic and hassle-free travel for road users.

The director said that obsolete infrastructure were largely responsible for poor roads in the country.

“Many roads were constructed in the 80s, exceeding their lifespan and requiring reconstruction or rehabilitation, excessive axle loading largely due to the collapse of the railway network.

“The collapse has shifted the burden to roads, surpassing their capacity by threefold in spite of climate change, especially global warming, which leads to increased water levels and flow velocity, damaging roads,” he said.

The director said that such challenges coupled with inadequate funding were hindering effective maintenance of roads across the country.

He, therefore, advocated establishment of a National Road Maintenance Fund, to encourage sustainable road infrastructure development. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Mohammed Bababusu/Rabe Bashir Mani

Defence/Security

FRSC seeks stakeholders’ collaboration for effective nationwide traffic management

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By Ibironke Ariyo

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has called for collaboration with stakeholders on effective traffic management to reduce road crashes and promote safety on Nigerian roads.

Speaking to newsmen after the inauguration of a National Road Safety Advisory Council (NARSAC) at the Presidential villa, on Friday in Abuja, FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed emphasised the need for collective action.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NARSAC includes six governors, key ministers, and other stakeholders, with a focus on reducing road fatalities across the country.

Mohammed said that the corps had embarked on campaigns in motor parks and public places to promote a safe driving culture across the country.

He said that there was a need for commuters and transport unions to partner in preventing road crashes and ensuring safer travels at all cost.

According to him, road crashes have declined, but the numbers remain unacceptably high; therefore, commuters and transport unions must redouble their awareness and prevention initiatives.

“Commuters must not be quiet when any driver is endangering their lives by violating traffic rules and regulations.

“If you see something, say something. Passengers can do much in reducing road crashes and save lives but what we discover is that more often than not, passengers keep quiet.

“If you are in a bus or in a car and the driver is speeding, you owe it as a duty to raise your voice; but what we see is the opposite, passengers do not talk.

“At times, other passengers will even silence the one raising the alarm. This is unfortunate, life has no duplicate. We should all be proactive in ensuring that we mitigate road crashes.

“Attitudinal change is also crucial for road safety. Transport unions must lead by example in preventing overloading and alcohol-impaired driving,”he maintained.

The FRSC boss said that road crashes had been gradually and steadily declining in the last one month adding that the corps would continually sensitise the motoring public on the proper use of the highways to reduce crashes.

“Although we’re seeing a steady decline, road crashes and victim numbers remain unacceptably high.”

“There is still much more work to be done in terms of awareness, sensitisation and infrastructure to help in ensuring mitigation of this menace called traffic crashes on our roads.

“We will continually visit motor parks to dissuade drivers from taking alcohol or any substance capable of affecting their moods and psyches.

“We will also go to the grassroots to engage the traditional rulers and community leaders on ways to educate their people on measures to take to avoid road crashes,”he said.

The corps marshal urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, to adhere to traffic rules, avoid overloading, and refrain from using phones while driving and other factors bedevilling road safety in the country.

Speaking on the newly inaugurated council, Mohammed believed that the NARSAC marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s road safety management, paving the way for the swift implementation of the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy (NRSS).

The FRSC boss, who is the secretary of the advisory council described the strategy as the country’s answer to the global call for safer roads, aiming to reduce the alarming number of road crashes and fatalities in Nigeria.

“In essence, the NARSAC establishment is a crucial step towards achieving the NRSS’s objectives, which include improving road design standards, enhancing non-motorised transport initiatives, and strengthening road safety frameworks.

“With the council’s guidance, FRSC can move closer to realising its vision and mission of safer roads and reduced fatalities across the country,”he said.(NAN)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

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