Will share highlights from this new presentation, delivered yesterday in Kano, by @tundefashola, at the 28th Meeting of the National Council on Works.
(As far as memorable phrases go, he's a champ. "Incremental Power", and now "Season of Completion")
One of the biggest changes PMB has brought to road #infrastructure in Nigeria is in the area of financing. A lot more financing available for roads, highways, bridges under PMB than prev govts (even when oil prices were $100-avg for years). #PIDFund#Sukuk#ExecOrder7
In 2015, outgoing govt budget 18 billion for all the Federal roads in Nigeria - less than even Lagos' roads budget for the year
In 2016, with an even lower avg oil price, new Govt budgeted 260B, & released 198B = 76%
2020, inside Covid, 227B budgeted for roads, 100% released!
PMB's is the first Federal Government in Nigeria to issue Sovereign #Sukuk. Four issuances so far, all for road infrastructure:
2017: 100B
2018: 100B
2020: 152B
Latest - 2021: 250B
Close to 2,000km of Federal road (reconstruction) achieved with Sukuk 1,2,3.
There's #ExecOrder7 as well, in two categories: the main category, that has companies like MTN, NLNG, Dangote Group participating (180km of road contracted so far), and the second category, which has @nnpclimited financing the reconstruction of 1,800km of roads across Nigeria.
-Mokwa-Bida
-Akure-Ilesha
-Joint Border Bridge at Mfum (Nigeria)/Ekok (Cameroon)
-Dualization of 221km Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Road (road users have been testifying on Twitter to the progress being made).
All of these road construction/rehabilitation projects have created more than 300,000 jobs since 2016; reduced journey times significantly, and created tens of billions of naira in business for suppliers of diesel, cement, sand, laterite, steel, etc.
Major suppliers and sub-contractors benefited from 45 Billion Naira worth of business from Julius Berger alone in 2020.
That's money in the pockets of Nigerians. Hence why it's shameful and laughable when some people say you cannot grow/develop an economy with infrastructure.
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The amount of Gas investment - ongoing and planned - by Govt and private sector under PMB is astounding (list follows). PMB has declared this the “Decade of Gas”, heralding Nigeria’s pivot from oil to gas. We are clear that Gas is our ‘transition fuel’ into a clean energy future.
NLNG Train 7 - first new train in a more than a decade
AKK Gas Pipeline, ELPS-2, OB3
ANOH gas processing plant (300 million scf) in Imo State; JV btw Seplat & NNPC(NGC)
Feasibility studies ongoing on Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP).
National LPG Expansion Prog
Etc.
You also have private sector interventions like these:
"I spend a lot of time thinking about the fact that I am 65, with projected loan repayments for the next 21 years of my life – meaning I will be 86 when I pay them off. When you are burdened by student debt, there is no quality of personal or work life." theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
This student debt debate - you can't but think about the economics of tertiary education in Nigeria; the fact that all of us who went to public Unis did so paying lowest possible fees. Can we continue like this?
Also, no LASTING resolution to ASUU issues without addressing this.
Look at what Section 18(3) of our Constitution says:
(Yes there's a caveat, "as and when practicable", but still. Should "free university education" ever be an option?)
We speak of “Japa” as a one-way phenomenon, but we also have Nigerians constantly returning home. @abikedabiri is citing examples of Nigerians returning home, occasionally or permanently, to do interesting things, in Agriculture, Healthcare, etc. #StateHouseBriefing
.@abikedabiri: The hospital where the VP was recently treated was set up by Diaspora doctors. I’m not saying Nigeria’s not a challenging environment, but we must also acknowledge those who are coming back home to do impactful things. #StateHouseBriefing
In 2018, @oduainvestments, historically owned by Ogun/Oyo/Ondo/Osun/Ekiti States, took the decision to admit Lagos as a shareholder. Today, Group Chairman of the conglomerate, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, formally handed over @followlasg’s Certificate of Shareholding to Gov @jidesanwoolu
All the 6 States of South West Nigeria are now (equal) shareholders in @oduainvestments.
What happened is that this year (2022), Lagos completed payment for its portion of the Share Capital allotted to it. With the completion of payment, the Certificate of Shareholding has been issued to the State Government. Hence today’s ceremony.
“Maybe when I come back to Nigeria, I will relax. Right now I have all the time for the Twitter people. I can do 12 hours straight.” — Senator @ChimarokeNamani
“I’m a professional politician, politics feeds me, I don’t have any other job - since December 1998 when I returned from America.” — Senator @ChimarokeNamani
“Politics is a Marathon, it’s not a 100m dash.” — Sen @ChimarokeNamani