News Editor
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Says yearly budgetary provision not the solution
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As Senators sympathize with him
By David Odama
The Minister of Works , Senator David Umahi openly declared in Abuja on Friday , that he is frustrated on fixing Nigerian roads due to paucity of funds arising from meagre yearly budgetary provisions .
The Minister who expressed his frustration to members of the Senate Committee on Works during 2025 budget defence session , said enormous additional funds are required to complement the budgetary provisions in form of loans .
” I’ve not failed in many of my life engagements but I’m feeling frustrated with fixing of roads in Nigeria with funds that are not in any way, tangible for what are required .
” This is the reason why special funds in form of loans , are needed to be taken for road infrastructure in the country .
” Remember the President inherited 2,064 projects, totaling N13 trillions. And if you review that project in line with the market realities now, it should be close to N18 trillions now . And so, when the President, who is an economist, who has gone through all the segments of what we’re passing through, by reason of his experiences, and is making efforts to borrow money to do these projects, then the public will be doubting our knowledge.
“The roads, when fixed, are catalysts to economic growth. And they also eliminates hunger. Because road infrastructure activities create a lot of economic activities.
“Also, those who are selling sand, chippings, mamaput, rocks, and so on and so forth. And there will be a lot of activities. So we need to give attention and encourage Mr. President to borrow money. He cannot manufacture money. He has to be encouraged. Because a man is trying to put money in your pocket.
“You say he’s trying to steal your money. That’s very discouraging. So road infrastructure cannot be fixed by mere yearly budgetary provisions .
” It has to be given plenty of attention. Thank you very much”, he said .
Apparently sympathizing with the Minister , members of the committee chaired by Senator Mpigi Barinaga, one after the other, commended him for making the best use of the meagre budgetary allocations and concurred to his suggestion for alternative funding of road infrastructure across the country .
They specifically declared that N827billion proposed allocation for the Ministry for road fixing in 2025 is isignificant to enormous works on ground .
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CNG : NASS tasks FG on adaptability test
****frowns at avoidable explosions of vehicles
***decries N903million capital vote for Petroleum Ministry in 2025
Olu Balogun
The National Assembly Friday tasked the Federal Government to carry out thorough adaptability tests or research on Compressed Natural Gas ( CNG ) as alternative means of powering vehicular movements in Nigeria .
This is even as it frowned at avoidable explosions of some of the vehicles already converted from petrol powered automobiles to CNG powered ones .
It also decried the N903million earmarked for capital projects execution by the Ministry of Petroleum in 2025 fiscal year .
These were fallouts from 2025 budget defence session the National Assembly joint committee on Petroleum ( Downstream) , Petroleum ( Upstream ) and Gas , had with the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources , represented by the two Ministers of State in the Ministry .
First to ask questions on the CNG conversion and incidences of vehicles explosion that happened in some parts of the country in recent time , was Hon Kafilat Ogbara who sought for explanations from the Minister of State for Gas , Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo on way out of the ugly incidences .
Senator Natasha Akpoti ( PDP Kogi Central) , fired a followed up question by asking the Minister , whether adaptability test or research was conducted before the idea of CNG was brought into the country for implementation .
” There is danger in adapting any form of technology without proper research or test on its adaptability .
” The vehicles being converted into CNG powered automobiles in Nigeria are originally built for Premium Motor Spirit ( PMS) aside bumpy or bad roads here, as against very smooth roads in countries where CNG technology is imported from .
” Also , was the factor of hot climate in Nigeria considered before importation of the idea of CNG ?”, she asked .
But in his response , the Minister of State for Gas said there is a Presidential Committee on CNG , that had carried out the adaptability test or research before operationalization of CNG initiative in Nigeria .
He declared that based on investigations conducted by his Ministry in collaboration with the Presidential Committee , all the CNG converted vehicles that had exploded , were not converted from certified centres .
” CNG has come to stay in Nigeria, those vehicles that exploded , were not converted at the certified centres but by road side technicians “, he said .
On the N903million capital vote for the Ministry in 2025, the Minister of State for Petroleum , Senator Henikien Lokpobiri informed the Senator Agom Jarigbe led committee that the projection is small because the ministry dwells more on policy formulation and not contracts execution .
