Day: May 27, 2024

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has slammed an Abuja property developer, Cecil Osakwe, over sharp practices, nullifying an earlier ruling of an FCT High Court in favour of Osakwe.

The Court of Appeal unanimously upturned a previous judgment of Justice Othman Musa of the FCT High Court which directed Osakwe, the Chief Executive Officer of Abeh Signatures Ltd. to refund N150 million to an investor, Ms Asabe Waziri.

The appellate court also slammed a fine of N500,000 against Osakwe.

The fine is to be paid to Waziri, a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. Ltd (NNPCL), who reportedly bought a luxury apartment from Osakwe.

The three-man appellate court, headed by Justice Hamma Barka, vacated the high court’s ruling, describing the judgment as devoid of credible evidence and constituting a miscarriage of justice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the FCT High Court had on Feb. 17, 2022, delivered a judgment, ordering Waziri to vacate the two-bedroom property she bought from Osakwe.

The prope
rty is located in Maitama, an up-market district of the FCT.

However, dissatisfied with the high court judgment, Waziri, through her lawyer, Mr Henry Eni-Otu, appealed the ruling.

Osakwe had in 2022 approached the lower court, asking for contract revocation in the sale of two luxury apartments, citing what he described as the mode of payment of N150 million by Waziri, the buyer.

The controversial developer had claimed that Waziri’s mode of payment in the transaction contravened the provisions of the Money Laundering Act.

He also claimed that the buyer made a cash payment of $40,000.00 and bank transfers worth $100,000.00 through a bureau de change.

The developer also alleged that Waziri presented herself as a businesswoman, whereas she is a civil servant working with the NNPCL.

Subsequently, Osakwe offered to pay back the money earlier paid to him for the apartments in his bid to recover the apartments earlier sold to Waziri.

But Waziri had denied the claims made by Osakwe, saying that she only paid $5
,000 from the N130 million agreed on the transaction and that Osakwe requested that he needed dollars.

She also presented evidence of all the transfers made to the property developer’s accounts.

Delivering judgment in the appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/246/2022, the three-man appellate court held that the judgment of the lower court was not supported by credible evidence.

The appellate court held that the trial court judge veered off the track in his reasoning and occasioned a miscarriage of justice.

‘It is trite law that a party seeking declarative reliefs must establish his entitlement to such reliefs, based on the strength of the case and is not entitled to rely on the weakness of the case of the respondents, unless such weakness aids his case.

‘The facts forming the respondent’s case before the lower court were contained in the affidavit in support of the originating summons.

‘The appellant as defendant filed a counter-affidavit and therein sought to clarify all the material allegations made by the respon
dent in his affidavit in support to the originating summons.

‘In particular with respect to the allegations of cash payments of $40,000 was part of the cost of building, thus offending the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

According to the justices, the defendant vehemently denied the averment, posting further that the only money she paid in dollars was $5,000 in cash made to the alter ego of the respondent on request.

‘Surprisingly, on all the exhibits attached to the affidavit in support of the originating summons, none mentioned the fact of payment of $40,000 in cash in satisfaction of the sale agreement.”

They argued further that in the same vein, the allegation of the identity of the appellant which the respondent relied upon as a ground to vitiate the concluded transaction was not substantiated with the appellant having joined issues on those facts.

‘It behoves the respondents to lay facts of proof in support of those allegations.

‘The respondent, apart from mere allegations m
ade, failed to sustain it by producing tangible evidence to back up the assertion.

‘On the contrary, the appellant not only controverted the allegations but went further to supply evidence through e-mail exchanges, details of accounts and evidence of payment to debunk allegations pertaining to her identity.

‘It is clear that the respondent, having benefited more from the transaction, seeks to vitiate the contract possibly to further benefit from it.

‘I agree with the appellant’s counsel that the appeal is destined for success and should be allowed.

‘Hence, having resolved all issues in favor of the appellant, this appeal succeeds and is hereby allowed.

‘The judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in suit No: CV/2435/2021, delivered on February 17, 2022, is hereby set aside and all actions taken consequent to the said judgment also stand vacated.

‘The appellant is entitled to costs assessed at N500,000 Appeal is allowed,’ the Court of Appeal justices held.

On Feb. 17, 2022, J
ustice Othman Musa of the FCT High Court in his judgment, ordered that the Maitama properties be reverted to Osakwe.

He also ordered Osakwe to pay back the sum of N150 million, being money deposited by Waziri for the apartments.

Musa ruled that: ‘In view of the way and manner or mode of payment employed by the defendant in the purchase of the two flats at Abeh Court, belonging to the claimant, same as rendered the contract for the purchase of the properties void for violating money laundering laws.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Vice President of ECOWAS Commission, Damtien Tchintchibidja, says the sub-regional bloc is grooming West African children for future leadership roles.

Tchintchibidja stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of a sensitization programme for students on Monday in Abuja.

The programme, which was aimed at sensitising the youths on the mission, achievements and vision of ECOWAS, was organised by the commission as part of activities to celebrate its 49th anniversary.

‘We have been doing it over the years. We’ve done it in the past. And this is our way of reaching out to members of our community.

‘And because we pride ourselves on being the ECOWAS of the People.

‘So it is important that we get closer to the people and for the people to understand what we do and how our work impacts their livelihoods.

‘So it’s important that we reach out to the youth because these are our future leaders.

‘We want to instil ECOWAS values in those young children to make sure that tomo
rrow they will be the new leaders of ECOWAS,’ she said.

The vice president said that ECOWAS has been receiving positive feedback on the impacts of their efforts on the children, which she described as encouraging.

‘We’ve done this over the years, and from last year, for example, there’s been positive feedback and we intend to do more of it in other member states as well.

‘This is because by doing this kind of programs, we’re able to disseminate information, first of all in terms of what we do, our agenda, and our objectives.

‘It is also to get closer to our populations and for them to better understand us as an institution.

‘So, the feedback, from my perspective, is positive because it’s important that we reach out to all levels of our community.

‘It’s not just people, who are at the political level, who tend to engage with us more often in terms of the work we do, but also with normal citizens and especially our children,’ she explained.

Tchintchibidja said that ECOWAS has been doing a lot more in te
rms of other activities, apart from education for children within the subregion.

‘In terms of children, we’re promoting education for all children, children’s rights. What was presented in the course this morning, I call it course because it was for children, to educate them.

‘And we’re also promoting a level-playing ground for everyone, for every member of the society in our region.

‘Also to make sure that everyone has access to basic needs, basic goods, and to make sure that our member states also implement our protocols.

‘This is so that everyone has access to opportunities within our region, to the same opportunities within our region,’ the vice president added.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government says no fewer than 37,000 jobs will be created in the geriatric (aged) care industry, being set up by the National Senior Citizens Centre (NSSC).

The Director General of the Centre, Dr Emem Omokaro disclosed this on Sunday in Abuja, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the one year anniversary of President Bola Tinubu.

Omokaro said in the past one year of Tinubu-led administration, the NSCC had been able to build a system of caregiving to older people as a skill in the fields of health and social care.

‘What we have before now, is that older persons are left to anybody that is available in the family, it does not matter whether the person knows anything about older age care and multi morbidity.

‘But, what we have done in this one year is that we work closely with National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), as a regulatory body for technical education to design a course in caregiving, which will now be a skill and will be integrated into the Nigerian skills
qualification framework.

‘That means, Geriatric Social Care now, is a sector skill which means that carers of older people must be trained and certified ,’ she said.

Omokaro said, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, a document has been developed by the NSCC to bring sanity into the field of geriatric social care.

According to her, when the scheme is fully rolled out, no fewer than 1000 geriatric care givers would be trained and engaged in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Omokaro noted that most Nigerians who left the shores of the country were working in the care industry abroad without prerequisite training at home.

Besides, she said that within the Nigeria skills framework, there is a demand that necessitated the set up of a geriatric social care sector.

Omokaro disclosed that NSSC has set up a 23-member private sector led Council made up of all relevant stakeholders in the field of geriatric social care to address the employment needs in the sector

‘Apart from the c
ouncil, we have identified and approved training providers, with multi disciplinary capacity because issues of care criss-cross sociology, psychology gerontology medical therapies, community therapy and physical therapy.

‘So, we have identified 22 states and federal government teaching hospitals that have geriatric units or centres for this purpose,’ she said

Omokaro added that the training has five levels of certification including the basic care level for Senior Secondary School leavers and levels 3 to 5 which has been integrated into the Federal Civil Service Cadre for Employment.

She said, besides the employment generation, the scheme would bring dignity, security, happiness and joy to the older people that in their retirement life, they have certified care and are not forgotten.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Stakeholders in the gas industry have called on the Federal Government to implement Nigeria’s National Gas Plan as it targets to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.

The Executive Director, Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), Faith Nwadishi, made the call at a one-day capacity development workshop for Media and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja on Monday.

The workshop was organised by CTA in collaboration with the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), and had as its theme, ‘Right-Sizing Nigeria’s National Gas Plans for Non-Power Uses’.

Nwadishi said that Nigeria had set ambitious targets to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060, adding that gas was poised to be a critical transition fuel in this journey.

‘We have an Energy Transition Plan; we have the Climate Change Act. We have always had this issue of Nigeria having a good plan but no implementation.

‘To support implementation, you need to build the capacity of the people to understand what the issues are’.

She said that once those p
lans were in place, it was important that ‘you build the capacity of citizens to understand that there are issues to be able to hold you accountable for what policies you are putting in place’.

‘2060 is still a long way to go. But if you don’t plan toward 2060, you may have a situation where the government has continuously shifted the goal post for the end of gas flaring in the country’.

Nwadishi said ‘We believe that by enhancing the Nigerian public’s understanding of the viability and implications of our gas utilisation plans, we can foster robust advocacy and informed public discourse.

‘This, in turn, will help to steer Nigeria’s gas strategies towards more sustainable and appropriately scaled uses’.

Also speaking, Tengi George-Ikoli, a senior programme officer at NRGI Nigeria office, said the Nigerian government must make sure its Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) uses of gas ambitions matched its realistic capacity for gas expansion.

‘The government proposes to ramp up
gas production, utilisation and export, with the aims of supporting industrialization, boosting domestic energy supply for power and non-power uses including LPG for cooking and CNG for transport.

‘By doing so, the government expects to enhance economic activity, thus improving the lives of the half of the population living in extreme poverty.’

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Anchor Initiative for Community Development (AICD), an NGO, has called on stakeholders in the education sector to invest more in children.

The Executive Director of AICD, Anthony Eromosele, made the call at an outreach on Monday at Tasha Community Primary School, Gwagwalada, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) in Abuja.

Eromosele said AICD organised a series of advocacy visits and workshops aimed at empowering and uplifting children in Tasha communities in Abuja and replicated the same in its annex states of Abia, and Katsina.

According to him, the advocacy visits and workshops will encourage community leaders and stakeholders to prioritise the education, health and nutrition, and security needs of children and young people.

He added that it would sensitise parents, guardians, and caregivers in rural communities to invest in children to ensure a better future.

‘The 2024 children’s day celebration with the theme ‘Investing in our future means investing in our children’ is a call for all hands to be on dec
k to create an enabling environment for children to thrive.

‘AICD’s commitment to mobilising resources and advocating for the wellbeing of our children hinges on our recognition that an investment in children is an investment in the future.

‘This, we believe, will yield a brighter and more prosperous future for all.

‘AICD carried out advocacy visits and workshops aimed at mobilising community leaders and parents to prioritise children’s needs and also equip children with the knowledge, skills, and support they need to succeed,’ he said.

He added that the objective of the gesture was to help children become agents of positive change in their communities.

He said that children were future leaders, innovators, and change-makers in the society, adding that there was the need to recognise the importance of nurturing their potential.

‘There is the need to provide children with opportunities to thrive,’ he said.

Mr Hakini Muraina, Assistant Head Teacher, commended AICD for the initiative to build the capacity
of children.

Muriana called on other stakeholders to do the same for the good of every child in Nigeria.

‘Indeed the children are our future leaders and Investing in them is also investing in the future of Nigeria,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

When President Bola Tinubu decided to run for president on a Muslim-Muslim ticket alongside Vice President Kashim Shettima, it ignited a firestorm of controversy.

In a nation like Nigeria, where both Muslims and Christians hold significant demographic and cultural weight, this decision raised alarms about the potential exacerbation of religious tensions.

Critics had earlier argued that the exclusion of a Christian vice-presidential candidate might lead to feelings of marginalisation and discord.

Upon assuming office, the President made it a priority to balance his cabinet with diverse religious representations to prove his critics wrong.

Observers are of the view that over the past year, Tinubu’s administration has taken notable bold steps towards promoting religious harmony through balanced appointments, supportive policies, and interfaith dialogue.

According to them, he has ensured that the appointment of Christians and Muslims, among others, to key positions, are done in a relatively equitable and fai
r manner to allay any initial fears of religious marginalisation.

They say that this deliberate commitment to inclusivity is designed to carry everyone along to alleviate their fears and to further demonstrate that his administration represents all Nigerians, regardless of their faith.

Many posit that over the past 12 months, for instance, President Tinubu’s administration has highlighted policies promoting religious tolerance as a cornerstone of its governance strategy.

For many observers, the President’s initiatives of supporting interfaith dialogue and peace-building efforts have been central to these policies.

By fostering understanding and cooperation between different religious communities, they argue, the administration has sought to create a more harmonious national atmosphere.

For instance, in his public statements, President Tinubu has consistently emphasised the importance of national unity, while downplayed religious differences and focusing on the commonalities that bind Nigerians together.

H
is administration has actively engaged religious leaders from both Muslim and Christian communities, encouraging cooperation and mutual respect to reduce tensions.

Corroborating this viewpoint, Rev. Fr Kenneth Agwu, the Editor-in-Chief of the Good Shepherd Newspaper, a publication of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, said that the Tinubu government has promoted religious harmony in Nigeria in spite of the initial controversy surrounding the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Agwu noted that the president had appointed individuals from various religious backgrounds to key positions in the government to assuage any pre-election frayed nerves.

‘This, to some extent, has ensured fair representation across different sectors. For instance, the appointment of ex-Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, as FCT Minister is innovative.

‘Tinubu’s administration’s symbolic acts such as his active participation in major religious events and the holidays of various faiths to show respect and solidarity have gone a long way to bring about rel
igious harmony.

‘Earlier this year, for instance, he appealed to religious leaders to refrain from vilifying or denigrating the nation in their sermons, thereby publicly condemning acts of religious intolerance and violence,’ Agwu recalled.

Speaking in the same vein, Mohammed Eze, Deputy National Legal Adviser, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, said that Tinubu’s policies have promoted religious harmony, notwithstanding the initial misgivings that trailed his riding to power on the back of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Eze, an Abuja-based lawyer and Igbo Muslim from Enugu State, lauded Tinubu’s strong support for interreligious interventions like the Nigerian Inter Religious Council, NIREC, a government-supported platform for the two most dominant religions in Nigeria.

‘It is a place where they brainstorm on the way forward and how to ease understanding and make extinct the extremism that is seen in certain quarters, whether among Muslims or Christians,’ Eze stressed.

Rev. Fr Lawrence Emehel, Secre
tary of Inter-Religious Dialogue at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), said that Tinubu’s government has strengthened religious tolerance in the country.

He, however, urged the government to be more deliberate in supporting the youths, especially the NIREC Youth Forum, adding that there was no harm in the government being part of NIREC, except taking over or controlling the body.

‘The government should rather support it directly or indirectly since most programmes involve youths. The youth wing of NIREC is filled with vibrant youths who raise a lot of awareness and arouse the nation’s consciousness to the importance of tolerance.

‘These youths are Christians and Muslims working actively together to promote religious tolerance, peace, and dialogue.

‘When an article is posted on the internet, go to the comment section. You will agree with me that youths have more engagement,’ Emehel said.

A recent development, when Vice President Kashim Shettima, a Muslim, inaugurated the board of the Nigerian Chr
istian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) has been described as novel and commendable in advancing religious harmony.

Inaugurating the Board at the Presidential Villa, Shettima reinforced the administration’s resolve to uphold religious freedom and interfaith dialogue, stressing that Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity of faiths.

He recalled President Tinubu’s promise when he assumed office that his government would have no place for discrimination.

The vice president vowed that there will be no discrimination under the Tinubu-led government, saying ‘Nigeria is what it is because it is a nation of God, stressing that spirituality was of prevailing interest’.

Shettima urged the new NCPC board members to be unifying figures dedicated to promoting interfaith harmony through compassion, justice, and mutual respect.

The vice president assured that the Tinubu’s administration was fervently committed to ensuring that interfaith harmony remained the ultimate priority.

‘Regardless of anyone’s position, the place of
faith in the nation is not only critical but provides a framework for comfort among citizens and for the stability of the nation at large.

‘Our duty is to provide a safe haven for members of each faith and uphold the rights and freedoms in our constitution.

‘We can only emerge stronger and be more resilient as a nation through dialogue, empathy, and reconciliation,’ Shettima said.

Mrs Asabe Musa, a trader in Lafia, Nasarawa State, expressed support for Tinubu’s inclusive appointments, as well as his engagements in interfaith dialogue.

She, however, noted that notwithstanding Tinubu’s encouraging, courageous, and genuine efforts towards ensuring religious harmony during his first year in office, this has not been without its challenges.

According to her, religious violence and tensions have continued to plague parts of the country, and these challenges underscore the difficulty of achieving lasting religious harmony in a nation as diverse as Nigeria.

‘Scepticism remains among some Christians, particular
ly those concerned about the initial Muslim-Muslim ticket.

‘They continue to fear marginalisation, and so this calls for more tangible actions to address religious violence and discrimination,’ she said.

Mr Bala Dogo, a lawyer, agrees that Tinubu’s first year in office, has been marked by a concerted effort to foster religious harmony, in spite of the initial controversy which trailed his choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

He said that through his inclusive appointments, policies promoting tolerance, and active interfaith dialogue, Tinubu has made significant strides in addressing religious tensions.

‘While challenges persist, the administration’s commitment to unity and its engagement with both religious leaders and youth groups underscore a proactive approach to achieving lasting peace and understanding in Nigeria’s diverse religious landscape,’ Dogo said.

Observers are, therefore, of the view that President Tinubu has in his first year in office, succeeded to a large extent, in ensuring religious harmo
ny in Nigeria.

They noted, however, that the quest for a lasting religious harmony in the country continues to be a complex and critical endeavour, which he should address differently for best results as he enters his second year in office.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof. Benjamin Okaba, has urged State Governments to stop conducting Local Government elections to ensure credibility.

Okaba said this on Monday in Abuja as a discussant on ‘Nigeria Security Challenges and Good Governance at the Local Level’.

The event was organised by the House of Representatives in partnership with the UK International Development.

He said that state governments should henceforth desist from conducting elections into the various positions in the local government to encourage mass participation and credibility.

Okaba added that citizens who reside or are from the various local government areas should always demand for good governance from their local authorities as a matter of their right.

He also demanded for amendment of the 1999 constitution to allow for effective local government administration, while issues such as joint state and local government accounts should be abolished.

The INC president noted that Uganda and Ghana at some
point amended their constitutions to re-introduce a multi-party system, with provisions for effective functioning of the local government.

‘In Uganda for instance, the re-emergence of local government after years of centralised administration was a product of both internal and external forces.

‘So, state governors and Houses of Assembly should allow local government autonomy to scale through the constitutional amendment process,’ he said.

The INC president stressed that good governance was

one of the cardinal principles of credible elections.

‘Indeed, once credible elections are guaranteed at the local government level, the foundation for good governance would have been laid, paving the way for peace and security.

‘In Nigeria today, especially at the local government level, credible elections appear to be an illusion,’ he said.

He noted that Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees the existence of local government in Nigeria but the same constitution hinders the autonomy of the l
ocal government.

On national security, Okaba said that the security architecture in Nigeria was constitutionally driven.

‘The federal government controls all the instrumentality of government (the armed forces and paramilitary) to secure the lives and property of its citizens.

‘Also the government at all levels is placed with the constitutional responsibility of providing security and welfare for its people.

‘But in the face of this duty placed on the Nigerian government, the nation has in the recent past experienced an alarming rate of insecurity.

‘Ethno-religious conflicts, violence, kidnapping, terrorism among others are some of the dimensions of insecurity in the country. Insecurity has taken different dimensions in the various regions in Nigeria,’ he said.

He therefore canvassed for local governments to have a bit of control on local policing for effective security across the country.

He also noted that what happened in pre-colonial Nigeria indicated that effective local government system could ad
dress the challenges of insecurity and good governance in the country.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Ladies section of the IBB International Golf and Country Club has underscored the need to take golf clinics to kids in Internally Displaced Camp (IDP) to arouse their interest in the sport.

Lady Captain of the Club, Dame Julie Donli stated this on Monday when members of the club visited kids in the Durumi IDP camp, Abuja, to identify with them on Children’s Day celebration.

Donli told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the visit was the Club’s little way of supporting the less privileged, encouraging them and giving them hope.

‘Today is a day to celebrate the children, we are here at the IDP camp in Durumi to celebrate our lovely children that are displaced.

‘We need to give them a sense of belonging, in spite of the fact that they are in a displaced camp, we are trying to tell them we care about them,’ she said .

The former NAPTIP boss said that going forward, the club will explore ways of taking it’s weekly children’s golf clinic to kids in the IDP camp, to further expose them and give them hope
.

‘We have what we call the children’s golf clinic where young children are taught how to play golf.

‘But you have to be interested in golf first, you have to be able to have the kits and the ability to attend and move around.

‘So for the kids in the IDP camp, in terms of logistics it will be a bit difficult to include them in that programme, absolutely difficult.

‘But what we are thinking of doing is once in a while bring the golf clinic to them, teach them the basics, just to have a feel of what it is like and to begin to develop interest in the sport,” she said.

Earlier, the Social Secretary of the Club, Omon Isemede said this year’s Children’s Day celebration was taken out of the lush green golf course, to create wider impact.

‘We are here today to celebrate with the kids in the IDP camp, we also gave a talk about hygiene and how to take care of themselves, even though they are displaced, little things like this matter,” she said.

NAN reports that high point of the occasion was the presentation o
f gifts to the kids and donation of N200, 000 to the IDP camp for the upkeep of the kids.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The African Development Bank (AfDB) says its 209.17 Euros Kenol-Sagana-Marua Highway Project in Kenya will be completed in December.

Mr Richard Malinga, AfDB’s Transport Engineer and Desk Manager of the project said this when he briefed newsmen in Nairobi on Sunday shortly after inspecting various projects.

‘The work started in October 2020 and has advanced, so essentially, by the end of this year, it will be completed.

‘The project will ensure regional connectivity, reduce travel time and create wealth for people around the region,’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inspection was one of the activities planned for the AfDB Annual Meetings 2024.

The Kenol – Sagana – Marua Highway Project involves the reconstruction of an 84km road linking Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, with the commercial and agricultural towns of the Central and Upper Eastern regions.

The project aims to improve access to northern Kenya and connect neighbouring countries as part of the Great North Road/Trans Af
rican Highway.

The old road, a two-lane single-carriageway, posed a major challenge to traders and farmers through high vehicle operating costs and longer travel times.

Malinga said the road’s total length is about 9600km, with the section in Kenya, which runs between the Tanzanian and Ethiopian borders, being about 920km.

‘This expansion project significantly complements the AfDB’s interventions along the corridor in Kenya, namely the construction of the Nairobi -Thika Highway and the Mombasa-Nairobi-Addis Ababa corridor development projects.

‘The project corridor also connects, at Isiolo town, to one of the Horn of Africa corridors, Isiolo-Mandera, which connects Kenya to Somalia.

‘The Kenya-Sagana-Marua project is being done in two lots, a total of 84 km; the first section, lot 1, is approximately 48km, and the second one, lot 2, is 36 km,’ he said.

According to Malinga, the road, which is being upgraded to a two-lane dual carriageway, has other extensive supporting facilities along its route.

‘The
se include the construction and equipping of a trauma centre in Sagana and the construction of additional facilities at an Autism Centre in Karatina.

‘It also includes the construction of bus parks, a modern market and sheds for commuter motorcycles, popularly known as ‘Boda Boda’.

‘The project is working with the Kenya Forest Service and local community forestry groups to plant trees at nearby hills. The target is to plant 75,000 trees,’ he said.

On impact, Malinga said the project would improve the quality of life of people around the region, increase rural productivity, and expand the markets.

He said it would foster a conducive and enabling business environment and attract foreign direct investments for the countries in the region, among others.

Mr Ephraim Macharia, the Vice-Chairman 2NK Sacco Transport and Board Member of the National Transport Safety Authority in Kenya commended the efforts of the AfDB in dualising the road.

He said that since the construction of the road, travel time for road use
rs and fuel consumption while plying the road have been drastically reduced.

He said the construction had improved road safety and increased national income.

Meanwhile, some traders who trade along the route expressed mixed feelings even as they commended the bank.

They said that in spite of the increased business and income the construction work brought to them, it also displaced some of them from their homes.

NAN reports that since the inauguration of the project, several indigent students were trained in building, electric welding fabrication, carpentry, while many others got jobs.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria