Governor Makinde Visits Burnt Aleshinloye Market, Halts Planned Demolition Of Affected Section

Governor Makinde visits burnt Aleshinloye market, halts planned demolition of affected section. Mr Makinde said that his administration would restructure the market and ensure proper architecture to avert recurrence.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday visited the Aleshinloye market, Ibadan, where a section got burnt on March 12.

Mr Makinde, while on-the-spot assessment of the incident, ordered suspension of the planned demolition of the burnt section until a proper alternative had been provided for the affected traders.

Recall that the fire outbreak occurred in the early hours of March 12, at the plastic and rubber section of the market, which destroyed goods worth millions of naira.

The governor made it known that his administration had provided some sort of palliatives to serve as immediate cushion for victims of the incident.

Oyo Gov. Makinde

He added that the state government, the Ibadan South-West Local Government Area and the Ibadan South Local Council Development Area would work on cushioning effect of the incident on traders in the next few days.

He, however, said that his administration would restructure the market, put in place a proper architecture that could avert future fire outbreaks.

“We have to enlighten the people. It is better to avoid anything that can lead to fire incident than to curtail it. So, the advocacy should be that people should store things, especially things with potential to get burnt with utmost caution,” he added.

Contractors, Skill Labourers Praise Governor Eno For Contract Boom In Akwa Ibom

Contractors, skill labourers praise governor Eno for contract boom in Akwa Ibom…we now struggle to find skill labourers says private contractors.

Pastor Umo Eno’s infrastructure development is creating a buzz in Akwa Ibom State, with workers praising the Governor for a contract boom across the 31 local government areas of the State

Since assuming office on May 29, 2023, Governor Eno’s administration has been focused on implementing the ARISE Agenda which envisions a vibrant, inclusive, diversified, and highly industrialized economy with lifelong opportunities for the improvement of social welfare conditions and broadly-shared prosperity.

Some skilled labourers in Uyo who spoke with journalists yesterday, praised Governor Eno’s administration for its commitment to infrastructural development which has led to a surge in projects across the state.

Narrating the dividends of the Governor’s infrastructural revolution in the state, Aniefiok Udoh, a skilled carpenter working at the site of the ongoing Ewet luxury estate in Uyo, said:

“Governor Eno’s administration has been a blessing to us. Before now, we used to stand at the labour market along four lanes without jobs, but since Governor Eno assumed office, we now move from one site to the other. We have never had it so good. The numerous construction projects have provided us with good paying jobs and steady income”.

Also speaking, Enobong Johnson, a skilled mason recounted his gains: “private contractors used to pay us between three and four thousand naira per day, but since we started working with Government contractors, we smile home with at least eight thousand naira every day. May God bless our dear Governor.”

Meanwhile, facts-finding tours to some construction sites within Uyo metropolis revealed that over 500 skilled labourers are currently engaged by Western Legacy, contractors handling the Ewet luxury garden while over 600 workers often spotted at the different departments of the ongoing Arise park handled by Buletin construction Nigeria Limited.

Similarly, over 1,000 skilled labourers were also spotted at the sites of the ongoing dualization project of Uyo village road, dualization of the new Ring road from Idoro road to Ibiono Ibom and at the Elderly Citizens center handled by Amitec Construction Limited, Hensek Integrated services and U & K Nigeria limited, respectively.

On the flip side of this development, the contract boom has also had an unintended consequence on non-government contractors who are now struggling to find skilled labourers.

Skill Labourers Praise Governor Eno

“Many of our skilled labourers have been lured away by government contracts.” Said Mr Ekpo, the MD of build box Nigeria, a private contractor.

“Government contractors seem to pay skilled labourers higher hence, we are finding it difficult to complete our projects on time, because of the shortage of skilled workers,” he added.

Without equivocation, there is no local government area in Akwa Ibom State today, that does not have at least one major road construction ongoing in addition to either a model primary school or a primary health center.

From the Arise Compassionate homes targeted at each of the 368 wards of the state, to other strategic housing development and aviation hub expansion, Akwa Ibom State can best be described as a construction site with Akwa Ibomites gainfully engaged as core professionals, skilled workers and suppliers of one building material or the other.

The contract boom in Akwa Ibom is a testament to Governor Eno’s commitment to infrastructural development and job creation.

As the state continues to experience growth and development, skilled labourers remain appreciative of the opportunities provided by Governor Eno’s administration, with several other projects still lined up for flag-off in view.

Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso Foreign Ministers To Visit Russia, Efforts To Strengthen Ties

Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso foreign ministers to visit Russia, efforts to strengthen ties. The foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Niger Republic will visit Moscow this week as part of efforts to strengthen ties with Russia.

A statement issued on Tuesday said the ministers would arrive in Moscow on April 3 and meet Sergei Lavrov, their Russian counterpart. The statement noted that the visit is at Lavrov’s behest.

The ministers are undertaking the visit under the aegis of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a breakaway bloc from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), formed in retaliation to the sanctions imposed by the regional body to reinforce democracy in the junta-led nations.

Last week, the AES imposed a 0.5 percent import levy on ECOWAS nations, disrupting free trade within the region and heightening tensions with the bloc.

The new group has also shunned traditional Western allies like France and the United States and turned towards Russia for military support.

“The Moscow meeting represents an important step in establishing strategic, pragmatic, dynamic, and supportive co-operation and partnership relations in areas of common interest between the AES and Russia,” the statement said.

The statement referred to this week’s visit as the first session of “AES-Russia consultations”.

Foreign Ministers To Visit Russia

Russia has been accused of playing a role in the overthrow of democracy in the French-speaking Sahelian countries through diplomatic backing and information operations.

The Moscow alleged role includes spreading anti-Western sentiment and promoting pro-Russian narratives through disinformation campaigns.

Earlier this year, Lavrov said Russia would establish additional embassies in Niger, Togo, Gambia, and Liberia by 2026.