News

FEC approves N9.6bn refund to Plateau, Borno states for federal road project

Published

3 years ago

February 2, 2023

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The Federal Executive Council (FEC) of Nigeria on Wednesday, approved the refund of N6,601,769,470. 99 billion to Plateau and Borno states as funds expended on federal roads, which fell within the period before the federal government put a stop to such interventions.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Fashola said the ministry presented two policy memoranda for the government to provide refunds to state governments for previous interventions on federal government roads, subject to the July 26, 2016 cutoff, after which reforms would no longer be eligible.

He said that the two states which had outstanding with respect to eligible roads were Plateau and Borno states and Council approved the refund of N6,601,769,470. 99 billion for Plateau State, and the sum of N3,084,787,113. 34 billion for Borno State, bringing the total approval to N9,686,556,583 billion.

The second memorandum, according to the minister, was seeking to inform Council about the commencement of a procurement process for a Central Clearing House for the operations of toll plaza concessionaires.

Fashola recalled that previous administrations had canceled the operation of toll plazas on grounds of lack of transparency, amongst other reasons, adding that the present administration has resorted to the restoration of tolling.

He said, “We presented two policy memoranda. The first was with regard to the policy of the government to provide refunds in any form to state governments for previous interventions on federal government roads, subject to the July 26, 2016 cutoff, after which reforms would no longer be eligible.

“So the two states who had outstanding with respect to eligible roads were Plateau and Borno states and Council approved the refund of N6,601,769,470. 99, in favor of Plateau State, and the sum of N3,084,787,113. 34 for Borno State”, he disclosed.

He further disclosed that his ministry sought and got the approval from Council to hire the services of a private sector operator, who would work with the federal government to build a central clearing house for the operations of toll plaza concessionaires, at his own expense, operate it, recover and then ultimately transfer back to the government.

“Two weeks ago, we also approved the full business case for the concession of nine federal roads, which will include the concessionaire’s completion of those roads and also tolling operations, ambulance services, vehicle recovery services, and so on.

“Now, this process we sought and obtained approval to start is to get a private sector operator to work with us to build a central clearing house at his own expense, operate it, recover, and then ultimately transfer back to the government.

“What a central clearing house will do is that it would synchronize interoperability between different toll systems that will be used by different concessionaires when they commence their tolls and also provide a one-stop accounting system and a single payment recovery system where everybody is paid at the end of the operations and also provide visibility for government to see what is going on in the operations of each concessionaire”, he explained

Also speaking at the briefing, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, said Council approved an N1,803,556,537 contract for the construction of a package sewage system for the authority’s head office within the Liberty Free Zone in Akwa Ibom State.

He said, “My ministry brought a memo on behalf of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, which is a parastatal under our ministry, as part of its responsibility of regulating and attracting foreign direct investments into the country is supervising certain oil and gas free zones in the country and one of which is the Liberty Free Zone in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State.

“To this end, they sought Council’s approval for the award of contract for the construction of a package sewage system for the authorities head office within the Liberty Free Zone in Akwa Ibom State, in the sum of N1,803,556,537.95, inclusive of 7.5% VAT, with the completion period of 10 months, without variation and Counsel graciously approved the award of the contract”, he said.

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, disclosed that Council approved a total sum of N4,078,903,692 for three contracts in the Osun State University, Osogbo; the Federal University, Lokoja, and National Commission for Nomadic Education.

The Minister also disclosed that Council approved the memorandum that sought the takeover of the David Umahi University of Medical Sciences, Ebonyi, by the federal government, as well as the change of the name of the institution from David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences.

“We presented four memos, three of them were contracts. The first is for the construction of the Senate Building in Osun State University, in Osogbo. This is at a cost of N2,134,686,307.88, with a completion period of 76 weeks and the contractor is WAZLAF Engineering Limited.

“Second one is another Senate Building. This one is at the Federal University, Lokoja and it is at the cost of N1,607,471,754.77, with a completion period of 50 weeks the contractor for the project is Amber Bliss Nigeria Limited.

“The third one is a contract for the erection of a radio antenna for the National Commission for Nomadic Education. It is a 50 kilowatt AM radio and the contractor is ECALPEMOS Technologies Limited and the contract sum is N336,745,631.70. The completion period is 14 weeks.

“The last one is a memo for the takeover of David Umahi University of Medical Sciences, Ebonyi, by the federal government. What we brought in the memo is for Council to ratify the agreement that has been entered between the Ebonyi State government and the federal government and then to approve the renaming of the university from David Umahi University of Medical Sciences to David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences and to approve a draft bill, which has been written, and then to approve the transmittal of this bill to the National Assembly for enactment into an Act”, he said.

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INEC Chairman Amupitan Under Fire as Old Tweets Reveal Him Supporting Tinubu, APC

Published

24 minutes ago

April 11, 2026

Preport

Tinubu To INEC Chairman Amupitan Serve With Integrity And Beyond Reproach .jpg

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, is facing growing criticism following the resurfacing of old social media posts that suggest clear political leanings toward President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The issue was brought to light in a detailed commentary by Nigerian-American professor, Farooq Kperogi.

In his write-up, he pointed to “SEVERAL verifiable past tweets by INEC chairman Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan from his time as a professor at the University of Jos unmistakably reveal partisan sympathies for the APC and, more specifically, for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

He added that if Amupitan values the integrity of the institution he leads, “he should own up to them, acknowledge the moral burden they place on his office, and resign.”

Before now, questions about Amupitan’s neutrality had circulated quietly in political circles. However, the matter gained more attention after his alleged involvement in the internal crisis of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Critics say his actions at the time appeared to align with efforts to weaken opposition forces ahead of future elections.

The controversy deepened on Friday when more evidence surfaced. Records showed that in 2023, prior to his appointment as INEC chairman, an X (formerly Twitter) account bearing Amupitan’s name engaged in political conversations that openly supported the APC.

One of such posts dates back to March 18, 2023. On that day, the APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, celebrated flipping his “nearby,” “Igbo-dominated” polling unit in favour of the APC. In response, Amupitan wrote: “Victory is sure.”

The response has drawn strong reactions. People say the statement was not just a casual remark but a clear endorsement of a partisan claim. The reference to an “Igbo-dominated” area has also raised concerns about ethnic undertones in political messaging during that period.

A day earlier, on March 17, 2023, another exchange added to the controversy. A social media user alleged that supporters of Labour Party candidate Peter Obi circulated a misleading image to discredit Lagos lawmaker Desmond Elliot. Reacting to the claim, Amupitan wrote: “They are evil in the 24th [sic] century.”

Another post on April 25, 2023, further fueled the debate. A pro-Tinubu account celebrated the reception the president received at the Abuja airport. Amupitan responded with a single word: “Asiwaju.”

Though brief, the word has significant political meaning. It is widely used by supporters of Tinubu as a symbol of loyalty and admiration. For critics, the use of that term in a public exchange suggests participation in partisan discourse rather than neutral observation.

Following the resurfacing of these posts, the account linked to Amupitan reportedly underwent several changes. Its handle was altered, later rebranded as a “parody” account, and eventually made private. Despite these changes, digital records have continued to link the posts to the original identity.

This sequence of events has raised further questions about transparency. Observers note that the timing of the changes appears to coincide with increased scrutiny, leading to suspicions that efforts were made to limit public access to past activities.

Interestingly, Farooq Kperogi admitted that he had previously defended Amupitan. In an earlier column, he described him as “an accomplished professor of law and a revered Senior Advocate of Nigeria who has no known record of partisan political affiliations.” However, he now says new evidence has changed that assessment.

The core issue, according to analysts, is not whether Amupitan held political views before his appointment. Rather, it is the nature and visibility of those views, and how they affect public confidence in INEC as an impartial body.

Electoral credibility in Nigeria has often been a subject of national concern. Experts warn that even the perception of bias at the top of the electoral commission can weaken trust in the entire process. For many Nigerians, neutrality is not just expected but essential.

So far, Amupitan has not personally addressed the allegations in detail. However, INEC’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, issued a statement claiming that the social media account in question is “fake.”

Business

Healthcare Expert Warns Nigerians Against Hidden Dangers of Food-Drug Interactions

Published

1 hour ago

April 11, 2026

Preport

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Healthcare expert and licensed pharmacist, Dr. Remi Olukoya, has warned Nigerians about the often-overlooked dangers of food-drug interactions, cautioning that commonly consumed foods and traditional staples may interfere with prescribed medications and compromise treatment outcomes.

Speaking during a health session, she stressed the need for greater public awareness, noting that many patients are unaware that their daily diet can affect how medicines are absorbed, metabolized, or how effectively they work in the body.

Dr. Remi Olukoya, who also is the founder of PharmaPlan Systems revealed that 50% of patients cannot identify a single food-drug interaction affecting their own prescriptions.

She emphasized the need for greater public awareness about how everyday foods can influence the effectiveness and safety of medications, cautioning that neglecting this link could compromise treatment outcomes.

The renowned healthcare expert highlighted the often-overlooked connection between diet and medication performance, with a particular focus on African and diaspora communities. While stressing the importance of adhering to prescribed treatments, she pointed out that dietary habits play a crucial role in drug efficacy.

She underscored the fact that culturally specific diets and traditional foods should not be overlooked when prescribing or taking medications, as they can affect how drugs are absorbed or metabolized in the body.

Drawing from her book, Pharma Plan Systems, which she described as an accessible guide to food-drug interactions free of complex medical jargon, she gave examples of commonly consumed foods that can interfere with medications.

She mentioned grapefruit’s impact on some cholesterol-lowering drugs, and pointed out that bitter leaf, a popular item consumed in many African households, has the potential to affect blood sugar levels and interact with diabetes treatments.

To address these issues, Dr. Olukoya said she has introduced the Medi Meal Safe app, a digital tool designed to guide users on safe food choices while on medication, offering customized meal plans for conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

The app also alerts users to foods they should avoid or consume cautiously based on their prescriptions.

“The goal is to prevent adverse reactions and improve treatment outcomes by helping people make informed dietary choices,” Dr. Olukoya explained during the session.

During the session, participants expressed concerns about food sensitivities and the complexities surrounding traditional diets—particularly the dual effects of bitter leaf on nutrition and blood sugar regulation. In response, Dr. Olukoya advised that people should carefully consider their health conditions and medications before regularly consuming such foods.

She concluded by stressing that understanding the interaction between nutrition and medication is essential for safer and more effective healthcare, urging both patients and healthcare providers to pay closer attention to dietary habits alongside prescribed treatments.

The post Healthcare Expert Warns Nigerians Against Hidden Dangers of Food-Drug Interactions appeared first on Business Today NG.