News

Our Project Remains Valid & Cannot Be Re-Awarded – Bleneson Service replies Plateau Govt.

Published

4 years ago

November 4, 2022

vicky

The controversy around the Lalong Legacy Project has generated more reactions between the contractor, Beleneson Services Nig Ltd and the Plateau State Government. The latest is coming from the Managing director of Bleneson Nigerian Limited, Engr Lawson Ngoa, who has stated that he has raised valid issues of which the Plateau State Government has not come out to deny any.

Contractors of the Lalong Legacy Project, Bleneson Services Nig Ltd, have called the alleged accusation of misleading the state and the proposed takeover of the Lalong Legacy Project site by the Plateau State Government an act of intimidation and a show of state might. Emphasizing that a 70% completed project can’t be terminated on the grounds of non-performance.

According to the Managing Director services of Bleneson Services Nig LTD, Engr Lawson Ngoa the State Government is being minimal with the truth by withholding valuable information and painting their request for an Order of Injunction from the court as an afterthought, giving misleading fabrications to the people of the State.

The Statement Reads:

OUR PROJECT REMAINS VALID AND CANNOT BE RE-AWARDED: BLENESON SERVICES NIG LTD (CONTRACTOR FOR LALONG LEGACY PROJECT)

The State Government said the facts alleged by me are misleading, which of those facts are misleading? Is it that it’s executive council did not sit in order to attempt to re-award the said contract? Or that there is no pending litigation on the subject matter (the off shoot of which even the subcontractors have instituted a suit because they have been instigated to think that the company has been paid, when the government that has refused to pay the company)? or is it that the governor has never confirmed by himself by stating that ‘70%-80% of the job has been completed’? or is it that with the actions of the govt there won’t be more litigation? Or can the State Government show any genuine prove that it has paid money on the project to an account, either personal or the company’s for this project?

The State Government is being minimal with the truth by withholding valuable information and giving misleading fabrications to the people of the State. The appointment of an independent valuer is not part of the agreement entered into by parties. Even the several valuations carried out by the Project Monitoring Committee (PMC) jointly instituted by the parties were not honoured by the state government. How could I have known that the State Government wanted to or had appointed an independent valuer when I was not informed about their intention to do so? Did the State Government embark on this valuation through its purported independent valuers so it can pay the company its outstanding? Well, if that was the intent of the State Government for unilaterally appointing the valuers, they did not send invitation to the company for any reconciliation of accounts and neither have they paid me or the company anything, regardless of it said completed valuation.

It is obvious that the State Government wants to disregard the rule of law on a subject matter that is before the court, we call on the Federal Government, the Judiciary and every well-meaning Nigerian to see how the Plateau State Government is muddling up and destroying the livelihood of the contractor and subcontractors, who are now heavily indebted as a result of the government’s refusal to offset it’s accrued debts on this project for the past one year. This only empathically shows that the State Government terminated the contract using state might.

As to the allegation that we moved out of the state and all that was purported by the government, we have facts to contravene this distortion, because our offices in the State are still in existence and our staff are always around, particularly the office in the State Capital Jos, so how could we have been said to move out. Of course, as a result of the looting from us during and after the covid-19, and to prevent our machinery from wear and tear that would have occasioned as a result of the hostility of the government towards our staff by refusing them access to the sites, we had to remove valuable equipment to safe locations, with the anticipation that we will resume work as soon as issues are resolved or the court grants our reliefs.

The people of Plateau State should know that due to the State Government’s refusal to pay us, we had sought all means of amicable resolution, but to our dismay the State Government dragged us to the Tax Appeal Tribunal before this termination letter that was sent to us. I was in Jos for several days reaching out to have a roundtable discussion with the Governor and relevant stakeholders to the project so issues can be ironed out amicably, and yet the Government said I kept mute and didn’t approach them!

Seeing the body language, and because of the urgency of the situation as this had become an emergency, we immediately followed suit by doing all that is required by law and filed a case to that effect before the State High Court to restrain them amongst other things before the expiration of the 30days notice. This are facts verifiable in the public domain. So, how can our going to the court to seek redress be an afterthought? There was no such thing as consent by conduct on our part as we didn’t sleep on our rights, so this is not a situation of laches and acquiescence.

I will not dabble into that as a matter of respect to the court, we have strong faith in the judiciary, and we believe that justice shall be done. However, the issue of damages that the State Government is hammering on, in the case of this Lalong Legacy Project damages has not yet arisen. The issue of damages can only come up if and when the contract has been rightly terminated. This is what we are contending, that the termination is invalid, as we have not bridged any terms of the contract, neither have we refused to continue with the project nor has any of our act or omission brought the lifespan of the contract to an end, simple.

Seeking redress is a post contract issue which does not apply in the instant case. May be if the courts adjudge the contract as terminated, then we can talk of a redress for damages.

I urge the subcontractors to resist all attempts to be instigated further by the State machinery against the contractor. They should be the reassured of the contractor’s commitment in defending the Project as they ensure that nothing happens to the respective work the contractor allocated to them.

Thank you.

Engr Lawson Ngoa

Managing Director, Bleneson Services Nigeria Ltd

3^rd November, 2022

News

Association Trains Farmers, Others On Carbon Finance

Published

7 minutes ago

June 19, 2026

Preport

By Olukayode Babalola

The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has trained farmers, researchers, policymakers and extension personnel on carbon finance to position them for opportunities in the emerging carbon economy.

The two-day capacity building workshop, funded by the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), began on Thursday in Keffi, Nasarawa State, with participants drawn from Nasarawa, Benue, Cross River and Kano states.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised by SAA under the GIZ-funded Strengthening Institutional Frameworks for Transformative Agricultural Systems in Nigeria (SIFTAS) project.

The initiative is designed to build awareness and technical capacity on carbon credits, carbon markets and agroforestry-based climate solutions, while promoting regenerative and climate-resilient agricultural practices across the country.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr Bidemi Ajibola, SIFTAS Project Manager, said that the initiative was aimed at exposing stakeholders to emerging opportunities in carbon finance and preparing them to participate in the growing carbon market ecosystem.

Ajibola said the workshop, with the theme, “Carbon Credits, Carbon Markets and Opportunities in Agroforestry Systems,” focused on carbon finance opportunities in cassava, potato and rice agroforestry systems.

“Nigeria is making significant progress towards establishing a national carbon market framework, creating new opportunities to attract investments into climate-smart agriculture and agroforestry.

“As part of the SIFTAS project, where we are promoting crop-specific agroforestry systems, we considered it important to expose our stakeholders and champions to opportunities available in carbon markets and carbon credit development,” he said.

He explained that similar workshops had earlier been held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on June 3 and 4, focusing on cassava agroforestry, and in Jos, Plateau State, on June 10 and 11, with emphasis on potato agroforestry, while the Keffi workshop centred on rice agroforestry systems.

Also speaking, Ms Rose Ritter, Technical Advisor with Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Policies project (AgSys), said Germany remained committed to supporting Nigeria and other countries in tackling climate change through emissions reduction and adaptation measures.

She disclosed that Germany provided 11.8 billion euros in international climate finance in 2024, with a significant proportion invested in agriculture and land use because of the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change.

Ritter added that through the ClimA Project, GIZ was supporting the Federal Government in establishing a national agricultural carbon registry to register, monitor and verify carbon projects across the country.

In his remarks, Mr Tanko Tunga, the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Agriculture, described the workshop as timely, considering the devastating effects of climate change on smallholder farmers, who account for about 80 per cent of Nigeria’s food production.

He said that the state government had taken deliberate steps to transform the agricultural sector under the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy (NEDS).

Tunga reaffirmed the state’s readiness to partner organisations working to address the effects of climate change and commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the National Carbon Market Framework.

According to him, the framework will support Nigeria’s climate commitments while stimulating sustainable economic growth and green investment opportunities.

Also, Prof. Ibrahim Haruna of the Department of Agronomy, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, described agroforestry as one of the most effective strategies for addressing the impact of climate change on agriculture.

“The only way to survive is to cope with climate change, and one of the most viable solutions is agroforestry. I commend GIZ and Sasakawa for sponsoring this initiative,” he said.

NAN reports that the workshop featured technical presentations, policy dialogues, interactive learning sessions and practical exercises on agroforestry systems.

Other areas of focus are carbon sequestration pathways, carbon financing mechanisms, carbon credit generation and the development of bankable agroforestry carbon projects.

Stakeholders also provided technical inputs to strengthen the carbon markets and carbon credits component of the SIFTAS agroforestry training curriculum. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Isaac Ukpoju

News

God will keep Tinubu in power until 2031 – Umahi

Published

1 hour ago

June 19, 2026

Preport

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has expressed optimism that God will continue to guide President Bola Tinubu in leading Nigeria until 2031 to further the country’s development.

Umahi stated this on Thursday during an inspection tour of ongoing bridge projects in Lagos State, including the Carter Bridge, which is scheduled for reconstruction beginning next week.

According to the minister, Tinubu’s administration would continue to receive divine support in addressing the nation’s challenges, particularly insecurity.

“The same God that brought him is going to be there to solve all the problems,” Umahi said while appealing to Nigerians to support and cooperate with the current administration in its efforts to tackle security concerns across the country.

He noted that no leader desires instability during their tenure, but added that any responsible government must confront challenges directly whenever they arise.

“There is no leader who will not want his reign to be peaceful, but when crises come, the leader must confront them. That is exactly what we are doing,” he said.

Umahi further stated that regardless of whether the country’s security challenges were politically motivated or not, he believed Tinubu would receive the wisdom and strength required to overcome them and address other national issues.

The minister also expressed confidence that the present administration would complete all projects initiated under its watch.

“Your hands that have started this will complete it,” Umahi stated, adding that the government remained confident that Tinubu’s leadership continued to enjoy divine favour.

Speaking on the Carter Bridge project, the minister disclosed that the reconstruction of the bridge is expected to be completed within three years.

“It is within our five-year plan,” he added.