News
Over 420 Federal Roads Now Completed or in Development, Says FG
The Federal Government has revealed that more than 420 federal roads, bridges, and other infrastructure projects have been either completed or are at advanced stages of completion under President Bola Tinubu’s administration within the first two years in office.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Barinada Mpigi, made this known in a goodwill message delivered by his representative, Ashley Emenike, at the opening ceremony of the 33rd Engineering Assembly organised by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.
Themed “Advancing Quality Engineering Services and Businesses in Nigeria: Professionalism, Compliance and Remunerations”, the annual event drew professionals from across the country to deliberate on engineering ethics, infrastructure standards, and national development.
Mpigi hailed engineers as indispensable drivers of Nigeria’s development, noting that their work forms the backbone of the country’s economic growth, infrastructure expansion, and industrial advancement. It was also declared that Nigerian engineers are not merely technical experts, but strategic nation builders who deserve a central role in policy making.
Speaking in his address, the senator said, “As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, I must reaffirm that engineering remains a cornerstone of national development,” he said. “Based on implementation reports and oversight missions by my committee, we estimate that over 420 federal roads, bridges, and projects have either been completed or advanced significantly within this administration.”
He specifically praised President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”, describing it as a catalyst for ongoing reforms and infrastructural ambition across the country. “From the visionary Lagos-Calabar coastal highway to investments in road, housing, energy, and bridges nationwide, Mr President has demonstrated unwavering commitment to making Nigeria work,” he said.
However, the senator raised concern over the rise in engineering-related failures, including collapsed buildings and deteriorating road infrastructure, attributing many of the incidents to poor compliance with professional standards.
“We must also squarely confront the growing concern over engineering failures. This persistent failure of infrastructure is a national alarm bell,” Mpigi warned. “It reflects lapses in compliance, poor supervision and, in some cases, outright quackery, a demonstration of a breakdown in the regulatory environment. It is unacceptable that in the 21st century, buildings are still collapsing under rain and bridges are caving in under minimal pressure.”
He stressed that such failures not only cost lives and public funds but also tarnish the image of the engineering profession. To address the situation, the lawmaker pledged the committee’s full support to COREN in strengthening enforcement and compliance measures across the country.
“I commit today that the Senate Committee on Works stands ready to partner with COREN and other allied professional bodies to confront these problems head-on,” he said. “We will assist in strengthening legislative frameworks that will enforce mandatory compliance in engineering standards, advocate full implementation of Nigerian building codes across all states, and support public enlightenment.”
Mpigi also commended COREN for linking participation in the engineering assembly to licence renewal, describing the initiative as a necessary step in ensuring professional accountability and public safety.
“This not only ensures that our practitioners are up-to-date, but it also preserves the integrity of the profession and protects the Nigerian public from the dangers of incompetence,” he added.
He concluded by calling for stronger collaboration among regulators, legislators, private sector players, and professional bodies to ensure durable infrastructure and uphold engineering excellence.
Participants at the summit further called on the government at all levels to integrate engineers into national development planning, warning that the future of Nigeria depends on the synergy between engineering expertise and enlightened public policy.
In his address, the former Minister of Power and Chairman of Geometric Power Group, Barth Nnaji, urged the government to establish dedicated innovation funds and technology parks to foster the development of homegrown engineering solutions to Nigeria’s unique challenges.
Nnaji said the country’s long-term progress depends on integrating indigenous talent, sound policy, and a commitment to innovation. “The government should establish dedicated funds and build technology parks where engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs can collaborate. These hubs will drive homegrown solutions tailored to our unique environment,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria’s engineering professionals are already well-positioned to design solutions in areas like off-grid solar energy, smart irrigation, climate-resilient housing, and other context-sensitive infrastructure.
“We like to say lawyers are the learned, but we are the builders, the creators of society. Engineers lay the foundation of every economy. From roads, bridges and dams to energy systems, digital networks, and healthcare access, our work enables nations to grow and prosper,” he said.
Citing the example of China, noting that the country’s extraordinary development over the past few decades was no accident, but the result of engineers holding key leadership positions.
“The last three leaders of China were engineers. The overwhelming majority of people in public office in China have engineering backgrounds. That’s not fortuitous, it is deliberate, and the results speak for themselves,” he said.
Nnaji urged Nigerian engineers to become more than just technical operatives, but strategic thinkers, policy advocates and innovators who understand global trends and can localize solutions for the country’s unique challenges.
In his opening remarks, COREN Registrar, Okorie Uche, called for a renewed commitment to professionalism and quality service delivery, describing the assembly as a platform to challenge assumptions, confront under-regulation, and push for systemic change.
COREN, he said, remains committed to addressing quackery, non-compliance, and poor service delivery, while advocating for policy reforms and better compensation frameworks for engineers across the country.
The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Margaret Oguntala, echoed the call for reforms, noting that quality education and fair remuneration are crucial to restoring professionalism.
She assured COREN of NSE’s continued collaboration in championing engineering integrity and excellence.
News
Corruption: EFCC Boss Exposes Public Officers ” They Assume Office With Empty Account But Own Millions Of Dollars In 3 Years”
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, says Nigerian politicians steal public funds every minute.
He spoke in Abuja at the 80th birthday celebration of former Attorney-General, Kanu Agabi.
Olukoyede said the anti-graft agency receives over 20,000 corruption petitions every year, adding that most of the cases are shocking.
“I receive over 20,000 petitions in a year in respect to public corruption, all terrible. What is going on? Like every minute, public officers take money, and if you go through some of our case files you will weep.
“The way people take national resources and Nigerians are victims of these fraudulent activities. And we must come together for once in our lifetime and say no to the activities of some of our leaders,” Olukoyede said.
The EFCC boss said some public officers resume office with less than N100,000 in their account, but after three years, EFCC will trace millions of dollars to them.
He said some of them build hundreds of houses while still in office, noting that corruption is killing Nigeria.
Olukoyede said public officers must explain what they did in office, stressing that accountability and transparency must guide public service.
The Ogun State Police Command says, it has arrested 43-year-old Edebiri Temitope, who allegedly beat his neighbour to death with a bamboo stick for hugging his son in Bluestone Treasure Estate, Mowe-Ofada area of Ogun State.
The deceased, 38 years old Micheal Oje, a Guidance and Counselling graduate of Benue State University, was accused of hugging and playing rough with the 3-year-old child .
According to Peter Adum, a younger cousin to the deceased, Micheal had just returned from work and the child who lived with them on the same street, ran towards him and hugged him.
He stated that Michael hugged the boy and threw him playfully in the air and caught him, before going into his room to sleep.
Adum said, “While he was sleeping, Adebiri, the father of the boy, came outside and knocked on his door. When Mike came out, the man accused him of playing roughly with his child. Mike explained that he had only hugged the boy and lifted him into the air.
“That was how the man then started slapping Mike. He picked up a bamboo stick from the ground and hit him about three times. Mike fell and died on the spot.”
The suspect was reported to have gone into hiding with his family.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi on Friday, said the suspect had been arrested and transferred to the State CID, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
“Edebiri Temitope, ‘M’, aged 43 years, who was earlier reported to be at large, has been arrested in connection with the death of Oje Michael Eje, ‘M’.
“The suspect has been transferred to the State CID, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation,” Babaseyi stated.
Jimoh Ibrahim, Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s absence at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Ibrahim spoke on a Television program, on Thursday, noting that Tinubu cannot attend the event just to deliver a 15-minute speech.
Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, had said Tinubu would not attend the 81st UNGA because he is currently on annual leave.
Idris said Tinubu had mandated Vice-President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the high-level session in New York, United States.
The minister’s comment followed criticism from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who faulted the president’s absence at the gathering.
Atiku had questioned Tinubu’s decision to stay away from the general debate for the third consecutive year, saying the president’s “persistent avoidance” of the United States raises questions.
The former vice-president also questioned why Tinubu did not show up after Ibrahim reportedly said arrangements had been made for the president to sit close to US President Donald Trump at the general assembly.
Atiku further linked Tinubu’s absence to his past legal history in the US and asked: “Is Tinubu afraid that he could become Donald Trump’s next Nicolás Maduro?”
However, Ibrahim said Tinubu’s absence should not be taken as a big deal because many presidents of other countries did not attend the gathering in person.
“What do you think President Tinubu is coming to do?” he queried.
“The presidents are allowed in the UN under UNGA for 15 minutes. Is that the reason why he should board the flight and be here for 15 minutes?”
He said Shettima had, in Tinubu’s absence, attended high-level meetings and met with Nigerians in the diaspora, describing the engagement as ideal.
“This is the kind of engagement we want, not that the president will just be inside the plane and be coming to UNGA for a 15-minute speech. What is the meaning of that? We don’t want that,” Ibrahim said.
Ibrahim, who was appointed chairman of the budget and administration committee for UNGA’s Fifth Committee in June, said 60 percent of those on the speaking list at the gathering were foreign affairs ministers and vice-presidents.
“As permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, if I’m to do a memo to the president at the last minute of boarding the plane to go to UNGA, do you think I will recommend the president to be on his way when 60 percent of the speaking list of 193 countries are ministers and vice-presidents representing their countries?” he queried.
“There are exigencies. If the speaking list is 90 presidents, maybe of course, the president can come. I don’t think the president should come and be where his equivalent is a minister of foreign affairs of another country.”
The envoy also said the country occupied a prominent position at UNGA, arguing that Tinubu’s physical presence was not necessary.
“I promise that Nigeria will be on the front-row seat at UNGA. Are we not on the front-row seat? Nigeria is sitting at number eight seat in the UN under UNGA and America is at number 26th seat at the back of Nigeria’s seat,” he said.
“And you know, Donald Trump didn’t go to sit on his own seat. He came in to give a lecture at the UNGA and went back from there.
“Are you saying that Nigeria is making the impact it is supposed to make globally? Must we have President Tinubu here before we can make the impact?”
Speaking on what the composition of the speaking list implied, Ibrahim said reforms were being planned to increase the impact of the organisation on member-states.
“That is the reform we are taking on effective from October 1st. When I chair the budget and administrative committee, 90 percent of UN resources is spent at the headquarters, while 10 percent goes to member-states,” he said.
“So legitimacy is reduced because member-states are not seeing impacts of the United Nations. We are going to reverse that.”
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