News From Nigeria
Business mogul, Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, on Monday described former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori as a colossus, true patriot and political go-getter.
In a congratulatory message to Ibori on the occasion of his 63rd birthday, Uduaghan praised the former governor for his enormous contributions and achievements.
‘’Chief James Onanefe Ibori faithfully and diligently served the good people of Delta State, cast aside all forms of tribalism and delivered the dividends of democracy to them’’.
Uduaghan who is also the Alema of Warri Kingdom and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Webster Group of Companies hailed Ibori for touching the lives of many Nigerians, shaping the future of his people, encouraging broad participation in governance and lifting Delta State to unprecedented relevance.
He commended the ex-governor for implementing the bottom-top philosophy, institutionalizing due process and sustaining peace in Delta State through the gospel of peaceful co-existence, good neighbourliness and unity amongst all’’
‘’Chief James Ibori carried traditional rulers along in sustaining peace, through periodic meetings. He created an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive. He brought development and transformation to the geo-political entity called Delta State through Operation 2000 Projects’’ Uduaghan said.
The Warri High Chief applauded Ibori for excelling in development issues and relationship with his deputy, paying bursary allowances to students of tertiary institutions, curbing unemployment, youth restiveness and ethnic crisis in Delta State.
‘’Chief James Ibori promoted peace, harmony and development in the Niger Delta. He campaigned for the diversification of the nation’s economy, power shift, resource control and derivation as well as enthronement of equity and justice in a restructured Nigerian polity where true federalism reigns. He also campaigned for decentralization of policing and security responsibilities of government’’.
The Warri Chief emphasized other achievements of the former governor.
‘’Chief James Ibori built bridges of friendship and understanding among Nigerians. He demonstrated that leadership is not a function of tribe but a matter of vision, determination and mission. He also recorded successes in security, job creation, human resources capacity building, gender and youth empowerment, environmental sustainability and remediation, fiscal discipline and budgetary reforms’’.
Uduaghan also underscored Ibori’s role in the training of Deltans in local and foreign universities.
‘’Chief James Ibori did well in transportation, healthcare delivery, water supply, basic and higher education, rural electrification, sports, ICT, agriculture and housing. He provided better roads, built bridges, facilitated the training of Deltans in local and foreign universities and provided selfless service to mankind’’
The Alema of Warri extolled the former governor’s exemplary dedication to service and his leadership qualities.
‘’As a responsible governor, the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature was a model in terms of peaceful co-existence, separation of powers and checks and balances. The judiciary also enjoyed tremendous support and co-operation from the Executive. Indeed, Ibori exceeded the expectations of the founding fathers of Delta State through visionary, exemplary and transformational leadership’’.
Ending the message, Uduaghan said ‘’I wish you good health, long life and God’s continued protection’’.
Chief James Onanefe Ibori
Former Executive Governor
Delta State
I offer my sincere greetings and best wishes to His Excellency, Chief James Onanefe Ibori on the occasion of his 63rd birthday
Yours has been a life of doggedness, commitment and extraordinary accomplishments.
I commend your patriotic zeal in politics and your enormous contributions to the development of Nigeria
I commend you for bringing the goodness of government to the highly educated people of Delta State, putting smiles on the faces of people who came to you for succor and promoting democracy and true nationalism
I commend you for providing employment, modern and subsidized urban mass transit system, potable water, potent health care delivery and good roads as well as secured living in Delta State
I commend you for playing significant roles in the development of the Niger Delta region
I commend you for demonstrating exemplary leadership, serving as a source of strength and inspiration for many within and outside the South-South geo-political zone.
I wish you good health, long life, happiness and God’s protection
Once again, happy birthday to a selfless leader, ardent nationalist, profound humanist and astute politician
CHIEF EMMANUEL ORITSEJOLOMI UDUAGHAN
THE ALEMA OF WARRI AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)
WEBSTER GROUP OF COMPANIES
Chief James Onanefe Ibori
Former Executive Governor
Delta State
I rejoice with you on the joyous occasion of your 63rd birthday
I join my voice with millions to celebrate your sterling leadership qualities and roles in building a virile democracy as well as a politically healthy and economically strong Nigeria.
I recall your views on true federalism, good governance and resource control.
I recollect the roads, bridges, houses and many others you bequeathed to Delta State.
I can’t forget the payment of salaries, gratuities and pensions, improvement of the welfare of the state workforce, employment of thousands into the state civil service and your vision in pioneering overseas scholarship.
I am excited about your commitment to the service of the fatherland, promotion of amity among the good people of Delta State, grooming of successors, creation of stars and contribution to the good of the family.
You deserve to be celebrated and honoured for building a far better Delta State, working with first class professionals and intellectuals and demonstrating eloquently that there is nothing as good as a leader writing his name in gold in the heart of his people by keeping faith with them.
Once again, I congratulate you on your birthday and wish you God’s protection, good health and many more rewarding years ahead
CHIEF EMMANUEL ORITSEJOLOMI UDUAGHAN
ALEMA OF WARRI AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO), WEBSTER GROUP OF COMPANIES
South-West Nigeria is one of the most culturally and economically vibrant regions of the country. However, as important as each state within the region is, equally important is how connected they are. This connection allows the free flow of commerce and trade, and road networks play a big part in that.
In some cases, you can measure the level of development within a city or region by the extent of its road network. Great road networks boost economic growth by connecting companies to each other, connecting suppliers to off-takers and connecting businesses to their customers. They also facilitate the transportation of raw materials and finished products from one destination to the other. When properly developed, road networks reduce transportation costs by shortening the amount of time and money people spend in transit.
One of the major roads connecting the South-West region of Nigeria is the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway, considered the country’s busiest highway. It is also the major route to the northern, southern, and eastern parts of Nigeria. A considerable portion of it stretches from Lagos to Shagamu – measuring 43.6 kilometers long. That portion is currently under rehabilitation and reconstruction by Julius Berger.
As a significant part of Nigeria’s road network, a tremendous amount of traffic flows through the Lagos to Shagamu expressway every day, including heavy load-bearing traffic, which can create a lot of wear and tear on roads. Therefore, the work being done must account for such transportation volumes. Julius Berger has catered to this need by developing an enhanced asphalt design based on findings from its parameter studies. This asphalt-mix design makes the expressway more durable to heavy load-bearing traffic.
The most recent count on this highway puts traffic flow at 40,000 vehicles per day. During peak hours, more than 3,000 vehicles ply the road per hour. These figures have increased significantly in recent years, with the construction of new townships, residential developments, and industrial complexes. The Lagos-Shagamu Expressway is also home to the camp venues of religious organizations like the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM), and Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM), among many others.
Julius Berger has developed and implemented a Traffic Management Plan (TMP) to ease the flow of traffic. This includes setting up a 24-hour emergency response system and cutting down response time by establishing lines of communication between various emergency response and traffic management agencies. It also includes maintaining traffic diversions where necessary and clearing traffic accidents at different locations with speed.
The project’s scope, which currently provides close to 600 construction jobs, includes expanding the highway to three lanes on both sides of the road, maintaining and constructing ten pedestrian bridges and three new flyovers, constructing a new drainage system, and upgrading four underpasses. It is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2022.
Back in 2006, Sir Rod Eddington did a comprehensive report on the impact of transport infrastructure on the economy for the UK government. We can apply some of its learnings to our local context. This report concluded that a country’s transport system could be a catalyst for continued productivity and competitiveness. It also said that a five per cent decrease in business travel time on the UK’s roads could lead to a £2.5 billion reduction in wasted business costs. Applying this to a local context, we can safely conclude that investing in road infrastructure with the simple aim of reducing the amount of time that people spend in transit will improve Nigeria’s overall productivity.
Julius Berger has been in the business of connecting Nigeria for over 50 years, especially within the South-West region. Its first major project in Nigeria was in 1965 when it was awarded the contract for constructing the “Second Mainland Bridge”, now known as Eko Bridge. The company also delivered the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, a 1.36 km cable-stayed bridge, in 2013 as well as the ring road system around the city center on Lagos Island in 1975, among other iconic projects. The company is also responsible for building several roads and infrastructural projects around the country, contributing massively to Nigeria’s economic prosperity and ensuring the continuous movement of people, resources, and ideas.
Ibori Chief Uduaghan