Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has commissioned its ultra-modern and smart Corporate Head Office ( Complex in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The Head Office was commissioned by the Executive Governor of Rivers State,  Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (CON), at NLNG’s Amadi Ama location. As part of the commissioning, the governor was led on a tour immediately after the ribbon-cutting by the Chairman of  NLNG’s Board of Directors, Dr Edmund M. Daukoru, together with the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Tony Attah; Deputy Managing Director, Engr. Sadeeq Mai-Bornu, and other members of the Company’s Senior Management Team.

The Head Office is a four-story complex with cluster buildings occupying 76,000 square metres of land and equipped with one Board room, 121 office spaces, 51 meeting and huddle rooms, smart and ergonomic workstations, a library, a press centre and a creche. Other features of the office include a transit lounge for the Company’s jetty, a warehouse, a dedicated fire station, a gym, two banking halls, an ATM gallery, ample green area.

The governor had in 2015 flagged the construction of the building off at its ground-breaking ceremony.

At the commissioning, Governor Wike commended the NLNG management for taking a bold step towards strengthening its relationship with the people of Rivers State.

 He stated that NLNG’s presence in Port Harcourt City spoke volumes of the  company’s respect for Rivers State people.

He added that the decision by the company to construct its head office in the state showed that Rivers State is safe for business.

“I am here because NLNG has show a lot of commitment and support for the host communities and the state. The company has done well and has set an example for other companies to emulate. I am happy with what the company has done for the host communities during the construction of the building. That is what is expected. It has a very good relationship with its hosts in Bonny and in other parts of the state and I believe it will continue to enjoy a hitch-free business in the state,” Governor Wike said.

According to Engr. Attah, the company’s Managing Director, the building and commissioning of the corporate head office, was in line with its vision of being a global LNG company, helping to build a better Nigeria.

He added that the Corporate Head Office has made the Company more visible, adding that the office was an unequivocal statement that NLNG remains a committed partner to the people of Rivers State in the sustainable development of the state.

“Nigeria LNG’s resolve to relocate its corporate head office from Lagos where it was established from inception of its operation was a well thought out decision that, among other things, demonstrates our strong bond of friendship with Port Harcourt and Rivers State even as we reinforce our commitment to stand tall as a Nigerian brand in the global marketplace. By this action, we also attest that Rivers State is not just the ‘Treasure Base of the Nation’ but the home of uncommon hospitality which we have come to enjoy and reciprocate at every opportunity.

“Beyond building a head office for our business, the beautification of this once remote locality was also in our hearts when we started this project. Earlier in August 2018, we had opened a part of this complex – an ultra-modern Transit Lounge – to enable a smooth and comfortable sail between our operating base on Bonny Island and the state capital.

“The construction of the facility was actually our first major step at transforming the shoreline, and since then we have intensified our usual efforts at making the creek a viable waterway for meaningful human activities. Today, we can pride ourselves, even if modestly, as a beacon of modernity in this axis of Port Harcourt. But equally important, we hope that our presence will trigger positive developments in real estate and ancillary businesses in the area.

“The commissioning of this complex is coming at such an auspicious time in the life of Nigeria LNG, a time when we have astutely proven our self as an excellent and reliable player in the global LNG market with 20 years record and still counting. Our doggedness towards achieving even more success in both the international market and the domestic energy sector has prompted the commencement of our Train 7 project which has been avidly socialized among all critical stakeholders,” he said.

He stated that one of the signs of the Company’s commitment to the people of Rivers State in the sustainable development of the state is the N120bn Bonny-Bodo Road, which NLNG is partly funding. He added that some progress has been achieved in one of the most significant CSR initiatives by any single entity in the country and that the 40-kilometre road would boost economic activities and ultimately better the lives of the thousands of Nigerians in Rivers State.

 Abdullahi Sule, the governor of Nasarawa State Government has signed a  Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Family Homes Fund (FHF) and Federal Mortgage Bank to build 2, 000 houses worth N11 billion  for civil servants in the state.

At the signing ceremony in Lafia,Governor Sule said the agreement was part of the cardinal objectives of his government as captured in the Nasarawa State Economic Development Strategies (NEDS).

He said provision of housing was one of the cardinal objectives of  his administration to change the fortunes  of civil servants in  the state.

He  explained that houses  would be provided for servants earning below N100, 000 monthly.

He added:” The agreement would create wealth, employment opportunity, create development, boost economic activities in the state as well as provide homes for the less privilege.When the work on the housing project commence, it would provide employment for over 20, 000 youths, thereby taking them off the streets.This would also help in addressing youth restiveness in the state given the insecurity,” the Governor added

He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the idea to care for the less privilege by providing housing for them to call their homes.

In his remarks, Femi Adewale, Managing Director (MD) Family Homes Fund commended  the state government for the partnership and promised that  the initiative  would  make workers  proud house owners.

The MD of FHF said the signing of the agreement is a landmark achievement to them, as it would give them the opportunity to help toward providing houses for low and medium income eanelrs thereby improving the quality of their lives.

He said their company would invest N6 billion at the initial stage and invest another N5 billion as the project progresses.

 Ahmed Danjuma, the  Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank, represented by Oladepo Fakeye, Group Head Strategy, said the bank has been partnering Nasarawa state government on housing projects in recent years.

He added that  beneficiaries of the houses are expected to contribute 2.5percent  of their monthly salary,while they have up to thirty years to pay for the house with interest rate of six per cent.

 Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu,has  flagged-off the construction of the New Massey Children’s Hospital, which is expected to be the largest in West Africa when completed and the reconstruction of three strategic roads, including Adeniji Adele, Oke Popo and Tapa Streets.

Speaking at the event in Lagos, Governor Sanwo-Olu said that the projects are an integral part of the Greater Lagos Vision and present another unique opportunity to advance the cause of the state and improve the overall wellbeing of the citizens

According to him, “The construction of the New Massey Children’s Hospital reflects our unwavering determination to bridge all gaps in the health sector while the reconstruction of three major roads on Lagos Island demonstrates this administration’s commitment to an inclusive and non-discriminatory developmental agenda for Lagos State.”

The governor noted that both projects affirm the administration’s commitment to the social contract it signed with Lagosians on May 29, 2019.

He promised that the government would continue to seek new opportunities to respond to the infrastructure needs of Lagosians, adding that his “Government is driven by the desire to build a formidable and equitable state with productive and healthy residents.”

He said: “As a responsive government, we identified the inadequacy of Massey Children’s Hospital to continue to meet the needs of a megacity with a population of 22 million people.

He noted that due to the steady and increasing number of patients who daily throng the hospital to access medical services, the capacity has been overstretched and needed urgent upgrade to provide quality service to patients.

He said that the administration, being “guided by the Second Pillar of our T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda, which encompasses Health and the Environment, we are rebuilding, remodeling and repositioning the Massey Children’s Hospital into a seven-storey, 150-bed, ultra Modern and fit-for-purpose Paediatrics Programmed and Emergency General Hospital.”

Sanwo-Olu noted that on completion, the hospital will provide secondary integrated care services and acute care to both inpatients and outpatients in line with international best practices.

He added that the Adeniji Adele, Oke Popo and Tapa Streets are being reconstructed as part of the Lagos Island Area North Action Plan, a regeneration project being handled by an Inter-Ministerial Committee comprising the Ministries of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Works and Infrastructure, Environment and Water Resources.

According to him, “The choice of the reconstruction and upgrade of Adeniji Adele and Oke Popo/ Tapa Streets to kick-start Phase 1 of the Regeneration Plan was informed by two factors. The first factor is the economic importance of these roads and the high level of traffic they convey while the second factor is the complementary value these roads will add to the New Massey Children’s Hospital.”

 He said that when completed, the newly upgraded roads will improve road connectivity, unlock the perennial traffic gridlock in the area with resultant reduction in travel time, eliminate the perennial flooding often experienced in this area, enhance property values and further improve business and economic activities on Lagos Island.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said his administration delivered 51 iconic projects in the last years in Lagos

Aramide Adeyoye, his Special

Adviser on Works and Infrastructure,

disclosed this on Tuesday  at the Annual Ministerial Press Briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, to mark the second year anniversary of the Sanwo-Olu administration.

She  explained that the need to unlock traffic gridlocks in major economic, commercial and residential areas, as well as improve travel time necessitated the construction of these roads, adding that these will ensure stress-free

commuting, make life more meaningful for the people and ensure connectivity within the various communities in the state.

She listed of some of the roads as Pen-Cinema Fly-Over, ramp and road words, Lagos Ogun Boundary roads Phase II, Lekki Oniru Traffic Circulation Projects, network of 31 roads in Ojokoro, Aradagun-Epeme-Iworo-Ajido and Somolu network of roads, among others..

She explained that in addition to the completed projects, several projects are already flagged-off and are under construction/upgrading to further ensure linkage of different parts of the state together. Some of the roads, according to her,  include Oba Sekunmade road, Agric Isawo Road, St. Finbarrs and Iwaya roads, Lekki-Epe Expressway from Eleko Junction to Epe T Junction and also Lekki Regional Road Project.

Residents of Osborne Foreshore 2 estate, Ikoyi, have moved against a property development firm, Lekki Gardens/Foreshore Waters Limited for allegedly violating the state’s planning laws.

They  implored  Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to order that works on all approvals for development in the estate be suspended for 3 months because of the ongoing review of the approval order.

 They warned that refusal to stop further work might lead to a breakdown of law and order.

They said:“We once again invite your Excellency to visit our estate to see for yourself how the activities of Richard Nyong will one day lead to a breakdown of law and order if this brazen disregard of planning laws of Lagos States is allowed to continue.”

They accused the developer of violating state’s planning laws in its quest to construct multi-storey structures in the expansive residential estate.

They also accused Richard Nyong, Lekki Gardens Estate and Foreshore Waters Limited of alleged flagrant and unchecked violation of officially approved building plans.

The estate management pointed out that other developers have since complied with these guidelines whereas Lekki Gardens had allegedly refused to do the same.

The Chairperson of Osborne Foreshore Residents Association, Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa-Mbah, expressed reservations over the impact of the heavy construction by Lekki Gardens and other developers and how it is affecting the houses of other residents in the estate.

She said:“When we got our plots, we were told that the place was designed as a low population residential area. We did not know that a time would come when this area would become a commercial area.

“When you come into an existing estate and you are doing piling that is breaking your neighbour’s foundations as well as against the approved plan given to you in the name of commercial development, that is not right.”

The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Soliu Akanmu Adetunji, has  attributed most  land crisis and border disputes in Nigeria to improper handling of documentation process by surveyors.

He disclosed this  when members of Nigeria Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Oyo State chapter, paid him a courtesy visit in commemoration of the Global Surveyors’ Day,

He emphasized the need  for surveyors in Nigeria to work to free  the profession of quacks

.”While celebrating with you on this special day, I want to charge you to use this special day to reflect on the need for professionalism in your job.Imagine the old time that many of us grew up at Beere, Oja-Oba, Idikan and other interiors as well as the major areas in the metropolis and we complained about poor planning of structures and lack of proper surveys for the structures, today, we still go to new sites to build new houses and you still see people that would not bother to plan or do proper surveys for their buildings.

“It is high time that the NIS maintain sanity among members and keep up the good work you have been doing to make Nigeria and Africa the best in your contributions to government’s efforts at urbanization.”

In his remark, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Institution of Surveyors, Prince Aderemi Kobiowu, said there were measures to prevent quackery in the State, as only 250 surveyors were registered members of the institution.

He assured the monarch that NIS would leave no stone unturned to ensure professionalism, so as to prevent the consequences of quackery in the surveying sector, parts of which he said included land disputes, border crisis and building collapse cases.

“We have come to pay homage to our father, who is the king of all in Ibadanland, we came to celebrate the 2021 Global Surveyors’ Day with him after our roadshow, to make him know what we have contributed to the structural development of Oyo State and Ibadan metropolis in particular.

“In the whole of Oyo State, we have only 250 registered Surveyors, this opportunity we have to keep record of members has greatly assisted us in fighting quackery, we assure you that we will not relent in this fight.”

A real estate developer, Otunba Steve Ajose, along with other landlords and residents of Richland Estate, have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu, over the forceful invasion of the Estate by policemen and Task Force operatives.

They have further threatened a court action should the invasion and demolition of their buildings continue.

In the petition written on their behalf by human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, they narrated the events leading to the invasion of the Estate by the armed policemen. Otunba Ajose acquired a vast area of land from the land owners of Shapati town in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

 He said necessary documents were executed in his favour, following which the land was fenced and developed into Richland Gardens Estate, for a period well over ten years now.

He said the land is also subject of judgment of the High Court of Lagos State delivered by Hon Jus M.O. Olokooba on November 22, 2016 and a warrant of possession was issued by the Court in 2019.

He added:”The events that led to the petition were that in the early morning of March 8, 2021, armed policemen led hoodlums and thugs with dangerous weapons and invaded the Estate. They started shooting sporadically into the air to scare people. They came with caterpillars and commenced the demolition of the perimeter fence of the estate. They then proceeded to demolish existing building foundations, daring anyone to challenge them. It later transpired that operatives of the Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbers also came with their Blakc Maria van and other vehicles. They blocked the entrance gate of a female resident, cut off her key and replaced it with another padlock and kept her and her family locked inside the building for four days. The policemen are still in forceful occupation of the estate.

“Under and by virtue of section 43 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, citizens are entitled to acquire and own land without the threat of forceful acquisition by the government. Without any court order, no one is allowed to demolish the building of any citizen. In this case, there is a subsisting court judgment that has validated the ownership of Otunba Steve Ajose over the land. The option is to file an appeal against such judgment if the government has any issue with it, and not to invade the Estate with force.

“I therefore appeal to the Inspector-General of Police and the Governor of Lagos State to forthwith direct the policemen and operatives of the Task Force to vacate the estate and thereafter offer adequate compensation for the buildings demolished illegally”