General News
FERMA RESCUES OKE-OGUN ROADS: MOTORISTS HAIL REHABILITATION AS AGENCY TACKLES DECADES OF NEGLECT
Motorists and other road users have commended the Federal Road Maintenance Agency as it stepped up action on the rehabilitation of federal roads in the Oke-Ogun axis of Oyo State. Maintenance of the federal roads in the area was put on hold for a while due to reported cases of kidnapping, banditry and other vices. But the agency, disturbed by the reported cases of road crashes and other occurrences attributed to the deplorable state of roads in the state, resumed the rehabilitation of roads in the Oke-Ogun axis.
FERMA, at weekend, kicked off rehabilitation works on Kishi and Ago-Are/Saki roads, a project that is being executed through direct labor. The rehabilitation exercise, according to some of the motorists, would drastically reduce the reported carnage on the roads and as well reduce the cost of transporting farm produce to the various markets in the area.
A leader of the motorists, Abdulraman Maruf Abiola, commended FERMA for its decision to resume rehabilitation of federal roads in Oke-Ogun, described the intervention as a welcome development. “The state of the roads in the Oke-Ogun area is appalling. The situation has resulted in the geometric increase on the prices of commodities as well the reported cases of the crashes on the roads. The cost of transporting the farm produces to the neighboring markets, in recent times, have witnessed a geometric increase as a result of the deplorable condition of the roads. Also, most of the road crashes recorded in the area have been attributed to the deplorable condition of the roads. However, with the intervention of FERMA, there will be drastic reduction in the reported cases,” he said.
Abiola further stated that periodic rehabilitation of some of the roads in Oke-Ogun will reduce reported cases of road accident, high cost of transportation and other mishaps. He said there were other bad portions of the Kishi/Igbeti Road that needed to be fixed, and pleaded for the intervention of FERMA and other relevant agencies, both at the state and federal levels.
In his remarks, Engineer Olutunde Adepoju of FERMA, Oyo State Field Office, blamed the neglect of the federal roads in the Oke-Ogun axis on insecurity. He lamented that most of the roads being rehabilitated were constructed around 1979 and 1980, adding that they have not been adequately maintained by the users. “Maintenance is one of the things that we are lacking in anything that we do. We need to come back to that basis to ensure that all these items are being attended to at the appropriate time,” Adepoju said.
He stated that the President Bola Tinubu administration was already working on roads to ensure that things are done the way they ought to be. “The main constraint is finance and I believe that the House of Representatives Chairman on FERMA, Honourable Remi Oseni, together with all other members of the Senate Committee on FERMA are already working on how to increase the allocation given to the agency. There is nothing we can do if fund is not available and I believe that all those who are concerned are already advocating for it. We just pray that God will continue to help the president with the reform the New Hope Agenda is pursuing.”
Providing details of the ongoing work, Adepoju explained, “We are currently working at Kishi Town and the total area we are covering is about 1,110 square meters which is approximately about 111 meters of asphalt. More or less, what we are doing here is sectional repairs. Our own concern is how to make the road motorable for the community. So we have to carry out the rehabilitation of the place. Like I told you, it is a sectional repair within the corridor as you all know. From here, we will move to Ago-Are. Ago-Are axis spans from Iseyin. The total kilometer is about 306 kilometers of road. The section we are repairing currently is about 268 kilometers and our own work we have only covered approximately two kilometers that we are currently repairing.”
Resident and Permanent Representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have commenced a strategic retreat in Lomé, Togo, to evaluate progress made under the Commission’s 2022–2026 mandate and outline priorities for the remaining period.
The five-day retreat, scheduled from March 9 to 13, 2026, brings together ECOWAS Resident and Permanent Representatives posted across member states, as well as members of the cabinet of the President of the ECOWAS Commission.
The meeting also includes outgoing representatives, creating an opportunity for dialogue, reflection, and the sharing of experiences between former and newly appointed envoys.
Participants are expected to review achievements recorded since the beginning of the Commission’s current mandate while identifying key strategies and priorities for the remaining phase.
In her welcome address, the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Togo, Ms. Dewey Emily Gray, described the retreat as timely, noting that it provides the regional bloc with an opportunity to reflect on its performance and future direction.
According to her, the presence of both outgoing and newly appointed representatives will help strengthen institutional memory and ensure a shared understanding of ECOWAS goals among member states.
The retreat was officially declared open on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Abdou Kolley.
Kolley highlighted the critical role played by Resident and Permanent Representations in promoting ECOWAS programmes and initiatives across the region since the launch of the Commission’s 2022–2026 mandate.
He noted that the representatives serve as a vital bridge between the Commission and member states, helping to facilitate the implementation of regional policies and development programmes.
During the retreat, participants are expected to deliberate on ways to strengthen coordination among member states, enhance the visibility of ECOWAS activities, and improve collaboration with national authorities and other regional stakeholders.
The meeting will also provide an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned over the past four years and explore new strategies aimed at deepening regional integration, cooperation, and development in West Africa.
Observers believe the outcome of the Lomé retreat could shape the final phase of the Commission’s current mandate as ECOWAS continues to pursue its objectives of regional stability, economic integration, and collective development.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has commended the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) for promoting gender inclusion and creating economic opportunities for women through the capital market.
Speaking on Tuesday at the trading floor of the Nigerian Exchange Group in Lagos during activities marking the International Women’s Day, the minister said empowering women economically is key to building stronger institutions and prosperous societies.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu rang the ceremonial closing bell as part of the NGX event themed “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality – Rights, Justice, Action, For All Women and Girls.”
The event attracted several prominent women leaders from different sectors of the economy, including the wife of the Imo State Governor, Chioma Uzodimma, media entrepreneur Mo Abudu, and Nollywood actress Funke Akindele.
In her remarks, the minister said the occasion held personal significance for her because her late father-in-law, Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, served as one of the founding presidents of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
She described him as a visionary industrialist who believed strongly in enterprise, innovation and national development.
“It is both a personal honour and a historic privilege to stand here today at the Exchange, celebrating progress while renewing our commitment to a more inclusive economic future,” she said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged stakeholders to ensure women are not only participants in the economy but also leaders shaping its direction, noting that when women thrive in sectors such as business, finance, diplomacy and governance, societies become stronger and more prosperous.
She also congratulated the NGX and its partners for sustaining the global campaign for gender equality within Nigeria’s financial ecosystem.
Speaking at the event, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NGX, Temi Popoola, emphasized the need for greater female participation in the capital market.
According to him, empowering women entrepreneurs with access to finance would further boost economic growth and innovation.
Popoola noted that women already dominate sectors such as the creative industry and encouraged more women-led businesses to list on the exchange and participate actively in the capital market.
The Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, Felix Mujakperuo, has suspended the proposed amendment of the Sapele-Okpe Community constitution and the creation of a controversial fifth quarter that recently sparked tensions within the community.
Mujakperuo, a retired major general and traditional ruler known as Orhue I, issued the directive during a stakeholders’ meeting held at his palace in Orerokpe, Delta State, aimed at resolving the leadership dispute within the Sapele-Okpe community.
The monarch, who also serves as Chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, directed that all actions relating to the constitutional amendment and the recognition of the alleged fifth quarter be halted indefinitely.
The meeting followed rising tensions after community leaders on March 1, 2026, passed a vote of no confidence on the community chairman, Onoriode Temiagin, and his executive over allegations that they secretly amended the community constitution and created a new quarter without proper consultation.
However, the monarch set aside the vote of no confidence and allowed Temiagin and his executive to complete their tenure, noting that they have about four months left in office.
The dispute was further fueled by claims that the executive attempted to recognise Otonyasere as the fifth quarter of Sapele-Okpe Community without consulting the existing quarters or members of the Sapele-Okpe Community Land Trust Association.
The controversy triggered protests on March 4, when hundreds of youths marched through the streets of Sapele, carrying placards with messages such as “We Don’t Have a Fifth Quarter” and “Temiagin Must Go.”
Addressing the stakeholders at the palace meeting, the monarch urged both the chairman of the Sapele-Okpe Community Land Trust Association, Ede Dafinone, and the community chairman, Temiagin, to work together to resolve the dispute and restore peace in the community.
Several prominent leaders attended the meeting, including Professor Sam Oyovbaire and other community elders.
The Orodje’s intervention is expected to calm tensions and pave the way for dialogue aimed at resolving the leadership crisis within the Sapele-Okpe community.