Ogun is losing it. Period!!!
Lagos, Oyo and Ogun States are the only ones of the 6 states of the southwest completing the first term in a few days.

Lagos is commissioning projects to round off! I have lost count of both private-sector projects and government-inspired ones.

Oyo has done an investment summit in London and has commissioned an ultra-modern Lodge in Abuja.

Pray what is my beloved Ogun doing to round off the first term, nothing absolutely nothing.
Time was when the story was different, I have no recollection of any time in this democracy where Ogun was so uninspiring.

It is sobering and required all true-born, indigenes, residents, friends and lovers of Ogun State to not slip into indolence, to do so is to be guilty of aiding and supporting what will make the present handlers fall asleep on duty, I hate leaders who play to the gallery, and it seems that is what has become of us, there is no point crying over spilt milk, what we must plead is that we rededicate and refocus our priorities towards making Ogun State the shining light and the oasis of all things edifying.

A new cabinet will soon be put in place, if it is not too much to ask, please get a fit-for-purpose team, the type of all-comers job for the boys and girls we paraded between 2019-2023 must yield to a far better team.

I will also recommend that the helmsman be more accessible and open to ideas, looking to blame everyone else but oneself is surely not worthy of an often touted private sector experience.

Vision, Focus, Passion and Implementation will need to be scaled up.

Ogun must be re-marketed, A comprehensive reorientation program would be highly useful for we can see the social ills that have become prevalent, and must redirect ourselves in line with our pedigree, efficiency in resources utilization has become Germane as we are well aware of the state of the national debt which will certainly impact Ogun.

Governance is a serious business and must be given the seriousness it deserves.

May Ogun State Succeed.

Otunba Segun Showunmi
Ogun Governorship Aspirant

Executive Chairman FIRS, Muhammad Nami, on Thursday joined the Group CEO NNPC Limited, Mele Kolo Kyari on a visitation exercise to the Bida-Lapai-Lambata Road which is being reconstructed by the NNPC under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme.

The visit was graced by the Etsu Nupe, HRH Alh. Yahaya Abubakar, as well as the Etsu Agaie and the Etsu Lapai; they were appreciative of the efforts of the FG in rehabilitating these critical roads for the benefit of their communities, travelers and transporters.

These roads are major arteries for the transportation of petroleum products. The NNPC, under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme is funding the reconstruction/ rehabilitation/ construction of 21 critical roads across the 6-geopolitical zones of the country.

During the visit, Mr Muhammad Nami thanked taxpayers such as NNPC Limited for keying into the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme. He noted that this particular road was last constructed 40 years ago, and until this intervention was in a dire state.

Mr. Nami also called on other taxpayers to key into the Executive Order 007 Scheme.

The FIRS Team, in another leg of visitation exercises to road project sites being carried out by the NNPC Limited under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme, also joined the Group CEO of NNPC Limited, Mr. Mele Kyari to pay an inspection visit to the Lagos—Badagry Expressway (Agbara Junction-Nigeria/Benin Border).

The 65km Expressway is being rehabilitated and expanded under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme by the NNPC.

June 27, 2022, Lagos, Nigeria: In view of the projection that the population in African cities will expand beyond the available resources and infrastructure, the leading management consulting firm, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), has advised African governments to collaborate with the private sector to build smart resilient cities.

Tolu Oyekan, Managing Partner and Head of BCG Nigeria, gave this advice while moderating a session on “Megacities: challenges and opportunities of unbridled urbanization“ at the Africa CEO Forum 2022 held recently in Cote D’Ivoire.

The BCG partner and the discussants identified different ways by which African governments could collaborate with the private sector to respond effectively to the expected population growth through affordable housing, green and smart solutions.

The critical stakeholders who spoke at the session include Emmanuel Nyirinkindi, Vice President of Cross-Cutting Solutions, International Finance Corporation (IFC); Amaury de Féligonde, Managing Partner, Okan Africa; Marco Aurelio De Assis, CEO, Group Vivendi Africa; Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, Egypt; and Kaba Niale, Cote D’Ivoire Minister of Planning and Development.

Citing United Nations prediction that African cities‘ population will double by 2050, Oyekan said the situation was likely to overwhelm the capacity of urban cities in the continent, which are already ill equipped to support existing residents.

Oyekan said, “Following the trend, issues such as migration and the potential continued pressure that could create come to the fore. For instance, a city like Lagos experiences about 80 to 100 new residents per day. There is issue of climate change- with the expectation that cities will experience climate refugees if non-urban areas are not able to adapt appropriately. It is therefore important for governments in collaboration with the private sector to think about increasing digitalization and the potential to create smarter African cities.”

He identified some of the urgent needs that would be required by the huge population as good housing, education, healthcare, food security, adding that physical infrastructure such as strong multi-modal transportation network and electricity are necessities.

According to him, an inclusive economic framework that enables all demographics – women, men, youth, elderly, disabled – to access jobs that enable dignity or support self-employment and entrepreneurship will be required.

He asked the panellists to particularly speak to the climate impact of the population surge and possible solutions to mitigate the impact.

The subject matter experts spoke extensively on the challenges and opportunities in a period of rampant urbanization, focusing on climate action, the development of clean energy, road network optimization and rapid construction of affordable housing.

Oyekan engaged the business and government leaders on the role of financial institutions in providing risk assessment and funding for sustainable infrastructure and clean energy projects in future African cities.

BCG’s diverse team of experts bring deep industry and functional insights as well as a range of perspectives to topical industry issues.

The ACF 2022 was a platform for international organisations, policy makers and business executives to connect and brainstorm on growth strategies for the continent.