President Buhari has finally assigned Mu’azu Sambo as the Minister of State for Works and Housing after his confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. In this new role, the new minister is expected to work with Babatunde Fashola to deliver on the core mandate and in line with the priorities of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari’s key priorities hinge on providing infrastructure such as roads, housing, and other projects under the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
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Mu’azu Sambo, who is an experienced engineer who rose to various positions in the past and as area manager in the Nigerian Inland Waterways in Lagos, is expected to bring his expertise to bear in bridging the infrastructure gap in the country.
Such huge trust has been bestowed upon him as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and by the confidence reposed is the best gift President Buhari has dashed Mu’azu Sambo. The president has settled for a person least expected to replace the sacked Minister of Power, Engr Sale Mamman.
Mu’azu’s coming will further boost his political profile being little known in the political space of Taraba State. Many people in Nigeria particularly his constituency have high expectations of his new role in confronting the challenges of many abandoned roads projects that transverse Taraba and Adamawa states, to mention but Numan-Jalingo Road.
The Numan-Jalingo Road contract was awarded to Deux Nigeria Ltd in 2017 at the cost of N11 billion by the Federal Executive Council presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.
One of the big problems confronting Mu’azu Sambo is the accusation of the Federal Government awarding a fresh contract on Bali-Serti Road in Taraba which according to the Government of Taraba has been completed. The said Bali-Serti new road contract was named in the approval of the Federal Executive Council out of the 21 road projects that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is deploying its tax obligations to construct across the country.
Both the Federal Government and Gov. Ishaku’s led administration in Taraba have disagreed with each other. The Bali-Serti new road contract has raised yet another eyebrow at the claims of Governor Darius Ishaku that the project was completed.
The Bali-Serti Road was earlier awarded to PW Nigeria Limited totaling 115 kilometers and leading to Gembu, Sardauna Local Government Area. As claims exacerbated by the Taraba State Government of its initiative and funding of the project, a refund of the money expended on the project was long overdue according to the spokesman for Taraba State Government, Bala Da’abu.
Another problem this new role brings to Mu’azu Sambo is the promise by the federal government to construct 5000 housing projects in each state of the federation of which Taraba State has been lagging behind in the housing development index. Under the National Housing Programme, the federal government has invested N500 billion being financed by the Federal Mortgage Bank.
Jen Jibrin writes from Abuja, FCT
