$100m Assistance: World Bank Gives FG, Lagos Deadline
Promises review by December if problem persists
By Andrew Ahiante and Olawale Olaleye
The World Bank has given up till December 2004 for the Federal Government and the
Lagos State government to settle their differences in order to prevent a restructuring of the
Lagos Urban Transport Project (LUTP).
Under the project the World Bank is injecting about $100 million to assist Lagos
government rehabilitate the dilapidated roads in the state.
The Bank's team which yesterday toured the project handled by Lagos Metropolitan Area
Transport Authority (LAMATA), expressed delight over the "commitment, dedication and
efficiency of work done so far", but revealed that it has given both the Federal Ministry of
Works and LAMATA till December to settle their differences.
The team comprises Country Representative, Galisa Sotirovo, Senior Urban Transport
Specialist Hubert Nove-Josserand, Consultant, Dario Hidalgo Guerrero, among others, who
joined LAMATA's team headed by its Managing Director, Dr. Dayo Mobereola.
The World Bank team, however, assured that though the rift may not bring to the
cancellation of the partnership programme, it would only lead to a restructuring of the
project.
"It is necessary for Nigeria not to have such money held up. If a decision on how to use the
money is not reached on time, we have to do something", the team said, adding that it could
opt for restructuring of the partnership.
"We have to set up a deadline by which we can then look at other ways. We could either
redesign, cancel or restructure the funding. But there is no threat of cancellation", the team
stated. The bank disclosed that it had earlier met with all organisations benefiting from its
funding in Abuja where such cases were tabled and ironed out.
"We sincerely hope that this rift could be resolved for the benefit of the people. We have to
push for the success of the project", the team said but did not dismiss potential dangers.
Among the roads visited include Adeniyi Jones, Ladipo Oluwole, Aromire/Acme, and
Balogun, all within Ikeja. The projects are for routine maintenance, recurrent and periodic.
The group advised LAMATA to continue the good effort, and to remain dedicated, while
also calling for enlightenment campaign.
Following complaints by the World Bank that its workers were always harrassed by federal
or state officials fighting for the control of roads in Lagos, Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala had last week threatened to stop the World Bank project.
She said the Federal Government cannot continue to pay commitment charges for World
Bank projects that are not performing.
However, LAMATA has assured the general public that whatever statement that was credited
to the finance minister was made in good faith.
A statement by its Senior Specialist, External Relations, Mr. Lanre Dada, disclosed that as a
patriotic, depolitisised and public spirited Nigerian minister, Okonjo-Iweala was concerned
about cooperation and collaboration between federal and state operatives in their common
quest to provide efficient and effective transportation for the people of Nigeria.
He said LAMATA's chief executive, Mobereola had brought it to the notice of Okonjo-
Iweala that the Minister of Works Adeseye Ogunlewe was preventing its contractors from
working on desinated federal roads.
Meanwhile, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi representing Lagos West Senatorial District,
yesterday warned Ogunlewe not to test the will of the people of Lagos State.
He said Ogunlewe should desist from clamping down on officials of Lagos State Transport
Monitoring Authority (LASTMA) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI).
Afikuyomi, who decried the proportion the recent development had assumed, however,
called on President Olusegun Obasanjo to call the minister to order.
Speaking at a press conference Afikuyomi said "it was high time the president called the
minister to order. They must not test our will because this cannot continue without any form
of reactions".
The senator said that the travails of the state is because Lagos is not a Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) state, while the governor is a victim of "personal hatred and vendetta.
He said that the actions of PDP is a case of "selective injustice", and that they "have no
respect for the rule of law". Afikuyomi who was accompanied by some lawmakers and
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Dele Alake, said he had watched with
"utter sadness and regrets the actions of the Federal Ministry of Works concerning Lagos
State.
�I feel bad that a lawyer, a seasoned civil servant and a former senator can grossly violate
the provisions of the Appropriation Act among other violations".
He explained that by appointing 17 Special Assistants and Personal Assistants; and
claiming to have spent N2 billion when the appropriation for 2004 is less than N15 million
for road rehabilitation in Lagos State, Ogunlewe has also violated due process.
Afikuyomi who spoke about the N50 billion appropriated by the National Assembly as
reimbursement to Lagos State, maintained that such would not just pass as mere
acknowledgment but also a provision that must be honoured by the minister.
On the proposed Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) corps, Afikuyomi said such
step would not just amount to illegality, but an action that would violate the laws of the land.
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