By ISMAILA CHAFE
The Presidency has listed numerous jinxes broken by the Buhari administration in recent times.
Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, listed the jinxes in a special write-up on Sunday in Abuja.
He stated that “a giant-sized jinx was broken recently when the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced a first net profit in the 44-year history of the organisation.
According to him, under President Buhari, who doubles as the Minister for Petroleum Resources, the oil conglomerate announced a first-ever profit of N287 billion, saying such had never happened before.
He, however, observed that this feat was by no means the only major jinx broken by the Buhari administration.
The presidential aide listed other jinxes broken to include the “Petroleum Industry Bill signed into law in 2021, after almost two decades in the works.
“It is aimed at reforming a Petroleum Act dating back to 1969, as well as other supplementary laws and regulations.
“Deep Offshore and Inland Basin (Production Sharing Contracts) Act, 2019, amended for the first time since 1993.
“More than six billion dollars of inherited cash call arrears now being cleared by the Buhari administration, since 2016.
“More than three billion dollars of the arrears (payments due to International Oil Companies) have since been paid,“ Adesina said.
He said the Buhari administration has also overseen the first successful Marginal Fields Bid Round in almost 20 years.
“The Buhari administration has launched the first National Social Investment Programme in the country’s history. Today it is the largest Social Investment Programme in Africa and one of the largest in the world.
“Restoration of the Federal Budget to a January-to-December cycle, after more than a decade, he said.
The presidential aide said that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) though established in 2011 did not have an enabling Act of the National Assembly until 2018 when President Buhari assented to the NCDC Act.
“Nigeria Police Act, 2020: The first overhaul of the Police Act since it was originally enacted in 1943
“Nigeria Correctional Service Act, 2019 overhauled the existing Prisons Act, almost 50 years after it was first enacted.
“Finance Acts 2019 and 2020 – the first time ever that federal budgets are being accompanied by dedicated and specific reform legislation, to support implementation.
Adesina also listed the suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Bill (SPOMO), 2019 as one of the jinxes broken, pointing out that it was the first of its kind in the entire Gulf of Guinea dedicated to prosecuting maritime offences.
“Police Trust Fund Act, 2019: First-ever legislation dedicated to addressing the financing of the Police Force
“CAMA, 2020 – the first overhaul of the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) in 30 years.
He said the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 was another unprecedented piece of legislation in Nigeria and Treasury Single Account (TSA), started in 2012, expanded across the entire government by President Buhari.
Adesina also listed the completion of some major projects by the Buhari administration to uplift the quality of life of the citizens.
He said the projects included the Itakpe-Warri Rail Line, started in 1987, abandoned for decades, and finally completed in 2020.
Others are the completion of four standard gauge railway projects between 2016 and 2021: Abuja-Kaduna Rail Line, Abuja Metro Line, Itakpe-Warri Rail Line and Lagos-Ibadan Rail Line.
According to him, Buhari is the first president to start and complete a rail project in Nigeria’s history – Lagos-Ibadan Rail.
“The last NLNG Train project (Train 6) was completed in 2008. President Buhari has successfully flagged off Train 7 construction.
“Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki Expressway, undergoing full reconstruction for the first time since it was constructed in the late 1970s.
“Bodo-Bonny Bridges and Road: Construction finally kicked off in 2017, after several decades of planning, and three false starts.
“The long-awaited Ogoni Clean-Up kicked off under the Buhari Administration,’’ he added.
He also disclosed that the Nigerian Navy had in 2021 acquired its first new Landing Ship Tank (LST) in more than 40 years.
He added that the Nigerian Air Force had enjoyed the largest investment in fleet renewal in decades, under the Buhari administration, acquiring more than two-dozen new aircraft since 2016.
Adesina revealed that the administration had also ensured the construction of the first full-scale private refinery and the first privately financed Deep Sea Port in Nigeria’s history both started under President Buhari’s watch.
“Only one Modular Refinery in the country pre-2016. Since 2018, there have been several either under construction or already completed.
“Maritime University, Delta State, licensed by the NUC and operationalized in 2018,’’ he said.
He further stated that the administration had ensured the completion, since 2016, of 12 inherited dam projects across the country.
These dams include the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam, Taraba; Ogwashi-Uku Multipurpose Dam, Delta; Adada Dam, Enugu; Sulma Earth Dam, Katsina; Gimi Earth Dam, Kaduna; Amla-Otukpo Dam, Benue and Amauzari Earth Dam, Imo.
Others are the Ibiono-Ibom Earth Dam, Akwa Ibom; Gadau/Lafia Zigau Dam, Bauchi; Alajue Small Earth Dam, Osun; Kampe Omi Dam, Kogi (Rehabilitation) and Kargo Dam, Kaduna (Rehabilitation)
He said the administration had completed three inherited Hydropower Projects, accounting for more than 100MW of electricity in total: Gurara Hydropower Project, 30MW, Kaduna State – completed and concessioned in 2020; Kashimbila Hydropower Project, 40MW, Taraba, Dadin-Kowa Hydropower Project, 40MW, Gombe.
Other achievements of the administration, according to Adesina, include the completion, since 2016, of seven inherited Irrigation projects and 30 Water Supply Projects inherited by the Administration.
The projects are the Central Ogbia Regional Water Supply Project in Bayelsa, Northern Ishan Regional Water Supply Project and the Ojirami Dam Water Supply Scheme and Reticulation Network, both in Edo and Sabke, Dutsi and Mashi Water Supply Project in Katsina State.
Adesina said the Vom Water Supply Project and Mangu Regional Water Supply Scheme in Plateau State; Takum Water Supply Project in Taraba State were completed by the Buhari administration.
Others are Gambaki/Chinade/Hardawa/Bulkachuwa Water Supply Project in Bauchi State and Inyishi Regional Water Supply Project in Imo were also completed under the Buhari government.
He also gave the nemes of other completed projects to include the Ilobu Water Supply Scheme and Osogbo Water Supply Scheme in Osun State; Idanre Water Supply Project in Ondo State; Ofeme Water Supply Project in Abia State and Uburu Water Supply Scheme in Ebonyi.
The presidential aide named Gashua Water Supply Scheme in Yobe State; Kwami Gadam and Bojude Water Supply Project in Gombe State; the Saki Town Water Supply Project, Oyo State; and the Zobe and Kazaure Water Supply Projects in Katsina and Jigawa states respectively as part of the completed projects by the Buhari administration.
He also listed the completion of the headquarters of the EFCC, NDDC Complexes, started in 2011 and the mid-1990s, but completed 2018 and 2021, respectively.
Adesina said that the Zik Mausoleum, started in 1996, was also completed and inaugurated 2018 by the Buhari administration. (NAN)
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