THE case in Rivers State in relation to state roads is what many close watchers have termed “over ambition”. The common feeling is that the Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s administration set for itself an overbearing award of road contracts with a slow pace of execution. Why some of the roads have been completed, it is not happy story for most areas.

THE Comrade Adams Oshiomhole led administration in Edo state since its inception on November 12, 2008 has left no one in doubt about its avowed commitment to road construction throughout the three Senatorial zones in the state.

Are the residents, commuters and motorists of Ifoshi axis, in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area of Lagos state doomed to suffering as a result of the on-going road construction in the area, which has lasted several without any tangible word on ground? A few of the residents who spoke to Saturday Vanguard demanded an answer to this poignant question.

THE State of roads in Ebonyi state has over the years improved based on the effort of past and present administrations who had invested huge financial resources to ensure its development, reconstruction and usability by both motorists and pedestrians across the state.

Let me first and foremost apologise for my inability to honour your invitation to appear before you on the last day the public hearing held. My non appearance was not borne out of disrespect to this Honourable House. Let me also thank the Honourable Committee for rescheduling my appearance to today.

Consequently, this is the reason most airlines find it difficult to meet their financial obligations to suppliers, service providers and staff. Even the payment of salaries and aircraft maintenance, when due, becomes a Herculean task. Airlines in Nigeria pay some of the most outrageous charges in the world.

These come in form of ground rent, landing and take off, day and overnight parking charges as well as navigational fees; and these are exclusive of other multiple taxes imposed by government. Overnight parking charges range from between N25,000 and N30, 000 per aircraft. Airlines in Nigeria also pay government taxes as high as 18 per cent of sales, including Value Added Tax, VAT, Passenger Service Charge, PSC and NCAA’s TSC. These taxes and charges, to say the least, are stringent for the airlines to operate safely and profitably. And an airline that cannot operate safely and profitably is an accident waiting to happen.

What is the price of Nigerians’ love for automobiles, even apart from multitude of buses used for commercial public transportation and taxi cabs in all the 36 states, FCT Abuja and 774 local government areas which make up this federation?

THE simple question the so-called Tinapa investors should answer is: Was there a time Nigeria closed two of its borders – Seme and Idiroko – in order to get at a few criminals operating within the borders? Have they heard other nations do that? It is indeed sad that some unscrupulous Nigerians will continue to sabotage every government incentive to boost trade and commerce and especially the manufacturing sector.

FOR sometime now, the Nigeria Customs Service has been having a running battle with operators in the Tinapa Free Zone and Resort, Calabar, CrossRiverState. At the centre of the battle is the temporary stoppage of unrestricted movement of imported consignments to the free trade zone by Customs.

First, let me commend President Goodluck Jonathan for the boldness in agreeing to have this much wanted conference. For a long time there have been disagreements because some people wanted a sovereign national conference.

After several failed attempts by the Federation Accounts and Allocations Committee, FAAC, to share federally collected revenue to the 36 states, the deadlock was partially broken penultimate week with the sharing of nearly N1.196 trillion to the three tiers of government for the months of August and September, temporarily ending the financial drought in many states and bringing some relief to the state governors and their people.

Should the National Assembly decide the fate of the National Conference soon to be held at the behest of President Goodluck Jonathan? That is the question on the lips of many Nigerians against the backdrop of the suggestion in many quarters that the conference outcome should be subjected to a referendum. Some eminent Nigerians share their perspectives among other issues.

Chief Omordi George Ugbomah was a Commissioner for Environment and Works in Delta State. Ugbomah, who is currently the Political Adviser to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in Delta North, in this interview, comments on the performance of the governor, the National Conference and other sundry issues. Excerpts:

DIFFICULT TASK: It was bound to be – selection of the best journalist, that is. But it was a task that needed to be accomplished. Of the over 1,400 entries for this year’s CNN/MULTICHOICE AFRICA JOURNALIST AWARD, 27 finalists emerged. And of the finalists, only 16 winners emerged in the categories up for grabs.

Isaac O. Aberare, General secretary, Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers. In this interview with Moses Nosike of Saturday Vanguard, on casualisation in Nigeria, he reveals how indigenous and foreign companies contravene Labour laws because of government inability to enforce them. He stressed further how Nigerian workers spend 30 years in an employment as contract staff and others.