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Tag: Lagos Assembly

  • 2025 LG elections won’t hold in 37 LCDAs – Lagos Assembly

    2025 LG elections won’t hold in 37 LCDAs – Lagos Assembly

    The Lagos State House of Assembly says  that  elections will not be  conducted in  the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of  the state in 2025.

    The Chairman, House Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Mr Okanlawon Sanni,said this in an interview with NAN.

    The LG elections will hold in the state in 2025.

    Sanni, representing Kosofe Constituency II, said elections into the 37 LCDAs would only be conducted if they were listed through constitutional amendment by the National Assembly.

    He explained that this was due to the recent Supreme Court judgment granting autonomy to the 774 Local Governments, which the House was obligated to abide by.

    The lawmaker said the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) would only conduct chairmanship elections into the 20 Local Government Areas (LGA) in 2025 as recognised by the constitution .

    “The Lagos State House of Assembly is repealing the Local Government law 2016 to further support the Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy granted by the 20 LGAs in the state.

    “If the new bill before the House(Local Government Administration Bill) is passed, the other 37 LCDAs will henceforth be under the supervision of the constitutional recognised 20 LGAs.

    “The governor of the state will appoint Mayors into each LCDA subject to the confirmation by the State House of Assembly and they will be funded by the LGA under which it falls.

    “The Assembly is trying to fashion out a way where the parent LGAs and the LCDAs will work together without the later being short-changed.

    “The functions of the 37 LCDAs will include every duty of a local government in its area of delineation and any duty assigned to it by any law of the House or executive directives of the governor of the state.

    “Also, the LCDAs may also employ their staff as it may consider necessary for optimal execution of its development programmes,” he said.

    Sanni said salaries, allowances and other benefits of all employees and all statutory payments, deductions and payments  due for essential local services shall be a first line charge on funds of LGAs.

    The lawmaker reiterated that the state Assembly had no intention of scrapping  the LCDAs as being portrayed, saying LCDAs had promoted grassroots development.

    He, however, said there was  need for the National Assembly to  understand why the LDCAs should be listed as substantive local governments.

    According to him, constitutional listing of the LCDAs is important because of the size of the state in terms of population and its economic importance to Nigeria,.

    Sanni said Anambra state has 21 local governments and that the southeastern state could not be compared to Lagos in terms of resources, economic importance and population(

  • Why 37 LCDAs can’t have same status as old LGs – Lagos Assembly

    Why 37 LCDAs can’t have same status as old LGs – Lagos Assembly

    The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday said it would require a constitutional amendment for the 37 Local Council Development Areas(LCDAs)in the state to have  the same status as the 20 old councils.

    Speaker of the House,Mr Mudashiru Obasa ,said this at the second public hearing on the Local Government Administration Bill in Ikeja.

    NAN reports that the bill is titled: A Law to Provide for Local Governments’ System, Establishment and Administration and to Consolidate all Laws on Local Government Administration and for connected purposes.

    Obasa said the constitution only recognises 20  councils in tbe state and that  LCDAs would require constitutional recognition to operate as full-fledged councils.

    “It  will be recalled that this House of Assembly in 2003 had enacted a Law establishing 37 LCDAs.

    “However, until there is consequential constitutional amendment that will recognise the LCDAs as full-fledged Local Government, they will continue to be known as LCDAs.

    “The LCDAs will perform any duty assigned by a Law of the Lagos State House of Assembly; and executive directives from the state government”he said.

    Speaking on the provisions of the proposed law,Obasa said  the bill provided  that local governments under which the different LCDAs fall shall appoint Mayors for development areas.

    He,however,said such appointments shall be subject to the confirmation of the Assembly

    The Speaker said the bill also provided for the 20 LGs to fund the LCDAs under them.

    Obasa said this  was in conformity with the  recent judgment of the Supreme Court granting autonomy to the 774 Local Government councils, which the House was obligated to abide by.

    The Speaker noted the sub-clause (3) of the same clause 3, provided that the 20 local government areas would have designated LCDAS and their corresponding headquarters as listed in the first schedule to the bill.

    According to him, this is for the purpose of an efficient and effective local government administration in the state.

    Also speaking, the Chairman, House Committee on Local Government, Mr Okanlawon Sanni, said the objective  of the bill was to provide the  legal framework at ensuring LGAs and LCDAs provide effective service delivery at the grassroots level.

    Sanni said the bill also sought to ensure that all amendments in respect of  local government administration were well captured and incorporated to become law for optimal administration of the local governments of the state.

    He said all suggestions, opinions by various stakeholders at the public hearing would be considered on merit by the committee as part of its recommendations to the House for passage of the bill .

  • Lagos Assembly approves reordering of 2024 budget

    Lagos Assembly approves reordering of 2024 budget

    The Lagos State House of Assembly at a plenary on Thursday approved the reordering of the state’s Appropriation Law of 2024, that has a size of N2.27 trillion.

    The House gave the approval after the Chairman, House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Lukman Olumoh, presented the report and recommendations of the committee which were adopted as the resolution of the House.

    The Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, explained that the reordering was sequel to a letter dated Aug. 9, 2024 and sent to the House by the Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the state.

    Obasa said though the total budget size remained the same, the recurrent expenditure was reduced from N952.43 billion in the original budget to N935.38 billion.

    The speaker added that while the capital expenditure was increased from N1.31 trillion to N1.33 trillion following the reordering.

    “That a bill for a law to authorise the issuance and appropriation of N935.38 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for Recurrent Expenditure and N1,33 trillion from the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure.

    “Thereby totalling a revised budget size of N2.27 trillion for the year ending Dec. 31, 2024 be passed into law,” Obasa announced to his colleagues who unanimously voted in favour.

    The speaker, thereafter, directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Olalekan Onafeko, to forward a clean copy of the bill to the governor for his assent.

    Earlier, Olumoh had reminded the House that in the letter sent by Sanwo-Olu, the latter explained the rationale for the request to redistribute the budget included the need to boost the appropriation to some Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals.

    Olumoh said the letter requesting the reordering had also emphasised the need to meet the state’s commitments to the residents through the budget.

  • Floods: Lagos Assembly tasks Sanwo-Olu on dredging of drainage channels

    Floods: Lagos Assembly tasks Sanwo-Olu on dredging of drainage channels

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has called on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reactivate the Office of Drainage Services in the state to clear all drainage channels and ensure proper refuse disposal in the state.

    The Chairman, House Committee on Environment (Parastatals), Mr Rasheed Shabi made the call in an interview with NAN in Lagos on Sunday.

    Shabi, representing APC-Lagos Mainland II, said the clearing of major canals across the state should be intensified to prevent flooding.

    The lawmaker also called on the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, to clear illegal structures built on setbacks of canals across the state.

    He equally urged the local governments and Local Council Development Areas to inculcate in people the habit of regular clearing of secondary drainage channels across the state.

    While saying that drainages and canals had not been properly channeled, he said:
    “Though the causes of the flood have been natural and man-made, there is need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs,) to be proficient in their duties.

    “The recent torrential rain especially over the weekend in the state has made residents to lose their properties.

    “I want to urge the Ministry of the Environment to explain what they have done in the last one year and most importantly people should stop dumping of refuse in drainage channels

    “The enforcement agencies should also clamp down on people engaging in indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” he said.

    Shabi disclosed that indiscriminate erection of buildings near water banks should be looked into stating that the situation must be urgently addressed to avert further disaster.

  • Lagos Assembly decries naira depreciation

    Lagos Assembly decries naira depreciation

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed a resolution to decry the continued depreciation in the value of the naira against the U.S dollars.
    The house passed the resolution at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa,on Tuesday.

    The lawmakers said the free fall of the naira was worrisome,calling for urgent interventions to reverse the trend.
    The lawmakers commended the apex bank for taking some measures to address the problem,expressing the hope that such actions would yield positive results.

    Commenting, Obasa advised the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to take some bold steps to salvage the local currency.
    The Speaker said the Federal Government could strengthen the naira by reducing foreign trips for seminars and conferences by Ministries ,Departments and Agencies.

    Obasa urged states could also help to save the naira by stopping foreign trips for conferences and seminars .
    He said: “To save the naira, the federal government and states can stop foreign conferences and seminars.

    “If possible, we can bring the resource persons to Nigeria to deliver their lectures.We all need to look inward to support the government.

    “Locally, some people in Nigeria doing businesses demand dollars instead of naira. Even at parties now, you see people spray dollars instead of naira.
    “We need a way out and to do this, we need the support of citizens. That’s the essence of sensitisation.”

    Obasa suggested that depositors of dollars in banks could be engaged for an acceptable arrangement where such funds could be utilised by the government to help reduce pressure on the naira.

    He further commended the National Assembly for inviting the CBN governor for discussion on the problem recently.
    Obasa urged the government to regulate religious pilgrimages to reduce pressure on the naira.

    According to him, this action could be sustained until the naira stabilises.
    Speaking earlier under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’, Mr Femi Saheed (Kosofe II) said the current naira-dollar disparity was the direct consequence of the policies of the Godwin Emefiele-led CBN.

    According to him, the naira will gain strength if measures such as fixing the nation’s refineries, strengthening the education and health sectors are implemented

    “I think the current CBN governor should work on moral suasion to get people to pull out the dollars in their domiciliary account as a step to save the naira” he said.

     

  • Commissioner-nominees: Lagos Assembly confirms Abayomi, Omotosho, 13 others, rejects 2

    Commissioner-nominees: Lagos Assembly confirms Abayomi, Omotosho, 13 others, rejects 2

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has confirmed 15 commissioner-nominees including Prof. Akin Abayomi and Mr Gbenga Omotosho, rejecting two others in the second batch submitted by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday.

    The House also resolved to step down the confirmation of Mr Tolani Akibu for another legislative day.

    The decisions were sequel to the laying of a report before the House by the Chairman of the Screening Committee, Mr Mojeed Fatai, at plenary on Thursday.

    Recall that on Aug. 23, the assembly had earlier rejected 17 commissioner-nominees of Sanwo-Olu, including former commissioner for health, Prof. Akin Abayomi and former commissioner for information, Mr Gbenga Omotosho.

    No reason or explanation was given for the rejection.

    The lawmakers had, however, confirmed 22 other nominees of the governor through a voice vote,  sequel to their screening at the assembly’s Committee of the Whole at plenary.

    Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, had said some of the names earlier rejected by the assembly had been represented, with some new names added.

    Obasa, at plenary, commended the committee for doing a thorough job in screening the nominees.

    The speaker listed the confirmed nominees as Mr Afolabi Tajudeen, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medem, Mrs Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, Mrs Bolaji Dada.

    Others are Mrs Barakat Bakare, Mr Olugbenga Omotosho, Mr Mosopefoluwa George, Dr Yekini Agbaje, Dr Olumide Oluyinka, Mr Abayomi Oluyomi, Dr Iyabode Ayoola and Mr Sola Giwa.

    Obasa said the two rejected nominees are Mr Olalere Odusote and the immediate past Commissioner for Budget, Mr Samuel Egube.

  • Lagos Assembly urges Sanwo-Olu to convene security council meeting

    Lagos Assembly urges Sanwo-Olu to convene security council meeting

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed a resolution urging Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to convene security council meeting in the state.

    The House said the meeting was in a bid to stem the spate of alleged killings of residents by men in uniform.

    The assembly passed the resolution at a plenary under a motion of ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’ by Mr Kehinde Joseph (APC-Alimosho II).

    Sen. Olamilekan Adeola said his aide, Mr Adeniyi Sanni, was allegedly murdered by unknown military personnel in July, adding that his corpse was later discovered at the Ladipo Bus Stop along Oshodi-Mile 2 Expressway

    The assembly also reacted to the recent fracas between some army personnel and officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

    The Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, lamented that the killings had so far taken the same pattern with men in uniform being allegedly mentioned.

    Obasa stressed that security of lives and property was one essence of government, saying that “where we begin to have one, two, three killings in the state, it definitely calls for concern.

    He said: “I quite agree with the prime mover of the motion to call on Mr. Governor to quickly hold a meeting with all heads of security agencies in Lagos State to nip this in the bud.

    “At least three people have been declared dead, said to be killed by men in either Police or Army uniforms and we cannot conclude if they are security men or otherwise.”

    Earlier, Joseph, who is the prime mover of the motion, had called the attention of his colleagues to the recent killings, saying the incidents called for concern.

    Joseph recalled that earlier in August, a resident, Mr Adeniyi Sanni, who was an aide to Sen. Olamilekan Adeola was murdered, adding that there were other two incidents on Aug. 17 and 19.

    “The funny thing is that the series of killings took the same pattern. Adeniyi Sanni’s wife told me that her husband was stopped at a checkpoint by men in military uniforms.

    “They requested for documents which the wife sent through WhatsApp to him. His corpse was later found somewhere.

    “Same was the case of Mr Lawal who was stopped and asked for his documents. They later dropped his corpse in Iyana-Ipaja area,” he said.

    Joseph moved that the police should be called upon to step up security in the state while the military should fish out the men who perpetrated such crimes with army uniforms.

    In his contribution, Mr Bonu Saanu (APC-Badagry 1) observed that it was becoming increasingly difficult to know a fake security personnel and the genuine ones.

    The speaker, thereafter, asked the clerk of the house, Mr Lekan Onafeko, to forward the resolution of the House on the issue to the governor.

  • Lagos Assembly completes screening of 20 out of 39 commissioner-nominees

    Lagos Assembly completes screening of 20 out of 39 commissioner-nominees

    Lagos State House of Assembly says it has screened 20 out of the 39 commissioner-nominees sent to it by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    Sanwo-Olu submitted a total of 39 commissioners and Special Adviser nominees to the House for screening and confirmation on July 28.

    Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa earlier set up a 12-man committee for the screening.

    “Twenty of the 39 nominees have so far been screened by the committee which began sitting on Sunday,’’ Chairman of the committee, Hon. Mojeed Fatai (APC-Ibeju-Lekki), said on Monday at Ikeja.

    He added that the screening would be completed by the Wednesday deadline given the committee.

  • Sanwo-Olu’s Commissioner-Nominees: Lagos Assembly laments exclusion of party loyalists

    Sanwo-Olu’s Commissioner-Nominees: Lagos Assembly laments exclusion of party loyalists

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed a resolution to express their displeasure over the exclusion of party loyalists in the commissioner-nominees list submitted by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for screening and confirmation.

    The House also expressed their disappointment with the exclusion of nominees from local government areas in the list.

    The House made the resolution sequel to a ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’, moved by Mr. Moshood Abiodun (Ikorodu II) at a plenary presided by the Speaker, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa.

    The House, however urged Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to attach local government areas to each of the commissioner-nominee.

    Abiodun told his colleagues that in spite his contribution to the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last election, Ikorodu got one slot in the list.

    Reacting, the Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Ademola Kasunmu, lamented the absence of a nominee from his Ikeja constituency.

    Also, Mr Nureni Akinsanya (Mushin I), noted that the list did not come with the local government areas of the nominees, arguing that the party had technocrats who were not considered.

    His position was supported by Mr Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho II) and Mr Temitope Adewale (Ifako-Ijaiye I) who both urged that the governor to reconsider the nominations.

    Reacting to the matter, Mr. Femi Saheed (Kosofe I) said as a former secretary of the APC in Lagos, he was aware that the party had technocrats who could be nominated.

    Obasa pleaded with his colleagues who expressed dissatisfaction with the list and urging the governor to attach nominees’ local government areas to the list.

    The speaker, however, informed the lawmakers to understand that all local government areas in the state cannot produce a commissioner.

    He said: “I want to remind our colleagues that the governor has the prerogative to nominate those to work with him.

    “While it is the duty of the lawmakers to screen the nominees and confirm them if they meet needed requirements.

    “The House has already also set up a committee chaired by the Chief Whip, Mr. Fatai Mojeed, to screen the nominees and report back to the House in few days.”

    The speaker thereafter directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, to write the governor requesting for the nominees’ local government areas

  • Sanwo-Olu writes Lagos Assembly, seeks Adewale as substantive Auditor-General

    Sanwo-Olu writes Lagos Assembly, seeks Adewale as substantive Auditor-General

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has received a letter from Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to confirm Mr Adewuyi Adewale as the substantive Auditor-General of the state.

    The Clerk, Mr Lekan Onafeko, read Sanwo-Olu’s letter requesting confirmation of the nominee at the plenary presided by the Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa in Lagos on Thursday.

    On May 18, the governor appointed Mr Adewuyi Adewale as Permanent Secretary and Auditor General of the state in acting capacity.

    The governor noted that his appointment was, however, subject to the clearance and confirmation by the House of Assembly.

    Sanwo-Olu stated in the letter that the confirmation request to the House was in accordance with the provisions of constitution.

    The clerk explained that the nominee would be screened and confirmed by the lawmakers.