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Tag: Lagos State

  • Lagos Govt suggests alternative as FG totally shutdown Third Mainland Bridge

    Lagos Govt suggests alternative as FG totally shutdown Third Mainland Bridge

    The Lagos State Government has again appealed to the commuting public to embrace water transportation as a reliable alternative means of decongesting the roads, assuring that government will continue to prioritize safety on the waterways.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Managing Director, Lagos Ferry Services (LAGFERRY), Mr. Abdoulbaq Ladi-Balogun made the appeal as the Federal Government announces a total shutdown of Third Mainland Bridge for three days.

    Speaking during a Greater Lagos Independence Boat Cruise organized by LAGFERRY to celebrate Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary and showcase the State’s tourism potential on the waterways, Ladi-Balogun said, “We are seeing the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu making huge investments and achieving a lot of transformation on the waterways.

    “We want investors and tourists to avail themselves of the progress we have made so far in the sector and the business model we are building. There is no State in Nigeria that can be like Lagos because we have the water, we have the culture and we have the people. We want to showcase the hospitality, tourism and other business potentials the waterways can bring to our economy in Nigeria. We are also doing this to promote our tourism as well as demonstrate that social events can also be held on water”.

    While reiterating the State Government’s commitment to prioritizing safety on the waterways and giving assurance that every aspect of LAGFERRY operations are safety inclined, Ladi-Balogun revealed that the Agency has not recorded any accident or mishap since its launch of commercial operations on February 4, 2020, by Mr. Governor.

    The Greater Lagos Independence Cruise, held in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Lagos State Waterways Authority and the Lagos State Safety Commission took off from the Five Cowries Terminal at Falomo-Ikoyi and had on board notable dignitaries, government functionaries and winners of LAGFERRY Independence WATERMANIA raffle draws with all participants adhering strictly to the COVID-19 safety protocols.

    TNG earlier reported the Federal Government had announced a total shutdown of Third Mainland Bridge for three days from midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday to carry out special repair works on the 11.8km platform.

    The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola in a statement said that the construction of the bridge had reached a stage where there should not be any form of movement or vibration on the bridge for concrete casting, hence the closure.

  • BREAKING: FG announces 3-day total shutdown of Third Mainland Bridge

    BREAKING: FG announces 3-day total shutdown of Third Mainland Bridge

    The Federal Government has announced a total shutdown of Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos for three days from midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday to carry out special repair works on the 11.8km platform.

    The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, said in a statement that the construction had reached a stage where there should not be any form of movement or vibration on the bridge for concrete casting, hence the closure.

    “The first total closure of the section of the bridge between Adekunle and Adeniji Adele will be from midnight of Friday, 9th October, 2020 to midnight of Sunday, 11th October 2020 to allow the contractor complete the first stage of casting works.

    “The contractor, Messrs Borini Prono & Co. (Nig.) Ltd, is nearing completion of works on the closed section of Third Mainland Bridge and requires the total closure of both bounds of the bridge between Adeniji Adele and Adekunle (i.e. in addition to the closed bound of the bridge, the other bound from Adekunle to Adeniji Adele will also be closed) to complete work.

    “The total closure of this section of the bridge is to ensure that there is no vibration on the bridge during the casting in-place of the newly installed expansion joints. This is to allow for setting of the special concrete, which allows the concrete to achieve its required compressive strength.

    “Due to the number of expansion joints to be cast on the closed section of the bridge and the traffic situation in Lagos State, especially during the week days; the casting of the expansion joints will be in two stages to ensure that the total closure is only at the weekends, when there is less traffic plying the route,’ ’he said.

    The controller said that adequate traffic management officials would be deployed to man all the alternative routes to help with traffic flow and expressed regret at any inconvenience the closure might cause.

    Popoola added that the second total closure of the section of the bridge between Adekunle and Adeniji Adele would be communicated at a later date.

    “The section of the bridge between Adekunle and Iyana – Oworo will still remain open, and traffic can move from Ebute-Metta/ Adekunle to Iyana – Oworo and vice – versa,’’he said.

    Recall that the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, which was going through series of repairs, was partially shut on July 24 for another round of rehabilitation works.

    The repair is expected to last for six months with the construction divided into two phases of three months on each carriageway, starting with the Oworonsoki bound carriageway.

    Traffic was partially diverted on a stretch of 3.5km where construction is ongoing between Adeniji Adeniji Ramp and Ebute Meta, while different time belts were allotted for traffic diversions on the bridge.

    The 11.8km bridge is the longest of the three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the Mainland.

    The bridge starts from Oworonshoki, which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.

    Constructed in 1990, the bridge was adjudged as the longest in Africa until 1996 when the Oct. 6 Bridge in Cairo, Egypt was completed.

  • Incitement: Lagos PDP gives Fayose 7 days to apologise to party elders

    Incitement: Lagos PDP gives Fayose 7 days to apologise to party elders

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State Chapter, has given former governor of Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose, seven days to apologise “for the deliberate unwarranted vituperation” on party elders in the state.

    PDP Spokesman in the state, Taofik Gani, said in a statement that the denigration occurred when Fayose gave an advice which was capable of inciting the youth against the PDP chieftains in Lagos.

    Fayose had during the inauguration of PDP Campaign Committee for the Lagos-East senatorial by-election on Tuesday, reportedly advised the party to send its former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George, on “political retirement”.

    According to a statement by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, titled ‘Lagos PDP must retire Bode George to make progress”, Fayose said such would help the party to make progress and win elections in Lagos State.

    But the PDP spokesman urged Fayose not to be a negative role model to the younger ones in the party.

    “Fayose will be declared Persona non grata in all her indoor and outdoor activities from Monday 12th October 2020, unless he, Fayose, purges himself of the grave nuisance value arising from the unsolicited and divisive advice,” Gani said.

    He urged Fayose to desist from all provocative comments against party elders or any action inimical to the advancement of the PDP in the South West.

    “Only a sadist, mischief maker or rooky politician, will decide to peel healing wounds, like creating more political foes, at a period very close to major elections.

    “We are nearing very important elections in the state to take us into winning Lagos State in 2023 general elections.

    “We need all togetherness and complimentary efforts possible of the old, young, male, female.

    “It is thus shocking that a supposed leader would come to our state to ‘tear’ us apart rather than give positive and progressive uniting advice to us.

    “We will hold Fayose responsible for any future election loss in Lagos State and indeed the South West,” the PDP said .”

  • One dead, 3 injured as 2 vehicles collide in Ikoyi

    One dead, 3 injured as 2 vehicles collide in Ikoyi

    One person died and three others sustained different degrees of injuries on Sunday following an accident involving two vehicles in front of Golden Gate, Ikoyi.

    Mr Nosa Okunbor, Head, Public Affairs, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed this in Lagos.

    Okunbor said the accident was as a result of over-speeding by the drivers, saying, “ the vehicles ran into each other at the intersection of the road”.

    He further said that the crash involved an unregistered Ford Ranger SUV, and a Nissan SUV with registration number KD 499 GE.

    “They had a head-on collision at the traffic stop junction of the road, our investigation shows that both vehicles were on top speed.

    “One person, a man, died while three others sustained various degrees of injuries,” the LASEMA official told NAN.

    Okunbor said that two of the injured persons were attended to by the LASEMA’s paramedics before they were taken to the hospital.

    He said that the affected vehicles had been moved to a police station.

  • 15 injured, property destroyed in Lagos gas tanker explosion

    15 injured, property destroyed in Lagos gas tanker explosion

    No fewer than 15 persons were injured and several cars and property destroyed following a gas tanker explosion on Thursday at Balogun Bus Stop in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State.

    Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, Acting Zonal Coordinator, South West Zonal Office,
    National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the development in Lagos.

    The Lagos gas explosion occurred barely 24 hours after a petroleum tanker exploded and killed over 20 persons at Felele, in Kogi.

    Farinloye said the Lagos incident occurred at 3.05p.m. when the gas tanker, which was trying to enter Cerato Gas Plant located in the area, suddenly went up in flames.

    He said: “16 vehicles, two tricycles, two gas tankers, an event centre and one church building was destroyed.

    “Also damaged were; a block industry and an attached office, a cement store and a sawmill and several stores where building materials are being sold.

    “The people injured were immediately taken to the Water Works Clinic. 15 people were admitted there.

    “Two that were critically injured have been referred to the General Hospital. Three are presently on admission and are being observed.

    “The remaining 10 had minor injuries and have been discharged.”

    Farinloye said NEMA promptly alerted other emergency responders including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency , Lagos State Fire Service , the Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps

    “The response was swift and the fire has been extinguished. Some of the injured persons told us that they immediately jumped into a nearby canal which was filled with water as it rained today.

    “That is one of the major reasons that there was no fatality,” he said.

  • Lagos releases resumption dates for 2020/2021 school session

    Lagos releases resumption dates for 2020/2021 school session

    The Lagos State Ministry of Education has approved resumption dates for the 2020 to 2021 school session.

    According to the time table, both public and private schools below tertiary level will resume First Term academic activities on Monday Sept. 21, 2020.

    The term is expected to run until Dec.18, 2020 while the second term will begin Jan. 4, 2021 and run until April 16, 2021.

    Mrs Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, the Dirsctor, the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) urged all public and private schools in the state to adhere strictly to the harmonised school calendar.

    The director urged school management to have a ”qualitative health and safety plan” that will help protect students, teachers and workers as schools reopen in the state.

    “It is not enough to reopen but to keep staying opened since some schools all over the world had to shut down after reopening due to a spike in the pandemic.

    “All schools must make efforts to comply with these requirements, not just for the improvement of the overall school operations but for safe reopening for academic activities,” she said.

    She also advised schools to have a flexible teaching and learning plans where students and teachers who feel sick can teach or learn from home via available online platforms.

    Seriki-Ayeni said schools must strive to avoid any COVID-19 infection in their school.

    She further advised that teachers, students and visitors must wear face mask at all time.

    She said that the students must observe physical distancing, regularly wash hands with soap under running water and maintain high standard of personal hygiene in the school premises.

    She said that schools must have an isolation/holding bay to care for medical emergencies should students come up with symptoms such as cough, headache, catarrh, difficulty in breathing, sneezing and fever.

    She also said further measures put in place by the Lagos State Government through the Office of Education Quality Assurance is for public and private schools in Lagos State to register online with the OEQA.

    They are to take the School Self-risk Assessment take the online training course to obtain reopening clearance for academic activities on the OEQA website: www.oeqalagos.com.

    According to her, this will help the Office of Education Quality Assurance to determine the level of preparedness as well as guide schools on what they need to put in place for a safe reopening.

    She implored school leaders to embrace new learning style like outdoor classes, staggered attendance, platooning or alternative attendance among others in collaboration with parents in a safe and secure environment.

  • Homeless woman gives birth under Lagos bridge [Photo]

    Homeless woman gives birth under Lagos bridge [Photo]

    A woman without home nor family has given birth to a bouncing baby boy under a bridge in Lagos State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) made this known on Saturday.

    Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, DG/CEO of LASEMA said the agency ambulance team at Eti-Osa delivered Ms Blessing Emmanuel, a 35-year-old woman of the baby.

    The baby was delivered at about 4:30 p.m under the Ajah Bridge.

    “The lady, who has neither home nor family in Lagos, is from Cross River State.

    “Mother and baby are fine and have been taken to Island Maternity where they will get expert care,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

     

  • Facebook opens second African office in Lagos

    Facebook opens second African office in Lagos

    Facebook on Friday said it would be opening an office in Lagos, Nigeria, as part of its continued commitment and ongoing investment in Africa.

    Facebook, in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos, said this would be its second office on the African continent.

    It said the opening of the new office was aimed at supporting the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region.

    The office, it said, was expected to become operational in 2021.

    According to Facebook, it will be the first on the continent to house a team of expert engineers building for the future of Africa and beyond.

    It said the office would be home to various teams servicing the continent from across the business, including Sales, Partnerships, Policy, Communications as well as Engineers.

    Commenting, Ime Archibong, Facebook’s Head of New Product Experimentation, said: “The opening of our new office in Lagos, Nigeria presents new and exciting opportunities in digital innovations to be developed from the continent and taken to the rest of the world.

    “All across Africa, we are seeing immense talent in the tech ecosystem and I am proud that with the upcoming opening of our new office, we will build products for the future of Africa, and the rest of the world, with Africans at the helm.

    “We look forward to contributing further to the African tech ecosystem.

    “The investment of the new Facebook office follows the 2018 opening of NG_Hub, its first flagship community hub space in Africa.

    “The hub was opened in partnership with CcHub, and the 2019 opening of a Small Business Group (SBG) Operations Centre in Lagos, in partnership with Teleperformance, “Archibong said.

    Kojo Boakye, Facebook’s Director of Public Policy, Africa said that the new office in Nigeria presents an important milestone which further reinforces the company’s ongoing commitment to the region.

    “Our mission in Africa is no different from other parts of the world, which is to build community and bring the world closer together.

    “I am excited about the possibilities that this will create, not just in Nigeria, but across Africa,” Boakye said.

    The policy director said since the opening of its first office in 2015, Facebook had made a number of investments across the continent, aimed at supporting and growing the tech ecosystem.

    Boakye noted that the support includes the recent rollout of its SMB Grants programme in Nigeria and South Africa.

    He said thia was aimed at supporting over 900 businesses by providing a combination of cash and ad credits to help small businesses as they rebuild from COVID.

    Nunu Ntshingila, Regional Director, Facebook Africa, said: “We are delighted to be announcing our new office in Nigeria.

    ” Five years on from opening our first office on the continent in Johannesburg, South Africa, we will continue to invest in and support local talent, as well as the various communities that use our platforms.

    “The office in Lagos will also be key in helping to expand how we service our clients across the continent,” Ntshingila said.

  • Controller of Works gives update on Third Manila Bridge

    Controller of Works gives update on Third Manila Bridge

    The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, on Friday assured that Third Mainland Bridge repairs was progressing rapidly, and the first phase would be delivered on schedule in October.

    Popoola in Lagos said that almost all the bad expansion joints had been pulled out and would be replaced as soon as the weather becomes clement.

    He said with the rapid progress being achieved in the construction, the ongoing first phase of the project would be completed on schedule on the Oworonsoki-bound carriageway.

    “We have been able to cut all the six expansion joints, we have removed the concrete, we have pulled out four, remaining two.

    “Hopefully, we are still looking at October, that we will complete the work on the Oworonsoki-bound lane,” the controller told NAN.

    Recall that the Third Mainland Bridge which has gone through series of repairs was partially shut on July 24, for another round of rehabilitation works.

    The repair is expected to last for six months with the construction divided into two phases of three months on each carriageway, starting with the Oworonshoki-bound lane.

    Speaking on the Eko Bridge, Popoola said that the contract for phase two rehabilitation of the bridge had been awarded, and it captured all worn-out expansion joints and bearings on the bridge.

    “All those places that have depression on the bridge will be taken care of properly,” he said.

    Popoola said that the ongoing phase one emergency rehabilitation of the Eko bridge was about 75 per cent completed.

    “The plan is to open the bridge to traffic in another two or three weeks, when we will be done with the emergency repairs,” the controller said.

    Speaking on section one of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Popoola said it was 54 per cent completed with work ongoing on the bridge sections of the highway.

    “Work is progressing steadily on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, we are working on the bridge sections.

    “We have been able to complete two numbers abutment where we are going to have the interchange.

    “Piling work is ongoing where we are going to have the flyover,” he told NAN.

    Commenting on Lagos-Abeokuta-Ota Expressway project, he said that asphalt was already being laid on some sections, including Kola Bus Stop area of Lagos State.

    He said that 160 metres of drains had also been completely reconstructed on the Lagos side of the project.

    The controller said that drain stuffing habit of Lagos residents was frustrating highway drainage cleaning exercises.

    Popoola urged residents to take responsibility and take the drains as personal assets to be protected from abuse, to end the ugly trend of using drains as garbage cans, thereby compounding flooding.

    “We need to take proper care of the lined drains so that they are not silted up. There are so many things government has to spend money on, so, if they provide drains citizens should be able to take care of it. We should not block it,” he said.

    The controller said that the ministry just finished cleaning highway drains on Eko and Apongbon Bridges on Sunday.

    He said that cleaning on highway drainage channels was a continuous exercise.

  • Schools reopening: Private schools move to cover grounds lost to COVID-19

    Schools reopening: Private schools move to cover grounds lost to COVID-19

    The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Lagos Chapter, has assured that it would bridge the academic gap created by COVID-19 pandemic during the year.

    Dr Tolu Sodimu, the Auditor-General of the Association, gave the assurance in an interview at a workshop organised for the school proprietors on Thursday in Lagos.

    The training tagged, ‘School Reopening Training for School Proprietors’ was organised to sensitise school owners on safety measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

    Sodimu, also the Proprietress of Hope Springs International School, Lagos, assured that the pupils would take their promotion examinations to adequately assess their level of preparedness to proceed to the next grades.

    “Not all students were able to join the online classes during the lockdown.

    “So when we resume, the first four weeks will be used to complete the third term scheme of work that we lost due to the COVID-19.

    “After that, we will have exams before we go into the new session,” Sodimu told NAN.

    Also, Mrs Ajoke Adeyemi, Chairman of NAPPS, Amuwo Odofin Chapter, said failure to teach students the third term scheme of the last academic year will create “a missing link”.

    Adeyemi, also Proprietress of Foresight Schools, added that examinations would be administered to assess the pupils after covering topics from third term in the first four weeks.

    Adeyemi said: “We cannot just promote children without assessing them.

    “The issue with scheme of work is that it’s like a foundation that you’re building. Once you miss one of the layers, then the whole thing will crash.

    “Assuming you’ve taught a child ‘Tens and Units’ in second term, in third term you’re supposed to teach ‘Hundred, Tens and Units.’

    “If you leave it and go to ‘Thousands, Hundreds, Tens and Unit,’ there’s already a gap. That ‘Hundreds, Tens and Unit’ missed will still cause trouble for that child.”

    Adeyemi appealed to parents and guardians to cooperate with school authorities by ensuring that their wards comply with guidelines against the spread of COVID-19.