TheNewsGuru

Tag: Lagos State

  • South West Governors formally admit Lagos into O’dua Investment Group

    The six Governors of south west region under the auspices of the Western Nigerian Governors Forum on Wednesdayformally admitted Lagos State into the O’dua Investment Group with a total of 115million shares thus growing the share equity of the company to 690million.

    The Governors – Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day quarterly meeting held at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, also ratified a document allowing Lagos to acquire land in their respective states for massive rice cultivation and production.

    Specifically, all the Governors resolved to embark on a Rice Accelerated Program for Integrated Development (Western RAPID) to further consolidate actions on food security and job creation in the region, while a Regional Agriculture Summit to be sponsored by Lagos State, was agreed to be held in Ibadan in May 2018.

    The forum, which is being coordinated through the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, also signified interest in the concession of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

    Reading the communiqué to journalists, Director General of DAWN Commission, Mr Oluseye Oyeleye said: “The States of the Region as a bloc will be monitoring the process for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Concession into a world class infrastructure.”

    He said the Governors also resolved that DAWN Commission, Focal Representatives and Agriculture Commissioners of the region would hold a technical session with Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and develop a state by state roadmap in four weeks before the Regional Agriculture Summit scheduled for May 2018.

    It was also agreed that DAWN Commission should work on reviving Regional Inter-School Football Competition, and as well conduct a study on the successes in Education in Ekiti State for peer learning/adoption among the Western Nigeria states.

    Also, the Governors directed the DAWN Commission and the Focal representatives to structure a programme on the Omoluabi Ethos of the Yoruba people.

    However, Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, who represented Governor Amosu, raised some reservations about the land deal, saying that the State Government on account of previous issues with Lagos on the similar subject matter would be refraining from releasing land to the State until the said issues were resolved.

    Nonetheless, Onanuga said: “We will be prepared to sign this memorandum later when some of these issues are straightened out.”

    When asked by journalists on way out of the issues raised by Ogun State, Governor Ambode said he was optimistic that all the States would join in the effort to ensure food security and create jobs for the people.

    He said: “What has happened is that we wanted to expand the agric output of our rice mill and in doing so, we decided that all the south west States should be able to cultivate rice and supply paddy to the proposed rice mill that is coming up in Imota in Lagos.

    “So, what we have done is that four other States have agreed to sign the Memorandum of Understanding which they have actually done today and so what is happening between Lagos and Ogun is that there were some minor issues that were outstanding before and based on that they could not sign today but you could also hear that they are committed to signing when those issues are resolved.

    “We are having a 32-ton per hour rice mill in Imota and we are going to require 32,000 hectares of paddy cultivation which even the whole of the south west cannot even provide but because we are interested in integration and also independence, it is important that beyond going to Kebbi or Kano, all the south western states should also benefit from it and the idea is that we are trying to procure land there but we will also use the people and the farmers in the respective states to cultivate the land and by so doing we have created employment in those States and we will be off-takers to the paddies that they are producing and so I am able to buy it and also use it for my own rice mill and then sell it in Lagos and so I create employment across the region and at the same time put money into the pocket of our people,” Governor Ambode said.

    Earlier, Governor Aregbesola described the incorporation of Lagos State into the economic framework of the south west region as historic and long coming since 1948, adding that the development would strengthen the O’dua Investment Group and drive the development of the region.

     

  • Buhari commends Ambode, inaugurates Ikeja Bus Terminal

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday at the inauguration of the Ikeja Bus Terminal commended Lagos State Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode for the development he had brought to the state in the space of three years.

    Buhari, in his brief remarks during the ceremony, shortly after arriving the state for a two-day official visit, lauded Ambode for his reform in the area of public transportation.

    Buhari said that the Federal Government, on its part, would adhere to its plan for the ports and other transport infrastructure in the country.

    He also reiterated his administration’s commitment to tackling security challenges, stabilising the economy, creating an enabling environment for jobs and returning Nigeria to its pride of place in the comity of nations.

    In his remarks, Ambode specially thanked President Buhari for waiving the import duty on the five thousand air-conditioned buses which would be operated from the terminal.

    He said the state looked forward to having an assembly plant for the buses in the next 20 months.

    Ambode said his administration was committed to improving public transport infrastructure and management.

    He said with the state’s bus reform project, 5,000 new buses would be introduced in the next three years.

    According to him, 820 environmentally-friendly high-capacity buses, in the first phase, are expected by September.

    In an address of welcome, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Ade Akinsanya, said the terminal was part of the bus reform initiative, based on recommendations of the 2015 Lagos Transport Summit.

    The terminal has a concourse for arrival, ticketing, waiting and departure areas, loading bay, ATM gallery as well as food court and parking facilities.

    It is designed to change the face of public transportation and will convey more than 200,000 passengers daily to over 22 destinations across the state.

    The facility, which is sitting on 10,000 square metre-land space, is equipped with Intelligent Transport System (ITS), free Wi-Fi and electronically controlled shades, among others.

    Through the ITS, intending passengers can be informed of the departure time and arrival of the next bus, which allows them to plan their movement.

    The facility was designed and constructed by Planet Projects, an indigenous construction firm.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the president had earlier arrived at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, to begin the visit to the state, amidst tight security.

    The president’s plane landed at about 9.30a.m. at the Presidential Wing of the airport.

    Buhari was welcomed by Ambode and top officers of the various security outfits at the airport, including the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

    He inspected a ceremonial guard of honour at the Presidential Wing before proceeding to the Ikeja Bus Terminus for the inauguration.

    The president returned to the airport later and proceeded to Lagos Island via a chopper to attend a colloquium in honour of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    Security operatives immediately re-opened access to the general aviation terminal of the airport which was earlier barricaded, shortly after the departure of the president for the colloquium.

    Buhari received a rousing welcome from some Nigerians who lined up on the airport road to catch a glimpse of him.

    The crowd chanted “Sai Baba ”, as the president’s motorcade made its way back to the airport after the inauguration of the bus terminal.

     

  • IT company launches free broadband, targets 10,000 hotspots in Lagos

    Swift Network, a telecommunications company, on Monday introduced a free broadband Wi-Fi service to Lagos residents, targeting 1,000 hotspots within the next six months.

    The Chief Executive Officer, Swift Network, Mr Charles Anudu, during the unveiling of the service said the service would be pushed out through a new brand under the stable of Swift Network called ”Red Cheetah”.

    “The Red Cheetah is expected to help deepen Nigeria’s broadband penetration and aspiration for universal access to greater social equity and inclusion.

    “The service follows the Swift tradition of demystifying and making technology to work for Nigerians so that they can hook up to the digital world to explore, work and entertain more effectively.

    “This cutting edge service model will rapidly be extended to more cities in Nigeria and the continent,” he said.

    Anudu said as regards the security of the service, users access would be enhanced by Red Cheetah app, which would establish a distinct and secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection to the internet for each device on the platform.

    “We are happy that everything about Red Cheetah is Nigerian and this shows that we can achieve when we commit to solving the problems of our society, taking our context into consideration.

    “Our plan is to roll out Red Cheetah hotspots in Lagos which will be the largest Wi-Fi footprint anywhere in Africa and will cover many verticals including schools, airports, buses, taxis, shopping malls, anywhere Nigerians need research, catch up on work.

    “This revolutionary service powered by Swift is fast, secure, reliable and supported by legendary sponsor brands with strong commitment to corporate social responsibility to Nigerian,” he said.

    Anudu said that Red Cheetah hotspots went live in Lagos earlier this month at certain locations like in over 200-BRT buses, some Taster Fried Chicken, Eko Hospital and is still ongoing to meet the 1000 target in Lagos.

    He said that for an outlet to have the service, it had to attract 20 people with smart device on a daily basis.

    He urged users not to decline on the adverts that take place in the service, so as not to be cut off.

    The Swift Network CEO said the advertisers pay for such free service, adding that with time and feedback from users, changes would be made as regards the adverts.

    He urged prospective Red Cheetah users to first download the app free on Android from Google Play Store and complete a mandatory one-time online registration process.

    He said that users were allowed to register multiple Android service as every device must be independently registered to access the internet via Red Cheetah.

     

  • Centre management locks out NTI lecturers, students in Lagos

    Management of AUD Comprehensive School, Okota-Isolo in Lagos today locked out lecturers and students of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), who are using the school as a study centre.

    “There is a problem with the centre; and no one is allowed to go inside. We all just under the sun. I was making enquiries why we are all outside. It is because of centre fee we are all outside,” one of the students, who pleaded anonymity, told TheNewsGuru.

    “The school that is being used is asking for their money. Centre fee is N5,000.00 per person so apparently people have not paid yet but I feel they should have made provisions for the number of students that applied,” the post graduate diploma in education (PGDE) student further stated.

    The student later told TheNewsGuru that “apparently NTI made preparations for the whole year” but that “there is a miscommunication between the school and the people organizing the program”.

    “The school said they are littering the place, and that NTI should pay extra money monthly for clean-up and cleaning materials,” the student added.

    TheNewsGuru gathers that after efforts to resolve the issues failed, NTI officials announced that no classes will hold at the centre until April, hopefully after the issues are resolved.

    Meanwhile, the Director-General of NTI, Professor Garba Dahuwa Azare has called for partnership with state governments on teachers training and retraining, so as to improve their professional capacity.

    In a statement after flag-off of 2017 Nationwide Capacity-Building Workshop for teachers under the sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) project, the NTI DG said the institute has been tested and trusted in terms of teachers training.

    “NTI is ever ready to organize workshops and teacher retraining programmes nationwide. The institute has been tested and trusted and proved to be capable over the years.

    “We are equally appealing to the executive Governors of the States of the Federation to come forward to the institute to forge strong partnership for the training and retraining of their teachers at an affordable cost,” he said.

    TheNewsGuru reports NTI was setup to serve as a distant learning educational institution in order to provide additional means of tackling the challenges facing teachers’ education in Nigeria.

    The 2017/2018 session started in February with over 50 students at the AUD Comprehensive School study centre in Lagos state.

     

  • Lagos denies increasing motor vehicle registration, number plate rates

    The Lagos State Government on Tuesday debunked rumours of increase in the cost of processing motor vehicle particulars and application for number plates, saying the rates remain the same across the State.

    A statement by the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan said the clarification became necessary in response to enquiries by members of the public who are genuinely concerned about the rumours of increases in charges relating to the motor vehicle administration.

    Bamigbetan said anyone with evidence of any increase in motor registration rates from any of the official Centres managed by the Lagos State Motor Vehicle Administration Authority (MVAA) should report to the agency or the Ministry of Transportation.

    According to him, “Although, the cost of maintaining the roads and expanding infrastructures which ease the operations of vehicles is enormous, the Lagos State Government shall continue to bear the burden of keeping the roads motorable and safe for all users.”

    He said some mischief makers were desperately exploiting the challenges posed to the government by the new Land Use Charge Law which seeks to raise more money for the provision of public infrastructures for the benefit of all, to misinform the public.

    It would be recalled that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had also debunked insinuations that many tax items were reviewed upward, saying that the claim was not true.

    Speaking to journalists after leading a symbolic walk against sexual and domestic violence on Monday in Alausa, Governor Ambode said his administration was very sensitive to the people, and would not go all out to deliberately overburden them.

    “I want Lagosians to understand one particular issue. We have over 300 tax items for which nothing has been touched apart from this Land Use Charge and maybe one other. But again, we are a very responsive government; we are very sensitive because at the end of the day, governance is about the people; it is about what they want.

    “Yes, people might like that infrastructural development is on the progressive chart in Lagos but also it comes with a price. But notwithstanding in the middle of all that, a responsive government will listen to the yearnings of her people.

    “At the end of the day, it’s all for the development of Lagos. What this government is interested in is to create a trajectory and framework of permanent prosperity for Lagos. It is not about today, it is about the future and if there is going to be permanent prosperity in Lagos, some things have to be done but I can tell you based on the dialogue and the things we have been receiving on the Land Use Charge, obviously we would respond positively to those yearnings,” Governor Ambode said.

     

  • UNESCO, Lagos State Govt partner to train 4,000 youths on ICT

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) says it is partnering with the Lagos State Government to train four thousand youths on Information Communication and Technology (ICT) skills.

    Mr Ydo Yao, the Regional Director of UNESCO, made this known on Thursday in Abuja.

    Yao spoke at the graduation ceremony of 418 youths in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on development of mobile applications for entrepreneurship.

    He said that UNESCO was committed to remodel ICT by engaging youths in the country meaningfully to be self-reliant economically and contribute to nation development.

    According to him, the training is in line with the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development to reduce unemployment rate.

    “UNESCO is engaging young women and men in promoting peace and ensures the prevention of violent extremism.

    “We have already started discussion on how to work with the Lagos State Government to empower 4,000 unemployed youths within two years,” he said.

    The regional director said that the demand to train youths in ICT skills across the country was high, noting that the organisation was committed to support the government, both at national and state levels.

    Also, Mr Moses Viho, the Assistant Director Planning in the Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, said that the state had a great number of unemployed youths which makes the training imperative.

    According to Viho, the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund is willing to provide counterpart funding and technical skills to train youths.

    He said: “UNESCO has shown competence in the training of youths in ICT skills and that is why we are looking forward to commence this YouthMobile Project in Lagos.

    “We are looking forward to starting the programme in May, to engage our youths and reduce the rate at which social vices happen in the state and its environs.”

    Viho recalled that the Technical Working Group of the project recently took a stock of the facilities in Government Technical Colleges in the state to assess the level of infrastructure in the institutions.

    He said that they wanted to ascertain their readiness toward actualising the project.

    Viho, however, called on supporters of the project in the FCT to extend its support to Lagos for an inclusive ICT development in the country.

     

  • Lagos State Govt. shuts 20 hotels, events centres for evading tax

    The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service has shut 20 hotels, restaurants and event centres for tax evasion.

    The Director of Legal Services of the LIRS, Mr Seyi Alade, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on the sidelines of a tax law enforcement exercise, conducted in Lagos on Tuesday.

    Alade said the affected firms owed the State Government a total of N295.49 million, adding that the state had started full enforcement of all aspects of the tax laws on tax defaulters.

    He named some of the shut facilities as Bienvenue suite Ltd., Ajaxbel Hotel, Mayor Hotel, Lafun suites, Darahamson Guest Palace, Mozarella Hotels, among others.

    According to him, sealing of hotels and other facilities will be eradicated, due to the coming into operation of the Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption (Fiscalisation) Regulation, 2017.

    He said the new regulations had made it mandatory for all hotels, restaurants, event centres and other entities liable to consumption taxes, to allow integration of the Electronic Revenue Assurance Systems (ERAS).

    “ERAS is a software application or device that issues invoices and receipts to consumers, bearing a unique QR code, detailing the items and/or services ordered and in an embedded automation of consumption tax remittance in real time.

    “It is a measure that will allow the LIRS to have efficient oversight of all sales transactions undertaken through these entities.

    “The system offers transparency to the entire management and operational system of the entities and it is also of immense benefit to the tax collecting agents.”

    According to Alade, this is not a new law, but a compliance machinery with the existing Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Law of Lagos State, towards aligning with global best practice in the use of technology and automated solutions.

    He noted that the system was long in operation in countries like Kenya, Rwanda, among others, adding that Lagos State could adopt it to enhance effectiveness of its taxation and revenue generation system.

    He warned that failure to be integrated into the ERAS platform was an offence punishable with fines and jail terms upon conviction by court.

    He appealed to business entities liable to consumption taxes to endeavour to be integrated into the ERAS platform and ensure prompt remittance of taxes to avoid disruptions to their businesses.

     

     

  • Gov. Ambode orders payment of taxes, levies through banks from March 1

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Monday directed that all taxes and levies due to the state government should now be paid through the banks and online banking platforms from March 1.

    Ambode gave the directive shortly after paying his personal Land Use Charge at the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) in Opebi area of Ikeja.

    He said that this would reduce fraud and also encourage people to embrace the cashless policy.

    “In order to ensure that government improves on quality of service to the people, effective from March 1, no payment of taxes will be made by cash anymore across the state.

    “Tax payers should be able to pay every legitimate bills through all payment channels at their convenience.

    “The transaction process is going to be everyday, anytime and no weekends and do not pay into wrong hands anymore,” Ambode said.

    He said that all the multi-layer platforms were to be deployed and used by all government ministeries, agencies, parastatals, associated companies and units henceforth.

    “All local governments must quickly adjust their collection machinery to eliminate all leakages,” he directed.

    The governor, who described the payment of taxes as an investment for the future, urged all residents to perform their civic responsibility, pledging that every kobo paid would be judiciously utilised.

    “I have just invested my quota by paying my land use charge and residents should join me by courageously making a decision for prosperity and pay all their due taxes.

    “Lagosians with your full support, there is evidence that every kobo paid in taxes has been productively utilised for infrastructural renewal and development of the state in last two and half years,” Ambode said.

    The governor was immediately presented a certificate of payment for the land use charge.

  • Ambode extends scope of Oshodi/Airport Road project

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Monday said he had given approval for the extension of the 10-lane Oshodi-International Airport road project to Ladipo bus-stop on the Apapa/Oshodi expressway.

    “There is no point reconstructing the Airport Road if it is not extended to this point, and the extension will also complement the ongoing project within the market,” Ambode told traders at the Ladipo spare parts market.

    He was addressing the traders during an inspection tour of some ongoing projects in the state.

    The 10-lane Oshodi-International Airport road project is scheduled for completion later this year.

    Ambode appealed to traders at the Ladipo spare parts market to give way for contractors to rehabilitate and reconstruct roads within the market.

    According to him, the traders selling on the road are delaying the contractor’s work, which may have effect on the project’s expected time of delivery in May.

    “The only reason why this project will not be delivered is if you continue to obstruct the contractor.

    “ You need to talk to yourselves; I do not want any trading on this road until it is finished,” Ambode said.

    The governor, who said he was committed to bringing development to the market, urged the market leaders to appeal to the traders and cooperate with the contractor.

    Ambode also inspected the ongoing Oshodi Transport terminals, roads on Ketu-Alapere axis and the Eko Arts Theatre beside Opebi Link Bridge.

    The Vice President, Ladipo Spare Parts Market, Mr Jude Nwankwo, in his response assured Ambode of total cooperation of all the traders.

     

  • Breaking: Tank farm fire rocks Lagos as residents flee [Video]

    A tank farm has exploded leaving residents of Ijegun in Navy Town, Ojo area of Lagos state to flee for safety.

    An eyewitness told TheNewsGuru that the Ijegun depot burst into flame at about midday after a diesel tanker carrying 33,000 fuel derailed and fell.

    The eyewitness said the fire has spread to other tanks in the area, while also saying men of the fire service and other emergency agencies have been called to attend to the situation.

     

    Details Shortly…