TheNewsGuru

Tag: Lagos State

  • Lagos Assembly confirms Sanwo-Olu’s appointments into various agencies

    Lagos Assembly confirms Sanwo-Olu’s appointments into various agencies

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has confirmed the appointments of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s nominees for the state Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) and other agencies.

    The Deputy Speaker, Mrs Mojisola Meranda, revealed this at an emergency plenary on Tuesday.

    Meranda said the development underscored the Assembly’s commitment to enhancing governance and delivering quality leadership across the state.

    “The confirmed appointees include Justice Okikiolu Ighile (Rtd.) – Chairman; Mr Samson Ajibade – member; Dr Oluwo Durojaiye – member; Dr Olumide Metilelu – member; Dapo Aileru – member; and Mr Oladele Adekanye – member.

    “Apart from LASIEC, the House also approved nominations for the Office of the State Auditor-General; the General Manager of the Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB), and the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF),” Meranda said.

    Mr Adetola Muyiwa John was confirmed for the Office of the Auditor-General, while Mr  Kamaldeen Abiodun-Balogun was confirmed as General Manager, Lagos State Electricity Board.

    Also, Mrs Feyisayo Alayande was confirmed as Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund.

    According to Meranda, their confirmation followed the screening of the candidates by a 12-man ad-hoc committee of the House headed by the Chief Whip, Mr Mojeed Fatai.

    Earlier, Fatai said the committee conducted a thorough screening of each nominee’s credentials and experiences, adding that they were all capable of holding government offices.

    Similarly, Mr Sa’ad Olumoh, a member of the House, said the nominees were “round pegs in round holes.”

    He added that the nominees’ impressive credentials and professional expertise make them the ideal candidates for their respective roles.

  • SAD: 2 die, 5 injured in Lagos-Abeokuta expressway accident

    SAD: 2 die, 5 injured in Lagos-Abeokuta expressway accident

    Two persons died while five others sustained injuries in an accident on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway on Dec. 26, the Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) has said.

    Mr Adekunle Ajibade, South-West Zonal Commander of TRACE, in a statement issued on Monday in Ota, attributed the accident to brake failure.

    Ajibade explained that a truck marked RAN 82 XA, coming from Sango-Ota, heading toward toll-gate area, had brake failure and rammed into stationary vehicles and motorcycles.

    “The corpses of the victims have been deposited in the mortuary, while the survivors were taken to Ota General hospital for treatment.” he said.

    Ajibade advised truck owners to always ensure that their vehicles are in good condition before putting them on the road. He also advised truck drivers against speeding and reckless driving to prevent unnecessary loss of lives.

  • Lagos sets to conduct council election in 20 LGAs, 37 LCDAs

    Lagos sets to conduct council election in 20 LGAs, 37 LCDAs

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State says council election will hold in all the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in 2025.

    The APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi ,made this clarification in a statement on Sunday in Lagos, following speculations about the status of the 37 LCDAs in the state.

    “In recent times, the leadership of APC in Lagos State has been inundated by the media, party members and other stakeholders on information about the conduct of the forthcoming Local Government elections.,most specially if elections will hold in the 37 Local Council Development Areas – LCDAs.

    “It has become expedient to clear the air on the needless and distractive speculation.

    “We wish to inform all and sundry that the Local Government elections will hold across the state in the 20 Local Government Councils and the 37 Local Council Development Areas in the year 2025,” Ojelabi said.

    According to him, since their creation, the LCDAs have not only been the closest to the grassroots ,but also brought the desired developments across the state.

    He said that the party had observed with keen interest the rdebates on the desirability of the existence of the LCDAs and the need to hold elections in their political offices.

    Ojelabi added: “Our position as a progressive party is that we cannot discountenance the contributions of the LCDAs to the overall political and socio-economic development of the state.

    “Our landscape is dotted by several infrastructural projects by the LCDAs which include road, drainage and market construction , school and housing projects, primary education and health facilities and various social service interventions among others.

    “The various collaborative efforts with the state government on refuse disposal, drain clearing and security are also pointers to their continuous relevance.

    “We hope this release will put paid to further speculations as regards the local government elections in order not to unnecessarily heat up the polity.”

    He urged party members and all residents to continue to coexist peacefully “as we all strive to maintain the leading position of our state in the federation.”

    Recall that the move by the  House of Assembly to create Area Administrative Councils in replacement of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) through the  proposed Local Government Administration Bill has been opposed by political stakeholders.

    The bill  titled” A Bill for a Law to provide for Local Government’s System, Establishment And Administration And to Consolidate All Laws On Local Government Administration And Connected Purposes” is still being considered on the floor of the House.

    The Assembly ,during a recent  public hearing, said the bill was being considered to replace the current 37 Local Council Development Areas in the state  (LCDAs) with Area Administrative Councils

    According to the House, the bill to restructure local government administration in the state followed the Supreme Court judgment on financial autonomy for local governments.

  • Lagos Imam to Tinubu: You haven’t disappointed us

    Lagos Imam to Tinubu: You haven’t disappointed us

    The Chief Imam of Lagos Central Mosque, Ridhwan Jamiu, on Friday said President Bola Tinubu had not disappointed Nigerians.

    The cleric said this during the Juma’at prayer at the Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, with President Tinubu in attendance.

    “We are proud of you. I remember that we encouraged people to vote for you during the campaigns. We thank God that you have not disappointed us.

    “We know you are capable. We know you have the sagacity.We know you are competent. We believe and pray that you are not going to disappoint us.

    ”May Allah continue to be with you. Allah has entrusted Nigeria to you and will ask you for this trust,” he said.

    He urged Nigerians to be grateful to Allah during times of fortune and be patient during adversity. He reminded the faithful that unwavering hope and faith were essential to believers, even in challenging circumstances.

    He assured the president of the steadfast prayers and support of Muslim faithful as he governed the nation.

    The cleric urged the president to remember accountability and responsibility to the people, saying responsibility was to the people while accountability was to Allah.

    “Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: ” The most beloved of all people to Allah is the righteous and just leader. We have seen righteousness in you and fairness and justice in you. Please keep it up and sustain it.

    “You bear one of the names of Prophet Muhammad, Ahmed, someone who does what is praiseworthy. This name has been reflected in your past actions and we hope it will reflect in your actions now.”

    The Juma’at prayer was the president’s first public outing since attending prayers at the Alausa Central Mosque on Dec. 20.

    The president arrived in Nigeria’s commercial capital on Dec. 18 after presenting the 2025 budget to the joint session of the National Assembly.

    In honour of victims of the stampedes in Oyo and Anambra States as well as the Federal Capital Territory, which claimed lives, Tinubu had cancelled his public engagements.

    On Dec. 23, the president hosted the maiden Presidential Media Chat at his Oyinkan Abayomi Drive Residence in Ikoyi. As part of the Christmas and holiday festivities, he also received private visitors daily.

  • Boxing Day: 2 die, 15 injured in Lagos-Ibadan expressway accident

    Boxing Day: 2 die, 15 injured in Lagos-Ibadan expressway accident

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of two people and 15 others injuried in a lone accident involving a Toyota Hiace bus at Saapade on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

    Mrs Florence Okpe, the Spokesperson of FRSC in Ogun confirmed the incident on Thursday in Abeokuta. Okpe noted that the accident occurred at 4:34 p.m. on Thursday.

    She explained that the incident was caused by tyre burst which resulted in the loss of control, saying that the bus somersaulted and crashed.

    Okpe said that 18 people were in the bus marked LSR 585 YH, involving, nine men, five women, two boys and two girls.

    The FRSC spokesperson said that 15 people who got injured comprised of eight men, four women, two boys and one girl while two people died, comprising one man and a woman.

    She explained that the injured victims were taken to PATMAG Hospital, Ogere,  while the deceased were deposited at the State General Hospital morgue, Isara.

    She noted that the Sector Commander, Akinwunmi Fasakin advised motorists to pay more attention to their vehicles, especially during the period of high vehicular movement.

  • Tragedy strikes Deeper Life Church on Christmas season

    Tragedy strikes Deeper Life Church on Christmas season

    At least 10 people conveyed in a bus belonging to the Deeper Christian Life Ministry sustained various degrees of severe injuries on Thursday in an accident that occurred on Otedola Bridge, inward 7-Up, Ikeja, Lagos State.

    TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) gathered that the victims, comprising three adult males and seven adult females, were rushed to the Trauma Center for immediate medical attention.

    According to reports, the Deeper Christian Life Ministry bus lost control and crashed into a stationary truck.

    Confirming the incident, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, attributed the cause of the crash to brake failure.

    According to Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency received a distress call at 6:40 a.m. and swiftly deployed its response team to the scene.

    “Upon arrival at 0650hrs, LASEMA’s Tiger Response Team from Tiger Base Alausa, discovered a branded long bus (name withheld), registration number MUS-176XC, had crashed into a stationery 40ft container truck from behind.

    “Investigations conducted by the Agency’s Tiger Response Team revealed that the accident long bus driver lost control of the vehicle on motion and crashed into the stationary truck as a result of brake failure,” Oke-Osanyintolu explained.

    He further stated that passengers who escaped the incident unhurt were transferred to another bus to continue their journey.

  • Five injured in Mile 2-Badagry expressway accident

    Five injured in Mile 2-Badagry expressway accident

    The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has rescued five injured passengers, who were in a road traffic accident that occurred on Mile 2/Badagry Expressway.

    The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, made this known in a statement signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, on Wednesday, in Lagos.

    Bakare-Oki said that the road traffic accident involved an LT commercial bus and a T4 commercial bus at Iyana-Era, inward Agbara, along the Mile 2/Badagry Expressway.

    “Preliminary findings indicate that the T4 commercial bus, bearing registration number LSD 668 YE, was speeding toward Agbara, when its brake failed.

    “This mechanical malfunction led to a rear-end collision with an LT commercial bus (BDG 728 YE), which was stationary while loading passengers at Iyana-Iba bus stop.

    “In a commendable demonstration of rapid response, LASTMA officials successfully rescued five severely injured passengers – three males and two females.

    “The injured individuals were promptly transported to Eva-Life Hospital, situated at Pako near Iyana-Era, for immediate medical attention,” he said.

    The LASTMA boss said that security operatives from the Ijanikin Police Division provided critical support throughout the rescue operation, ensuring the safety of all involved and maintaining order at the accident site.

    He conveyed his profound sympathies to the injured passengers and extended his best wishes for their swift and complete recovery.

    Bakare-Oki reiterated the importance of regular vehicle maintenance, particularly the braking system, urging all drivers to conduct thorough checks before embarking on journeys within or outside Lagos State.

    “For any traffic-related concerns, the public is encouraged to contact LASTMA through its toll-free hotline: 080000527862,” he said.

  • Coca-Cola, FrieslandCampina, Guinness sealed in Lagos

    Coca-Cola, FrieslandCampina, Guinness sealed in Lagos

    The Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) has sealed three companies for extracting large quantities of groundwater for commercial purposes without proper authorisation and compliance with regulations.

    The three companies are Nigerian Bottling Company, producers of Coca-Cola, FrieslandCampina, makers of Peak Milk and Guinness Nigeria Plc.

    Mr Olowu Babatunde, Director, Technical Services, LASWARCO, said this during an enforcement on Tuesday in Lagos.

    Babatunde said that LASWARCO had been engaging with these companies for over seven years to encourage compliance but efforts have been met with limited success.

    “We operate a law that empowers us to regulate most of these heavy abstractors in Lagos State. Abstractors are individuals or entities that extract large quantities of groundwater for commercial purposes.

    “So, these companies that we have sealed, basically three of them – Coca-Cola, FreislandCampina and Guinness, abstract water in large quantities.

    “And we have been engaging them over time. At least, I have been here for more than seven years now. We’ve been engaging these companies for more than seven years now.

    “Some, either they do partial compliance, or some don’t comply at all. So, now that we started implementation of our regulation, we now compel them to fulfill all their regulatory demands,” he said.

    The enforcement was a follow-up of a news briefing on unregulated groundwater abstraction by Mr Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, held on Monday.

    Wahab noted that the Environmental Management Protection Law 2017 empowered LASWARCO to regulate groundwater activities and impose penalties for unauthorised abstraction.

    He said that unregulated groundwater extraction could lead to serious environmental consequences, including land subsidence and groundwater contamination.

    The commissioner said in 2020, the government offered a 75 per cent waiver on groundwater abstraction fees, but compliance was low.

    This, he said, necessitated LASWARCO to now initiate enforcement actions against defaulters.

    He said that letters were issued to non-compliant organisations with a 72-hour ultimatum to comply and penalties would be imposed on those who continued to operate without authorisation.

  • Lagos pilgrims arrive in Jordan as Pope Francis opens Holy Year 2025

    Lagos pilgrims arrive in Jordan as Pope Francis opens Holy Year 2025

    Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, has opened the Holy Year of the Catholic Church in St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday evening.

    In a solemn ceremony on Christmas Eve, the 88-year-old pontiff opened the Holy Door, which is otherwise walled up from the inside, and pass through it.

    “Tonight, the door of hope has opened wide to the world. Tonight, God speaks to each of us and says: there is hope also for you.

    “If God can visit us, even when our hearts seem like a lowly manger, we can truly say: Hope is not dead; hope is alive and it embraces our lives forever.

    “Christian hope is not a “happy ending” which we passively await, but rather, a promise, the Lord’s promise, to be welcomed here and now in our world of suffering and sighs.

    “Christian hope, while inviting us to wait patiently for the Kingdom to grow and spread, also requires of us, even now, to be bold, responsible and compassionate, in our anticipation of the fulfilment of the Lord’s promise,” the Pope stated.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Catholic Church normally celebrates a Holy Year, also known as a Jubilee Year, every 25 years.

    According to Catholic belief, believers can gain forgiveness of their sins through prayer and penance during a Holy Year.

    This also includes a pilgrimage to Rome and passing through Holy Doors in the Eternal City.

    Catholics can obtain a special grace known as a plenary indulgence, which removes all temporal punishment for sin if requirements are met.

    More than 30 million pilgrims and visitors are expected in the Italian capital during the Catholic event, with some estimates as high as 45 million

    Francis will then celebrate the traditional Christmas mass, ringing in the Vatican’s Christmas festivities.

    The pontiff is expected to use the services to speak out forcefully against war and violence and remember the suffering of the people.

    He recently called for a Christmas truce in the face of the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

    In Bethlehem, traditionally the birthplace of Jesus Christ, the festivities are expected to be rather subdued this year due to the Gaza war.

    The procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and the midnight mass in Bethlehem are to take place as usual.

    However, festive decorations in the small town in the West Bank and the lighting of a Christmas tree in front of the Church of the Nativity are to be avoided.

    Lagos pilgrims arrive safely in Jordan

    The Lagos State Pilgrims, accompanied by officials from the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board and the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), have arrived safely in Amman, Jordan’s capital city.

    The pilgrims, led by the NCPC Executive Secretary, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, departed from Murtala Mohammed International Airport on Sunday, December 22, via Air Anka flight JAV3102.

    Upon arrival in Jordan on Monday, December 23, at 7 am local time, the pilgrims were warmly welcomed with festive fanfare by their Jordanian hosts, led by Tabar Tours’ General Manager, Ms. Shada.

    Shada expressed her delight in hosting the Lagos contingent, highlighting the significance of their visit as the first batch of pilgrims to kick-start this year’s exercise.

    The Board Secretary of the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mrs. Florence Yetunde Gbafe shared her excitement about the successful trip despite initial obstacles. She advised the pilgrims to conduct themselves with decorum and to pray for Nigeria, Israel, and the Middle East.

    The pilgrims will spend three days in Jordan before proceeding to Israel and returning to Jordan to depart for Nigeria on January 1, 2025.

  • Driver narrowly escapes as train collides with rice-laden car in Lagos

    Driver narrowly escapes as train collides with rice-laden car in Lagos

    A yet-to-be identified driver, on Tuesday, December 24 escaped death after a moving train struck a Rice-laden vehicle in the Iju-Fagba area of Lagos State

    The tragic incident was documented in a viral video shared on X today.

    The vehicle involved, identified as a Sienna, was reportedly loaded with bags of rice when the moving train jammed the vehicle, causing chaos.

    However, at the time of this report, there have been no confirmed casualties in the accident.