TheNewsGuru

Tag: Lagos

  • Lagos, Kaduna, Cross River, 21 other states exceeded their borrowing limits – FRC

    The Fiscal Responsibility Commission, FRC, has stated that 23 states of the federation exceeded their borrowing limit in 2015.

    This according to the Commission is contrary to the guidelines highlighted by Debt Management Office, DMO.

    This was revealed in a report on the states and their indebtedness.

    The FRC in the report said Lagos, Kaduna, Cross River, Gombe, Ekiti, Edo, Ondo and Imo states had borrowed more than 50 per cent of their annual statutory allocations by 2015.

    Other states in the same boat are Zamfara, Adamawa, Oyo, Abia, Ogun, Taraba, Kebbi, Enugu, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Kano, Benue, Kwara, Katsina and Sokoto.

    The FRC added that when total revenue (gross statutory allocation plus Internally Generated Revenue) was used as the yardstick for measuring the level of indebtedness of the states, a total of 20 states borrowed more than their total revenues in 2015.

    The report read in part, “In the light of the DMO’s Guidelines on Debt Management Framework, particularly as it pertains to debt sustainability, the debt to income ratio of states should not exceed 50 per cent of the statutory revenue for the preceding 12 months.

    “In effect, state governments have a subsisting, though not in line with FRA, 2007, loan policy, which requires states governments not to owe more than 50 per cent of their statutory revenue for the previous 12 months.

    “The Federal Government, on the other hand, is expected not to accumulate debt more than 40 per cent of the national Gross Domestic Product. Bearing this in mind, 23 states exceeded the threshold of 50 per cent of their gross/net statutory allocations during the year 2015.

    “However, out of the 23 states, only 20 states exceeded the threshold of 50 per cent of their total revenue – gross statutory allocation plus Internally Generated Revenue.”

    The report also stated, “Lagos exceeded the threshold of 50 per cent of its gross statutory allocation by well over 300 per cent; Kaduna, Cross River, Gombe, Ekiti, Edo, Ondo, Oyo, Abia and Ogun exceeded the 50 per cent of their gross statutory allocations by well over 50 per cent but less than 100 per cent.

    “Imo, Zamfara, Adamawa, Taraba, Kebbi, Enugu, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Kano, Benue, Kwara, Katsina, and Sokoto states exceeded the 50 per cent of their gross statutory allocations by less than 50 per cent.

    “On the basis of total revenue rather than gross statutory allocation, 20 states exceeded the threshold of 50 per cent. Of the 23 states that exceeded the threshold of their gross/net statutory allocations, Kwara, Katsina and Sokoto states did not exceed the 50 per cent threshold of their consolidated debt to total revenue.

    “From 2012 to 2015, five states consistently exceeded the threshold of 50 per cent of their gross statutory allocations. The states are Kaduna, Lagos, Ogun, Cross River and Osun.”

  • FG begins repair of roads, bridges in Lagos

    The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Godwin Eke, on Sunday confirmed that major roads and bridges in Lagos State were undergoing emergency and remedial repairs.

    Eke, in an interview in Lagos, said some bad roads required urgent attention and that the Federal Government was determined to make all federal roads in Lagos and across the nation motorable.

    He said some of the roads have been completed while others were still undergoing repairs.

    He explained that remedial works on both carriageways of Apongbon Bridge undulations had since been completed, noting that, speed was achieved on the project because the contractors worked at night.

    He listed ongoing emergency repair projects to include, repairs on Ijora Causeway, Ijora Flyover (East Link), Funsho Williams Avenue, replacement of 1 N expansion joint on Eko Bridge, Costain Roundabout to Eko Bridge Ramp and Costain to Iganmu Bridge (Orile Bound).

    Others projects are: Funsho Williams Bridge to Alaka, Carter Bridge Roundabout to LAWMA Junction (Eko Bridge Bound Carriageway), Herbert Macaulay Way (Jibowu Junction to Adekunle Junction) and Outer Marina to Ahmadu Bellow way (From Apongbon Bridge to Bonny Camp).

    Also listed were Falomo Roundabout through Kingsway Road to Osbourne Road, Apapa Road to Western Avenue (Between Iganmu Bridge Ramp and Western Avenue Bridge Ramp (Alaka Bound Carriageway), Apapa Road towards Iganmu Bridge (Orile Bound) which were receiving attention.

    Eke said Ijora Olopa to Ijora7Up (Beside Oloye Nursery and Primary School (Ijora Olopa Bound), Alaka to Apongbon through Eko Bridge (both carriageways), Onikan Junction through Independent Bridge to Apongbon Bridge (Apongbon Bound) were undergoing repairs.

    According to him, Lagos Island/General Hospital to Apongbon, Onikan/Lagos Island to Apongbon through Apongbon Bridge/CMS (CMS Bound), Eko Bridge Approach to Ijora, Ijora to Apapa Road through underneath Iganmu Flyover (Costain Bound) and National Theatre Train Station to Costain (Costain Bound) were being worked upon.

    He said government was working on concluding plans for other roads not yet captured and appealed to residents of Lagos “to be patient with government” as the repairs would soon reach other roads.

    “Due to paucity of funds government cannot repair all the roads at the same time,” he said.

    The controller said that Apapa Oshodi/Tin Can Island Road was undergoing procurement and that government was also planning permanent reconstruction of roads on the Apapa/Tin Can Island/Oshodi Road corridor to reduce gridlock/congestion to the barest minimum.

    “We will carry out some palliatives as soon as the procurement process is concluded.

    “The high water table in Apapa requires proper design and adoption of rigid pavement to ensure longevity of our roads,” Eke said.

     

  • Lagos gets new Commissioner of Justice Monday

    …As Justice Atilade bows out of service

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State will,on Monday, swear-in Justice Opeyemi Oke as the Acting Chief Judge of the State.

    Justice Oke, who is the most senior judge of the State Judiciary, is taking over in an acting capacity following the retirement of Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade who will attain the statutory retirement age tomorrow, September 24, 2017.

    Justice Atilade on Monday paid a visit to the Governor at Lagos House to officially announce her retirement from the State’s judiciary.

    Receiving the outgoing CJ, Governor Ambode pledged his administration’s determination to prioritize the welfare of serving and retired judges in the State to enable them continue to give their very best to the economic prosperity of the State.

    He said that over the last two years, concerted efforts have been put in place geared towards reforms in the judiciary to improve on their service delivery, noting that the Lagos State Judiciary had become a reference point of how the judiciary should run.

    “Reforms in the judiciary is a continuous thing and in areas, in which we have not done utmost well as you so much envisioned, we would improve on them and we would also ensure that we make life comfortable for our retired judges as you move into that club. I am very particular about the welfare of judges, that is a very sacred institution that we must continue to ensure that even in retirement there is so much for them to look back for the efforts they have made,” Governor Ambode said.

  • Apapa gridlock: Stay out of Lagos, LASG orders truck drivers

    Sequel to the incessant gridlocks witnessed at the Apapa axis of Lagos, the State Government on Friday directed owners and operators of articulated vehicles/trailers and petroleum tankers to stay away from its borders for now.

    The state government in a press conference jointly addressed by officials of the State as well as members of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, regretted that the incessant traffic bottleneck had impacted negatively on the commercial activities of the citizenry, adding that the directive would be enforced to eliminate the current hardship being faced by motorists.

    Addressing the briefing, the State’s Acting Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Olanrewaju Elegushi said investigations revealed that the traffic lockdown was a direct result of the challenges being faced by operators of the ports’ which had made it impossible for them to load the articulated vehicles/trailers that have come from the hinterland to evacuate imported items from the ports.

    He said the gridlock was worsened by the current rehabilitation of some major roads and other minor roads which necessitated the closure of some roads in Apapa, noting that the situation had led to the traffic bottleneck and backflow of the articulated vehicles to as far as Ojuelegba on the Funsho Williams Avenue, Surulere.

    Explaining the reason for the State’s directive, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said the Apapa gridlock had also become a reoccurring problem due to constant breakdown of operations at the Ports.

    “Clearly, it is the breakdown of operations at the Port that is the monster causing this reoccurring issue. We keep having this issue of gridlock in Apapa because issues that the Ports Authorities and the concessionaires are dealing with are recurrent and the spillover effect of those issues are causing all these.

  • Extortion: New Lagos CP, Edgal goes tough, queries two DPOs, orders arrest of nine policemen

    The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Imohimi Edgal, said on Thursday that nine policemen, one traffic warden and two others have been arrested for extorting money from motorists.

    Edgal told journalists the arrest was a follow up to his warning to officers and men of the state police command to guide against corruption and unprofessional conducts.

    He said the X-Squad unit had intensified its activities to ensure zero tolerance to corruption and unruly practices by police officers and men of the command.

    Edgal said: “In the light of this, operatives of the X-Squad have been out day and night to ensure that this renewed determination is achieved.

    “To this effect, nine policemen and a senior traffic warden alongside two of their accomplices popularly known as ‘Camp Boys’ or ‘Antelopes’ were arrested between September 1 and 18, 2017.

    “One of the Camp boys identified as Taofik Ismaila was arrested along Ikotun road on September 8, along with some unscrupulous policemen, who were caught extorting money from innocent motorists.

    “Similarly, the unit also arrested one Stephen Nwafor along Igando road with some policemen caught collecting money from some unsuspecting motorists.

    “The policemen are currently undergoing departmental orderly room trial to ensure a total purging of the command of its bad eggs, while their civilian accomplices are being charged to court for related offences.”

    The police commissioner has also directed that the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and the Divisional Traffic officers of the affected areas be issued queries for lack of supervision and disobedience to lawful orders.

    He urged all executives and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to warn their members from being used by unscrupulous policemen as tools and agents of extortion against members of the public.

    “The activities of this unit are still on and will not relax until the command gets rid of all the bad elements,” he added.

  • Police demolish six shrines, free kidnapped couple in Lagos

    The Lagos Police Command yesterday rescued a kidnapped couple during the command’s demolition of six shrines at Agbowa, a Lagos suburb.

    In the course of the exercise, the police arrested James Adedeji, owner of one of the shrines in whose premises a couple were said to have been rescued on Tuesday night.

    Acting Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal, who led reporters to the shrines yesterday, said their demolition was part of efforts to clamp down on ritualists and fraudsters, who establish such places for criminal purposes.

    Edgal said the police received intelligence report of illegality at the demolished shrines, adding that they had the backing of all the traditional rulers in the district to pull them down.

    Edgal said the police discovered that most of the people who had gone missing or fallen victim to ‘one-chance’ buses usually ended up at shrines in that axis, where some are murdered or fleeced.

    He said: “We had the backing of all the traditional rulers in Ikorodu to demolish individually owned shrines that are used to perpetrate crime. Some of those shrines are used for ritual purposes. Others were established by fraudsters with the intent to commit crime.

    “So, these six we have demolished were identified as a result of the police and community partnership. We received information from members of the community and we carried out our own findings too.

    “I can tell you that as of Tuesday night, when we were still surveying the places, a husband and wife were rescued in one of the shrines. They fell victim and they had been told they would be killed. They were very grateful when the police came to their aid.

    “We have arrested an owner. I use this opportunity to appeal to the public to have confidence in the police. They should provide us with valuable information that would lead to the rounding up of all those criminals.

    “I want to still assure them that under my watch, their confidentiality is guaranteed. No one would know information came from them. Just as we have gotten these ones, we will get all others and rid Lagos of such criminals.”

  • Alimi: We are ready to conduct Lagos bye-election – INEC

    Alimi: We are ready to conduct Lagos bye-election – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is fully prepared for the conduct of the Lagos constituency bye-election in Eti-Osa Local Government Area on Sept. 30.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the election is to fill the vacant seat as a result of the death of the lawmaker representing the area, Mr Kazeem Alimi on July 8.

    INEC Resident Electoral Commission in the state, Sam Olumekun told newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos that the commission had concluded all arrangements to conduct the polls.

    “We are ready for the election, everything is in place, and we are good to go.

    “We have started receiving non-sensitive materials for the conduct of the election and our personnel too have been fully prepared.

    “We will ensure the peaceful and credible conduct of the election and meet the expectations of stakeholders,’’ he said.

    He said the details of how the commission would go about the election would be made public in the coming days.

    The commissioner, however, urged stakeholders and the public to give the commission the necessary support to ensure hitch-free conduct of the election.

     

     

  • Breaking: Customs uncovers another 475 rifles in Lagos

    The Tin-Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service on Tuesday uncovered another set of 475 rifles.

    TheNewsGuru gathered authoritatively that the guns were discovered after the Area Controller of the Command, Bashir Yussuf ordered a detailed profiling of the importer of the 1,100 rifles intercepted last week.

    The weapon consignment [The 20-foot container is numbered CMAU189817/8] according to TheNewsGuru’s findings belonged to the same importer.

    This seizure is the fourth in the series of arms seizure at tin can port alone within eight months.

    A source who witnessed the examination of the container told our correspondent that the riffles were concealed with small connecting pipes.

    “The container was owned by the same importer of the 1,100 guns. After a detailed profiling of the importer ordered by the Area Controller, it was discovered that he still has another container inside the port, so they fished it out”

    “But I don’t know why they are hiding the identity of the importer, it could even be the government themselves importing this weapons” the source said.

    As at the time of filing this report, the container was being examined at the enforcement unit of customs, while a large number of Customs Intelligence Officers (CIU) and enforcement officers barred port users from witnessing the counting of the guns.

    However, when he was contacted by our correspondent, the spokesperson of Tin Can Customs, Uche Ejesieme could not confirm the development.

    He said he was not aware of such developments. “I am not aware and I don’t know anything about it” he said.
    Efforts to reach the Deputy Controller in charge of enforcement at Tin Can Port, Mr. Dera Nnadi proved abortive as all calls to his phone were not picked.

    Recall that the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) had last Monday displayed 1,100 riffles imported into Tin-can port from Turkey.

    The importation came through the Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT). A customs officer and Terminal Clerk of the terminal were arrested in connection with the seizure.

    Ali said that customs would hold the terminal operator responsible for the illegal import and query how the container found its way into the examination bay even though it was not positioned or listed for examination.
    He said that the all the guns were imported from Turkey.

    He said that the bill of laden of the container falsely indicates the content to be wash hand basins and water closets, but thorough examination revealed that it contains 600 pieces of Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles

  • Lagos will get first female governor soon – Ambode

    Governor Akinwunmi of Lagos State Ambode on Wednesday expressed said the state will get its first female governor soon.

    Ambode, who spoke when he received the One-Day Governor of the State, Miss Zuffon Bukola and members of her cabinet at the Exco Chambers, Lagos House in Ikeja, said that the emergence of Miss Zuffon and the One-Day Deputy Governor, Miss Rosemary Ogidan was a signpost to what the future portends for the State.

    Zuffon, a 16-year-old SS 2 student of Awodiora Senior Secondary School, Ajegunle emerged the One-Day Governor of the State after she won a keenly contested Spelling Bee Competition in June 2017, while Ogidan, also an SS 2 student of Methodist Senior High School, Badagry finished as runner up.

    According to the Governor, the emergence of two females as One-Day Governor and Deputy Governor of the State clearly indicates that a female can likewise be elected as the Governor of the State.

    He said: “This is a significant day for Lagos State and it also signals what the future actually holds for Lagos State in which we have seated here, two female strong members of the new State Executive Council and we have a female Governor and a female Deputy Governor.

    “It is also telling us a story about what the future of Lagos is all about that one day we would find seated here, not just a day governor, but for a period or tenure of four years, there would be a female Governor in this State.

    “We’ve had female Deputy Governors in this State; it also says something that these younger ones are telling our women in Lagos to rise up and actually take their position.”

    Governor Ambode also commended Zuffon and her cabinet members, noting that their feat was an indication that the funds expended by the State Government to improve the educational sector was not in vain, adding that efforts would be intensified to further develop the sector.

    “I want to congratulate her and her cabinet members for also showing to us that the future of education in Lagos is strong. We believe that the resources we are spending in the educational sector are not going to be a waste and they have also shown that they are ready to succeed us as long as we encourage them.

    “So we’ll do everything just like what we have been doing in the last two years to continue to pay greater attention to education and also make sure that we do so much in youth development to allow them to be mentally capable of succeeding us even as we move away from all the things we have done in the public service,” the Governor said.

    He said the State Government was encouraged by the exploits of past One Day Governors and their cabinet members who are excelling in their various endeavours, just as he commended parents of the students as well as the school management for all the efforts put into bringing out the best in them.

    To encourage their efforts, Ambode awarded full scholarship to the One Day Governor, Miss Zuffon and her Deputy, Miss Ogidan while also announcing a cash donation of N1million each to them.

    The governor also awarded a cash donation of N500,000 each to members of the One Day Governor’s cabinet consisting of Master Tovishede Ayobami (Secretary to the State Government); Master Philip Daniel (Speaker of the House of Assembly); Master Durojaiye Oluwasegun (Commissioner for Education); Master Atabo Ufedojo (Commissioner for Science and Technology).

    Earlier, Miss Zuffon while addressing the governor and members of the State Executive Council commended the Governor for his visionary leadership and numerous achievements especially in the educational sector, saying that despite the economic challenges, teachers’ salaries and entitlements were being paid as at when due.

    Zuffon, who is aspiring to become a lawyer, also seized the occasion to request for a School Bus, renovation of the school’s multipurpose hall as well as construction of drainage channels in her school, which Governor Ambode immediately granted.

  • Lagos Ministry director commits suicide

    A director in the Ministry of Youth and Social Development in Lagos State, Oludare Buraimoh, has reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a circumstance which is yet unclear.

    The deceased, a resident of Unity Estate, Phase 11 Gbonagun area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, was reported to have killed himself inside his apartment.

    The Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi who confirmed the development on Tuesday, said the director took his life a few hours after attending to his son, Dotun, who was down with malaria.

    ”It is true that the man committed suicide shortly after attending to his son, who was sick. The corpse has been deposited in the mortuary as investigation continues,” Mr. Oyeyemi said.

    The police spokesperson said the son of the deceased reported the case at the Obantoko Divisional Police Headquarters.

    The late director’s son said that the incident happened around 4 p.m. after his father gave him a drug to treat malaria.

    “We were both at home. He came to give me a drug and left me (and I was) thinking he was going to retire to his room. But when I did not hear his voice I called him, but got no response,” he said.

    “I, thereafter, went to his room only to find him hanging from the ceiling with a traditional ‘aso oke’ (attire) tied to his neck and a stool with which he committed the suicide,” the son said.

    He said on the discovery of the development, he alerted the neighbours, who in turn, told him to alert the police.

    A visit to the family home of the deceased showed a saddened widow yet to come to terms with the grave loss.

    “I don’t know what came over him, it is inexplicable. We have been surviving through thick and thin and now that we ought to sit down and enjoy after all the years of toiling, he decided to take his life,” the deceased’s wife said.

    “He did not show any sign of depression. ‎ He was in high spirit. What led him to do this remains a riddle,” she said.