TheNewsGuru

Tag: Lagos

  • Lagos Traffic: LASTMA employs 1,400 personnel to end gridlocks

    In a bid to curb traffic gridlocks on Lagos roads, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Sunday said it has engaged over 1,400 new graduate traffic managers.

    The Chief Executive Officer of LASTMA, Chris Olakpe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the new officials were trained on effectiveness traffic management within Lagos metropolis.

    Olakpe said that various orientation and training programmes were undertaken for LASTMA officials on traffic control and management to ensure professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

    “The trainings are ongoing to capture the old officials within the state to blend with the newly recruited graduates.

    “About 1,400 new officials were recently recruited and trained to bring improvement, discipline and curb gridlocks within the state.

    “We have about 4,250 LASTMA officials to ensure free flow of traffic on various routes in Lagos State,” he said.

    The LASTMA boss said that the officials were trained on protocol of arrest, surveillance and traffic management.

    Olapke added that there were various disciplinary departments at the agency to punish any official who is found wanting in the line of duty.

    “We have departments and sections that deal with discipline like provost marshal’s office, surveillance and monitoring unit and LASTMA complaint units.

    “All these sections are in position to deal with any official who disobey the rules and regulations of the authority,” he said.

    NAN reports that eight LASTMA officials were on Aug. 14 sacked for receiving bribes.

    The LASTMA chief executive said that the authority had been working assiduously to reduce gridlocks in Apapa and its environs.

    He said that the agency had established “Operation Keep Traffic Moving’’ to ease gridlocks in Apapa and other parts of the Lagos metropolis.

    “LASTMA has been assisting in the movement of traffic in Apapa by trying to streamline traffic; it has been doing its best to reduce the gridlocks being experienced in the area,” he said.

     

  • Release 180 Ebonyi indigenes incarcerated in Lagos prisons, Umahi begs Ambode

    Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has called on the Lagos State Government to unconditionally release 180 Ebonyi indigenes, incarcerated in Lagos for engaging in hawking.

    Umahi made the call on Thursday in Abakaliki, when he received a delegation of Ebonyi indigenes residing in Onitsha, Anambra, who visited him over the plight of its indigenes in the town and across the country.

    Umahi represented by his Deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe, noted that the government received with dismay, the gory ordeals of the victims as narrated by the Ebonyi Development Association in Lagos.

    “The 180 victims were accused of contravening a law of the Lagos Government on street trading, but the intriguing aspect is that they had been incarcerated before the law was enacted.

    “Most of them had spent over two years in incarceration before the law was enacted, but they were unfortunately charged under the same law.

    “I will immediately consult and interact with my Lagos counterpart to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the victims,” he said.

    The governor remarked that the days of treating Ebonyi citizens as second-class citizens in the country were over, as the government would extend its empowerment schemes to its indigenes residing across the country.

    “The government would immediately procure over 130 tricycles to enable hawkers of Ebonyi origin in Onitsha and environs, quit the trade and be gainfully employed.

    “We would accommodate over 20 indigenes in Onisha in our empowerment scheme, which would offer them a grant of N250, 000 each, to quit street trading and be gainfully employed.

    “The beneficiaries would cut across the 13 local government areas of the state and would consist of 50 per cent male and 50 per cent females.

    “The empowerment scheme would be extended to over 300 indigenes in Anambra and would subsequently accommodate those in states such as Abia, Kano, Lagos, among others,” he said.

    Mr Mathew Njoku, leader of the delegation and the Governor’s Senior Technical Assistant, Onitsha Liaison Office, thanked the governor for the reception and pledged to contribute its quota in the state’s development.

    “We thank you for graciously including Ebonyi indigenes in Onitsha and across the country in your empowerment schemes because it would help eradicate the humiliating experiences they undergo while hawking and engaging in other menial jobs.

    “Ebonyi indigenes are ranked among the most successful exporters of goods in Onitsha, and are willing to transfer such business acumen to enhance the state’s economy,” he said.

    Njoku also pledged that the state’s indigenes in Onitsha would support the governor’s second term bid and also his future political ambition.

     

     

    NAN

  • NERC lethargy towards Lagos power project, by Ehichioya Ezomon

    By Ehichioya Ezomon

    In this era of preachment of “ease of doing business” in Nigeria, Lagos State’s determination to power the Centre of Excellence appears hamstrung by failure of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to give the necessary go-ahead.

    The Governor Akinwumi Ambode-led administration plans to establish embedded power designed as the state’s flagship programme for direct intervention in the power value chain “towards achieving a 24-hour power for Lagos” that’s striving for a Mega City.

    It proposes to generate, within three to six years, up to 3,000 megawatts of power “through accelerated deployment of various power plants by private sector power providers in strategic locations across the state.”

    To get this programme off the ground, the government needs approval of the NERC, which it has duly submitted to the draft of the Lagos State Embedded Power Bill finalised in May 2017. But the commission has yet to clear the application, thus delaying the forwarding of the bill to the State House of Assembly for endorsement.

    The lethargic attitude of the NERC apparently stems from the skewed system Nigeria operates, which saddles the Federal Government with too many responsibilities that ought to be devolved to state governments.

    For instance, the 1999 Constitution (as amended), in the Second Schedule, Part I & II thereof, assigns 68 portfolios to the Federal Government in the Exclusive Legislative List and only 12 items to the states in the Concurrent Legislative List.

    It is this lacuna that the ongoing amendment to the constitution was meant to cure – to move certain items from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, in order “to give more legislative powers (and resources) to states.” But the Senate voted down the Bill on Devolution of Powers.

    Meanwhile, the constitution lists “Electric Power” under the Concurrent Legislative List, on which National and State Assemblies can make laws. Hence, Lagos State is seeking the clearance of its draft bill on embedded power generation from the NERC, to avoid the House of Assembly making any law that conflicts with that of the National Assembly on the same item.

    Thus, on Friday, August 4, Governor Ambode visited the NERC in Abuja, and laid out the power template: “The stakeholders’ meeting holding today (August 4) is a continuation of the ongoing engagement between NERC and the Lagos State Government on the Lagos State Embedded Power Programme,” he said.

    Noting his government’s collaboration with other stakeholders to design and implement a roadmap for uninterrupted power supply to homes and businesses in Lagos State, the governor offers the Federal Government a helping hand in Nigeria’s quest “to achieve a stable power supply, to create a secure and prosperous nation that is globally competitive.”

    “We are convinced that the offer by our government to deploy the state’s balance sheet in support of power generation, transmission, distribution, gas supply, metering, collection and enforcement in Lagos State will significantly relieve the national grid and free more energy for distribution to other parts of Nigeria,” he said.

    However, proponents of decentralisation of production of electricity outside of the national grid argue that state governments shouldn’t be beggarly on the issue, but seize on constitutional provisions to generate electricity for their states.

    This was their position on Thursday in Lagos at the launch of a 65-page report, “From Darkness to Darkness: How Nigerians are Paying the Price for Corruption in the Electricity Sector,” produced by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and presented to the media by Yemi Oke, an associate professor, Energy/Electricity Law, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos.

    Even as he blamed the 36 state governments for abdicating their duties to the power sector, as an item on the Concurrent Legislative List in the Second Schedule, paragraph 13 and 14 of the amended 1999 Constitution, Prof. Oke urged the Federal Government to “consider fully divesting its stakes in the power sector and allow for efficient, decentralized sector-governance in line with the provisions of the constitution.”

    Similarly, rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, who chaired the event, advised state governments to begin to exercise their constitutional rights by “challenging the control of electricity generation, distribution and transmission by the federal government.”

    “Stop going to Abuja; stop begging the federal government to give you power to establish electricity companies in your state,” Falana said. “You have the right. If individuals can do that and generate electricity they needed, why should you go to Abuja to get a licence to generate electricity in your state?”

    The NERC regulators should be reminded that Lagos State, pivotal to Nigeria meeting its goal of being among the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020 (or 2025?), is the country’s cash cow in terms of the revenue from the Value Added Tax (VAT). Figures supplied by the Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, bear this out.

    In 2016, according to her, Lagos generated 55 per cent of the VAT receipts by the Federal Government, while the balance of 45 per cent was generated by the remaining 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory, which alone brought in 20 per cent.

    Every patriotic agency of government should join in prayers with former President Olusegun Obasanjo who, in Lagos at the launch of a book, “Making Africa Work,” which he co-authored, said the Brenthurst Foundation that he chairs would cooperate with Lagos State “to become Africa’s third largest economy (after Nigeria and South Africa) in a very short time.”

    In all respects, Lagos is working, and leading the way. So, the NERC should expeditiously do the needful to assist the “Embedded Power Programme” initiated by Governor Ambode and the state government “towards achieving a 24-hour power for Lagos.”

     

    * Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos.

  • Sallah: LASG takes delivery of 70 trailer load of Lake Rice, to commence sale tomorrow [Photos]

    …As Govt Assures Of Fair Distribution Across Sales Centres

    In an effort to ensure even distribution across all the sale centres, the Lagos State Government on Wednesday said that at least 70 trailer load of the LAKE RICE have arrived the State ahead of the commencement of the sale on Thursday.

    The State’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Toyin Suarau who spoke to journalists, said that the Government has made adequate arrangement to ensure that Lagosians willing to purchase LAKE RICE can do so without much hassles.

    “This present administration has made the necessary logistics in place. Trailers are coming into the State with the rice. As we speak, there are over 30 trailer loads in Lagos, by Friday it would be about 40, by next week it would be up to 70 trucks and even after the Sallah period, there would be more coming into the State,” the Commissioner said.

    According to him, the Rice would be on sale across the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas, saying that the decision was to ensure that residents can get it without travelling far distance.

    He said the rice would also be available at LTV Blue Roof Complex, Agidingbi, Ikeja, while the prices still remain the same as N12, 000 for 50kg bag, N6,000 for 25kg and N2,500 for 10kg.

    “There is going to be even distribution of the LAKE RICE and that’s why we are using all the Local governments and the Local Council Development Areas.

    “This will ensure wide distribution of the product to as many people who want it. we have made arrangement for the rice to continue to come into the State, so there is no need for panic buy or any form of rush, just go to your local government or local council development area you will get it to buy,” Suarau said.

    Suarau who affirmed that the sale of the LAKE RICE would commence on Thursday, said the State’s Agricultural Development Authority Complex in Oko-Oba, Agege would flag off the sales while other Local Governments centres would follow suit.

    “The Local Government and Local Council Development Areas are the grassroots. Our target is the residents at the grassroots. I may be able to afford rice for N18, 000 or N20, 000 but some people may not be able to do so. Last Christmas, if not for the Lake Rice, some people would not have eaten rice and you know rice is the main food for Christmas,” he said.

    The Commissioner also expressed optimism that with the up-scaling of the Imota Rice Milling Plant from 2.5 metric tons to 16 metric tons per hour, expected to be up and running by next year, the production of LAKE RICE would be done in the State to ensure availability of the product all year round.

  • Sallah: Lagos to commence sale of Lake Rice August 24

    The Lagos State Government said it would resume the sales of Lake Rice at approved retail outlets across the state from Thursday, Aug. 24th ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

    The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Oluwatoyin Suarau, said this on Tuesday while reviewing the modalities for the distribution of the rice across the state.

    Suarau said that the sales would be part of the state government’s commitment to making food available to residents at affordable prices.

    “As part of its commitment to boost food security in the state, the Lagos State Government is set to commence another batch of sales of Lake Rice in preparation for the forthcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

    “The sales of rice have been scheduled to commence on Thursday 24th August 2017 in various centres across the state.

    “The present administration will continue to ensure adequate production and a fair distribution of the rice across the state as it will be made available to the masses in the various accredited centers in the state,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the last rice sales was during the Eld-el-fitri celebration in June.

    Suarau said the distribution and sales would be done in the 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas of the state as well as the Agricultural Development Area Complex Oko-oba, Agege; the LTV Blue Roof Complex, Agidingbi, Ikeja and other designated centers across the state.

    According to him, the prices remain the same at N12,000 for a 50kg bag; N6,000 for the 25kg bag while the 10kg bag would be sold for N2,500. (NAN)

  • 9 feared dead in Lagos boat mishap

    The Lagos State Government on Sunday confirmed the death of nine persons in the boat mishap which occurred at the weekend in Ilashe area of the State.

    In a statement issued by the Managing Director of Lagos State Waterways Authority, Engr Abisola Kamson, the State Government attributed the unfortunate mishap to overloading of passengers on a Banana Boat and operation of illegal jetty.

    Kamson said four victims of the mishap who were rescued are already receiving treatment at a nearby hospital, while search and rescue operation was still on-going.

    While commiserating with the families of those that lost their loved ones, the State Government said the mishap had again brought to the fore the need for the National Inland Waterways Authority to respect the recent verdict of the Court of Appeal which upheld the powers of the State Government to control its intra-inland waterways.

    Going into details of the mishap, Kamson said: “An unfortunate incident occurred at Ilashe today Sunday August 20th arising from overloading of passengers on a Banana boat taking off from an illegal Jetty which has become a perennial issue of the Lagos State Government to rid our Waterfront areas of illegal operators.

    “We sympathize with the families of the deceased as nine lives were lost in the mishap and four people receiving treatment in the hospital.

    “The LASWA rescue team has been on ground and search is still on-going. This brings to fore again the need for NIWA to allow the judgement of the Appeal Court granting Lagos Control of her waterways to take effect without hindrance.

    “It is a matter for regret that ever since the judgement was pronounced, NIWA has ejected all State Water Guards monitoring standards from all Federal owned Jetties. In spite of this, the Government of Lagos State aligns to the safety of citizens on the waterways. All Lagosians are enjoined to wear standard life jackets at all times on our Waterways,” Kamson said.

    Besides, the LASWA boss urged boat operators and other stakeholders in the inland waterways sector to adhere strictly to safety standards at all times.

  • Lagos Court remands woman, 11 others over Ikeja “Ile-Zik” kidnappers’ den

    Twelve suspected kidnappers including a woman, arrested by the police in connection with a kidnappers’ den at Ile-Zik Bus Stop in Ikeja, were on Friday remanded at Ikoyi Prisons on the orders of a Lagos magistrate.

    Chief Magistrate Tajudeen Elias said the accused are to remain behind bars pending a legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs).

    The “Ile Zik 12 men” were brought before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court on a three-count charge of conspiracy, attempted kidnap and possession of arms and ammunition.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the bus stop is named after a four-storey building built by the first President of Nigeria, the late Dr Nnamidi Azikiwe.

    Barely a week before, another kidnappers’ hole was discovered at Ijaiye area on the Oshodi-Sango-Abeokuta Highway.

    The accused are Hakeem Ogundele, 32; Noah Samuel, 25; Ayomide Olatunji, 44; Felix Matthew, 34; American Obodoyibo, 42; Shola Elemo, 32; and Adijat Mudashiru, 32.

    Others are Tunde Akanji, 41; Adeoye Adekeye, 38; Patrick Onwubufor, 65, Samuel Iyede, 50; and Bright Amankwa, 36.

    Earlier, Sgt. Kehinde Omisakin, the police prosecutor, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Aug. 10 between 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. at Ile-Zik Bus Stop near Ajayi Farm in Ikeja on the Oshodi-Sango-Abeokuta Expressway.

    According to her, the 12 accused had conspired to kidnap some students of a nearby Girls Junior High School, but they luckily escaped.

    “Some school uniforms and notebooks of the students were found in possession of the accused.”

    Omisakin said one live ammunition, nine empty shells of expended ammunition, one kitchen knife and road maps were recovered from them.

    The accused pleaded innocence of the offences which contravened Sections 22, 330 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The case has been adjourned until Aug. 22.

     

     

    NAN

  • We didn’t pay ransome to secure release of Lagos school boys – Akeredolu

    We didn’t pay ransome to secure release of Lagos school boys – Akeredolu

    …Says we’ll make the abductors give up their arms

    Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) of Ondo State said on Sunday that his government did not pay a dime to the abductors of the Lagos school boys before securing their release.

    The governor also said he would work to ensure that the abductors dropped their arms.

    He also confirmed that he promised the kidnappers of inclusion in the Federal Government amnesty programme.

    The governor spoke in an interview on an Ibadan-based radio, Fresh FM at the weekend.

    Akeredolu explained that as soon as the Federal Government hinted him that the children were hidden somewhere in the creeks of Ondo State, he assigned his deputy, who hailed from a riverine area of the state, to find means of opening discussions with the abductors.

    On successfully establishing contact with them after risking his life, the governor recalled that he joined in the discussion to know the motive of the abductors.

    According to him, the militants complained that they were excluded in the amnesty programme launched for all militants in the Niger Delta.

    Akeredolu said he promised them that he would intimate the Federal Government of the need to include them in the programme. He said the government did not pay ransom to secure their release.

    The governor said he, however, made them realise the danger of criminality.

    He said the militants expressed trust in his administration to right the wrongs of the past.

    “My deputy did a yeoman’s job and started a discussion with the abductors. We made them realise that they may have their problem with the government but we told them that we will report that to the Federal Government. People repose a lot of trust in our government. They have implicit trust in us. The young boys (kidnappers) have trust in us. We promised them we would persuade the Federal Government to include them in the amnesty programme. We did not pay any ransom. We will work with the Federal Government to make them surrender their arms,” Akeredolu said.

    Akeredolu also acknowledged that there is division in the All Progressives Congress (APC), pointing out that the party is so big that all members can not always agree. He stressed that it is part of the beauty of democracy.

    He also denied working as one of President Muhammadu Buhari’s boys in Southwest, saying he is not a boy to anybody.

     

  • [Video] Two policemen attached to Davido in detention for reckless shooting in Lagos

    The Nigeria Police Force says it has detained and tried two of its personnel in orderly room for alleged reckless shooting in Lagos.

    A video had been in circulation on social media, which shows two policemen allegedly shooting into the air on the street while in a moving vehicle.

    The Head of Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit ( PCRRU), ACP Abayomi Shogunle, told journalists that following complaints by members of the public, the case was immediately registered by the unit.

    “On Aug. 1, PCRRU was notified about a video in circulation on social media in which some men alleged to be policemen were seen shooting in the air on the street in a moving vehicle,” Shogunle said.

    He said that the Commissioner of police in charge of Police Mobile Force ( PMF ) at the Force Headquarters, had identified the men following the directive of the Inspector-General of Police.

    Shogunle said that the incident happened on July 31 at 5 p.m. along the Murtala Mohammed International Airport road in Lagos.

    He explained that the two policemen who were attached to the 20 Police Mobile Force Squadron, and were attached to a private security company, Infinity Security Company.

    Shogunle said that a popular Nigerian Musician, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, engaged them to provide escort for him to his house while returning from abroad.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXt7AsBmotE

    ” Along the way as seen in the video which has been confirmed by investigation, the two policemen involved started shooting into the air for no just cause.

    “They have been identified and they have been in detention since then because the investigation was conducted and after that they have been tried in orderly room and punishment has been recommended.

    “We are only waiting for the appropriate police authority to review the punishment then we will make the full details known to the public.

    “One thing is clear that the conduct of those policemen as seen in that video is unacceptable, that is not part of what our officers should be engaged in.

    ” They are no longer involved in any duty where they will carry any weapon. They will be in detention until the process is over before they will be released.

    “Investigation has shown that they have no justifiable reason to have expended or fire their weapons into the air,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Shogunle has assured members of the public that officers dismissed for corruption would also be prosecuted in court in line with the Inspector-General of Police’s directive.

    “Apart from dismissal, we are also going to see the prosecution of such unethical officers in the court of law, “he said.

    The PCRRU was established by the Nigeria Police Force in November 2015, with a mandate to receive and resolve cases of professional misconduct brought against its officers.

  • Another suspected kidnappers’ den uncovered, set ablaze in Ikeja, Lagos

    Irate mob set ablaze a den suspected to be used by members of an unknown kidnap gang at Ile-Zik, in Ikeja, area of Lagos state.

    Speaking with journalists at the scene of the incident, a Rapid Response Squad, RRS official who spoke on anonymity grounds said a dead body was also recovered near the hideout.

    “We are still investigating and already and our men have been drafted here,” he added.

    TheNewsguru.com gathered that the about three suspects have been arrested, while a sharp knife was found on one of the suspects said to have been posing as a mad man.

    Recall there was a similar incident which happened on Thursday, where two suspected kidnappers were lynched along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.