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Tag: Sanwo-Olu

  • Coronavirus: Sanwo-Olu orders arrest of people gathering in large numbers

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered the police and other security agencies to arrest people gathering in large number in violation of government’s order.

    The government had banned large religious gathering in excess of 50 across the state due to the raging Coronavirus pandemic.

    Sanwo-Olu on Friday in a statewide broadcast in Marina, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria extended the ban on large gathering in excess of 50 to social clubs, night clubs, event centres, among others.

    Sanwo-Olu said following the resolution by government and religious leaders to stop large social gatherings, law enforcement officers had been ordered to effect arrest and disperse large gatherings to prevent the spread of the virus.

    The Governor directed all tertiary institutions in the State to abide by an earlier directive to shut down all public and private schools immediately, and also appealed to operators of bars, night clubs and similar public places to follow the advisory on social distancing.

    He said that social distancing remained the best way to curb the spread of COCID-19 in the State.

    He added that operators of high capacity buses would be directed to carry only their maximum sitting capacity of 47 passengers and appealed to residents to desist from sharing fake news, and misinformation as this may cause panic.

    The Governor also appealed to Lagosians to stop panic-buying of the Chloroquine drug, foodstuff, and other household items.

    Sanwo-Olu also confirmed that cases of COVID-19 were eleven in Lagos State, but clarified that the patient infected by the Index patient was free of the virus and had been discharged, while the Index patient himself was now negative and would be discharged any moment from now.

    Following reports of people being treated for Chloroquine poisoning in some Lagos hospitals, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi appealed to members of the public to desist from self-medication as no test has certified the drug as a cure for COVID-19.

  • Photo News: Sanwo-Olu presents pictures from Lagos explosion site to Buhari

    Photo News: Sanwo-Olu presents pictures from Lagos explosion site to Buhari

    Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday presented pictures from the Abule Ado explosion in Lagos to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Villa, Abuja.
    The bodies of 20 people have been recovered while over 100 houses have been destroyed.
    See photos below:

    Sanwo-Olu showing Buhari images of the Abule Ado explosion

    Sanwo-Olu showing Buhari images of the Abule Ado explosion

    Sanwo-Olu showing Buhari images of the Abule Ado explosion

  • Video: Sanwo-Olu visits explosion site, unveils N2bn relief fund for victims

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday announced the setting up of N2 billion relief fund for victims of Sunday’s explosion at Abule Ado area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that massive explosion rocked Abule Ado area on Sunday, with 17 people reportedly dead and over 70 houses destroyed.

    Sanwo-Olu, who visited the scene of the tragedy on Monday morning in company of his deputy and other senior government officials, said the state government would be committing N250 million to the fund immediately, while corporate organisations and spirited individuals were expected to support with donations for the victims of the explosion.

    He appealed to well meaning Nigerians and organisations to contribute to the fund.

    “I have set up Abule Ado Emergency Relief Fund; it is a N2 billion relief fund and the state government will immediately put in N250 million to that fund and overnight, I have gotten three banks to open account for that fund and what that are we trying to achieve?

    “This is beyond what the state government can achieve on its own. This is beyond what a government, nation or state level can undertake on its own, I am aware that some of my fellow governors have called, and have also received phone calls from the private sector, so what this fund will do is to give everybody the opportunity to be part of it and to be able to donate into it.

    “Of course, the utilisation of this fund, which will also be headed by the deputy governor will also be part of the responsibility the committee will be saddled with. Just to know we are serious and are committed to it. I have three account numbers already: I have the Polaris Bank, with the account number-4030017510 account name is Abule Ado Emergency Relief Fund,” he said.

    Other account numbers are: Zenith Bank, with account number-10171845716 and GTB, with account number-0568615688.

    Sanwo-Olu also inaugurated a fact-finding committee to investigate the cause of the incident, saying that the committee was expected to submit its report in two weeks time.

    He governor told the residents that his administration was working with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the National Emergency Management Agency {NEMA] to make life easier for the victims.

    According to him, “we are working with NEMA, NNPC and other agencies to make life easier to everyone affected in the tragic incident at Abule Ado, which claimed lives and caused extensive property damage. I offer my condolences to everyone affected.

     

  • Lagos Explosion: I have never seen this before, It is like a war zone – Sanwo-Olu

    Lagos Explosion: I have never seen this before, It is like a war zone – Sanwo-Olu

    Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has described the Abule-Ado explosion as a situation he has never seen before.

    The governor also described the scene of the explosion as a ‘war zone’.

    Sanwo-Olu said this during an assessment of the scene of the explosion on Monday morning alongside his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat.

    “I must confess I have seen anything of this magnitude before, it’s like a war zone,” Sanwo-Olu said during the inspection.

    He also inspected the Bethlehem Girls College in Abule Ado, which was completely destroyed by the explosion.

    Following collateral damage caused by the unfortunate explosion Sanwo-Olu said he has set up a N2 billion relief fund to alleviate losses suffered by victims.

    Sanwo-Olu, however, on behalf of the state government, announced the donation of a N250 million as capital base for the relief fund.

     

  • Lagos Explosion: Sanwo-Olu orders distribution of masks to residents

    Hours after the fire explosion at the Abule Ado area of Lagos, the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has advised residents in the affected area to make safety their priority, urging them to maintain a safe distance from the scene of the explosion and fire as the site is still live.

    The Governor also instructed the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) to immediately release personal safety equipment such as face and nose protection masks to be distributed to first responders, residents of the affected area and all safety workers at the ground zero. The safety equipment had been delivered.

    Recall that an explosion rocked the Western part of the State in the early hours of Sunday morning, leading to fire incident with attendant effects on the atmosphere.

    Safety agencies in the State were immediately mobilised to the scene of the incident to contain the fire and keep the residents safe.

    The perimeter of the fire incident is under control.

    A statement by the Governor’s chief press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile said the Governor sent the protective equipment to the affected site to prevent any form of medical hazard such as respiratory infections by the residents who may unknowingly inhale toxic substances from the explosion.

    The Governor noted that in a situation like this, there would be a lot of unhealthy substances, gas particulate matters that can affect people’s lungs.

    Sanwo-Olu however reiterated the need for the residents to maintain a safe distance as practicable to avoid breathing in polluted air.

    Meanwhile, combined safety teams of the Lagos State Emergency Authority (LASEMA); the Lagos Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA); the State Safety Commission; the Lagos State Fire Service; the Lagos State Ambulance Services(LASAMBUS), as well as the Nigerian Civil Defence (NSCDC), the Nigerian Navy and the military are among the State and Federal agencies that swiftly moved to the scene of the incident to ensure the safety of residents.

  • This is injustice, Gov. Sanwo-Olu – Francis Ehwerido

    By Francis Ewherido

    After a slow start, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu, has gained traction. So much is being done, including rehabilitation of roads across Lagos, although there is still so much to do. But there is a trend, which is causing some vehicle owners a lot of heartaches and the governor needs to look into it. It is the punishment of INNOCENT vehicle owners caused by the use of the AUTHOMATIC NUMBER PLATE RECOGNITION (ANPR) CAMERAS on Lagos roads. Once the cameras capture the plate number of a vehicle and sends it to a database, other information on the vehicle, including the insurance status of the vehicle, are displayed.

    Now, there is a database called the Nigerian Insurance Industry Database (NIID). It contains the list of all vehicles in Nigeria with genuine motor insurance policies. If your vehicle is not on NIID, chances are your motor insurance is fake, but not necessarily so. Usually, the insurance company that issued your motor insurance policy is supposed to uphold it on the database. So it is possible to have a genuine motor insurance policy which is yet to be uploaded on NIID.

    Unfortunately, once Lagos State Government (LASG) officials – Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) and Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), especially – check the NIID and your vehicle details are not there, you are termed to be driving without a valid insurance policy and slammed with a N20,000 fine. This is very wrong. What the Lagos State Government officials should do is this: if the alleged offender claims to have a valid motor insurance at the time the camera captured the number plate, he should produce the certificate of motor insurance which is the evidence of the possession of a valid insurance. The officials can then contact the insurance company that issued the insurance policy. If the insurance is confirmed it to be genuine, the policy holder should be set free.

    I am aware that the LASG, through its relevant agencies, has an agreement with the Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), the umbrella body of all licensed insurance companies, that the details of vehicles insured by NIA member companies should be uploaded on the NIID within a specified number of days. After the grace period, such insured vehicles, not uploaded on the platform, which are captured by the ANPR, will be penalised and the owner fined. This is miscarriage of justice. The absence of a vehicle details on NIID platform is not sufficient grounds to penalise the owner of genuine motor insurance for absence of an insurance policy. Rather it is the NIA member that failed to upload the policy that should be penalised by the LASG.

    The Motor Vehicles (Third Party) Insurance Act governs the use of vehicles on public roads and makes it an offence for anybody to use a motor vehicle on the road without having in place the minimum Motor (Third Party) Insurance to cover the motorist against liabilities arising from third party bodily injuries or death. The Insurance Act of 2003 extended the cover to take care of liabilities arising from damage to third party property to the tune of One Million Naira. The insurance Act also makes clear it that only insurance companies registered in Nigeria and licensed by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) can insure vehicles that ply Nigerian roads. Once any of these licensed insurance companies issues a motor insurance policy, the absence of the vehicle particulars on the NIID cannot void it. This is where agencies of the Lagos State government erred. The Road Traffic Act and the Insurance Act of 2003 are federal laws and supersede the Transport Sector Reform Act these LASG agencies are relying on to impose their fine. It is just that many vehicle owners, with genuine motor insurance who have been affected, are too impatient with the slow judicial process and resort to paying fines instead of going to court. If they choose to go to court, they will win their cases.

    The LASG needs to amend the enforcement and penalize only those with fake insurance papers, expired insurance and those without insurance at the time the ANPR camera captured the plate number of the vehicle. The law is supposed to protect those who are on the right side of the law, not punish them. Some of these vehicle owners, with valid motor insurance policies, being forced to pay N20,000 fine, only managed to do Motor (Third Party ) Insurance, which costs N5,000! If they had N20,000 to spare, they would probably have done Comprehensive Motor Insurance or other variants, which have more coverage than Motor ( Third Party) Insurance.

    Having said that, I must commend the LASG for the initiative to penalize vehicle owners without valid motor insurance, especially the minimum insurance to cover their liabilities to third parties. Many vehicle owners might not know, but your minimum Motor (Third Party) Insurance, which you purchased from a licensed insurance company directly or through a registered insurance broker, has many benefits attached. If you cause bodily injury to a third party while using your vehicle on a public road, the insurance company is liable to pay for the treatment of the third party. God forbid, but if you kill somebody while driving your vehicle on a public road, the insurance company is also liable to pay compensation to the deceased’s next of kin or family. Also if you damage someone’s car or property while driving your car on the road, the insurance will pay for the replacement or repairs to the tune of N1m. You enjoy a lot of benefits for spending just N5,000 on Motor (Third Party) Insurance cover.

    You would have noticed that the Motor (Third Party) Insurance covers the policy holder’s liabilities to third parties only. If you want a cover that will take care of your car if damaged or stolen, you have to take comprehensive motor insurance or the limited Third Party, Fire and Theft Insurance. These days, we have enhanced Third Party which makes provision for own damage but the compensation is lower than the value of the car

    The unjust punishment of a few motorists notwithstanding, the Lagos State Government is doing a great job to bring some sanity to our roads. Currently, there are about 12 million vehicles on Nigerian roads with the bulk in Lagos. Only about 2.35m million vehicles have genuine insurance. The rest are either carrying fake motor insurance, expired insurance or no form of insurance. If you are in Lagos, do the needful before VIS or MVAA catches up with you. The fine is N20,000, but all you need to get the minimum Motor (Third Party) Insurance for private vehicles is N5,000! In truth, the Lagos State Government is actually doing defaulters a favour because the Road Traffic Act specifies a jail term for defaulters! If you need the list of registered and licensed insurance brokers and insurance companies where you can get genuine motor and other insurances, go to NAICOM’s website: https://www.naicom.gov.ng.

     

  • Onitiri applauds Sanwo-Olu over timely action on Coronavirus

    Onitiri applauds Sanwo-Olu over timely action on Coronavirus

    Governor Babajide SanwoOlu of Lagos State has been given a pat for the timely steps taken so far by the government on the coronavirus outbreak in Lagos state.

    In a press release in Lagos yesterday, renowned socio-political activist, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri said SanwoOlu deserves to be commended for this positive action by all Lagos residents.

    “But the Lagos State Government can still do more as Lagosians deserve more.
    No doubt the disease is a serious and deadly one that deserves serious attention.

    “We implore the Governor to ensure that necessary drugs and preventive equipments are provided in all our hospitals in the state.”

    According to Chief Onitiri, there is need for improved health standards in the collection and disposal of wastes in the state.

    “All drainages should be well cleaned and kept in good sanitation. The government should improve on good potable water for the citizens. There should be aggressive public enlightenment on sanitation.”

    Above all, he said, the government should provide sanitizer, face masks and gloves free in all government hospitals, public schools and public centres et cetera.

    Prevention, Chief Onitiri emphasised, is better than cure. The social critic added that all flights coming from China should not be allowed to land in Lagos, so as to protect all Lagosians from the scourge of Coronavirus disease.
    In addition, Chief Onitiri advised Lagosians to abide by the government’s instructions not to panic but wash their hands more regularly and keep their environment very clean always.
    “We cannot afford this epidemic to destroy our economy, population and social life. As we defeat Ebola so we shall defeat Coronavirus,alias COVID 19”, he added.

  • Sanwo-Olu breaks silence on first Coronavirus case in Lagos

    Sanwo-Olu breaks silence on first Coronavirus case in Lagos

    Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu Friday said the State Emergency Operations Centre has been activated to attend to the first case of novel coronavirus reported in Nigeria.

    The patient, an unnamed Italian, arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, on Wednesday from Milan and was reported ill on 26th February. He was transferred to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing.

    He was confirmed to have coronavirus by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and he is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said.

    He advised residents in the state not to panic and to observe “basic hygiene”.

    “The Government under my leadership through Lagos State Ministry of Health has been strengthening measures to ensure that any outbreak in Lagos is quickly controlled and contained in collaboration with the multi-sectoral Coronavirus Preparedness Group, led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control,” the governor said.

  • BREAKING: No cause for alarm over Coronavirus outbreak – Sanwo-Olu

    BREAKING: No cause for alarm over Coronavirus outbreak – Sanwo-Olu

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday allayed the fear of Lagosians on the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus in the state, saying there is no cause for alarm.

    Speaking at a press conference at the State House, Marina, Sanwo-Olu said the government had begun tracing those who had contacts with the patient who developed the symptoms in Ogun State, where he had a businesses meeting on Tuesday after he arrived Lagos from Milan, Italy, on Monday, without symptoms, but was later referred to Lagos after exhibiting the signs and was first treated at the Company’s facilities, in Ogun State.

    With Surveillance Officers stationed in all the Local Government and Local Council Development Areas, the state Governor tasked Lagosians and Nigerians in general on preventive measures through observing proper personal and environmental hygiene.

    Sanwo-Olu, who hinted that there are various levels of escalation, said the State is constantly in touch with the National Centre For Disease Control, Federal Government and all other stakeholders while surveillance, Monitoring and containment would be intensified.

    While urging citizens and residents not to panic, Sanwo-Olu said the patient, who is currently quarantined is in stable condition and under going a molecular test to really confirm if he is positive to COVID 19.

    The governor said tracking mechanisms have been activated with the support of relevant authorities to identify possible contacts with the patients, while a number of staff in the company where he is working in Ogun State and the two hotels where he lodged on arrival in both states were under surveillance and necessary test.

  • Photos: Lagos Beggars storm Sanwo-Olu’s office, protest indiscriminate arrest, incarceration

    Photos: Lagos Beggars storm Sanwo-Olu’s office, protest indiscriminate arrest, incarceration

    Over 1,000 beggars on Tuesday blocked the entrance of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Governor’s Office to protest undue harassment and arrest by officials of the state government.

    The beggars, who came in over 10 buses and seven tricycles barricaded the entrance to the Assembly and demanded that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu addressed them, saying that they would sleep on the road if the governor did not come out.

    Despite plea by government officials telling them that the governor was not around, they refused to bend and vowed to remain there until they were seen by the governor.

    The protesters were armed with placards, some of which read: “Enough is enough, stop the persecution of people with disabilities,” “Save the waterfront, enforced conviction, we demand justice,”If you don’t want to see us begging on the streets, give us skills and empowerment,” “Seeing beggars all over our streets and roads is the failure of the system” and “We are tired of running without legs or eyes, give us skills and empowerment.”

    The beggars were chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’ intermittently and dared the police to harass them.

    A cross section of the protesters

    Spokesperson of the beggars and Coordinator, Physically Challenged Empowerment Initiatives, PCEI, Mohammed Zanna, said in 2017, they protested in Alausa and refused to leave, but that many of them were arrested and taken to Majidun, which he described as a prison where they were ill-treated and manhandled by government officials.

    He said without making provision, government would make laws to arrest the beggars and dumped them at Majidun, as some of them had died in the hospital and in detention.

    According to him, some of the beggars had been able to purchase tricycles to do their businesses, but that now that the government had banned them, their situation had been made difficult, saying that people were now trekking from bus stops to their destinations and that some of the physically challenged among them did not have means of transportation.

    He added that on 7th February, 2020, his organisation came with 500 beggars for a peaceful protest to draw the attention of the governor to the desperate situation facing members and persons living with disabilities across Lagos State whose livelihoods had been decimated and whose mobility seriously undermined by the shocking ban on tricycle riders.

    “We cannot enter buses now because we cannot fight and struggle. We are seeking audience with the governor. Let them come and tell us what they want to do with us. We need skills and empowerment. We are tired of sitting at home. We are demanding to be skilled,” Zanna said.

    A cross section of the protesters

    “We do not want to beg on the streets. We have used our own ingenuity and resources to provide alternative livelihoods for ourselves that are more dignified, safer and productive to society. Yet, in the blink of an eye, this government is willing to destroy all we have built for ourselves and push us back into poverty and life without basic human dignity.

    “We are ready to work with government to find workable alternatives through appropriate regulation of keke, special permits for People Living With Disabilities to use our keke for transportation of our members or real and immediate support for alternative livelihoods through skills training and support for PLWDs to start new businesses,” he said.