P.Stacks:
Governor Fashola is always saying something and Never saying it. Very Diplomatic Man. I admire him anyway, he's about he Best.

We are talking of Survival here.
We are talking of Earning a living here.

An average Nigerian is a Survivor.

Nigerians are skillful
Nigerians are talented

But in a country where nothing is enabling, nothing is empowering, noting works, nothing encourages..

I'm not asking govt for Fast Rail
I'm not asking govt for unemployment benefits
I'm not asking govt for Food-Stamps
I'm not asking for Housing
I'm not asking for Social insurance


All I ask my dear govt is Electricity supply and since inception of democracy I'm yet to get 12Hour light at a stretch in one day.

I don't know of Lagos tho! But in Abuja, u need to see the way the Abuja Environmental Protection Board treat these guys when they catch them, first the people unleashed on these road traders are not decent at all whatsoever, u can vividly see thuggery written all over a law enforcement officer's face.. Secondly u see them pursue these helpless street traders endlessly, this is so sad.. The level of wealth disparity in this country is so high that there seems to be a disconnect between the absolutely wealthy and the very lowly poor as if to say middle class doesnt exist.

Its either u're in govt stealing money or private sector romancing with govt and stealing funds ment for 150 million nigerians..

I feel the collective wealth meant for 150 Million Nigerians is in the Hands of less than 1 Million Nigerians or less.

When only a few people of 150 million can service a generator for 24/7 to give himself power and majority in the 150 Million either make do with the erratic power or manage to power one small I pass my nebor gen, then it speaks volume of the kind of society we live in..

A country where our Senators are about the highest paid in the world and some people would go to bed hungry tonight..

A country with Abundance but yet so poor.

A Country Blessed but yet plagued with Corruption, Religion, Poverty, Unemployment, Low Life Expectancy as revealed by a latest report, escalating crisis daily, plunging democracy, a country where by July ending Budget still has issues.

What do you expect of these people? They must live. They must feed. They must house. They must transport. They must Power themselves at night when there is no light, they must pay for health care.

In as much as I frown at Street hawking, Man's First instinct is "Survival Instincts".

Man must whack.

naptu2: Some of the skills acquisition centres:

Epe Skill Acquisition Centre
Eredo Village, Adjacent to Eredo Local Council Development Office,

Epe, Ijebu Ode Road, Eredo Epe.               

Tel: 08056111965

Epe Skill Acquisition Centre
Igbo - Oye Village, off Epe- Ijebu-Ode Road.                                                

Tel: 08033538429                               

Ikorodu I Skill Acquisition Centre

45, Oriwu Road, Ita - Elewa, Ikorodu.    

Tel: 08023417779                               

Kosofe Skill Acquisition Centre                      

9, Folashade Ajayi Street, off Adebayo Mokuolu Street, Anthony Village.                                              

Tel: 08034721168

Lagos Island Skill Acquisition Centre            

Oja Oba Model Market Complex, Adeniji Adele Road, Lagos Island.         

Tel: 08023375408                               

Surulere Skill Acquisition Centre

Iyun Road, Beside Police Station, off Western Avenue, Hogan Bassey, Surulere.                                    

Tel: 01-8709118                                 

Ejigbo Skill Acquisition Centre

Oshodi Isolo LASTMA Compound, Ejigbo Road, Ejigbo.                                              
Tel: 08023602558                                

Mushin Skill Acquisition Centre

Olawoyin Street,
Off Layi Oyekanmi Palm Avenue,
Mushin

Millennium School Compound,         

Karimu Laka Street,                        

Tel: 08023213126                   

Amuwo-Odofin Skill Acquisition Centre

Council Development Area              

Oriade,

Ijegu

Tel: 08033486587

Shibiri Skill Acquisition Centre

Shibiri - Ekunpa Road,

Shibiri,
Ojo     

Tel: 08062476097

Badagry Skill Acquisition Centre

Marina Road, Beside Divisional Libarary,

Badagry                          

Tel: 08023045263       

Egan Skill Acquisition Centre

Egan Road, Igando Market Bus                 

Stop, off LASU Expressway.             

Tel: 08023139747/07025292805      

IBA Skill Acquisition Centre

Iba LCDA Compound,

Iba.

Tel: 08023964301                             

Ikor

Aga, Ikorodu.
Tel: 08023417779

Ibeju Lekki Skill Acquisition Centre

Orimedu Town,

Off Eleko Beach,

Ibeju Lekki

Women Development Centre

Oba-Akinjobi Road,

Pen Cinema Agege,

Isheri Rehabilitation/Skill Acquisition Centre

Opposite Sweet Sensation,

Isheri-Olowoira,

Ojodu, Berger.

lekanolas:

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday marveled at the ingenuity and the entrepreneur skills displayed by highway hawkers in some Nigerian cities, especially Lagos.

He described the traits displayed almost simultaneously while selling on the highways as misused skills.

The governor said there is nowhere in the world where youths dominated the highways with such entrepreneurship skills.

He said: “I have travelled a little bit and I am not sure if there are many places in the world where we will find young people, running through traffic, balancing their wares on their heads, chase the moving cars and selling their goods, calculating how many they have sold and doing mental sums and giving you change.

“If you just pause to think on the skills displayed, the flexibility and adaptability that is required to carry out those functions. I don’t know how many of us can do it.

“So, let nobody come and tell me that Nigerians are not skillful, let them not also come and tell me that they are not enterprising. If that is not a display of skills and a display of enterprise then you know what it is.”

Governor Fashola, however, lamented that such skills were unfortunately wrongly deployed to unsustainable business, adding that the state government is determined to divert such skills and enterprise to a more promising and sustainable business model.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/fashola-marvels-at-hawkers-skills-in-traffic/

coastal queen: And what has he done to help them? Send LASMA guys to clear them off the road dead/alive. There was a day I saw some Lasma guys chasing a gala hawker just at the beiginning of third-mainland bridge, the guy jumped off the bridge to that open foot ball field. imagine the distance. I'm sure he sustained serious injuries. And Mr Fash is here hailing. Abeg make he close his mouth jori. yeye politician.

GARRI (x7):
[size=14pt]Lagos acquires 50 hectares of land in Abuja, and Ogun to cultivate food[/size]

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has revealed that the state government has acquired about 50 hectares of land in Abuja and neighbouring Ogun State for cultivation of food to support its agriculture and job-creation scheme.

Fashola made this known on Wednesday while he was speaking about the state government’s agricultural scheme as he was presenting the states 2013 budget estimated at N497.277billion to the State House of assembly.

Admitting the challenge of limited land in the coastal city, the governor stated that “due to the limited amount of land the State has to cultivate, the administration is pursuing a radical alternative of acquiring land for farming outside Lagos.”

According to the Governor, “the administration has already secured 50 hectares in Abuja, and Ogun State which is four times bigger than Lagos in land size for cultivation.” He added that “other States such as Bauchi, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo and Katsina are favourably considering the State’s requests for farm lands.”

The administration is also cultivating 75 hectares of land for rice under its Rice for Jobs programme while the irrigation project to improve, yield and produce rice per hectare is progressing positively in Badagry.

Reeling out his administration’s further achievement in the agricultural sector, the governor stated that the 500 hectares of land was recently allocated for rice farming to feed the Imota Rice mill just as his administration has successfully completed the Imota Rice Mill in Ikorodu, the Erikorodo Feed Mill, the Erikorodo Chicken Processing Plant, also in Ikorodu and revitalized Ikorodu Fish Farm Estate.

The governor added that in Epe, the Agric Youth Empowerment Scheme is progressing with the training of a new batch of 200 graduates for whom the Executive Council recently approved the release of N500M that will be given to them shortly along with one hectare of land per farmer to enable them start formal production.

www.channelstv.com/home/2012/10/31/lagos-acquires-50-hectares-of-land-in-abuja-and-ogun-to-cultivate-food/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

miqos02: The Ogun State Government on Wednesday allocated 500 hectares of land to the Lagos State Government for agricultural purposes.

The government said this in a statement jointly signed by the governors of Ogun and Lagos states, Ibikunle Amosun and Babatunde Fashola, at the end of a meeting between the two states.

The meeting which lasted about one hour was held at the Government House, Oke-Igbein, Abeokuta.

The statement added that the land in Eggua, Yewa North Local Government Area would be used for agricultural development.

It also said the letter of allocation for the land was presented to Fashola during the meeting.

Amosun also handed over Certificate of Occupancy of Iju Water Works to Fashola during the meeting.

The statement reads in part, “The request for agricultural land by Lagos State Government has been granted and a letter of allocation in respect of 500 hectares in Eggua (Yewa North) was presented by Amosun to Fashola.

“The Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) in respect of Iju Water Works was also handed over to the Lagos State Governor, while re-connaissance of Adiyan Water Works land area is ongoing.”

The two governors re-affirmed their committment towards regional integration of the South-West.

src: http://www.punchng.com/news/amosun-fashola-meet-over-boundary-dispute/

naptu2: [size=14pt]LASMI to partner financially capable microfinance banks[/size]

Tweet

March 21, 2011 | 3:53 pm

Finance

By  Amaka Abayomi

In its bid to eradicate poverty and financially empower Lagosians, the Chairman of Lagos State Microfinance Institution (LASMI), Bashorun Alabi-Macfoy, has said the Institute is willing to partner with financially capable microfinance banks, MFBs, that have good assets and customer base to achieve total self empowerment of the poor.

Speaking to Vanguard, Alabi-Macfoy said government has set aside a huge sum of money for micro lending and this would need MFBs to facilitate it.

“For 2011, we are looking at continuation with MFBs because LASMI is looking for financially capable MFBs that have good asset and customer base, particularly those that are good at group or cooperative lending to partner with.

“To this end, we have sent out our monitoring officers to watch their activities and visit their customers to see how they are performing because these would serve as pointers for us to know how to deal with them this year. But we would mainly deal with MFBs that concentrate on group rather than individual lending because the group pressure would force all the members not to default on payment.”

Alabi-Macfoy said government, through LASMI, has been doing a lot to eradicate poverty and 250,000 people were empowered in 2010.

[b]“In 2010, we extended our activities to the taxi cab operators who needed micro_funding because they get people to buy used vehicles for them and they deliver an agreed amount daily. At the end, they are poorer and the vehicles don’t belong to them.

“Government to come up with a programme to partner with the taxi operators through the driver-owner scheme and at the same time, put new taxis on the road that would suite the mega city programme of the state government.

“We went into agreement with some commercial banks for loan facilities and First Bank gave about N350 million for the purchase of 150 taxi cabs which we paid equity contribution on. The operators were registered through the Ministry of Transport and were asked to repay the loans monthly.

We charge them 12 per cent which is far lower than the 22 per cent First Bank charged us. Also, LASMI single-handedly purchased 100 taxi cabs at the cost of N270 million and they are to repay the loan over 3 years.

“The second major project was the Agric-YES programme, which is a youth empowerment scheme in agriculture in Epe, Lagos and N500m loans have been given through the Agric-YES project. There, young school leavers and graduates are trained in farming, poultry and fishing and it is affiliated to the University of Agriculture, Israel.

“Some Israeli and Nigerian agriculturist teach them and some of the best students among the first 100 that started the programme were given scholarship to Israel for further studies.

“Government did this for them to be able to produce enough food for sale and to groom young farmers. After the training, they form themselves into cooperatives and government gives them land and loans to buy the equipment that they will need.”[/b]

Alabi-Macfoy said because the state government wants to ensure that as much people benefit from these revolving loans, LASMI intends to increase the number of beneficiaries through its partnership with MFBs.

Though the state chairman of the National Association of Microfinance Bank, Mr. Olufemi Babajide, said they have received 183 applications from MFBs that want to partner with LASMI, Alabi_Macfoy said LASMI is capable of working with as much MFBs as possible, though the institute has not received any application.

“Though we have not received any application from the state executives, but government has set aside a huge amount of money for micro lending. But we would mainly deal with MFBs that concentrate on group rather than individual lending because the group pressure would force all the members not to default on payment.

“That said, our lending process is in two stages. First, applications are made here and management would review the financials of the MFBs and make recommendations which would be passed to the Board. From there, they are sent to the Investment Committee of the Board which again reviews them and recommends those we would partner with and how much would be committed based on their financials.

“The second stage is seeking the governor’s approval for the release of fund. But we would try as much as possible to first consider those operating in rural areas.”

He urged MFBs to employ the use of biometric system of identification of customers to mitigate the occurrence of bad debts.

“The major reason for the huge bad debt they face is that they rushed into microfinancing without doing thorough customer identification and this is the cause of the bad loans. Most times, they do not go to where their customers conduct their businesses to know if they are doing what they said they do.

“Another factor is the high level of poverty in the land and the lenient collateral on MFB loans which made most people to take advantage of the situation and disappeared with their money. Even their staffs are not left out as some of them disappear with customers’ money

“So, for them to overcome the issue of bad loans, they need to instill proper corporate governance by ensuring that their staffs take their supervisory roles serious. They should also avoid the temptation of going for big offices, flashy cars and the likes.

“That is why we are looking for MFBs that concentrate on group lending because the members know each other and would urge the other person to pay up to enable them apply for another loan. For instance, the Agric-YES loans are given to groups of farmers and are insured by the Agricultural Cooperative Bank, which was set up by government.

“Despite the fact that government trains and makes money available to them, they are required to register as cooperatives and the money given to them is supervised by those who train them in the farm.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/03/lasmi-to-partner-financially-capable-microfinance-banks/

naptu2: Through the LASMI cabs scheme, taxi drivers are able to lease and own brand new taxis. Governor Fashola launching the LASMI cabs scheme.

chillbabe: Its easy to blame everything on the goverment. Nigerians should learn how to produce less children. That's the main problem why make more kids then u can feed or marry more then one wife what's the benefit their. They should clear them from the roads cause I dnt feel save its an opportunity for them to rob us. It happened to me twice and its not a pleasant experience and Abuja is suppose to be save.

chillbabe: Its easy to blame everything on the goverment. Nigerians should learn how to produce less children. That's the main problem why make more kids then u can feed or marry more then one wife what's the benefit their. They should clear them from the roads cause I dnt feel save its an opportunity for them to rob us. It happened to me twice and its not a pleasant experience and Abuja is suppose to be save.

redsun: One get to duff his/her hat for those guys.Hustling under high tension and dicing with death.

It is all they know,the alternative will be the gutters or armed robbery.Being successful in nigeria without the connections of political thieves,usurping clergies and official stealings is like a rose that grew from concrete.

slim fit :


I like your essay but something scared me. If 1 million or less can make 150 million people suffer or life in this conditions then we only have 1 million wise people in Nigeria.

Let me make it a bit easier for you. We are trapped in a house with 100 people with lots of food to last you and I one week , if only you and I stop other people 100 from eating so that we can survive more days then I think the rest of the 98 are stupid if I'm wrong please correct me ?

dozzybaba: Oga fash, i saw a Kai black maria this afternoon filled with guys arrested for hawking at Agege motor road, their goods were confiscated, the jobless uniformed men harrassed and molested them. When they get to alausa they will be asked to plead guilty before a kangaroo court and then hounded into Jails like stray Dogs without legal representation. Mr Governor, it's inhuman, give your govt a human face.

[size=14pt]Street-Kid Turned Vulcanizer Makes N5,000 Daily.[/size]

by berem(f): 12:01pm On May 29

About 13 years ago, Samuel Tanimola ran away from home in Ifo, Ogun State, at the age of 10 years. He came to Lagos and settled down in Dopemu area of the state.

Tanimola, who is now a vulcaniser, told our correspondent that he was fed up with the living condition at home.

However, things were not as easy as he had hoped. He had no friend and knew nobody in the new place he found himself, yet he had to feed.

Tanimola joined hordes of street children roaming the streets and feeding through the use of their wits until he was eventually arrested by the Environmental Task force on Special Offences in 2004.

He said, "I ran away because I was not happy at home; it was a polygamous setting and my mum was not living with us.

"Although things were tough on the street, it was better than home. I even tried to escape when the police raided Dopemu that day. They grabbed as many of us as they could lay hands on and took us to the remand home at Oregun. I was so scared that I imagined the worst."

For two years, Tanimola remained at the Oregun Juvenile Centre under close supervision without any contact with the outside world.

Then in March 2006, Tanimola was transferred to the Correctional Centre for Senior Boys, Isheri, where he stayed another three years.

He said, "The centre at Isheri was much better than the one in Oregun. We were allowed to go out and then return to the centre. But at Oregun, we could not go out. It was while I was staying at Isheri that I decided to learn a trade and become a vulcanizer. I have no interest in school."

PUNCH Metro learnt that Tanimola was reunited with his family in 2009. His father did not, however, return to the centre after his first visit until November 2010, when his son was formally empowered to become self reliant.

Now 23 years, Tanimola plies his trade at the Vehicle Inspection Office at Ojodu, a place which he secured through the efforts of a permanent secretary at the Lagos State Ministry of Youths, Sports and Social Development.

He said, "I have moved out of the centre; I now live at Akute. Business is good; there are just two of us here. On a good day, I make as much as N5,000; sometimes N3,000, and on some days, nothing at all.

"On the whole, I can take care of myself. I used to think that it was over for me but now I am happy."

The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Youths, Sports and Social Development, Dr. Enitan Badru, said, "About 10 to 20 children come into our correctional centres monthly- most of them minors, caught roaming the streets or even committing crimes. Those caught committing crimes, usually face the justice system.

"These children often run away from home or were brought to Lagos by relatives. Others, fed up with life in the village, heard of a place called Lagos and got into a bus to come here, sleeping under the bridges and motor parks.

"When these children are brought in, we try to trace their families and reunite them. When we are not able to do that, we go to the courts and secure the right to keep the child and find the best means to help the child live a fulfilled life."

He said Tanimola was an example of the fact that street children could be made to become useful citizens with love and patience.


http://mobile.punchng.com/output.php?link=http://www.punchng.com/metro/i-make-n5000-daily-street-kid-turned-vulcaniser/

okpara ugo:

Dont mind the wicked man. Stopping them from making a livelihood and not providing alternative arrangement. He wants to build a modern lagos where hawkers dont exist yet many stomachs are going hungry.

I thought he should be sending them to craft centres and not jails.

Dargreen: I dont know why nigeria like wasting
talent ,Last week i was in a bus going to
ijaniki ,when we got hook in a thick traffic
at
Agbara. U knw as usual ,there are people
selling gala,purewater n other entertainin
department ,as i was hungry i decided to
get
a gala n 1 lacasera,i was about to give the
guy
money when the bus move
suddenly ,WHAT! ,
i was surprise but happy dat i dont have to
pay 4 my gala n drink again ,no trafic until
we
get to to ijanikin, as i was geting down from
the bus even b4 d conductor cud ask me 4
money , a guy just rush to me , "BROS WEY
MY
MONEY":-| .It is that same guy that sold gala
to
me in the trafic, he has been running after
the
bus...,this guy should be runnin 4 Nigeria.

chess guru: Hehehehehe signs of end times for hawkers!
Get ready for a public ban of hawking in lagos state

SLIDE waxie: U knw, when u see an intelligent man,

He will alwys see the 'sense' in 'nonSENSE'!

naptu2:

Street trading has been illegal in Lagos since the 1970s.

SLIDE waxie: U knw, when u see an intelligent man,

He will alwys see the 'sense' in 'nonSENSE'!