₦airaland Forum

LEKKI TOLL-GATE PROTEST: BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND ORDER WILL NOT BE TOLERATED – CP ALABI

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, fdc, mnim, psc has assured Lagosians that the Command has put necessary measures in place to ensure the safety of lives and property, free flow of traffic and a peaceful environment for carrying out their respective lawful duties.

This assurance has become imperative following news making the rounds that some Nigerians are planning to protest at the Lekki Toll-gate, an action capable of grounding commercial activities and obstructing free flow of traffic.

While the Command is not averse to the peoples’ right to freedom of assembly and association; and expression, the Command will equally live up to its mandate of ensuring that no person or group of persons is allowed to infringe on the fundamental human rights of others, especially the rights to freedom of movement and right to dignity of human persons.

CP Alabi therefore warns all intending protesters that anyone found infringing on the rights of other Nigerians will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Meanwhile, CP Alabi once again enjoins all peace loving Lagosians to go about their lawful duties without fear of harassment or intimidation, reiterating that adequate security assets have been strategically deployed to ensure their safety and security.

SP BENJAMIN HUNDEYIN, anipr, mipra
Police Public Relations Officer
Lagos State Command
Ikeja

March 31, 2022.

LCC RESTART OF OPERATIONS CAMPAIGN
BEYOND TOLLING: HOW LCC BRINGS VALUE TO THE SOCIETY
 
 
LCC is more than a tolling company. It brings values that enable a peaceful, safe and comfortable every day pursuit of economic aspirations for stakeholders in its ecosystem
 
These values are the many essential services LCC delivers to all stakeholders including motorists, passers-by, and the communities along the Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Expressway axis
 
The essential services LCC provides include:
a. Medical Emergency services to road users in need
b. 24/7 Ambulance/Rescue Services to accident victims
c. 24/7 Emergency Towing Van services to ensure smooth flow of traffic
d. 24/7 Security patrol to ensure round-the-clock protection and safety for lives and properties
e. Road and Traffic management to ensure convenient commuter experience
f. Environmental protection of the host communities through drainage clearing, beautification etc.
g. Employment generation with over 500 direct and thousands of indirect staff

These essential services give LCC systemic importance to the day-to-day security, safety and peaceful conduct of social and economic activities within the communities where it operates
 
Since inception, LCC has diligently delivered these services and the benefits therefrom to the people of Lagos State without fail or favor…
 
LCC’s Toll Plazas therefore enable residents and those plying those axes to access safe, secure, and smooth daily commute to their daily pursuit of social and economic prosperity.
 
As a committed social citizen, LCC has dutifully sustained the delivery of those values in service to the people throughout the 18-month period it has been away from the toll plazas.
 
LCC’s need to return is an imperative to enable the continued delivery of values to the communities it serve, as well as meet its statutory obligations to staff and creditors.
 
It’s important to note that LCC was NEVER indicted for any wrongdoing and the toll plazas were never designated as crime scenes.
 
Also, LCC cooperated fully with the Judicial Panel of Enquiries during proceedings and was cleared and granted approval to return to operations as far back as February 2021…
 
It is only fair to return to ‘work’ in order to continue to deliver the support the society, and secure the dignity and livelihoods of its hundreds of employees, as well as their dependents running into thousands

FAAN and LASG today signed an MOU for the new Airport Alimosho Bypass Project (AABP), a 4-phase project to decongest the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway:

The 9km 4-lane Toll Road along the Murtala Muhammed Airport Perimeter is the 1st Phase.

#PMBInLagos
#ForAGreaterLagos

… wins cash prize, trip to Finland and scholarship

Abdulazeez Abdulrahmon of Oriwu Model College, Ikorodu has emerged as the winner of the 20th edition of the Lagos State Spelling Bee competition at the grand finale held on Thursday at Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, after a tense final competition.

The Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola in his goodwill address expressed satisfaction with the level of competition noting that the competition is a confidence booster which has helped the youth to showcase their potential.

The Head of Service who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Mr. Samson Ajibade lauded the success of the competition as past winners are now leaders in their chosen careers. While extolling the efforts of the winners, as well as all participants in the annual competition, the Lagos State Head of Service encouraged the students not to rest on their oars but strive to achieve greater heights. He however reiterated the continuous support of the State Government through the Office of the Education Quality Assurance towards the success of future competition.

The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, who was elated with the level of competition among the participants and winners, commended the brilliant performance of all participating students and schools.

She added that the spelling bee competition has been a great motivator amongst learners in the State noting that the high level of performance from the students underscores the fact that the State Government is committed to the delivery of quality education geared towards improving teaching and learning in Lagos public schools.

Earlier, the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, expressed appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for keeping faith with the competition. She opined that this year’s competition was aimed at bringing out the best in participants and also to justify the State Government’s efforts in ensuring that students achieve nurtured dreams while promoting excellence in the educational sector.

The Director-General noted that the two-day competition witnessed students from 57 primary and secondary schools contending for cash prizes and scholarship awards. She stated further that the Office of Education Quality Assurance will continue to drive measures to improve the standards and academic excellence in both private and public schools in line with global best practices.

Mrs. Seriki-Ayeni acknowledged the partnership of the various private sectors towards the successful hosting of the competition while imploring participants to see the competition as a value adding contest, work hard and make the best of the opportunity that will make their academic life more meaningful.

“We acknowledge the partnership of the private sector towards the successful hosting of Spelling Bee competitions, which includes, Seven-Up Bottling Company, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation (KAAF) for partnering with the Lagos State Government to host the 20th edition of the event”.

Apart from having the opportunity of being the Lagos One Day Governor, Master Abdulazeez was presented with a cash gift of N300, 000, a trip to Finland and scholarship to any public university in the State while the first runner up, Master Oki Coordinator of Sito-Gbethrome Senior Secondary School, Badagry, got the sum of N200, 000 and the second runner up, Miss Alimot Saheed from Jubilee Model Senior Secondary School, Coker Aguda received a cash gift of N150,000.

In the Primary School category, Sofia Muhammed, of Agbowa Baptist Primary School, emerged as the overall winner while Khalid Olayide of Ikosi Primary school and Daniel Olanrewaju of Keke Primary School emerged as 1st and 2nd runner-up respectively. They were presented with cash gifts to celebrate their academic excellence.

The Spelling Bee project was initiated in 2001 by the former First Lady of Lagos State, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, through the New Era Foundation, with the aim of promoting academic excellence, good reading habits, healthy academic rivalry, and public speaking proficiency amongst public schools students in the state.

OLANIRAN EMMANUEL
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
OEQA

The Lagos State Government has been watching closely events in the National Union of Road Transport Workers Union (NURTW). There have been claims and counter claims over the control of the union.

The Government has a duty to ensure the safety of lives and property of all Lagosians and visitors. Therefore, there is an urgent need to douse the unnecessary tension generated by the leadership tussle in the NURTW and protect the citizenry from the likely fallout of the situation.
After considering the provisions of the law, the Government hereby suspends the activities of NURTW, which must cease to operate in all parks and garages in Lagos State. The Government will set up a Committee to immediately take control of the parks and garages. Members of the committee will be key stakeholders in the sector.

The Government’s position is premised on its responsibility to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in all parks and garages in Lagos State.

Gbenga Omotoso
HC, Information & Strategy

*Fire Alert*

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is attending to a Fire outbreak at Alakara Bus Stop, Idi Oro, Mushin, Lagos.

The Fire which was received at 13:17 hrs, saw the Agency mobilizing other emergency responders of the State to put up a concerted efforts in combatting the inferno.

Preliminary investigation revealed that it is a 33,000 Tanker that is fully ladden with Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as Petrol that is on Fire.

Although the cause of the disaster is yet to be ascertained, Officials of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service remain on top of the situation and will provide necessary updates as situation demands.

Motorists are advised to seek alternative route away from the Idi Oro Corridor of Agege Motor Road, Mushin.

Mrs. Adeseye Margaret
Director
Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service
9th March, 2022

…‘LSETF creates 182,000 jobs in five years, upskills 12,000 youths’ – Exec. Sec.

…Governor charges employment agency to assist more entrepreneurs, businesses

Lagos State Government has expanded the net of employment opportunities for young people in the State, as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, announced a 100 per cent increment in capital subvention to Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) – an independently run agency established to provide financial support to business owners and entrepreneurs for wealth creation and to tackle unemployment.

The Governor doubled the agency’s subvention in a move to further increase access to finance for budding entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses through soft loans and funding support.

Sanwo-Olu made the announcement at the second edition of Lagos Employment Summit organised by LSETF. The event with the theme: “Sustainable Job Creation Strategies: Collective Action and Prosperity for All”, is being held at Eko Hotels and Suites in Victoria Island.

Stakeholders in the employment generation community, including policymakers and implementation partners, are currently meeting at the two-day summit, which has the objective to foster conversation on sustained job creation partnership and strategies towards enhancing viable pathways and transition from education to employment.

Sanwo-Olu said the incentive would further strengthen other State Government’s interventions initiated towards empowering and upskilling innovative young people, while also providing support grants for established businesses. With the increased allocation, the Governor said more entrepreneurs would be captured in grant allocations to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), thereby lowering unemployment figures of the State.

He said: “We have seen that LSETF can work and indeed, it is working. We have seen the potential of the agency in sustaining creation of job opportunities for our teeming productive residents. I strongly believe that we can achieve a lot more in bringing down the unemployment rate in Lagos if we entrust the agency with a lot more capital grants to support businesses and innovative people.

“LSETF has the capacity and has demonstrated it in the last four years. Given the opportunity of increased funding, the agency can double the employment figures. It is only by scaling up the subvention that we can further demonstrate our readiness to reduce the rate of unemployment. I have asked for the agency’s budget size and I have seen what it is. This is a public pronouncement that we are doubling the subvention.

“We are doing this, because the LSEFT management team has given us practical proof of concept that the intervention can boost employment opportunities. In this regard, I make an appeal to our funding and development partners to also double their donations to the agency, because there are more people in the State to be taken out of poverty when they have access to business finance. This way, we would be empowering more people to create wealth and spread prosperity.”

The Governor said his administration, in the last three years, had committed over N10 billion in grant to strengthen LSEFT’s activities, supporting 34,000 MSMEs through the intervention.

The intervention, the Governor said, was instrumental to the 6.7 per cent drop in the unemployment rate, as recorded by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) before the disruption occasioned by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Sanwo-Olu said that the agency needed to rejig its activities, with the aim to extend the financial assistance to more businesses in the State, stressing that COVID-19 could no longer be used as excuse for not assisting productive people in creating wealth through entrepreneurship.

He said: “We cannot continue to give COVID-19 as an excuse, because the pandemic is behind us now. We need to think of approaches that will create opportunities for teeming number of our youths in the coming days. Young people are waiting on us and relying on us. It is one of our campaign promises that, LSEFT would come out stronger and better under our leadership. I charge the Board of Trustees and the management team to take this opportunity to push LSEFT further to become a global brand that all of us can truly be proud of.”

The Governor pledged to incorporate outcomes of the summit into the implementation of the State's governing agenda.

Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, who put the unemployment rate in Lagos at 37.3 per cent, said the summit was organised with the goal to address employment levels in Lagos, by bridging the gap between job availability and employability in the labor market.

The Commissioner said the stakeholders were gathered to collaborate, design and develop initiatives that would improve and sustain employment outcomes in the State. He disclosed that the State Government would be launching a 25-year job development plan anchored on a thriving economy, human-centric city, modern infrastructure and effective governance.

“This summit is critical dialogue sessions between different stakeholders for us to evaluate and re-evaluate thoughts and initiatives targeted at better employment outcomes. It will provide avenues for various stakeholders to deliberate on relevant areas on job creation, different aspects of skill development and sustainable growth for decent employment, the connection between our training centers and the emerging job opportunities,” Egube said.

LSETF Executive Secretary, Ms. Teju Abisoye, disclosed that 45 per cent of the skilled labour force in the country was concentrated in Lagos, said participants at the summit would identify new trends and opportunities in diverse sectors and value chains that needed to be prioritised with the right investment.

Reeling out the impacts recorded by the agency in the last five years, Ms. Abisoye said LSETF, through its interventions, had created over 182,000 direct and indirect jobs in Lagos. She added that the agency had saved 50,000 direct jobs through support and business stimulation.

She said 12,335 young persons were trained in modern skills, 413 tech start-ups supported through soft financing, while 68,582 new tax payers were added into the tax net of the State.

Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu today launched the Adopt-A-Bin Program which, a program designed to promote effective waste management in the State, with emphasis on waste sorting right at the point of generation.

The Lagos State Government will make available, an initial 40,000 standard bins to households and commercial entities. The 240-litre bins, in green and blue colours, would be used for general waste and for recyclable items.

They are smart and equipped with intelligent devices, that enable tracking and identification.

The Adopt-a-Bin programme will promote sorting of waste at source, a key ingredient in the state government’s recycling and circular economy drive.

The Bins are colour coded to align with LAWMA' s Recycling  Strategy:
 
• Green with Orange Lid - General Waste
• Blue with Orange Lid - Recyclables (Plastics, Paper, Cardboard, Cans etc)

Target Audience
• Organised Residential Estates
• Commercial /Industrial Facilities
• Hospitals & Healthcare Facilities
• Catering Facilities and Eateries
• Banks and Financial Institutions
• Local Markets
• Retail Shopping Malls

#SanwoIsWorking
#CleanUpLagos
#ForAGreaterLagos

Officials of Lagos Rapid Response Squad (RRS) this afternoon arrested three traffic robbers at Ikeja City Mall just as National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mile 2 park assisted the police in arresting four notorious traffic robbers in the area.

Four of the suspects, Segun Peters (22), Kabiru Odeh (25), Nurudeen Suraj (22) and Dennis Ikuvbogie (24) were arrested at Mile 2 while having a field day; other suspects, Anifowoshe Kolawole (20), Patrick Ameke (21) and John Britto (27) were picked around Ikeja City Mall based on complaints on their illicit activities around the area.

The Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, had on a tip off on the activities of traffic robbers in Mile 2 this afternoon deployed plain cloth police men to the area to monitor and arrest the suspects.

The NURTW members had hounded down the four suspects before the officers got there. The suspects were thereafter handed over to the police team for investigation and prosecution.

One of the suspects, Nurudeen Suraj was a week ago arrested and detained at Agboju Police Station. He explained that he was released from prison two months ago.

Those arrested in Ikeja were selectively picked up after a petition initiated by the management of Ikeja City Mall on reported incidences of traffic robbery in the area.

The suspects, who were placed under close monitoring before their arrest this afternoon, on most occasion pretend to be beggars and nose mask vendors. They used the ploy to rob motorists and pedestrians visiting the complex.

One of the suspects, Anifowsoshe Kolawole, who had been warned on many occasions by policemen pleaded for leniency.

The Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi commended the civilians who provided the intelligence to the police as well as those who assisted the police in arresting the suspects, stressing that, our communities would become safer if people co-operated with the police.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has been applauded for his “forthrightness and sincerity” in adopting the recommendations of the six-man panel set up to examine the Ikoyi building collapse. The 21-storey structure went down on November 1, last year.

During a telephone interview with the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, on the 99.3FM radio programme “Daily Digest”, host Jimi Disu acknowledged that it took courage for Mr. Governor to adopt 26 of the 28 recommendations of the six-man panel.

Saluting Mr. Governor’s “courage”, Disu said, “We are not oblivious of the kind of pressure he must have gone through. If we lesser mortals have gone through so much pressure over the issue, then we must give him credit for doing this”.

Callers on the programme also praised Mr. Sanwo-Olu for not sweeping the matter under the carpet. They encouraged him to ensure that it is followed up till the end.

Responding to questions about compensation to families of those who died in the incident, Omotoso said all those who evacuated bodies of their loved ones and asked for assistance were given money for transportation and funeral. Nobody, according to him, has come out to say he or she lost money in the incident.

Omotoso said: “The law has no room for such compensation, but if you’re talking about doing this on compassionate grounds, I know Mr. Governor as a compassionate leader. If other people also put up a case for assistance with verifiable documentation, I am sure it is something that Mr. Governor may consider”.

On those doubting if indeed those indicted will be prosecuted, the Commissioner said Attorney-General Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) had been directed by Governor Sanwo-Olu to ensure that those found guilty of compromising the process of adherence to quality standards at the Foreshore Towers in Ikoyi are prosecuted.

Speaking further, Omotoso disclosed that the State Government was already fashioning out ways of collaboration with the private sector to strengthen monitoring and enforcement activities in the built sector in response to one of the recommendations of the panel on lack of adequate personnel to monitor building projects across the State.

He gave an assurance that all those found culpable in the process leading to the Foreshore Tower collapse, especially civil servants, will face sanctions.

The Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) has collaborated with the National Basketball Association (NBA Africa) and Hennessy to remodel the Basketball Court within Ikorodu Recreational Park.

Speaking at the commissioning and handover ceremony of the NBA Legacy Basketball Court in Ikorodu, the General Manager of LASPARK, Mrs. Adetoun Popoola, said the rehabilitation of the sports facility is part of the Agency's efforts to contribute to the growth and development of youths in the State.

She expressed the determination of LASPARK to continue collaborating with the private sector on projects that will foster unity amongst residents, noting that NBA Africa is a global sports and media business committed to increasing access to the game of basketball across Africa through infrastructure development of courts.

Popoola acknowledged that the refurbished playing ground will boost sporting activities in the neighbourhood and also complement the State government’s drive towards engaging the youths positively.

Also speaking, the Vice President of NBA Africa, Gbemisola Abudu, appreciated the Lagos State Government for creating an enabling environment that facilitated quick delivery of the Court.

She mentioned that the commissioning is a significant one as it coincides with the celebration of the 75th year anniversary of the NBA league and the launching of the NBA office in Nigeria.

Abudu recognised the tremendous impact Nigeria has had in the game, adding that NBA will continue to play its part in the growing basketball ecosystem in the country. She also disclosed that one of the many Courts planned by the NBA for Africa will be built in Nigeria.

The Vice President of NBA Africa averred that the youths have a lot to benefit from the game, stating that the NBA believes in the transformative power of basketball for social good and that the court will be a place of memory for many children.

The newly renovated Court is a standard regulation basketball field that meets international standards. The original court surface area was less than the standard required, hence its perimeter was expanded. Its railings were fabricated locally as part of the local content NBA Africa promotes.

The playing floor is overlayed with a layer of modular synthetic weather resistant material. The sport court layer is specially engineered to optimise shock absorption, reduce the risk of impact injury and provide the best combination of abrasion protection and dry traction.

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has congratulated Dr. Oluyomi Finnih, a member of the Governor's Advisory Council (GAC), the apex leadership body of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on the occasion of his 80 years birthday.

The Governor described the renowned Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, who will clock 80 years of age on February 9, as one of the few Nigerian medical practitioners who have used their wealth of experience to make a mark in both private and public health sectors during their active service and left with impeccable records.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Mr. Gboyega Akosile on Tuesday, described Dr. Finnih as an epitome of honesty, dedication and service, adding that the GAC member has used his positions as a medical practitioner and political leader for the betterment of the people by contributing immensely to the public health sector not only in Lagos State but entire Nigeria.

“On behalf of my family, the good people of Lagos State and members of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), I heartily congratulate our father, leader and member of the Governor's Advisory Council, Dr. Oluyomi Finnih, on the occasion of his 80 years birthday.

“Dr. Finnih is an epitome of dedication and selflessness in public and private service. His contributions in the field of medical practice have helped with the development of the health sector at State and national levels.

"He served passionately in the Lagos State Ministry of Health and worked as Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital for many years before going into private practice as Medical Director/Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Finnih Medical Centre, Ikeja.

"Dr Finnih, as a member of the GAC has displayed exemplary leadership in Lagos politics, especially in APC, where he has been working tirelessly for many years as members of the progressive camp to ensure our party remains the ruling party in Lagos State in the last 22 years.

“As Dr Finnih celebrates a major milestone by joining the league of octogenarians, we pray that the Almighty God will increase him in good health and grant him fruitful years to enable him to render more service to our party, Lagos State and humanity.”

My attention has been drawn to several publications linking me with a fictitious race for Lagos State Governor and plots to stop Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term bid. I hereby dissociate myself from all publications and innuendoes conveying such plots. I reiterate my support for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his administration’s THEMES Agenda - the six-pillar development plan that is the compass for his projects and policies.

The objective of those behind these publications is obviously to plant a seed of discord between Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and me. Contrary to the statements being published by mischief makers, who are also trying to play the religion card, I am fully focused on carrying out my duties as Head of Service of the Lagos State Government and taking the Public Service to greater heights.

Hakeem Muri-Okunola
Head of Service
Lagos State

In his address at this year’s annual thanksgiving service of the Lagos State government, which held at the Lagos State House, Ikeja, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu indicated that Y2022 would be a critical one both in the trajectory of his administration and that of Lagos State. Noting that this will be the last full year of his first term in office, the governor said among others that “By the special grace of God, the vision of having the largest Rice Mill in sub-Saharan Africa and one of the largest in the world will become a reality this year. Also, this year, 2022, will witness a milestone achievement in the rail transportation system in our state as we expect the 37km Red and 27.5km Blue Line Rail projects to commence commercial operations between the last quarter of this year and first quarter of 2023. Equally, construction work on the 38km Fourth Mainland Bridge – which will be the longest in Africa – and the Opeibi-Mende Link Bridge will commence this year. 2022 will also witness by the special grace of God, the completion of the ongoing reconstruction work on the 18.75km Eleko to T-Junction in Epe, the 10km Lekki Regional Road and the section of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway that the Lagos State Government is constructing with the permission of the Federal Government”.

The governor has since demonstrated that these were no idle words only meant to stir up illusory and unrealistic expectations. Last month, BOS inaugurated the construction of the Ojota-Opeibi link bridges and approach roads to ease congestion in Ikeja and its environs. Designed as an innovative solution to the perennial gridlock around Opeibi/Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way/Ojota/Mende corridor, the project is planned to reduce travel time for Lagos and Ikorodu bound traffic from Opebi and ease gridlock at the Opebi-Sheraton Link Road and Mobilaji Bank Anthony Way. The 3.89km Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge and approach roads consisting of 2,829 meters road length will connect Opebi Road from its tail end with Lagos-Ikorodu Road by Odo Iya-Alaro.

Speaking on a recent Channels television interview programme, BOS disclosed that actual construction work on the Fourth Mainland Bridge will commence in the second quarter of this year. According to him, “From about 30 companies that expressed interest we are now at the final stage with three shortlisted companies and I am optimistic that by March we should have completed the process”. The government he said is now at the stage of selecting one of the three shortlisted concessionaires that are interested in building the bridge so that its concrete actualization can commence by the middle of the year. This iconic project is a 37.4km freeway subdivided into three sections namely Island Section, Lagoon Section and Mainland Section. It will commence from Abraham Adesanya Roundabout in Lekki and pass through Ajah and Langbasa areas, traversing the Ajah-Badore road to the Lagoon shoreline.

Back in April 2021, BOS had conducted the ground breaking ceremony of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red Line Project, an event at which he handed over compensation cheques to property owners whose structures would be affected by the construction. The Red Line Light Rail will convey at least 500,000 passengers daily between the Agbado and Marina axis. It will have eight train stations from Agbado to Oyingbo. In the 2022 budget, the sum of N153 billion has been allocated to the Light Rail Project thus ensuring, according to the governor, that work will proceed simultaneously on both the Red and Blue Line components of the project. The Blue Line takes off from Okokomaiko in Lagos-Badagry Expressway axis to Mile 2 and then Marina on the Island. The Blue Line is planned to be serviced by six rail lines, 14 BRT lanes, three cable car projects, 20 waterway routes and one mono rail.

The BOS administration has taken a major step towards the actualization of this landmark project, which has been in the gestation, nurturing and gradual implementation process over the last two decades, when it acquired two new 330kmph intra-city metropolitan trains with a total of 10 cars for use on the Red Line Light Rail route from Patentes Talgo, a Spanish manufacturer of intercity, standard and high speed passenger trains. On January 26, the governor announced that the state had acquired three additional trains for the Blue Line Route. It will be recalled that on assumption of office, BOS accorded priority to completing infrastructure projects initiated by his predecessor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, as well as housing and health projects started by the Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola administration, which had remained uncompleted. This has not impeded his administration from vigorously implementing his six-point THEMES agenda with scores of projects either completed or ongoing across the state in this regard.

It is surprising that as BOS continues to pilot the affairs of the state with a practiced and steady hand with the support of his level headed Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, and other members of his team, a news item went viral on social media this week to the effect that members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), APC party leaders and other stakeholders had decided that BOS would not serve a second term. Rather, the report said, it had been decided that the Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri Okunola, would fly the party’s ticket in 2023. The puerile and even idiotic reason given for this purported decision was that it is the turn of Muslims to govern the state since there have been two Christian governors after Fashola. Of course, religion has never been a factor with the discerning and sophisticated electorate of Lagos state. In the Second Republic, both the governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and his Deputy, Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo, were Muslims and the electorate voted overwhelmingly for them. In this dispensation, both Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Fashola who were in office between 1999 and 2015 were Muslims and this was not an issue with Lagosians.

Expectedly, the GAC moved swiftly to debunk this report when the body’s secretary issued a statement stressing that “The process of picking a Governor is clearly stated in the constitution. And contrary to the false impression the merchant of hate, confusion, discord and disharmony wanted to create with the post, there is no discussion of second term ticket by the GAC. It should also be pointed out that it is not within the realm of GAC to engage in picking replacements for a governor. Governor Sanwo-Olu was elected for a 4-year term which is still ongoing. The matter of replacement of the governor does not arise and is subjudice. Governor Sanwo-Olu is doing a wonderful job delivering infrastructure projects for Lagos and working daily on making the state better for all residents”.

Beyond his delivery of infrastructure projects, what is perhaps most remarkable about Sanwo-Olu’s leadership is the emotional intelligence, maturity and level headedness which he has brought to bear on the governance of the state. The unanticipated Coronavirus pandemic, which derailed the plans and projections of rich and poor countries alike across the world, would have been a perfect excuse for non-fulfillment of his campaign promises and leadership obligations by the governor especially with Lagos as the epicenter of the disease in the country. He rose admirably to the occasion responding to the crisis with an alertness, vigour and assurance that has been responsible for some of the awards he has won from credible organizations.

The #EndSars protests of October 2020 again with Lagos as the epicenter tested the governor’s leadership acumen to the core. Quite apart from the contentious incident at the Lekki Toll Gate dubbed in some quarters as the ‘Lekki massacre’, the large scale destruction of public and private property by hoodlums who hijacked the protests leading to losses worth trillions of Naira in the state was another major crisis BOS had to contend with. Again, under his resilient leadership, the state has rebounded with verve and resumed its rapid developmental course. Not only did he set up an independent panel to investigate the purported ‘Lekki massacre’, his government gave the panel a free hand and the requisite resources to carry out its assignment. Rather than seek to capitalize on the obvious discrepancies and inaccuracies in the panel’s report to discredit the entire exercise as most people in his shoes would have been tempted to do, Sanwo-Olu focused on the positives and accepted most of the panel’s recommendations within the jurisdiction of the state to act on. This is dignified and elevated statesmanship at its best.

The baseless post on his being purportedly denied the opportunity of a second term is no doubt an attempt to distract BOS and his administration. If it emanated from the opposition, it is a brilliant and legitimate tactical stroke designed to destabilize the party in power. If it was the handiwork of over bloated egos with unbridled ambitions within his administration, the governor has a responsibility to identify and weed them out. Effective leadership is not just about compassion and empathy, it also entails appropriate sanction and ruthless action if the need arises.

…Gov: "These two girls will be under my care and that of the First Lady."

On his way to an official function on Thursday, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu momentarily halted his convoy to attend to a disturbing situation. It was a sight of two underage girls on an errand for a bean cake vendor during school hours.

Time was 11am; the girls were expected to be in school. But, both Amarachi Chinedu, 9, and Suwebat Husseini, 12, were forced to skip school by their parents in order to serve some domestic assistance.

The girls were going to deliver buckets of peeled beans and pepper to a grinder when the Governor sighted them at Anthony Village area. It was a glance that presented a discomforting image for Sanwo-Olu, who revved his convoy to a stop to find out the reason the girls were not in school.

Amarachi’s story left the Governor to shudder throughout the encounter. Her mother is a teacher, but the nine-year-old was not allowed to go to school because her parents could not afford the current session's tuition fees. Amarachi would have to miss a school year because of this reason.

Suwebat’s mother is the bean cake seller for whom the girls were running an errand. Her parents, who are Jigawa State indigenes, relocated to Lagos months back. Suwebat’s four male siblings were all in school at the time she was stopped on the road by the Governor. But her parents preferred she stayed back home to help with some domestic chores.

The decisions taken by girls’ parents, Sanwo-Olu said, could rob the little ones of their innocence, their future and put them at a disadvantage among their peers. The Governor stressed that his encounter with the girls left his heart bleeding.

Coincidentally, the Governor was on his way to formally launch Social Welfare Integrated Programme (SWIP) Initiative - a partnership between Government agencies and the private sector to standardise welfare administration for the vulnerable children, elders and those suffering mental disorder – when he saw the two girls roaming the street at school hours.

Salvaging the situation, Sanwo-Olu, at the scene, told the girls he would personally take up the responsibility for their education and upbringing, promising to enrol them in school to continue with their education. The Governor’s decision had been communicated to the girls’ parents.

He said: “This morning, I had a first-hand experience of what many vulnerable children might be going through in our society. I saw something that made my heart bleed on my way to this function. I saw two little girls - ages 9 and 12 - carrying buckets on their heads to grind pepper at 11am when they were supposed to be in school. I stopped immediately, having seen how vulnerable they are and the risk we are putting them through.

“My encounter with them gave me the opportunity to hear their stories and I have taken it upon myself to ensure that these girls never suffer such fate again. I am not going to leave them alone. Amarachi and Suwebat will go back to school. This is a classic example of what we need to do differently as a society. It is needless to ask what brought their parents to Lagos. We must ensure they are not robbed of their future.

“These two girls will be under my care and that of the First Lady. There are several Amarachi and several Suwebat out there, who will not have this kind of opportunity. Everyone of us can take the same decision and listen to stories of kids who may be vulnerable. If we choose to take up this responsibility as a people and give a voice to the vulnerable, we all can make a difference. There is no better kindness to be done to mankind than giving them a lifetime opportunity.”

Sanwo-Olu advised parents not to break their backs in order to send their wards to expensive schools, noting that there are many Government-run basic and secondary schools in Lagos doing better in imparting quality education than many private schools.

The Governor said his encounter with the girls brought the need to bolster Government’s support to public schools and raise the standards.

He said: “If as a parent you cannot afford to put your children in private school, know that there are public schools that are doing great things. Why would a parent deny a nine-year-old girl an access to education? Yes, we are doing so much in education, but the story of these two little girls shows that there are more to be done.

“Amarachi and Suwebat didn’t ask to be in the circumstance they found themselves in, but it is our responsibility to be able to give them the future they deserve; the opportunity that will make them better children to their family and better citizens of this country.”

Sanwo-Olu called for partnership with development agencies, urging intervention bodies, such as SWIP Initiative, to join hands with the Government to ensure all vulnerable persons in Lagos, including children of school age, get adequate attention needed for their care.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday signed the bills for the establishment of additional two universities in the State – Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) and Lagos State University of Science and Technology.

He assented to the bills transmitting Lagos State Polytechnic in Ikorodu, Isolo and Surulere campuses to the University of Science and Technology as well as Adeniran Ogunsanya Colleges of Education, Ijanikin and Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Epe to Lagos State University of Education.

The signing ceremony, which took place at the Lagos House, Marina, was witnessed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab and Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), members of the Governing Councils and management staff of the tertiary institutions, among others.

Speaking after signing the bills, Governor Sanwo-Olu, said Lagos and its indigenes are now blessed with two additional universities to the existing Lagos State University (LASU), established in 1982 by the first Executive Governor of Lagos State, the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

He said: “We are doing this very quickly because we need to take this law to the National Universities Commission (NUC), that will do their due diligence and we are believing they will give us a timely approval when all of us will go and receive the certificates for the establishment of the two universities.

“We believe that the transmission will be smooth. We believe that the process would be without any hindrance. We believe that we will do a good job at ensuring that what is best is the only thing that we do for Lagos. I feel so delighted and proud of all of us creating history today and I believe that indeed generations coming after us will remember this very bold, audacious decision that we have taken.

“The two institutions that have now been transmitted into universities are institutions that have produced professionals, students, lecturers among other notable men and women in our society. I feel what we have done is a proper thing for the existing staff, both academic and non-academic and more importantly for the students today and the future students that would be coming in to be able to recreate their future and be in a position that we are turning out the leaders of tomorrow.”

Speaking earlier, Wahab said the establishment of the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) and Lagos State University of Science and Technology, will solve issues relating to admission for Lagos State citizens.

Wahab also commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for putting his full weight behind the establishment of the two additional universities. He also appreciated the Lagos State House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa for believing in the process.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has mourned the passing of former Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG), Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya.

Adeniran-Ogunsanya, the daughter of prominent Ikorodu born politician and associate of the late Nnamdi Azikiwe, Prince Adeniran Ogunsanya, died after a brief illness on Tuesday at 74.

She was the Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG) during the first term in office of former Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) between 2007 and 2011.

Governor Sanwo-Olu in a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, on Tuesday, praised the late Princess Adeniran-Ogunsanya’s contribution to governance, growth and development of Lagos State during her tenure as the scribe of the State.

The Governor who commended the late politician and businesswoman for her impactful roles in Lagos politics, especially in Ikorodu division, commiserated with leaders and the entire people of Ikorodu on the demise of their illustrious daughter.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Lagos State, I want to express my sincere and heartfelt sympathy to the family, friends and political associates of the late Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG), Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya.

“The death of Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya is a big loss to Lagos State. She made a lot of positive impact and contributions during her lifetime to the growth and development of Lagos State as SSG. She also made significant impact in Lagos politics when as member of the ruling party, especially in Ikorodu.

“I pray that God will grant Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya eternal rest and give the immediate family, friends, political associates and the people of Ikorodu the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” Governor Sanwo-Olu prayed.

*No allocation for permanent structure on Coastal Road site - LASG*

Lagos State Government has debunked insinuations that it is allocating land for permanent structures on on the Lekki/Epe Coastal Road in Eti-Osa Local Government Area to private developers.

It said the State Government only allowed temporary structures on the land pending when construction will begin on the Coastal Road to prevent people from turning the land into shanties that constitute security threats.

There have been allegations in some quarters that the Lagos State Government has sold the land or given approval for people to build on it.

But Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, while speaking to journalists at the site on Thursday, assured the people that Lagos State Government is not allocating it for development of permanent structures on the Coastal Road alignment.

Omotoso, who was accompanied by the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, and other government officials during the visit to the site, said the outcry and agitations were legitimate.

Omotoso, however, said the government allowed temporary structures on the land to prevent miscreants from occupying it.

He said: "There have been allegations that the government has been allocating the land to people for some other uses. I will like to put it on record that there has been no allocation of land here. What we have done is to permit people to use this place temporarily.

"Nobody is permitted to build any permanent structure here; what you see here are temporary structures. Anytime we need to continue work on the Coastal Road, the work will continue. Nobody has any permission to build something that is permanent here.

"There have been legitimate complaints and anxiety. But compared to the first space we visited which has been taken over by miscreants - they had been sent packing before - this place is free of miscreants. The government will however not allow them to continue there.

"So, for us to keep the security of this environment, we allowed people who can use this place as a temporary base. We have permitted certain people to build temporary structures here as long as they will use the space for good causes. We don't want shanties to grow like mushrooms here. We don't want people whose character and nature we do not know to take over the land.

"So it is not true that government is allocating the land to people permanently; what they are doing here is temporary and it is going to be temporary until it is time to build the Coastal Road and everything there will be removed."

Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday commissioned the 744-Unit LagosHOMS Housing Scheme, Sangotedo (Phase1) which contains 248 one-bed, 248 two-bed and 248 three-bed Flat(s).

This housing Project is located in Eti Osa East Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the project contains 62 blocks of residences, sited on a 10.024 hectares of land with beautiful landscape.

Other features of the LagosHOMS Sangotedo includes:
- Perimeter Fencing. Car Park spaces of 492 cars within compounds and 406 cars at the general car parks.
- Water Treatment Plant and supply with very large storage capacity
- Proper Sewage System
- Full Street Lighting, covered drains and walkways on both sides
- External electrification provided from National Grid with an injection station of 15MVA and 7 transformers of 500KVA capacity each
- Streetlights, Water Treatment Plant and Sewage system all have an alternative power system in case of power shortage from the National Grid

The Phase 2 of the LagosHOMS Sangotedo project is already ongoing and this will add another 444 Units to the current one that was just commissioned.

The LagosHOMS Sangotedo Phase 1 Housing project is also in line with the THEMES Agenda in Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy (The 4th pillar).

#ForAGreaterLagos

SANWO-OLU UNVEILS NEW POWER POLICY TO MEET LAGOS ELECTRICITY NEEDS

•Framework to be implemented with private energy investors

An electricity sustainability framework that will provide reliable power to residential and industrial areas in Lagos State has been unveiled by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The Governor, on Wednesday, launched the State’s Electricity Policy at an energy stakeholders’ event organised by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island.

The framework forms one of the technical components of the proposed Lagos State Electricity Law currently being developed to drive interventions towards improving access to electricity.



Partnership with private players in the power sector is the main thrust of the policy, which requires sustained capital investment in raising the capacity of the existing power infrastructure, while also generating from off-grid network.

Sanwo-Olu said the electricity policy unveiled articulated constitutional, legal, engineering and commercial foundations for creating a viable sub-national electricity system that would cater for energy needs of the State, while enabling socio-economic growth for Lagos and the nation.

The Governor said the State moved to explore alternative energy supply channels in response to growing demand occasioned by population growth and emergence of new residential and industrial areas. Energy requirement that will keep Lagos economy on the path of growth, Sanwo-Olu noted, has far exceeded the current 1,000 megawatts being supplied from the national grid, necessitating the move to explore alternative sources.

He said: “Given Lagos State’s status as the commercial nerve-center and economic hub of Nigeria, it is our firm belief that the attainment of universal electricity access in the State would accelerate the same across other parts of the country. Increased electricity access is one of the priority mandates of this administration, given its significance in driving sustainable economic development.

“There will be no economic development without sustainable energy. The economy needs energy to run and our objective as a Government is to deliver sustainable, reliable and affordable electricity to all Lagosians. The electricity policy being unveiled today does not only articulate the problems in the sector, it is also futuristic in the implementation of its provisions.”

Sanwo-Olu said the State would ramp up procurement of pre-paid meters for distribution to residents as part of the implementation of the electricity policy. This, he said, would promote transparency in the supply chain, while curbing electricity theft and discouraging estimated billing from the suppliers.

The Governor stressed that the set objectives of the electricity policy would only be realisable if the private partners showed equal commitment as the Government to boost capacity in off-grid generation and distribution network.

“As a Government, we believe one person cannot do it all. We need ideas and knowledge from each other, and form real partnership for coordination in the implementation of this framework,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Lere Odusote, said the electricity policy, apart from clearing out constitutional and legal framework for investors’ assurance, also provided for the establishment of an autonomous regulatory body and independent system operator.

Odusote said Lagos Government would hinge its partnership with the industry players on well-funded and well-managed generation, transmission and distribution.

The State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyo Onigbanjo, SAN, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Titilayo Shitta-Bey, said the framework was the first step to bringing Lagos out from constitutional obstruction that restricted the State from exploring electricity supply options.

The tone for the Government’s partnership with the private energy investors was set by a panel of discussion moderated by Soji Awogbade, an energy lawyer and founding partner of Aelex.

The panelists included chairman of Ikeja Electric Plc and Egbon Power Plc, Mr. Kola Adeshina; co-founder of Falcon Corporation, Mrs. Audrey Joe-Ezigbo; Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company Limited, Mr. Chinua Azubuike; Deputy Chief of Party, Power Africa, Mr. Tunde Gbajumo and Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

The stakeholders praised the Lagos Government for its commitment to boost power supply through the electricity framework; they argued that the implementation must focus more on supply for industrial consumption and productive activities rather than residential for sustainability of the plan.

Stakeholders also urged the Government to explore the options of clean and renewable energy infrastructure in order not to worsen environmental challenges facing the State.

SANWO-OLU DIRECTS FULL EXCISION ON UNTITLED LAND IN LAGOS TO CURB LAND GRABBING

• Governor: ‘Those sabotaging e-GIS system to be purged out of Govt’

• Monthly tenancy set to kick off in Lagos


The incessant issue of land grabbing may become a thing of the past anytime soon in Lagos State, as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu orders complete excision on untitled land across the State.

The Governor’s directive represents a major turning point in land administration in Lagos, as the exercise would enable the State Government to carry out documented delineation on communal land and land owned by the families. At the end of the exercise, the issues of land grabbing by thugs working for land owners are expected to be curbed.

Sanwo-Olu gave the order at the Lagos Real Estate Market Place Conference and Exhibitions organised by the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island. The two-day event with the theme: “Lagos: 21st Century Real Estate Investment Hub”, is the second edition to be held by the agency.

Land is a limited asset in Lagos, which is a coastal State. Activities of land-grabbers have created an unpredictable climate in land acquisition in Lagos, robbing private real estate investors and individuals of fortunes.

Sanwo-Olu said a technical committee will be set up to fine-tune the framework for the excision process on untitled land, with the objective to granting Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) to land owners for transparent sales of the asset.

The Governor condemned an effort by State officials to frustrate and sabotage the full take-off of the State’s Enterprise Geographic Information System (e-GIS) project initiated to automate approval of land surveys and allocation titles in one talk shop. Sanwo-Olu issued a stern warning, saying he would be ruthless in purging out saboteurs in the ranks of Government.

He said: “One of the issues we are working on is the ownership of land. There is a large parcel of land across Lagos that doesn't have the Government title.

“It is to announce to this gathering that I’ve made up my mind that we are going to do excision for untitled land. This process will kick off next year and we will set up a committee whose composition will represent all traditional divisions in Lagos. With equity and fairness, we will yield proper titles on all the land, so that the issue of land grabbing can be reduced to minimum.

“We will also be carrying out genuine reform in our Survey Department. We need to have our e-GIS platform up and running after 10 years that it was initiated. I’m expressing my disappointment in some Government officials sabotaging these efforts. I will look for the culprits and I will be ruthless in meting out punishment. I will ensure these saboteurs have no place in my Government.”

By next year, Sanwo-Olu said a new policy of monthly tenancy on property occupancy would kick off in Lagos. The concept, he said, is not to punish the landlord or reduce the expected revenue of the property owner.

He said monthly tenancy would ease off pressure of yearly rent on tenants, as the new policy is designed to make people pay their rents according to their monthly earnings. The policy, Sanwo-Olu said, emanated from an agreement reached by association of tenants, consortium of financiers and the Government.

Addressing the cause of high affordability of property in Lagos, the Governor said the State’s partnership with the private sector had raised the housing stock but added that non-availability of long-tenure mortgage bonds made it impossible for low-income earners to benefit.

The Government, he said, is thinking out of the box to design a financing model that would reduce burden on mortgage applicants, while also charging real estate developers to reduce the cost of developing property by engaging local competence for skills outsourced to foreigners.

He said: “We should not just build property only for consumers, we must also build skills and integrate them in our built environment to showcase great output. Technical and vocational skills are things we must deliberately harness and reflect in our work. At the end of the day, we must be able to design a housing development and ownership model that is fit for our purpose and peculiar to our local needs.”

Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said real estate remained the most sought after investment, noting that the market, apart from creating sustainable jobs, also has the highest potential of growing the economy of any nation.

She said the State Government realised the need for investors and consumers to know policies put in place and how the knowledge of all the policies could assist stakeholders in making informed decisions in investing in the real estate market.

Benson-Awoyinka said: “As a Government, we have realised this fact and as such, have been making business friendly policies that can assist would-be investors and consumers to operate in a conducive business environment. LASRERA has strengthened its efforts to make this sector more vibrant by ensuring that practitioners operate within the ambit of the law.

“The agency has registered over 100 individuals and organisations that approached the Government to regularise their operations with us. We have seen positive results from this undertaking, as the State, through the LASRERA, has resolved several reported cases of fraudulent practices brought to the attention of the agency in a very professional manner.”

As regulator, the Special Adviser urged investors and consumers to make LASRERA their first point of contact before investing in real estate in any part of Lagos.

There was a panel discussion with the theme: “How the real estate sector can drive social implications and opportunities in Lagos”, moderated by the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Sam Egube.

Audience at the conference comprised stakeholders in the built industry, including property developers, landlords, market facilitators and potential property buyers.

The stakeholders agreed that the Government's primary business in the real estate sector must be maintenance of rule of law and effective regulations to protect investors and consumers.

Stakeholders also called for improvement in housing finance and introduction of affordable insurance policy in the sector.

They said LASRERA, as the regulator, should be an enabler that must make the market happen and not be a police in the sector. They urged the Government to resolve issues around titling of property to bring back confidence in the real estate market.

EndSARS: SANWO-OLU CALLS FOR HARMONY

… Invites youths for Peace Walk to herald 'healing of Lagos’

Lagos State deserves true healing after the disturbances that trailed last year’s protests against police brutality, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said on Tuesday.

He said only sustenance of harmony can guarantee the realisation of aspirations of all residents.

Sanwo-Olu spoke in a live broadcast held at the State House, Alausa, on the State Government’s position on the recommendations of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on EndSARS submitted a fortnight ago.

The Governor said the State currently faced the hard choice of restoring harmony or doing itself a great harm, urging residents to join his administration in strengthening harmony and put the State on the path of peace.

Sanwo-Olu asked residents to reject those fueling anarchy and suspicion, clinging to unsubstantiated belief that carried no weight of verifiable evidence, while choosing emotion over facts.

His administration, he said, is ready to facilitate better communication between the youths and the State’s security machinery to resolve issues before they become intractable.

He said he would be leading ‘A Walk for Peace’ in December to herald the healing of the land, extending an open invitation to the youths, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society groups, students and the media as well as other stakeholders to join him in the Peace Walk.

The Governor specifically invited Folarin Falana (Falz), Debo Adebayo (Mr. Marcaroni), Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalinks), Adedotun (Just Detoun), Seun Kuti, Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu and Commander of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), CSP Yinka Egbeyemi and others to join him in the “historic march for our dear Lagos.”

He said: “Nobody will build this city for us. Let us show the world who we are. We are Lagosians. A people of great renown, driven by the irrepressible spirit of Lagos. It is a testimony to our strength and resilience as a people that, despite the huge losses incurred because of these terrible incidents, we have bounced back, with our economy as vibrant and virile as ever. I have no doubt whatsoever that our prospects are as bright as ever and the best lies ahead of Lagos State and Nigeria.

“We will make it easier for our young people to initiate formal complaints on human rights violations through the Ministry of Justice. We will also improve the coordination between the state government and the security agencies, including the police and the military. In this vein, we are studying how to improve security policy formulation, information sharing, and clarifying rules of engagement in times of social unrest.

“Just as we have established a mechanism to compensate all those who lost homes, businesses, and livelihoods to the violent destruction of October 2020, we shall also establish a detailed procedure for the just compensation of citizens with verified claims of police brutality committed during the protests.”

Speaking on last year's EndSARS protests and the events that followed, especially the hijack of the protests by hoodlums, which led to the destruction of public and private property worth billions of naira, the Governor said the Government, the youth, protesters, the Police and other security agencies have learned the appropriate lessons from the EndSARS protests, particularly the Lekki Tollgate incident, with a view to averting any recurrence to the detriment of the State.

On mixed reactions following the release of the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry, Sanwo-Olu said his administration remained committed to the process that would bring a closure to a “painful episode” in the history of the State.

The much-expected White Paper, the Governor pledged, will be issued later in the day.

He recalled that the panel was originally inaugurated to investigate allegations of police brutality committed by the disbanded SARS and in the aftermath of what happened on October 20, 2020, he decided to expand the mandate to include investigating what happened at the Lekki Tollgate that night.

He said: “As a matter of good faith and a sincere commitment to uncovering the truth, we constituted a panel of individuals that we believed were independent, credible, and representative of the various stakeholder communities interested in the movement against police brutality.

“Apart from the chairman of the panel being a respected retired jurist, various stakeholders including the youths, #EndSARS protesters, the police and civil society groups were represented on the panel. I am sure no member of the panel can claim that the State Government made any attempt to influence them in any way throughout the duration of its sitting.

“While I commend the panel for undertaking its task to the best of its abilities, it is however regrettable that the panel’s work and the leakage of an unauthorised version of the report have generated much tension. Sadly, a deep wound has been reopened.

“The heated exchanges among various shades of opinion on the report have unfortunately put us all at the risk of missing the larger picture; the fact that what we all seek in common is a land in which we are all safe and secure, law enforcement agents are trusted, and justice is guaranteed for all.

“We have no intention to engage in histrionics or further inflame passion on a matter that has generated intense interest and controversy nationally and internationally. Our decisions and actions will be based entirely on the law, the weight of evidence, and unblemished respect for the truth.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu, while expressing his administration’s commitment to end human rights abuses, said he has never been in any doubt as to the sincerity, patriotism and noble motivations of both organisers of EndSARS protests and those who participated in the movement to see an end to the human rights abuses by the now disbanded Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS).

He said it is also on record that the Federal Government accepted all the demands of the protesters, including the immediate scrapping of SARS, adding that the National Economic Council (NEC) also recommended the establishment of State Panels of Inquiry into cases of police brutality and the Lagos State Government was the first to set up its own panel.

He said: “I can boldly say that no State took the advocacy for police reforms and justice in the face of documented brutality more seriously than we did in Lagos. We have so far paid N420 million in compensation to victims of police brutality, in line with the recommendations of the panel.

“My good people of Lagos State, you will also recall that in solidarity with the protesters, I joined our youths at various points during the demonstrations, particularly at the Lekki Tollgate and Alausa.

“I received the charter of demands of the protesters and promised to pass them on to the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari.

“I kept my word and passed on the demands to the President, who promised to act promptly on the issues raised. However, perhaps as a result of entrenched lack of trust between the government and the governed over the years, the protesters responded to the government's concessions with skepticism, and the demonstrations continued, even growing in intensity.

“Regrettably, what had been very well organized and peaceful protests were subsequently hijacked in different parts of the country, particularly in Lagos. In the ensuing descent into anarchy, many of our compatriots were caught up in the violence. Several policemen were killed. Public and private property, including critical infrastructure, were set on fire, leading to losses estimated at several billions of naira.

“At that point, I imposed a curfew to restore normalcy in Lagos. We had only one goal in mind: the maintenance of law and order, and the protection of citizens going about their daily lives. This is more than a legal duty. It is a sacred obligation under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which I swore to uphold,” the governor explained.

INFRASTRUCTURE, EDUCATION TOP LAGOS’ PRIORITIES IN 2022, AS SANWO-OLU PROPOSES N1.39 TRILLION BUDGET

Activates 30-year Devt Plan for State, says sustained funding in key growth sectors to stabilise economy

Lagos State has earmarked huge capital expenditure in the 2022 fiscal year to service key growth areas in order to consolidate the recovery of the State’s economy and positively transform residents’ livelihoods.

In the proposed N1.388 trillion budget for year 2022 presented to the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the State would be spending N325 billion to deliver vital infrastructure projects in key sectors to energise and expand the growth of the State’s economy.

The key areas of growth identified by the Governor include Works and Infrastructure, Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Agriculture, Transportation, Energy and Mineral Resources, Tourism, Entertainment and Creative Industry, Commerce and Industry, Wealth Creation and Employment.

The human capital development drive of the Sanwo-Olu administration is projected to take a leap in 2022, with an allocation of 21.24 per cent combined in the total expenditure to education and health.

The financial proposal, christened “Budget of Consolidation”, will be the last full-year fiscal plan of the State before the next general election.

Sanwo-Olu said the coming year presented an opportunity for the State Government to consolidate on the progress recorded by his administration, while leveraging investment in-flow, partnership and business-friendly policies to maximally translate his achievements into noticeable positive impact in the lives of residents.

About N823.4 billion, representing 59 per cent of the 2022 budget, is earmarked for capital expenditure. Recurrent expenditure, representing 41 per cent, is N565 billion, which includes personnel cost, overhead and debt services.

The Governor noted that his administration had clearly articulated its vision in governance through the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda in the last two years, adding that the State was now looking towards the future with the activation of the implementation of a 30-year development plan (2021-2051) which replaced previous 13-year growth plan developed in 2012.

He said: “Year 2022 Budget is the next step on our journey to true and sustainable greatness in Lagos. The challenging environment requires that we focus our interventions on areas of greatest social impact and achieving the greatest good for the greatest number in the shortest possible time. Next year is an excellent opportunity for us to consolidate on what we have done so far, and ensure that every effort, investment inflow, partnership, business policy is translating maximally into noticeable positive impact in the lives of our people.

“It is in this light that we are presenting the Year 2022 Budget of Consolidation with a size of N1,388,285,459,990.51. This financial proposal is presented with a sense of duty and absolute commitment to the transformation of Lagos to a preferred global destination for residence, commerce, and investment. The budget projects to see a continuing but gradual recovery to growth in economic activity as the global economy cautiously recovers from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.”

Of the total proposed expenditure, N1.135 trillion would accrue from Internally Generated Revenues (IGRs) and federal transfers, while deficit financing of N253 billion would be sourced from external and domestic loans, and bonds projected to be within the State’s fiscal sustainability parameters.

The State would be earmarking an aggregate of N137.64 billion, representing 9.92 per cent of the 2022 budget, for the funding of green investment in Environment, Social Protection, Housing and Community Amenities.

On Security, the Governor explained that the State’s continued investment in the sector had reaped positive dividends, stressing that more allocation would be channeled to security in 2022 to make Lagos safer for living, working and investment.

Despite the global economic downturn, Sanwo-Olu said Lagos had seen more construction machinery deployed to deliver new infrastructure in the areas of roads, rail, housing, health, education and waterways.

He said: “There has been significant progress on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit projects, which include both the 27-kilometre Blue line, that will run from Okokomaiko to Marina, and the 32-kilometre Red line that will run from Agbado to Oyigbo and eventually to Marina.

“These rails, when completed, will deliver a combined 32.5 million people every month on their respective routes, reducing travel time by over 250 per cent, increasing the productivity and quality of life of our people.

“The Red line will come with eight new modern train stations, 10 new overpasses and 13 pedestrian bridges. These ambitious projects are expected to be commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2022.”

The outgoing year’s budget, Sanwo-Olu said, performed “remarkably well” despite the challenges encountered by the State, noting that the expenditure performance at the third quarter of 2021 rose to 80 per cent.

The Governor said the need to stabilise the State’s economy led to the adoption of far-reaching cost saving measures, including restructuring of local borrowings to reduce overall debt service obligations on Lagos.

“The State Government has successfully restructured all existing loan facilities, translating into a reduction in interest rates from an average of 18 per cent to about 12.75 per cent. This year, Fitch, a reputable international rating agency, upgraded the rating of Lagos from AA+ to AAA, reflecting Lagos’ capacity to service its financial obligations, compared with national and international peers, as well as its resilient operating performance during the pandemic,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The Governor thanked Lagosians for supporting and standing by his administration in the past two years. He said there were more challenges lying ahead, urging the residents to join hands with him in delivering his programmes for common good. He assured that the pace of governance would be amplified in the coming years.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, praised the Governor for the “outstanding performance” of the 2021 budget, especially in infrastructural renewal and wealth creation among other things, promising speedy and meticulous vetting of the 2022 expenditure proposal.

Obasa said the progress under the Sanwo-Olu administration was commendable, but urged the executive arm to look inward and devise other methods of improving the State’s IGR beyond the current sources.

He said: “While the projections of this administration are being guided by its THEMES agenda, we need to further strengthen it to touch the lives of the people. It is a known fact that Lagos has the highest foreign debt profile. This loan has been the secret behind most of the infrastructural developments we all see all over the State. Nevertheless, I will advise the executive to focus more on intense projects that will be geared towards alleviating poverty in our State.”

The Speaker pledged more legislative support for the executive to achieve all the outlined objectives in the 2022 fiscal year.

For improved business processes and consistent delivery of quality products and services to customers, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has validated First City Monument Bank’s (FCMB) ISO 9001: 2015 certification for Quality Management Systems (QMS).

FCMB earned ISO 9001:2015 certification in 2018 for demonstrating excellence in governance, product development and delivery of services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. ISO 9001:2015 is the internationally recognisedcertification for Quality Management Systems.

Commenting on the recertification, Managing Director of FCMB, Mrs Yemisi Edun, said it affirms the Bank’s commitment to excellence in all aspects of operations and service delivery.

“It proves that the focused execution of our strategic plan and processes are yielding the desired results. We are committed to making First City Monument Bank a centre of excellence”, she stated.

Mrs. Edun added that the Bank remains committed to continuous improvement as it strives to meet the ever-changing needs of its esteemed customers.

The validation of FCMB’s ISO 9001:2015 certification by SON, the organisation responsible for accrediting and certifying organisations to ISO standards in Nigeria, indicates that the Bank’s processes, procedures, and systems follow global standards. It also shows that the Bank understands customer needs and delivers enhanced products and services that lead to their satisfaction.

ISO 9001:2015 certified corporations are rated high for regular appraisal of the risks and opportunities inherent in their businesses with proactive steps taken to mitigate them. They also optimise opportunities for the benefit of their customers and stakeholders.

First City Monument Bank (www.fcmb.com), a member of the FCMB Group Plc, has consistently proven its commitment to continuous improvement, professionalism, global best practices, and excellence.

FCMB Group Plc is Nigeria’s most diversified financial services holding company, comprising ten entities. They include First City Monument Bank Limited, FCMB (UK) Limited, FCMB Microfinance Bank Limited, FCMB Capital Markets Limited, CSL Stockbrokers Limited, FCMB Pensions Limited, FCMB Asset Management Limited, FCMB Trustees Limited and Credit Direct Limited.

Sad story I must say, I wish they used other means like atm, USSD or something because Banks will always follow the banking rules as they can’t act base on emotions.

Our hospitals too don’t attend to patients without initial deposit.

It just sad he couldn’t make it to the hospital after they were given the money.

I have read the story and it’s sad that Mr Tunde is dead but I have a question, is there subterranean interest against the brand FCMB that the general public is not aware of?

Is this story pushed because the brand name FCMB is attached to the MD in question?

Show Dem Camp ft Burna Boy True Story Mp3 Download; Nigerian rap duo, Show Dem Camp links up with African giant, Burna Boy for new record titled, “True Story” which is off their ‘The Palmwine Express’ album.

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Kizz Daniel Jaho Mp3 Download; Vado D Great, Kizz Daniel is out with new single titled titled ‘Jaho‘; a follow-up to the visual for “Pak N Go“.

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Vector’s Vibe Before Teslim (The Journey To Self Discovery) is finally out!

The Veteran rapper had recently released a single “Comfort” featuring Davido alongside its lyric video all in anticipation for this album.

Vibes Before Teslim has 9 powerful tracks and an outro that’ll make you feel Vector took some singing pills cos it was pretty good. The album features the likes of Slimcase, DJ Niyor, BrisB, YinxDjinx and offcourse Davido.

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Fireboy DML - Scatter Video Download; Talented YBNL artiste, Fireboy DML releases visual to his new song titled Scatter.

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YBNL’s rising star Fireboy has finally released his highly anticipated album, Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps.

The singer, who broke out with his Jealous song, off the YBNL mafia album late last year has made giant strides over the past 12 months with 3 massive singles to his name.

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