₦airaland Forum

The police cashed in on the law to carry out their job as LAW ENFORCERS

kulikuli26: Now you will say the police is controlled by FG but when they are been used to weed out okada men by LASG you wont say they are controlled by FG.Please lets stop this hypocrisy, i have noticed there is always a desperate attempt at exonerating LASG whenever their competence is called to question.we must understand we cannot move forward with this kind of mentality, lets call govts to question whenever there is need to and not always looking for excuses.

The Chairman of Ojo Local Government in Lagos State, Yinka Durosinmi, has presented a budget of N1.914bn for 2013, to the council’s legislative house.

Presenting the budget, titled “Budget of Sustainability," the Chairman said the proposal was the outcome of extensive consultation and contributions from all stakeholders and in line with the State Government’s Ten-Point Agenda.

He said the 2013 budget, like the preceding one, would be directed towards infrastructure renewal aimed at project's development and provision with great impact on the lives of the people of Ojo.

According to him, “the result has been unflinching trust and supports from the people, demonstrated by their voluntary payment of rates, levies and peaceful co-existence and increased participation in the democratic process."

The breakdown of the budget which is 7.7% higher than that of last year, showed that N61.3m will be raised from internally generated revenue, while Federal and State Statutory allocation will be N865m and N45m respectively, and N700m and N300m are to be derived from Value-Added Tax and other grants respectively.

Furthermore, the recurrent expenditure for the year is put at N1.1308b which is made up of local government staff salaries and allowances, totaling N320m, N145m for teachers’ salaries and a total sum of N660.8m for other overhead costs and another N5m for stabilization/sinking fund.

The chairman also disclosed that a sum of N840m had been earmarked for capital expenditure, an increase of 29% percent over the N652. 4m year and would be dedicated to infrastructure renewal.

Priority attention of the 2013 budget the chairman added would be the construction of footbridges at Ponpoku and Okolundu, rehabilitation of St. Michael’s Primary School, reconstruction of L.A Primary School, construction of Staff Quarters at Irewe, and surfacing of Usama Mogaji Road.

Others are the rehabilitation of Ojo Multipurpose Hall, provision of solar street lights from Volkswagen to NEPA road junction [Olojo Drive], surfacing of Daramola Street, completion of the Secretariat interlocking/beautification projects, provision of computers to schools, provision of a revenue bus for aggressive riverine expansion policy and human capital development.

http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/ojo-lg-budgets-19bn-for-2013.html

The particular road which is in a state of disrepair, is a Federal road, the police is also controlled by FG so where does Fashola come in? Close to where the robberies take place is Ojo cantonment, is that Fashola's jurisdiction too?

romanlaw: Fashola is really getting it wrong. He should focus more on his job than trying to promote ACN tru media talks. Lagos is gradually returning back to their former days.

Badagry Expressway after about a year of respite for commuters plying that route.The attacks, which started about a forth night ago, usually take place between 8p.m and 10p.m due to heavy traffic caused by several failed portions of the road in the area.Vanguard’s Maritime correspondent, Godfrey Bivbere, was a victim of the robbers, yesterday, when he and his co-travellers were dispossessed of their valuables including handsets, identity cards, keys and cash.Bivbere said as he was driving along the road at about 10p.m, the vehicle in front of him was reluctant to move when the road became clear.He said he blasted his horn to alert the driver but was surprised when the robbers who litter the length of the road attacked them.He said while the boys collected his dual SIM-handset while Rosemary lost her bag in which were her Galaxy Tab, Laptop charging, house keys, about N5,000, Vanguard identity card, among other valuables.According to Bivbere they met a group of police officers standing by the road side a stone throw from the robbery spot.He said the different groups carried out about four attacks during the period he and his colleague were waiting for the police officers there.It would be recalled that Mile 2 to Okokomaiko in the past used to be a danger zone for commuters using the route

http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/robbers-return-to-lagos-badagry-road.html

The Lagos state Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm over what it called "clandestine approach" by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to use the judiciary to upturn local government tribunal verdicts in favour of the PDP.
State chairman of the PDP, Mr Tuniji Shelle said after the 2011 local government election, aggrieved party members headed for tribunal and were able to secure victories in three local councils and six councillorship seats but said curiously, the party lost four councillorship seats and Badagry LCDA all of which it had earlier won at the lower tribunal.
"In a very provocative manner, the appeal tribunal of five sitting Lagos High Court Judges have begun to overturn the judgments in the few areas we won at the Tribunal. The Cases of the Badagry local government chairmanship and four councillorship have now been overturned on appeal. It is more disappointing that the appeal tribunal is rather political than judicial as it 'deliberately' misapplied the provisions of the local government elections tribunal law.
"We are aware and now convinced that same fate will befall all our pending petitions. This is the DIRECTIVE from an unseen hand to the Appeal tribunal. This action is very undemocratic and can lead to breakdown of Law and Order. On our part, we shall counsel the Appeal tribunal to thread softly and deliver Justice. They must not be used as agent provocateur in this political experiment. We are watching," Shelle said.
The Lagos PDP chairman said his party is not against ACN appealing the verdicts of the lower tribunal enjoined all to stand up and "be counted in this fight to sustain our fledgling democracy."


http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/lg-polls-pdp-accuses-acn-of.html

Further insight has been given into why the Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement between the Federal Government and an indigenous firm, Bi-Courtney Highway Services Limited for the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway failed as it was discovered that the company lacked the necessary capacity ab nitio to have taken up such project.

This was disclosed at the weekend by the Minister of Works, Chief Mike Onolememem, during an exclusive interview with THISDAY in his office in Abuja.

According to the minister, "PPP is a new paradigm in the delivery of infrastructure everywhere in the world and it is a new paradigm for us here in Nigeria, what happened in the Bi-Courtney concession was an unfortunate thing because that concession, in the first place I had reservation on the processes that produced the company because when I was minister of state in 2007, I was aware that the project were advertised and so many people bided for it but somehow the political leadership truncated that process and then in the twilight of that regime, we heard all of a sudden that only one bidder, Bi-Courtney submitted a bid.

"So ab initio, it was a questionable process and the truth about that concession is that Bi-Courtney lacked the capacity to deliver that project and all the delays he talked about, I have gone through all the papers and documents to discover that all the delay emanated from him."

The minister had on November 19 last year announced the termination of the contract, citing a number of breaches including failure to submit copies of the construction contract and the financial agreement as well as copies of the operations and maintenance contract.
The company, it was disclosed, was also unable to carry out construction work despite access to the site since September 2009.

Onolememen had also said that the action was taken because the Bi-Courtney had consistently flouted the rules of engagement by failing to execute the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) project as stipulated in the agreement.

Explaining further why the Federal Government had to take the action, the minister said the government was not going to abandon PPP idea because of the Bi-Courtney experience.

"The PPP is a vehicle for delivering infrastructure in our country, if anything, very soon Nigerians will hear groundbreaking announcements on PPP projects because we are almost on the verge of announcing the second Niger bridge project under that vehicle and of course that will translate to the preferred bidders going to site.

"We have been working for the last 13-14 months and we are just at the last stage now and the same thing will happen to the international airport road in Lagos, we are going to massively expand and beautify that through the Public Private Partnership.
"We have about 10 projects which are before the ICRC for their objection for us to continue their procurement under the Public Private Partnership"

When asked if government did enough investigation on the capability of the company given their shoddy work at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the minister said "I don't think the airport project was delivered at the time he got that particular project and like I was saying, Bi-Courtney had a number of contractual obligations to fulfil in the agreement and they include that it was the obligation Bi-Courtney to have done the design of the road and the responsibility of the ministry of works to approve but it took Bi-Courtney two years to submit the preliminary design which took the ministry two months to study and comment on with changes he needed to do and communicated to him that he should go ahead with the final design for certification but up till the final termination of the concession, Bi-Courtney never came back with a detailed final design of that road even up till the termination date.

"He keeps saying that it took the ministry two years to approve but when you don't present a plan to the ministry, what will they approve when you have not met your obligation.

The minister said the company was also unable to meet some basic professional needs of its professionals.

"I have it on authority that he could not pay the consultants for the design, I am in the profession and we exchange notes but we knew what happened that he didn't have the capacity and also, the most important failure of Bi-Courtney was its failure to achieve financial closure and when we tried to look into his challenge and unbundled the project to help him, he went on a wild goose chase rather than showing interest, in fact, he crafted a brand new agreement for government to sign.

"No reasonable government will sign an agreement that will not only tie its hands but also its leg because there were so many unacceptable clauses fitted into that agreement."

He also cited the company's inability to resolve any issue with the providers of telecoms services, saying that even when the Federal Government no longer offers those services, it will have to pay compensation on the delay until he is able to resolve it.

On the fate of some government officials who connived with the company to perpetuate the fraud, the minister said: "In fairness to you, I am of the opinion that sanctions should be meted against government officials who perpetrated this kind of heinous crime against the people of this country. That is my candid opinion.

http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/why-bi-courtney-failed-on-lagos-ibadan.html

THERE was pandemonium in Apapa area of Lagos State, weekend, when some armed naval personnel and policemen from Area B Police Command clashed.

Two policemen allegedly sustained injuries, police patrol vehicles and an Armoured Personnel Carriers, APC, were allegedly destroyed.

Vanguard gathered that the incident occurred last Friday, after a team of policemen attached to the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, accosted two naval ratings on a motorcycle riding against traffic at Trebo Roundabout and allegedly impounded their motorcycle.

The incident was said to have thrown the entire area into panic.

Eyewitnesses said the angry naval personnel ran back to their base and reinforced but on arriving Trebo Roundabout, the task force officials had gone.

The aggrieved naval personnel allegedly descended on a team of policemen attached to the Rapid Respond Squad, RRS, manning an APC stationed at the Roundabout.

An eyewitness, who spoke to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity, said “The policemen, in their bid to escape, drove the APC dangerously and out of the roundabout to the Area B Command Headquarters. Some of the naval personnel went after them. A police inspector attached to a leading new generation bank, on Liverpool Road, was attacked and beaten to pulp while his rifle was taken from him.”

“The naval personnel on getting to Area B Command Headquarters, started shooting indiscriminately, sending motorists and residents scampering for safety.

“They smashed the windscreens of some patrol vehicles and one APC was completely demobilised as it tyres were destroyed.

“It took the intervention of the Area Commander, Ali Mohammed, who contacted the naval authorities for help.”

When contacted, the Western Command information officer, Jerry Omodara, told Vanguard that the Navy did not attack the police area command office.

According to him, “What happened was that two naval ratings were on their way home on a motorbike after the close of work and policemen manning a check point at Point Road junction towards Liverpool stopped them. The ratings tried to explain that they were personnel closing from work and the policemen refused to let them go.

The scene where the incident occurred was close to the Hydrographic office of the Navy and a Rear Admiral who saw it happened sent a lieutenant to the scene.

The lieutenant pleaded with the policemen, but they refused to listen. The lieutenant then demanded that they all go to the Area B police Command Headquarters.”

“But on their way to the Command, an RRS patrol van approached and hijacked the situation. The RRS policemen opened fire on the Navy and snatched the motorbike from them.”

http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/police-naval-officers-clash-in-lagos.html

An estimated 116, 525 metric tonnes of commodities valued at N129.9 billion were exported through Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa between January and December of 2012.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Area 1 Command, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Mohammed Umar, who gave the statistics in Lagos also said the command collected N283.9 billion as total revenue during the review period.

He listed the commodities as including: palm kernel cake, cocoa beans and wheat bran pallets, cashew nuts, sesame seeds, ginger, hibiscus flower, gum Arabic, processed rubber, shrimps, and lead ingot.

Others are 4, 625,837 square feet of processed leather, 74,547 cases of Dettol brand of disinfectant, Maggi Crayfish, 29,062 cartons of biscuits 97,100 bags of assorted bathroom slippers and 1,655,320 litres of ethyl alcohol.

Umar said that the command collected N283.9 billion as total revenue during the review period.

The CAC declared that the command's post clearance audit unit had attracted 119 companies.

"A monthly average of 1,177 containers left the ports under the scheme. A total of 14,128 containers were exited through the post clearance audit scheme," he said.

The command, according to him, seized 20 contraband-laden containers, comprising batteries, used engines, deodorants, car parts, textiles, electronics , furniture, used cars, pirated books and table wine with a duty of N173, 217,007.00.

Umar said average numbers of containers scanned during the period was 3,390 with a daily average of 113 containers. "In the second quarter, the average number of containers scanned rose to 4, 225 with a daily average of 142; third quarter, 4,832 with a daily average of 161; fourth quarter, 6,042 containers with a daily average of 201 containers scanned."

http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/n129bn-goods-exported-through-lagos.html

berem: If not for Amuwo Odofin LG, Festac Town would have been worse that its present state. most of the roads are terribly bad.



Transformers that need to be changed are still in use.most of the transformers are very old and overloading makes them blow constantly. nevertheless, i give kudos to PHCN Festac Town District. they are doing a good job.

you're right. So I guess it is right to say the federal government has failed woefully in this area. I will post pictures of these federal Estates soon

Paul John: ^^
You sure that's update of the light rail project? Cos it looks like that of mile12-Ikorodu road expansion(six lane)

this is after agboju bus stop, before Festac first gate

all4naija: Update images, please! I am tempted to ask.

the contractor is speeding up work, working on both sides other road

that road is a federal road I guess

basty: Tell the man to repair Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway especially Iyana-Ipaja and Abule Egba axis.

Eko n baje lo.

musiwa10: where are you. i think they sold them under obasanjo.. they sold nearly all of federal govt properties in lagos.. from what i know..

the only thing the federal govt own is mostly in abuja.. and apart from the lagos national stadium and national art theater..

federal govt is broke in lagos.. by the time they sale airport.. there is nothing they own in the whole of the western niger..

You did not know that since 1976, the federal govt have not been doing anything there.. why do you think they are blowing up everything...
all the money goes to abuja... and nobody see it.

Local govt chairmen complain that they can't do much in these estates because it is federal owned, the occupants claim same and refuse to pay their rates. If Obasanjo sold the properties, did he sell the roads and infrastructures too? The federal housing authority is still on ground in a place like Festac what are they doing?

The federal government in the 70s and 80s established estates in Lagos from Gowon and Shagari estates in Ipaja, Festac town, satellite town (with many multinationals building estates there, notable shell, Chevron, flour mills etc including CBN estates 1&2).
After moving the state capital to Abuja these estates were abandoned and have been left to rot. Residents of these areas have claimed they cannot pay tax to the Lagos State Government because it was built by the FG. The same FG that has neglected them. Festac for example is having some roads fixed by the Amuwo LGA whose secretariat is situated there but the little they are doing isn't enough as some roads remain unmotorable.
The questions many have been asking, who is responsible for the maintenance of these estates?
Over to you nairalanders

http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/who-should-fix-federal-estates-in-lagos.html

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday insisted it has not gagged public officials from speaking to the press but has only put in place a structured channel of information flow that will ensure that only adequate and credible information is disseminated.
The State Government’s position was amplified by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba during a Press Conference he addressed at the Conference Room of the Ministry at the Alausa Secretariat alongside the Special Advisers on Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Raji and Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello.
Speaking against the background of a state circular issued to the effect that all public officials must obtain the concurrence of the Ministry of Information and Strategy before issuing press releases or granting interviews, Mr. Ibirogba clarified that the state government has not stopped the members of the State Executive Council or senior government functionaries from speaking to the press.
He cited the example of the media briefing on the breakdown of the year 2013 budget on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben Akabueze, saying if the intention was to gag public officials from speaking with the press, Mr. Akabueze would not have been able to address the press.
He explained that those making issues out of the move are only twisting the facts, stressing that in terms of schedule of responsibilities, the Ministry of Information and Strategy is the Ministry specifically saddled with the task of disseminating information on behalf of the government.
He added that in line with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) the arrangement put in place will ensure that the people have access to only factual and credible information.
Mr. Ibirogba added that for whatever information anyone sought about the activities of the State Government, such a person could contact the Ministry of Information and Strategy, which can then direct him or her on the right sources of such information if it could not be provided directly.
The Commissioner said Lagos has always been at the forefront of open and transparent governance aided by regular dissemination of information to the public adding that it never believed in hoarding information.
He contended that the present administration in Lagos has nothing to hide, and this explains why it is the only government within the federation that comes before its people every 100 days to render an account of stewardship.
He added that the Fashola administration is also the only administration that publishes contact details of all government officials both political and public servants as well as security and emergency agencies whilst it also gives regular updates about performances of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies on publicized websites.
He informed that the state also holds regular stakeholders Town Hall Meetings on security, transportation, taxation and health among other things with a view to making the government more interactive with the people.
The Information Commissioner also stated that the State Governor regularly established direct contact with the populace by leading members of his Cabinet round project sites and to meet with the host Communities of such projects with a view to obtaining from the people a first-hand assessment of how funds appropriated is being spent and its impact on the citizenry.
He commended members of the media for their cooperation with the State Government in terms of giving positive projections to the activities of the State, saying members of the Information management team cannot claim to have solely accounted for the success of the administration in terms of information dissemination.

http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/lasg-insists-it-has-not-gagged-public.html

post Biafra trauma blackmail..... hmmmm

Eko Ile: It's no big deal, NL losers will not shout, yell, scream or pull out their hair because its not lagos state.

Lagos even went through due process and enacted a law to that effect. Lagos rocks

Adufaye: Which of d road? d CBN side?

yes cbn

anonimi: What is the role of the LGA?
can you not petition your LG councillor and state assesmbly legislator

Petitions can be ignored but putting pictures like this will always make them act fast

You're wrong, check this thread if you'll say the same https://www.nairaland.com/1164724/pack-dump-drainage-clearance-navy

romanlaw: NAIRALAND!! NOW ACN CAMPAIGN PLATFORM.

more

Some days ago we posted pictures the fixing of Navy town road in Oriade LCDA by LPWC, however the drainage along that same road whose blockage leads to flooding that damages the road, is poorly managed. Days ago the drainage was cleared but left beside the road, when it rains everything that was cleared is the washed back into it making it an effort in futility.

We hereby call the attention of the relevant authorities to finish up the clearance to avoid flooding whenever it rains.


http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/pack-and-dump-drainage-clearance-navy.html

This was parked around Ketu area of Lagos, got us wondering if it is one of the buses the president promised during the subsidy removal protests since we've not heard anything about it ever since. Have you seen more of these buses around you

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola on Tuesday said he would revoke contract for the construction of Obafemi Awolowo road project in Ikorodu Local Government.

Fashola said this during the tour of the state’s projects in Ikorodu, where aggrieved residents trooped out to complain about the “shoddy manner” the construction was being handled.

According to the residents, the road reconstruction have been going on for over 35 months.

The residents welcomed the governor to the area with placards with inscriptions such as ‘Road abandoned for 35months, ‘Governor Please Save Us, ‘Our children are afflicted with Asthma’.

The residents insisted that the dust on the road had seriously affected the health of residents.

One of them said, “Sir, we want to ask if the residents in this area have offended you that the project will be given to a contractor that is incompetent.”

Fashola explained that the government awarded the project because it recognised the need to improve the road in the area.

He said, “There is no need for anyone to be angry, the fact that we awarded the contract is because we want to make things better. This project will henceforth be re-awarded to a more competent contractor that will do a better job.

“These are some of the challenges that come with giving local contractor opportunities, but we are not happy with the service and we will change the contractor.

The governor, however, said one of the challenges affecting contractors’ performance in the state was incessant harassment by youths. He added that cooperation was required if the contractor must deliver promptly.

http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/fashola-sacks-contractor-over-slow-road.html

LAGOS State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit has raided Mushin and Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, demolishing illegal structures erected on drainage channels.Taskforce Chairman, Superintendent Bayo Sulaiman, who led about 80 armed officials of the unit on Friday, said the effort was meant to sanitise the areas.The Taskforce also raided  Iganmu-under-bridge, where suspected oil thieves had turned to markets for stolen diesel and petrol.A large number of drums of diesel were recovered while shanties erected under the bridge were also demolished. The suspected oil thieves fled on sighting the Taskforce officials.At Orile, hundreds of illegal structures erected by traders on road median, road setback and some parts of the Orile-Badagry Expressway, currently being expanded by the government, were demolished and cleared  of illegal traders. Some commercial motorcyclists (okada riders) plying the prohibited routes were arrested.In Mushin, some illegal structures built on drainage channel at Oloruntoyin Street were demolished, while abandoned vehicles on the street were towed. Mechanics that had turned the street to mechanic workshop were driven away.At Ladipo Bus stop in Oshodi, the taskforce raided an Indian hemp joint and arrested a number of people.Sulaiman said the raid became necessary to show that the government was serious about clean environment in Lagos. He explained that some of the areas had been raided before, but the “violators” always came back.He said, “For instance, there is the light rail project. Government did not want a situation where diesel and other petroleum products being traded under the bridge will affect it. Also, the Iganmu bridge is being weakened by activities of these oil sellers.“We have evacuated them from that place before. We are going to monitor that place effectively from now on so that they do not return. As for Orile, it is part of our duty to clear that area.“In Mushin, we found out that the local government had indiscriminately allocated some spaces to the people who erected shanties. If there is a fire incident in that area, it will be devastating.”

Source: punch

Demdem: Take ur point to the house. If majority feels likewise it will pass if not, the ban stays.

And that is the exact reason why the article above was posted

Demdem: and which areas from the current law do u seek an amendment?

residential areas like festac and mile 2 Estate should be excluded, there have been complains about moving around in those areas. The picture I posted above was taken when Okada riders in festac were leaving but some have returned now and now operating in festac again but at exhorbitant fares so What's the essence of the ban then?

slimming: People will adapt to it over time.

so you suggest adaptation instead of amendment?

The Lagos Traffic Law 2012 which banned motorcycles on major highways and some roads might be reviewed very soon as stated below by the Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly

" He said no law passed by the state assembly is rigid, much less the traffic law despite its attendant controversies but that any amendment of such a thorough process must come from majority of the people as a collective resolve for the change.

“The traffic law is subject to review and other laws alike. The traffic law was hotly debated and contested across board. But the passage was based on the larger number of Lagosians who rooted for sanity on Lagos roads.

“So, a review too will be based on the position of the majority and the rest remains the responsibility of the assembly”

WatchingLagos advises anyone who feels motorcycles should be allowed on a particular restricted road to seek amendment through their various representatives in the state house of assembly.

http://www.watchinglagos.com/2013/01/seek-amendment-tolagos-traffic-law.html

emmatok: Most of those residents are actually against Lagos state government.
Remember the LAND USE CHARGE case. Festac residents took the LA SG to court claiming the place belongs to the Federal government.

then festac residents are not being truthful, they are the same that call on the LG chairman to fix roads for them, there is a health center in festac too for the residents funded by the state.
Truth is issue needs to be sorted asap

emmatok: No mind them jare.
They don't even know that small Navy town road belong to the Federal government.

If it is a federal road then it is a plus for the state government. The gutter along that road is also being cleared. However, satellite town close to that road is a federal government estate that has been neglected just like festac and other federal establishments in Lagos. Pictures of those areas will be posted soon