The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Alleged sale of GRA land: LP chieftain attention seeker, says Ogun govt

    Alleged sale of GRA land: LP chieftain attention seeker, says Ogun govt

    Ogun State Government has dismissed as blackmail and reckless defamation, allegations by a Labour Party (LP) chieftain, Mr. Arabambi Abayomi, that the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun is selling government-owned housing assets, including Ibara Government Reserved Area (GRA).

    The government described Abayomi as an attention-seeking rabble-rouser with a penchant for blackmail, alleging that his claims were motivated by resentment after he was kept at arm’s length by the administration.

    In a statement yesterday in Abeokuta, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the Governor,  Kayode Akinmade, said the allegations were misleading and deliberately aimed at distorting the state’s ongoing urban renewal programme.

    Akinmade said it was ironic for Abayomi to portray the revitalisation of GRAs across the state as the sale of public assets, noting that the initiative had received commendation from eminent Nigerians.

    He recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Alake of Egbaland, Adedotun Gbadebo, and the General Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, Tunde Bakare, had all praised the projects, which are transforming GRAs into modern smart cities.

    READ ALSO; Arewa, this has to stop

    “The fact is well known that Ogun State’s urban renewal programme for Government Reserved Areas involves transforming dilapidated houses and shanties into modern, vibrant smart cities,” Akinmade said.

    He explained that the progra mme covers GRAs in Ibara and Idi-Aba (Abeokuta), Igbeba (Ijebu-Ode), Ilaro, and Ota, and includes rehabilitation of old structures, construction of new housing units, and provision of modern infrastructure such as roads, drainage, water supply and electricity.

    He said the project spanned over 100 hectares, with plans for 500 housing units in Ibara and 100 units in Idi-Aba, adding that more than 150 houses had been completed.

    Akinmade alleged that Abayomi had previously organised several news conferences praising Governor Abiodun in an attempt to ingratiate himself with the government, but became hostile after what he described as the discovery of his “multiple faces” and his subsequent sidelining.

    “GRAs are the exclusive preserve of government. What responsible governments do is clear shanties and replace them with modern developments, which is exactly what the Abiodun administration is doing,” he said.

    He accused the Labour Party chieftain of habitually seeking relevance by attacking governments that declined to patronise him and urged the public to disregard his claims.

    “Instead of focusing on rebuilding his party, he is busy chasing shadows. We know him very well, and nothing he says can be taken seriously by this government,” Akinmade said.

  • ‘Tinubu governs under constitution freely adopted by Nigerians’

    ‘Tinubu governs under constitution freely adopted by Nigerians’

    Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it has read ‘Monday Lines’, a column by Lasisi Olagunju, with keen interest.

    The party in a statement yesterday in Ogba by its spokesman, Seye Oladejo, said: ‘’While we respect the columnist’s literary depth and rich deployment of folklore, metaphor and intertextual allusions, we must firmly state that poetry, however elegant, must never be mistaken for political accuracy or historical honesty.

    ‘’The attempt to equate Nigeria’s constitutional democracy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the brutal military dictatorship of Sani Abacha is not only intellectually lazy, but also historically indefensible. It is an exercise in false equivalence that sacrifices truth on the altar of rhetorical flourish.

    ‘’Abacha ruled by decrees, proscribed political parties, detained journalists, silenced labour unions and governed without elections. President Tinubu governs under a constitution freely adopted by Nigerians, was elected through a competitive multi-party process, and remains subject to judicial review, legislative oversight, and the verdict of the electorate. To conflate the two is to trivialise the suffering Nigerians endured under military rule and insult the intelligence of a politically conscious populace.

    READ ALSO: Tax reform: Lessons for national health financing

    ‘’The columnist laments alleged fractures within opposition parties and hastily attributes them to some imagined inferno lit by the ruling party. This conveniently ignores a basic democratic principle: political parties are voluntary associations governed by their own constitutions. Internal disputes, factionalism, and leadership crises are not new phenomena, nor are they exclusive to Nigeria or to this administration. To blame the APC for the chronic ideological emptiness, weak internal democracy, and perennial litigation that plague opposition parties is to outsource responsibility where introspection is required.

    ‘’Democracy does not guarantee the survival of opposition parties; it guarantees their freedom to organise, contest, win or lose. The APC neither appoints opposition leaders nor drafts their constitutions. Political failure should not be laundered as victimhood.

    ‘’We find it curious that the article invokes scholars like Samuel Huntington while ignoring the central thesis of The Third Wave: that democratic consolidation is strengthened not by sentimental alarmism, but by institutions, elections, and civic responsibility. Nigeria today has functioning courts that routinely rule against government, a National Assembly that debates and amends executive proposals, and a media landscape that publishes some of the harshest critiques of government without fear of midnight knocks. These are not the features of dictatorship, no matter how attractively wrapped in metaphor.

    ‘’The recurring obsession with ‘one-party state’ rhetoric is equally misplaced. Nigeria has over a dozen registered political parties, opposition governors, opposition lawmakers, and opposition-controlled states. That some governors or politicians choose to align with the ruling party is not evidence of coercion; it is evidence of political choice – often driven by performance, pragmatism, or survival instincts shaped by voter expectations. Defections are not coups.

    ‘’We also reject the insinuation that national consensus around leadership or reform automatically translates to tyranny. In moments of economic transition and structural reform, broad elite convergence is not unusual. It happened in post-war Europe; it happened in emerging Asian democracies. Consensus is not dictatorship; it is sometimes the price of stability.’’

    Lagos APC said it acknowledged that democracy thrived on robust opposition, constructive dissent, and constant vigilance.

    The party added: ‘’However, dissent must be grounded in facts, not fear; in analysis, not apocalyptic projections. Nigeria’s democracy is not perfect – no democracy is – but it is neither suspended nor on life support.

    ‘’History teaches us many lessons, but one stands out clearly: democracies are weakened not only by authoritarian overreach, but also by reckless rhetoric that delegitimises institutions and erodes public confidence without evidence. When everything is described as tyranny, nothing is.

    ‘’Nigeria did not fight military rule to romanticise it in hindsight. Abacha is not alive in 2026. What is alive is a democracy is still finding its rhythm – noisy, imperfect, contested, but constitutional. And that distinction matters.’’

  • Ogun to mark 50th anniversary with inauguration of 20 roads

    Ogun to mark 50th anniversary with inauguration of 20 roads

    • Abiodun opens 3.5km Laderin-Wole Soyinka train terminal road

    Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun yesterday  inaugurated Laderin–Prof. Wole Soyinka Train Station Road in Abeokuta, announcing plans to inaugurate 20 additional roads across the state as part of activities marking Ogun State’s 50th anniversary.

    Speaking at the ceremony, the governor said construction work was progressing steadily on the Sagamu Interchange–Papalanto–Opele Road, describing the 100-kilometre highway as a critical east-west connector within the state.

    According to Abiodun, the road, when completed, will provide motorists with an alternative route, eliminating the need to pass through Abeokuta before accessing other parts of the country, while also opening up the corridor for increased commercial activities.

    “Let me share with you the biggest secret of our reconstruction efforts right now – the Ogun East-West Connector. This road stretches from the Sagamu Interchange through Papalanto to Opele, covering about 100 kilometres,” the governor said.

    READ ALSO: Tax reform: Lessons for national health financing

    “We have completely closed off the road for reconstruction. As we speak, between Sagamu Interchange and Papalanto, which is about 40 kilometres, we have reconstructed approximately 25 kilometres using reinforced concrete. When completed, trucks and vehicles conveying goods and services from Ota, Ifo and Ewekoro will no longer need to use the Abeokuta–Sagamu Expressway, as they can connect directly to Papalanto and access the expressway.”

    Governor Abiodun described the Prof. Wole Soyinka Train Station as a major landmark linking Ogun State to Lagos, Oyo State and the northern parts of the country, noting that the presence of five train stations in the state underscored Ogun’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s economic development.

    He said although access roads were not originally provided when the rail line was constructed, his administration decided to rehabilitate the Laderin road in line with its multimodal transportation agenda.

    He added that between 100,000 and 150,000 passengers, including investors, commuted daily between Ogun, Oyo and Lagos states.

    The governor said the train station road formed part of the over 1,600 kilometres of roads constructed across the state, adding that one lane of the Atan–Lusada–Agbara Road had been completed, while work had begun on the second lane.

    Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Lateef Yusuf, said the three-kilometre road would provide access to the MKO Abiola Trade Fair Complex, Laderin, Lukosi and other surrounding communities, noting that it would ease movement and boost commercial activities.

    A former member of House of Representatives and the Osi of Egbaland, Chief Bode Mustapha, recalled the deplorable state of the road in the past, saying its reconstruction, alongside other projects, had significantly benefited Ogun Central Senatorial District and Abeokuta under the Abiodun administration.

    The Chairman of the Articulate Motorcycle Owners Association of Nigeria (AMORAN) in the state, Alhaji Taofeek Sokoya, said the road was previously a no-go area due to its poor condition, as transporters avoided it.

    He commended Governor Abiodun for rehabilitating the road.

  • Lagos tackles housing deficit with innovation, public-private partnership

    Lagos tackles housing deficit with innovation, public-private partnership

    The Lagos State Government is addressing the challenge of mass housing delivery through innovation and robust public-private partnerships across multiple fronts. The delivery of over 11,000 housing units in nearly seven years under the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is evidence that the housing deficit could be effectively reduced.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Abdulhafis Toriola, made this known while receiving Master’s students of the Centre for Planning Studies, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, who visited the Ministry.

    The visit was designed to expose the postgraduate students to the realities of housing administration, policy implementation, and service delivery in Lagos State, while reinforcing the value of collaboration between academic institutions and government agencies.

     Represented by the Director of Administration and Human Resources, Mr. Akanji Shadare, Toriola, an engineer, commended the students and their lecturers for the initiative and applauded their desire to deepen their understanding of the practical application of academic concepts in the built environment. He emphasized the need for the centre and similar departments within the university to continually share research outputs, innovative ideas, and solutions relevant to housing delivery.

    READ ALSO: Tax reform: Lessons for national health financing

     On housing investment, the General Manager of Lagos Building Investment Company (LBIC), represented by Mrs. Olabisi Funsho-Peters, Head, Mortgage and Credit Department, engaged the students and staff, highlighting the critical role of mortgage institutions in the real estate value chain. She explained that LBIC is an accredited mortgage bank insured by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), providing mortgage loans strictly for housing purposes, with up to 70 per cent financing and repayment tenures of 10 years and above.

     Also addressing the team, the Executive Director, Enterprise Services, Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC), Mr. Adeniyi Aromolaran, outlined the Corporation’s mandate in providing real estate services, including construction, sale, and rental of properties. He clarified, however, that LSDPC does not engage in social housing.

     Earlier, the Programme Coordinator, Centre for Planning Studies, LASU, Professor Aliyu Ibrahim, stated that the visit aimed to provide firsthand insight into how housing policies and data are generated and managed. He identified four key takeaways: understanding how the Ministry coordinates housing provision across public and private sectors; how housing investment is undertaken; the challenges affecting housing delivery; and how housing provision and distribution have evolved in Lagos State.

     In his remarks, the Director of the Centre, Professor Fatai, noted that the Centre, established in 1989, organized the visit to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical experience. He added that the engagement was particularly important, as much of the housing data used in academic institutions was sourced from the Ministry of Housing.

  • ‘Only 215,914 informal workers enrolled in personal pensions as 92m remain uncovered’

    ‘Only 215,914 informal workers enrolled in personal pensions as 92m remain uncovered’

    The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has disclosed that just 215,914 Nigerians in the informal sector are enrolled in the Personal Pension Plan (PPP), leaving about 91.88 million workers without any form of pension cover out of an estimated 92.1 million informal-sector workforce.

    The pension regulator, in its third-quarter 2025 report, said the figures highlight the enormous untapped potential within the informal sector and underscore the need for a more deliberate and coordinated industry-wide strategy to deepen micro-pension adoption.

    PenCom noted that achieving national pension inclusion targets would require intensified public awareness campaigns, expansion of agent networks, and the development of pension products specifically tailored to the realities of informal-sector workers, to also ensure the long-term sustainability of the PPP scheme.

    A review of PPP registrations in the third quarter of 2025 further revealed a highly concentrated market structure, with AccessARM and Stanbic IBTC jointly accounting for 68 per cent of all registered Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) as at September 30, 2025. AccessARM retained its leadership position with 50 per cent of total registered participants, while Stanbic IBTC followed with 18 per cent.

    READ ALSO; Arewa, this has to stop

    According to the report, AccessARM recorded strong new registrations during the quarter, while Stanbic IBTC posted only modest growth. Other operators such as Parthian Pensions and CardinalStone Pensions Limited recorded minimal activity, contributing just 0.01 per cent and 0.02 per cent respectively to total registrations in Q3 2025.

    PenCom added that as at the end of the quarter, total PPP contributors represented only about 0.23 per cent of Nigeria’s estimated informal-sector workforce, based on data from the Nigeria Labour Force Survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

  • LASIEC begins post-council election audit

    LASIEC begins post-council election audit

    The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has commenced a rigorous post-election audit of the July 2025 Local Government and Local Council Development Area (LCDA) polls, with a vow to institutionalise lessons learnt from the exercise to strengthen grassroots democracy.

    Speaking at the opening of a Two-Day Retreat at Dover Hotels, Ikeja, the Chairman of the commission, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (rtd), described the gathering as a deliberate and forward-looking exercise aimed at evaluating the Commission’s performance and identifying systemic gaps.

    Addressing commissioners and electoral officers, Justice Okikiolu-Ighile noted that while the elections were adjudged free and fair by international and domestic observers, the commission must avoid the trap of complacency.

    “A resilient electoral process is not one that simply survives challenges, but one that learns from them, adapts and emerges stronger. We must be courageous enough to admit our shortcomings and make up to institutionalize lessons learnt,” she said.

    READ ALSO; Arewa, this has to stop

    She acknowledged that the 2025 election cycle was not without its administrative hiccups and politically-motivated sentiments, but maintained that the commission had demonstrated impartiality and resilience in protecting the mandate of the voters.

    Justice Okikiolu-Ighile emphasised that the future of elections in Lagos would be shaped by rising public scrutiny and evolving security concerns.

    To remain contemporary and relevant, she pledged that LASIEC would focus on leveraging technology to meet voters’ expectations, strengthening manpower through continuous training and a conducive work environment and reinforcing internal control processes to ensure transparency and neutrality.

    Providing a statistical backdrop to the 2025 exercise, the Commissioner for Training, Oladele Adekanye, said there was a significant uptick in voter engagement compared to previous cycles.

    According to Adekanye, the 2025 elections recorded a 24 per cent voter turnout, a notable leap from the 10 to 11 per cent recorded in previous election.

    While delivering a goodwill message, the commission’s Permanent Secretary, Abdulrafiu Fashola, commended the leadership of the commission and the dedication of its staff during the last elections. Fashola urged participants to approach the retreat with openness and professionalism, noting that constructive evaluation is key to strengthening institutional performance and public trust.

  • What you need to know about ‘I am Alive Confirmation’ Part 2

    What you need to know about ‘I am Alive Confirmation’ Part 2

    Can I do I AM ALIVE CONFIRMATION from another site apart from through PTAD website?

    Yes. You can also log on to https://iamalive.ptad.gov.ng

    Is I AM ALIVE identification letter from the embassy the same as the ‘’I AM ALIVE’’ being conducted by PTAD?

    No. The letters issued by Nigerian Embassy abroad are for diaspora pensioners to verify their identity and location.

    Why do I need to move my head using facial option?

    The system is carrying out an aliveness check, so when you move your head it is capturing and sending the angle points of your facial features.

    Do I need to use my BVN or other bank details like Debit Card Numbers or PIN for conducting the I AM ALIVE exercise?

    No, you do not. Only your PTAD pensioner number and account number is required. PTAD will never ask you for your, BVN, PIN or ATM card number.

    READ ALSO: Tax reform: Lessons for national health financing

    Is it safe to share my details with a third party to assist me in carrying out the I AM ALIVE CONFIRMATION?

    Yes you can. Please always ask a trusted person to assist you. The only information required is your pensioner number and account number. DO NOT SHARE any other information.

    If I miss the I AM ALIVE CONFIRMATION, will it affect my monthly pension?

    Yes. You will be suspended from payroll for that month and any other month you miss thereafter. You can however, complete the confirmation any day and time immediately after you received the notice of  your “past due” date.

    If I complete my IAM ALIVE after my past due date, will my suspension from payroll be lifted?

    Yes. Your suspension will be lifted automatically and you will be restored to payroll for payment in the next payroll cycle.

    I have been restored to the payroll following my suspension period, will I receive my arrears for the months I was on suspension?

    Yes. Your arrears for every month/payment cycle missed will be automatically computed and added to your pension for the next month.

    I was successful with my I AM ALIVE CONFIRMATION and yet my pension was stopped/not restored, what should I do?

    Please contact PTAD through our call centre, any of our state offices or our Abuja contact centre.

    If I try the facial option and I am unsuccessful and I want to do the alternative fingerprint option, where can I go to get it done because I will require assistance?

    You can go to a business centre that has a fingerprint device or purchase a fingerprint device for use on your desktop. Go to I Am Alive portal on PTAD website and download the SDK feature.

    If I am not successful with facial option, but successful with the fingerprint option, what could be the reason for this?

    This may be because your face could not be detected by the system, or your photo on the database is not very clear and needs to be updated.

  • PTAD: Resolving pensioners’ issues

    PTAD: Resolving pensioners’ issues

    ANONYMOUS: I want to remain anonymous.  My complaint is on pension increment arrears. I have not received mine. PTAD should release my portion without further delay. I am ageing and having a serious health challenge.

    OKUNOLA: Hello, my name is Okunola. Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo set up a panel for Nitel &Mtel headed by Prince Fola Adeola in 2001. The panel recommended 10 years pension without any period of time. I and some others were paid five years pension due by Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) in 2007, 2009, 20I0. But we are yet to receive the balance. I was employed on July 2, I979 and retired November I4, I99I (I2years). Kindly use your good office to see the Executive Secretary of PTAD, Mrs Odunaya to know what is delaying the pension due to some of us  at Nitel & Mtel  who did our verification since January 20I8. We are also yet to be put on payroll.

    Engr. Michael: Good day, I am Engr. Micheal. I am the Chairman for Ekiti State Nitel/Mtel pensioner’s association. My September 2019 pension was omitted. Also, some of our members have been trying to do their “I am Alive” for about one week now but are unable to do so. Kindly help us draw the attention of the PTAD to these issues.

    READ ALSO; Arewa, this has to stop

    SHEKONI: Good day, my name is Shekoni. The outcome of year 2023 PTAD verification exercise erroneously reduced my service years from 35 to 27 and consequently affected my monthly pension calculation till date. I have documents to show that this is an error. Kindly help.

    AJAYI: Dear Omobola, my name is Ajayi. I retired from PHCN Osun State. I have not received my N32000 benefit.

    OLAWUYI: Good day, my name is Olawuyi. I thank you for painstakingly finding solutions to pensioner’s problems. I have been short paid in the payment of my arrears of 20 per cent pension increase. I have sent several email messages to PTAD without any response from them. Kindly help me.

    AHMED: Dear Omobola, my name is Ahmed. I retired from NIWA in 2007, my complaints are that I haven’t received any of the arrears paid to some of the pensioners ranging from the 24per cent and the N32,000 arrears. I was told my name fall on the second bag since August, 2024. Kindly help me.

    PTAD: Dear Mr. Ahmed, please send your verification slip to our email complaints@ptad.gov.ng to enable us investigate and respond further. Thank you.

    ANONYMOUS: Good day, I have been complaining of deduction of N9000 from my pension allowance since September last year. Kindly use your office to rescue me from this situation. l have written several times for correction to no avail why.

    PTAD: Dear PTAD PENSIONER, please send your verification slip to our email complaints@ptad.gov.ng to enable us to investigate and respond further. However, note that PTAD obtained a directive for the re-implementation of the CPA based on grade level in line with the clarification from the NSIWC before implementing the new 20 per cent / 28 per cent increment as applicable. The CPA which was as a result of the minimum wage approval in April 2019 was implemented in May 2021 based on pay-band application with subsequent payment of 24 months arrears covering from April 2019 to April 2021. It is, therefore instructive to mention that arrears reconciliation arising from the re-implementation of the CPA based on grade level is set aside pending further directive.

  • Jakande subsidises chickens for residents

    Jakande subsidises chickens for residents

    By Aishat Ahmed

    The Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Seyi Jakande, has subsidised chicken for about 2,500 families across the community.

    Jakande said the subsidy was part of his administration’s commitment to sustaining people-oriented policies and programmes inherited from the previous government, in line with promises made during the transition of power.

    “This is a continuation of what we have been doing to support families and individuals. We promised the people that we would sustain all people-oriented programmes we met on ground, and this is part of that promise,” he said.

    According to the chairman, beneficiaries purchased whole chickens at a highly subsidised rate of N3,500, with access strictly tied to possession of a Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) or evidence of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), to ensure that only bona fide residents of the LCDA benefited.

    “The target is about 2,500 families, ensuring at least one item per household. The PVC requirement helps us confirm that beneficiaries are residents of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA,” Jakande explained.

    He described the process as seamless and transparent, noting that beneficiaries were accredited, had their documents checked, made payment, collected their chickens, and exited within three to five minutes.

    “You can see the orderliness. People lined up responsibly, and the entire process has been efficient and transparent,” he added.

    READ ALSO: Tax reform: Lessons for national health financing

    Vice Chairman of the council,  Oluwaniyi Awodogbon, described the programme as a continuation of an existing ideology started by a former chairman, noting that the current administration had sustained and expanded it.

    “There is no difference between the former chairman and Jakande in terms of this ideology. The LCDA has grown, with the population now over 15,000, and I believe everyone will benefit,” he said,

    A beneficiary, Mrs. Ahmed, while lauding the initiative, prayed for strength for him to continue his work, while another resident said the programme had greatly helped her family.

    “I really benefited. He doesn’t want us to suffer, and I truly appreciate him,” she said.

  • LASRRA hails Olasoju’s support for agencies

    LASRRA hails Olasoju’s support for agencies

    The Chairman of Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Adebayo Olasoju, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA).

    This, he said, is to enhance its operations in Isolo and ensure massive capture of residents’ biodata.

    Olasoju gave this assurance while receiving the General Manager of LASRRA, Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, at his office.

    He reiterated that the council’s sustained support for LASRRA and other state and federal agencies, was in furtherance of his administration’s policy of promoting mutually beneficial inter-governmental relationships for the benefits of residents.

    READ ALSO; Arewa, this has to stop

    He praised the General Manager’s efforts at strengthening ties with local governments and stressed that the importance of residents’ registration for Lagosians could not be overemphasised.

    “Data is central to governance in our contemporary society, and we must commend the Lagos State Government for the foresight behind LASRRA. Just as the National Identification Number (NIN) is essential for all Nigerians, Lagos Identity Card (LAG ID) is equally important to all Lagosians. The benefits attached to it are immense, hence our administration’s continued efforts to mobilise residents to get registered,” Olasoju said.

    Adebiyi-Abiola explained that the visit was aimed at deepening partnership with the council authority to boost LASRRA registration within the LCDA.

    She commended the council chairman for his support for the agency’s activities, noting that LASRRA personnel in Isolo LCDA regularly relayed positive feedback about the council’s conducive work environment.

    The meeting was concluded with an agreement between the council authority and LASRRA to mobilise women, Community Development Committee (CDC) leaders, and other key stakeholders across the LCDA for a sensitisation campaign scheduled for Friday.