Author: The Nation

Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has been nominated as one of the four African partners in the GreenVETAfrica project, according to a statement by the authority.

GreenVETAfrica project is an Erasmus+ project funded by the European Commission, seeking to integrate unemployed youths and vulnerable groups into the labour markets in Nigeria and Ghana, by offering technical and entrepreneurial training in green waste management.

Green Waste Management and Micro Entrepreneurship Vocational

Education Training project aims to contribute to the twin transitions (Green and Digital), in alignment with the ambitious environmental objectives of the European Green Deal and the Europe – Africa strategic partnership.

LAWMA Managing Director Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni said it was delightful that LAWMA was part of the project, as it aligned with the authority’s mandate of providing an efficient and sustainable waste management system in Lagos State.

He said: “LAWMA is committed to promoting a sustainable environment and a circular development model that will transform linear economy into a circular one.

“This project aligns with the agency’s vision to promote sustainable development and create job opportunities for youths in Lagos. As a responsible waste management authority, LAWMA believes waste is a resource and can be transformed into a valuable asset.”

“GreenVETAfrica project will equip young Nigerians with skills to manage waste sustainably, promote a circular economy and reduce the negative impact of waste on the environment.”

Odumboni said as one of the beneficiaries of the GreenVETAfrica  project, LAWMA would strengthen its training capacities to offer a green waste management vocational training programme to young Nigerians, adding that through innovative digital tools, the programme would equip youths with skills to reduce waste and pollution, making better use of the waste generated and guaranteeing environmental standards.

Oyo State Government said yesterday it had not disobeyed the court order that instructed the payment of N4.2billion to sacked council bosses.

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, said the state did not disobey the court order, adding that it had started paying the sacked council bosses

He said the state would approach the court to challenge the jurisdiction on the matter and would seek justice.

Oyewo said: “The state is not in disobedience of the court order.

“Out of N4.2billion, we have paid N1.5billion and we were also in the process of paying. But because of the cash swap policy that disrupted our plans, so, the finances were disrupted and we could not.

“We are not in disobedience of the court and we are going to go to court. We observed that the Federal Capital Territory does not have jurisdiction on the matter, but these are matters that will be brought before the court.

“Oyo State is amenable to instalmental payment and even the judgments that were given during Ajimobi’s administration, we are still paying them. “At the end of the day, the court will give a hearing and we are amenable to instalmental payment and we are still going to go to court and quash the order.”

THE National President, All Christian Leaders and Ministers Forum (ACLMF), Dr. Sam Ogedengbe, has said no devil incarnate can truncate what God has ordained, stressing that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is God’s anointed president-elect.

Rev. Ogedengbe spoke yesterday at the headquarters of the group in Lagos while reacting to the alleged plot by some disgruntled persons in the opposition to stop the transition process, especially his swearing-in and inauguration on May 29.

Ogedengbe, who is also the General Overseer of Overcomer Pentecostal Prayer Assembly, Abule-Egba, Lagos, said no devil incarnate could truncate what God had ordained, adding that God had his hand in Asiwaju’s Presidency, which, without doubt, had been proved in a number of ways, commencing from the primaries, even at the party level, to the general election, amid internal and external intrigues, which he eventually triumphed over.

He said Asiwaju Tinubu would be sworn in and “rule this country, Nigeria, for eight years if he so wishes. God’s hand is on the life of Asiwaju.”

The former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Christian Religion said if their plan was to prevent Tinubu’s swearing-in, they should bury the thought and find better things to do.

He said they should stop wasting time and energy on what God had perfected.

Lagos State House of Assembly has expressed confidence in the ability of President-elect Bola Tinubu and Vice- President-elect Kashim Shettima to liberate the country from the shackles of poverty, divisive tendencies and youth restiveness.

Rising from plenary yesterday, the House resolved to write to President Muhammadu Buhari, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for conducting successful elections.

House Leader Sanai Agunbiade moved a motion of Urgent Public Importance, noting that despite the peaceful nature of the elections, it raised a lot of dust that needed to be addressed.

“We need to conscientise ourselves not to enable the haters and rumour peddlers incite the public. Elections are over, but national healing is necessary. We should encourage the public not to join in arguments.

“We should tolerate opinions and ensure citizens live in unity and in good faith. Mr. Speaker sir, the opportunity is for us to make sure Nigeria remains peaceful. We should not encourage the seed of discord.”

Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the plenary, said people had perspectives to the elections.

He said: “On my side, there is need to look at ourselves, we should look at what we have left undone. How do we handle the social contract so people will continue to have interest in the ruling party.”

The speaker, who cautioned against drumming war songs, said there was no perfect election anywhere in the world.

“I’m saying to those who have been drumming the song of war. We must learn to accept the result, but this does not mean we cannot challenge the outcome in the court. We need to be more patriotic, we have a nation we must protect. We have had an election and it is worthy.

“The social media negativity must be addressed. The National Assembly must do the needful. There is freedom of speech, but in exercising your freedom, you must be conscious of other people’s freedom,” he added.

Deputy Speaker Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni said: “For the youth, we have heard you, loud and clear. We will look at your demands, but they have to come up with their charter of demands so we can be on the same page.”

• Governor receives varsity’s Governing Council
• Inspects ongoing road, bridge projects

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said his administration will continue to put in the necessary resources to ensure Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, remains on the ascendancy of academic excellence.

The governor, who said this yesterday while receiving the Governing Council and the management team of LAUTECH at the Courtesy Room of the Governor’s Office, noted that he was impressed by the progress made so far by the university.

He added that the success story of LAUTECH helped in how his administration succeeded with the planned upgrade of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo to a University of Education.

He thanked the people of Ogbomosoland and LAUTECH community for their support in the March 18 governorship and House of Assembly elections, saying his government would not let them down, as it moved into the second term of four years.

Makinde said: “Ogbomoso and the LAUTECH community spoke loud and clear for me. Not only did you deliver in that election, you also gave us members of the House of the Assembly, who will work with us. It was a complete departure from what happened four years ago, when I won just one local government out of five. This time, we got 5/5.

“I am also glad at the progress we made (on LAUTECH) because the naysayers thought the victory wouldn’t happen and after it happened, they said we could not sustain it. They have been looking for all sorts of excuses.

“Even, we had disinformation in the period leading to the election. They said all LAUTECH courses had been taken away from Ogbomoso to somewhere else. They went to Iseyin too and said the government had been lying and that nothing had been brought to Iseyin. Well, people didn’t listen to them. This is why I want to take this opportunity to say thank you, Ogbomosoland and LAUTECH community.”

Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof Omole, said the university was already living the dream of the governor by making the institution a university of first choice, adding that it was already oversubscribed.

He said the institution was determined to perform even better with the establishment of the campus in Iseyin.

Governor Makinde yesterday inspected ongoing work on the Apata-Akala Expressway linking Ibadan-Abeokuta Road and Onipepeye-Saw-Mill Underpass.

He said his administration was satisfied with the quality of work done on the projects so far.

The governor, addressing reporters shortly after the inspection, said the projects were in tandem with his promise to the people that he would work till the last moment of his first tenure in office.

He said the government would inaugurate projects by the end of the year, as many ongoing projects would be completed within the next few months.

The inspection was witnessed by the Commissioner for Public Works, Infrastructure and Transport, Prof. Daud Kehinde Sangodoyin; Special Adviser to the governor on Public Works and Infrastructure, Seyi Adeleye and other government functionaries.