The Nation Newspaper

Category: Grassroots

  • Ikeja residents get mega empowerment from Faleke

    Ikeja residents get mega empowerment from Faleke

    Lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, James Faleke, has held his annual mega empowerment programme for his constituents.

    Items distributed were 400 mini buses, 103 tricycles, training and cash grant for 17,349 persons, free medical and surgery for over 17,000 people, federal appointment for 184 persons, 150 mechanic tools, 118 grinding machines, 120 industrial sewing machines and 180 ordinary ones.

    Other items were juice extractors, phone repair kits, oven and gas cylinders, popcorn machine, hand dryers, generators, air compressors for furniture makers, printers and painters, laptops, freezers, among others.

    Monarchs in the constituency also got SUVs and their palaces were renovated. The lawmaker also donated one ambulance for community medical service to each local government, making four in total.

    Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Cornelius Ojelabi was among dignitaries who attended the event. He praised Faleke for staying true to his pact with the people.

    Read Also: PDP tasks FG on current hardship in Nigeria

    He said: “I am delighted to be part of another annual empowerment. This isn’t the first time honourable Faleke will be doing this. I can say this is the fourth edition and I feel fulfilled as the party chairman that one of us is doing this.

    “This is what is expected of the all progressive government, making the people happy. Recall that the former president said he hopes to lift about one million people out of poverty within a specific time. It’s a matter of synergy because he can’t do it alone, everyone must be involved, from individuals to all level of government.

    Faleke thanked God for the peace and progress enjoyed in Ikeja. He also appreciated the people for believing in the government and voting the APC.

    He said: “We appreciate all voters for believing us and voting us at all time. Let us continue to have faith in the APC and we will all enjoy the good thereof.”

    Beneficiaries were full of praises for Faleke for always remembering them. They prayed for renews strength for him and God’s guidance.

    A party leader challenged other lawmakers to take a cue from Faleke.

    An elated businesswoman, Mrs. Sola Fashipe, poured encomiums on Faleke for the grand gesture. “This is not the first time he will be doing this. I really appreciate this gesture. I have been longing for this tri-motorcycle to boost my egg distribution business and it has finally come to pass.

    “Hon. Faleke will continue to go higher and higher in Jesus name. He is using this to alleviate poverty and God will continue to answer his prayers.”

    Another beneficiary, Olaitan Osunkeye, got a freezer and generator to boost his business. “My wife will use the freezer to help her cold drinks business while I will also use the generator for my business. This is simply awesome and I can’t thank the lawmaker enough. He will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

    Mrs. Edna Ofegena also got a tri-motorcycle which she said will be useful for her cement delivery business. “I thank God and appreciate Hon. Faleke because I wasn’t expecting such and I’m amazed. I’m so grateful,” she said.

  • Ex-council chair appeals to Nigerians to be patient with Tinubu

    Ex-council chair appeals to Nigerians to be patient with Tinubu

    • Ipesa-Balogun unveils book to mark 60th birthday

    Former Chairman of Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area, Lagos State, Afeez Ipesa-Balogun, yesterday appealed to Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu in his bid to reposition the economy for excellence.

    He assured that Nigerians will savour a new lease of life as the reforms of the administration are implemented.

    Ipesa-Balogun, a Third Republic member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, said Nigerians will never regret voting for President Tinubu in last year’s poll.

    He spoke at book lunch in commemoration of his 60th birthday in Lagos.

    A huge crowd gathered at the auditorium of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos for the book launch.

    Read Also: PDP tasks FG on current hardship in Nigeria

    The book titled: Afeez Ipesa-Balogun, Mr Speaker… exploration of the archives, a 278 pages and segmented into 15 chapters. The book launch was part of activities to commemorate Ipesa-Balogun’s 60th birthday.

    The book is a compendium of the odyssey of Ipesa-Balogun through birth, infancy, early school age, high school and tertiary institutions. Mostly centered on his dreams and accomplishments, it also chronicled the former council boss’ forays into political landscape up till his diamond jubilee day celebration.

    The event featured unveiling the 60 winners of Ipesa-Balogun@60 Scholarship Scheme, presentation of the book, book review and cutting of cake.

    The celebrator said the book is dedicated to God, his parents – the late Alhaji Atanda Balogun and Alhaja Ramota Balogun (Nee Akinboro) and his late wife, Monsurat Mosunmola Ipesa-Balogun.

    “I want to thank my late parents for their inspiring sacrifices and my late wife for her dotting love,” he said.

    Ipesa-Balogun appealed to Nigerians to be patient on the harsh economic situation.

    According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a passionate leader, who can never be happy with the situation of the country.

    He described the situation of the economy as unfortunate; expressing optimism that Mr President will transform the country, improve the economy as he has transformed Lagos State.

    He said: “Nigerians should be patient with Mr President. He will definitely improve their wellbeing because we have a lot we can export to generate foreign earnings. All the bottlenecks affecting economic growth will be removed; foreign exchange will be earned and naira will be valuable again.

    “I understand people smuggle our agricultural produce to neighboring countries to export because of bottle necks in our country, he would remove all the bottlenecks so that we can earn foreign exchange and at that point we will begin to reduce pressure on naira and naira will be valuable. You will start to see signal of good things happenings after one year.”

    He also advised citizens to keep working hard and they should not give up.

    “They should keep working hard, they should not give up. If one road is blocked, they should try alternative roads; that has been my life. As wrote in my paper, I wasn’t thinking about politics until my friend nominated me and I got to like it. Imagine a young man, desperate to be an aeronautical engineer now a politician,” he said.

    The Book Reviewer, Prof Olugbenga Akingbehin, said the book came at a time of severe dearth of politically stimulating books.

    “The book is a bright spark in the dark world of the Nigerian intellectual voyage. The book’s power and energy should, therefore, fuel the scholarly thirst of students, politicians, historians and future leaders. I hereby commend this invaluable book to the reading public,” he said.

    According to him, “The book is a compendium of the odyssey of our own Afeez Ipesa-Balogun through birth, infancy, early school age, high school and tertiary institutions. Mostly centred on dreams and his accomplishments, it also chronicled the young man’s forays into political landscape up till this day of diamond jubilee celebration. The narrative is not devoid of his travails along the journey of life.”

    Former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler, spoke of his connection with the celebrator as very important and that they have been together for a very long time.

    He described as a good leader and a people’s person who handles all situations’ excellently with no problems.

    Fowler said: “Some of you might wonder my connection with the celebrator. My first main meeting with him was when I was the Permanent Secretary/Executive Chairman, Lagos State Revenue Service (LIRS). I was asked to monitor the Oshodi area but before I went, I was told that Oshodi was a very tough area. I got there with the chairman, he welcomed me so well, we had a little discussion about security and other measures, he handled everything excellently. I can tell you during that exercise, there was no trouble, no problems, as we went around you could see he knew exactly what was going on and the people love him. That shows the type of leadership he gave in that area and since then, we became brothers and our relationships keep growing stronger.”

    Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, who is the Chairman Organising Committee, described Ipesa-Balogun as a childhood friend.

    Akinderu-Fatai said the book would serve as a good archive for generations.

    He hailed the celebrator’s scholarship gesture, saying that the beneficiaries would cherish it for the rest of their lives.

    The Commissioner for Housing appreciated the guests for honoring their invitation.

    In attendance were President Tinubu represented by All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and Secretary of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) Alhaji Mutiu Are;  former Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Senator Opeyemi Bamidele joined via virtual; former Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola was represented by former Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Kayode Opeifa; representative of Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji, Dr Habibat Adubiaro; former APC National Legal Adviser Dr Muiz Banire;  ALGON National President Kolade Alabi;  lawmaker Biodun Orekoya Chairman of Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area Dr Ahmed Apatira; his Onigbongbo LCDA counterpart Oladotun Olakanle; Tajudeen Yusuf; Ipesa-Balogun’s successor at Oshodi-Isolo, Bolaji Ariyoh; Mr Akeem Apatira; Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Chairman Kehinde Oloyede; ex-lawmaker Niyi Fabikun and Ayo Olugbenro.

  • Lagos trains 250 on fish farming in Ikorodu

    Lagos trains 250 on fish farming in Ikorodu

    The Lagos State Government has engaged 250 participants in a fish farming training in the Ikorodu Local Government to help farmers maximize and utilize their fish farms in order to become more productive.

    Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Rural Development, Dr. Nurudeen Agbaje, said that the fish farming training is centered on smart fish farming where farmers will learn to maximize and utilize their fish farms.

    He said: ‘We want them to learn how to protect and produce in large numbers. We have been doing this across boards and the divisions of Lagos state. This was supposed to be done last year, but it was carried forward to this year.

    “There are over 34,600 species of fishes; these are statistics on the consumption rate. We discovered most people prefer catfish and that’s why we said we should train them on how to produce more of it. We are training them on tilapia and snail farming too. We also want to extend this by training them on how to access and grow some farm products such as cassava, pineapple etc. So that they won’t be idle and get acquainted with the state government program.”

    Agbaje stated that 250 participants were selected for the training and 120 of these participants were selected for empowerment.

    Read Also; Japa: We Issued 2.1m passports In 2023 – Immigration

    He also noted that some of them will be going home with the artificial fish tanks that can contain the number of fish that will be given to them, frozen fish and their feed, medications to treat their fishes in order for them to have healthy growth and production, while some will be given cash.

    He stated: “The participants should see the programme as one they can make use of especially in terms of development because training is knowledge. If knowledge is acquired, you have acquired experience and you will broaden your knowledge about a particular field. They should be focused so that they can make use of it for their personal developments and become self-reliant.

    “If the youths are busy the impact will be felt on the state, especially the economical aspect of it. They will be gainfully employed and too busy to engage in taking drugs and engaging in harmful vices. After engaging in this farming, they can take their produce to the market, sell and make some money. The Lagos state government is interested in teaching the youths how to make money.

    “We have teams who monitor the beneficiaries of the trainings we have done in Epe to see how far they have gone in the production of the fish and what we can do to encourage them.”

    Director, Chief Executive Officer of Centre for Rural Development (CERUD), Mr Muyiwa Balogun, said the need for the training was as a result of the feedback gotten from various trained farmers on the need to enhance their level of operation so as to scale up the scope of production.

    He said that this is essential to reduce the current food challenge across the country which is enormous.

    “The farmers in the grassroots are contributing their quota in a small way and they should be encouraged. Most of the participants came from umbrella bodies like the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) fishermen group and during the training sessions we do have links with them. This training will provide income generating capacities for them,”

    Facilitator, Retired Director of Fisheries in Lagos State, Akin Busari, said the training was held to empower power people on the practice of aquaculture.

    Busari said: “Fish is very important nutritionally, it is a good source of protein. Fish oil is also very good for the body. The fish gotten from water nowadays are no longer enough for human consumption hence the need to train people about how to culture fish so at least in terms of nutrition, the requirements can be met.”

    National Women Leader (AFAN), Mrs. Roselyn Benson, stated that the training has helped them learn a lot and unlearn some mistakes they have practiced in the past by reading books and self-practice.

    “Through this lecture we are able to understand not only production, but also increase our input and then process, that’s the most interesting part of it. Some women will produce and it will rot but with this type of value chains, you can convert most of your products into something for age, time and purpose for sale,” she said.

    She stated the usefulness of the eggs for nursing mothers which can be converted and added to baby food to aid breast feeding and reiterated how the training will help fish farmers make more money because

    She said: “This training will help us sell fresh fish, engage in value chain and eat what we are sure of. We appreciate the government for doing this.”

    A participant, Bright Doro stated that it’s a good thing that the government is involved in the farming vocation.

    “We have learnt about some of the hiccups we could face in the process of running the business. The programme was enriching, we were taken from the beginning, to production to processing. We also discussed the marketing. The government is really trying, because they are not just coming in to discuss, they brought experts to share insights on fish farming and how it can be better harnessed by the farmer for the betterment of the nation. We should be cooperative with a government that does this, and they should be encouraged,” he said.

  • Apapa presents UTME forms to 200

    Apapa presents UTME forms to 200

    • Encourage candidates to learn soft skills.
    • By Ganiyat Mumuni and Muinat Ajibade-Alasela

    The Chairman of Apapa Local Government, Idowu Senbanjo, has handed out 200 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms to indigent students for the 2024 Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) registration.

    The council boss, represented by the Vice Chairman, Ganiyu Ismail, while addressing the recipients, said the administration is dedicated to supporting students in their pursuit of academic excellence.

    According to Ismail, the council has made the process seamless for the beneficiaries and created a registration desk in the council where candidates will be provided the PIN and be registered.

    He said: “Members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and Local Education Authority are available to guide and counsel the students in making right decisions in choosing their course of study.

    “In furtherance of our desire to make them excel, we shall continue the free tutorial class that has been on since the inception of this administration.”

    The Chairman of the Council Idowu Senbanjo advised the beneficiaries.

    Senbanjo urged recipients to take advantage of the opportunity by being studious and hardworking.

    She said: “Not everybody will to go to university. Education has gone beyond the four walls of classroom and in Nigeria now they are looking for certification not just the certificate.

    “You just go to the university by the time you finish and you face reality of life you know that life is not the same again and that’s the end of your holidays and that’s the end of your being youthful. You are faced with the challenges of hardlife.”

    She also urged the candidates to  read and work towards their passion as it will help them get to wherever they want to be in future.

    “It’s always advisable to work with what your passion is about. The era of those that will come and go to the university to just read anything is over because getting a job is difficult. when you have the time now also learn a skill because its that skill that will save you tomorrow. The fact that you don’t go to university doesn’t mean you won’t make it in life.

    Read Also: Free forms for 3,000 Ekiti UTME applicants

    “Those who are rich today not all of them have university certificates but because they have passion for what they do. With your passion, you do online courses. Read and read wide so that when talking about your passion and people see you talking, you will be come an expert in what you are doing and what you are talking about,” she said.

    A beneficiary, Sherifat Abdullahi, a student of Randle Senior Secondary School, Apapa, thanked the council for being selected.

    She said: “I feel so happy and I am grateful to the chairman because the form is now expensive and I am part of the people that got the form for free.

    “I would like to encourage those who didn’t get the form this year that they should keep up with their academic work so that next year those that weren’t lucky will have opportunity to get the form.”

    Favour Aliu applauded the council chief for the generous outreach in education.

    He said: ”I feel really happy, and with this form, the burden has been taken off my parents. I want to say a big thank you to her for making the form free and available for every citizen of Apapa local government, and I pray that God will enrich and strengthen her and give her more grace to do more.”

    Aliu further advised other candidates to take their academic serious. “University isn’t a place to play as I’ve been told and this should give them more courage and more zeal to push further and do well in their academic because this is a great opportunity that millions of people couldn’t have,” she added.

  • Agege inaugurates 275-capacity JAMB centre

    Agege inaugurates 275-capacity JAMB centre

    The Chairman of Agege Local Government, Chief Ganiyu Egunjobi, has inaugurated a 275-capacity Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB)Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centre in the community.

    Egunjobi said the centre would  be of benefit to students.

    He said the centre would save those intending to sit for  the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in the area the stress of travelling long distances to take the examination.

    “This is part of our efforts to develop education in the council area.

    Read Also: Philanthropist buys JAMB forms for pupils

    “This facility will boost the morale of our students and aid their performance in the examination.

    “We have 275–capacity hall, with brand new 100 KVA Mikano generator and eight units 2hp split Air Conditioners.

    “The CBT centre is equipped with all the standard facilities required,” he said.

    The council boss said the centre had been approved by JAMB and that Agege was the first council to provide such in the state.

    Egunjobi urged residents to take ownership of the facility and ensure it was put to good use.

    “We use this medium to call on the good people of the council area to embrace this centre  and  ensure their children and wards ,intending to sit for UTME, use the facility for registration with ease and comfort,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CBT hall is situated at Agege Local Government Area Office C.

  • Faleke empowers Ikeja residents

    Faleke empowers Ikeja residents

    • His gesture impacted our lives, by constituents

    Beneficiaries of the various empowerment programmes sponsored by the House of Representatives member, James Faleke, from the Ikeja Federal constituency took turns to recount their gains at the weekend.

    They gave their testimonies at a meeting of the constituents at the Blue Roof, LTV8, Agidingbi, Ikeja, where the lawmaker drummed up support for the reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu.

    Faleke sensitised the stakeholders on his programme of actions for the legislative year and got feedbacks on how impactful his previous interventions had been.

    At the meeting were apex and party leaders; executives of the local chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the council and ward levels.

    Faleke’s aide, Wale Ajala, said of the gathering: “The programme is meant to feel the pulse of the people. Faleke wants to know the people’s feeling of what he has done in the past and what they expect him to in the nearest future.”

    Mrs. Adekoya Dorcas, who was first to give testimony, stunned the packed Blue Roof when she stepped out and knelt before the lawmaker in appreciation of what he did  for her.

    She said: “But for Faleke, I will still be walking the streets. I enrolled for one of his empowerment programmes and got trained in fish farming. I attended the training programme and at the end of the programme, I was given N50, 000 like others.

    “We were also given some equipment. I invested the N50, 000 in the business and today my business has prospered and I have made a profit of N240, 000 and the business has continued to grow.”

    Lifting up some big cat fishes in evidence of her flourishing business, she said: “I came here to give testimony on what he has done for me and I want to show appreciation to him by presenting my products to him.”

    An excited Faleke, who responded to the gesture immediately, doubled Mrs. Adekoya’s working capital with additional N240, 000.

    He said: “She has really impressed me, and I want others to learn from her. She has made us proud. It’s disheartening to know that some people we empowered with items, including mini-buses and tricycles sold them.”

    An octogenarian, Alhaja Wosilat Animashaun, narrated how the free health programme sponsored by Faleke saved her sight.

    “Through him, I got my eyesight restored,” Animashaun she in her testimony,’’ she said.

    Mrs. Animashaun recounted how she had almost gone blind when she attended the one of the medical outreaches put in place by the lawmaker.

    “I attended and was tested and it was decided I would have to go through surgery to correct my eyesight. I went through the surgery which was free and here I am with my eyesight fully restored. Thank you, Faleke.” she said.

    Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) within the constituency also testified.

    The DPO at the Ojodu Police Station said: “Left to me, I would have loved the Ojudu Police Station to be named James Abiodun Faleke Police Station.This should be in recognition of his immense contributions to the refurbishment of the police station.

    “He has given us patrol vehicles, rehabilitate the station and even give essential gadgets that we need for effective and efficient service delivery.

    Read Also: Faleke rehabilitates roads, schools in Ikeja, Ojodu, Onigbongbo

    “I want to confidently state here that the seamless efforts we’ve put in place in securing areas and communities under our jurisdiction were due to the support of Faleke,” the DPO stated.

    His testimony was corroborated by his colleagues at the Alausa and Mosafejo Police stations.

    The DPO of Pen Cinema Police station who commended the lawmaker, sought his assistance in upgrading of the station.

    Faleke expressed gratitude for the opportunity given by the constituents to serve them.

    “It’s encouraging that our little efforts at empowering our people are appreciated,” Faleke said, promising not to rest his oars in his service to humanity.

    He listed some his interventions to include among others empowerment of 17,000 constituents; distribution of 500 mini-buses and tricycles and provision of sowing machines, hair-dressing tools and barbing kits to artisans

    Faleke, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, urged Nigerians rally behind the Tinubu administration in his quest to restore Nigeria’s lost glory.

    He said: “We must continue to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He has the capacity to take Nigeria to loftier height.

    “He (President) has a lot to contend with, but, he has shown the will and the desire to make Nigeria great. We must all give him time and continue to support him.”

  • Traditional leader makes case for projects

    Traditional leader makes case for projects

    A traditional leader in Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Chief Adeniyi Ajayi, has appealed to the state government to construct roads and other development projects in Okeletu community.

    Ajayi, the Eletu of Okeletu, made the appeal during his installation as the traditional leader of Okeletu community (Baale of Okeletu) on Saturday in Ikorodu.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chairman of Ikorodu Division Council of Obas and Chiefs, Oba Kabiru Shotobi, Ayangburen  of Ikorodu, presided over the installation ceremony.

    NAN reports that Ajayi was also inducted into the council at the ceremony.

    The traditional leader noted that Okeletu, which shares boundaries with Egbin and Ijede communities lacked roads, health facilities, police station, abattoirs, markets and other amenities despite its huge population.

    He, therefore, called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to respond to the yearnings of Okeletu residents for development  by bringing government’s presence to the community.

    “My mission as the Eletu of Okeletu, is to lobby and bring government’s presence to our community so that our people can enjoy the dividends of democracy.

    Read Also: Killing of traditional rulers: Ekiti group demands signing of Hunters Bill, seeks Ooni’s intervention

     “We will make efforts to liaise with our National Assembly representatives, the duo of Senator Tokunbo Abiru and Babajimi Benson, to facilitate the development in the community.

    “Now that I have been inducted as member of council of traditional heads in Ikorodu, and I have been given staff of office, I will facilitate the development of  this area,” Ajayi said.

    He thanked Oba Shotobi for his support and approval of his installation as the traditional leader of Okeletu.

    Ajayi promised to serve the people and abide by all the rules guiding his new office.

    He called for support from residents to address the security challenges in the community and Ikorodu Division.

     “We have to work together with the government to ensure that insecurity becomes a thing of the past.

     “State police, is the solution, our local vigilante has been in existence for a long time and they quite understand the terrain,” he said.

    Shotobi, on behalf of other traditional rulers, advised the newly inducted Eletu to lead his people with fear of God and in accordance with the rules guiding his new office.

  • Isolo urges compliance with styrofoam, single-use plastic ban

    Isolo urges compliance with styrofoam, single-use plastic ban

    The Chairman of Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, Olasoju Adebayo, has urged residents to comply with the ban on the use of  styrofoam and single-use plastic by the state government.

    Adebayo, who made the call in a statement, said plastics posed great threat to the environment and health of residents.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) stated that the state government had on Sunday announced the ban.

    Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, who announced the ban in a statement, said the ban was to protect the environment.

    Read Also: Lagos: no going back on Styrofoam ban

    He noted that indiscriminate disposal of plastics was a major source of environmental pollution in the state as drainage channels and canals were often clogged with styrofoam packs.

    Olasoju commended the state government on the ban ,saying the council would support efforts to enforce the ban in the council area.

    “We pledge our support for the enforcement of the ban  within Isolo Council.

    “Our administration is ready to embark on comprehensive awareness and sensitisation, targeting organisations involved in the production and distribution  of Styrofoam and single-use plastics.

    “This strategic approach aims to ensure strict compliance with the ban, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility within the community,” he said.

    The council chairman said he would look into ways of bringing more recyclers on board to help address the nuisance posed by  plastic bottles within the council area. Olasoju said aligning with the state’s initiative underscores the critical role local governments play in implementing and reinforcing environmental policies of state governments.

  • Egbe-Idimu sends off two retirees

    Egbe-Idimu sends off two retirees

    Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State has held a sendoff for two of its staff who retired recently.

    The retirees – Mrs Ganiyat Yusuph, who was the Head of Public Affairs Unit, retired as an Assistant Director and the Head of Education and Library Services Department, Mr Kehinde Oyekanmi, retired as an Education and Library Services Officer.

    While congratulating the duo, the Council Manager, Omotayo Shakiru, applauded them for their meritorious services to the Lagos State Government.

    Sakiru urged them never to stop rendering goodness to others as it would remain permanent forever.

    Also, the Council Manager of Ifako-Ijaye Local Government, Akeem Adesanya, stated that out of service is never out of life but a change of schedule which provides more opportunity to explore other areas of life.

    Volunteers, colleagues, staff members, friends and family troupe in to shower the retirees accolades, words of encouragement and gifts.

    A special out of service motorcade was organised for Mrs Yusuph by the Conference of Public Affairs Officers Unified Local Government.

    Read Also: Repair our roads, residents beg Sanwo-Olu

    Led by their President, Tope Kuku, the group hailed Mrs Yusuph’s dedication to service.

    Kuku congratulated the celebrator for bowing out in style.

    He described her as a dutiful civil servant while in service.

    Mrs Ganyat Balogun from Eti-Osa East Local Council Development Area (LCDA) hailed Mrs Yusuph for being a kind and generous boss.

    She said: “I’ve been working with different bosses in my local government, but I have never seen a boss like Alhaja Yusuph. I always pray for.  When she was transferred to Ikorodu, I felt like going with her.”

    Mrs Yusuph’s daughter, Funke, felicitated her mother on her retirement.

    She appreciated all and sundry for coming to celebrate with her mother.

    Funke said: “She possesses several qualities of a good mother and generally a great person. The best quality I admire about her is being a hardworking. She is a good leader, very accommodating, caring, always ready to learn and she is always ready to teach.”

  • Lagos council to unveil 200 electric mini-cabs in March

    Lagos council to unveil 200 electric mini-cabs in March

    Chairman of Ikoyi Obalende Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos, Fuad Atanda-Lawal, has said the council will roll out 200 electric mini-cabs as part of its empowerment programme.

    Atanda-Lawal made the pledge  to reporters at the council Secretariat in Obalende.

    He said the empowerment would be done in two phases at the end of the first quarter of the year.

     Atanda-Lawal said the seven-seater mini electric cabs would help cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and hike in price of transportation.

    He said: “We have broken down all of the things that we want to do for this local government this year in terms of education, works and infrastructure, health sector and even transportation in this local government.

    “You will be shocked at how we intend to do that. One would say, a local government? What is your business with transportation? But we have very big plan for 2024.

     “Now, we will be introducing electric vehicles and we will be bringing in 200 seven-seater mini- cabs to help cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and hike in price of transportation.”

    According to him, the council is keying into the Federal Government’s commitment to transferring to cleaner and safer energy for a more efficient and sustainable economy.

    He said the council had identified areas to be attended to impact both the standard and cost of living, and these include education, works and infrastructure, health sector and transportation.

    Highlighting transportation, the council boss said transport remained a key factor in business and economy in any nation.

    According to him, electric vehicles about to be delivered will help transportation within Ikoyi-Obalende and its environs at subsidised fares.

    He said the council would also build 10 charging stations within the community to support the beneficiaries with maintenance.

    Atanda-Lawal said  his administration would listen to the people’s complaints about transportation cost.

     He added: “We are bringing in our electric vehicles from February. By first quarter of this year, we will be empowering our people and we are not stopping there.

    “We will also establish 10 charging stations. This year, we will be empowering members of our community to drive the vehicles on hired purchase,” he said.

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    The council boss the beneficiaries would be profitably engaged, feed their family and contribute to the economy development.

     He said the proposed empowerment would improve the earnings of the beneficiaries and as well have huge multiplier effects on families, the LCDA and society.

     Atanda-Lawal said the council would continue to provide food and basic needs for the aged and the retirees through the council’s food bank programme.

    He added: “Palliative is more of a short-term to fix something but food bank is a long term; everybody is going to have a need and it is our duty again to see how we can provide for people.

     “Food bank is very important because the welfare of the people we govern is paramount to us.

    “The food bank is a permanent thing for us in Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA and we have been doing it since we assumed office in 2017.

     “When people talk about empowerment, we are talking about not just economic empowerment but also helping our people provide basic needs for the aged people and the retirees with food stuff to meet their daily needs.”

     The council boss said his interventions were targeted at moving people from poverty to prosperity.

    “Happiness for all is very important to us; we have gone past that level of just trying to give people a one-off support or palliative to people.

     “What we do in this local government is to first understand the needs of our people,” he said.