Category: South West

By Osagie Otabor, Akure

Management of the Ore Industrial Park in Odigbo local government area of Ondo State has said that the park is poised to employ 120,000 workers within 12 years.

The Ore Industrial Park was built as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project and established on a massive 1000 hectares of eco-friendly, economic and industrially zoned land.Managing Director of the Park, Mr. Femi Akinkuebi, who spoke in an interview in Akure, said six firms were already operating within the park.

Akinkuebi urged Ondo youths and entrepreneurs to tap into the numerous benefits that the facility has to offer.

He said the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu administration envisioned the Park to eradicate poverty, improve standard of living, boost wealth creation, unleash the nation’s industrial potential as well as build reputation for Nigeria in technology and industrialisation.

He said the Ore Industrial Park has been made accessible to all because of the government’s interest to giving opportunities to youths, small and medium scale business owners within and outside the state to thrive by growing and developing their respective business enterprise.

Read Also: Lagos plans to build Medical Park

According to him, “As much as we are interested in foreign investors, we can’t forget our people. This necessitates our approach to encourage both local and international companies”

“The Ore Industrial Park is willing to welcome interested youths and entrepreneurs who have the business skills and expertise to run any business venture. Even those with little or no startup capital are welcome to use our facility. We have a conducive facility that will give your business the much needed leverage to thrive.

“The Ore Industrial Park has the capacity to employ not less than 120,000 workforces within twelve years.

“It is designed to provide a world class infrastructure and ultra-fast operational efficiency, proximity to raw materials and target markets, uninterrupted power supply, easy access to gas with EPL gas pipeline and adequate security.

“The park has its own installed 30MW trio-fuel independent power plant dedicated to providing power within the park.”

Methodist Girls High School, Old Girls Association yesterday appealed to the public to help raise the sum of N450million to hasten the new building of a modern facility and state of the art learning environment school project, for their alma mater.

The association made the appeal during a fundraising and cocktail party, at the school in Yaba Lagos, adding that the new building already named the MGHS OGA Legacy Block, sits on 1528 square meters.

OGA, said out of the N450million, they have been able to raise over a N100million, and are therefore soliciting for N300million to enable them complete the project.

In her welcome address the president of the Old Girls Association, Major General Tilewa Amusu (Rtd), said the building is a two storey which comprises of a hall and the OGA offices on the ground floor, while classrooms, laboratories, staff rooms are on the higher floors.

Read Also: Agency backs girls’ education

She said that the old building which was pulled down evoked a lot of emotions and rekindled memories of old girls, as the school is one of the best schools in the country and third oldest school in Nigeria.

Amusu said “ On April, 14, 2021, we embarked on our rewriting journey by laying the building blocks for the future students of MGHS. This ground-breaking effort we know, we would see the dividends, would boast of  modern facility and state of the art learning environment for our students”.

Also speaking the chairperson fundraising committee, Mrs Folasade Ogunnaike, said that she was always excited whenever she is asked to talk about the school.

By Olaitan Ganiu

The Lagos State Government has emphasised that to strengthen security architecture, malnutrition among indigent pregnant women must be monitored by the State.

The Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale stated this at the media briefing on her Mother, Infant and Child (MICH) initiative which will be launch on Wednesday to cater for citizens from conception to birth and adulthood.

According to Adebowale, malnutrition during pregnancy could impacts on violent behaviour in adulthood.

“We all know that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is passionate about the wellbeing of Lagosians both young and old, it is because he understand that to create a peaceful and harmonious environment where government can function optimally, citizens from conception to birth and adulthood must be given a fair chance to live, grow and become civically responsible individuals who are less likely to exert social pressure on the system.

Read Also: Lagos plans to build Medical Park

“This is why we are launching M.I.C.H initiative themed: ‘A threat to nutrition is a threat to our security’ aimed at caring of indigent pregnant women in order to develop the brain of unborn children. The idea was to ensure that the society had ideal children, and a secured environment for the people,” she said.

The Special Adviser noted that the programme will be kicking off with 1,140 beneficiaries in the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs in the state.

She, however, urged the federal government, corporate organisations and individual to partner with Lagos State so that can reach out to more pregnant women.

By Osagie Otabor, Akure

Ondo State Internal Revenue Service ( ODIRS) has told hoteliers in the state that it only commenced collection of Consumption Tax and not Value Added Tax.

Some hoteliers had written to the ODIRS that they would wait for the court to make a pronouncement on who is responsible for collecting VAT before making any payment.

Chairman of ODIRS, Mr Tolu Adegbie, who spoke at a press conference in Akure, said the state could start collecting VAT if the case is won in favour of the states.

Mr. Adegbie said the state Consumption Tax law was passed in 2019 but was suspended in 2020 due to Covid-19 outbreak.

Read Also: We are collecting consumption tax not VAT, Ondo tells hoteliers

Adegbie stated that hoteliers and others were finding it difficult to believe that consumption tax is different from VAT.

The ODIRS Chairman also disclosed that over 80 per cent of intra-state commercial drivers did not have valid driver’s licence.

Adegbie said the compulsory registration ordered by the state government to address insecurity and criminalities uncovered those without valid driver’s licence.

Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Special Duties and Strategies, Dr. Doyin Odebowale, said that the government would commence impounding of unregistered vehicles as well as prosecuting those without valid driver’s licence.

By Okwy lroegbu-Chikezie

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), has commemorated the 2021 World Clean-up Day, along with a network of corporate bodies, NGOs and governmental organisations, during which 75000 plastic bottles,weighing 1,250 kilogrammes, was harvested, along a 5-kilometre distance of Ilashe/Ibeshe beach, in the outskirts of Lagos.

Organisations at the event include: Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, FIBRA, an umbrella body for about twenty food and beverage manufacturing companies. Others are Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA),Nigerian Ports Authority and Lagos Ferry Service among others.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni noted that LAWMA was using the opportunity of the World Clean-up Day, to open up the entire Ilashe Island shoreline to proper clean up, urging residents and beach users, to come together and make a difference, by leaving an enduring legacy of people-friendly environment, for improved living and economic prosperity.

Read Also: Lawmaker wants culprits of Plateau killings punished

According to him, “The idea of the World Clean-up Day came up in 2018 when nearly two million volunteers, across individuals, corporate bodies, NGOs and governmental organizations, came together for massive clean-up activities in major cities across the world. We are setting the pace here in Ilashe Island of Lagos for our country. So, I enjoin all residents to sustain this effort”.

Odumboni added: “LAWMA is not leaving any stone unturned in our determined effort to rid Lagos State of all forms of solid waste. Our Marine Unit is effectively evacuating marine debris around the Lagos waterways and we will continue to increase the scope of our activities”, he concluded.

Also speaking, the President of Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAN), Mr. David Oriyomi, noted that it was important to educate residents of the aquatic environment, on the effects of dumping rubbish into the water, because the fishes feed on those rubbish and we in turn feed on the fishes which is very dangerous to our health.

Chairman of Lagos Recyclers’ Association, Dr. Femi Idowu, noted that, what people see as trash, is actually money, suggesting that people should see the economic value in waste materials.

The programme was attended by the Special Adviser to the governor on Tourism, Hon. Solomon Bonu and  management and staff of LAWMA.

The Commandant, Amotekun Corps, Oyo State, Col Olayinka Olayanju (retd), has reassured citizens of Oyo State that the corps was committed to protecting them at all cost from bandits fleeing Zamfara and other states in the Northwest zone following military bombardment..

The commandant said the outfit’s well-trained personnel were patrolling boundaries of the state aggressively to prevent bandits and criminals from relocating to the state.

He said: “We got intelligence reports that bandits and hoodlums maybe heading southward as a result of military activities in Zamfara State. I want to reassure Oyo citizens that we are aware and our men are already on the lookout for the bandits, other criminals, and strange faces, especially at our boundaries.

Read Also: Ondo Amotekun rescues three abducted travellers

“We are at alert and our men are carrying out operations regarding this at Irepo, which is the boundary with Ogun and Kwara states and the Republic of Benin, to make sure that the bandits do not relocate to our state. They will be stopped. Our men will pick them up. We won’t allow criminals to relocate here. We are carrying out confidence-building patrols at Irepo, Olorunsogo, Oorelope, Iwajowa, Ibarapa Central, and North LGAs.”

Olayanju also pointed out that the corps is working in tandem with agencies within the state and South-west Amotekun commanders to ensure peace and stability so that citizens can go about their lawful duties.

He said since its establishment last year, Amotekun has brought relative peace and stability to the state compared to the same period the previous year.

”There has been a considerable difference between where we are now and where we were two years ago. Through our security strategies, we have been able to bring to the barest minimum incidences of suspected herdsmen attacks in Oyo State. I want to commend the people of Oyo State for standing firmly behind Amotekun and giving us their unalloyed support. Without their support we wouldn’t have gone this far,” he added.

Ernest Nwokolo,  Abeokuta

Ogun State House of Assembly has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the tenure of  former Managing Director  of the State Property and Investment Corporation, (OPIC), Babajide Odusolu from 2015 to 2019.

The call followed the Assembly’s receipt and passing on Friday  of a resolution adopting the report of its Committee on Public Accounts and Anti- Corruption, which considered the 2015-2019 State Auditor-General’s report on the State Property and Investment Corporation, (OPIC).

The Assembly, therefore, called on the financial crimes investigation agencies to  recover into the State’s coffers, the unaccounted balance of N2,579,771,717.71 which happened during Barr. Babajide Odusolu’s tenure as the Managing Director of the Corporation.

This was just as the Assembly also directed the former Managing Director to pay back the sum of N40 million that was unaccounted for in Year 2019 into the State Government’s purse within six months from today.

The passage of the resolution was consequent upon the presentation of the report of the Committee on the consideration of the State Audit report on OPIC by the Chairman, Musefiu Lamidi, who equally moved the motion for its adoption, seconded by Oludaisi Elemide and unanimously supported by other lawmakers through a voice vote at the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Read Also: Mompha threatens to sue EFCC for libel

Giving the breakdown of the funds that could not be accounted for, according to the report, “the Committee also observed that the Audit report revealed that in 2019 after generating an income (including subventions and grants) of N3,817,778,776.65 the Corporation expended a total of N1,197,182,579.27 and the balance is N2,620,596,187.38. The expected bank balance at the end of year 2018 was N685,194,035.01 and this brought the expected balance to the tune of N3,305,790,222.39 which was available to the Corporation.

Considering the Year 2019 bank balance sheets submitted to the Committee, the sum of N726,018,504.68 was contained in the Bank balance sheets and this represents an unaccounted balance of N2,579,771,717.71″.

The Assembly equally recommended the reversal of all transactions including the 8.2 Hectares of land at Isheri sold in favour of Rainerhill Internationals Services Limited, a subsidiary of Pesianas Group in the twilight of the last administration at the undervalued price of N164M, stating that it was not done in the best interest of the State; hence all relevant title documents issued in favour of the aforementioned company  in relation to the land was declared null and avoid, while the Corporation should retain the land ownership.

Also, the Committee declared that a retrospective legislative approval be secured for the expended unbudgeted sum of N881.5M, failure to which the Corporation’s erstwhile Managing Director, Odusolu was expected to refund the same amount to the government’s coffers within a deadline of six months.

The Assembly added that the embargo placed on the whopping sum of N608, 226, 371.69 in  16 banks accounts be lifted to enable the Corporation to have access to the funds for developmental projects and investments.

It further directed that in line with the observation of the Committee, the proposed 5-star Hotel, Ikeja which had no physical existence, yet a whopping sum of N45, 025, 064:00 was expended to obtain title documents on the landed property and no satisfactory reason was given by the Corporation for such expenditure, the holistic investigation should be carried out to reflect the company’s true position.

The relocation, the Assembly noted became imperative as the delay in the relocation of the plant marketers association to another location had  delayed the commencement of business activities of the plank sellers and others, this was in line with the resolution passed by the 6th legislature in the State.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Lagos State University(LASU)  branch  has commended  Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over the appointment of Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello as the 9th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the state-owned university.

A statement jointly signed by the Secretary of the union, Tony Dansu, and his assistant, Adeolu Oyekan, also lauded the Governing Council and the Senate  of the university for carrying initiating a peaceful selection process that led to the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor.

The statement read in part: ‘’We wish to felicitate with Professor Olatunji-Bello on her appointment, and wish her a most successful tenure in office. After the charade of the last five years, characterized by high-handedness, victimization, disregard for due process, non-payment of the earned academic allowances of our members, running into the eleventh year now; and meddlesomeness in union affairs, among others, the University now has the opportunity to follow a different path and write a new chapter of genuine peace and progress. We wish the new Vice-Chancellor success, as she begins to address the numerous challenges facing the University.

Read Also: Prof Olatunji-Bello is new LASU VC

‘’We want to applaud the Governing Council and the Senate for facilitating a non-rancorous selection process, as opposed to the botched and flawed exercises under the previous Governing Council. It is our hope that going forward, objectivity and due process dispatched on forced sabbatical under the previous

Governing Council and Vice-Chancellor will be accorded their rightful place in the governance of the University.”

‘’We also wish to commend the Visitor for the courage demonstrated in addressing the anomalies of the previous processes. While the debacles generated were clearly avoidable, the protracted corrective procedures are worth it. We urge the Visitor to take the reset process in the university to a logical conclusion by constituting the Visitation Panel he promised in May, as soon as possible. It is overdue statutorily, and necessary under the circumstance. We believe that a credible visitation, backed with the prompt implementation of its recommendations, will help the relatively new Governing Council and the new Vice-Chancellor to reposition the University for effective delivery of its mandate.’’