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Tag: Akinwumi Ambode

  • Alleged misdeeds: EFCC searches Ambode’s home

    OPERATIVES of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Tuesday searched the Ikoyi home of former Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    The anti-crime agency said the former governor is under investigation just like some other “former governors since they no longer constitutionally enjoy immunity against prosecution.”

    The agency said it carried out its assignment “with a high sense of responsibility” and denied that its men raided the former governor’s homes.

    However, despite having a court warrant for the search in Ikoyi and Epe, it alleged that ‘irate youths’ prevented its operatives from searching the house in Epe, adding that its bus conveying the detectives on the assignment, was vandalized.

    The former governor however, said his houses in Ikoyi and Epe were searched “without any incident.” He explained that he had not been contacted by any agency of government in respect of any investigation.

    Spokesman of the former governor, Mr. Habib Aruna, in a statement, said: “This morning (yesterday), operatives of the EFCC visited the Epe country home and Parkview, Ikoyi home of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, former governor of Lagos State, with warrants to conduct a search. These searches were carried out extensively, and at the end of the exercise, the operatives left without any incident.

    “The former governor reiterates that the EFCC has, till date, not had any direct communication with him on any subject matter whatsoever and if or when it occurs, he is ready and willing to respond.”

    Ambode, who reiterated his belief in the rule of law and due process, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to have served the state diligently and conscientiously.

    The former governor urged his supporters and all Lagosians to remain calm and law-abiding as “there is no cause for alarm”.

    Although the EFCC did not give reasons for investigating the ex-governor, it is believed that it is not unconnected with the probe into three accounts opened in the name of the Lagos State government into which N9.9billion was deposited over a period of time. The account was linked to a senior official of the government in the office of the chief of staff to the former governor. The anti-graft agency has got a temporary forfeiture of the amount in the accounts.

    Read Also: ‘Life as Ambode’s photographer’

    The ex-governor, who said the accounts being referred to were opened and operated by the state government, added that, under his administration, none of his personal accounts contained N9.9 billion, let alone being frozen by the commission.

    The EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “The attempt by operatives of the EFCC to execute a search warrant on the home of former Governor Ambode was, on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, resisted by hoodlums loyal to the governor.

    “The thugs attacked the operatives and vandalized their vehicle.

    “The commission had obtained a valid warrant to conduct search on Ambode’s homes in Park View, Ikoyi, and in Epe, as part of the ongoing investigation of alleged malfeasance.

    “However, the commission’s operatives were attacked and prevented from executing the search warrant in Epe by irate youths who injured three officers and damaged EFCC official vehicle.

    “The attack was totally unprovoked as the commission’s operatives were civil and did not molest anybody.

    “The commission, therefore, frowns at the attempt to manipulate the video on the search to create the wrong impression that officers of the agency molested residents at the Epe home of the governor.

    “It is also not true that the search was an attempt to plant foreign currencies in the home of the former governor.”

    A video, which went viral, showed some Epe residents barricading the black-painted gate leading to the former governor’s home

    Acting EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu who denied that  that the commission “raided” Ambode’s home, said his men went after the ex-governor’s Chief of Staff (CoS), Mr.Olukunle Ojo.

    Magu spoke with State House correspondents during the presidential retreat for ministers-designate, permanent secretaries and other top government officials at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. But the former CoS said he had no house in Epe.

    Ojo, in a statement by his media aide, Cornelius Kayode, said “The former COS doesn’t have a house in Epe …. The House belongs to Bunmi  Ariyo,  Ambode’s PA”.

  • Alleged misdeeds: EFCC searches Ambode’s home

    OPERATIVES of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday searched the Ikoyi home of former Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    The anti-crime agency said the former governor is under investigation just like some other “former governors since they no longer constitutionally enjoy immunity against prosecution.”

    The agency said it carried out its assignment “with a high sense of responsibility” and denied that its men raided the former governor’s homes.

    However, despite having a court warrant for the search in Ikoyi and Epe, it alleged that ‘irate youths’ prevented its operatives from searching the house in Epe, adding that its bus conveying the detectives on the assignment, was vandalized.

    The former governor however, said his houses in Ikoyi and Epe were searched “without any incident.” He explained that he had not been contacted by any agency of government in respect of any investigation.

    Spokesman of the former governor, Mr. Habib Aruna, in a statement, said: “This morning (yesterday), operatives of the EFCC visited the Epe country home and Parkview, Ikoyi home of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, former governor of Lagos State, with warrants to conduct a search. These searches were carried out extensively, and at the end of the exercise, the operatives left without any incident.

    “The former governor reiterates that the EFCC has, till date, not had any direct communication with him on any subject matter whatsoever and if or when it occurs, he is ready and willing to respond.”

    Ambode, who reiterated his belief in the rule of law and due process, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to have served the state diligently and conscientiously.

    The former governor urged his supporters and all Lagosians to remain calm and law-abiding as “there is no cause for alarm”.

    Although the EFCC did not give reasons for investigating the ex-governor, it is believed that it is not unconnected with the probe into three accounts opened in the name of the Lagos State government into which N9.9billion was deposited over a period of time. The account was linked to a senior official of the government in the office of the chief of staff to the former governor. The anti-graft agency has got a temporary forfeiture of the amount in the accounts.

    The ex-governor, who said the accounts being referred to were opened and operated by the state government, added that, under his administration, none of his personal accounts contained N9.9 billion, let alone being frozen by the commission.

    The EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “The attempt by operatives of the EFCC to execute a search warrant on the home of former Governor Ambode was, on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, resisted by hoodlums loyal to the governor.

    “The thugs attacked the operatives and vandalized their vehicle.

    “The commission had obtained a valid warrant to conduct search on Ambode’s homes in Park View, Ikoyi, and in Epe, as part of the ongoing investigation of alleged malfeasance.

    “However, the commission’s operatives were attacked and prevented from executing the search warrant in Epe by irate youths who injured three officers and damaged EFCC official vehicle.

    “The attack was totally unprovoked as the commission’s operatives were civil and did not molest anybody.

    “The commission, therefore, frowns at the attempt to manipulate the video on the search to create the wrong impression that officers of the agency molested residents at the Epe home of the governor.

    Read Also: Ambode denies links to N9.9bn frozen bank accounts

    “It is also not true that the search was an attempt to plant foreign currencies in the home of the former governor.”

    A video, which went viral, showed some Epe residents barricading the black-painted gate leading to the former governor’s home

    Acting EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu who denied that  that the commission “raided” Ambode’s home, said his men went after the ex-governor’s Chief of Staff (CoS), Mr.Olukunle Ojo.

    Magu spoke with State House correspondents during the presidential retreat for ministers-designate, permanent secretaries and other top government officials at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. But the former CoS said he had no house in Epe.

    Ojo, in a statement by his media aide, Cornelius Kayode, said “The former COS doesn’t have a house in Epe …. The House belongs to Bunmi  Ariyo,  Ambode’s PA”.

  • Group greets Ambode at 56

    A group, Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Vanguard, has joined Lagosians in greeting former Governor of Lagos State Akinwunmi Ambode on his 56th birthday.

    In a birthday message by its convener, Seyi Bamigbade, the group said the elder statesman made unquantifiable proven leadership contributions to Lagos’s political development.

    “Words will fail us if we continue to speak of Ex Gov Akinwunmi Ambode`s achievements, integrity and amazing intentions for Lagosians and the black race.

    “He is worthy of emulation as a political leader and administrator.

    Read Also: Ambode greets Sanwo-Olu

    “I pray that God in His infinite mercy will continue to grant the iconic leader long life in good health”.

    Commenting on the special symposium to mark the birthday,  Bamigbade said: “It is a pride for us that Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode is celebrated as a living legend”.

     A Global Affairs Analyst, Ike Okafor commended the former governor for serving as a beacon of light for Lagosians at home and in the Diaspora, especially as authentic leadership and integrity are uncommon values in Nigeria and Africa politics.

  • Breaking: Ambode won’t attend Sanwo-Olu’s inauguration today 

     

    • Says Sanwo-Olu should be star of inauguration

    The outgoing Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has congratulated his successor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, saying the new governor deserves to enjoy his historic day without him sharing the glory with him.

    In a veiled reference to why he will not be attending the formal inauguration of Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, today, Ambode said Sanwo-Olu should be allowed to be the star of his inauguration.

    This was part of a press release by Ambode’s Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Mr. Habib Aruba this morning.

    READ ALSO: Updated: Ambode hands over to Sanwo-Olu in private ceremony

    The out-going governor in the release said: “I have already formally handed over reins of power in the State to the new Governor in a most cordial and convivial ceremony at the State House yesterday.

    “The formal inauguration should have Mr. Sanwo-Olu as the star of the day. I don’t think that glory should be shared with him by my presence,” Ambode said.

    Ambode said he has had a quality private moment with his successor and he is confident that with the prayers, cooperation and collective support of all Lagosians, the new government will succeed in the excellent tradition of progressive governance which Lagos State is known for.

     

     

     

  • JOYCE ONAFOWOKAN: I wept the first time I visited disabled children’s home in Nigeria

    Mrs Joyce Onafowokan, the Special Adviser on Social Development to Lagos State governor, Akinwumi Ambode, spent good part of her adult life in the US where she was certified an Early Intervention Specialist by the State of Massachusetts, Department of Public Health. In this interview with Innocent Duru, she speaks about the rude shock she got visiting a disabled children’s home for the first time in Nigeria, among other issues.

    LOOKING from the part of the world you came from, how easy was it for you to get acquainted with what you met here?

    I have spent over two years here and I am still acclimatising. Those that I have worked closely with have begun to understand who I am. I am a person of integrity and passion. They are my guiding principles. You have to have passion for the work you do. I do my work because I enjoy it. I see the joy of the in the eyes of the parents. When I look at the parents, and they are just happy that they have a state that says  to them, “I feel your pains, I will hold your hands in this journey.”

    I am a mother. When you are pregnant for nine months and you are waiting for the birth of your child, there is no way you will not think you will not have a perfect baby.  Even when the baby comes and you are told that the baby is not perfect, you go into a state of denial by saying they must be crazy. My baby is perfect. You will begin to see what they didn’t see.

    How successful would you say you have been since you started this assignment?

    I don’t think it should be me measuring my success. You go and talk to the service providers and parents but I will say I have done the best to my ability. We were set to do more, but, unfortunately, things happened. It is my wish that somebody would take it from where we stopped. I pray that the idea doesn’t die because if it does, it will be unfortunate.

    What can the country do to stem the challenge of disability?

    You cannot eradicate disability because there are some that do not go away. What we need to be thinking as a government is how to manage it; how to ensure that the incidences are reduced. To reduce the incidences, you need to think about nutrition, you need to think about the environmental risk factors. Cooking with charcoal pollutes the environment. See the cars on the streets, they are polluting the environment. Pregnant women are in these environments and it depends on how much you breathe in, it depends on your trimester, and if it affects the brain or not. Men drink and have sex with their wives. Would that child have fickle alcohol syndrome? Nobody talks about that in this country but they are there. I see kids with fickle alcohol syndrome. The features are there. So, we need to be talking about environmental risk factors. Do pregnant women go regularly for checkups? Some don’t. The medication and the vitamins are supposed to be given to them free not just as a state but as a country. We also need to ensure that there are no fake drugs in our pharmacies because they are there. We are just pretending to ourselves. Nigeria has more laws than a lot of countries in the world but we fail when it comes to executing the laws. The state is doing a lot. The law says there is free health for all our children and all people who have disabilities. There is a special people’s law. The law says that a landlord cannot  throw them out of their house. There are places they need to go. There is a consumer protection that just was started. Those things are there. Any child that has disability is entitled to a name, food, clothing, health, shelter and education. They have God-given rights to those things.

    We also need to come back to the culture that it takes a village to raise a child. I am a product of this. We need to come back and be our brother’s keeper. I am really amazed that with the wealth we have in this country, I ask our millionaires and billionaires to put their money where their mouth is. We spend huge money on weddings, burials, support beauty pageants, entertainment but we do not support spelling bee. How much money do we get for spelling bee?  Has anyone ever said, let me pick up this cost for disability?  But if a Nollywood star is celebrating her 50th birthday, everybody comes and picks a table for N10 million.

    What differences would you say exist in the system over there and here?

    There, I see a society that takes care of its poor, pregnant women and the elderly. In the US,  if you are pregnant and you are poor, from the day you become pregnant, you are given assistance in terms of food to go and pick up all the food that meet all the food groups to ensure the baby you are carrying is well fed and does not come out with disability. They understand that they would rather spend N20 in feeding you than spend N20, 000 till the child dies in taking care of his disability. It is again, a case of a stitch in time saves nine.

    You said you are about 62 years but you look like you are in your 50s. What is your beauty routine?

    I love to sleep. Do you know what they call beauty sleep? I rely on it. I am one of those who believe that what I cannot help, I don’t stress about it. All my life I see the glass half way. I don’t see the glass half empty. Half empty is negative but half full is positive. My friends will tell you that I am too optimistic to a fault and that I am in denial. I am happy to be in a denial because my brain is very little, so I do not stress myself keeping nonsensical things in my brain. We have two months to the end of our job,  I haven’t lost sweat thinking about what is next. If I sweat thinking about it, I am going to stay awake all night. Does it help me? I have always believed God will make a way.  That is my attitude. just

  • Mainland communities endorse Ambode for second term

    Over 1000 people in Lagos Mainland Local Government and Yaba Local Council Development Association (LCDA) have endorsed Governor Akinwumi Ambode for second term in office.

    The event was held spoke at Anglican Primary School, Makoko.

    The convener, Alhaji Mudashiru Odetunde, said Ambode deserves a second term to enable him continue his good work in the state.

    “We are here to sensitise this community on the need to get their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and canvass vote for Governor Ambode in the next election. We have endorsed Ambode as our next governor because of the good things he has done in the state.”

    All Progressives Congress (APC) Yaba LCDA Chairman Alhaji AbdulRaheem Ibrahim said Ambode deserves a second term because he has positively influenced every part of the state.

    The governor’s performance, he said, should earn another term in office.

    Lagos Mainland Local Government Vice Chairman Jubril Emilagba, thanked Odetunde for coming up with the initiative.

  • Ambode embraces Kunle’s Kembe

    Apart from the kind of relaxation which the Kembe pants could give a busy State Executive like Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State, he beams the kind of pride one displays when a protégé is delivering on the promises of lifting a cherished culture and tradition.

    Heartily, Ambode embraces the fast-trending pop Kembe fashion, a baggy-styled debut brand of wears under Kunle Afolayan’s label called Ire Clothings.

    Afolayan is a member of the Board of Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, and apart from running Ire Clothings as a business,Kunle’s Kember,  the ‘funkified’ Yoruba attire, made entirely from local fabrics, is just one of his ways of promoting Lagos State, and the South-West by extension.

    Afolayan told The Nation that patronage has been so unprecedented, running into thousands in less than a month of launching the product. He is optimistic that apart from the present local and international distributions for the product, Ambode’s subtle endorsement of Kunle’s Kembe is sure to galvanize market demand, being the People’s Governor.

    Already the ‘October 1’ director is inundated with demands for the product by fellow celebrities, socialites and politicians who have found the simple-styled fashion as a refresher.

    Some of the celebrities who have signed for Kunle’s Kembe include Richard Mofe-Damijo, Ali Baba, Desmond Elliot, Faithia Balogun, Falz the Bahd Guy, Femi Adebayo and Toyin Abraham among others.

    The filmmaker, on Thursday, also unveiled the official logo of Ire Clothings, a creative lettering bearing the scissors as a center of attraction on a blue fabric, dotted by sparkling cowries.

    The filmmaker reiterated that the attire “is one of the products that I intend to also use to promote Lagos. It is one of the souvenirs that tourists will have to take away from here subsequently. And I must add that all fabrics are locally sourced and so are the hands used in piecing them together. It is hundred percent Nigerian.”

  • How not to assess Lagos under Ambode

    I say without any equivocation that this young man who is there now-Akinwunmi Ambode- has raised the stake of performance (in Lagos State) especially in infrastructure.– Olabode George, chieftain of the opposition People’s Democratic Party,( PDP).

    About the time strident critics in Nigeria had begun to come to terms with the reality of Lagos as standing out of the pack in an environment of ill-performing states, posting distressing infrastructure-deficit indices, a global body has turned out a report suggesting the contrary. So on the one hand, we have the rare acclaim of a known censurer of the Ambode government; and on the hand we are being offered the partial picture of what is on the ground.

    Read Also:Eid-el-Kabir: Embrace sacrifice, love, unity, Ambode urges Muslims

    According to the 2018 Global Liveability Index released by The Economist Intelligence Unit(EIU) World Bank, ‘’Lagos is the third worst city to live in.’’ It examined 140 cities and placed Nigeria’s economic and commercial hub at 138, Syria and Bangladesh being the only two lower.

    Vienna, the Austrian capital, was ranked the most liveable city in the world. Melbourne in Australia came in second place after a seven-year at number one. Japan’s Osaka came in at third position.

    The ranking was based on five parameters: Political and Social Stability, Education, Culture, Environment, Infrastructure and Access to Health. For Infrastructure among the other factors, ‘’the quality of road network, quality of public transport, international links, availability of good quality housing, quality of energy provision, quality of water provision and quality of telecommunications were considered.’’

    Interestingly, by the reckoning of a widely-travelled and respected Nigerian financial expert Mr. Bismarck Rewane, these are areas where Ambode’s Lagos has fared excellently. Not known for flippant comments on political and economic matters because of his integrity, Rewane has become a favourite of newsmen on hot-button issues. So when the EIU report came up, he spoke what many have regarded as the objective view.

    He criticized the world body for its judgment that Lagos is the planet’s third worst city to choose to live in. It’s an unfair and harsh verdict, Rewane told an interviewer on a leading TV News station operating from Lagos last week. He declared solemnly: ‘’First and foremost, I think the report is subjective and it is based on warped criteria. Certainly, in a survey that says that number 86 is Johannesburg when you talk about crime, terrorism, insurgency and Lagos is 138 out of 140, it’s unfortunate. I feel safer in Lagos than in Johannesburg…I must come out strongly that the EIU …is a bit subjective and does not reflect the truth. Lagos is definitely not the third worst city to live in in the world. I stand by that and I am ready to join issues with the Economic Intelligence Unit whom I respect anyway…’’

    His stand tallies with those of most dispassionate observers who have taken keen interest in developments in this state growing by leaps and bounds every day. Adjudged the fastest growing and the fifth largest economy in Africa, Lagos is heading for the 20 million population mark, earnings it the mega polis epithet. That poses inherent security and infrastructure challenges characteristic of such climes.

    But that is precisely where to dig deep to find out if the Lagos authorities are aware the world is watching them to know if they are tackling the issues appropriately and in accordance with global best practices. The world has become a small space, any corner of which you can access from the comfort of your room. What happens in your backyard or bedroom is in the world domain, not even public domain. So the world can’t but notice the mammoth activity of urban renewal in Lagos. The entire state has become a veritable construction site, where new roads are either being built or existing ones are experiencing a face-lift via expansion and modernization. And to secure lives, residential and office apartments which have failed safety are being pulled down to make way for befitting centres of commerce and habitation.

    The transport sector is similarly being driven to the next level, with the phasing out of the ubiquitous molue. The more appealing luxurious Lagbus fleet are taking over on newly created corridors not only to add aesthetic beauty to the city landscape, but also to deepen the security of commuters.

    There is now an unprecedented move by the Ambode government to trash the notorious slums in the state into the dustbin of the past. He has come under attack for attempting what his predecessors dared not to undertake: displacing the huge ghettoes and rickety markets to create for modern and affordable settlements and business centres.

    But, as ex-Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings told complaining compatriots when he was rebuilding Ghana after years of decay, ‘’it is a bitter pill that must be taken for lasting relief’’. Time is proving him right, because Ghana has enjoyed a sane and equable political and economic history since his days. It was a challenge the current generation of Ghanaian would have been battling with if Rawlings hadn’t confronted it then.

    I think when reports of the nature under review are coming up, their authors must also consider on-going projects of renewal in societies being assessed. That way, they would avoid producing halfway verdicts of the type being criticized by well-meaning Nigerians. The critics are not those in government or so-called sponsored commentators. They are those who believe the EIU has not been fair to an administration whose members are having sleepless nights in order to make Lagos safe and turn it into a tourism haven as well as the investors’ dream destination.

     

    Anibaba, a journalist wrote from Ikorodu, Lagos State

  • Rotary Club donates six blocks classroom to community

    As part of their Corporate Social Responsibility toward raising the standard of education in Lagos State and complementing government’s efforts in provision of qualitative learning, Rotary Club of Maryland has donated a six block classroom to Isan Primary School, Epe Local government, Lagos.

    Speaking at the handing over ceremony, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode commended the club for the initiative saying, “When an act of kindness impacted the life of many, it should not be seen just as a corporate social responsibility, but rather as a service to humanity”.

    The governor who was represented by the Permanent Secretary/Tutor General, Education District II, Olusanya Ebenezer Abayomi described education as the bedrock of development in any society.

    He observed that investment in education is not just investing in the life of the people but safeguarding the future.

    Ambode assured the people that his government would continue to invest in the provision and upgrading of infrastructure, particularly at the primary school level across the state.

    He further said the government remains committed to lifting the standard of public school system in the state to enviable height.

    Ambode also enjoined the pupils to make good use of the facility noting that as students, the future belongs to them.

    He also used the occasion to call on well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies to emulate the gesture by getting involve in ongoing development across the state.

    Speaking on their choice of the community for the project, The President, Rotary Club of Maryland, George Ipekia said they decided to take action when they discovered the deplorable condition of the community’s sole primary school.

    “When I got there, I could not believe what I saw. I felt devastated. How can you have primary one and two pupils in the same classroom? What are they going to learn?”

    Ipekia further stated that the club learnt during the ground breaking ceremony of the building on March 18, 2018 that the school is actually serving not just one but eight communities.

    “Despite challenges faced in executing the project, the club was undaunted in its resolve to ensure children in the community grow up to positively impact the larger society.

    “We plan to adopt the community as our project so that we can continue to do more for them.”

     

     

  • Lagos empowers 13,000 youths, employs 250 others

    To mark the third year in office of Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode’s administration, the Ministry of Youths and Social Development has held its annual Ministerial Press Briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja.

    The event attracted top officials in Lagos State Ministry of Youths and Social Development and the Ministry of Information and Strategy.

    The Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Agboola Dabiri, said in order to address the upsurge of unemployment among the youth, 13,314 youths were trained in various vocations that included make-up and gele tying, photography, tailoring, bead making and cosmetology.

    He said the youth were also trained in art and designing, GSM repairs, child care training, computer literacy and engineering, shoe making, leather crafting, catering, projector/CCTV repair, printer/scanner repair and agricultural export business as well as electricity generation through solar energy.

    According to him, the ministry attracted corporate social responsibility for the re-development of Gbagada Youth Centre and renovation of Kudirat Abiola Freedom Square.

    “The ministry has commenced the implementation of Youth Economic Empowerment Scheme (YEES) through which 900 youths are expected to be trained in various vocations,” he said.

    He assured that the ministry would continue to create an enabling environment that promotes youth and social development services, thereby giving succour to the vulnerable members of the society.

    Dabiri added that the state government directly employed 250 people living with disabilities in the past one year, to the mainstream civil service and local government respectively.

    “A sum of N500, 000 was given to 10 homes taking care of persons living with disabilities (PWD) to support them. Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) with the collaboration of the state’s Civil Service Commission and Public Service Office facilitated the recruitment of 100 PWD into the State Civil Service and 150 PWD at the local government level last year.”

    He said the employment opportunities given to this category of people had greatly assisted in enhancing their standard of living and making them more financially independent.

    “The gesture was in line with the government policy of inclusion being championed by the present administration.

    “The ministry also developed, launched and reproduced the Braille version of Lagos State Youth Policy and circulated it to the association of Visually Impaired Persons. Under the first phase arrangement of Lagos State Disability Trust Fund initiated by Governor Ambode to better the lot of the PWDs, we also disbursed different empowerment tools and financial grants to hundreds of beneficiaries in a transparent manner.

    “During the first phase of the implementation of the disability fund, grants of N100, 000 was given to each of 500 PWDs of different clusters with entrepreneurial skills in order to make them economically independent and consequently reduce the problem of unemployment among PWDs to the barest.

    “Assistive devices such as wheel chairs, white canes, magic boards, magnetic boards, lap tops, index express braille embosser with Duxbury braille translation software, accessible desktop computers (with jaw screen reader), tactile metric set, Taylor frame and special wheelchairs (rough rider) for people with spinal cord injury, among other things were distributed to various homes, schools and clusters of PWDs.”

    He assured that PWDs who have not benefited from the first phase of the disbursement of the trust fund would be captured in subsequent editions of the initiative.

    He promised that the state government will continue to integrate Persons Living with Disabilities into the society through the principle of social inclusion and increased public awareness to the challenges being faced by PWDs.

    On the ministry’s rehabilitation services, Dabiri said 1,680 beggars, destitute, mentally challenged persons and street children were taken off the streets, adding that 1,299 people who were rehabilited were released to their relations for re-integration.

    “The ministry also carried out reformatory services in the Rehabilitation and Training Centre, Majidun, which is designed for rehabilitation of beggars, destitute and the mentally challenged. The Centre, built as a transit home which currently has a population of 1,288 inmates undergoing medical treatment, psychosocial therapy, behavioural modification and further social investigation.

    He said there is also the Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centre, Isheri, designed for drug dependents.

    “Out of the 25 people admitted for rehabilitation, 13 had been rehabilitated and integrated with their families. At the Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for Persons Living with Disabilities, Owutu, out of the 19 physically challenged admitted to the Centre for rehabilitation, seven had been fully rehabilitated and integrated with their families. One of those rehabilitated who graduated from RTC was retained as an instructor to manage the barbing salon workshop and train others to be rehabilitated at the centre.

    He said in pursuance of the mandate of giving succour to the vulnerable members of the society, the ministry operates six correctional homes and one old people’s home, noting that a total of  588 children and 52 senior citizens in need of reformation, correction, re-socialisation, care and protection are catered for.

    Lagos/Ibadan expressway: FRSC cautions motorists

     

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has appealed to motorists to adhere to the speed limit of 80km/h prescribed by the construction engineers on yet-to-be-completed Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

    Its Mowe Unit Commander Kehinde Ganiyu Hamzat who decried the rising rates at which pedestrians are knocked down by motorists as a result of excess speed along the corridor said has become necessary to give the warning in order to save the lives of pedestrians and motorists.

    He said motorists should know that the expressway is still under construction and pedestrians are still crossing the road.

    Hamzat said several sign posts were erected at the construction points to caution motorists not to speed above 80km/h, yet still they speed between 100 and 200km/h, saying it’s not appropriate now as the construction is still ongoing.

    He said pedestrians are not supposed to cross on a typical expressway, because they cannot presume the actual calculation of vehicles speed. He noted that the vehicles are always on high speed therefore makes it impossible for the pedestrians to calculate easily the rate at which the vehicle is speeding.

    “We have had a lot of cases of hit-and-run along the expressway. This is attributable to nothing than excess speed by the motorists.

    “Most times we found corpses of knocked down victims ‘children, adult of all ages on the express on weekly basis. Some of the drivers allegedly report themselves to the nearest police station while others run-away”

    Commander Hamzat said the FRSC could only put different measures to avert the challenges after the road construction is completed.

    He appealed to motorists to adhere to the stipulated speed limits, vigilant and drive with caution from Car Park C to Redeemed Christian Church of God Camp to Aseese, along the corridor, saying many pedestrians always cross the expressway.

    The Commander advised pedestrians to be very patient, careful and vigilant while crossing the road.

    He appealed to motorcycle operators’ unions to warn their members against riding against traffic.

    He said they complied with route regulations when the FRSC operatives are on patrol and revert to their normal way of violating traffic regulations when they discovered the operatives are not at their duty posts..

    He urged the motorists to beware of some parts of the expressway that are always waterlogged any time it rained and to drive with caution as Julius Berger is repairing some bad portions along the corridor.