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Tag: Akinwunmi Ambode

  • Crime: Ambode urges collaborative efforts on air surveillance

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on Tuesday stressed the need for collaborative efforts between the state government and Nigerian Air Force to intensify air surveillance in the state in order to tackle criminal activities headlong.

    The governor, who spoke when he played host to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar, at the Lagos House, Ikeja, said the call became imperative following the recent approval given by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Air Force to purchase surveillance helicopters.

    He said Lagos, being the logistics headquarter of the Air Force, should benefit tremendously from the helicopters, adding that such would go a long way in improving the security architecture in the state.

    He said: “This particular administration is very sensitive to security issues and in the last 11 months, we have tried as much as possible to put security in the front burner of our tripod in running Lagos. We believe strongly that security and development are twins. There is no way we can develop if there is no security and that is why we are laying more emphasis on protecting the lives and property in Lagos on the road, on our waterways and also in the air.

    “I’m pleased to state that we have contributed some helicopters to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Nigeria Police. I like to also commend President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent approval given to the Nigeria Air Force to procure more helicopters and going by the fact that Lagos is the logistics base of the Air Force, we know we will benefit from that as well.

     

  • Lagos to enforce Okada restriction, street trading laws

    Lagos to enforce Okada restriction, street trading laws

    The Lagos State Government at the weekend said it would henceforth strictly enforce the law on environmental offences, restriction of operation of commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada on certain routes and street trading.

    Rising from the monthly Security Council Meeting attended heads of all security agencies in the state and chaired by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the Government urged residents to willfully comply with the extant laws in the state to make the enforcement of the law easier.

    Briefing Government House Correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, urged the public to desist from patronising traders especially where street trading is not allowed.

    Owoseni also counseled Lagosians to stop patronising commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada operators on routes where the law restricts them from plying.

    Owoseni, who briefed journalists alongside heads of the Army, Navy, Airforce and other security agencies in state, said: “The Council appraised the security situation in the state and looked at the challenges we are still having and from discussions and conclusions that were made, the Council agreed that lot of progress had been made.”

    “We have covered lot of miles regarding security and safety in the state. For now, the State is relatively peaceful.

    “We want to sustain that tempo; we want to improve on that tempo. We have looked at those areas we need to improve upon and basically those were the issues the Council considered,” Owoseni said.

    When asked on the directive by Governor Ambode at the Town Hall Meeting in Ikorodu last week that Okada should not ply Mile 12-Ikorodu route, the Commissioner said: “Yes, we deliberated on that and I can tell you that we specifically considered the need to improve on enforcement of the laws of the state, especially the areas where we have been having challenges with members of the public with regard to enforcement. ”

    “Specifically, I’m talking about the street trading, the restriction of commercial motorcyclists to certain areas. You see, there is need to have the buy-in of members of the public in all these and the Council considered the need for us to still tell the citizens that in as much as we want to enforce, there is also need for members of the public to willfully comply with extant laws of the State.

    “When they comply and conform to the laws, it will be easier for security agencies to enforce. Where the law says there should not be street trading, people should not patronise street traders; where the law says Okada should not ply certain routes, people should not patronise commercial motorcyclists in those areas.

    “But most importantly, as the Security Council has always emphasised , there is need for everyone to be security conscious and raise awareness about security in their surroundings,” Owoseni said.

  • Compensate Igbo traders over losses – MASSOB tells Kano Gov

    Compensate Igbo traders over losses – MASSOB tells Kano Gov

    The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign States of Biafra, MASSOB, has called on Governor abdulahi Ganduje of Kano State to compensate Igbo traders who were victims of the recent fire incident which gutted the Sabon Gari market.

    The midnight fire incident at Sabon Gari Market, Kano consumed goods of traders worth millions of Naira and touched over 4,000 shops.

    MASSOB’s National Director of Information, Sunny Okereafor, in a statement lamented that Igbo traders have severally been at the receiving end of any market demolition and fire incidents in Nigeria, amounting to untold loss of cash and property, even as he urged the Kano state government to ensure that victims of the inferno are compensated adequately.

    Okerefaor urged Igbo businessmen to invest at home, stressing that if the Igbo could establish 30% of their businesses in their home states, the South East would be more developed than Abuja and Lagos cities.

    According to him, “We are calling on the Kano state government to compensate victims of the Sabon Gari market fire incident. From available information MASSOB had gathered, 90% of the affcted traders are of the Igbo stock who have suffered losses.

    “They should be compensated to assist them get back to business. Again, the state government should set up a probe panel to find the immediate and remote cause of the incident. Ndigbo contributes immensely to the development of Kano state, and must not be abandoned in this hour of need.

    “MASSOB has lost count of market fire incidents and demolition of markets, including government induced policies targeted at Igbo traders. In  Lagos state, in January 2016, Igbo traders returned from the Christmas and New Year festivities to see their shops demolished on the orders of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode and wares looted by hoodlums.

    “During crises and riot situations, Igbo traders are always targeted and their goods destroyed. This is why we are calling on the international community to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari to organize a referendum and grant Ndigbo an independent state of Biafra where there would be no victimization.”

    Okereafor also called on the governor to institute a commission of inquiry into the incident, further stated that those arrested for looting properties at the burnt market should not be allowed to escape justice.

  • Ambode unveils Electrification Project for 67 communities

    Ambode unveils Electrification Project for 67 communities

    Lagos State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday commissioned electrification project in 67 communities in Ibeju- Lekki and Akodo areas of the state.

     

    Ambode, who spoke at the commissioning ceremony held in Ibeju-Lekki, said his administration was moved to embark on the project because of the ordeals the communities were subjected to for lack of access to electricity.

     

    He said the project was another success story of the ‘Light Up Lagos’ project, an initiative of his administration.

     

    According to him, the ‘Light Up Lagos’ project was built on a tripod which included Community Electrification, Street Lightening and Power Advisory Committee, made up of key stakeholders from the public and private sector which had a mandate to develop a roadmap to provide sustainable power supply to homes and businesses in Lagos in the medium to long term.

     

    He added that the project falls under the community light-up initiative, saying the attention of the state government was drawn to the challenges of the residents of the 68 communities for over five years.

     

    The governor said, “After a due assessment of the situation, we commenced work last year October and we promised to ensure that these 68 communities are connected to the national grid.

     

    “Today, we are delighted to say that these communities have been connected to the national grid.

     

    “To make this project a reality, 33kv dedicated high-tension lines were laid from Ajah sub-station to Eleko junction and from there spread to 68 communities a high tension network covering 131.5 kilometers was rehabilitated and 86 transformers were installed at a total cost of N600million.

     

    “Beyond fulfilling our promise to these 68 communities, we have also demonstrated our commitment to run an all-inclusive government which no one will be left behind.

     

    “We have demonstrated our intention to run an all inclusive government. And it will boost the socio-economic activities of this axis. 34 communities is been addressed and before September, we shall connect them to the national grid.

     

    “As we do this, we will intensify our light-up initiative because the vision is to light-up all roads in the state.

     

    “Through this, we are re- affirming our commitment to the wellbeing of the residents of Lagos irrespective of their location.”

     

  • No room for criminals in Lagos – Ambode

    No room for criminals in Lagos – Ambode

    Following the rescue of the three school girls kidnapped last Monday in Lagos, Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has assured that his administration has the will and capacity to fight all forms of crime and criminality in the state.
    The governor, who addressed journalists on the safe rescue of the girls abducted by gunmen from the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School in Ikorodu, warned that the state government will spare nothing to clamp down on all forms of crime in the state.
    “Let me warn that the State Government will not tolerate kidnapping or any forms of crime in the State. Our position is clear and unambiguous, Lagos state has the capacity and the will to go after every form of crime and criminality in order to safeguard lives and property in the state,” the governor stated.

    He expressed relief and excitement at the rescue of the girls by security operates in the early hours of Sunday, just as he commended the efforts of security operatives who led the rescue efforts.

    “The Lagos State police Command, the Department of State Security and members of the Armed forces worked tirelessly round the clock in the last six days to secure the release of the children. I thank them for a good job.

    “The three girls have been safely re-united with their families and the Government wishes to assure Lagosians that their security is top priority and it will not relent in ensuring that Lagos remains safe and secure,” he said.

    Governor Ambode said one of the suspected kidnappers – one Emmanuel Arigidi, was arrested during the operation by security operatives to release the abducted children.

    “As our daughters are re-united with their mothers and other members of their families, I would like to seize this opportunity to wish all mothers in Lagos State and Nigeria at large a happy Mothers’ Day,” he said.

  • Ambode assures quick rescue of abducted school girls

    Ambode assures quick rescue of abducted school girls

    Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has assured the public and parents of the three pupils of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary,  Ikorodu who were forcefully abducted by  unidentified gunmen  Monday night that their children will be rescued safely as his  government along with  various security operatives in the state are making frantic efforts to ensure  the safety and  rescue of the  pupils.

    The Governor gave the assurance Wednesday when he sent a high powered delegation from the State Executive Council meeting to visit the management of the school to express government sympathy to the parents of the affected pupils and the management and pledged the commitment of his government to security of lives and property in the state.

    Ambode who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule explained that the state government along with various security operatives in the state have swung into action since the sad occurrence on Monday night, assuring the public especially the parents of the abducted pupils that their wards would soon be rescued safely and returned back to their parents.

    The governor stated that the visit became necessary as a responsible government to express sympathy with the parents of the victims and to share in the pains that the absence of their children would have caused them.

    “We are here to share your pains and to express our sympathy over this sad occurrence and above all to are assure you that the state government is working tirelessly with other security agencies to ensure the safety and early rescue of the pupils, and am very confident that in no distant time, these girls will be rescued and returned back to their parents,’’ he assured.

    While conducting government officials round the premises, the Principal of the school , Ven. Ola Oluwa Adeyemi  explained that the gunmen gained entrance to the school premises around 8pm having broken the fence from the back and started shooting sporadically to scare the students and teachers away.

    He said all efforts by the management to rescue the abducted pupils from their abductors was not successful as they were overpowered by the sophisticated guns and other dangerous weapons they had on them.

    He however commended Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and the Lagos State police command as according to him, the governor immediately moved into action as soon as a call was put across to him.

    “They came with sophisticated guns and weapons and they started shooting sporadically to frustrate us from rescuing our pupils abducted, as everybody was running for safety, I got the Governor on phone about 3 hours later and he contacted the Commissioner of Police and other top security agencies and they (security agencies)  all responded swiftly, ever since then, they have been working tirelessly to ensure that we secure the release of the abducted girls and in God we place our hope that the girls would return back to this school safely,’’ he  stated.

  • We’ll ensure rescue of kidnapped girls – Ambode

    We’ll ensure rescue of kidnapped girls – Ambode

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday said his government will not spare any effort to ensure the safe release of the three female students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School in Ikorodu area of the state kidnapped by a group of armed gang on Monday evening.

    The Governor in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, condemned the unfortunate incident and assured that the Police and other security operatives have swung into action, with useful leads and with an unwavering determination to track down the perpetrators of the act.

    “We have not been silent on this unfortunate development. In a delicate security matter of this nature, where young innocent people are involved and management of information demands utmost circumspect, we were convinced that swift and coordinated reaction, guided by intelligence reports on the part of the Police, was a better and more sensitive approach to take, rather than a sensational, panic-stricken reaction,”Governor Ambode said.

    He said the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni and the Assistant Inspector General of Police for the Lagos/Ogun Command were fully on ground at the scene and vicinity of the incident leading the entire coordinated effort involving every military apparatus.

    “We believe in the capacity of the Police to lead this rescue mission. I have had ceaseless briefing with them since the incident happened and God helping us, we shall spare no effort in securing the safe release of the girls and continue to secure the school and indeed every part of Lagos”.

    Governor Ambode said the incident may not be unconnected with his recent visit to some parts of Ikorodu where he read the riot act to vandals and criminal gangs on the resolve of the state government to take the battle to their hideouts in a spirited effort to secure the pipelines.

    “We believe this is a case of evil fighting back. But Lagos will neither succumb to threats of lawlessness nor bow to terror.

    “Our resolve is very clear; we will assist the Police and other security agencies in dealing decisively with this one unfortunate case and prevent future reoccurrence. We will deploy the resources at our disposal to safeguard every life and property within our care,” he said.

  • Polio: Lagos targets 4.5 million children for free immunisation

    Polio: Lagos targets 4.5 million children for free immunisation

    The Lagos State Government Tuesday said at least 4.5 million children will benefit from the free polio immunisation.

    State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, represented by the Special Adviser on Primary Healthcare, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga disclosed this at the flag off ceremony of the February 2016 National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) held at Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area.

    According to him, the National Immunization Plus  Days (NIPDs) campaign will involve House-to-House, Transit and Fixed Post teams while children at homes, markets, churches, mosques, major car parks and social event venues would be targeted.

    He noted that the state government will mount 752 fixed posts, 2,189 house-to-house and 1,712 transit teams with hours of operations spanning between 8am-2pm daily.

    The governor who reiterated the desire of the present administration to protect and enhance the health and well being of all children in the state emphasised that the immunization is free, effective and safe with little gifts as incentives for immunized children.

    Ambode enjoined parents and caregivers to take advantage of the campaign to boost the immunity of their children by immunizing their wards at government designated centers across the state.

    The Governor said his administration has been involved in the training of health workers at the State, Local and Ward levels to build their capacities as well as collaborating with International and Non-Governmental Organisations such as WHO, Rotary International, CHAI, JICA, Save-the-Children International and UNICEF to augment the creation of the needed awareness at the community level.

    He added that a coordinated media campaign strategy to sensitize members of the public on the importance and safety of polio immunization has been embarked upon, saying that “We have also contracted state technical facilitators and independent monitors to enable them provide technical assistance and supervisory support to those implementing throughout the campaign period.”

    Ambode revealed that Lagos State has taken giant stride in eradicating the deadly disease from the state since April 2009, making it a seven year success story.

    While underscoring the importance of various interventions by the state in the past which had made it possible to eradicate the deadly disease from the state since April 2009, Ambode recalled that the success recorded in 2015 in increasing the immunity of children was as a result of the improved quality of Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs) as well as other interventions such as the Strengthening of Routine Immunization Services.

    He revealed that the state intervened through aggressive drive towards the removal of out-of-stock syndrome and improved outreach services to reach under-served communities, strengthening of Local and International border immunization activities between Lagos, Ogun and Republic of Benin.

    Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Ibironke Shodeinde, who represented the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Healthcare, appealed to parents to exploit the opportunity of the free, effective and safe campaign to immunize their children against the dreaded polio disease.

    She said that all eligible children will take two drops of the Vaccine with concurrent marking of the left little finger for confirmation of having taken the vaccine.

  • Ambode urges parents to immunise children against polio

    Ambode urges parents to immunise children against polio

    The Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode Friday urged parents to ensure children less than five years are immunised against polio.

    Ambode, who spoke at the Flag-off of the Round One of the National Immunisation plus Day at Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area (LGA), said parents, should use the window of opportunity available to them between Friday and Tuesday to get their children immunised.

    Ambode, represented by his Special Adviser on Public Health, Dr Olufemi Onanuga said children from zero to 59 months, that is under-five, should receive two drops of oral polio vaccine (OPV) irrespective of the time they have taken the vaccine.

    He urged the community and religious leaders to ensure children under-five avail themselves of the opportunity.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) Lagos State co-ordinator, Dr Sunday Abidoye said the vaccine is a must take for children within the stipulated age range.

    He said Nigeria has been declared polio-free by the WHO since 2014, adding that the immunisation programme was necessary to prevent the disease.

  • Lagos to transform National Museum to world standard

    Lagos to transform National Museum to world standard

    • Lagos thriving under Ambode, says Lai Mohammed

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has vowed to transform the National Museum in Lagos to a modern-day cultural edifice of international standard.

    The Governor said this on Thursday at the Lagos House, Ikeja when Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed visited.

    Pledging to partner with the Federal Government to give face-lift to federal infrastructure in the state, the Governor noted that considering the strategic importance of culture and tourism to the identity of people, there was no better time for Lagos and the Federal Government to collaborate in driving the essence of culture with the view to improving on the situation on ground and thereby improve on the economy and develop the nation.

    The Governor said Onikan, where the museum is located, is a melting port of the cultural heritage of Lagos and Nigeria by extension, hence, serious efforts must be put in place to start to recreate the monument to adequately situate the history of the country.

    “Just the same way we have collaborated with the police, we will collaborate with you and ensure that whatever we can do to create a facelift to the infrastructure of the Federal Government in Lagos, we will do it because it will eventually be to the benefit of Lagosians and eventually aid the economic growth of Lagos.

    “Talking precisely about the National Museum at Onikan, we will go straight with the commissioners here to see how we can put up a modern-day museum of international standard and see how that can work towards our Lagos@50 Celebration next year.

    “We are not only doing it for Nigeria, but also for the future of our cultural heritage. We believe strongly that the axis around Onikan and Marina is actually the melting port of our cultural heritage and we must start to recreate the monument in that area to be able to say a whole lot about the history of Lagos and more importantly, a whole lot about the history of Nigeria and so we would see how we can run as fast as possible on that,” the Governor said.

    Ambode, who lamented that some Nigerian languages are gradually going into extinction due to lack of preservation of cultural values, said that with the renewed commitment of the federal and state governments, issues of youth unemployment could be adequately addressed using culture, tourism, arts, sports and entertainment.

    “That is why we are committed to the Employment Trust Fund. We are just about to inaugurate it and every year for the next four years, we will be putting N6.25 billion, totaling N25 billion. Using that fund, we will be creating arts and recording studios and business incubators because we don’t longer want our artistes to be recording their works outside Nigeria.

    We can do it and that is where we are going. That will create a lot of energy among our younger ones and before you know it, they are on track and we too are on track as a very viable economy,” Governor Ambode said.

    Mohammed said he was in Lagos to solicit the support of the Governor and State Government to collaborate in jointly moving the state and indeed the country forward in areas of culture and tourism.

    He said Lagos remains the economic and financial hub of Nigeria, and that it was worthy to underscore the fact that the state is thriving under Governor Ambode, who he said is not only doing well but has greatly improved on all he met on ground.

    He said the Blue Line Rail project being built by the State Government, when completed in December, would not only be the first in Nigeria, but also greatly boost the economy and tourism potentials of the state, as well as the 10-lane Lagos-Badagry expressway.

    The Minister said: “Governor Ambode is doing very well. Look at his emphasis on security; he met a security trust fund which was doing very well, and is now doing better. He has almost doubled the kind of equipment and facilities and assistance he is giving the police.

    “Only recently, we passed in the Federal Executive Council, a $200 million loan application for Lagos State to complete the Blue Line Rail. This is a project that had been stalled for political reasons and he pushed through this.

    “Look at Light Up Lagos Project, it makes it easy for you to move from point A to point B without any problems and this ultimately will impact positively on the economy of the state. He’s on the right track,” he said