National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, has arrived Alausa, Ikeja Lagos State, as the party’s governorship primary continues in the state.
Tag: Alausa
-
FG begins illegal structures demolition under Lagos Bridges
The Federal Ministry of Works in Lagos State has begun demolition of illegal structures under bridges used as hideouts by miscreants and other illegal activities.
The Federal Controller of Works, Mr Adedamola Kuti, led ministry officials alongside the Police Task Force from the Alausa Command on a tour of various sections under the bridges late on Thursday.
The operation which started at 4.00 p.m. lasted till 8.30 p.m.
The taskforce headed by DSP Shettima Kolo served eviction notices on illegal occupants on the Right of Way, traders, artisans and other business concerns under the bridges.
The operation began with the demolition of a fence constructed under the ramp on the bridge linking Adeniji Adele Road which also links the Carter Bridge and Ebute Ero.
During the demolition exercise, several arrests were made while police also recovered some weapons including axes, cutlasses and knives from the illegal occupants under the bridge.
A staff of an advertising agency, who identified himself as Mr Seyi Philips told ministry officials that his firm erected the fence to protect facilities servicing its billboard from social miscreants.
Philips added that they did not envisage that the construction would become a hideout for the miscreants.
During inspection of the Iddo Bridge which is an extension of the Carter Bridge, several lock up shops had been constructed under the bridge.
Some of the shops were being used as warehouses and the occupants claimed that they had been paying rent to the
administrators of the facility for several decades.The demolition squad advised owners of lock up shops and warehouses under the Iddo Bridge which is an extension of the Carter Bridge to vacate before commencement of the demolition.
The team also served car dealers and mechanic workshops under the Iponri, Ijora-Olopa, Iganmu and Costain Bus Stop sections of the Eko Bridge verbal eviction notices.
Read Also: The Music House demolition revisited
Also, affected the old ministry’s training school converted to living houses and brothels under Eko Bridge.
Other bridges inspected are the Marine Beach, Otto, Apapa and the Costain Bridges.
Kuti told newsmen that three bridges had been destroyed by fire in the past as a result of the activities of the illegal occupants.
“We need to safeguard our infrastructure and that is why we are appealing to you (the press) and to Nigerians
that once you notice anything that could affect these infrastructure they should please inform us.”“Some people are living under these bridges, cooking, doing all sorts of things and some of the
items recovered by the police were weapons of destruction.“So, what are they doing there? Apart from the fact that their activities constitute a big abuse
to the bridges, it also constitutes big security threat because you may never know what they are
doing under those bridges especially at night.“This is a very serious abuse that would not be tolerated,’’ he said.
Kuti lamented that some of the illegal occupants have constructed permanent structures under the bridges
which were usually locked up during the day.Kuti announced that the illegal occupants would be given one week written notices with effect Sept. 24
to vacate the Right of Way before eviction and demolition of their structures. -
Lagos agog for youths as music concert debut in Alausa
***to mobilise youths for active participation in politics
The Ndubuisi Kanu Recreational Park in Alausa will come alive on Saturday as the mega music & message concert tagged “Safe ‘N’ Save Spaces for the Youths” takes centre stage.
Convener of the concert and Youth Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State, Mr. Idris Aregbe, said the event is one of the series of ingenious events decisively designed to encourage, mobilize and upsurge active youth participation in the Nigerian political scene.
According to him, his office was working round the clock to create a conscious political alertness among the youths as well as foster peaceful relations and grow businesses through innovative ideas.
“What we want to achieve is to forge a safe environment and facilitate frameworks to shore up the fabric of democracy in the country which has continued to gather momentum, with a growing number of messages all aimed at encouraging youth participation in politics.
“The importance of youths in every society cannot be overstated, hence the need to create a conscious political alertness among the youths, foster peaceful relations and grow businesses through innovative ideas have critically influenced, by considerable amount, the formation of these ingenious events billed to hold on the 11th and 12th of August 2018.
“Taking the lead on the pyramid of events is the Music & Message Concert tagged: “Safe ‘n’ Save Spaces for the Youths,” scheduled for Saturday August 11, 2018 at Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Mobolaji Johnson Avenue, Alausa – Ikeja, Lagos,” Aregbe said.
He added that the concert was carved out to create safe spaces that will inspire the youths in forging career paths in politics as a tool for building good governance and sustaining growth in our cherished country, Nigeria.
“We hope to enlighten the youths on fresh perspectives in choosing the right career path, birth innovative business ideas through mentorship programmes to groom young business talents, raise ambassadors that will sprout empowerment programmes in the state and foster impeccable brand of business connections to spark growth and drive the economy,” he said.
Aregbe assured that the concert would creatively infuse music and message programme focused on changing the existing narratives of Lagos’ youths with the following messages; Creating Safe Spaces for The Youths; Promoting self-reliance through empowerment programmes, Identifying and supporting young industry starters, Assisting talents to reach their peak, Encouraging peaceful relations to shun violence and Social Transformation and inclusion of the youths into the political system.
-
Ambode urges state govts to imbibe legislature harmony
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Friday attributed the massive development going on in the state to the harmonious relationship between the state executive and legislature.Ambode said this when he received the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lagos is hosting the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly between Aug. 3 and Aug. 5.Ambode urged the speakers to take the lessons from Lagos to their various states and work harmoniously with the executive arms, for the good of the people.”This visit is a very significant one for Lagos State. The last time we hosted speakers like this was during the administration of Sen. Bola Tinubu.”It is very significant for us to have been able to bring together speakers from the 36 states inspite of the various movements in our polity. It means there is still hope in Nigeria.”I want to implore other state governments to emulate Lagos State by ensuring harmonious relationship between the executive and the legislature.”Such relationship helps us perform better by carrying out our constitutional roles as elected officers and reaching out to the yearnings of the electorates,” Ambode said.Earlier, Mr Isamaila Kamba, speaker of Kebbi State House of Assembly and Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, thanked the governor for the grand reception.Isamaila said that the Conference would, among other things, deliberate on how to implement the recently assented bill granting financial autonomy to state legislative and judicial arms of government.He urged Gov. Ambode to liaise with other state governments on their behalf, to give them a soft landing in the implementation of the law.Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari, on June 8, assented to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Alteration Act (4th Alteration Act 4, 9, 16, and 21) which grants financial autonomy to the State Houses of Assembly and the Judiciary.Isamaila also commended the governor for the huge investment on security and infrastructure development in the state.”Gov. Ambode, we want you to know that your name has been written in gold in the history of governance in Nigeria, ” he said.In his remarks, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, the host speaker, said the conference would discuss latest developments in the country, to chart the way forward for the benefit of Nigerians.Obasa thanked Gov. Ambode for providing the necessary support needed for the success of the conference. -
17 traffic offenders do community service in Alausa
About 17 convicted traffic offenders, comprising 15 men and two women were yesterday brought to the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja for community service. They were convicted by the Special Offences Court, sitting at Oshodi.
They were engaged in clearing bushes and wastes at the secretariat.
Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) spokesperson Mahmud Hassan, said offences ranged from non-use of seat belts to dropping of passengers at unauthorised places, and driving on the BRT corridors, among others.
The convicts, he said, would still be sent to the streets to serve their sentences at the “discretion of the officer that is in charge of that department.”
The lesson to potential traffic offenders, he said, was that they too would face similar action when caught.
“You are seeing them for the first time here at the secretariat. So what we are doing is for them to carry out the court’s decision of performing community service and where they carry out that community service is at the discretion of the officer that is in charge of that department.
“They have been taken to other places before coming here and I think after here, you would see them on the road also performing community service,” he said.
Hassan reminded motorists that traffic lights and Zebra Crossings were not for decoration. LASTMA, he said, had in the past arrested violators and would continue to do so.
-
Global SME’s summit holds July 6, 7 in Lagos
A global Small and Medium
Enterprise’s (SME’s)
summit, first of its kind in Africa, tagged: ‘Sustainable Development in SMEs’, will be held on July 6 and 7 at NECA House, Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja by 9.00 a.m.The summit is sponsored by the University of Entrepreneurship and Technology (UET), State of Delaware, United States in conjunction with the Institute of Company and Commercial Accountants of Nigeria (ICCA).
Speaking to journalists in Lagos on Wednesday, the Vice President of UET Africa, Dr Leye Babalola, said the President of the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Iyalode Alaba Lawson, Special Guest of Honour to be awarded WPDO Special Jury Excellence Award for outstanding contribution in the field of trade and commerce and other eminent Asians and Africans will be conferred with honorary doctoral degree certificates in Entrepreneurship based on their outstanding contributions to their countries socio-economic development.
Spelling out the major objectives of the summit Dr. Babalola said the Summit will among other things help to build a virile economy that is privately driven, assisting SME’s in keeping proper accounting records in order to provide statistical information which will assist governments at all levels in their economic planning and will also help Federal, State and Local governments increase their Internally generated Revenue (IGR) by dragging SME’s into the tax net of Governments.
Dr. Babalola who disclosed that 12 delegates will be coming from Asian and African Countries said the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Minister of Trade of Sierre Leone Hon. Joseph Ndanema and Hon. Peter Bayoku Conteh will be Guest of Honour and Special Guest respectively.
-
PVC: Lagos emphasises need for collection
The Lagos State Government on Friday emphasised the need for residents to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration ( CVR ) to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards ( PVC ).
The Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Mr Benjamin Olabinjo, at the ongoing Ministerial briefing on Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode’s third year in office in Alausa, also decried the number of uncollected PVCs in the state.
The newsmen reports that Lagos State has the highest number of uncollected PVCs, with no fewer than 1.4 million yet to be collected by residents.
“Let me emphasise here that to remain apathetic to this exercise is a self-denial of the inalienable right to vote for candidates of your choice when it is time to do so.“I want to seize this opportunity to enjoin those who have yet to register to take advantage of the ongoing exercise to do so now.
“It is important for all adults of voting age to participate in the political process that will produce those that will be at the helm of affairs in the polity,” Olabinjo said.He said that the office would continue to intensify efforts at enlightening residents to seize the opportunity of the ongoing CVR to obtain their PVCs.
According to him, the enlightenment would particularly be for those who have attained voting age and others who have relocated from their previous abode.
He also said that in the course of the year, the office wouldensureenlightenment of residents on the need for peaceful electioneering in the state.Olabinjo said that in the last three years, the office had engendered cordial working relationship between the legislative and the executive arms of government. The special adviser said that 27 bills passed by the House Assembly were assented to by Gov. Ambode during the period under review.
Read Also: 2019: Lagos lawmakers rally support for Gbajabiamila
He said the office simplified and translated eight laws into Pidgin, Yoruba and Egun languages, to facilitate easy understanding and voluntary compliance.
Olabinjo, who said the office was in the process of embarking on sensitising residents on more laws of the state, promised that other bills would also be looked into for translation and simplification.“Let me use this opportunity to enjoin all to always respect public laws so as to maintain peace and order in the state,” he said.
Olabinjo said the office attended to 119 issues arising from petitions and complaints from individuals, groups and communities.
In support of the needy, Olabinjo said that N254.750 million was disbursed to 2,046 beneficiaries by the office in the last three years.
He said that 108 communities were engaged while their requests include provision of facilities such as roads,street lights, drainage, health centres and schools.NAN
-
Lagos receives $43 billion investment proposals in 3years
The Lagos State Government on Thursday said the state received over $43 billion worth of investment proposals in the last three years.
Prof. Ademola Abass, the Special Adviser, Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment, disclosed this at Alausa, during the agency’s Ministerial briefing to mark the third year in office of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode.
Abass listed areas investors had shown interest to include transportation, health, food security, power, housing, manufacturing and tourism, among others.
“Investors have shown considerable interest in tapping into the investment opportunities in Lagos because of the government’s vigorous pursuit of measures geared toward enhancing the ease of doing business.
“Lagos State as an emerging market is becoming the financial hub and a preferred investment destination in Africa,” Abass said.
He said that the agency had assisted some businesses to establish partnerships with the State Government.
According to him, the agency also helped existing investors by providing aftercare services and ensuring the provision of necessary business support services.
He said it also resolved issues relating to taxes, such as tax reduction, multiple taxation, environmental issues, local government and land ownership rights, infrastructure and partnerships.
Read Also: FEC okays N64.108b for Lagos-Ibadan road project
The Special Adviser said the agency organised various international engagements for the state.
It also performed general duties which focused mainly on facilitating visa procurement for visiting foreign dignitaries as well as state officials travelling abroad for official duties.
Abass said the agency would soon unveil the “Lagos to the World” campaign in furtherance of its desire to continue to strategically position the state as a leader in investment promotion in Nigeria.
He said that the campaign was a multifaceted initiative aimed at using various cutting edge strategic tools in projecting and effectively communicating the investment opportunities in the state to the world.
NAN
-
Lawmaker preaches peace, tolerance
Maddened by the plethora of violence that has bedeviled some sections of the country in recent time, the member representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency11 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Jude Emeka Idimogu has urged Nigerians to eschew acrimony and embrace peace, tolerance and peaceful co-existence in order to foster the much-needed unity and development.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker gave the advice while speaking to reporters in his office at Alausa, Lagos on Monday.
Idimogu noted that no society can attain an appreciable level of development without amity, tolerance and without being belligerent.
He regretted that the series of conflicts in some states of the federation since the beginning of the year do not tell well of what the country represents which are unity, love and oneness.
He said: “Nigeria will be better if all citizens embrace the spirit of unity which is necessary towards achieving the much-needed socio-economic and political greatness. Nigerians should not lose hope because of the skirmishes being experienced in some parts of the country at moment. It may be the nation’s last momentary setback. All developed countries experienced such obstructions in the cause of their journeys towards greatness. Yet, they made it at last.
Nigeria’s situation would not be an exception. I am confident that we will come over the current seeming drawback.”
Hon. Idimogu further said with the political will being exhibited by the APC-led Federal Government and governors of APC-controlled states towards tackling all forms of conflict, every part of the country would soon experience peace and tranquillity.
The lawmaker advised state and local governments to be committed to the issue of security, even as he urged that they should ensure that their security architectures are impermeable as experienced in Lagos State where he said Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is so committed to issue of security.
That, he said, informed why the state experiences less cases of conflicts. He quickly added that “it does not mean that there are no cases of skirmishes, but they are very insignificant.”
He praised Ambode for all his development strides that have made Lagos true-life Centre of Excellence and economic capital of West Africa.
What cannot be contested is that Lagos State can be compared to the Nigerian federation where the atmosphere of sense of belonging has been created and nourished for peace to reign.
Idimogu said: “Governor Ambode has been so unswerving in developing Lagos State in all ramifications.
“Ambode’s strides since he assumed office have been tremendous. He has made development get to the grassroots, even as he has taken Lagos State to a higher level. He has ensured that all ethnic groups resident in the state have a sense of belonging. They, in turn, work hard to ensure that peace reigns in their host communities in the state.
“There is no doubt that development in Lagos State has been so massive. Development has been going very fast which is good.”
He urged residents to be security conscious, even as he advised that their actions should be within the ambits of the law so that the state would continue to experience peace.
-
Community protests over government destruction of their houses
Hundreds of residents of Otodo-Gbame in Lagos on Wednesday stormed the Government House, Alausa, Ikeja, protesting alleged destruction of their houses by the state government.
The protesters forced their way into the House in spite of a barricade mounted by police to prevent them from gaining entrance.
They disrupted activities at the gate of the House for about two hours.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government had evicted hundreds of residents of Otodo-Gbame area of Lekki, citing security reasons.
The protesters, who claimed to have stayed on the waterfronts for years, carried placards with inscriptions such as: “300,000 evicted’’ and “land sold to the rich”.
The spokesman of the group, Mr Paul Kunnu, said that they had documented their requests in a recent meeting with some government officials.
He claimed that the requests were not given any consideration.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), we had a meeting with government officials; they told us to bring the list of the people living in the community which is impossible for us, as we are more than 30,000.
“The government promised to give us special assistance in terms of food stuffs, but that is not our demand. We only want our lands back.
“At our last meeting with them, one of them told us not to mention anything about the land again or they would send us away,” he said.
According to the spokesman, the group had requested for restoration of their lands and security measures to guard them against attacks by hoodlums.
NAN reports that, as at the time of this report, no government official attended to the protesters but the police calmed them.