The Nation Newspaper

Tag: amenities

  • ‘Amenities for students a privilege, not right’

    By Okerinmodun Faith Olusegun

    The Public Relations Officer of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju, has said the university’s major aim is to provide education.

    Olanrewaju also said students should see certain basic amenities they have hitherto been enjoying, as a privilege; therefore they should not take it for granted.

    He spoke to CAMPUSLIFE correspondent who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

    Olanrewaju said: “It’s a privilege for students to get some basic amenities because things of such are not mandated in other schools.

    “Nobody told them (students) to choose OAU; they chose it themselves with a particular course. That’s the main focus of Oau. Even  abroad, your accommodation and transportation is the sole responsibility of your guardians and parents.

    “Students shouldn’t take the privileges for granted. Our main focus is to provide accommodation for final year and fresh students only. However, with time, we saw that there was an increase of students. At present, we have more than 40,000 students in OAU here.

    “We only collect money from Federal Government and do what the money is requested for. We cannot go beyond our bound. We have due process.

    “Students shouldn’t abuse this privilege. Some students don’t have light at home but they dare not protest. The university management spends N60 million on electricity alone, not to talk of the maintenance and all. We can’t rely on the Federal Government alone, because they can only do little”

    Speaking on the security of students in town, Olanrewaju noted that the institution is working in concert with security agencies in town. Nonetheless, management would not reveal the strategy because it is a security matter.

    Speaking on the reinstatement of the Students Union, which was proscribed three years ago, Olanrewaju said management is working to ensure its revival, adding that after all has been perfected, management would roll out modalities.

  • Residents : amenities inadequate in Lekki

    The Lekki Estate Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA) has urged the Federal and Lagos State governments to address the lack of adequate social amenities in the area.

    It lamented the infrastructural challenges facing the residents.

    LERSA is an umbrella body of over 77 gated and ungated estates, businesses and dwellers in the area now referred to as Lekki, from 1004 Flats to Lekki Free Trade Zone, Epe and  environs.

    It also includes Dangote Refinery (under construction) and the new Lagos Airport.

    Speaking in Lekki, at the weekend, during a pre-inaugural dinner for Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo and Lagos State Governor-elect Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu,  LERSA President Olorogun James Emadoye called for a strategic plan to reduce the suffering of residents and others.

    The residents, he said, were sad over the deplorable condition of the infrastructure “despite the intolerable taxes and levies imposed on them’’.

    Emadoye added : “We believe to make Lagos a real mega city, there is urgent need to improve the transportation system. There is need to improve power supply, health care, security, traffic management, housing and so on. This is why we said considering the situation of Lagos, we appeal to the Federal Government to allow states like Lagos take major share of their Value Added Tax (VAT) collection, to help in the development of such states. We know if this happens, the master plan of Lagos, which has a yellow lane on this axis, will be developed because Lagos collects huge VAT.

    “Then of course, the Federal Government can intervene in Lagos through some of the special funds like the ecological fund and all that. Lagos is battling problems like flood. We believe the Federal Government can intervene.

    “The government cannot avoid providing alternative roads to Lekki. We’ve been told there is going to be a new airport, Dangote Refinery, deep seaport and so on in this area. There is no way you will make these things work without providing better roads, alternative transport system like the rail and waterways. Governor-elect Sanwo-Olu knows Lekki is vital to the development of Lagos. He promised us during a meeting before the elections that he would develop the area.

    “The toll gate is a big challenge to us. He has promised to look into the operation of the toll gate. We have paid for this toll gate for over 12 years and the road has not been developed more than 30 kilometres. We believe there will be need to extend and dualise the road up to Epe and make it eight lanes, since toll is being collected on it.”

     

  • Provide amenities for my people, Lagos monarch appeals to govt

    THE new traditional ruler of Ogombo in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, Baale Abiodun Ogunbo, has called on the Lagos State government to bring about development in his town through amenities that will be beneficial to people.

    Baale Ogunbo made the call in his palace shortly after his installation as the Baale of the town on Tuesday.

    “We want the Lagos State government to establish industries in Ogombo in order to solve the problem of unemployment which is causing suffering for our people. Our youths are roaming the streets. Definitely with the establishment of industries, unemployment will be a thing of the past.

    “We also need schools for the burgeoning population of our children. Most of our children go to neighbouring towns to attend schools. This is not ideal. More schools in our locality will lead to educational development. Education brings about development. We attach much importance to it. This is why I have been working personally in my own little way to develop our people educationally.

    “Roads open up a town. This is an important area we need the assistance of the government. We need more roads to open up Ogombo to people, especially investors, who are ready to invest heavily in the town. Road construction is capital intensive. It is only our government that is capable of handling this effectively. Therefore, I appeal to the Lagos State government to give us more roads.

    “Another area we need the help of the government is the field of health. We want the government to give us a general hospital that will take care of all medical cases. We travel a long distance to obtain health care. This is dangerous. Therefore, we make a special appeal to the state government to provide a general hospital for our people,” the Baale said.

    The royal father, who commended the leadership skills and styles of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said his community had at a time benefitted greatly from the wisdom of the great politician.

    He used the opportunity to congratulate Asiwaju Tinubu on the occasion of his birthday. The former Lagos State governor clocked 67 yesterday.

    He appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and Governor-elect Babajide Sanwo-Olu to give dividends of democracy to Ogombo people who are strong supporters of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC).

    The installation of Baale Ogunbo threw Ogombo into a festive mood. People openly expressed happiness at his choice as the traditional ruler of the ancient town.

    As the royal father moved around the town performing traditional rites, people sang and danced, praising him for his love for his town.

  • ‘Prioritise basic amenities’

    Residents of Kuje area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have urged the chairman-elect Abdulahi Galadima to prioritise provision of basic amenities as soon as he takes office.

    The residents urged the chairman-elect to provide potable water and primary healthcare as well as rehabilitate primary schools and bad roads in the area.

    One of the residents, Jonathan Ishiaku said, “Kuje is mostly characterised by bad roads, dirty surroundings and because of that, we are often faced with difficulties in going about our businesses.

    “We call on the incoming council administration to repair the Kuje township roads to encourage us to go about our day-to-day businesses with ease.

    “The administration should focus on Kuje-Gwagwalada road, Lanto-Shadadi road and complete the Kuje Main Market,”.

    Mr. Folu Ade, an electrician who resides at Sauka area in Kuje, called for regular evacuation of refuse dumps to avoid spread of diseases, while John Ziko called for prompt and regular payment of council workers’ salary.

    “Failure to do so will amount to repeating past mistakes as delay in payment of workers’ salary results in strike.

    “Delay in the payment of workers salary has never been this bad; we look forward to the incoming administration to correct such abnormally.

    “If the incoming administration failed to perform in the next three years, we will vote them out in the next election,” Jonathan said.

    Another resident, Mrs Raheal Galadima, urged the incoming council administration to empower young people in education to promote capacity building among youths.

    ’’My expectation is that the chairman-elect should empower young people from the community to go to school or even further their education, where necessary.

    “It will be the way forward to drive human capacity development at the grassroots,’’ said Galadima, a teacher at Kayarda Primary School, Kuje.

     

  • Community pleads for amenities

    Residents of Tokulo in Bwari Area Council have urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed to provide essential amenities for them.

    Some residents who spoke to our correspondent on the issue lamented that the community had been without electricity for long.

    A resident, Mamuud Idir said it was unfortunate that they could predict when light would be available in their community; an amenity most communities have been enjoying for years.

    “As I am talking to you now, I don’t know when we will be able to enjoy light.  There are no poles, no electricity cables and no transformers. For me, it would be a miracle if this community is provided with electricity. I wonder why we should continue to say that we are in the FCT when we do not have light,” he said.

    Mohammed Dogo who owns a shop at the area stated that “availability of electricity brings about economic development in any community, even as he added that lack of it has made the community to be stagnant.

    “Wherever there is electricity, there is development. I own a shop here but because of lack of electricity, there is no maximal improvement in my business. My drinks are hardly cold. Things I would have loved to preserve in the fridge are always spoilt.

    “We have a makeshift place where we go to charge our phones. The owner puts on his electricity generating set and collects N50 from us to charge our phones.  It is rather unfortunate. We hope that something will be done for our community this year.”

    Another resident, John Igo said the community lacks good roads that could link it to neighbouring communities, adding that lack of potable water is another serious issue members of the community are suffering from, as they depend on the local stream for their water supply.

    “I am calling on the area council to help us. I hope this year will be a good one for us and our forgotten town,” he said.

  • Senator seeks amenities for Kogi Central

    Senator seeks amenities for Kogi Central

    The Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, has appealed to the federal government to provide social amenities for the people of the Kogi Central District.

    He also called on President Goodluck Jonathan to show more commitment towards the completion of the Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASCO) and National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), Itakpe, Kogi State.

    The senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District said in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Michael Jegede, that the district is marginalised in the distribution of social infrastructure.

    Abatemi-Usman was reacting to the recent protest at the National Assembly by youths from Kogi State led by Alhaji Mohammed Bashir Sani-Omolori. The protesters requested the Federal Government to revatalise the two companies.

    He urged the President to fulfill his promise to revive the Ajaokuta Steel during his presidential campaign in Lokoja, the state capital.

    Abatemi-Usman added: “I call on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to honour his words. The President came to Lokoja in February 2011 and said that no nation seeking to industrialise her base can go anywhere without steel, and for that reason, he would ensure the completion and activation of the Ajaokuta Steel. I call on Mr. President tomatch his words with action. We will continue to remind the President of his words on that day in Lokoja”

    The lawmaker wondered why the President should allow the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is believed to be working with external bodies, to truncate government effort towards the actualisation of the project, which is capable of creating jobs for over two million Nigerians and generating revenue that can rival proceeds from the oil sector.

    “Ever since we took the oath of office, all I have done is to try to bring this issue to the attention of the powers that be. It is preposterous for any minister; I am talking about the Coordinating Minister of the Economy to seek or attempt to tell Nigerians that Ajaokuta Steel project should be scrapped”.

     

  • ‘Provide amenities in border towns’

    The Chairman, Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State,Alhaji Lafia Sabi, has urged the Federal Government to provide amenities in the nation’s border towns to make life comfortable for Nigerians.

    He made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Kosubosu.

    Sabi noted that most border communities in the country lacked amenities such as roads, potable water, electricity and other necessities of life.

    The situation, he said, prompted many Nigerians to cross to neighbouring countries to receive medical treatment or education for their children.

    The chairman expressed regret that Chikanda, which is a border town to the Republic of Benin in Kwara, could not boast of electricity, good roads and potable water.

    He said this was responsible for the residents of the area crossing to the Republic of Benin for their basic needs.

    “If our border towns are provided with amenities by both the federal and state governments, more development will be attained in all parts of the country,” the chairman said.

    Sabi called on local government chairmen in the country to complement the effort of both the federal and states government in developing the grassroots.