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Tag: Babatunde Fashola

  • Lagos police to get squad cars

    Lagos police to get squad cars

    •Fashola opens ICT centre

    Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) spoke yesterday of his administration’s plans to provide squad cars for police formations in Lagos State.

    Commissioning the ICT Resource Centre at Area H Police Command in Ogudu, Fashola said the squad cars, currently being designed in Japan would be fitted with modern gadgets.

    When deployed, he said, they would assist the police to combat to crime more efficiently.

    The governor said: “We are at the point where we are planning squad cars for each police station so that police officers can go in pairs with on-board computers and re-inforced shock absorbers. The cars are already being built in Japan.

    “So apart from the Hilux vans that we have  provided at the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), police officers will have dedicated squad cars in which they can go out in pairs and teams, the way it is done in advanced countries”.

    The governor explained that the ICT centre would help the police improve their data management system especially with the keeping of vehicle exhibits.

    With the new ICT, the culture of littering police stations with vehicle exhibits during investigation would no longer be necessary, he said, adding: “What we have now is that many of our police stations are littered with vehicles especially those that have to do with traffic offence.

    “So what does that system do? It diminishes the value of the vehicle to the owner .By the time the case is finished, the vehicle would have severely diminished in value and we say we can eliminate this problem.

    “When there is an accident, all that is needed is the vehicles to be brought to the station. Take all of the photographs from all angles and release the vehicles to the owner on bond.

    “And the owner is given the obligation of producing the vehicle anytime it is needed in court so all of the records will be stored on the server and the system that we have provided today”.

    Fashola urged the police to take ownership of the centre and use it to enhance their crime fighting capacity.

    He pledged the government’s commitment to the protection of lives and property and continued support to the police to make the state safer.

    Earlier, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti, thanked Fashola for his support.

    The support, he said, had not only enhanced the police operational capacity but also helped in securing lives and properties.

    “We thank you for your consistent support; all of your interventions had helped make our jobs easier. The ICT centre is a first in the country and we assure you that it would be put to use to help achieve our dream of a crime free Lagos”, he said.

  • Don’t link your failure to my generation, Fashola tells Jonathan

    Don’t link your failure to my generation, Fashola tells Jonathan

    •NURTW drums support for Ambode

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to take responsibility for the failure of his administration, rather than link such with his generation.

    Fashola made the remark at a Town Hall meeting attended by members of various associations under the aegis of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    At the meeting in the Blue Roof Hall, Lagos Television, Agidingbi, Ikeja, the union members drummed support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

    The President, in his speech at the launch of his campaign in Lagos last week, said his generation had failed.

    But Fashola said he belonged to the same generation that Jonathan was referring to, albeit unlike the President, his administration did not fail but performed creditably well.

    “He is in his 50s, I am also in my 50s but I don’t even want to join that generation because my own generation has not failed, I have done well on my job and I am proud to say so. If he has failed, let him account for himself, he should not join us.”

    He said the issues that would form the basis of debate for the elections would be how well the citizens  have fared under the present administration.

    The governor said he was pained about the situation in the Northeast where citizens have become “refugees” in their country, due to the inability of the government to tame insurgency.

    Citing an example of the  Paris terrorist attack, where 12 persons were killed, he said: “By midnight, they had deployed 80,000 troops, locked down Paris, they entered the forest. Our President could not lead our trained and competent military, give them direction to enter Sambisa forest. And in 24 hours, they had killed three of the terrorists and declared one wanted and they had identified all of them.

    “Instead of telling you how he plans to secure the nation, our president was telling you they tried to kill him four years ago and we did not know.

    “That is a serious national security issue because nobody wants our commander in chief dead. If anybody tries to kill him, we should have known. And if I was commander in chief, and the person who tries to kill me is in a South African jail, I will ask that he should be repatriated to Nigeria to come and face punishment.”

    Fashola accused Jonathan of looking for sympathy votes ahead of the presidential election.

    “In 2011, it was no shoes, now he is saying they tried to kill him, it won’t work this time. This time it is the job record, the promise that you must look at.”

    Earlier, heads of the various transport associations took turns to endorse Ambode who was present with his running mate, Mrs. Idiat Adebule.

    NURTW Chairman Tajudeen Agbede assured that the unions will work for the success of the APC candidate to ensure continuity in government.

    Ambode assured the transport workers of his commitment to continue the strides of Governor Fashola, if voted into office.

    He assured them of greater recognition in government if voted in, adding that his government will build on already existing structure established by his predecessor and also establish new ones to improve the standard of living of the people.

    “We assure you that we’ll take you to the next level that will touch your life, and we promise to give you greater recognition in government if voted in.”

    He said emphasis will be placed on technical and vocational programmes considering that the sector is being occupied by foreigners.

    “We are looking for qualified bricklayers, mechanics and technicians, because in these areas foreigners have taken over our jobs, but we will make it possible for artisans to have dignity in their labour.”

  • Fashola promises to help Balogun Market traders

    Fashola promises to help Balogun Market traders

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola promised yesterday to help traders whose shops were razed by fire at Balogun Market on Monday.

    Fashola said the government would work with the market’s officials to verify losses, adding that relief would be provided to victims after the exercise.

    Describing the incident as pathetic, he said the government would reconstruct destroyed buildings and structures.

    The governor said: “I sympathise with you on this incident, especially you women trying to earn a living and keep body and soul together. This is indeed a very pathetic incident. Be assured that our government will stand with you at this difficult period and we will help you get back on your business; that is the reason I have come with the Commissioner for Special Duties.

    “I am working with the Iya Oloja and other market women to authenticate and verify all legitimate losses to the incident and this will apply to all affected in all the plazas. Once everyone has been identified, we will do our best to put you back to business and that will include replacing as many destroyed properties and buildings as possible.”

    He said the incident was a compelling reminder of the need for traders to insure their businesses against losses.

    Fashola said, apart from compensating for losses, insurance would also help to reduce business risks.

    He urged Lagosians to be on their guard, saying: “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to all Lagosians that this is the dry season. We have two seasons in our state, the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season, where we have the risk of flooding, we have successfully contained that. We are now in the dry season, where we have the risk of fire.

    “We must be interested in our own safety and security. I appeal to you to stop storing inflammable materials in your homes and business places. Residents should cultivate the habit of turning off their electrical appliances not in use. It is the harmattan period and the harmattan wind makes fires easy to start and difficult to contain. As at yesterday, we were dealing with 18 fire incidents. That should tell anyone that a lot more precautions are needed this season.”

    Hailing the fire service for responding adequately to the incident, he said the fire engines acquired by the last November greatly helped to contain the fire.

    Briefing Fashola, Director of the Fire Service Mr Rasaq Fadipe said the cause of the fire had not been ascertained, but an electrical fault around the market was suspected.

    Fadipe said it was a challenge putting the fire under control as there were too many illegal structures around the market which limited access of equipment and men to the scene.

    “We are happy that at last, the fire was brought under control. What we have now is smoke billowing from the destroyed market and that poses little threat. We are still here, we will ensure that the smoke is gone before we vacate here,” he said.

  • ‘Nigerians are tired of PDP govt’

    ‘Nigerians are tired of PDP govt’

    Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC)  chieftain Ajibola Banire spoke with TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO on the governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, and why he may surpass the achievements of Governor Babatunde Fashola, if elected in next year’s poll. 

    What lessoon should  the APC learn from its  presidential and governorship primaries?

    First, I think I need to thank the leadership of the party for their diligence and hardwork, and for conducting one of the freest, fairest and the most credible primaries ever conducted in the history of modern Nigeria. All aspirants were given a level playing field to take their cases to the delegates. It is apparent that the best candidate won, through the outcome of the primaries as demonstrated by the delegates.

    There are rumours that some governorship aspirants in Lagos State have gone to court to challenge the validity of Ambode’s emergence as the governorship candidate for Lagos State.

    I do not believe that to start with. All the aspirants that contested in the primary are honourable men and woman that do not believe in the politics of anything goes. They are individuals with outstanding pedigree that believed in party supremacy and would not do anything to tarnish the party’s image. I can authoritatively tell you that nobody is challenging Ambode’s victory at the primary election.

    He (Ambode) deserves the victory because he ran the best issue-driven campaign among the lot. He took his case to the ordinary Joe on the street of the 20 Local Governments and the 37 Local council development Areas across Lagos State.

    Do you see Akinwunmi Ambode matching Governor Babatunde Fashola’s feat in Lagos State?

    Going by the track records of Akinwunmi Ambode as a thorough bred technocrat, who got to the pinnacle of his profession through hardwork, I have no doubt in my mind that he will surpass the achievements of Governor Fashola in the state. He was a key figure during the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu so also Governor Fashola, especially on improved revenue generation profile of the state. Lagosians should have trust in Ambode. He will increase our road networks by constructing new roads, build new schools while modernising existing ones, improve the healthcare delivery services, empower the people, create conducive environment for businesses to strive , clean the environment, and attract foreign investments to the state and much more.

     What is APC’s chance of winning the Presidential election?

    Our chances have never been brighter because Nigerians no longer trust the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led federal government to execute its primary responsibility, which is the protection of the lives and properties of its citizens and to promote their common welfare. They have failed to create an accountable and transparent government that is free from corruption. This is a government that believes in harnessing the fear and hatred of others to advance their ambitions and agenda. They use stale tactics to scare the voters because they do not have any fresh ideas. They painted General Muhammed Buhari as an individual that should not be trusted by the people but his track record of success, diligence, forthrightness speak volume.

    Nigerians are frustrated with all these tactics and the continued tolerance of corruption at high levels and are yearning for real change. A change that is genuine; free from religious, ethnic, tribal and political bigotry. APC is determined to bring a change the will unite Nigerians through the candidates we have presented both at the Federal and state levels. A change that does not divide religion from religions; communities from communities; and neighbours from neighbours. PDP has presented more of the same people with worn-out ideas and politics of the past but we have presented two fine gentlemen (General Muhammadu Buhari and Prof Yemi Osinbajo).

  • Ijanikin APC leader sends SOS to Fashola

    Ijanikin APC leader sends SOS to Fashola

    A community leader in Ijanikin, Lagos State, Alhaji Adio Igboro, has appealed to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration  led by Governor Babatunde Fashola not forget the community in its sharing of the dividends of democracy.

    Speaking at an event to mark the end of the year in the community, Igboro lamented the imposition of candidates, the  neglect of the community by the  government and the misbehaviour of elected officials.

    He said: “I have been a political leader from the days of M.K.O. Abiola, when I was the leader of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) here. We have never had politics like this at all. We have had to make a protest vote against the APC at the councillorship elections, when we voted for the PDP because of the way the ruling party is marginalizing us. “

    Igboro said he is one of those who fought for the creation of the Oto-Ijanikin Local Council Development Area. “But, today, our rival community Oto, which is now known as Oto-Awori Local Council Development Area, has benefitted more than Ijanikin.

    He added that Ijanikin is bigger than Oto, but the latter has been given more recognition.

  • Why Jonathan must not be re-elected – Fashola

    Why Jonathan must not be re-elected – Fashola

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, scored the President Goodluck Jonathan administration very low and urged Nigerians to vote it out in the next general elections.

    Fashola stated that change of leadership is expedient at the national level because Nigeria is too important both globally and continentally to be left in the hands of those who “play politics with the lives of her citizens.”

    Addressing members of the Yoruba Tennis Club and their Island Club counterparts at their respective Club Houses in Onikan, Lagos on Wednesday, Governor Fashola said the national government, formed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has failed to provide its most important responsibility, which according to him, is the security of life and property of citizens and protection of the territorial integrity of the nation.

    The Governor, who noted that Nigerians handed over a whole country to the ruling party in 2011, expressed regrets that the same party is now returning to Nigerians to ask for another leadership mandate with only part of the country, having lost some parts to insurgents.

    “They are returning now to ask for our votes with only a part of the country that we gave them because some parts of the country have been lost to people we didn’t elect. So, in that most important responsibility, they have dropped the ball.”

    Governor Fashola, who expressed dismay that the PDP has politicized everything, noted that nothing is too much for the party to sloganize about.

    He accused the federal government of playing politics with the very sensitive issue of the more than 200 abducted secondary school girls in Chibok in Borno State.

    The Governor also said that the PDP-controlled Federal Government has also orchestrated about how it made the country “the biggest economy in Africa”, wondering why smaller economies could provide electricity for their people while the self acclaimed “biggest economy” could keep her people in darkness.

    “Please ask them why smaller economies could get petrol easily for their people and why we have to queue for hours and days to get petrol in a biggest economy in Africa,” the Governor said.

    He also wondered why the so-called biggest economy in Africa is trying to buy arms from a smaller economy to secure the country.

    He pointed out that the nation’s currency, the Naira, is now trading for N180 per Dollar while the South African Rand is trading at R11 to one United States Dollar.

    According to Fashola, what matters is the quality of the life and prosperity of the citizens and not the size or number being bandied by the PDP-led government.

    Governor Fashola tasked the people to figure out the last time the President went to present the Annual Budget in the National Assembly, an obligation which, according to him, is a constitutional one.

    The Governor also said that the Federal Government also played politics with the Ebola Virus Disease containment as it almost turned the very grave situation into a political trophy.

    Conversely, Governor Fashola said, the All Progressives Congress controlled Lagos State Government has done well at many fronts including the Education, Security, Power and the financial sector in spite of the very precarious economic and security situation in the country.

  • Thank you Gov. Fashola but…

    Thank you Gov. Fashola but…

    SIR: I like to express my gratitude to Gov. Babatunde Fashola’s administrations in Lagos State for constructing the two kilometers Amikanle Road starting from Bunker petrol station through Aiyetobi area. I am commending the governor because this is the first time in 15 years of democracy that the Lagos government is giving consideration to our rural community.

    I am however piqued that the road constructed leads to nowhere and appears not to be useful to the six communities making up Amikanle. We, the residents of the area thought the road would have passed through Yetkem Road and terminate at White House. That is the road motorist and commuters ply while going and coming from their place of work. The construction road, as it is, ends at a gully going to command Secondary School. The anomaly in the road provides justification for participation paradigm in development study.

    The participation paradigm is based on the assumption that the common people are intelligent and can be active agents of change. Development efforts should then be based on people’s capacity to articipate and contribute actively in the task of transforming their society. It emphasizes that development should evolve from the people as opposed to trickle down belief in which ideas aboult development emanates from government circle and the pass down the ladder to the rural people. If this approach has been exploited by Lagos State Government before the construction, the government would have benn told of what to do. The most worrisome Is that even the less that one quarter kilometer road that passes through Baale Amikanle’s palace to link Alaso community was not captured in the project. Whereas the people of Alaso had submitted application to that effect to the infrastructural unit of the state Ministry of Works in 2006. Whole the road project is a sign of government presence, it is however, a mark of government non-recognition or lack for the people it governs. And this is why the road is already peeling off three months after completion

     

    • Dayo Willaims

    Alaso Community, Amikanle, Alagbado, Lagos .

  • Fashola, teacher in emotional reunion 38 years after

    Fashola, teacher in emotional reunion 38 years after

    It was a reunion, which drew nostalgic feelings when Lagos State Governor  Babatunde Fashola (SAN), yesterday met his former Bible Knowledge teacher at Birch Freeman High School, Surulere, Lagos, Mrs. Felicia Iyabode Adefunke Akinola, at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.

    Mrs. Akinola, who joined the school’s teaching staff in 1973 and went on transfer in 1989, taught Bible Knowledge in junior and senior classes and English language and English literature in junior classes.

    It was indeed a fulfilling moment of joy, emotions and pride, which engendered nostalgic reflections on the past, as the obviously elated governor and his former teacher recalled their days as teacher and pupil at the school under Mr. T.A. Ojo as the head- teacher.

     

  • Mutual Benefit boosts housing with Mutual Alpha Courts

    Mutual Benefit boosts housing with Mutual Alpha Courts

    To complement government initiative on the provision of affordable housing for Nigerians, Mutual Benefit Group is offering 18 blocks of 54 units and two blocks of two units of a residential estate, Mutual Alpha Courts located within the Costain area of Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State on a mortgage plan.

    Its Group Managing Director,  Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi who spoke during the inauguration of the scheme in Lagos said the housing needs of Nigerians have been put at 17 million and recent efforts by government at all levels and the private sector fall very short of what is required.

    He said the firm’s foray into housing development was to complement governments’ initiatives at providing affordable homes to Nigerians.

    He commended Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola’s effort for providing 300 houses to date.

    He said the governor had also noted the fact that prohibitive costs would not allow the government to provide the expected cheap houses.

    He said: “President Goodluck Jonathan’s effort has also been  commendable. Few weeks ago, the Federal Government launched the first 60,000 mortgages to signpost the commencement of the Presidential Initiative for the delivery of the houses under the Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company (NMRC).

    “According to the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the initiative was designed to address limitation by banks to deliver mortgage services. At the last National Insurance Summit organised by the CME, the insurance industry was charged with the responsibility of supporting government’s initiative on the provision of affordable housing for Nigerians.”

    Ogunbiyi said the provision of houses by Mutual Group through mortgage services is a clear response to the CME charge to the industry.

    He said three years ago, Mutual Benefit commenced the construction work on Mutual Alpha Courts, located within the Costain Lagos State.

    He said: “The estate is made up of four bedroom apartments on the two floors with an additional two-bedroom apartment on the ground floor as service quarters or income generator if leased to a tenant and has easy access to main arterial axis roads to the Island and the state capital, Ikeja, via Funsho Williams Avenue/Eko Bridge and Third Mainland Bridge.

    “It is worthy of note that while prelimimary activities were in progress, Lagos State witnessed the most devastating flood to date in its history in the month of August 2011. Our company quickly went back to the drawing board, drainages were raised by as much as 600mm in some parts, and all foundations were raised to ensure that if such rainfall, with its attendant flooding ever occurred again, the estate will be safe and today, the estate is sitting pretty on what used to be a very deep swamp.

    “What differentiates the Mutual Benefits brand is that we use insurance to bring enduring value to the relationship with our customers. “Our needs-based selling model makes it compelling for us to provide beneficially unique risk management solutions.” he said.

  • Oil price slump will not ground Lagos economy — Fashola

    Oil price slump will not ground Lagos economy — Fashola

    Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has on Tuesday disclosed that the continuous fall in crude oil price at the international market will not ground the Lagos State economy.

    Fashola said this at the formal presentation of the state`s 2012-2025 Development Plan in Ikeja.

    According to him, the Lagos economy was not built to rely on earnings from any extractive resource.

    “The uncertainties in the oil market cannot have serious effects on the state`s economy.

    “The state`s economy thrives on its diversity, its rich human resources, strong immigrant capital and government`s sound fiscal policies.

    “Whatever happens to oil, the state will survive. This is because the state`s economy is not built on extractive resources, but on very strong foundations that had ensured continuous development,” he said.

    Fashola said that the drafting of the new economic plan for the state was to promote the state`s development and make it an African model megacity by 2025.

    He said though, some of the components of the plan were already being implemented by the state government and assured that the complete implementation would transform the state massively.

    The governor listed the 70 million Adiyan Water Works, the Island Power Plant and the Alausa Plant, as some of the components of the plan that had been implemented by his administration.

    Governor Fashola enjoined residents to take responsibility of the plan and work with the state government to ensure its successful implementation.

    Earlier, Mr. Ben Akabueze, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, said that the development plan was borne out of the need to harness the various documents articulating the vision.

    He said that the plan provided the framework to guide private and public investments in government programmes.

    “The purpose of the Development Plan is to provide overall direction for the growth and development of the state.

    “It will provide a framework by which all sectors of the economy can direct their energies and contribute to the improvement of the quality of lives of people in the state.

    In his remark, Mrs. Jariya Hoffman, the Country Director of the World Bank, commended the state government for coming up with the plan, saying that it would further promote development.

    She said that the success of the plan would largely depend on its implementation, urging the state to muster the necessary courage to implement the document.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the policy targets contained in the document by 2025 included decent housing for all residents and increasing to 40 per cent the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the state’s GDP.

    Others are a 40 per cent reduction in traffic offences and an employment rate of more than 90 per cent.