The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Babatunde Fashola

  • Lagos spends N500 million on teachers training

    Lagos spends N500 million on teachers training

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola said yesterday that his administration spent over N500 million on the training of teachers in public schools.

    He said the training was aimed at improving the standard of education.

    The governor spoke at the Lagos City Hall at a breakfast meeting and Corporate Social Responsibility awards organised by the Support Our School Initiative of the Ministry of Education.

    He urged individuals and corporate organisations to support his administration’s effort to improve education, adding that 33,000 teachers need to be retrained in Information Communication Technology (ICT).

    Fashola said: “At the primary school level, about 12,000 teachers need to be trained, while 21,000 secondary school teachers also need training. If you look at our annual training budget between 2010 and 2013, we have spent about N500 million on teachers’ training.”

    He urged teachers who have acquired additional knowledge to approach the government, adding that his administration would employ them and give them commensurate remuneration.

    Fashola said: “With the support of the people and corporate organisations, the milestone that has been achieved can be built upon. I want you to join me in facing the challenge we are facing in the sector.

    “We have alluded to the declining standard of education today, compared to the past. The question I ask myself is: Is it true that there were public schools in the past? I find it difficult to say there were public schools in the past because most of the schools I remember in the past were mission and private schools.

    “The truth is that at that time of prosperity and educational success, the schools were not run by the government. They were run by the missions and private sector. What the government did was to regulate, set standards, set calendars, set the rules and the examinations.

    “Now, the government has realised that it is not a one-man show. That is why Christians and Muslims have some of their schools back, but the challenge endures. We urge the private sector to work with us to do what it did before.

    “That is the brain behind the ‘Adopt-a-School Initiative’, but unlike before when there were predominately Christian and Muslim missions, corporate organisations and individuals can now intervene.”

    Commissioner for Education Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye thanked the awardees and those who have bought into the Adopt-a-School Initiative, saying their contribution to the development of education was remarkable.

    The awardees included Group Managing Director Rose of Sharon and Executive Vice-Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited Mrs. Folorunso Alakija; Chief Kessington Adebutu; Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB); First Bank, Mr. Femi Okunnu (SAN) and Elegant Twins.

     

     

  • Light up in public and pay N10,000 or go to jail for three months

    Light up in public and pay N10,000 or go to jail for three months

    A law, which prescribes a maximum three-month jail term for anyone caught smoking in a public place, has gone into effect in Lagos – Nigeria’s commercial and business honeypot.

    Governor Babatunde Fashola signed the bill passed by the House of Assembly into law yesterday.

    The penalties for first offenders include N10,000 fine and one to three months imprisonment.

    Repeat offenders may be fined up to N50,000 or get up to six months imprisonment.

    Fashola signed another bill establishing the Emergency Command and Control Centre, which designated 112 and 767 as emergency lines. The law prescribes a three-year imprisonment or a fine of N500,000 for those who misuse the lines.

    Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Ade Ipaye said: “The Lagos State Government, in assenting to the bills, take cognisance of the dangers posed by public smoking to members of the public who are not smokers.”

    He added: “The law prohibits smoking in all of those areas that have been designated as non-smoking areas, including museums, public toilets, libraries, nurseries, day care centres and any facility used for the care of infants.

    “Public telephone kiosks, public transportation vehicles, private vehicles where there are more than one person, school buses, restaurants and cinemas, theatres, amusement parks or any other place used by members of the public, conference centres and exhibition halls. Factories and other premises in which more than one person works and areas used as places of work, including the secretariat, are all defined in the law as public places.

    Ipaye said the law allows the owner of certain public facilities, such as restaurants, to designate smoking areas which must not be more than 10% of the entire size of the place. They are to ensure that the smoking area is properly ventilated.

    “Owners of premises as such are also required to fix smoke detectors and ensure that those who go out to smoke leave a buffer of about 10meters to the facility. The owners also have the duty to stop smokers from infringing on the rights of the non-smokers because the owners could be criminally liable for not stopping smoking in his facility. Law enforcement officers, by this bill, could enter and inspect the premises.”

    Smokers who smoke before a minor or anyone below the age of 18 years risks a fine of N15,000 or six months imprisonment.

    The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) will enforce the law.

    Fashola expressed optimism that the laws would further strengthen the state’s commitment to protecting lives and property of the citizens.

    He said: “These laws only serve to strengthen our hands towards a more efficient discharge of our responsibilities to protect human lives and properties. The bill that prohibits smoking in public places addresses serious public health issues. Before the bills were presented, I read a lot of comments about the possibility of enforcing the laws. But our commitment to public health and public safety is stronger.”

    On the law establishing the Lagos State Emergency Command and Control Centre, Ipaye said the legislation was geared towards regulating the making of calls to the emergency centres and limiting hoax calls.

    “No one except for the purpose of informing the centres any event properly defined as emergency is allowed to call the emergency telephone numbers. Misuse of the lines constitutes offence under this law and offenders are liable to conviction and penalty,” Ipaye said.

     

  • Lagos Health Service Commission gets perm sec

    Lagos Health Service Commission gets perm sec

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has sworn in Dr. Ahmed Balogun as the Permanent Secretary in the state’s Health Service Commission.

    Until his appointment, Balogun was the Medical Director of the General Hospital in Marina.

    He replaced Mrs. Rafiat Funmilayo Olatunji, who retired on January 23.

    Speaking at the Executive Council Chambers yesterday during the ceremony, Fashola said: “What we hope to achieve by his appointment is to deepen our commitment to healthcare, and with somebody who has developed the reputation to care in that facility, it will be easier to spread that kind of culture in our healthcare system. It will be a defining moment for me when those we look after start to say without hesitation that they are receiving the best care.

    “Dr. Balogun was appointed on merit. People told me acted beyond the call of duty at the General Hospital and I listened to his citation on health when he was presented to us. His merit has pushed him to leadership.”

    Balogun, who was accompanied to the ceremony by his wife, Bolanle, and daughter, Tomi, pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him.

    Highlight of the occasion was the administration of the Oaths of Office and of Secrecy by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) at the Ministry of Justice and the ratification of the documents by the governor.

    At the ceremony were the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Chief of Staff Lanre Babalola; Secretary to the State Government Mrs. Oluranti Adebule; Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Ade Ipaye and his Information and Strategy counterpart, Lateef Ibirogba; among others.

     

     

     

  • Missing $10b oil cash: Fashola urges minister, others to speak up

    Missing $10b oil cash: Fashola urges minister, others to speak up

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has called on the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the management of stste-run oil firm, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and those connected with the missing $10 billion oil money to speak out in the interest of the nation.

    Fashola, who spoke at the Lagos House, Ikeja yesterday said continued silence of the stakeholders on the issue constituted an injustice against the ordinary Nigerians who have had to contribute from their meagre earnings to fund projects and programmes that are constitutionally the responsibility of government.

    The governor identified the provision of security as an item which naturally falls within the ambit of the responsibility of government but which individuals and private organisations are now contributing to provide in order to secure themselves and their environment while the Federal Government could not account the nation’s commonwealth. He said the missing money could go a long way to fund the Police and strengthen security in the country.

    Thanking organisations and individuals who have been contributing to the State’s Security Trust Fund, Governor Fashola said: “The tragedy of our nation is that while we are debating whether we have accounted for $20 billion or $10 billion, ordinary citizens are contributing money to fund the responsibility of government.

    “It hurts me but this is where we are because you can only wonder and imagine what $10 billion can do for the Police; what $10 billion can do in terms of vehicles, in terms of the kind of truck donated, in terms of equipment. But I hope that things get better.”

    The governor urged those concerned in the missing money saga to speak out, adding that the matter could only be resolved when it is brought out to public domain.

    “I have said the issue of accounting for that money must be resolved publicly in the interest of Nigerians. It is a debate that all of us must participate.

    “Peacefully, we will resolve it, whether it is $10 billion or $20 billion. We must know where that money ended up and everybody that has a duty, including the Minister herself, must speak up now,” he said.

  • Primates decry increasing violence

    Primates decry increasing violence

    Anglican primates representing the 12 provinces of Africa decried yesterday the increasing rate of violence on the continent.

    The clergymen, who expressed their displeasure when they visited Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola at Alausa, said violence depleted humanity.

    The primates, who were led by the Primate of the Nigeria Anglican Communion, Dr. Nicolas Okoh, said the council members were in Lagos with their wives to deliberate on important issues affecting the continent, especially the crisis at the Central African Republic, Egypt and Sudan.

    The Chairman of the council, Bishop Bernard Ntahoturi, from Burundi, said the church was concerned because of the need to create a peaceful environment for people to live.

    Said he: “We have to discuss not only on the matter of the church but also on the matters affecting the citizens in general.

    “The church stands for peace and our reaction to what is happening in the Central African Republic, Egypt and Sudan is to continue to preach the gospel of peace”.

    Governor Fashola hailed the council and the church for their contributions to the development of the state.

    He noted the church’s contributions to education and morality, saying human resources were the state’s greatest resource.

    Fashola said the priority placed on human dignity in the state had led to the provision of free education, training and retraining of teachers and huge investment in infrastructural development.

     

  • Lebanese give Lagos N80m, security truck

    Lebanese give Lagos N80m, security truck

    Members of the Lebanese Nigeria Initiatives yesterday presented an N80 million cheque and a troop carrier truck to Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola for the State Security Trust Fund.

    The Lebanese team was led by the Consul-General of Lebanon in Lagos, Mrs. Dima Haddad.

    Fashola urged residents to be vigilant, stressing that security is everyone’s responsibility.

    He said: “Lagos is safe, but that does not mean people should go to bed without locking their doors and checking their windows. It does not mean people should put their jewelries in front of their homes and go to bed.

    “So, in their enlightened self interest, the first security is self-protection and safety consciousness. Be careful where you go, when to go there, where to walk and whether to go alone. In some of the most popular cities of the world, there are some places I will not go alone. There are some places I will not go at night and many people must understand this.

    “I want to make two or more important appeals to you because I know you are industrialists, manufacturers, employers of labour, managers of public and entertainment places. While your donation will go a long way in helping us, the real security starts from you with your employees.

    “You must educate them on vigilance at the workplace, on the highway and in the home. They must be interested in their own security. It is not something somebody gives to them.”

    The governor said his administration was ready to send security experts to their organisations to educate their workers.

    He also offered to deploy the state’s Safety Commission to look at their safety compliance and make recommendations on how to improve on them.

     

     

     

     

    the quality of their workplaces adding that most industries and organizations are now recording zero accidents at workplaces.

     

    “These are the kind of standards and ideals we want to happen here because we place very important value on human life”, the Governor told them adding that it would also help their security if in all their offices, factories and worksites they install private CCTVs.

     

    “The price is coming down, it can help keep records and as we go on we can hook together into our own network. We can manage the main highways but we can’t be in every home, we can’t be in every factory, we can’t be in every business. Our job is such that we have to be right all the time. Criminals have to be right only once. We want to be in a position also where if they get it right once we are able to reverse it by bringing them to justice. That is where the cameras can help”, the Governor said.

     

    Thanking the visitors for their donation, Governor Fashola said the gesture has demonstrated their commitment to security in their host country pointing out that although they are Lebanese nationals most of them are Nigerians as well as they have Nigerian Citizenship.

     

    “This is how it has been really and one salutes your capacity for what I call dual commitment because you have shown as much commitment and as much love for this land as if it were your first home. This is your home; many of you have committed life savings and life assets here and this was how it was in the generation before mine”, the Governor said adding, “It is a long history that I hope will continue to mature and blossom like an oak tree”.

     

    Speaking earlier, the Consul-General of Lebanon and leader of the delegation, Mrs. Dima Haddad, said the donation of N80 million was in redemption of the pledge made to the Government by the Lebanese Nigeria Initiatives at the last Annual Town Hall Meeting of the State’s Security Trust Fund.

     

    The Consul-General expressed her appreciation and the appreciation of her countrymen to Nigeria and Lagos for opening their arms to the Lebanese community adding that her people would continue to demonstrate such appreciation in all spheres of human endeavour including contributing to the efforts of the Government to make Lagos a secure place.

     

    Also present at the occasion were Deputy Governor, Hon. (Mrs.) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Chief of Staff, Mr. Lanre Babalola, Secretary to the State Government, Dr, (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba and his Agriculture and Cooperatives and Science and Technology counterparts, respectively, Prince Gbolahan Lawal and Mr. Adebiyi Mabadeje among other members of the State Executive Council while on the side of the Consul-General of Lebanon were Chairman of Chagoury Group, Mr. Ronald Chagoury, Mr. Faysal El-Khalil of Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc., Mr. Hasib Moukarim of Nigeria Gas & Steel Ltd. and Dr. Massaad Boulos of SCOA Nig. Plc., among other company executives and top officials.

     

     

  • Lagos warns perpetrators of gang wars

    Lagos warns perpetrators of gang wars

    The Lagos State Security Council under the chairmanship of Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has warned that all those involved in gang wars should desist henceforth or face full wrath of the law.

    Addressing State House correspondents after a meeting took at the Lagos House, Marina the Police Commissioner, Mr Umaru Manko, said security agencies would henceforth go after the perpetrators to stop to the act.

    He said the security agencies would not only go after the boys involved in the gang wars but also their sponsors, especially those in areas like Mushin, Bariga, Shomolu and other communities.

    “From today, they should have a rethink because if they don’t, they would face the consequences,” he stressed.

    Present at the briefing were the State Director, State Security Service (SSS), Achu Ben Olayi; Commander, NNS Beecroft, Apapa, Navy Commodore Chris Ezekobe; Commander, 9 Brigade Ikeja, Brigadier Ohifeme Ejemai; representative of Commander, 435 Base Services Group, Air Commodore Najeem Sanusi and Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Major Tunde Panox(rtd).

     

  • Fashola mourns Newswatch man Obadina

    Fashola mourns Newswatch man Obadina

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has commiserated with the management and staff of Newswatch on death of the paper’s Deputy Editor, Saturday, Mr. Toyin Obadina.

    Obadina was killed at the weekend by some gunmen.

    In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Hakeem Bello, Fashola expressed shock at Obadina’s “sudden death.”

    He described the deceased as an articulate and brilliant journalist, who has contributed to the development of journalism in the country.

    The governor said the late Obadina was cut down in his prime when his “budding professionalism” was about to blossom.

    He said Newswatch had lost one of its “top flight editorial team members” and urged the management and staff to take consolation in the fact that the deceased left a legacy of diligence in the workplace.

    Fashola said the best way to immortalise the late Obadina was to uphold that legacy.

    The late Obadina was shot by suspected robbers on Saturday night on the Itoikin/Old Ijebu-Ode road while driving to his Parafa home in Ikorodu.

    He was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where he died on Sunday morning.

     

  • Fashola inaugurates Lagos Home Mortgage Scheme

    Fashola inaugurates Lagos Home Mortgage Scheme

    •Sales begin on March 4

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola inaugurated yesterday the Lagos Housing Ownership Mortgage Scheme (Lagos HOMS) aimed at enabling residents to buy houses and addressing the one million housing deficit in the state.

    The ceremony was held at the Banquet Hall of the Lagos House, Ikeja. Fashola said housing units under the scheme would be sold to first time buyers, who do not own any building in the state.

    He said intending buyers must present proof of tax payment in the last five years and proof of registration as Lagos residents, adding that the houses cannot be let out to a third party until payment is completed.

    Fashola said 1,140 units had been completed and would be allocated from March 4. Applicants are to fill the application form online at www.lagoshoms.gov.ng.

    The governor inaugurated a five-man Lagos State Mortgage Board saddled with the responsibility of allocating the homes.

    The Chairman is the Commissioner for Finance, Ayo Gbeleyi. Mr. Akinola Kodjo Segoe is the secretary. Members are Commissioner for Housing Bosun Jeje, Mrs. Bola Fashola and Mr. Bayo Forsythe.

    Fashola said, at least, 200 homes would be allocated monthly through a public draw.

    He said successful applicants at the draws will be required to pay an initial deposit of 30 per cent of the cost of the home and spread the remaining over 10 years.

    Fashola said the mortgage will attract 9.5 per cent interest rate annually, adding that no other payment plan in the country is superior to what the state is offering.

    He said prompt payment of monthly mortgages would be enforced, noting that payment default and thedifficulty of re-possessing houses from defaulters was a challenge to private sector investment in the property sector.

    Fashola said with the Lagos HOMS, his administration adopted the mass housing scheme initiated by former Governor Lateef Jakande, adding that the government did not borrow money to finance the scheme.

    He said: “The Lagos HOMS is financed with people’s taxes. We have been saving N200 million from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to embark on the project. We are now saving N500 million and may increase our savings to enable us build more homes for the people.

    “As we inaugurate this scheme today, there are 1,104 completed homes and another 3,156 are at various stages of construction. We intend to build more. The easiest thing to do would be to sell the houses today, collect the cash and wait for the next batch and do the same; but that is not our way. That is the simplistic way, which does not solve the problem of housing.”

    The governor said the sustainability of the scheme depends on the government’s ability to build more houses at break-even costs without profit.

    The costs of the units vary with location and size. One, two and three-bedroom flats are going for between N4 million and N32 million.

     

  • Fashola flags off issuance of electronic C of O

    Fashola flags off issuance of electronic C of O

    Lagos state governor Babatunde Fashola at the weekend performed the symbolic flag-off of the issuance of the new Electronic Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).

    He, however, said the old document remains valid until government is ready to make the total changeover.

    Speaking at the brief ceremony to hand over the new document to some randomly selected beneficiaries, Fashola expressed joy that the milestone has been achieved through a lot of hard work and sacrifice.

    He said government is doing everything possible to certify land titles to ensure safety of investments that people put their life savings to acquire.

    According to him: “I am happy that we are here but there is a lot of work ahead. For those who already hold this document (the yellow C of O), you have no cause to worry.

    “We believe that a substantial number of this document comes from us; but we don’t eliminate the possibility that there may have been some undesirable conduct along the line.

    “So we will invite you in a more organised process to turn in the yellow documents in order to have the e-certificate. It is not something we advise that you go into a stampede about.

    “We are going to be orderly about it but we expect that you will take the opportunity so that we can gradually clean up”.

    Reviewing the journey to the production of the e-C of O, the governor recalled that it started when the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu digitalised the entire land registry, taking away files from public view and scanning millions of documents in the Lands Bureau.

    On the security of the new document and its advantage over the old one, the governor explained: “This document that we now have is a more secure document with security printed papers. There are all sorts of features that if you tamper with them you will actually destroy them.

    “They are capable of self-destruction and only a few people have access to this paper. I don’t have access to it and I don’t need to see it in order to sign.

    “There is also a lot of information on this paper that the naked eye cannot see; so the backward reader is able to see all of the transactions and steps and then for registry of titles to be much more able to verify and advise people who want to buy land, who want to take mortgages, who want to lease out land and people who want to check whether there is any transaction on their land to do so.”

    He added: “So, many of us are now operating on a digital platform until all the processes are completed. It gets to me electronically, I verify and I sign. So this way there is a lot of checks and balances to eliminate the possibility of people having an unauthentic document”.

    Thanking the management and staff of the Lands Bureau, the governor noted that they had to work under intense pressure to meet the stiff demands he imposed on them to achieve result.