The Nation Newspaper

Tag: building

  • ‘Sound education, values necessary for nation building’

    Speakers at the convention of Meadow Hall Foundation (MHF), a corporate social arm of Meadow Hall Group, have stressed  the need to intensify human capital development in the country. They also underscored the role of values, and the need to pass same to coming generation for nation building.

    The two-day convention which held at City Hall, Lagos and Meadow Hall School, Lekki, the following day, had as its theme: Transforming our society through education.

    A lead discussant and former minister of education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, identified low productivity and lack of competitive advantage as two key challenges affecting development in Nigeria. To drastically transform a society therefore, Ezekwesili believes a wholesome education is essential. Solutions, according to her, are hinged on improved human capital development, as well as quality and affordable education.

    Ezekwesili, who recalled that Nigeria became an independent republic few years ahead of Singapore, lamented that today, the former is far ahead of Nigeria economically.

    “Education is the take-off point in fixing our society,” Ezekwesili began.

    She continued: “A composite education is a productive education. For nation building and society transformation, it is essential for teachers to pass down the three C’s-Competence, which looks at mental capacity and the ability to complete tasks; Character, which stresses the importance of values, and Capacity that looks at steadfastness and the ability to push through.”

    Ezekwesili explained that the quality of education system in any society can only be as good, as the quality of teachers, praised the foundation for its various initiatives such as the Graduate teacher trainee programme; the Free teacher professional development programme; the Mentoring programme, as well as the School adoption programme, which to her, are all geared toward improving teachers’ worth.

    Fela Durotoye, CEO, Gemstone Group and a board member of the foundation, noted that any society determined to transform itself must have a solid education rooted in values. Besides, these values must be passed on to the coming generation in order to increase their cognitive abilities. Durotoye said  the wealth of any country is tied to the level of intelligence of the people which education drives.

    Keynote speaker and Special Adviser to Lagos State on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said the state has mapped out strategies to make education affordable across varying cadres.

    He said: “As a state, we are committed to increasing access to knowledge for everybody in Lagos.”

    He continued: “Government is at present improving education in the state through three key initiatives: Code Lagos, Ready set work and Digital library.

    “Code Lagos, hopes to equip up to 1 million Lagosians with the ability to code by 2019. In an age increasingly centered on technology, code learning helps develop thinking and problem-solving skills that could benefit Lagos’ youth in the future. The ‘Ready set work’, focuses on improving the quality of the final year students in Lagos State tertiary institutions; ensuring they have the necessary skills to function in the workplace.

    ‘’Lastly, the Lagos State government will launch a website called educatelagos.com; a portal open to everyone, giving them access to primary and secondary textbooks, and education videos totally free. We want Lagosians to have the skills to compete in a global world.”

  • Two die in Lagos building collapse

    Two artisans died yesterday and another injured, following a building collapse at Lekki in Lagos.

    The building, at Nicon Town Estate on Admiralty Way in Lekki Phase One, was said to be under construction when it caved in around 11:40 a.m.

    The deceased, identified simply as Tasiu and Abdulahi, were reportedly crushed by the beams of the structure while they were mixing concretes for the parapet.

    They were said to have been trapped under the rubble and extricated by rescue workers.

    It was learnt that the building collapse might have been caused by the vibration of the mixer for the concrete.

    The State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said another artisan, identified simply as Yakub, sustained some injuries and was rushed to a private hospital.

    The agency said the scene had been condoned off, adding that investigation would be conducted on the incident.

    When The Nation contacted the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Dotun Lasoju, he said the incident was not a case of building collapse.

    He said it was the roof gutter of the building that caved in way while concrete was being poured into it.

    Lasoju said: “As you can see from the pictures from the scene, the building is still standing fully. It was the form work of the roof gutter that yielded during concreting. The building did not collapse.”

    The LABSCA chief said nobody died in the incident.

  • Whistle-blowing: Building confidence, accountability in public spending

    For the corrupt and those with itchy hands for enriching themselves with public funds, it is no longer business as usual.

    The story of the country is changing from one where the system knowingly rewards unethical behavior and punishes ethical practices to where there is no hiding place for corrupt individuals or companies, being they local or multinational firms.

    This change came after the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, initiated and began the implementation of the Federal Government-driven Whistle Blower Policy. Under her leadership, the Federal Government unveiled the Federal Ministry of Finance- Whistle, a secure, online portal through which information bordering on violation of financial regulations, mismanagement of public funds and assets, financial malpractice or fraud and theft that is deemed to be in the interest of the public can be disclosed.

    The whistle blowing policy, which came with rewards for the whistle blower, has recorded significant success in the last few months when its execution began. The objective is to broaden the attack on corruption by encouraging the general public to expose corrupt practices.

    The feedback so far is revolutionary as it is already broadening the attack on corruption by encouraging the general public to expose corrupt practices. The violations include, but are not limited to mismanagement or misappropriation of public funds and assets; financial malpractice or fraud; collecting/soliciting bribes; diversion of revenue; fraudulent and unapproved payments; and procurement fraud (notably, kickbacks and over-invoicing).

    The whistle-blower will get between 2.5 per cent (minimum) and five per cent (maximum) of the recovered loot, provided that “there is a voluntary return of stolen or concealed public funds or assets on the account of the information provided.” Commenting on the domestic agenda to ensure significant reductions in ‘leakages’ of public funds, and improved efficiency in public expenditure, a source in the Presidency said:

    “The Federal Government is going after those who have stolen our hard-earned money. We have put in place a very successful whistle blower programme that is delivering results and allows those who report illicit activity to receive up to five per cent of any funds that we recover. We are also significantly improving our financial management controls to ensure that it is considerably more difficult for public funds to be diverted. We have to do more though.

    ” Just recently, $9.8 million cash was found in a secret bunker belonging to the former managing director of the National Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu. With this development, it seems that resources have been allegedly redistributed from the people into the pocket of one.

    The former aide turned whistle blower, who informed the authorities of the loot, argued that there are as many as three other bunkers – each with about the same amount of cash – that are yet to be discovered. Also, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stormed a residential building in the 7th Floor of a four-bedroom apartment at Osborne Towers located at 16, Osborne Road Ikoyi, Lagos, where a find of foreign currencies and naira notes to the tune of $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m was made.

    The EFCC announced on Facebook that they had received a whistleblower’s tip that someone had been moving bags in and out of the apartment. Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, said in an emailed report that these stories are just a tip of the iceberg compared to the many other cases of corrupt and unethical practices that go on in this country and which are rewarded if you have the good and common chance of not getting caught.

    “A major challenge to ethical decision-making is cognitive bias. Most people pride themselves on their ‘ethical and moral’ views on life and business without factoring human bias that may contaminate ethical behaviour and practices and produce unintended consequences.

    Overconfidence is a very important factor to consider as we get caught up on internal traits and incentives such as ‘I’m honest’ or ‘I can never steal’ and do not factor in the fact that when push comes to shove, human beings are capable of committing acts that are not first nature to them,” Rewane said. He therefore praised the whistle blowing policy of the Federal Government, adding that it is paying off positively.

    He said that situational influences may skew ethical behaviour of people except there is ready punishment for defaulters. “For example, in government, a civil servant might be inclined towards unethical behaviour if everyone in his ministry is engaging in unethical practices. Undue influence from his bosses and peers might push him to go against his own ethical principles,” he said. Rewane said the key word here is trust.

    “I am less inclined to do business with someone in Rangpur Bangladesh who I’m not familiar with and might not easily have access to inspections and tests. The major force that propels me to incur the risk associated with international transactions such as this one is trust.

    What fosters trust is a solid ethical culture and framework irrespective of the location of the market and the product offerings in these markets,” he said. Explaining further, Rewane said: “If you give an average manager of a Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), who has be conditioned to the ‘Nigerian way’ of doing things, the decision between doing the right thing or ‘saving’ your business from undue attention from regulator, the latter is the go to option.

    Doing the right thing will go a long way in ensuring longevity of the business. However, it may come with certain consequences that might be painful to the business in the short term. It ensures that the manager is free from any practices that may be used against him or his company in the future”. Michael Obinna, a Lagos-based civil servant, also commended the Federal Government on the whistle blower policy, adding that it will help businesses and civil servants to build an ethically-aware culture of conducting business that ultimately fosters trust in the sector as a whole.

    He said that previously, the Nigerian system allows those elected to office and those in charge of serving the public to fail their most important stakeholders, the Nigerian population because of loopholes in public expenditure. He however, said that Adeosun is fixing these gaps and that the whistle blowing policy are keeping all public officials on their toes. According to him, whistleblowers are encouraged and offered protection from harassment or intimidation by their bosses or employers.

    “The hope is that more looted funds will be recovered through the encouragement of voluntary information about corrupt practices,” he said. He said the policy selling points include the possibility of increased accountability and transparency in the management of public funds. It is also expected to ensure that more funds would be recovered that could be deployed in financing Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit.

    The channels for reporting information and the type of information to be reported indicated that anyone with “authentic information about violation, misconduct, or improper activity which can impact negatively on the Nigerian people and government” should report it through SMS text message and email. In the final analysis, it is hoped that the more accountable the government becomes, the higher will be Nigeria’s ranking on the indicators of openness and ease of doing business.

    The ultimate goal is to develop a corruption-free society and attract more and more foreign investors.

    •Ewulu, a financial consultant, works with Lagos-based Angelstege Advisory Services Ltd

  • UN building almost ready

    The havoc caused by the insurgency is not limited to the Northeast. In Abuja, Boko Haram fighters caused lots of trouble too. They hit Nyanya, Efab and Kuje, bombing ThisDay newspaper offices as well as the  United Nations building. That was in 2011. Since then rebuilding the UN Househas been on.

    So far, the Federal Government (FG) through the Minister of the Federal Capital Terrtory (FCT), Mallam Muhammed Bello, has expressed optimism that the House would be completed in time and handed over before the next anniversary of the United Nations.

    Now the job is almost done.

    Bello gave the assurance at the signing ceremony of the Federal Capital Territory Administration/ United Nations 2017 Annual Work Plan.

    Malam Bello, who described the signing ceremony as a very important milestone in the relationship between the FCT Administration and the United Nations, said it is a demonstration that the UN is fully committed to doing a good job.

    He said that the FCT Administration would work very hard to complete and hand over the United Nations House, Abuja to serve the purpose of Common Office for its Agencies before its next anniversary.

    Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary in the ministry, Muhammad Sule made the revelation in a press statement.

    He added, “The Minister promised that adequate budgetary provisions would be made in the 2017 budget to accelerate realisation of set targets and bridge the deficiency gaps in performance in the previous years.”

    According to him, “We definitely will make adequate budgetary provisions to match your funding for 2017. We will also try to make sure that the budget is well funded so that work goes on.”

    “It’s something we take seriously and we are actually looking towards creating a small unit in my office headed by somebody senior enough that coordinates all our relationships with the various UN Agencies so that it becomes easier to take decisions faster. Somebody from my office will always be part of it so that we can fast track the process, based on your recommendation,” he said.

    He also added, while acknowledging that previous issues being jointly handled by the FCTA and the United Nations remain beneficial, the Minister stressed that newer projects would likewise be given priority consideration due to the impact they would have on the FCT.

    Malam Bello remarked that urban solid waste management; slum upgrade and smart city are other issues that would be given attention in subsequent annual work plans between the two bodies.

    Earlier in his remark, the UN Representative Coordinator, Mr. Edward Kallon thanked the FCTA for its efforts at reviewing the UN Under 3 Annual Work plan for signing; adding that implementation of the activities has started already.

    He described the signing as an attestation of the FCTA’s commitment to nurture its cooperation with the UN for sustainable socio-economic development in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Mr. Kallon expressed the hope that some of the challenges that hindered the implementation of the previous work plans would be adequately addressed.

  • Three-storey building collapses in Anambra

    An uncompleted twin three-storey hotel at Nkwo-Eziudo market along the

    Ogidi-Abatete road, Ogidi near Onitsha has collapsed with no case of death or injuries reported.

    Residents of the area told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday that the incident occurred on Saturday at about 2.30pm when workers had left the construction site.

    NAN reports that more than 20 workers are always on site during the work hours.

    The Ogidi Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr Hassan Musa, told NAN he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

    He said that the police would visit the scene and conduct investigations to ascertain the cause of the collapse.

  • Building a competitive economy

    Nigeria’s GDP performance improved slightly in the 4th quarter of 2016, and showed us a route to recovery. The current recession has affected all of us. But the root causes of it are deep; and they must be addressed if we are to build a more sustainable and competitive economy. We must understand the causes of our economic malaise in order to implement solutions that are sustainable.

    Nigeria’s economy has been structurally weak for decades. Our oil wealth has disguised the fundamental structural weaknesses that we have, and while the cash flowed many of those weaknesses were overlooked. We were complacent. We did not do the work that was needed to develop the broader economy and we are suffering the consequences today.

    This is not because we did not know what needed to be done. The last two decades are full of economic plans and strategies designed to address them. Our challenge has been, principally, in implementation.

    Nigeria needs to build an economy that is not only resilient, but globally competitive. We have been focused on that since taking office, through our Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP), which has provided a platform. The evolution of the SIP is the Nigeria Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (NERGP), which we have unveiled this week. The NERGP provides a framework for implementation from 2017-2020, but does not mean we must wait until 2020 to see progress. The plan is focused on generating concrete and visible impact by the end of 2017, and many of the initiatives incorporated within it have been under way since 2016. We are not starting from scratch and the work that we have done so far is already beginning to show dividends. We are absolutely committed to delivering the implementation of the plan and we have the political will, determination and the leadership to achieve this.

    We have three core objectives: Restoring growth, investing in our people and building a competitive economy. These are delivered through five execution priorities. The first is to stabilise the macro-economic environment. We must increase revenue and cut costs. We will then focus on the four pillars of future growth; Achieving agriculture and food security; Ensuring energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products; improving transportation infrastructure, and driving industrialisation through local and small business enterprise. These objectives and priorities are underpinned by a robust delivery and monitoring mechanism to ensure that we are laser focused on implementation.

    Our lack of infrastructure is our Achilles heel. It means that the food we eat is more expensive, individuals and businesses have to generate most of the electricity they require, far too few people have access to running water and travelling around the country is a slow and difficult process. But beyond the effect this infrastructure deficit has on people’s daily lives, it has a hugely detrimental impact on our economic performance and the profitability, and often the viability, of our companies, which further impacts the lives of all our citizens. The better our economic performance, the more revenue the government will have to spend and the more it can do to address these deficits. That is why our 2016 and 2017 budgets were structured to deliver investment in transport and energy infrastructure. We will borrow to build the foundations for future growth. Our non-oil revenue has been traditionally unacceptably low. Delivering growth in agriculture, while ensuring that our industrialisation strategy is broad based (focused on SME’s) rather than reliant solely on large scale projects, is critical to reversing this.

    However, Government resources will not be sufficient to address all our infrastructural challenges. The Plan also provides for Government to partner with private and development capital from both within, and outside the country, to leverage and catalyse additional resources needed to grow the economy, and bring about prosperity.

    Underlying each of our priorities is a common requirement. We must invest in the skills of our workforce. Unemployment is too high, and the skills gap is too great. To be competitive globally, we must address the way in which we train, and build capacity. That is a core focus of this plan. We want to build an economy fit for the future, and that can only be done using our most precious, but most under-utilised resource, our people. It is why the plan places emphasis on building capacity in education, healthcare, social inclusion, job creation and environmental sustainability. Many of the initiatives this administration has already developed and rolled out have been focused on delivering basic needs for the most vulnerable in our nation. Our social investment programmes are examples of this focus.

    While the scale of our task is very large, we are already seeing the dividends of some of our work. Our focus on Agriculture and Solid Minerals has resulted in some growth in those two sectors in 2016. However, given the current recession, revenues continue to be challenged. But we believe that with the current outlook of stable oil prices and increasing production, it can only improve. Our tax base in Nigeria is 6% of GDP compared with an average of 16% across the rest of Africa. This is clearly far too low and there is room for significant improvement in expanding the tax base. There is much more work to do, but we are on the right track.

    The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) is also delivering results. Since its launch in the last quarter of 2016, we have seen the processes for obtaining visas streamlined considerably, with visas now available on arrival. There is much more to come and you will be hearing from that team over the coming weeks as they roll out the 60-day action plan to ‘Make Business Work’.

    While the past 18 months have not been pleasant for Nigerians, they have served to show us a way to a future in which we will work our way out of the current recession and onto a path of sustained, diversified and inclusive growth. We will need to intensify our cooperation and co-ordination with the State Governments. We will need to work closely with the private sector, and indeed, all Nigerians. It will not be easy, but this Administration has a plan to deliver. We have no doubt that, working together, we shall attain prosperity.

  • Body language and building a new Nigeria

    After a very deep reflection from independence to the present time, one comes to the irresistible conclusion that the vicissitude of our nation and poor governance has been a failure of institutions or lack of it.  Governance has been a back and forth movement dependent on the personality, character, whims and intuition of the man at the helms of affairs.

    Even though we had the opportunity at independence to have an intellectually-driven leadership with some measures of ideological persuasions, there was scant regards to institution building and respect for rule of law.   The political class was driven by sectarian considerations of ethno-religious pursuit rather than pan-Nigeria agenda.  We had regional leaders in the cloak of nationalism who did very little to transcend their narrow parochial interest. They were venerated ethnic champions who did not possess cosmopolitan view of a greater Nigerian nation.

    The first republic was characterised by sleaze, bigotry and nepotism with no national loyalty.  The mutinous coupists of 1966 captured it appropriately when they described the political class then as VIPs of waste who made our country look big for nothing before the international community. Today, not much has changed as Nigeria was recently described as a fantastically corrupt country 56 years after by none other than the Prime Minister of Britain.  The mutinous young officers who sacked the first republic were idealistic but driven by patriotism and exuberance.  Their failure was largely due to ethnic coloration of the putsch; rightly or wrongly. The unbridled behaviour of the politicians was due to the body language of the leader which did not provide the vision, charisma and a high moral character to give direction which way the country should go.

    The Aguiyi Ironsi government was not given much time to heal the wound and improve the situation as he was soon murdered in what obviously appeared as retaliation of the failed coup. The Yakubu Gowon administration that took over was able to navigate the country through a protracted civil war but again lacked the vision of true nation-building with the humungous resources at its disposal and goodwill.  His government was out-manoeuvred and manipulated by the ubiquitous civil service that has become and remained a nest of corruption.

    Murtala Muhammed government was full of promise and vigour with its pan-African thrust but was short-lived but not before he took on the behemoth, the civil service and the super-permanent secretaries.  His time table was religiously followed by Obasanjo who did not have any original idea and statesman-like candour to create a lasting legacy other than keeping faith with the promise to hand over power.  This time corruption was not only budding but had tapped and fibrous roots spreading through the entire fabrics of our national life.

    When the gentleman school teacher, Shehu Shagari took over the mantle of leadership, he was surrounded by political vermin that did not discriminate between the national till and personal purse.  His amiable humane body language was all that the politicians needed to go on rampage to ravage the entire nation. The situation got so bad in the 1980s that citizens stopped short of feeding from the dustbins as no crumbs were falling from the master’s table.  It was elated Nigerians that welcome another coup de tat believing that military discipline and perceived patriotism could bring us out of the wood but we were wrong as events later showed.

    We have ceaselessly continued in the same circle of heist and graft of mind boggling proportion ever since while enthroning and entrenching ethno-religious irredentism rather than gravitate towards national cohesion.  The armed forces and other institutions are not spared this malaise of divisiveness as there are now traces of open partisanship in their acts and conducts.  The situation is not very different today as most people do not have food on their tables and the political class and especially government ministers talk down on citizens as slaves in the manor.

    As the nemesis of the politicians in his first coming in 1983, Muhammadu Buhari has come again after three decades with the same prescription for a nation in tethers and racing dangerously on the precipice.   But Nigeria has moved away from 1980s in all material particular. After experiment under different military regimes, and now in democracy, it has become obvious that we have moved from military dictatorship to the tyranny of democratically elected leaders.  In the name of body language of the President, there is now a tendency towards abuse of the rule of law, crackdown and bullying of citizens by security agencies and authoritarian grandstanding by elected representatives.

    Nigeria is still bleeding from ravages of the locusts and caterpillars of yesteryears and poor governance of PDP-led central government.  The election of Muhammadu Buhari is a protest against the ineptitude and weakness of Jonathan-led government just as Donald Trump is the protest against the failure of Obama’s policy and decline of the United States of America’s sphere of influence in global politics.

    Sadly, the human rights community, civil society organizations and student movements that used to be the moral conscience of the people have since become compromised for pots of porridge.  The docile populace that we are do not have the culture of resistance and protest and when we are able to gather together, it is always not towards the right thing.  Nigerians should be protesting against the unbearable hardship occasioned by decrepit infrastructure and high cost of living.  Nigerians should have shut down the National Assembly for corruption and outrageous emoluments.  It is our rights and other countries are doing it; from Romania, Turkey, France to the United States; just name it.

    We should make demands on our representatives to build institutions and not strong men and body language of anyone.  Those who have ravaged our common patrimony should pay with their liberty and return the loots; not the obnoxious plea bargains that short change the nation.  Nigerians should build a new culture and consciousness to protest on the streets, from the pulpit and from the mosque against bad governance and graft.  We should stop conferring ecclesiastical titles on known and confirmed felons.  We need new men just as we need new nation; not based on religion and tribe, not the body language of anyone but on the lofty aims that great nations are built.  We can get to the rendezvous of history through the enthronement rule of law and respect for the right and dignity of every Nigerian with committed and patriotic leadership.

     

    • Kebonkwu Esq, a lawyer writes from Abuja.
  • Building above the law?

    Building above the law?

    Can a developer build above the specified height for an area? This is the question  in Surulere,  Lagos Mainland.  Considering the seeming power game surrounding the issue, MUYIWA LUCAS reports that the answer to this question will serve as a litmus test for the state’s building regulatory agencies and the government’s development masterplan.

    Town planning, especially in an emerging Mega City such as Lagos, is taken seriously in many climes due to its importance on the society.

    Before and after independence, Lagos State had a well-structured town planning model that ensured a well-laid out society.

    However, following the neglect of this important aspect of societal development, various structures began to spring up, leading to unplanned structures and communities as people built with impunity. This singular act, experts said, led to the birth of shanties and slums, for which the state has over 100.

    The case of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is still surprising to many. Experts in town planning have maintained that the rushed movement, rather than phased movement, to the city, of all Federal Government ministries and parastatals by the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) shortly after the failed coup attempt of the late Major Gideon Orka in 1990, led to the sorry state of the FCT.

    Experts insist that the FCT was not ready, structurally, for the sudden population explosion it experienced at the time; hence shanties and slums sprang up within the city as the high demand for shelter swelled.

    The cost of returning a distorted city to a well planned city however comes with its implications for both citizens and government. For the citizens, it is that of traumatic pains-emotional and psychological, and monetary loss, while for government, it is that of hatred by the people, huge financial burden to rebuild, among others. This is why contravening the provisions of town planning should be viewed with all seriousness.

    It was therefore instructive when the members of Pilot Crescent Residents Association (PCRA), Surulere, opted to preserve the masterplan of its area, which is presently being threatened by a construction work.

    The Crescent, an estate established by the Federal Government some years back, was planned and developed with a height restriction for buildings in the scheme. It was  pegged at bungalow level. The crescent is a low, densely populated area specifically designed for bungalows.

    That masterplan is now being violated following the reconstruction work now going on on Plot 36 and 34A. In what began as a bungalow redevelopment, residents of Pilot Crescent were surprised to see that the structures were decked and taken to first floor level.

    According to Mr. Wole Oladoye, a resident, and whose house sits just beside the construction site, the residents met with the property owner after her identity was hidden for a while, with the aim of explaining to her why she cannot violate the masterplan. Oladoye identified the owner simply as Mrs. Fadahunsi, whom he said also owns and resides in a flat in the other wing of the estate.

    “That was the first peace move I tried to make. But she insulted me, claiming I had interest in her property. Her basis for acquisition remains frivolous because by law, I know that an individual should not own more than one apartment in any government scheme,” he explained.

    On September 9, last year, the Games Village Community Development Association (CDA), the umberella body for the residents association in the community, wrote a petition to the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA). Subsequently, the premises were sealed by agencies.

    The Chairman of PCRA, Mr. Ayo Olagunju, however, told The Nation that Mrs. Fadahusi and her representatives, broke the seal few hours after the inspection team from the government left and continued work on site. They do this usually at nights till the early hours of the mornings. By December 22 last year, the PCRA sent another petition to LASBCA, reminding the agency of the situation on ground and the need for its intervention.

    A visit to the site by this reporter showed that the Pilot Crescent showed that while the other construction site (Plot 34 A) still had the seal around it, with no trace of continued work, there were active workmen on the construction site of Plot 36. On this plot, which measures about 300 square meters, is a two-wing, two-floor structure (ground and first floor) being erected.

    Checks on the construction also showed that the mandatory requirements for building have not been adhered to. For instance, given the size of the structure, it occupies more than 60 per cent of the land as against an approved 40 per cent space. Besides, it also exceeded the set back rule approved for houses.

    Francis Onaekan, another resident, lamented that Mrs. Fadahunsi  failed to listen to all appeals to her, and has remained arrogant, boasting that nobody can stop her from completing the building.

    He explained that perhaps, her arrogance drives from her membership of the Presidential Implementation Committee on the Alienation of Federal Government properties. She is also said to be a retired Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.

     

    Terms of C of O for estate

    The PCRA is worried that certain parts of the certificate of occupancy (C of O) given to residents have been violated with the ongoing construction. For instance, item 10 on the C of O agreement specified that “the allottee shall not be permitted to do or use any part of the land, building or appurtenances thereon which shall be noxious, illegal, noisy or offensive or be of any inconvenience or of annoyance to tenants or occupiers of adjourning premises of any other tenant.”

    Item 11 made it clear that owners will conform to all rules from time to time in regrad to location of building and that of town planning regulations.

    In item 12 of the C of O, an allottee shall not “erect, or build or permit to be erected or build on the said premises any building other than those covenanted  to be erected by virtue of this C of O and not make or permit to be made any alteration or addition to the building plans and specification as approved by the president and any other officer.”

     

    Mrs. Fadahunsi’s position

    When The Nation contacted Mrs. Fadahunsi, she said there was nothing she had to say on the matter. Pressed further and asked if she had approval for the construction, she only managed to control her anger. “You journalists don’t know what you are doing. You like to write any rubbish you like. Look, even if the Nigerian President asks me anything on this matter, I will not answer him. I know the people behind all these and they will fail; I bought my property from the Federal Government and nobody can stop me to do what I want to do with it,” she said.

    Asked if she has approval for such structure in the Crescent, her response was not different. “Look, why don’t you go and ask those that sold the property to me if they gave me approval or not. It is Federal Government’s property and (there is) nothing (the) Lagos State can do in this matter. Nobody can stop me,” she boasted.

     

    Legal opinion

    This reporter sought the opinion of legal experts on the matter, especially since it is a Federal Government estate. A lawyer, Mr. Anjola Abegunde, explained that Mrs. Fadahunsi’s claims that Lagos State could not do anything in the matter could not be defended. He explained that based on the Land Use Act, the control of land, approval and anything that has to do with with same, has been vested in the Chief Executive Officer of the  state. Therefore, he  said the Lagos State government needed to give approval to the developer.

    He recalled that the inability of the owner of the old Federal Secretariat Complex to make use of the property after buying same from the Federal Government was because the Lagos State government  refused to give the requisite approval to commence work on the property.

     

    LASBCA responds

    In a chat with the General Manager of LASBCA, Dotun Lasoju, he confirmed that the agency has been in talks with the property owner and that there has been correspondences between both parties.

    He said there had been a stop work order on the site, while the owner had been told to reverse the structure to the acceptable and stipulated height size for the area. He said he was sure that there had been a compliance.

    Lasoju’s response was indicative that there was no follow up on the situation given that when this reporter visited the site on Saturday, the workers were working. He however assured that the agency would take decisive steps if there was no compliance.

    “LASBCA has told the woman in question to comply. We have equally told her that if after the new year she does not reverse the building to the acceptable height, then we will have no choice but to demolish it. But the modalities for this I cannot disclose to you for strategic reasons,” Lasoju said.

     

    Is LASBCA weak?

    The PCRA admits that while Lasoju has tried in the matter, it is however surprised that since September, the construction has not stopped, especially given that the owner of the building had the effrontery to break government’s seal. They are surprised that LASBCA, and the  state government, have left her to continue the impunity. This, they claim, sends wrong signal to other law abiding citizens.

    “LASBCA and indeed the state government should know that its integrity is at stake on this matter. Is it when the building is fully completed that they want to act? I hope they are not sending the wrong message to the public,” Olagunju said.

     

    Security risk / privacy invasion

    The association is worried that their privacy is now being compromised owing to the height of the building which makes it possible for easy view of other homes when standing in the building. Besides, residents complained that they are  recording cases of theft which never used to be. They claim that in one of the theft incidents, the suspect was traced to the uncompleted building.

    For now, while the community waits on the state government to act, they claim that they are considering other options to ensure that the impunity is reversed.

  • Nigerians building a better future, says US

    Nigerians building a better future, says US

    The United States has thrown its weight behind Nigeria in its bid to build a better future for the citizens.

    Washington, in a congratulatory message on the 56th Independence anniversary, expressed confidence that Nigeria will overcome its present socio-economic problems in due course.

    Secretary of State John Kerry in the message on behalf of President Barack Obama and the American people, said: “On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I congratulate the citizens of Nigeria as you celebrate your Independence Day on October 1.

    “I recently returned from my third trip to Nigeria as Secretary, and I came away with a strong sense of the nation’s resolve to build a better future.

    “During my trip, I was reminded that many Nigerians are engaged in bringing people together across the divides of culture, religious practices, and ethnicity.

    “There is still much work to be done to provide economic opportunities for all, end corruption, win the fight against Boko Haram, ensure broad respect for human rights and provide humanitarian relief for millions of displaced people.

    “But we know that Nigerians are hard at work to address these challenges. The United States looks forward to deepening our partnership and friendship with Nigerians from all walks of life, so that we may work together for the betterment of Nigeria and all of Africa.

  • Building broken bridges

    •The Apapa-Ijora Bridge must be fixed without delay

    One of the more tragic paradoxes of Nigeria’s development challenge is the critical state of the country’s critical infrastructure. The Apapa-Ijora Bridge in Lagos is a pre-eminent example of the clear and present danger posed to the nation by its inexplicable failure to maintain the transportation, communications and power systems that are vital to the continued functioning of a modern state.

    The condition of the bridge is a grim testimony to decades of the malign neglect that characterises the national attitude to the maintenance of infrastructure. Much of the bridge’s asphalt overlays have been eroded by the elements, as are the concrete joints linking it to Wharf Road and the ramp linking it to Lagos Island and Iddo.

    Many of the pillars supporting the bridge have structural defects, caused by successive fires which have exposed the steel rods within them. To make matters worse, the bridge routinely bears the weight of hundreds of petrol tankers waiting to load supplies from the depots in Apapa.

    It goes without saying that the traffic situation on the bridge is horrendous. Motorists are compelled to either undertake a torturous negotiation of huge pot-holes and protruding steel rods on the bridge itself, or divert to service lanes and drive against traffic in their attempts to bypass the bridge.

    It is difficult to underestimate the implications of this tragic situation. The Apapa-Ijora Bridge is the spinal cord connecting Nigeria’s commercial nerve centres of Lagos Island, Iddo and the Apapa Central Business District (CBD), incorporating financial institutions, wholesalers, shipping firms and oil-marketing companies. It is the main entryway to the country’s two largest ports, the Lagos Port and Tin Can Island Port Complexes.

    Given the concentration of businesses in the area it serves, the poor condition of the bridge as well as that of the adjoining Oshodi-Apapa Expressway has resulted in the loss of thousands of man-hours on a daily basis. Accidents are common; an articulated truck fell off the bridge in July. The heavy traffic jams often facilitate criminal activities, especially the robbing of commuters at gunpoint. The environmental pollution resulting from the emissions of thousands of vehicles and the implications for the health of commuters and residents can only be imagined.

    If nothing is done to carry out the urgent renovation that the Apapa-Ijora Bridge so desperately requires, it will eventually collapse. The consequent loss of life and damage to property would be a major disaster unparalleled in the annals of Nigerian history, not to mention the logistical implications for the many businesses located in the areas served by the bridge.

    Immediate measures must be taken to repair the bridge. In 2012, the federal and Lagos State governments set up a technical committee to look at ways of regenerating the Apapa axis. It came up with 12 recommendations, including detailed plans for the rehabilitation of the major roads and bridges in the area. Even though the committee’s report was submitted to the National Economic Council in June 2012, nothing was done. The Federal Government must work with the Ambode administration to implement this plan, which represents the most comprehensive approach to resolving the Apapa crisis. Fixing the Apapa-Ijora Bridge alone will not solve the problem; an integrated approach incorporating rehabilitating roads, relocating tankers, reducing vehicular traffic, landscaping, sanitisation and demarcation is essential.

    Lagos State has had to struggle with the problem of dilapidated bridges over the past few years. Between July 2012 and February 2015, the Third Mainland Bridge, the Eko Bridge and the Marine Beach Bridge have all undergone extensive rehabilitation. In most cases, action was taken only when the state of disrepair became far too obvious to ignore. This cannot continue. The regular maintenance of infrastructure should become the norm rather than the exception.