The Nation Newspaper

Tag: demands

  • AU demands credible elections

    The African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOCC) has called on stakeholders to ensure a credible, transparent, free and fair election in Ekiti State on July 14.

    AU-ECOSOCC, a group representing Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in 55 countries of Africa, stressed that credible elections are determinant factors for good governance in any society.

    Speaking with reporters in Ado-Ekiti, Nigerian Representative/Chairperson, Social Affairs and Health, AU-ECOSOCC, Dr. Tunji Asaolu, described the Ekiti poll as a pointer to what to expect in next year’s general elections.

    He said the success of the exercise will give the country a good reputation that can make it to attract domestic and foreign investors.

    Asaolu called on the electorate not to sell their conscience to unscrupulous politicians who may want to purchase their votes with money in a desperate bid to win.

    He also urged political parties to imbibe the practice of internal democracy by conducting credible primaries that will lerad to the emergence of candidates through fair processes.

    Asaolu said: “Nigeria needs free and fair election for her greatness, survival and economic advancement. Ekiti State gubernatorial election will be a pre-factor that the world can use to measure the 2019 elections in Nigeria.

    “Therefore, Ekiti State election is no ordinary election at this time but rather an indicative election that will show to the whole wide world how serious Nigeria is with the emerging democratic dispensation.

    “Nigerian prestige this time is on the line, the civilized world will not accept anything short of free and fair election neither will Ekiti citizens accept election irregularities as business as usual.

    “What is expected of Nigeria is to organize and implement a free and fair election to the best of her knowledge especially this time in Ekiti State.

    “But, the key issue is to produce a credible election results that are relatively free and fair, that majority of Ekiti people can accept as a credible result.”

  • Widower demands FSARS officers’ arrest for wife’s death

    Widower demands FSARS officers’ arrest for wife’s death

    WHO were the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad ( FSARS ) operatives that raided some parts of Ilupeju, Lagos, on January 24?

    A widower, Mr Musendiku Adeyanju whose wife Asiata slumped to death after learning of her son Muiz’s arrest by the operatives, is asking the police to fish them out.

    The operatives said to  be from Ipakodo Division in Ikorodu arrested Muiz while he was trying to put on the generator in front of their 9, Ajenifuja Street, Ilupeju, Lagos home.

    Adeyanju told The Nation  at the weekend that the  FSARS’ “illegal raid” had brought permanent trauma to his family, wondering why the police were silent over the incident.

    His last child,  16-month-old Amirat, whimpered endlessly, ostensibly feeling the absence of her mother.

    “She has been crying since the day she stopped seeing her mother,” the distraught Adeyanju said as he carried and patted the baby on the back.

    Adeyanju, a businessman, said his wife’s death had left a void in his family, saying the incident had forced shared responsibilities on his shoulder.

    He said: “Look at our children; they are too young to be exposed to this permanent trauma caused by the police. These children were close to their mother than they are close to me. They are already feeling the absence of their mother.

    “I didn’t say the policemen directly killed my wife, but their illegal raid in our area was responsible for the death of my wife. It is the responsibility of the police leadership to fish out these bad officers and punish them. The punishment would deter other crooked officers in the police.”

    Muiz said he was yet to  overcome the trauma of his mother’s death, noting that her absence would make life difficult for him and his siblings. He said the FSARS officers’ action had shattered his late mother’s plans for them.

    He said: “Our mother was very close to us. Immediately I finished from secondary school last year, my mom personally took me to a computer training centre to learn graphic design. When I got my O’Level results, she enrolled me into a coaching class for the next Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). She wanted me to study accounting. Her plan was to get me admitted into the university this year. All these have been shattered. Though my dad had always provided everything we needed, it was easy when my mom was there.”

    Some residents are also urging the police to fish out the officers. They said the same  officers  had raided the area for two weeks.

    Contacted yesterday, police spokesman Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP), promised to get back to this reporter. He did not before press time.

  • Family demands justice for son’s death

    The family of 27-year-old Emeka Anionwu, who was murdered in Warri, has rejected claims by the family of his girlfriend and the police that he was killed  by robbers.

    Emeka was reported dead by Chief Athan Iwuchukwu, father to his girlfriend, Chioma, and special assistant to ex-Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on Non Indigenes Affairs.

    Emeka passed the night in Iwuchukwu’s house on the insistence of Chioma.

    Although spokesman of the Delta State command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, said the deceased was shot dead by robbers, about 3:30 am last Monday, at the Enerhen home of Iwuchukwu, the Anionwu family rejected the claim, describing it as a “cheap cover up to avoid uncovering a premeditated murder”.

    The Nation gathered from the sister of the deceased, Lilian Anionwu, that Iwuchukwu told the police Emeka was one of the robbers who stormed his home, but got killed.

    Lilian told reporters in Warri: “No robber killed my brother. He was murdered. The police have a duty to find out. My brother and Chioma have been having an affair for two years and, her parents, just like ours are aware of the relationship. Whether her father approves of the affair is not the issue here.

    “On the fateful August 28, Chioma came to our Edjeba home to meet Emeka, who just returned from work offshore. They left at 5 pm to the Enerhen home of her dad. They were supposed to return to Edejeba but they apparently stayed back on Chioma’s insistence that the parents, who travelled, may no longer return till the day after.

    “When Chief Athan Iwuchukwu, Chioma’s father visited the Enerhen Police station the next day, he said in his first statement, my brother was among the robbers, who attacked his home, and got killed. He never mentioned my brother was guest to her daughter, that they both slept in the house, with Chioma’s brother.

    “The DPO was shocked after hearing my account and that of Chioma and he called the IPO to ask Iwuchukwu to change his statement on caution, saying the matter was not robbery but a suspected murder. Chioma and his father know how and why my brother had to die. They need to be questioned”, she demanded.

    Also, an aunt of the deceased, Jane Anionwu, raised questions on Iwuchukwu’s claims, and the circumstances surrounding her nephew’s death. She demanding the former governor’s aide be investigated.

    “Chioma’s father claimed he was not home when he raised an alarm of robbery at his residence about 3.30 am. The police who went there saw the place locked, but my brother who was supposed to be in with Chioma and his brother was the one killed by the robbers outside their gate? That story is too true to be believed”, she said.

    When contacted, Chief Iwuchukwu responded that the matter was before the police and it was best to allow the police do their job.

    DSP Aniamaka, in a report, said “three robbers, ostensibly about to commit their act, were resisted by Emeka Anionwu, and he was shot dead. That is the much we know for now, but we are investigating to bring these robbers to book.

    “We are working on it. Immediately we got wind of the attack, our men, led by a superintendent, moved in but unfortunately they had left. We took the body to the mortuary and took inventory of the expended cartridge”, Aniamaka said.

  • Varsity teachers’ demands unrealistic, says Ezekwesili

    Varsity teachers’ demands unrealistic, says Ezekwesili

    A former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has said the demands by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) were unrealistic in light of Nigeria’s economic situation.

    Ezekwesili spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan while reacting to the ongoing strike embarked upon by the union.

    The former minster said lasting solution to the crisis bedevilling the education sector could only be found from strong analysis of the issues raised by ASUU and evidenced based policies.

    “Money is not limitless and yet everyone must acknowledge that investment in education is crucial and it is key.

    “There are, however, some fundamental reforms that the sector needs in order to ensure that it is not about the size of the funding but about the productivity of the funding.

    “You cannot simply express a desire, it must be founded on reality and that means you must know what can be achieved within a given period,” she said.

    According to her, a structural and policy change which allows public and private investments should be integrated into the university system.

    “If you remember, the ASUU negotiation started in 2007 when I was the Minister of Education and we constituted a government negotiation team, led by the late Gamaliel Onosode,

    “Even though that period was short, one of the major issues for me was for us to make sure that we were being evidenced based in the way we were solving the problem.

    “We considered issues like the existing model in countries similar to us in emerging economies,’’ she said.

    The former minister said the team also considered what could be done by the public and private sectors about university funding among others.

    “Those are the kinds of evidence that we had and on the basis of which we hinged our negotiation at that time.”

    Ezekwesili urged both the Federal Government and ASUU to return to the negotiating table and work on the basis of analysis and evidence to find lasting solution to the dispute.

  • UTME: ‘ASUU not sincere with demands’

    UTME: ‘ASUU not sincere with demands’

    A group under the aegis of Nigerian Patriotic Advocates, has condemned the demand by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for the resignation of the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede.

    According to the organisation, the conduct of ASUU was fast becoming a national embarrassment to the nation’s academia because it was not sincere.

    The NPA said while intellectuals in saner clines have been known for their sound judgment built on unbiased and selfish mind, the case had been different with ASUU which had written four petitions against Oloyede.

    Recently, a civil rights movement, the Joint Action Coalition of Civil Society Organization for Transparency in Governance, condemned ASUU’s demand, which, it said, was for selfish reasons.

    The Chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan chapter, Dr Deji Omole, had claimed that the registration problems being experienced by candidates for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination, were a major setback, which could jeopardise the ambition of candidates.

    While calling on the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to prevail on Oloyede not to make life difficult for children eager for higher education, he said the registration procedure introduced by JAMB as cumbersome.

    But the NPA in a statement by its National President, Prof. Emmanuel Goza and Public Relations Officer, Otunba Adeniyi Jones, said from its persistent attack on JAMB, it was obvious that ASUU had a mission to discredit Oloyede’s good intentions.

    The call for the resignation of Oloyede, NPA said, was strange especially coming from a group that had clearly shown that they have personal grudges to settle with him.

    The NPA said, “Although Nigerians have tremendous respect for ASUU, recent events from Ibadan branch are worrisome, moreso that the same group purporting to be representing ASUU has shortly after the Registrar was appointed, written over four petition against Oloyede, his son and the University of Ilorin. And in all cases, situations and circumstances, they were proven wrong. Now, they have found another past time in the registration process of JAMB to ventilate their personal vendetta.

    “This same group has virtually called for the resignation of everybody that has anything to do with education including the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan. The attitude of ASUU in UI is fast becoming a joke. Even in comedy, when you keep repeating a joke over and over, your audience will get bored. The attitude of the Ibadan branch of ASUU is fast becoming a national embarrassment to the academia.

    “Intellectuals anywhere in the world are known for sound judgment built on unbiased and selfish mind. However, the opposite is the case with our comrades in Ibadan.  The kind of press releases being churned out from Ibadan speaks to the contrary. Transformation is always a product that undergoes many stages of refinement and what is happening in JAMB should be seen as one. Great leaders take steps and directions that are mostly not familiar to all. But they end up producing glorious and profound results.”

  • NANS demands prosecution of Ekiti revenue officials over murder of students

    NANS demands prosecution of Ekiti revenue officials over murder of students

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Ekiti State government to produce officials of Internal Revenue Service (IRS), who allegedly killed two students of Ekiti State University (EKSU), while enforcing tax collection.

    The students also urged the state police command to prosecute the revenue officials for their alleged complicity in the death of the two students on Friday, March 11, 2017, along Ado-Iworoko Road.

    A statement signed by NANS Zone ‘D’ Secretary, Olanrewaju Oloja, identified the two students killed as Taiwo Adekunle, a student of Accounting and Kingsley Effiong, a student of Environmental Management at EKSU.

    It was learnt that the late students were waiting on the roadside for commercial vehicle to convey them to the campus, when a car swerved off the road and ran over them in an attempt to dodge a roadblock mounted by revenue officials.

    In another statement by NANS Chairman, Ekiti axis, Olubunmi Olomosola, the student body described the activities of the officials as criminal, saying tax collection should be a civil matter rather than a warfare.

    Olomosola said:  “NANS condemns this sorrowful act without reservations and we call on the ministry to run psychiatric test on their officials.

    “The security operatives in the state must fish out the perpetrators of this act and arrest them for prosecution in line with Section 07 of the Criminal Code.

    “While we appreciate EKSU’s management for its action to save the lives of the victims before they finally gave up, we issue a seven- day ultimatum for the internal revenue board to produce these thugs who were carrying out their duties in a brutish fashion”.

  • Nigeria has developed the capacity to meet the demands of other African countries for day-old chicks—Ex-PAN President Badmus

    Nigeria has developed the capacity to meet the demands of other African countries for day-old chicks—Ex-PAN President Badmus

    The Federal Government plans to produce about 50 million table eggs daily by 2018. To achieve this, it has signed a N25 billion agreement with an agricultural company known as Tuns Farms for a project tagged National Egg Production (NEGPRO). The scheme aims not only to empower farmers but also ensure that majority of unemployed youths are engaged. In this interview with GBENGA ADERANTI, the chairman of Tuns Farms and former president of Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Asiwaju Khamis Badmus, speaks about the scheme, how it will create employment, the feasibility of the project and the possibility of Nigeria feeding the entire African continent.

    Why did the Federal Government choose TUNS Farms for the National Egg Production (NEGPRO) project?

    The question is better answered by the government. You know that I was the president of Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) and my tenure revived the poultry industry. I was able to do that through the support of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo and the current Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh. I also played a prominent role in reviving the poultry industry in Nigeria. Before I became the president of PAN, the poultry industry was nearly non-existent in the country. That is one side of the story.

    The other side is the Osun scheme which Tuns Farms managed and it happened to be the most successful agricultural intervention programme as at today. Why did I say so? When he came to power, Governor (Rauf) Aregbesola said I should give him an idea on how to improve the conditions of farmers in Osun State. I gave him two options. One was to develop poultry mills in Osun. The other was massive planting of maize. He decided to opt for poultry production. The other one, which was maize production, he gave it to consultants. The one he gave us, we said we would make it a tripartite agreement between Tuns Farm, the Osun State Chapter of the Poultry Association of Nigeria and the government.

    The government invested N320 million. As for the feed, the government said we were going to cater for the feed—to supply feeds to the farmers. Tuns Farms would support the government also by providing day-old chicks to the farmers. So we gave the chicks to the farmers and the government also gave the feeds. Because of the technicalities involved, we decided to domicile the amount involved with Tuns so that we could use the money to produce feeds to the farmers. We started with seven or nine farmers, but today, we have almost 500 farmers taking part in the scheme.

    The government was able to achieve six cardinal points they intended to achieve in their investment. The government investment now remains less than N100 million for the farmers to pay back, which is also one of best legacies farmers in Osun are able to show. That is if you give them the right management and right tools, they will also be in right position to pay back whatever the government has invested in them. Then the farmers, through this scheme, have now realised over N600 million physical cash as the money we paid to them as profit.

    Go to our website; you will see their names there. You will see their telephone numbers there too. You can also go to their farms for on-the-spot verification. In a nutshell, this achievement was reported at the national agric council during the time of Jonathan. It was in their record. This might be the reason.

    But the institution that asked us to manage the scheme is in a better position to answer this question. I only gave you the background of what we are, what we have been able to do and what I as a person, in collaboration with President Obasanjo and the current Minister of Agric, how we were able to revive the poultry business in Nigeria.

    Talking about production of 50 million table eggs daily by 2018, how feasible is this?

    Well, as I told you, four or five and a half years ago, Osun State started with nine farmers. Today, we have over 450 farmers taking part in the programme. It is not going to happen in one day. For instance, we have now received personal invitations from six governors who are willing to take part in this scheme. So we cannot cover the 32 states in one year. We have to start with the six governors that have invited us and it depends on their willingness to support their farmers. The federal government will provide money for entrepreneurs and stakeholders who want to take part in the programme to access money at single digit (interests).

    The federal government has played its own part. And they want the credit to be extended to the farmers at the grassroots level. But there must be a sort of commitment from the state governments guaranteeing their farmers so that investors who have invested in the farmers will be guaranteed having their money back.

    The Federal Government has also gone further to say that with the school feeding programme, which the federal government is funding, each child should take a minimum of one egg per day or 3 eggs per week. This is what the federal government has in mind; that any state that is taking part in school feeding programme is asked to include three eggs in a week or maybe one chicken or more in a week, which is very good for the poultry industry in Nigeria. So that when you produce the egg, there is a readymade market for it.

    The Federal Government is also conscious that should there be glut in what we produce or schools are on holiday what would happen? We are going to have egg powder machines in the six geographical zones, which can take 100,000 eggs per hour. This is also what is in the pipeline. The egg powder machine will be able to make egg powder which Cadbury’s or Nestle require, instead of importing those things. They will no longer be imported. The feasibility of what is to be achieved, we have already done that. And we are sure, insha Allah, we should be able to meet up by 2018.

    In the MoU there was an agreement that through the scheme, millions of jobs would be created. Tell me how the scheme is going to benefit those who are willing to participate?

    Let me start with the input suppliers who are producing day-old chick pullets that will be given to the farmers. That is one. Number two, there will be feed manufacturers; those that will be producing animal feeds. We want to have them in the six geo-political zones. They will now be responsible for supplying feeds to these farms. You can imagine the value chain there. We also have another input supplier which is going to be on climatic control axis for farmers. Because of the climate in the north, we have designed the housing such suppliers will follow.

    At the state level, we have what we call state entrepreneur. The State entrepreneur will be the anchor person in the state. He will receive the day-old chicks from the input supplier. He will receive the feed, the drug and vaccine and now transfer them to the farmer directly on the field. You can imagine if we could do this in the 774 local government areas, let’s say 20,000 birds. That would be about 10 farmers and 10 farmers would employ four others. If we multiply that, the employment that has been generated is more than a million. In the past, some of the good projects embarked upon by government started well. But due to one reason or the other, they were messed up.

    What efforts are you making to see that a project like this does not fail?

    The government intervention is slim in this area. That was why they appointed us as the scheme managers. We are to manage the scheme on behalf of the government. What the government did was to be part of all the decision making pertaining to this programme. They are also there to guard against exorbitant pricing because the pricing of all the commodities that will be involved, the day old chicks and everything, will be in a joint meeting to be agreed upon by the parties concerned, and the government is the chairman of that.

    The purpose of setting up the scheme is to make sure that the products are affordable to the general public. That is the role they are going to play. They are not involved in the day to day running, so this is not a question of one ministry intervening in what we are doing.

    Many farmers have abandoned the job, but your farm has been in existence for long. What is the source of your staying power?

    There is no secret about it. We have a common say in agric—absentee farmers will never make it. You have to be practically involved in how to run your farm. If you are not there, there will be problem. For instance, there may be a time you need to take on-the-spot decision. If you your birds require something, you have to give it to them. You know that birds have to eat every second. They are to take water. Imagine feeding about one million birds. That is why you are needed on the spot. But if you would be in Lagos and set up a farm in Osogbo, forget it. I tried it before. When I started farming, I was in Lagos. I was always coming on weekends and I had a massive plantation of maize. So in the planting, we would have problems. The worse problem was when we were harvesting. As we were harvesting, the thieves were harvesting their own, and when you go to the police station, they would go back to your family house and say, you want to send my child to prison. The family would start calling me.

    When I moved away from Lagos and I now stay here, if it is 10 acres I can cultivate, that will not bring any problem. I will stay by that. That has been the efforts one has been putting in. But to be away from your farm is not advisable. But today, it is better. The means of communication is there. You can be an absentee farmer with the modern communication gadgets. Whatever happens, you can see it. You can chat online with the people on the field. The essence for you is to be in touch in case there is anything you need to take immediate decision about.

    How true is the assertion that Nigeria is able to feed the entire West Africa?

    The one I know of, the poultry, I said it had died when I took over, but within a year, we were able to save Federal Government four to five hundred million dollars used in importing additive feeds and day-old chicks. What did we do? We encouraged hatchery operators to come back and today, to be specific, Nigeria has the hatchery capacity to supply African countries day-old chicks.

    During the Obasanjo regime, we had to travel to West African countries, saying that we could give them day-old chicks and so on and so forth. The problem was that America had approached those countries and they were selling the chicken to them on credit and at times they would give these to them as grants. So they were also asking for similar opportunity. Even today, Cameroun buys our chicken. We have the capacity to do that.

  • Deposed Deji demands N500m for ‘defamation’

    Deposed Deji demands N500m for ‘defamation’

    Deposed Deji of Akure, Adepoju Adesina, is demanding N500 million from Akure chiefs for “defamation of character”.

    The chiefs, led by James Olusoga, last Tuesday addressed a briefing through the Asiwaju of Akure, Prof Olu Agbi, condemning the procession by the former monarch from the court premises to his ruling house.

    Adesina was in court to challenge his dethronement  five years after he was banished from Akure for alleged assault on his wife, the late Olori Bolanle.

    The chiefs levelled various allegations against Adesina, including “turning the stool to hide young men of shady characters, who were regular guests of the Deji”.

    But Adesina, through his lawyer, Lawrence Dare, in a letter to Prof Agbi, said the statement was too “defamatory and harsh”.

    The lawyer said: “Our client was bombarded with calls from friends and admirers, who read the wicked and offensive statement issued without lawful justification.

    “Our client has suffered irreparable damage and he is demanding a written apology, which must be published in four national newspapers.”

    Dare said the payment and written apology must be within seven days from the date of service of the letter.

    He threatened to institute a legal action, if his client’s demands were not met within the stipulated time.

  • Biafra: Ohanaeze demands Kanu’s release

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said the release of leader of the Independent People of Biafra and Director of Radio Biafra Nnamdi Kanu will end the pro-Biafra protests.

    A communiqué after the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Imeobi peace meeting in Enugu noted that the agitations have intensified with Kanu’s detention and demanded his release.

    It feared that the development might threaten the security and peaceful co-existence of Nigerians.

    Signed by the President-General, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey and Secretary-General Dr Joe Nworgu, the statement said: “The Imeobi Ohanaeze condemns any attempt to drag into partisan politics, the public expression of Ndigbo on their exclusion from the Nigeria. We warn those who may be so inclined that they shall bear the full consequences of their actions.

    “The Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo notes that Ndigbo are nation-builders found in all parts of Nigeria and cautions that activities threatening the security and co-existence of Nigerians is dangerous and must be discouraged.

    “In particular, the Imeobi believes that the protests, howbeit peaceful, is disruptive of the market economy of the Southeast and recommends that they be discontinued in favour of dialogue and constructive engagement in the resolution of the underlying issues.

    “The Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo, anxious that dialogue shall replace public protests, further recommends the creation of an ad hoc national platform to address immediate causes that triggered the present public protests, and revisit and redress latent and long-standing issues that continued to threaten the evolution of Nigeria into a modern and united nation where all constituent parts have an equal sense of belonging.”

    Ohanaeze called on governors of the Southeast and Southsouth to create employment for youths to ameliorate the restive situation with a view to solving the socio-economic problems bedeviling the country.

    It renewed its stand on the 2014 Conference Report for any discourse, even as it appreciated those calling for caution in handling the Biafra agitation.

    But a faction of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) yesterday boycotted the  meeting.

    A statement by MASSOB’s Director of Publicity, Uchenna Madu, said the decision was taken following Ohanaeze’s silence on Kanu’s detention and the demonstrations.

    The statement reads: “Another major reason for boycotting the meeting is that some prominent Ohanaeze chieftains like Emejuru Okpalukwu openly disowned the agitators while claiming that Ndigbo is their children. Are we not Igbo?

    The statement added: “To restore our confidence, and faith in Ohanaeze Ndigbo, we demand that the Igariwey/Nwogu leadership officially disown and counter those negative and damaging statements.

    It said the Ohanaeze leadership should openly admit that we are their children, even the detained Kanu.

    “As the apex Igbo organisation and fathers of Ndigbo, we demand they effect Kanu’s release since it is a political matter.”

  • …water, roads, jobs top residents’ demands

    Potable water, rehabilitation of roads and schools, insecurity, provision of street light, employment opportunities, flooding/erosion menace and the need for proper drainage were the major demands when members of the Lagos State House of Assembly met their people.

    At Lagos Mainland 2 Constituency, a constituent complained that the boreholes provided by the government at Iwaya-Yaba does not supply water, while pleading that the government should provide tricycle and motor cycles for ‘Areas Boys’ to get them engaged and reduce their menace in the society.

    In Somolu 2 Constituency, the Oba of Bariga, Oba Gbolahan Timson lamented the poor state of inner roads in the area, urging the government to quickly make available large car park to ensure that available roads were made free for vehicular traffic. He also requested for the establishment of markets in the area.

    At Eti Osa 1 Constituency, the constituents requested for primary/ secondary schools, transformers, security within the estates, small and medium-scale loan for their businesses, cemetery for the Muslim, health facility, roads and drainage to prevent flooding, law against drug and child abuse within the constituent.

    The theme of the stakeholders’ meeting was “Towards a Better Constituency Engagement”, and was designed to educate constituents on the duties of the legislators and what the constituents expect from their representatives.

    Addressing his constituents at Agege 1 Constituency,  Speaker Mudashiru Obasa revealed that the outcome of the meetings would be a major determinant of the direction the 2016 Budget will take, adding that it is the Assembly’s desire to deepen the democratic culture as well as facilitate participatory governance in the state.

    Talking to his people in Somolu 2 Constituency, Chief Whip, Hon. Rotimi Abiru said the parley was also aimed at deepening democracy, assuring that all the complaints and suggestions made by constituents would be addressed with the appropriate authorities, just as he assured that the Palmgroove-Pedro Road now under construction would be completed by the end of the year as the needed fund has since been released.

    Also addressing his constituents at Eti Osa 1 constituency, Kazeem Alimi said the assembly had always welcome the people’s opinions to develop the state. He promised them quality representation from him and urged them to help, support and participate with him in making  Eti Osa a better place.

    The lawmakers promised to make sure that all the demands are worked on and forwarded to the executive so that it can be captured in the next budget.

    Speaking on the activities of the current Assembly, the lawmakers said, since June 15 when the 8th Assembly was inaugurated, it has passed 28 resolutions “covering a broad range of socio-economic, political and other issues pertaining to the welfare of Lagosians, the progress of the state and the nation as a whole. We have settled communal clashes, played the Ombudsman’s role while not neglecting several petitions referred to us for mediation and resolutions.