LAGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola and his Ekiti State counterpart, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday urged labour unions not to stand against the plan by the National Assembly to decentralise the fixing and payment of minimum wage. The duo spoke at the inauguration of the South West Zonal office of the National Pensions Commission (NPC) in Ikeja GRA, Lagos. Speaking, Governor Fashola said the decentralization of minimum wage was the best for true federalism, adding that states could not be compelled to pay a wage fixed by the Federal Government in a democracy. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), it will be recalled, had on Wednesday protested at the Senate over the latter’s plans to remove minimum wage from the exclusive list. Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, who led the protest, claimed the plan amounted to politicisation of workers’ compensation, as it would empower the state governments to pay workers just anything. But Fashola opined, “I think the time has come for us to speak openly and honestly for what we believe in. We may disagree, but we should try and agree at the end of the day. “The labour union has a position on the decentralization of the minimum wage, perhaps they would listen to another position, which takes us ultimately. “For us, it is not who makes the law that matters, it is whether or not the Nigerian worker gets a fair pay for a hard job .Who makes the law, who has the responsibility to manage it only detracts us from the main issue. And If we are decentralizing the management of pensions and it is making sense, why can’t we decentralize payment of wages? This is a federation. Payment of wages shouldn’t be imposed on the states”, he said. Also speaking, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi stressed that having a national minimum wage fixed by the central government should not stop the states from fixing their own in a democracy. He argued that imposition of a minimum wage was not in the interest of labour, as it might discourage states willing to reward workers more from doing so. “If we are truly a federal entity, states should also have a minimum wage at the state level, rather than the imposed minimum wage. “I remember that at the early stage of our independence, workers in the Western Region workers left the federal public service to work in the state public service because the salaries were higher. It is for us to return to that period for us to strengthen our democracy”, he said.
Tag: Fashola
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Federation Cup final: NFF hails Gov Fashola
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed appreciation to the Executive Governor of Lagos State Babatunde Raji Fashola on the successful hosting of this year’s Federation Cup competition finals.
In a letter of appreciation signed by NFF President Aminu Maigari, the football-governing body heaped plaudits on Lagos State’s number one citizen for his sheer commitment and dedication to help the Federation Cup reclaim its old glory.
“The NFF feels obliged to continue to praise Your Excellency’s keen interest and support for the Federation Cup, which has, as a result, reclaimed much of its glamour and glory.
“Your Excellency remains firmly and surely in the leading category of few State Chief Executives in our country who continue to show genuine and abiding interest in the development of Nigerian football.
“We commend Your Excellency for dignifying the occasion with your presence, coupled with the showcasing of Legends of the Cup and naming of the Media Tribune after departed legendary broadcasters Ishola Folorunsho and Ernest Okonkwo.
“Surely, the Nigeria Football Federation is joyous at the long-time agreement with Lagos State on the Federation Cup, and will work with your administration to make the 2014 event even more grand,” read the letter.
Last Sunday’s grand finale at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere took in, for the first time ever, the Women’s Final as well, with Rivers Angels hammering Nasarawa Amazons 3-0 to lift the trophy.
Enyimba FC of Aba won the men’s title for the third time, edging Warri Wolves 5-4 in a pulsating penalty shoot-out that followed a 2-2 draw in regulation time.
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Fashola urges tobacco firms to adhere to regulations
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday urged tobacco companies in Nigeria to adhere strictly to regulatory standards.
Fashola spoke in his office in Alausa, Ikeja, while hosting the Managing Director of the British American Tobacco (BAT), Nigeria, Mr. Keith Gretton.
He said tobacco products pose great risks to consumers and urged companies to adhere to standards.
Fashola said: “As we do business today, we must think about the future, because without people there can’t be business. Therefore, I think tobacco companies like yours should begin to focus on doing things that will prolong the lives of their customers.
“Many of the diseases we have today are caused by the lifestyle choices that people make and these diseases are becoming more complex as a result of substance dependency and so on.
“I urge companies that produce all these things to adhere strictly to regulations, especially laws that seek to mitigate these risks.”
The governor hailed BAT for creating jobs since it began operation in 2003, adding that the government would continue to maintain a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
He said one of the objectives of the government’s “aggressive investment” in infrastructure and security was to improve the business environment.
Gretton praised the Fashola administration for improving the state.
He said Nigeria was one of BAT’s top 10 markets, adding that the company would continue to perform its corporate responsibilities to Nigerians.
Gretton said BAT supported agriculture and remits about N15 billion in taxes annually to the Federal Government.
He said the company was building its four million pounds headquarters in Lagos, saying the building was a demonstration of the company’s long term commitment to Nigeria.
Gretton said BAT believes Nigeria has a bright economic future and would continue to support the country.
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Fashola honours Ernest Okonkwo, Ishola Folorunsho
• TBS Media tribune named after duo
• Paw-Paw cheers Enyimba to victoryLagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) on Sunday commissioned the Teslim Balogun Stadium media tribune in honour of late sports commentry icons, Ernest Okonkwo and Ishola Folorunsho.
Fashola in company of some top Lagos State executive members, Bolaji Ojo-Oba and some mebers of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and that of the League Management Company (LMC) unveiled the stand named after the Radio Nigeria sports commentators.
Okonkwo, during his days coined house hold names for ex-Green Eagles stars like ‘Mathematical’ (Segun Odegbami) ‘Chairman’ (Christian Chukwu) and ‘Justice'(Adokiye Amiesimaka).
While the late Folorunsho was known for putting his listners to suspense as he was nicknamed ‘Mr. Its a goal.
Meanwhile, ace Nollywood actor, Chinedu Iheideize ‘Paw-Paw’ was star at the finals of the 68th Fedration Cup as he came to cheer Enyimba to win its first title of the season.
The popular house hold name, dressed in a white safari suit was cheered by fans at the reserved stand located below the vip section.
Paw-Paw could not hide his passion for the Peoples Elephants when he stood to celebrate Enyimba’s equalizer as Eseme Bright cancelled out Najara Musa’s 23rd minute goal with a low drive in the 62minute. Enyimba cinched the trophy 7-6 on penalties after regulation time score of 2-2.
At the end of the penalty shoot-out, the Peoples Elephants who are in a quest for a double this season claimed their third Federation Cup title.
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Why Lagos is appealing judgment on Al-Mustapha, by Fashola
LAGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has explained the reason why the state government appealed the acquittal of Major Al Mustapha at the Supreme Court, saying the state places highest premium on human lives.
Fashola, who made the remark at the commemoration of his 2300 days in office held at the Blue Roof of Lagos Television, Ikeja, said the government acted based on the popular agitation of the people.
He said, “The first report is in respect of the verdict of acquittal of Major Al Mustapha for charges of conspiracy and murder by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, which has generated some mixed reactions.
“Because our Constitution permits a further appeal to the Supreme Court, and because we place the highest premium on every human life and because the families of the victims deserve every right to agitate the matter to the final court, just as the accused would have been entitled, your government has appealed on behalf of the people to the Supreme Court.”
He also disclosed that the government filed 20 different petitions in the Census Tribunal to challenge the figures in the 20 local governments, adding that the petitions were successful in 14 of them where the tribunal made various findings that included the orders for recounts.
He added, “From these findings, it seems fair to conclude that the census returns were manipulated against Lagosians in an act of grave injustice to say the least.
“No nation that wants to prosper and solve human challenges should ever be tardy or play politics with data collection projects such as population census. You cannot manage what you cannot measure,” he said.
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2,300 days: Fashola renders stewardship, urges mutual co-existence
LAGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), yesterday rendered the account of the stewardship of his administration in the last 100 days with an appeal to the citizenry for support, mutual co-existence, ethnic and religious tolerance, as well as obedience to law and order.
Addressing a capacity audience at the LTV Blue Roof Hall on Agidingbi Road, Fashola said the continued development and transformation of the state would only be possible with the full cooperation of the citizenry in terms of maintenance of peace, law and order.
The governor, who enumerated the various projects executed across the state, said major impacts were already being felt in the health and education sectors and also in the area of infrastructural development.
According to the governor, such projects include the completion of the Trauma and Burns Centre in Gbagada, two more flagship Primary Health Care Centres in Eredo Epe and in Itire, the Folarin Coker Health Centre for public servants in Alausa, the street light of Carter Bridge, the progress in the Technical and Vocational Education Colleges as reported during the State’s Enterprise Day and the reports from the education sector at the Annual Governor’s Education Award.
Governor Fashola explained that of the two supplementary budgets presented by the government after the second quarter, the first, with the size of N7 billion, was to enable government finance the building of more houses under the Lagos Homes Scheme, while the second, amounting to N7.5 billion was for the early acquisition of the Lekki Concession as provided under the Concession Agreement “in a way that helps us to keep investor confidence and control any possible increase in the toll fees.”
Expressing optimistism that his administration is heading in the right direction in terms of its new education policies, the governor added, “I am also able to report that we have received the results for 2013 WAEC Examinations which show that out of 51,604 students who sat for the examination, 21,193 secured the five credits in Mathematics and English in one sitting representing, according to him, a 41.06% pass rate over the 39% of last year.
On security, the governor, who said there has been an aggregate reduction in crime in the state, however, noted, “In a world that is getting increasingly complex and where no nation is crime-free,” the state was getting its own fair share of problems associated with population increase with some of its citizens falling victims to crimilals.
Another area where progress was recorded during the last 100 days, Fashola said, is in the transportation sector where, according to him, “the commitment of government in improving efficiency in public transportation is yielding results”. Such results include the recent formal handing over of the 7kilometer Ibeshe Road, the over 200 inner city roads currently under construction across the State and the on-going resuscitation of five ferries retrieved from the Lagos Lagoon.
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Fashola outlines virtues of good leadership
•’Bishop Tutu is a role model’
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has said a good leader must be dependable, flexible, courageous and principled.
He spoke at the Rio Tinto in London during the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellowship Programme organised by the African Leadership Institute.
Fashola said: “Dependability means the quality of leadership that derives its value from the confidence reposed in the leader by his followers.
“One of the attributes to look out for in a credible leader is whether the person is living by the principles by which he takes his actions.”
Citing an example of America’s position on the Syrian crisis, he said: “Many of you might recall that United States (U.S.) President Barack Obama, as a young senator then, took a view that the President could not go to war without congressional approval. It was a strong view at the time and it resonated to many of us. But as President, he sought to attack Syria without congressional approval. His realisation that the decision was at the core of his values showed that he is a principled man.
“It takes a very principled man to realise that this was a call on his values. In the event, we are familiar with the fact that he has gone back to the Congress. It may be humbling, perhaps it is another attribute of leadership, but I take a view always that as difficult as it is to say you are sorry, it puts you on a very high moral course when you admit to yourself that you are wrong. That is the message we have seen from the course of event.”
The governor identified flexibility as an invaluable quality needed by every leader, saying: “What should be borne in mind is that things or situations may change rather quickly, which may not need adopting rigid positions.
“A leader who is courageous sometimes needs to be flexible because he would be called upon to make decisions. What lies at the heart of every courageous leader is not the absence of fear, but the conviction that the action he is about to take is the appropriate one.”
Citing the demolition of the partly collapsed Bank of Industry (BOI) building in Lagos in 2008, he said although he knew the challenges associated with his decision, he went ahead with the demolition.
Fashola said a leader needs compassion, trust, team-playing ability and the good will of the citizens to take hard decisions.
Attributing the achievements of his administration in the last six years to team work, he said: “Despite being the driver of whatever achievements the present administration in Lagos may have made, the credit should go to all members of the team because, just as in a football match, when someone has scored a beautiful goal, it is the captain that is called upon to pick up the trophy.”
Extolling the virtues of Bishop Tutu, Fashola said: “His life and struggles define many of the things that many present-day leaders would like to be. How many of those characteristics come to the fore will depend on the challenges being faced and whether the present crop of leaders are ready to face those challenges.”
The governor’s presentation was followed by an interactive session with Fellows from various countries in Africa, including Nigeria.
A Fellow from Zambia, Ms. Monica Musonda, who said she used to live in Lagos, hailed the “rapid urban regeneration and infrastructural renewal” executed in the city by the Fashola administration.
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Fashola inaugurates 7km road in Ibeshe
Commercial activities at Ibeshe, a rural community in Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State, have improved, following the construction of a seven-kilometre road.
Inaugurating the road yesterday, Governor Babatunde Fashola said the project was in fulfillment of his electoral promises to residents.
He said: “I remember that this Ibeshe road was an electoral issue during my campaign. Infact, the 7km road took us 45 minutes to travel. We have done that journey today in less than 10 minutes.
“The road was broken and there was virtually no commercial activity here. The textile factory is now picking up; petrol stations are springing up; schools are expanding; our children can now walk decent and motorable roads to school and I have seen other businesses springing up, so for us it is more than a road. It is a statement of fidelity.”
The governor said the contractor would soon move back to site to begin work on a ferry terminal, jetty and a housing estate with 720 flats.
He said: “Hold me to those promises because our work in Ikorodu is not finished. It is a strategic economic centre and we have made a lot of progress on the 13.3km Mile 12-Ikorodu Road, which we are rebuilding from four lanes to six, with BRT corridors.”
He urged residents to pay their taxes promptly and stop trading on drains.
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Obafemi Hamzat said the road had opened up the community and would prevent rural-urban migration.
He said the road, which was awarded to the Arab Contractors on April 29, 2010, was built with interlocking stones and has 15 metres width.
Hamzat said the government would soon complete 10 inner roads under construction in the council.
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Fashola congratulates Methodist Prelate
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has congratulated Most Rev. Samuel Uche on his election as the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria.
He said he was confident that Rev. Uche would take the church to greater heights.
Until his election at the 44th Special Conference of the Methodist Church of Nigeria at the Williams Memorial Methodist Cathedral, Ebute-Metta, Lagos at the weekend, Rev. Uche was the Archbishop of Enugu Diocese.
He replaced Dr. Sunday Olatunji Makinde, who was elected in 2006.
In his congratulatory letter to the Prelate, Fashola said: “The show of confidence in you by peers and the general congregation cannot but produce a most humbling experience, just as it engenders the somewhat daunting challenge of taking forward the educational and spiritual mission of the age-long institution, which the Methodist Church of Nigeria represents.
“I have no doubt that this seamless, momentous torch-passing from Dr. Makinde, who has led the church in a most inspiring manner since 2006, to you will take the mission to new heights.
“On behalf of my wife, Abimbola, the government and people of Lagos State, please accept my hearty congratulations on your election.”
Fashola prayed God to continue to guide the Prelate in his duties.
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Bishop’s wife hails Fashola
The wife of the Bishop of Diocese of Lagos West of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Mrs. Lydia Odedeji, has hailed Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration for making Lagos “a place of pride”.
Mrs. Odedeji spoke at the 14th Women’s Guild Annual Conference in Ipaja, on the outskirts of the city.
She said Lagos State has lived up to its name as the centre of excellence. Mrs. Odedeji hailed the government on the construction of the Lagos-Badagry expressway.
On the Carter Bridge, she said: “The bridge was built in 1901 and was rebuilt in 1973. The place was always dark at night and hoodlums robbed people there. On July 1, Fashola switched on the lights of the 6km Carter Bridge, the oldest bridge in Lagos, revealing the beauty of the area at night.”
Mrs. Odedeji described Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire as an achiever, who has done well in the education sector.
She said: “The decision of the government to establish enviable public schools is encouraging and highly commendable. Many schools have hitherto been reconstructed with a lot of refurbishment. The schools in Lagos State have now imbibed the reading culture.”
Mrs. Odedeji urged Lagosians to cooperate with the government by paying tax and adhering to the state’s rules and regulations.