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Tag: Lagos Assembly

  • NBA Ikeja protests to Lagos Assembly

    The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja  branch and some civil society organisations yesterday stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa to protest the new Land Use Charge Law, 2018 of the State, describing it as anti-people.

    The protesters who displayed various kinds of placards to register their grievances also chanted anti-government slogans.

    Some of the inscriptions on the placards included: “Stop killing justice in Lagos,” “No to hike in Land Use Charge, LUC, CDHR,” “The country is hard enough don’t add to it,” “Developing Lagos to megacity and kill Lagosians with pharaoric taxes,” “No to taxes without consultation,” “Lagosians commit suicide daily, stop this hardship” among others.

    The Chairman of NBA, Lagos branch, Mr. Adeshina Ogunlana who addressed the press noted that they were shocked by outrageous land use charges introduced by the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

    Ogunlana said a letter calling on the State government to reverse the new law would be made available to the Governor and the Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

    “Our purpose is to communicate our grievances to Lagos State Government vis-à-vis the new direction by the governor. We have a letter for the Governor. We have anticipated that the Lagos Assembly will be more accessible than the office of the Governor,” the chairman stated.

    He pointed out that there were other civil society groups that joined the protest and they include CDHR, NCP, JAC among others.

    Ogunlana therefore called for “a rethink and review of the Land Use Charge and other obnoxious charges,” adding that the law was passed without wide consultations.

    He also faulted the enactment of the law under the state government, saying “the legislation usurps the power of local government.”

    Addressing the protesters on behalf of the Speaker of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the Majority Leader, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, commended the protesters for being civil and peaceful, saying that their profession is noble.

    “It is your right to protest because peaceful protest is legitimate all over the world. The Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni would receive the protest letter and give it to the Speaker, while the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamgbetan, would receive that of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    “I want a good relationship with the Nigerian Bar Association and the legislature. We will want you to attend our public hearings where we debate all our bills before they are passed into laws,” he said.

    Agunbiade told the protesters that the request could not be attended to immediately, but that it would get to the Speaker of the House.

    The Majority Leader assured them that the House of Assembly is doing everything possible to serve the people and pass people- oriented laws, adding that they do everything possible to work on bills.

    According to him, the product of the bills is the responsibility of the executive and the legislature.

    He stated further that democracy becomes better when people are conscious of their rights.

    He told journalists that every law passes through three different stages such as first, second and third readings. The purpose of public hearings is to take the input of members of the public and there is no public hearing that we do that is not advertised in national newspapers for stakeholders to make their input.

    “If we do what we ought to do at the right time, then we will expect more people to attend the public hearings and come with their inputs. The Governor is a listening person and what affects one person affects another so the right thing would soon be done by the Governor. We represent the people and the Governor is also there to serve the people,” he said.

  • Lagos Assembly passes N1.5tr budget for 2018

    Lagos Assembly passes N1.5tr budget for 2018

    The Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday passed N1.5 trillion as this year’s budget.

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode sent the budget to the Assembly about a month ago.

    Its Recurrent Expenditure is N347 billion while the Capital Expenditure is N699 billion.

    The lawmakers passed the Appropriation Bill after it took the Ad Hoc Committee on Appropriation’s report and completed the budget’s third reading.

    The lawmakers, who hailed the ad hoc committee for a job well done, called for a quick modification of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) policy of the state government.

    The Acting Chairman of the House Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development, Setonji David said: “There are so many arrangements going on in the PPP that the House does not know about.”

    Deputy Majority Leader Muyiwa Jimoh said the PPP should be on its own and not under any ministry.

    Speaker Mudashiru Obasa praised the committee for scrutinising the budget thoroughly within a short time.

    The Assembly passed the appropriation bill after Obasa conducted a voice vote on each of the sectorial allocations for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    The Speaker directed the Acting Clerk of the House, Mr Azeez Sanni, to send a clean copy of the bill to Ambode for assent.

    On December 11, last year, the governor presented the proposed Budget of Progress and Development to the Assembly.

  • Lagos Assembly set to review Land Use charge law

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has reviewed the state’s  Land Use Charge.

    The House, last week, read for the second time a “Bill for A Law To Repeal The Land Use Charge Law 2001 and Enact Land Use Charge 2017 and For Connected Purposes”.

    The Assembly committed the bill to the House Ad hoc Committee on Finance, headed by Mr Yinka Ogundimu.

    According to the Speaker, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, the proposed law is all about increasing the revenue generation of the state by bringing more houses into the net. Obasa said a situation where only a few consultants were working with the state government on the collection of Land Use Charge was discouraging.

    The Speaker, who noted that  many buildings had yet to be captured in the tax net of the state, said there was need for more consultants.

    “We need more consultants to do the job, so that the entire state can be covered in the collection of Land Use Charge.

    “Whatever tribunal that would be set up to deal with offenders should have the support of the government.

    “On the issue of exemptions, we cannot exempt religious organisations because most of the worship centres are making money.

    “We could only exempt non-governmental organisations; however, let’s leave all in the hand of the committee,” he said.

    Also, the House Majority Leader, Mr. Sanai Agunbiade, said  the bill would repeal the laws on land use charge.

    The House Deputy Speaker, Mr Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, who commended the bill, said it would help to increase the revenue of the state government.

    The Chairman, Adhoc Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Gbolahan Yishawu, harped on theenforcement of collecting the charges.

    He decried the situation, where only about 300,000 houses were paying land use charge in a state with over two million houses.

     

  • Lagos Assembly passes regulation to boost state revenue through taxation

    Lagos Assembly passes regulation to boost state revenue through taxation

    Lagos State House of Assembly at plenary on Tuesday passed a regulations on Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption (Fiscalization) designed to ensure that hotels and event centers remit due taxes to the state government.
    The regulation will also guide against the evasion of taxes by these business concerns thereby boosting the revenue of the state.
    The Regulations includes the registration of electronic fiscal devices, installation of fiscalization software and hardware, power to enter and inspect notifications of points of sale in the hotels and restaurant amongst others.
    The Chairman of the 5-man Ad hoc Committee on Finance, Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu who said he held series of meetings with the Commissioner for Finance and Chairman, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service stated that the regulations will bring about increase in the revenue accruable to the State and the installation of software and hardware for effective monitoring of sale transactions in hotels, restaurants and event centres.
    Ogundimu said the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Ashade said the importance of the regulation is to have the backing of law for easy implementation
    and also to help the State get the revenue as at when due, including the introduction of the fiscal electronic device which was due to the non-remittance of consumption tax by hotels.
    “Chairman, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Subair who corroborated the position of the Mr. Ashade stated that the State Government is losing heavily in the area of consumption tax because of non-introduction of electronic device. He added that lots of advocacy and enlightenment programs will be needed to achieve the desired result.
    The Speaker the Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni to forward the approval of the Regulations to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
  • Lagos Assembly seeks preservation of historical centres, monuments

    Lagos Assembly seeks preservation of historical centres, monuments

    · LBIC chief summoned for alleged insubordination

    The Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday at plenary urged Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to direct the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Adebimpe Akinsola, to list all the historical centres and monuments in the state.

    The Assembly the move would enable the state to preserve its cultural heritage and promote tourism =.

    This was part of the resolutions of the House after deliberating on a motion sponsored by some members, led by Majority Leader Sanai Agunbiade.

    The motion identified Epetedo on Lagos Island, where the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the late Bashorun Moshood Olawale Abiola, made his declaration as the President-elect of Nigeria.

    The Assembly said centres, such as the first story building in the country (at Badagry), Carter Bridge in Lagos, as well as Epetedo and other similar sites, should be listed and preserved for future generations and economic values.

    Supporting the motion, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the plenary, said the preservations of the historical centres would boost the state’s quest for attracting tourists.

    Obasa said: “I quite agree with the sponsors of the motion. There is need for us to identify and list all these centres and have access to them. When you are encouraging people to come to our state, we should get them to know the historical centres. It does not necessarily have to be government edifice.”

    Agunbiade listed the categories of the historical centres and monuments into three.

    According to him, the Grade A centres include those the government will list and take over. Grade B will include those the state government will compensate the family of the owners and Grade C will be listed and marked without any compensation.

    Abiodun Tobun (Epe I) frowned at a system where such centres are demolished, adding that government should preserve those centres for future generations.

    “If such monuments are listed and preserved, it will enhance our value. It will enhance economic benefits rather than demolishing them,” Tobun added.

    Deputy Majority Leader Muyiwa Jimoh said: “If we don’t know our history, we won’t know where we are coming from. The Church Missionary Society (CMS) is the first secondary school in the country. Herbert Macaulay’s statue fell down but people don’t feel the sense in re-erecting it. If we don’t preserve our collective patrimony, it does not show we are human.”

    Bisi Yusuff (Alimosho I) reiterated the need to preserve the Epetedo centre.

    The lawmaker argued that Abiola paid the supreme sacrifice to defend democracy.

    He said the democracy being enjoyed in the country today was as the result of Abiola’s doggedness in fighting the military to vacate power for civilians.

    Also, the Assembly yesterday summoned the Managing Director of the State Building Investment Company (LBIC), Mrs. Folasade Folivi, to appear before it on Thursday for allegedly disobeying its committee.

    Acting Chairman of the House Committee on Urban and Physical Planning, Setonji David, spoke at plenary while presenting a report on a petition written by the residents of Ijaiye Low and Medium Housing Estate that the LBIC chief disregarded the order of the committee.

    The residents of the estate had petitioned the Assembly, following LBIC’s plan to demolish “illegal structures” in the estate.

    Setonji said the woman demolished the structures within the estate, when the committee had ordered her to stay action on the plan.

    The lawmaker said Mrs Folivi turned down the invitation of the committee for meetings on the matter.

    He said she did not work with other agencies, such as the Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning, prior to the demolition.

    The committee recommended that she should be invited to explain why she shunned the invitations of the committee and why she demolished the structures at the estate.

    Other lawmakers, who spoke on the matter, described Mrs Folivi’s action as a disregard to the Assembly.

    Rotimi Olowo (Somolu Constituency I) said the LBIC managing director ought to be removed immediately, while Majority Leader Sanai Agunbiade said only the governor had the right to order the demolition of any structure in the state.

    Speaker Mudashiru Obasa said it was important for the woman to explain to the Assembly the reason behind her action.

    He added that the Assembly would hear from her before reaching conclusions on the recommendations of the committee.

     

     

  • Assembly slashes Ambode’s re-ordering request

    Assembly slashes Ambode’s re-ordering request

    The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday at plenary passed the budget re-ordering request of the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode to the tune of N25.028bn.
    Ambode had requested the lawmakers to re-order the 2017 budget to the tune of N42..028bn but after taking the report of the Ad-Hoc committee in budget headed by the acting Chairman, Hon. Rotimi Olowo, members slashed the request by N17bn due to insufficient information.
    The key components of budget 2017 was recurrent expenditure N300.535billion while N512.464billion be dedicated to capital expenditure representing a Capital/Recurrent ratio of 63 percent to 37 percent.
    The request to re-order the Paris Club refund loan of N17bn to address the challenge of transportation in the State was stepped down as members were not satisfied with the information provided by the MDAs.
    Olowo had explained earlier that there was the need to pass the review of the budget as requested by the Governor in order to address the challenges of transportation, flooding and insecurity.
    While leading the debate, Hon. Olufunmilayo Tejuoso stated that “there are some grey areas that need to be addressed before passing the budget. There were not enough clarifications. As Lagos State House of Assembly, we should be careful; we are concerned about transportation, however, if they could not give enough information on the issue, it should be thoroughly looked into before passing it.”
    Also, Hon. Saka Fafunmi pointed out that the request to access funds meant for Lagos State University (LASU) for accreditation in 2016 and 2017 was not clear enough.
    He argued that since 2016 budget estimate had lapsed, how would the fund be accessed to take care of the previous accreditation.
    While supporting his colleagues, Hon. Olanrewaju Ogunyemi stated that since the MDAs had promised to furnish the House with full details of information requested, “I think the 17 billion Naira can be held back. The 2017 budget is gradually rounding up, it can be incorporated into the 2018 budget
    Hon Bisi Yusuff said, “Since detail information was not provided, there is need to get the fundamentals correctly. It is not Mr. Governor but those who are saddled with responsibilities.”
    The Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said the Governor should be commended for having the foresight to utilize the Paris fund judiciously.
    “I think we should commend the Governor and his team for utilizing the Paris Fund for ease of Lagosians. We are all aware of what is happening in some States where the money is used to pay salaries and in some other States they could not account for it.
    “We are willing collaborators with the Governor to do what will be of good to Lagosians. Since there is need for clarification, we will drop that leg on the recommendations,” Obasa said.
  • Lagos Assembly presents score card

    Lagos Assembly presents score card

    THE passage of eight bills and 72 resolutions were some of the feats attained in the second session  by the Lagos State House of Assembly, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, has said.

    Three of the bills were signed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as landmark laws to protect lives and properties in Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre.

    The landmark laws are:  the Neighbourhood Watch Law of 1996, the Kidnapping Prohibition Bill (2016) and the  Environmental Management and Protection Bill (2017)

    In the yearly report of the Eight Assembly of the House, Obasa said the bills and resolutions were germane to the welfare of Lagosians.

    He also listed a bill targeted at tackling cancer in the Centre of Excellence as one of the bills in the works at the law-making chamber.

    “Other bills are at various stages of passage, one of which is the bill targeted at tackling cancer in our society. These resolutions and laws are those that have direct impact on the welfare of the people living in Lagos”, the Speaker said.

    Obasa, who presented the Assembly’s scorecard at a parley in commemoration of the Second Anniversary of the Eighth Assembly, spoke of the need to shield the legislature from the executive at the state and federal levels, of undue interference as a way of protecting democracy.

    He urged the media and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) against relenting on their roles as partners and critical stakeholders in the deepening of democracy.

    “In the same vein, the press, popularly known as the Fourth Estate of the Realm in Nigeria, has significantly contributed to democratic sustenance in the country and particulary in Lagos State through stimulating and reliable reportage”, Obasa said.

    Explaining the three important laws, the Speaker said: “The Neighbourhood Watch Law of 1996 was repealed by the House of Assembly in the second session and signed into law as Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Law (2016).

    “The aim of this law is to ensure that emerging highbrow crimes like killings by herdsmen, kidnapping, ritual killings and terrorism do not take root in Lagos State. Its corps was launched early this year.

    “Similarly, in a bid to curb the rising wave of kidnappings in the state, the Lagos State House of Assembly passed into law the Kidnapping Prohibition Bill (2016), which is now Lagos Kidnapping Prohibition Law (2017).

    “The Environmental Management and Protection Bill (2017) too has been signed into law by our governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, towards the proper and total sanitisation of Lagos environment and also to adapt and mitigate the challenges posed by climate change to the state.”

    “Also, the house made the much-talked Lagos State Properties Protection Law (2016) within the last one year, which is meant to prohibit forceful entry and illegal occupation of landed properties in the state.

    “The law provides for prohibition of forceful land take over, entry by force, illegal occupation of property, use of land agents, illegal use of law enforcement agents, encroaching with a weapon, sales of property without authority and professional misconduct among others by the “omo oniles” (land grabbers) with their attendant punishments as regards the particular offence.”

     

  • Lagos Assembly restores History in schools

    The Lagos State House of Assembly at its plenary has passed a resolution to revive and enhance the teaching and learning of History in the state’s schools for nation building.

    The House called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to direct the Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Adebule, who doubles as the Commissioner for  Education, Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board and other relevant agencies to enhance the teaching of History.

    The Assembly also called on the Ministry of Education to brief its House Committee on Education on the strategies to be used to achieve the teaching of History.

    The prime mover of the motion and Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Olumuyiwa Jimoh, said: “There had been a decline in the teaching of History in schools, which plays down the importance of historical events.

    “Our history and collective patrimonies should be taught in schools to address some of the fundamental issues on nation building and give us direction.

    “Without history, we are a lost race, it is through history we know our origin and tradition. We need to resuscitate it and make its teaching compulsory. Without our history, there is no way we can develop,” Jimoh said.

    The lawmakers, who took turns to decry the decline in the teaching of History in schools, said the country as a whole had suffered from such decline and negligence.

    According to him, History is so important for nation building as well as the socio-economic, cultural and political development of the nation.

    The lawmaker decried the decision of the National Council of Education in 2007 that teaching of History was not necessary in schools.

    Contributing, Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Hon. Olanrewaju Ogunyemi from Ojo Constituency 2, confirmed that History was no longer being taught in primary and secondary schools in the state.

    He explained that the importance of history in the schools could not be over-emphasised, adding that it helps the people to remember their past and make plans for the future.

    “The Minister of Education once called for the re-introduction of History in our schools. The subject was replaced with Civic Education and Government.

    “All these have not been able to give the students what they need to know about the society. No one can kill History no matter how they try. The earlier we bring back the subject the better,” he said.

    Also, Hon. Abiodun Tobun from Epe Constituency 1 said learning is  continuous, adding that History should be taught from primary to secondary school and the university.

    He said most Nigerians know about their national and political leaders through History, and that people adopt role models by learning about them.

    Hon. Bisi Yusuf from Alimosho Constituency 1 stated that the decline in history was affecting the nation’s social institutions.

    “We have moral decadence in our society today because we don’t study history anymore unlike what used to happen in the past,” he said.

    In his submission, the Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa described history as a “teacher”, saying its teaching has so many benefits to the nation.

    Obasa said: “History is like a teacher teaching us where we were, where we are and the way to go. It is to our own advantage – politically, economically, culturally and others.

    “It is important to return history to our curriculum.”

    The Speaker added that there was a need for an overhaul of the educational curriculum to move the nation forward.

  • Lagos Assembly tasks commissioner on floods

    Lagos Assembly tasks commissioner on floods

    The Lagos State of House of Assembly on Tuesday urged the state Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, to check recurrent flooding in parts of the state.

    The call followed a motion by the Chairman of the House Committee on Waterfronts Infrastructure, Mr. Gbolahan Yishawu and seconded by Mr. Segun Olulade, the Chairman of House Committee on Health.

    The House also urged Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to direct the ministry and other relevant agencies to remove all unapproved structure in the state.

    In his motion, Yishawu said the government must ensure that all canals and other drainage infrastructures are cleared frequently.

    He said: “This House calls on the Ministry of Environment and all relevant agencies to be more proactive in removing all encumbrances to free flow of water.

    “The ministry should create a rescue team and ensure cooperation with local governments as well as collaboration with other ministries to checkmate floods.

    “There is a need for proper information dissemination, sensitization of public and monitoring.”

    Earlier, Adejare, who appeared before the lawmakers, briefed the lawmakers on measures to curb flooding in the state.

    Adejare blamed the massive flood that ravaged some parts of the state on natural and human causes.

    “The flood affected places such as Lekki, Victoria Island and Lekki- Epe Expressway. But the water receded within 12 hours. We have been embarking on tree planting to reduce effect of climate change in the state.

    “Man-made is caused by people who build houses on drainage. We saw people sand filling to build houses at Osborne Phase 2. People also build houses by the lagoon against the law,’’ the commissioner said.

    NAN

     

     

  • Lagos Assembly lashes Senator Goje

    Lagos Assembly lashes Senator Goje

    Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa has directed the Clerk, Sanni Azeez, to write a protest letter to the Senate over a comment by the Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje, against the Assembly.

    This followed a motion by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Security, Tunde Braimoh, on a statement credited to Goje.

    Braimoh recalled that on July 5, the senator reportedly told the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), that the National Assembly was not the Lagos State House of Assembly.

    Goje was replying Fashola over issues bordering on the budget.

    The former Gombe State governor said the former Lagos State governor should not see the National Assembly as an institution he could control the way he controlled the Lagos Assembly.

    Braimoh said the matter was reported on Page 6 of The Nation on July 6 and some other newspapers the same day.

    He said: “The senator derogatorily referred to the Lagos State House of Assembly by saying the National Assembly was not Lagos State House of Assembly.

    “The statement is derogatory and uncomplimentary. It is an insult on the Assembly. The constitution does not give the Senate the power to superintend the state Assembly.

    “All the newspapers reported the story. It is an uncomplimentary and disparaging as well as un-parliamentary statement. The contest in which the word was used smacks of slander.”

     

    The lawmaker noted that the statement brought the Assembly to public ridicule while it made the people to feel the Assembly was a rubber stamp for the Executive arm of government.

    According to him, Goje ought to be more civil with words because of his status.

    Also, Rotimi Olowo said the Lagos State House of Assembly was an institution that people in other climes respected.

    The lawmaker noted that if Goje had issues with Fashola, he should sort them out with the minister, rather than insult the Assembly.

    He said the National Assembly was more of a rubber stamp than the Lagos State House of Assembly.

    Olowo said he was disappointed that such a statement came from a senator.

    He said the Assembly should write the Senate to reprimand Goje for making the statement.

    Yinka Ogundimu described the statement as provocative.

    The lawmaker said it was not enough for someone to sit somewhere and disparage the reputation the Assembly had built over the years.

    Tobun Abiodun noted that there were certain expectations from lawmakers because of the ethics of the office.

    He said: “What he (Goje) said is an insult on the leadership of the Assembly. The Senate should suspend him, and we demand an apology from them.”

    Other lawmakers, including Deputy Majority LeaderOlumuyiwa Jimoh, Majority Leader Sanai Agunbiade, Desmond Elliot and Bisi Yusuf demanded an apology from Goje and the Senate.