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Tag: Lagos residents

  • Stop molesting our staff, corporation appeals to Lagos residents

    Stop molesting our staff, corporation appeals to Lagos residents

    The Managing Director of Lagos State Water Corporation, Mr Muminu Badmus, on Friday appealed to residents in the state to stop molesting its officials on routine maintenance at their residence and neighbourhood.
    Badmus made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    According to him, the corporation will no longer take the harassment of its officials on legitimate duty lightly.
    ”The corporation is concerned about the intimidation of its staff on routine maintenance or repairs in some residence.
    ”Our staff and contractors, especially in some high profile estates in the state, have been harassed and intimidated while on duty.

    ”The corporation is at present sensitising residents on the installation and use of pre- paid meters and the need to stop wastage of water.

    ”We are appealing to residents to cooperate with our staff as this will go a long way in ensuring efficient water service delivery,” he said.

    Badmus said that it was the duty of the corporation to attend to report of burst water pipes and mains in any location.
    While appealing for residents’ cooperation, he said that the corporation would no longer condole such behaviour.
    ”Our staff have been held hostage by the security personnel, their vehicles seized, and driven away with their tools and materials in some estates.

    ”In some areas, social miscreants have been hired to harass them.
    ”The management will not allow such scenario to continue.”

    Badmus said that staff were presently carrying out enumeration for the purpose of obtaining accurate data of customers.
    He said the exercise would ensure that every household in the state had access to potable water.

    The managing director said that the corporation would carry out the assignment without inhibition, adding that the establishment would not allow some residents to thwart the efforts of the staff.
    Badmus said that anybody or group involved in molesting its staff on legitimate duty would face the wrath of the law.

    Read Also: ‘Ambode working to give Lagosians water’

  • LPG gas cylinders for Lagos residents

    Tyson and Olajide presenting a gas cylinder to one of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Risikat Raji. With them are from left: Sales Executive, Mr. Segun Gboyega; Folami; MAN, Surulere branch member, Mr. Kunle Uthman and Public Relations Officer, MAN National, Alhaja Nurat Adebayo at the event.

    LITE Gas, the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) brand of Gas Terminalling and Distribution Limited, has begun free distribution of 450 units of LPG cylinder bundle to members of religious bodies in Lagos State, under the Eko Gas project. The firm is a member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry LPG Group.
    The group, in partnership with the Lagos State government, is distributing free cylinders bundle and LPG worth over N6 million, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities.
    The firm recently kick-started the project with free sharing of 25 units of LPG cylinder bundle to low-income members of the Lagos State  Muslim Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Surulere, Lagos.
    Each of the 25 beneficiaries went home with a complete set of cylinder filled with cooking gas, the mesh, regulator and cooker ring.
    The Chief Financial Officer of Gas Terminalling, Mr. Abubakar Folami, said Lite Gas extended the gesture to the beneficiaries and the Surulere branch of the association “as part of its contributions to encourage the low-income earners of the community to switch from the use of  dangerous and expensive energy sources to the much cleaner, cheaper, safer, efficient, affordable and readily available LPG, otherwise known as cooking gas and also educate them on the fact that cooking gas is not only meant for the rich, but also for every member of the community irrespective of their social class.”
    He said: “The World Health Organisation (WHO), in its findings, said the use of fossil fuels, such as firewood, charcoal and kerosene are some of the causes of heart problems and cancer. So, our mission here is to encourage people to switch to the use of a much cleaner fuel–that is the LPG.”
    As part of the organisation’s safety enlightenment campaigns for the beneficiaries, who were first-time converts to LPG practice, the Health and Safety Manager of Lite Gas, Mr. Michael Olajide, demonstrated the process of assembling the complete set of the cylinder bundle and its use to the beneficiaries. He took them through other best safety practices for general use of LPG for cooking.
    Chairman of the Lagos branch of the MAN, Alhaji T.A. Tyson, expressed his profound gratitude to Lite Gas and prayed for the organisation to always grow from strength to strength.
    One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Salifat Alayaki, expressed gratitude to the firm for giving her a gas cylinder.

  • Dislodged militants now enroll as private guards – Police

    Dislodged militants now enroll as private guards – Police

    Lagos residents have been warned to ensure circumspection when employing domestic workers, and to allow proper profiling of their domestic employees by the police.

    Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Fatai Owoseni gave the warning Friday, disclosing that some of the militants/kidnappers dislodged from creeks now disguise as private security guards.

    Owoseni said the police were already taking census of some of the estates where these kidnappers have been posted by their firms as guards, without knowing they were spying on victims.

    He also disclosed that cases of criminality perpetrated by domestic helps were on the increase especially with respect to drivers fleeing with their employers’ vehicles.

    The police boss warned estate managers, private guards to stop denying policemen on patrol, duty access into the premises, adding that the command was working with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to address anomalies.

    Owoseni said: “Criminal elements and suspected militants/kidnappers have found themselves enlisted into services of private security company, where they choose the estates they want to go and work.

    “It gives them platform to do monitoring and then give information to their cohorts outside. The command wants to advice Lagos residents on the need to profile domestic servants and drivers they employ.

    “By doing that, they would be helping to secure themselves, protect valuables and assist the police in its quest to reduce crime to minimal level in Lagos.”

    Giving details of arrests made by the command between Tuesday and Friday, Owoseni said a syndicate that advertises and present themselves as drivers in order to steal from their employers was apprehended.

    He said: “They do so in connivance with guards in some of the houses they work as drivers. We got four members of the gang after a Hyundai jeep which was stolen from the owner’s home, was intercepted at Ondo State, enroute Abuja.

    “Through diligent investigation, kingpin James Jacob was arrested. During interrogation, three others were arrested. On a serial basis, they give out themselves as drivers. After working for the family for some time, they steal the car or connive with guards.

    “They have confessed that there are five other cars stolen in that manner. James Jacob has been paraded last year for a case of rape and stealing of vehicle. He raped his boss’ house help and stole the car. He was charged to court but unfortunately, he got bail and refused to learn his lessons.

    “The gang had number plates belonging to government offices, which they use to move stolen vehicles to places they sell them.”

    Owoseni also said the command through the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), arrested four suspected tricksters, armed robbers, who usually shoot their victims after luring them to particular locations under the guise of buying wares from them.

    Wilfred Ehi, 30; Bright Eloho, 24; Olanrewaju Kamilu, 33 and Ekeme Gbmedu, 22, were arrested at Olamoti Hotel, Iyana-Iba by a decoy team.

    They were said to have shot a policeman, who disguised as a phone seller and stood at a place they asked him to stay with the phone.

    According to Owoseni, the command has received about 13 reports on the activities of the suspects, prompting an undercover operation to arrest them.

    He said: “They ask the sellers to bring phones to the hotel. Once the person got there, they fire the person and collect the phone. They fired one of the policemen who carried phones to them as a seller. He was shot in the leg in the course of the operation.

    “Police eventually had upper hand and kingpin of the syndicate was nabbed, leading to arrest of three others.

    “A KIA Optimal saloon car, four expensive telephones, two wristwatches, a cannon E087D camera, laptop, WiFi and a wrap of weeds was recovered from them.

    “We also arrested three suspects including the brother of producer, Seun Kareem alias Egbegbe for being his accomplices. The suspects, Lawal Kazeem,  Olalekan Yusuf and Muyideen Shoyombo have confessed to the crime and would be charged to court.

    “Five members of a syndicate that specialises in faking to be haulage contractors were arrested. The command has been on their trail until the last operation where the command worked with victim.  “They present themselves as haulage contractors to big companies and individuals wanting to transport goods from Lagos to other parts of the country. They use their trucks or those of victims to carry goods, which they divert and sell around Shagamu and then, they take the trucks away.

    “RRS tracked and arrested five suspects. Two of the diverted trucks were dismantled and sold to different spare-parts dealer. The two have been recovered. They confessed to other trucks they have diverted and butcher like that.

    “Flour that was given to them to transport out of Lagos has been traced to the receiver. It has been recovered and worth N46m.”

     

  • Health insurance coming for Lagos residents

    Lagos State Government will soon introduce a mandatory community based health insurance scheme for residents, Health Commissioner, Dr. Jide Idris said.
    To benefit from the scheme, they must have the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) number.
    Idris said the government was embarking on the scheme to address the growing health demand of a megacity.
    He was addressing reporters on the state’s medical mission that will hold in the 57 councils from tomorrow to June 8. The health mission will be for three days every week.
    The scope of services to be provided freely include screening services for non-communicable diseases, especially hypertension and diabetes, treatment of common ailments, HIV counselling and testing, antenatal care and family planning services.
    Others are screening and treatment of common eye diseases, as well as refractions and provision of glasses, dental care services and health education/talks among others.
    Idris explained that with a population of over 22 million, the healthcare demands of the people were also increasing, while their economic burden is becoming more unbearable by the day.
    “This cannot be allowed to continue. Furthermore, with the economic downturn, the free health policy of the state has become inefficient in addressing these issues. Lagos residents will require a safety net to be in place to improve their health outcome, especially the most vulnerable in the society, as well as significantly reduce ‘out-of-pocket’ payments that persists in the country,” Idris said.
    He added: “Unlike the federal based health insurance, the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme will be managed by Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), but no HMO will pay directly any money to service providers. An agency will be inaugurated to do just that. Also enrollees will have the right to pick any hospital of choice, either private or public,” said Dr Idris.

  • LAWMA assures Lagos residents of prompt waste removal

    LAWMA assures Lagos residents of prompt waste removal

    LAGOS State residents have been assured by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) of prompt evacuation of waste during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

    LAWMA’s Chief Executive Officer Mr. Muyiwa Adejokun gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    He said officials  had been directed to work throughout the two-day holiday.

    “We have put in place logistics to ensure a waste-free celebration.

    ”Our men, with their trucks, have been directed to operate on a 12-hour basis, as well as go on a round-tripping, that is doubling their trips on waste evacuation.

    ”This arrangement will help to reduce any form of delays or excuses for non-evacuation of waste.

    ”Our various supervisors are also on duty to ensure prompt picking of refuse.

    ”They will also ensure that our environment is kept clean before resumption of work,’’ he said.

    He added that free waste bags were distributed to various private sector participation (PSP) operators and mosques before the celebration.

    Adejokun said the bags were for proper bagging of refuse and easy pickup by waste managers.

    “We expect that waste be properly bagged or containerised,’’ he said.

    The LAWMA CEO warned residents, especially, Moslems that slaughtered rams and organised parties, to desist from indiscriminate dumping of their wastes in water channels.

    He said such disposal of wastes could lead to heavy flooding during downpour.

    He frowned at the unhygienic ways some of the animals were being reared by their owners as well as the manner their wastes were being disposed of after slaughtering.

    Adejokun urged residents to embrace the waste management policy of the state government during the celebration by patronising LAWMA and PSP operators  for the disposal of their wastes.

    He warned them against patronising cart pushers.

    ”If anyone notices erring PSP operator, please call us on our toll free lines; 5577, 070, 806, 01020.

    ”Someone will be on duty to pick the calls and we will react to them promptly as long as it has to do with waste collection,” Adejokun said.

     

     

     

  • Insecurity: Lagos residents urged to know their tenants, neighbours

    Insecurity: Lagos residents urged to know their tenants, neighbours

    As suspected militants continue to flee the creeks following onslaught by the military, Lagos residents have been urged to be mindful of those they lease their homes to.

    Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni made the appeal Tuesday at Idimu while inaugurating the division’s Eminent Persons Forum (EPF), as well as unveiling the community town hall built at the station.

    Owoseni noted that the fleeing militants, who might want to infiltrate other areas, will not only terrorise the residents but also introduce their children to crimes.

    According to him, landlords should endeavour to collect passport photographs of their prospective tenants, get duplicate copy of their International passports data page or identity card, as well as investigate them.

    He also advised that they should find out their villages and ask to see any of their community members who know them, stressing the need to not be carried away by the money the tenants intend to pay.

    The Commissioner who said the police introduced the EPF following the divisions along ethno-religious line that have erupted the country, added that it was the believe of the acting Inspector General of Police  (IGP) Ibrahim Idris that community policing strategy will help unite the people.

    “Mind the kind of tenants you take. Militants fleeing from the creeks have short guns which they can hide and enter your house as tenants and start to wreak havoc. They have a way of influencing the children by buying drinks for them. You should be able to know your tenants. Ask them questions. Get their passport photographs and even a copy of their ID. In Ethiopia, you cannot rent a house as a foreigner without producing your passport. These are some of the ways to help make the job of the police easy.

    “Globally, policing is for community members. You see what we don’t see in our offices. So, the EPF is a way to further community policing. “Because of things happening in the country, we are falling apart. As elders, youths, traditional and religious institution, we are losing it. Gone are the days when people were alive to their civic responsibilities. We have been divided along ethno-religious line even in Lagos.

    We are now torn apart. We carry daggers to pursue each other and it should not be so,” he said.
    Owoseni also charged transporters in the state to conduct checks on passengers’ luggage before departure, urging them to avail the police information on criminal elements.

    “Some criminals have been arrested in motor parks with guns stocked in their bags, while trying to escaped and smuggle their weapons out of the state,” he said.

    Also speaking, Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Civic matters, Kehinde Joseph urged the residents to corporate with the police in fighting crime.

    “With the provision of security gadgets by the state government to the police and their being put to use adequately, crime rate has drastically reduced in the state. There is hardly any crime that the police do not uncover in Lagos,” he said.

  • Crime: Lawmaker urges Lagos residents to provide useful information

    The Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Strategy and Security has urged automobile dealers, hoteliers and nightclubs owners to assist government in gathering intelligence towards preventing crime.

    The Chairman of the committee, Mr Tunde Braimoh (APC-Kosofe II), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

    He was reacting to the people’s appeal for the state government to take necessary measures to improve the security of lives and property in the state.

    “What criminals spend their money on is cars, women, and drinks.

    “So we need our car dealers to assist us with intelligence; they can know when somebody comes around gallivanting and behaving as if on top of the world without any reasonable means of income.

    “We should know and we should be able to make up intelligence immediately.”

    According to him, Lagos is one of the most secure cities in the world regardless of current security challenges.

    “Yes, there may be pockets of crimes here and there, but we must know that there is no big city anywhere in the world that does not have such problems.”

    He stressed the need for all stakeholders to assist the government in tackling the spate of insecurity.

    He said, “We cannot leave everything to government alone as all of us have to be our brothers’ keepers.”

    Braimoh noted that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode has earmarked more than N23.5bn for security in the 2016 budget and more than N4 billion on the same issue towards the end of 2015.

    The lawmaker urged the residents to show concern about security issues, stressing that criminals will not cease from terrorising the society.

    “We should work on intelligence gathering which in most cases will help prevent crime from occurring in the first place, because the system we use now is reactionary in nature like we have the Rapid Response Squad.

    “But responding is not the best, because that will be like medicine after death.

    “Even prosecution of criminals is still reactionary in nature, but when we focus on preventing crime, we save ourselves from the rigor of responding to crime.

    “Prevention is always better than cure.”

    He argued that it is imperative for anybody caught sharing part of the proceeds of crime to be prosecuted as an accomplice.

    Braimoh said ladies indulging in harbouring criminals or frolicking of them should not be spared when they were found in the midst of these criminals.

    He advocated that markets must be secured from activities of criminals, saying all markets must be locked up at nightfall.

  • Classic FM takes medical mission to Lagos residents

    Classic FM takes medical mission to Lagos residents

    In partnership with Pathcare Laboratories, Classic FM on Saturday, August 1, held the 2015 edition of its Doctors on Air Medical Mission. Held at Yaba Local Government secretariat, Yaba, Lagos, the management of the radio station called on government at all level to give more attention to making quality healthcare services accessible to the masses.

    General Manager of Megalectrics Limited, operators of Classic FM97.3 and Naija FM102.7; Mr. Deji Awokoya said that the yearly event provides free public health care for local residents.

    “Doctors on Air is actually a radio programme that goes out on Classic FM on Wednesdays. So, based on the feedback we got from callers, we thought it was important for us to create an offline event where we could give the public a chance to speak to doctors and get some information from them. It speaks for itself. This is the third edition and as the years go by, the turnout increases,” he said.

    The teeming crowd that thronged the venue also received Medical counselling and advice from a team of volunteer doctors available for the exercise.

    Dr. Pamela Ajayi, creator and host of the Doctors on Air radio programme and founder of Pathcare Laboratories, also seized the opportunity to appeal to the government to continue with intensive screening at the nation’s borders and airports to avert another Ebola virus outbreak in the Nigeria.

    “The focus is on preventive healthcare, educating people on how to pick things up early. We have pharmacists who support us. The essence is to know certain things. We must know our health numbers. It is all about empowerment. Empowering people through knowledge so they can take control of their health,” she said.

    The Doctors On Air Free Medical Mission is an annual CSR put together by Pathcare Laboratories, Classic FM and Naija FM in partnership with Lagos state Blood donation service, Bridge Clinic, Mopheth Pharmacy, The Eye doctors, Medplus, Healthplus, Fidson Healthcare, Megacare limited, Skye Dental, Chike Okoli Foundation, Access Bank, Leadway Assurance, CDMA LUTH and many more.

     

  • Free eye checks excite Lagos residents

    Free eye checks excite Lagos residents

    They came out in their droves; those who had one eye challenge or the other. They had been living in pains for years with partial sight. They were those who had cataract or partially blind. They wished the programme would be a weekly affair as they benefitted from the free eye programme organised by the Rotary Club of Palmgroove, Lagos.

    •Some of the beneficiaries of the programme
    •Some of the beneficiaries of the programme

    The beneficiaries could not believe that their health challenges could be treated free and their sights restored. It was a reality that stood not within the prospect of belief.

    For 10 days, more than 700 residents of Lagos had the benefit of enjoying free eye screening and cataract surgeries that cost N45 million. The Rotary Club embarked on the project in partnership with Indo Eye Care Foundation; Lagos State’s Ministry of Health, Ogun State Ministry of Health and the Indian Community.

    Being the first of its kind, many residents trooped out to the General Hospital, Marina, venue of the event, to get their eyes screened. Critical cases were referred for surgery.

    The theme of this year’s programme was “Vision for Nigeria.”

    In a chat with reporters, the team leader of the Rotary Eye Institute of India, Mr. Yogesh Naik said either old age or hereditary problems could cause cataract. He added that it could result from environmental issues; even as he said malnutrition, deficiency of vitamins, food habits and excess consumption of alcohol are some of the causes of the ailment.

    He note that each surgery costs as much as 200 dollars, but the club’s passion for the well-being of the people informed their bringing in specialists from India to carry out the programme free.

    The beneficiaries, who sang, danced and jubilated, praised members of the club for their kind gesture. They went home smiling, even though their eyes were bandaged.

    Over 20,000 people have benefited from the project since its inception in 2005. Last year, it didn’t hold because of the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease.

    The District Governor of Rotary 9110, Dr. Dele Balogun, commended the Rotary Club of Palmgroove for going out of their way to make people comfortable.

    Dr Balogun told our correspondent that a cataract surgery per eye costs about N200, 000 in a private hospital.

    To many of the Indian volunteers, it has become a passion to save lives. The community expressed optimism that the gesture will be a yearly event.

    President of the Club, Ramesh Biswal, said the project begans three months ahead of time, to enable the team to screen up to 500 patients on Saturdays for a week. They patients were screened for HIV, Hepatitis B; blood pressure and for other ailments to ensure that they are fit to undergo the operation.

    “We never sent anyone back. What we have is 100 per cent result and 100 per cent success. We perform surgeries on patients from three 90 years old. The children, who were operated upon were well prepared and groomed to be confident for the operation,” he said.

    About 3,000 eye glasses were recommended and given to patients during the exercise. Those who were operated upon were thereafter referred to the nearest hospital’s ophthalmologist government where all their questions will be answered.

    So far, members of the club have donated 200 pints of their blood to the Lagos State Government and Nigerian Red Cross Society. Also, 50, 000 artificial limbs and white canes were donated to those who cannot see.

    Naik, who also doubles as the Secretary of the Eye Institute said yearly, he takes 20 days off from duty to monitor activities and help promote care for the eye.

    He also stated that the Indian Community, with the support of the Lagos State Government, has been given a piece of land close to the airport to build a world-class eye hospital for Nigerians at little or no cost.

    The hospital, which he said will be comprehensive, will be ready in the next one-and-a-half years.

    He lamented that there were no good eye clinics in the country and the few available have become a profit-making venture.

    He called on wealthy individuals, corporate organisations and non-governmental organisations to help in ensuring that people’s well-being is taken care of.

  • Residents urged to monitor physical development

    Residents urged to monitor physical development

    Lagos residents have been urged to help the government to arrest unwholesome physical development and prevent further collapse of buildings by monitoring their neighbourhoods for distressed structures and non-conforming developments.

    Officials of the state government and other stakeholders gave the advice at an interactive session for residents of Oshodi Local Government Area, as well as Ejigbo and Isolo Local Council Development Areas (LCDA).

    The forum,organised by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, was meant to enlighten the residents on the implementation of the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, 2010, as well as seek their input into it.

    The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Olutoyin Ayinde, said the state government was committed to taking the local governments along in the implementation of the law.

    As part of measures to make things easier, he said the government had increased to 57 the recommending officers for processing building applications from the initial 20 to cover the local government areas and LCDAs, adding that this was to demonstrate its preparedness to collaborate with the third tier of government.

    Ayinde said though physical planning was the responsibility of the government, development was the role of everybody in the society.

    He said: “We should all be concerned about developments in our areas. Government officials cannot be everywhere. We are opening up ourselves for people to reach us. We should be interested in developments around us and report any aberration to appropriate authorities when necessary.

    “We cannot achieve sustainable development without the collaboration of the government and the governed. We must work concertedly to ensure that infringement of physical planning laws is curtailed.”

    The commissioner advised intending developers to always engage the services of relevant professionals in the built industry before commencing developments, while developers should obtain relevant development permits.

    He advised stakeholders to ask questions that bothered them, while developers must put physically challenged people into consideration when building.

    The General Manager, LASPPPA, Mr Toyin Abdul, said the task of making Lagos a sustainable city was a collective responsibility of stakeholders and that to achieve this, physical planning rules and regulations must be strictly adhered to.

    Abdul said: “The authority, between January 2012 and October 2012, received 1,569 building applications; 1,327 of these applications were approved, five were turned down for various reasons, while 289 are at various stages of processing.

    “In the same breath, the authority has equally commenced the monitoring of developments without development permits with a view to reducing the number of buildings that are unfit for human habitation and thus minimise incidences of building collapse.”

    The Vice-Chairman, Oshodi Local Government, Mr Daisi Oso, said the area was a cardinal access point to different areas of the state, and decried the taking over of some portions by hoodlums.

    He also advised that experienced physical planning officers should be posted to local government councils to advice the authorities on physical planning matters.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Ajayi, said the 2010 law stipulated that physically challenged people must be provided for in public buildings, parking lots and toilet facilities.

    The Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Physical Planning and Central Business District, Mr Muftau Egberongbe, said it was hazardous for people to develop without obtaining necessary building permits and advised stakeholders to report distressed buildings in their environs to appropriate authorities.

    The Chairman, Ejigbo LCDA, Mr Kehinde Bamgbetan, said local governments should be entitled to some percentage of the revenue from development permits, while the state government should curb the activities of corrupt town planning officials and put signposts of its landed property across the state.

    There were messages from the chairmen of the state chapters of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Nigerian Institute of Architects, Nigerian Institute of Building and Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers.