The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos State government

  • Kidnapping: Lagos beefs up security in Epe, assures farmers of safety

    Kidnapping: Lagos beefs up security in Epe, assures farmers of safety

    …Vows to sustain enforcement of Okada ban

     

    The Lagos State Government on Tuesday assured farmers in the State especially in Epe axis of adequate measures to protect them against incessant kidnappings, just as it vowed to pursue vigorously and sustain the renewed enforcement of the ban on commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada plying restricted routes.

    Rising from the monthly Security Council Meeting chaired by the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the State Government assured residents and investors of commitment to their security and well-being, adding that no stone would be left unturned towards protecting the people.

    The State’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni who briefed journalists after the meeting, said the Council reviewed the security situation in the State in the last one month and resolved to redouble efforts where necessary.

    The CP said: “The Council has looked at the security situation in the State in the last one month and the conclusion we reached is that it has been relatively calm here and where we need to do more of interventions with the view to doubling our efforts, we have identified those areas and the commitment from the Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode remain unwavering and that every efforts that would secure Lagos and make business and commercial activities to be carried out without let or hindrance will be done.

    “The Council also reviewed the operation on the total enforcement of Okada ban and it was agreed that the renewed efforts toward enforcing the law with regards to the operation of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in the State will be sustained in view of the threat to security that we have witnessed in the past. There is a renewed commitment, we will sustain it and ensure that the State Traffic Law is effectively enforced,” Owoseni said.

    On kidnapping of farmers in Epe axis, the police boss said though it was impossible to completely eradicate crime, the State Government was working round the clock to ensure the safety of the farmers.

    He revealed that the Governor recently led top security operatives and government officials to the axis to ascertain the state of affairs and personally assured the farmers of the commitment of the State Government to ensure they carry out their farming activities without let or hindrance.

    “Yes, I can tell you that so many commitments have been made. His Excellency the Governor about two weeks ago led Security Council members to Epe where so many commitments were made and some of the measures and strategies being put in place to check this menace.

    “I want to assure the people within that axis that the commitment of the State Government to their security is unwavering and we can assure them that they will be able to do what they are doing to earn their livelihood without fears of molestation or threat of being attacked.

    “We have so many plans and I think that we are not supposed to reveal much about our strategies for now because it is a cat and mouse thing but most importantly is the commitment of everyone to the fight against crime. On the part of the State Government, I can assure the people that the commitment is unwavering,” Owoseni said.

    The CP, who addressed the briefing alongside heads of security formations in the State, however urged the people to continue to support and partner with security agencies.

  • ‘Danfo’ ban will professionalise our job – BCAN

    The Bus Conductors Association of Nigeria (BCAN) has said that the proposed ban of yellow buses (Danfos) by the Lagos State Government would assist in professionalising their jobs.

    The National President of the association, Mr Israel Adeshola, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that the development would have positive impacts on the conductors’ job in the state.

    “The ban is going to have positive impacts on our members; it will promote and elevate our jobs.

    “Members of the society have already categorised conductors as touts and illiterates.

    “But with the new government policy on transportation system, people will have to get approval from political leaders and traditional rulers before becoming conductor in Lagos State.

    “There is no way government can take such decision and sideline over 6000 registered members of BCAN in the state.

    “I am sure we are not going to be marginalised in the upcoming system, we are going to be involved in making Lagos a Mega City,’’ he said.

    According to him, the association would soon introduce uniforms with tag and identification numbers for easy identification of every conductor.

    Adeshola said that conductor’s job was vital in the transportation sector.

    “We have embarked on sensitisations and training of our members, things cannot continue like this forever.

    “You have to upgrade yourself and prepare for opportunities, we are planning to improve on our services and assure passengers that we are reliable and responsible people,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, had on Feb. 6 announced a plan to stop operations of yellow commercial buses popularly known as ‘danfo’ for a more efficient, well-structured and world-class mass transport system.

    Ambode said that the well-structured transport system would ease movement within the state and make Lagos cleaner, as well as lessen taxes on the people.

     

  • Collapse Building: Lagos criminal files charge against Lekki boss, others

    The Lagos State Government has filed criminal charge against the Managing Director of Lekki Gardens Estate Ltd, Richard Nyong and others over the collapse of a five-storey building under construction on Kushenla Road in Ikate Elegushi area of the State which killed no fewer than 35 persons.

    Apart from Lekki Gardens Estate Ltd, GT Rich Ltd, HC Insight Solutions Ltd, others charged alongside Nyong are Taiwo Odofin, Omolabake Mortune, Maruis Agwu, Sola Olumofe and Omotilewa Joseph.

    The defendants are facing six-count charge of failure to obtain building approval for the collapsed building and unlawful manslaughter contrary to Section 75 of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law of L

    The criminal charge, which was filed on February 17, 2017, is yet to assign a date for arraignment of the defendants.

    The State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, after the collapse of the building, had visited the scene where he expressed a strong commitment to the protection of lives and property of all citizens in the State.

    The Governor had specifically vowed to ensure justice for the victims of the collapsed building, while also assuring residents of the State that no stone would be left unturned to ensure that cases of criminal negligence and other forms of criminal activities are prosecuted.

     

     

  • CodeLagos: Lagos to set up 500 training centres

    CodeLagos: Lagos to set up 500 training centres

    …Partners with private sector

     

    The Lagos State Government on Tuesday revealed plans to set up 500 Coding Centres in public and private schools across the State ahead of the launch of the CodeLagos Initiative in April, 2017.

    The CodeLagos project is an initiative of the State Government targeted at equipping at least one million Lagosians with the skills of computer programming aimed at making the State the technology frontier in Africa.

    Addressing a news conference in Alausa on Tuesday, Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh said the target of government is to set up 500 coding centres in schools, public libraries and community centres across the State in the course of the year.

    He said modalities are already in place to set up 300 centres by April in partnership with private organisations, adding that an agreement has been concluded with one of the leading financial service providers in the country, ARM.

    According to Bank-Olemoh, “ARM will be setting up 15 centres and these centres will be established in Low Income Schools in line with His Excellency, Governor Akinwumi Ambode’s commitment to promoting inclusive governance and qualitative education for all citizens.

    “This, we intend to achieve by providing equal access to knowledge for all Lagosians regardless of their socio-economic status and location.”

    Bank-Olemoh said the partnership with ARM demonstrates the commitment of Governor Ambode’s administration to equip citizens with the necessary skills to create sustainable solutions to the challenges confronting the State.

    In her remarks, Managing Director of ARM, Jumoke Ogundare said the organization was excited about the partnership with Lagos State on the CodeLagos initiative, saying that the project was in line with the commitment of the firm to improve continued access to education for all.

    It will be recalled that the registration and screening of facilitators for CodeLagos started last week and is ongoing.

    At the end of the process, 1,500 facilitators would be selected and deployed to centres across the State.

  • Updated: Appeal Court strikes out Lagos’ bid to suspend hijab use

    …Supreme Court to decide injunction application

     

    The Court of Appeal Lagos Division Tuesday struck out an application by the Lagos State Government seeking an injunction to suspend hijab use by Muslim female pupils in public schools in the state.

    A three-man panel of the court comprising Justices M. L. Garba (presiding), J. S. Ikyegh and U. Ogakwu, gave the ruling because of a pending appeal by the state at the Supreme Court.

    It agreed with the state that the apex court was the proper place for the application to be heard.

    Last July 21, a special five-man panel of the appellate court voided the 2014 verdict of a Lagos High Court, which outlawed the wearing of hijab by the pupils.

    The state, last September 16, filed an application at the Court of Appeal seeking an injunction for a stay of the judgment, pending the determination of an appeal it had filed at the Supreme Court.

    Yesterday, counsel for the state, Mr. Hameed Oyenuga of the Directorate of Civil Litigation Department, informed the court that the injunction was applied for before the state appealed the judgment at the apex court.

    He applied that the application be forwarded to the Supreme Court so that it could be heard alongside the appeal.

    “We are asking that the application be forwarded or transmitted to the Supreme Court. We have forwarded our return argument to the Supreme Court, but we are yet to ascertain whether it has been entered,” Oyenuga said.

    Counsel for the first, second and third respondents, Mr H. T. Fajimite did not object.

    The court agreed that the Supreme Court should hear the application, but observed that for that to happen, the application had to be withdrawn or struck out at the appellate court

    Justice Garuba said: “An appeal has been entered at the Supreme Court, you can’t expect us to transmit it to the Supreme Court. You have to withdraw the application. The application before us has to go. The application is hereby struck out.”

    Speaking after the ruling, Fajimite said the ruling implied that there was no more restriction on the use of the hijab.

    “Before now we were conceding to the fact that once an application has been is filed, for instance in terms of an application for injunction pending an appeal or stay of execution of a judgment, we are constrained or obliged to respect that action and refuse to exercise our right under the judgment that we have won.

    “That application is now gone and from this moment, no such restriction, nothing is stopping any Muslim student from using hijab for now.”

    In a unanimous decision on July 21, a special five-man panel presided over by Justice A.S. Gumel held that it would amount to discrimination on religious ground if the pupils were disallowed to wear hijab.

    The appeal was filed by two female pupils of Atunrase Junior High School in Surulere, Asiyat Kareem and Mariam Oyeniyi, under the aegis of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit.

    It followed the dismissal of their suit by Justice Modupe Onyeabor of the Ikeja High Court on October 17, 2014, which challenged the government ban on hijab use in public schools.

    In the lead judgement Justice Gumel held: “The wearing of hijab is an Islamic injunction and also an act of worship,” hence it will constitute a clear violation of the appellants’ constitutionally guaranteed rights to stop them from wearing thehijab in public schools.”

    Resolving all the five issues raised in favour of the appellants, the appellate court held that the lower court erred in law when it held that the hijab ban is the policy of Lagos State Government (respondent).

    It noted that no circular was presented before the lower court to show such a policy existed, adding that “he who asserts must prove”.

    The court observed that if there was such a policy, it should have emanated from the House of Assembly and not the Executive Arm of government.

    It held that the fundamental human rights of female Muslim pupils as enshrined in Section 38 (1) of the 1999 Constitution was violated by the respondent.

    The appellate court dismissed the govrnment’s argument that it made an exception by allowing the pupils to wear hijab during prayers.

  • Lagos flags off online interactive platform

    Lagos flags off online interactive platform

    Lagos State Government, has flagged off an online interactive platform that would enable government interact directly with citizens.

    The platform called Citizen Gate was launched by the State Deputy Governor, Mrs Idiat Oluranti Adebule, who described the development as the government determination to improve on its services to the people.

    She said government in its determination to run an all-inclusive government created the platform to serve the people of Lagos better and interact with them more, so as to be able to deliver more dividends of democracy.

    Adebule said e- governance has come to stay and needs to be enhanced as citizens can access services easily and faster across all sectors of the economy.

    She added that all Heads of Agencies would be on this portal to monitor and ensure that all areas that concern their Ministries, Departments and Agencies are adequately covered.

    Earlier, Director General, Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation, Mr. Toba Otusanya in his remark said the relationship between the Government and the citizens would be further enhanced through this platform.

    He added that responses by government to services and issues would be managed better and faster, in order to boost citizens confidence.

    He said the Lagos State Government has always been at the fore-front in ensuring that issues concerning citizens are taken seriously which is the whole essence of providing this platform to improve on governance, dialog effectively with the citizens and be able to deliver on promises made.

    “The State Government is here for you, give us the information that would make us do our jobs better, through this platform and we will serve you better”, he said.

    He also enjoined agencies head to look at the operations of their various Ministries, Departments and Agencies to monitor and handle feedbacks which could come in form of suggestions, commendations or complaints.

  • Lagos launches first online platform to Interact with citizens

    Lagos launches first online platform to Interact with citizens

    The Lagos State Government on Thursday launched a mobile app to facilitate interaction and provision of services between government and the citizens from the comfort of their homes and offices without necessarily paying a visit to government establishments where such services are being provided.

    The mobile app, otherwise known as Citizens Gate under the Citizens Relations Management (CRM) initiative, is the first of its kind in Nigeria, and would avail residents of the State the opportunity to make enquiry and suggestions on government services and getting faster responses.

    Addressing a joint press briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, the State’s Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Olufemi Odubiyi, said the launch of the web platform was another initiative of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration aimed at bringing government closer to the people.

    Odubiyi, who addressed the briefing alongside the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde and the Director General of Lagos State Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation, Mr. Toba Otusanya, described the Citizens Gate as an intuitive-based technology innovation designed to manage relationship between the citizens and government.

    He said: “The Citizens Gate is an integrated web and mobile-based platform through which Lagos State’s citizens can lodge feedback to the State Government on various services provided, receive quick responses on services as well as interact with government officials via web and mobile phone.

    “The platform is designed to promote communication and connectivity between citizens and government while it will also enable citizens to inform the government on problems and issues occurring in their areas, communities and beyond.”

    The Commissioner added that the platform would also afford citizens the opportunity to enquire about government services while also providing an avenue to make suggestions on government services for better confidence and trust in the present administration led by Governor Ambode.

    According to Odubiyi, the platform can be accessed via citizensgate.lagosstate. gov.ng and a downloadable mobile app from Google play store and Apple store both on Android and iOS, while the platform would enable government to acknowledge problems and issues which would be investigated, worked on and resolved efficiently and timely.

    He said apart from the fact that the development would improve the State budget thus making planning a lot easier and preventing waste and encouraging savings that will aid in provision of more services and development, the platform would further help government to determine which programme of the State is working and whether to replace or improve on any programme for efficient and effective service delivery to the people.  

    In his remarks, Otusanya said the platform has been designed initially to accommodate 22 MDAs of government and same will be scaled up to cover all MDAs in the near future.

    He said government officials have been trained to be in charge of the platform in all the initial MDAs, while citizens with no access to internet can call the Command Centre on 767 and a ticket will be issued instantly on their behalf.

  • Bode Agusto heads Lagos 12-member Economic Advisory Committee

    Bode Agusto heads Lagos 12-member Economic Advisory Committee

    Renowned accountant and financial expert, Dr. Bode Agusto has been appointed to head a 12-member Economic Advisory Committee set up by the Lagos State Government with a mandate to spearhead the government’s drive to improve the business environment and advance economic development in the state.

    Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello disclosed this Wednesday after the State Executive Council meeting at the Lagos House, Alausa.

    According to Bello “the Economic Advisory Team is expected to bring an independent perspective to economic and business issues with the primary role of offering advice to the State Government for the purposes of fostering and advancing economic and business opportunities; provide an effective mechanism for engaging the private sector on matters relating to economic development of the State as well as provide advice and strategic direction along the lines of the Lagos State Development Plan.”

    The Economic team is saddled with the responsibility of specifically advising on the overall finance strategy to bridge the massive infrastructure gap in the state; analyzing any issue, economic or otherwise, referred to it by the Governor and to act as champions for certain initiatives.

    The SSG stated that it had become imperative, especially in this period of strong economic ‘head winds’ for the Government to better engage the private sector to get independent views on economic and business issues in delivering the government’s mandate to the people.

    Other members of the Committee are Mr Kehinde Durosinmi- Etti, Mr Kenneth Igbokwe, Mrs Nimi Akinkugbe, Mrs Adenike Ogunlana, Dr Laolu Mudashiru, Mrs Omobola Johnson, Mr Moruf Oseni and Mrs Yetunde Akinluyi who would serve as the Secretary.

    The State Government would be represented on the Committee by the Commissioners for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr Olawale Oluwo, and Commerce and Industry and Cooperatives, Mr Rotimi Ogunleye.

    Bello affirmed that the private sector members of the committee were carefully selected based on their known track record of integrity, independence of thought and outlook as well as diverse industry experience.

    He added that members of the Committee would be expected to commit to serve for at least two year while they would meet regularly and send reports to the State Executive Council, adding that the team would be allowed to invite industry experts to provide support during its deliberations.

  • Lagos opens bid for award of contracts for 181 LG roads

    Lagos opens bid for award of contracts for 181 LG roads

    The Lagos State Government has commenced the process of awarding contracts for the construction of a total of 181 community roads across the 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the State, in line with the promise made by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    The initiative to rehabilitate the roads within the communities was introduced in 2016 by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration to fast-track development simultaneously with other major road projects across the State.

    By the initiative, a total of 114 roads were either constructed or rehabilitated two per each of the 57 Councils in 2016, while in a bid to consolidate on the massive infrastructural drive of his administration, Governor Ambode last Thursday announced readiness to increase the number of the roads from 114 to 181.

    According to the Invitation for Bids (IFB) which had since been published in major national dailies, the government announced the list of the roads and specification for the construction which include drainages, street lights and walkways.

    The IFB also include the length, average width, number of roads, pavement and the duration for the project which is six months, while all bids must be submitted on or before February 17, 2017.

    Speaking at the first Quarterly Town Hall Meeting for 2017, the sixth in the series, held at the Ajelogo Housing Scheme, Ajelogo Market Road, Akanimodo, Mile 12, Governor Ambode had said that with the latest plan, some of the councils will now have more than two roads especially in areas where there is need to fix other adjourning roads to a main road to improve on the road network.

    The Governor said the need to scale up the road improvement efforts arose from the fact that he had received many requests on rehabilitation of roads from residents, adding that many of the roads captured for 2017 were key roads that would have positive economic impact on the people.

    “I want to pronounce here that you should watch out next week in the newspapers, we are advertising 181 roads which would be done in all our local governments.

    “What we have found out is that if we decided to continue with two, some of those roads are not linking each other to the main road, so most likely you would see that if we are supposed to do some roads in some local governments, it would only make economic sense if there is a linkage.

    “So, you would see in the advert that some local governments would have like three, some would have four roads, but the average is 181 and if you divide that by 57, that would be a minimum of three roads from each local government,” Governor Ambode said.

  • Lagos begins implementation of Child protection policy

    The Lagos State Government has commenced implementation of the Executive Order ratified by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on December 16, 2016 which established the Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

    The Executive Order highlights the importance and priority which the State Government placed towards protecting the lives of children and it applies to all State Government organisations, all schools, child centred institutions, orphanages and child related institutions located in the State, both public and private.

    Speaking during the annual general meeting and intervention programme put together by the Office of Education Quality Assurance which was attended by over 1,000 participants, Coordinator of Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), an agency under the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said the State Government was determined to implement the Executive Order to ensure the protection of children.

    She said the need for the landmark engagement was crucial considering the fact that schools have resumed and there was need for key stakeholders such as principals, school administrators, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), public and private school guidance counsellors, evaluators and others, to become conversant with and abreast of the provisions of the policy.

    According to Vivour-Adeniyi, “The Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy must be used wherever services are provided for children and care givers are mandated to adopt a Child Protection policy in their respective institutions, nuanced to suit their respective peculiarities.

    “The major aim of the policy is to provide clear direction for reporting disclosures of abuse and commitment to the development of good practice and sound procedures to keep children safe.

    “The policy also ensures that child protection concerns are identified, referrals are handled sensitively, professionally and in ways that support the needs of the child’s wellbeing.”

    The DSVRT Coordinator also used the medium to sound a very clear warning to all Child centred institutions both public and private, that the State Government would no longer tolerate negligence in ensuring the safety of children under their supervision and failure to adopt and implement the policy would amount to both civil and criminal actions.

    Besides, copies of the policy in the form of booklets were distributed to all participants, while they participants were also informed of their mandatory duty to report actual or suspected child abuse cases, and consequences for failure to report.