The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos State government

  • ‘Innovation key to knowledge economy’

    ‘Innovation key to knowledge economy’

    The Lagos State government has identified innovation as a major driver of economic development. It has, therefore, taken steps to position the state as innovation hub for the West African sub-region.

    Speaking yesterday on the sideline at a two-day workshop organised by the state Ministry of Science and Technology in conjunction with an international financial advisory firm, PRI Project Development,Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Nike Animashaun said the application of information technology (IT) to human endeavours has become the vogue, arguing that it is in the realisation of this that Governor Babatunde Fashola is targeting making the state the sub-regional hub.

    She said: “This workshop is being organised in realisation of the vision of Governor Fahsola of converting the state to the innovation hub of West Africa. Globally, IT is now the way and the state government is taking the lead in the area of innovation in terms of providing infrastructure, financing, ease of doing business. This is because innovation cuts across all facets; in the area of job creation and delivery of services to the people faster. This going to affect the gross domestic product (GDP) of the state. We are bringing in both the public and private sector because we believe there is a symbiotic relationship between the two.”

    According to her, the government is investing in research and development, which she said is a long term investment. The government is also creating the requisite awareness about science in all the public schools in the state with a view to identifying students with potentials at early stages.

  • Commissioner inspects drainage projects

    The Lagos State government has said there is need to protect drainange channels and free to avoid erosion and its harmful effects.

    Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello and Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment Dr. Taofeek Folami while inspecting drainage projects, said the state government was working assiduously to ensure that the state is free of flood in order not to record any disaster as being experienced in the United Kingdom (UK).

    “This we have strengthened with the intensification of our pre-rain cleaning and maintenance programme across the state,” Bello said. The mass cleaning and maintenance of drainage channels and canals across the state will allow free flow of storm water as well as eliminate the incidence of flooding, which is of great consideration to the state, in order to ensure safety of life and properties.

    Folami said the inspection of pre-rain cleaning and maintenance was to assess communities’ readiness for this year’s rain, and also note areas of challenges across the state. He said the Ministry of Environment had kicked off a campaign on radio and television to complement government’s effort at reducing flooding in the state.

    Canvassing the support of residents, Folami cited the flooding ravaging the UK, despite their advanced technologies.

    He advised Lagosians to prevent its reoccurrence in the state by desisting from acts that could lead to flooding, adding that Lagos is a coastal state. He urgedLagosians to desist from dumping refuse in drains and canals, and stop patonising cart pushers. He urged them not to build on drainage alignments, warning that clogging of drains hinders free flow of water because, whenever it rains, flood will definitely carry the filth into the drains.

    “We should desist from all acts that could lead to flooding because Lagos as a coastal state is susceptible, and if advanced nations could experience flooding, then we should all join hands with the state government on its effort to reduce the incidence of flooding to the barest minimum in the state,” Folami cautioned.

  • Home verification of pensioners soon

    Home verification of pensioners soon

    THE home verification of physically challenged, ill and elderly pensioners will begin soon, the Lagos State Government has said.

    Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions in the Lagos Civil Service Pension Office Mrs Florence Oguntuase said it was necessary to capture every pensioner.

    Speaking at the Flag-Off of the 2013 Pensioners Biometric Verification in Lagos the number of pensioners in the state as 14, 934 consisting of 9,200 retired Civil servants, 34 retired judicial officers and 5,700 retired teachers.

    She said the exercise was the fifth in the series of the collective desire of making sure that the “PAY AS YOU GO” Scheme in Lagos State is not only sustained but envied by others in the country.

    On the recent protest by pensioners, Mrs Oguntuase said the issues had been noted by the Government.

    She said: “I wish to state that the Lagos State Government has been fulfilling its obligation to the pensioners in the old scheme and new scheme, the state just issued N18.9 billion retirement benefits to its pensioners.

    “On assumption of office in 2011, series of representations through letters and visits were made by this Ministry to the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Abuja on this matter. You are also aware of the Senate Public Hearing on Pension that sat here at the Airport Hotel where our positions were highlighted through submission of relevant document which is yet to receive any attention as we speak.”

  • Lagos splashes naira on winners

    Lagos splashes naira on winners

    The Lagos State Government has awarded cash prizes to the three winners of the first photo competition of the Lagos carnival, which took place in April.

    Speaking at the award giving ceremony in Onikan, Lagos, Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations Mr. Disun Holloway, said the initiative was borne out of government’s desire to empower the youths, create employment and encourage creativity in the state.

    According to him, Governor Babatunde Fashola conceived the idea of the competition when he noted with delight, the number of people taking photographs during the last Lagos carnival in April this year.

    The Commissioner also disclosed that the ministry received numerous entries, stressing that it was very difficult to pick the best three due to the quality of works at the competition

    He added that the assessment of the entries was very transparent as the ministry was not involved in the selection process of the winners stressing that the three judges worked independently of each other

    Revealing that the Lagos State Government is the sole sponsor of this year’s event, Holloway called on the organised private sector to be involved in subsequent editions so as to encourage creativity and to fulfil part of their corporate social responsibility to the state and its’ citizens.

    Anineh Okude of Cool F.M. one of the judges, corroborated the Commissioner’s account on transparency, stressing that the judges found it difficult to arrive at the best three entries due to the quality of competition.

    First prize winner Adeyemi Babatunde Adeoye, gave kudos to the present administration for coming up with the initiative, adding that it will go a long way in empowering the youths, while also promoting photography in the state.

    Adeoye received N500,000, for his effort while the first runner up Sunday Alamba and second runner up Okulue Alex Azukaego went home with N300,000 and N200,000.

    Earlier in the year, the government had given out cash prizes and awards to the best carnival groups, the queen and the king and winners of the Beauty Pageant of the year Black Heritage Week.

  • Lagos to drive development through science, technology

    Lagos to drive development through science, technology

    The Lagos State government has restated its commitment to developing the state’s economy by paying special attention not only to the application of science and technology solutions to govern the state, but also encourage science and technology-related courses by students.

    Speaking yesterday at the kick-off of the fourth edition of the Lagos State Science and Technology Camp at State Model College Ugbonla, in Epe Division, of the state, Commissioner for Science and Technology, Adebiyi Mabadeje, said no nation can develop without making science and technology a prority.

    Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Nike Animashaun, he said: ‘’The serene and conducive Model College environment was chosen as venue to ensure that nothing distracts the carefully selected students, resource persons, teachers and participants from achieving the major goal of sharpening the intellect and whetting the appetite of the students to continually thirst for careers in science and technology-related careers.’’

    Three hundred select pupils from the state’s public secondary schools are taking part in the exercise.

    The Commissioner said that since the global economy depends on a nation’s level of scientific, engineering and technological attainment and not on naturally occurring finite resources, the ministry and the state cannot afford to lag behind or fail in its responsibilities of bequeathing a lasting legacy of building a generation of future leaders, ready to match a globally competitive 21st century.

    “The five-day camp is expected to come up with new approaches to imparting and exposing the students to latest,functional and most relevant innovation, science and technology skills and knowledge, in view of the constantly changing dynamics in the sector,’’ the commissioner said.

    He urged the pupils to make the best use of the opportunities the camp will offer to develop their innate talents through exposure to different forms of academic and intellectual challenges that they may later face.

    The Commissioner said that, as part of the commitment of the state government to provide functional education that will equip the students with requisite skills and entrepreneurial spirit, it approved the increase of the camping period from three to five days.

    This, he said, was aimed at strengthening Science, Technological, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in the state’s schools.

    Some of the programmes lined up for the students are Star Gazing, Intrpoduction to Astronomy and Space Science, Scinence Encounter, Debates, Interactive sessions on Chemistry and Biology.

     

  • Lagos mulls Eko Expo to promote locally made products

    Lagos mulls Eko Expo to promote locally made products

    Lagos State Government has concluded plans to host the year 2013 domestic trade fair tagged Eko Expo, geared towards promoting locally made products in the country.

    Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Commerce and Industry, Mr. Oluseye Oladejo who disclosed this yesterday in Alausa said foreign exhibitors from Indonesia and China were among the various organisations that have indicated interest to participate in the fair which will hold at Lekki Free Trade Zone.

    Oladejo explained that the government is organising the coming expo in collaboration with the Lekki Free Zone Development Company, as a result of the successes recorded with last year Fair, where a total of 175 investors participated.

    He said the fair will further promote investment opportunities available at the zone, as well as provide platform for operators in small and medium scale industries to showcase what they do.

    According to him, “The choice of Lekki Free Zone as the venue for this year fair is to familiarise the business community with the peculiar incentives offered by the zone and the need to invest therein.”

    He listed such incentives to include, complete tax holiday from all federal, State and Local governments, taxes, rates, customs duties and levies; one-stop approval for all permits, operating license and incorporation papers.

    Others include duty free, tax-free import of raw materials and components destined for re-export; duty- free capital goods, consumer goods, machinery, equipments and furniture among others.

    The Special Adviser said the ministry will make provision of a free shuttle buses that will be stationed at Oriental Hotel along Lekki-Epe road to convey interested people to and fro the fairground all through the seven days that the fair will last.

    “This is meant to assist visitors to get to the fair venue with ease, in addition to accommodations available at the zone for exhibitors to make their stay during this period comfortable.

  • Triumph of federalism

    Triumph of federalism

    We commend Supreme Court’s judgment on tourism control

    For six long, awful years, the Federal Government instituted and pursued a lost protracted legal battle against the Lagos State government over the proprietary of tourism control within the state. The futility of the exercise was exemplified by a recent Supreme Court unanimous lead judgment read by Galadima JSC. Through that epochal judgment, it has become obvious, that the Federal Government has no power of control over tourism activities outside federal jurisdictions. Henceforth, the apex court declared that it is only state governments that can exercise control over licensing or grading of hotels, restaurants and fast food outlets in the country. And that the Houses of Assembly can validly make laws on tourism.

    The Attorney-General of the Federation, in the suit filed against the Lagos State government questioned the effrontery of the latter to challenge its control of tourism affairs, through the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), in the state’s jurisdiction. But the learned justices of the apex court in their wisdom decided that the Constitution only empowers the National Assembly latitude to regulate tourist traffic: A term deemed in the esteemed view of the respected court to exclude hotel registration or licensing. In another concurrent suit on the same subject challenging the proprietary of the Hotel Licensing Law of Lagos State and the Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Law made by Lagos State House of Assembly that was consolidated for appellate hearing with the former case, the apex court declared both laws validly enacted. The court went ahead to declare as null and void the offending sections in the NTDC Act.

    The judement has gone far in calming frayed nerves resulting from several years of muscle flexing by the warring parties. While the avoidable squabble lasted, the NTDC, relying usually on federal might, flagrantly established parallel registration and regulation structures to that of the Lagos State government. This created a situation of multiplicity of taxation to the chagrin of stakeholders in the tourism industry. The final resolution of the issue definitely has come with a cost since the Lagos State government reportedly claimed to have lost to the Federal Government over N4.5 billion in revenue from over 3,000 hotels that would have accrued to her from hotel licensing in the last six years. The state government can heave a sigh of relief now that the apex court’s judgment has given it unfettered control over the state’s hospitality industry. The era of harassments from NTDC, a federal agency, has finally been put paid to by that landmark judgment.

    We desire more of such illuminating judgment that typifies what true federalism should be. The country constitutionally has a federal structure in place. But in practice, the Federal Government seems to derive unflinching pleasure in treating the component states as appendages with no minds of their own. That should not be. The 1999 constitution (as amended) clearly spells out in the Exclusive Legislative List, areas in which the Federal Government has exclusively wholesome powers to preside over. It is a thing of joy that the apex court has clearly stated that on the issue of hospitality businesses, the Federal Government, or its assigned agencies can no longer encroach on state governments’ powers.

    There are several items on the Exclusive Legislative List that are begging for attention of the government at the centre. Power, police affairs and prisons management, among other areas, need genuine reforms. We also need general policy re-direction from the Federal Government. If all these necessary areas have not been properly handled, what rationale would then be behind the move of the Federal Government to unlawfully compel appropriation of others, like the tourism industry, that are ultra vires its powers?

    This monumental judgment would have been impossible if the Lagos State government did not stand up to the federal challenge in court by fighting for redress of NTDC’s illegal encroachment. Now, it is not only the ‘Centre of Excellence’ (Lagos) but other states across the federation that will benefit from the judgment. Other state governments whose rights at one time or the other had been trampled upon by the Federal Government or its agencies should not hesitate to follow the Lagos example. It is through such reasonable judicial activism that most of the defects in the country’s federal structure can be rectified. We commend the Supreme Court for standing firm in upholding the tenets of federalism in the nation.

  • Lagos and homeless 70

    Lagos and homeless 70

    The ‘Onitsha 70’ saga is only the symptom of wrong-headed federalism

    THE news that the Lagos State government dumped 70 beggars of South East origin at Onitsha, Anambra State, has upset many, especially Nigerians from that part of the country. That development is unfortunate and should be decried. Inasmuch as Lagos faces the dire prospect of its facilities being over-run by economic migrants from other parts of the country, the solution is certainly not dumping citizens in their suspected places of origin as it was the case with these 70 beggars. Yet, the Lagos action and the consequent emotional angst are only mere symptoms. The real challenge is to locate the real problem; and solve it, once and for all, to avert a future recurrence. To do this however, both the Lagos State government and the aggrieved citizens must quit the emotional game. To start with, the ‘Onitsha 70’ was not the first case of Lagos destitute shipped back to their states. There were earlier reported cases of 160 “northern beggars”; and even Yoruba hinterland destitute sent to Oyo State. These were very drastic actions, no doubt. But the rational reasons that fuel it must be tackled: an economic pull that though drags virtually the whole of Nigeria to Lagos, while Lagos in return is not equipped to cope with the flood. That is the crux of the matter. Because Nigeria’s federation is structured on elite consumption and hardly productivity, there is little or no attempt to create economic hubs all over the country. In the absence of that, there is always the long treasure pilgrimage to Lagos. Lagos, to the bulk of deprived Nigerians, is the magic city that solves all economic problems. But that grand illusion to economic migrants is dire straits to the government, as it tries to manage its limited facilities, stretched to breaking point, to cope with the explosion. Indeed, it is a grand failure of state in which Lagos is as much a victim as the destitute it expels. Destitute streams into Lagos because of little or no opportunities in their locale, leaving their home government free of their woes. Lagos, on the other hand, picks up the extra burden when its burden is crushing enough, as it is. Meanwhile, the Federal Government, in Nigeria’s skewed federation, sits on idle funds better needed in the states to avert the migration catastrophe that Lagos faces. Meanwhile, when Abuja was decided on as the new federal capital, Gen. Murtala Muhammed, the then military head of state, made a firm pledge that special provision would be made for Lagos, because of its peculiar status as the nation’s economic capital. But that has been observed in the breach as even extant federal infrastructure in Lagos has progressively decayed with almost no hope of resuscitation. Even value-added tax, the consumption tax, the bulk of which is generated in Lagos, is redistributed with a skewed formula that prevents the state from benefiting from its own tax sweat. To prevent future recurrence of destitute expulsion therefore, the Nigerian federation must, as a matter of urgency, be restructured. But that is in the long run. In the short run, the country must give Lagos special funds to cope with the extra burden it carries. Also, state governments whose natives stream into Lagos must wake up to their responsibilities. It is ingenious, to say the least, to pass your due burden to a sister state and yet mount the mountain tops to scream when that sister throws back at you your original problems. So, a tri-partite – Lagos, Federal Government and other states – initiative is called for to think of equipping Lagos for its extra burdens, while also trying hard to reduce the influx of migrants by creating economic opportunities in other parts of the country.

  • Lagos to pay property owners N7.56b

    The Lagos State government has promised to pay N7.56billion as compensation to those whose houses are affected by road construction.

    It has paid N2.56 billion of the amount to those affected by the ongoing Lagos/Badagry Expressway; the Ago/Palace Way, Okota and the Lekki/Epe Expressway expansion.

    Plans are underway to pay the N5 bllion balance to those affected by the Ikorodu Road expansion; the Lekki-Epe Airport road, resettlement for the Free Trade Zone; Lagos/Orile Badagry Construction (Lot2); the Itire/Okota Link Bridge and associated road works.

    Permanent Secretary, Lands Bureau, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola,  who made these known at a briefing in Lagos, said the government had adopted fair market  value for properties.

    He said: “In addition to this, we have presented for the consideration of the council and relevant stakeholders, an adoption of these fair market value rates, a reduction to single digit percentage chargeable as transactional costs to meet international acceptable standards that eliminate delay and corruption.”

    He raised the alarm on the encroachment on the state government residential, industrial and commercial land by some traditional rulers and land speculators.

    Muri-Okunola advised those interested in acquiring land in any part of the state to ascertain the status of such land from the Surveyor- General’s office, the Land Registry or the Land Use and Allocation Committee before buying such land.

    He listed some of the government’s land schemes where illegal activities take place to include Magodo ‘B’ series, Otedola underpass, Magodo residential scheme, Ikorodu GRA 11 and 111, Mosafejo and  Igbogbo schemes.

    Defending the Neigbourhood Improvement Charge Law, the Lands Bureau boss said it was an amount levied by the state government on an estate developed or under-developed property or land not liable to pay ground rent premium.

    He said the quality of such estates or land is presumed to have enjoyed an improvement as a result of infrastructural facilities provided by the government at public expense.

    He said N187, 845, 148.17 was generated last year as against the projected N200million and that this might have accounted for the draw back in full implementation of the Land Use Charge.

  • Lagos pays N3.5b to 780 retirees

    Lagos pays N3.5b to 780 retirees

    THE Lagos State government yesterday paid N3.5billion to 780 re tired civil servants.

    Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) presented retirement bond certificates to the retirees at a ceremony in Alausa, Ikeja.

    Fashola said the retirement savings account of each recipient in this batch had been credited with their accrued rights. This is the Eighth batch in the series.

    Fashola said since inception, the new scheme has made better the lives of retirees, affording them the peace of mind that should come with a fruitful retirement, as well as a relief from the past experiences, which subjected them to untold hardship.

    Fashola, who was represented by the Head of Service, Adesegun Ogunlewe, said: “Our experience since we began this new scheme indicates that all our retirees are currently enjoying their lives in retirement without the sad and pitiable experiences of the past where those who retired under the old Pay-As-You-Go scheme were and are still subjected to a lot of hardship.

    “There is a clear difference between the Contributory Pension Scheme and the old Pay-As-You-Go system. In fulfilling our avowed commitment to making the scheme work perfectly well, we ensured that both the 7.5 per cent contributions by the state government and the 7.5 per cent deductions from employees’ salaries, are forwarded to the custodial account of the employees nominated Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).”

    He added that transparency was no longer a setback as employees received monthly credit alerts. Hard copies of quarterly statements of account are provided.

    He said one of the biggest challenges over the years has been in dealing with contingencies, explaining that such scenerios could occur, if more people than anticipated, choose to voluntarily leave the service.

    Fashola, however, assured that the government has “taken measures to address this by financing a monthly pension sinking fund. This is in addition to the statutory five per cent contributions that go into the redemption fund account.

    “This additional sinking fund ensures that those who have to cut short their service unexpectedly, through illness or other reasons, will not be short-changed,” he said.

    He said, at the last count, 2,604 retirees had been paid N14.5 billion under the Contributory Pension Scheme, saying that these retirees were enjoying their retirement benefits through the respective PFAs and the insurance companies that have provided the annuity service.