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  • LASPOTECH students endorse Ambode for second term

    Students of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) have endorsed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos for a second term in office.

    The students led by the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Jubril Adewale, in a statement made available to The Nation on the launch of the “Direct Campaign & Enlightenment (DiCE)’’ initiative in Ikorodu, said endorsing the governor for a second term was borne out of the need to ensure he continued his education improvement drive in the state.

    The union also said the initiative will sensitise residents and students on the need to register and collect Permanent Voters Card,(PVCs).

     

    He said the DiCE initiative was aimed at engaging students on a one on one basis, convincing, persuading and arming them with information on the governor’s achievements in the education sector, to enable them in turn engage their parents.

    “We are here today representing the 25,000 students of this great citadel of learning and excellence to say that Gov. Ambode should continue with his good work and determination to make education in the state the hallmark of excellence in Nigeria”.

    “The Governor has proven beyond reasonable doubts, his concern for the sustenance of qualitative educational system in Lagos State”.

    “LASPOTECH has benefited immensely from the administration in the area of the ‘Ready-Set-Work’ initiative, an education value added scheme for tertiary institutions in Lagos”.

    “He has also completed the construction of Block ‘A’ of the School of Technology Complex as well as approved the construction of drainages and car parks for the complex, all of which are ongoing.’’

    He added that other abandoned projects set for completion by the governor included the construction of a High Capacity Auditorium, Construction of an Administrative Block and Sports Complex.

    He therefore solicited the support of students and residents in the state to ensure they register and collect their Permanent Voters’ Card to enable them cast their votes during the 2019 General Elections.

    Also speaking on the DiCE initiative, Semiu Balogun, the Union’s Public Relations Officer said the initiative is hinged on the institution’s 25,000 student population to achieve its goal to have the governor re-elected.

    “We are practically preparing our 25,000 students (part time and full time), to convince at least two parents each with the direct campaign and enlightenment; you can not underestimate the multiplier effects of this initiative.

    “In addition to canvassing for votes, we would monitor and sensitise the student populace on the need to register and collect their PVC because a vote canvassed without a PVC is sheer waste of time and resources.

    “We shall sensitise the public on registration and collection of PVC and consolidate it with canvassing for votes using the DiCE initiative, which is neither a hired nor an accidental idea.

    “It is the Union’s ingenuity, passion to support the re-election bid of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode and our strategy goes beyond rhetorics and showmanship; but a complete practical approach to winning election,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Two dead, others injured in Lagos auto crash

    Two persons have been confirmed dead and several others  injured in a road accident  at Ilasamaja Bus stop on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos State, on Wednesday morning.

     

    Details Later...

     

    Read Also: Two die in auto crash involving Abia Gov’s wife convoy

  • Police seize 188 guns,others in Lagos

    Lagos State Police Command said yesterday it recovered 188 guns and 280 ammunition between September and last weekend.

    Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal, who spoke at a news briefing in Ikeja, said among the weapons were those voluntarily returned by residents in compliance with directives of the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris.

    The IG ordered owners of illegal arms to return them from March 1 to April 28 or be arrested.

    Edgal said the command had made efforts in the recovery of illegal arms.

    Giving a breakdown, he listed the arms as 38 pump action rifles, six AK47 rifles, 12 double barrel guns, 70 locally-made cut-to-size single guns, 42 locally-made double barrel shot guns, 18 locally-made revolvers and three Barretta pistols.

    The police commissioner said: “We have recovered arms from bandits and those voluntarily returned to the police armoury by their owners, who took advantage of the 21-day grace period given by the IGP for anyone in possession of illegal and prohibited firearms to hand them over to the police.

    “Thirty eight pump action rifles, six AK47 rifles, 12 double barrel rifles,11 single barrel rifles, 70 single barrel locally-made cut-to-size short guns, 42 locally-made double barrel short guns, 18 locally-made revolver pistol and three barretal pistols have been recovered.

    “In total, we have 188 recovered guns, 220 cartridges and 60 7.62 MM AK47 ammunition. These guns were recovered between September 2017 and March 2018. We urge anyone in possession of prohibited firearms to return them, as we will soon get to the next stage of the exercise, which is going into houses, buildings and other structures to recover prohibited firearms.”

    He said some of the weapons were recovered from a car snatching syndicate specialising in stealing posh vehicles.

    Edgal said they usually stole vehicles from other parts of the country and brought them to Lagos for sale as fairly-used (Tokunbo) cars.

    He said Ridwan Mamud, 23; Oyesanmi Kazeem, 31 and Usman Umar, 42, were arrested at their Ajegunle hideout, adding that seven vehicles were recovered from them.

    The police boss said: “The recovered vehicles are Toyota Highlander 2012 model (APP965CY), Toyota RAV4 (RBC864HW), Toyota Matrix, Toyota Camry saloon car, Blue Honda saloon car, ash Mazda space bus, all without registration numbers.

    “The second set of weapons were recovered from members of an armed gang who were arrested after they stole a Lexus sport utility vehicle where it was parked in front of a hotel in Ajah. Their arrest followed a complaint made by Ajayi Adedotun on March 19. Based on the complaint, operatives of the Federal Special Anti- Robbery Squad (FSARS) went after the fleeing gunmen and nabbed them.”

     

  • Lagos seeks collaboration in education

    Lagos State government yesterday called for more input and collaboration of stakeholders in the review of its policy on education.

    Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Adebule spoke at a Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum on the Review of the Lagos State Policy on Education, organised by the Ministry of Education.

    She said non-governmental organisations, civil societies, parents, traditional leaders, religious leaders, educationists and development partners had a role to play in the quest for quality education.

    According to her, the society’s quest for sustainable growth and development is anchored on the guarantee of effective and efficient education sector.

    “The state government realised the need to review the education policy in the state which was last reviewed in 1998.

    “There are emerging issues in the sector and there is the need to update and re-align the old policy with current realities and global best practices.

    “The new policy will seek to inculcate appropriate knowledge, attitudes, values and skills for individual, state and national development.

    ” A review committee was constituted in January 2016 to provide a functional framework for the delivery of effective, efficient and access to inclusive education.

    “We will appreciate your continued collaboration and cooperation to achieve our collective aim of making education very effective and efficient for the benefit of our dear state,” she said.

    Adebule, who doubles as commissioner for Education, pledged that the ministry will justify the huge investment on education.

    “The Lagos State budget for education in the last three years have been huge, in particular, the current year’s education budget stands at 12.07 per cent; the third largest in the 2018 budget.

    “This is a clear demonstration of this administration’s desire to ensure accelerated growth in the education sector and expand access to quality education in the state.

    “To justify this huge investment, the ministry has positioned itself to continuously invent sustainable strategies and structures that meet global trends,” she said.

    Speaking on the topic, ‘Education Policy Review: The Journey So Far’, Prof. Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary National Universities Commission (NUC), said that the policy document should promote creativity on how students could address new challenges of the 21st century.

     

     

     

  • Lagos seeks collaboration in education policy review

    The Lagos State Government yesterday called for more input and collaboration of stakeholders in the review of its policy on education, to capture current realities and global best practises.

    Its Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule made the call at a Stakeholders Engagement Forum on the Review of the Lagos State Policy on Education organised by the Ministry of Education in Lagos.

    She said non-governmental organisations, civil societies, parents, traditional leaders, religious leaders, educationists and development partners had a role to play in the quest for quality education in the state.

    According to her, the society’s quest for sustainable growth and development in all sectors is anchored on the guarantee of effective and efficient education sector.

    She said: “The state government realised the need to review the education policy in the state which was last reviewed in 1998. There are emerging issues in the sector and there is the need to update and re-align the old policy with current realities and global best practises. The new policy will seek to inculcate appropriate knowledge, attitudes, values and skills for individual, state and national development.

    “A review committee was constituted in January 2016 to provide a functional framework for the delivery of effective, efficient and access to inclusive education.

    “We will appreciate your continued collaboration and cooperation to achieve our collective aim of making education very effective and efficient for the benefit of our dear state.”

    Adebule who also doubles as the Commissioner for Education pledged that the ministry would justify the huge investment on education by the Ambode led-administration.

    “The Lagos State budget for education in the last three years have been huge, in particular, the current year’s education budget stands at 12.07 per cent; the third largest in the 2018 budget.

    “This is a clear demonstration of this administration’s desire to ensure accelerated growth in the education sector and expand access to quality education in the state.

    “To justify this huge investment, the ministry has positioned itself to continuously invent sustainable strategies and structures that meet global trends,” she said.

    Speaking on the topic, ‘Education Policy Review: The Journey So Far’, Prof. Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary National Universities Commission (NUC), said the policy document should promote creativity on how students could address new challenges of the 21st century.

    “After a critical look the document, it has provision for contemporary issues as well as future directions for education in Lagos. It can stand side by side with the policy of Finland which has the best education system that provides equal opportunities for all citizens. The success of this document does not rest on government alone; I urge all stakeholders to cooperate with the ministry in the final compilation of this document,” he said.

  • Nigeria ‘ll overcome challenges, says Bishop

    Nigeria will overcome its security and political challenges, Senior Pastor of the City of Refuge Ministries International, Bishop Oscar Ossai has said.

    In his Easter message at the church’s headquarters in Lagos, he said whatever problems Nigerians currently face was temporary.

    Bishop Ossai regretted that it was not God’s plan for citizens to be agitated, suffer, be killed or be poor, adding that they must believe that God who raised Jesus from the dead can also lift them from poverty, pain and misery to a new height of victory.

    The cleric urged political leaders to exercise their powers with the fear of God, saying: “It is an abomination for leaders to do evil, because righteousness establishes a throne; therefore, political leaders must pursue righteousness.”

    Bishop called for patience and perseverance, saying the Easter season was an opportunity to renew faith in God’s promises.

    According to him, the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the ultimate fulfillment of God’s agenda for humanity and to free man from the clutches of evil.

    “God’s intention is to bring freedom to mankind and set him free from the shackles of slavery, fear and intimidation,” he said.

    Bishop Ossai explained that Christians’ victory was tied to Christ’s proclamations. Reading from Luke 4:18, he quoted Jesus as saying: “The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.”

    “The season of Easter is a reassurance from God that the church shall take its rightful place,” he added.

  • Photos: Two dead as a storey-building collapses in Lagos

    A 35-year-old woman and 11-year-old girl were on Saturday confirmed dead, after a storey building collapsed in Lagos.

    The building situated at No. 9 Abeje Street Markaz, Agege Local Government Area, was gathered to have been marked for distressed by the Lagos State government before caving in.

    Adesina Tiamiyu, General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA) in a statement sent to The Nation, said the building suffered a partial collapse at the backside.

    “Investigation carried out by the LASEMA Response Team at the scene of incident revealed that a distress storey building suffered partial collapse at the backside” he said.

    “Two persons(female adult Toyin Ogundimu 35yrs and a young girl Sherifat Olalere 11yrs lost their lives to the incident and one male adult (Mustapher Salaudeen) was rescued and treated at the incident by the ambulance crew”.

  • Ambode to Buhari: Lagos truly deserves special status

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday evening urged President Muhammadu Buhari to seriously consider the possibility of granting Lagos a Special Status to enable it sustain its position as the driver of the nation’s economic growth.

    Ambode, who spoke at a State Dinner in honour of President Buhari at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, as part of activities to commemorate his two-day official visit to the State, expressed concerns that 26 years after the Federal Capital was relocated from Lagos to Abuja, the State has been left to strive for development without much Federal support.

    The governor said that despite the strategic position the State plays in the nation’s economy, there was still much untapped potentials and opportunities for economic, social and cultural growth in the State, which he said his administration was doing its best to explore by strategically focusing on improving the ease of doing business, entertainment, sports and tourism.

    He, however, said that for these potentials to be realised, the State requires Federal Support, adding that several attempts by some eminent personalities to push for a Special Status for Lagos as well as a bill seeking to accord the State same was turned down by the Senate.

    “Mr President, it has become glaring that Lagos State cannot achieve this alone. Mr. President, 26 years after the Federal Capital was relocated from Lagos to Abuja, the State has been left without much Federal support.

    “Your Excellency, despite all these, Lagos State needs more and Lagosians deserve more. Eminent Nigerians have called on the Federal Government to grant our State a Special Status. I recall that a bill seeking to accord it a Special Status has been rejected three times in the Senate. Lagos deserves a Special Status if we want the State to continue to serve as the major driver of the nation’s economy,” Governor Ambode said.

    Thanking President Buhari for magnanimously yielding the State’s request to reconstruct the Oshodi International Airport Road into a 10-lane world-class road and transform the Presidential Lodge Marina into a monument and cultural legacy, Governor Ambode also seized the occasion to request the President to cede the ownership and management of the National Stadium, Surulere and the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu to the State Government to enable it revive them for the benefit of all.

    “Mr. President your word has been your bond as far as your promises to Lagos State are concerned. You approved the reconstruction of the Oshodi to Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road into a 10-lane world-class road that will be ready by the end of this year. You gladly released for our kind use, your Presidential Lodge in Marina because you believe in our vision to transform the lodge into a monument and cultural legacy as part of the Onikan-Marina cultural and architectural regeneration.

    “In addition, as part of our drive to use entertainment and sports to drive tourism and economic growth, we again ask of Your Excellency to consider ceding the ownership and management of the National Stadium Surulere and the National Arts Theatre Iganmu to Lagos State. These two edifices have been left to decay and our government is in the best position to revive these assets and make them viable again for the benefit of all Nigerians.

    “This is not too much to ask but we are reassured that our President is a listening father who understands the yearnings of Lagosians. We are confident that he would listen and respond positively to the demands of about one-eighth of the nation’s population resident in Lagos,” Governor Ambode said.

    Speaking on Friday after conducting President Buhari round the Eko Atlantic City (EAC) which is a multi-billion dollar project expected to accommodate over 150,000 people who would reside there and another 250,000 who would work and commute within the city on a daily basis, Governor Ambode said the project was a practical example of how the private sector could partner with government to boost the economy.

    He recalled that the project, which was conceived and initiated during the tenure of former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was a brilliant engineering display which had saved the whole of Victoria Island from ocean surge and other threats.

    “This project has actually saved the whole of Victoria Island and is standing on over 750 square kilometres bigger than Victoria Island itself when it is eventually completed. This is just an example of what the private sector can really do to the Nigerian economy and that is why we have made it possible that Mr President should take a practical tour of how we can really move the Nigerian economy when we partner with the private sector,” Governor Ambode said.

    Responding, President Buhari commended the initiators of the EAC, saying he was extremely impressed with the potentials of the project, which according to him, would create jobs and boost Nigeria’s economy.

    “I have just gone round to see the Eko Atlantic City. I’m impressed with the potentiality of this project and the amount of jobs and positive effect which this project is capable of having on the economy.

    “I’m really grateful for those who agreed to invest so much in our country to get a secured area for operations capable of handling big businesses and investments throughout Africa,” the President said.

  • Photo: Buhari visits Eko Atlantic City

    President Muhammadu Buhari while on his two days visit to Lagos, toured Eko Atlantic City on Friday.

    He was pictured  with the Governor of Lagos Akinwunmi Ambode,  Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the popular British Model, actress Naomi Campbell.

     

     

     

  • Can Lagos get special status under Buhari?

    As President Muhammadu Buhari visits Lagos State today, there is a nostalgic feeling. Unlike 33 years ago when the tall, dignified, fierce-looking General called the shots from Dodan Barracks, Ikoyi, he is now the symbol Democracy visiting his old base and the former Federal Capital City. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU captures the expectations of the people of the Centre of Excellence that has suffered much neglect, following the re-location of the capital to Abuja in 1976.

    Lagosians will roll out the drums today to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on a two-day visit to the state. Cultural groups from Awori, Eyo masquerades from Isale-Eko and the singing train of women and youths from Badagry, the tourist centre, will unite to give the Commander-in-Chief a befitting welcome. People will line up the streets from the airport to the Iga-Idunganran, the palace of the Eleko, waving their hands and brooms, the symbol of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC).

    The President is not only in town for festivities. He is the chairman of the colloquium marking the 66th birthday of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. He will have a busy schedule in the Centre of Excellence. As the guest of the dynamic and hardworking Governor Akinwumi Ambode, he is expected to commission some projects that are of far-reaching importance to the people. Last year, Lagosians were disappointed when the president cancelled his planned visit to the metropolis. He was  expected to commission the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Rescue Unit at Cappa Oshodi and the Ago Palace Way in Okota. He was also expected to preside over the handing over of the state’s contribution (security equipment and vehicles) to security agencies. On day two, the President was billed to have a meeting with the Corporate Lagos and the public service.

    Stakeholders may also have the opportunity to dialogue with the President and his entourage on the  “Lagos question” as the former Federal Capital Territory. (FCT). The quest for a special status will resonate.

    President Buhari’s visit is significant in many ways. Lagos is a special gift to Nigeria. It can be described as a mini-Nigeria shouldering enormous national and sub-regional responsibilities. In fact, the metropolis mirrors the country as a blend of nations and cultures; a highly populated and heterogeneous community offering great lessons about tolerance and peaceful co-existence. There is no family or household that does not have a representative in the city-state. There is no discrimination in the land of real or imagined greener pastures that has offered accommodation to all. Owing to the huge population, there is pressure on the social infrastructure provided by the state government. To underscore its importance to West Africa, two years ago, Lagos-based commercial motorcyclists of Mali, Niger, Chad, Benin and Togo origin were among those protesting against the ban on okada on some roads in Lagos.

    Lagos is critical to the national economy. It is the economic capital of Nigeria. It is the commercial hub. According to economic experts, Lagos accounts for the 50 percent of the total Value Added Tax (VAT). It hosts the major sea port and the headquarters of some multinationals and embassies. Urban renewal is hectic as its demands are blended with the subsisting plan to avoid the infliction of pains on short-time victims who are also long-term beneficiaries. As flooding is being curtailed by the state government, it still remains a potential threat, making the concern for the environment a priority.

    On two occasions, the hand of the Federal Government was heavy on Lagos State. Its Independent Power Project (IPP) was frustrated by the Obasanjo administration under the pretext that power and energy are in the Exclusive List. When local councils were also created by the Tinubu administration, based on popular demand, hell was let loose. Apart from rejecting the new grassroots administrative structures, the Federal Government withheld allocations to the councils. Then, it was insinuated that Abuja and Lagos were not on the same page.

    Paradoxically, despite being the former federal capital and the seat of economic power, Lagos has been aloof to mainstream politics, until  2015 when they voted for President  Buhari on a broader progressive platform. Lagosians have always danced to the progressive tunes and damned the consequence.

    President Buhari’s visit will give him ample opportunity to salute the consistency and courage of Lagosians to hold firmly to the progressive banner. For him, it is a home-coming of sorts. He is back in a familiar terrain. The president is conversant with the Lagos make-up. When he served as the military secretary, Federal Commissioner for Petroleum/Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and military Head of State, he lived in Lagos. Having contributed to the making of Lagos in the past, fate has now imposed on him the patriotic duty of contributing to the re-shaping of the city for the good of Nigeria.

    The president is not visiting a state in ruins and distress. He is visiting a state that has given hope and pride to Nigeria. He will not be hosted for three days by a dormant government, but an administration that is making steady progress.  The labours of the actualiser, the  pathfinder and the legend are being sustained. Ambode is building on the legacies of his illustrious predecessors-Babatunde Fashola, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Lateef Jakande. In the last one year, there has been no lull in governance. The proofs are the various projects being commissioned in the last two months by the Ambode administration. Some of them are being inaugurated without the usual fanfare. Since Lagos is providing social amenities to all Nigeria, irrespective of tribe and religion, the state government needs federal assistance.

    Ambode is expected to tender his stewardship as a progressive governor. He has scored a high point in security, despite the fact that there is no state police.  Through a deliberate investment in the strategic sector, the governor has jacked up the security trust fund. The goal is to keep armed robbers and kidnappers at bay. When kidnappers abducted secondary school girls in Ikorodu, they were promptly rescued. The governor, as a financial surgeon, has decided to reduce the cost of governance by merging different ministries  and departments performing similar functions. He has rejuvenated  transportation by procuring more BRT buses and speed boats.

    Lagos has become a huge construction site under Ambode. Road construction is going on simultaneously in both urban and rural areas. Examples are the Ikotun, Dopemu, Abule-Egba, Mile 12, Oworonsoki, Ipaja, Alimoso, Apapa Creek, and Harold Wilson. Pedestrian bridges are being constructed in some locations. To the joy of Lagosians, the governor, who has reiterated his determination to speed up the construction of the Mile 2/Badagry Expressway, has also unfolded the plan to flag off the Fourth Mainland Road Project. Also, the Operation Light Up Lagos Project has been pursued with vigour.

    To tackle unemployment, the governor has set up a N25 billion Employment Trust Fund, in addition to the establishment of the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment. The governor has set in motion the machinery for improving the state’s revenue base. Loopholes for looting are being prevented  through the operation of a single bank account. The Lekki/Epe Expressway is now toll-free. No fewer than 13,000 teachers have been employed in public primary and secondary schools. Retirees have been paid a backlog of N2.2 billion, thereby alleviating their welfare challenges.

    Also, the governor has commissioned 20 Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICU) and 26 ambulances for the General Hospitals.

    Urging Lagosians to troop out to welcome the president, Lagos APC Publicity Secretary Comrade Joe Igbokwe said: “The historic visit will provide an opportunity for the president to get a first class knowledge of the massive transformation in Lagos, the progress, prospects and the problems.”

    President Buhari may have time to explain the efforts he has made to reposition the country in the last one year. He will be briefed on how Lagosians refused to endorse the strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) because of their hope  in him and the realisation that he is trying his best to make life more comfortable.

    However, the state government is expected to ask for federal assistance for its projects. “Governor Ambode will use the opportunity to seek the help of the President to complete the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the Okokomaiko-Lagos Light rail project and to help kick start the Fourth Mainland Bridge, the two projects that will further enhance the glory of Lagos as Nigeria’s economic nerve centre,” Igbokwe added.

    There is no federal highway in Lagos that is unknown to the President. These roads are an eyesore. They need attention. Besides, Lagosians and indeed, the people of Nigeria will want the President to expedite action on the rehabilitation of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

    Lagos leaders have also been in dialogue with the Federal Government over some federal property in the state. Although an agreement was reached on the handing over of these property to Lagos during the tenure of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. The land on which the property is built was forcefully taken from the state by the Federal Government. The old, abandoned Federal Secretariat is now a shame of the city. It is a relic of the old seat of power. But, the greatest demand from the Federal Government is the consideration for a special status for Lagos.