The Nation Newspaper

Tag: lagos

  • Lagos flood: Curse of a neglected environment

    SIR: For years, the Lagos State government invested in various efforts to preserve the environment recorded in the areas of education and series of actions geared towards environmental sustainability awareness, including proper waste management, a heavily-sustained tree planting exercise and an annual environmental conference which purpose was to highlight issues, discuss current researches and proffer solutions to burning environmental problems.

    These activities are no longer top priority and clear reasons have not been advanced as to why renewed efforts have been halted. Today, most Lagos residents are concerned about the never-ending dumping of waste on major roads and around the inner cities, which in the event of the slightest rainfall, blocks the drainage systems causing serious hardship for residents.  The services of the waste disposal agency seem inaccessible in most parts of the city and the potential danger of this development can only be left to the imagination.

    To make matters worse, following a recent court ruling, the monthly environmental sanitation exercise was terminated. The impact of this legal action on the environment is yet to be fully contextualized, but will certainly lead to further degradation of the environment. Some had argued that the monthly sanitation exercise was an unnecessary action by the state government to restrict movement. But, put side by side the benefits to the well-being and health of the environment, this decision needs to be revisited.

    For some climate change deniers, the effort and monies spent in raising environmental awareness in order to reverse the growing impact of climate change is, to their way of thinking, wasted resources. As concerned citizens of a planet in trouble, we should recognize that this position is not in the best interest of humanity. Every human being on earth is expected to show some level of concern about the environment as the only sustainable factor to human existence.

    It should be emphasized that to slow down the negative impact of climate change, the effort to reverse the burning of fossil fuel and reduce carbon emission must be sustained. All efforts, including political efforts and lobbying, must be focused on building alternative energy models, new and green production processes and working towards a cleaner planet through investment in clean energy and green production technologies. Industrialization should no longer be carbon-based or carbon-driven.

    The effort to substitute high-carbon technologies with low-carbon ones has begun and should be properly keyed into by all levels of government and non-government institutions. The cost of neglecting the environment is huge and has implications bordering on health, food security and security of lives and property. The health aspect is the most troubling. With the recent outbreak of cholera in Lagos, resulting from contaminated drinking water due to flooding, serious attention is therefore required from all concerned.

    There is an urgent need for the Lagos State government to encourage researchers, who are interested, to investigate and proffer solutions to wide ranging causes and consequences, and to provide clear cut mitigation strategies to deal with environmental disasters as resulting from climate change.

    The annual climate change conference should be sustained and improved upon, with partnership extended to global agencies like R20, an agency founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger with its objective being to help sub-national governments around the world to develop and communicate low-carbon and climate-resilient economic development projects. In Nigeria, only Delta and Ogun state governments are members of this agency.

    Teaching of environmental sustainability in mostly secondary schools must be revisited as a way to galvanize the young and future policy makers into the broad consciousness of the need to preserve the environment. There used to be Climate Clubs in schools. These initiatives should equally be supported by corporate organizations in an effort to fulfill corporate citizenship responsibility to Lagos State.

    Climate change is not just an environmental problem. It is a development problem that is directly linked to and responsible for multiple crises plaguing the world today.

     

    • Victor Ikem,

    Environment Communication and Research Group, Lagos,

  • ‘Why Nigerian varsities should adopt Korean system’

    ‘Why Nigerian varsities should adopt Korean system’

    In this interview with ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, Vice Chancellor, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Prof Daniel Ayandeji Aina, explains why Nigeria should adopt the Korean ‘mind education’ system.

    Why do you recommend the Korean education system for Nigeria?

    You will recall that South Korea emerged from the Korean War without natural resources, but people. They therefore embarked on mind education that we call value-based education here. In Korea, they teach dignity of labour. As a professor of Engineering, you are only recognised by what you are professing and not by merely wearing suit and tie. Your office is more in the laboratory with your overall on rather than wearing suit and teaching your students using smart boards which we often do here. That is why our education in Nigeria is not functional. You only wear suit during meetings; once that meeting is over you are back into the laboratory.

    But as you said, Nigeria also has value-based education system which is almost the same

    The Korean system is deeper and more practicable! And the idea is how what you had learned in class can be turned to practical use so you don’t start looking for jobs upon graduation. This is the more reason why Caleb University is collaborating with the Institute of Mind Education in Korea so as to adapt their methodology to our colleagues here that had value-based education. The Korean Educational International Youth Forum has linkages in about 90 countries that subscribe to it and Caleb University is now happy to be one.

    But what format does this education take?

    Their (Korean) undergraduates are integrated into service education whereby you used what you acquired in class as a form of community service. What we do in our NYSC here is that people are just posted to say Zamfara State, and the person can then arrange with their local NYSC to wander away for months only to return and collect their certificates. But in the United State or South Korea, graduands are allowed to move to anywhere in the world to render service.  That is why those societies are a lot better because they produce selfless individuals who are determined to help societal cause.

    There are series of cases bordering on insecurity in Ikorodu which is your next door neighbor, what security checks have you to ward off intruders?

    It’s pretty sad the insecurity situation in Ikorodu and environs. But generally, let me say in a security situation what you need do is go a step ahead of your potential attacker. Once that psychology is created, that scares potential predators away.

    Second, we have excellent relationship with government, police, and other nongovernmental security agencies. We have a rapid response team here. They had been here before I became VC. We have our own security network. We also have spirituality because we are a faith-based university. The Lord says if the He doesn’t build the house, the watchers labour in vain.

    With their tuition, there have been arguments that private universities have come to supplant public institutions and dim the hope of the poor.

    Some of those in the labour union carry all sorts of rumour that private universities are exorbitant because they felt that government allowing private universities to thrive will have a negative impact on their negotiation with government.

    For instance, our tuition here is N350,000, but when you look at our facilities, you will know it is not the N350,000 that we use in running the university. A cumulative salary of a professor before tax is between N380,000 and N500,000. So, if you have N350,000 tuition here that means a student fee cannot pay a professor in a month.

  • Lagos trains workers

    The Lagos State Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions in conjunction with VITECH Trainers, has organised a training for civil servants.

    Speaking during the opening session of the workshop that focused on: ‘Integrating contemporary business leadership into the corporate governance model of the Lagos State Civil Service, Commissioner,  Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions,  Dr. Akintola Benson said Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has observed that reforms must be informed by the expectations of citizens.

    He said the overriding observation today is that citizens expect the government to comply with global best practices in democratic governance.

    He said: “Before embarking on such a venture, however, it is useful to bear in mind the specific practical and empirical illustrations of the expectations from the citizenry from the government. In addition to that, it is helpful to analyse the various theories on leadership styles that may be adapted and thereafter adopted into the Lagos State civil service to bring about efficiency-oriented reforms.

    “Generally, the citizenry is rightly expecting public sector reforms that will improve government efficiency, increase citizen satisfaction, careate citizen buy-in and increase government transparency and accountability, engage them in the decision-making processes of the government and improve government responsiveness.

    “With these expectations firmly in mind, it is gratifying to note that in Lagos, we have a government that has boldly embraced this challenge of modernising governance and approaching the task of public administration. The governor is poised to examine those areas, processes and institutions and practices that need to be overhauled or lin order to achieve this end. In approving this training, he is espousing a vision of a Lagos where government objectives, processes and services meet the contemporary global standards and reasonable expectations of the citizens.”

  • Lagos, UNICEF partner to tackle societal problems

    Lagos, UNICEF partner to tackle societal problems

    The Lagos State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) have organized a workshop on societal problems and their impacts for people of the state.

    The workshop, which took place in Surulere, Oshodi/lsolo and Epe local government areas of the state, gave participants the opportunity to divulge numerous challenges confronting them.

    Speaking at the workshop in Surulere, the Chairman, Technical Working Group on Social Protection, Mr. Abayomi Kadiri, said the workshop was necessary as it would afford the state government the opportunity to address key social problems in Lagos.

    Kadiri is also the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of  Budget and Economic Planning in the state.

    Represented by the Director of Developmental Partnership in the ministry, Mr. Bankole   Adetola, he said the state government would come up with a policy guideline on the matter.

    A UNICEF official, Muhammad Okorie, who spoke on the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP), described the NSPP  as admixture of policies and programmes designed for individuals and households to prevent poverty and socio- economic shocks.

    According to him, social protection interventions are age-appropriate and recognize the need to arrest the build-up of risks and vulnerabilities throughout the life cycle.

    Such interventions, he said systematically target all stages of life such that the socio-economic situation in one phase does not transmit to the next phase.

    He said cumulative benefits are achieved across generations.

     

  • Lagos evacuates 12,600 tonnes of waste in 10 days

    Lagos evacuates 12,600 tonnes of waste in 10 days

    The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment in collaboration with Visionscape Ltd has cleared over 12,600 metric tonnes of waste from over 80 locations in 10 days.

    The clearing of refuse dumps tagged “Operation Deep Clean”, which began last month, saw to the clearing of illegal waste dumpsites across the state.

    The locations include Abijo on Lekki Expressway in Eti Osa Local Government, Oke Afa Bridge around Oke Afa Bus Stop in Ejigbo, Osapa Junction in Lekki, Awori-Oniwaya/Balogun Ilawe in Agege, Alaba Suru Market in Ifelodun, Durbar Road, Mile 2 (Jakande Estates) Amuwo Odofin, Olaogun Street in Ebute Meta, Yaba, Roju Avenue in Kosofe/Ojota, Church Bus Stop at Igando Road, Igando Ikotun, St Finbars College in Akoka and Moshood Abiola Model Market in Agege, Lagos, among others.

    Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare in a statement yesterday affirmed the government’s resolve to rid the state of refuse heaps.

    He sought residents’ support for the soon-to-be fully launched Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI).

    “Since the exercise began, over 80 locations across the state have been covered and we are building momentum in spite of the heavy rainfall this season. We are building a new culture of waste management in Lagos State. We are optimistic that all communities in Lagos State will see overall benefits of this drive to put an integrated waste management system in place,” he said.

  • Don urges Lagos to do more on water transportation

    Dean, School of Transportation Studies, Lagos State University (LASU) Prof Samuel Odewunmi has charged the  state  government to concentrate more on water transportation, a sector, he said, it has an huge comparative advantage.

    Odewunmi said the less-than-one percent contribution of water transportation is unacceptable for a state globally reputed for its acquatic splendour. He said though the state targets about two percent of passenger traffic daily (which is about one million riders per day), when all its policies fully come on stream, the figure is still insignificant, pointing out that it should target a minimum of five percent before 2019.

    He said: “Water transportation where availabl, beats other modes of tranportation (rail and highway), on carrying capacity, lifespan of rolling stocks, implementation cost, social and environmental cost.”

    In a paper: “Accelerating Integrated Transport System: Rail Roads and Waterways,” delivered at a public forum, Odewunmi said the state could start with the rehabilitation of old jetties, increase the number and quality of the jetties, and chart new routes on its waterways.

    He said an efficient waterways would facilitate the decongestion of the roads especially along the state’s coastal areas, and complement government’s rail line effort along Mile 2, where more than six new jetties could be created.

    Commending the state’s ongoing efforts on the expansion of roads and rail, Odewunmi said the development of the waterways would impact more positively on fares and safety as well as speed with which passengers could move round in Lagos.

    He said ridership would increase if the government builds motorable roads to jetties to improve accessibility which hitherto has been problematic. He frowned at practices of dumping refuse at jetties and their access roads because of long period of abandonment.

    “There should be a marshal plan to rehabilitate and reconstruct all the roads and recover all the jetties. Toilets and recreational facilities should be provided where they are presently non- existent and upgraded where they are in shambles, before government takes delivery of new ferries,” he added.

    Odewunmi noted that if adequately charted and put to good use, the likelihood of kidnappers or militants using its waterways as escape routes would be reduced or totally eradicated.

  • Man held for enticing underage girls to fondle his manhood

    A 36-year-old man (name withheld), who allegedly enticed some underage girls to pat his sexual organ affectionately for N500, was on Friday in Lagos nabbed, according to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

    The suspect was apprehended by some residents of Silver Crescent Estate, Oke-Afa in Isolo area of Lagos.

    The Coordinator of the team, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi,  told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the agency’s intervention followed a report by residents of the community.

    DSVRT is a collection of professional service providers and officials that respond as a group and in a timely fashion to the various needs of domestic and sexual violence survivors by providing legal, medical and emergency assistance.

    It also provides counselling and psychological and psycho-social support as well as encourage and create unprecedented level of collaboration among professionals working to end sexual and gender-based violence.

    To report domestic and sexual violence as well as other gender-based abuses, the agency has advertised the following numbers — 112, 08137960048 and 07032165181.

     Vivour-Adeniyi said:“The man was nabbed on July 27 at 8.00 a.m. in the community;  some young girls in the area said they once reported the case to a woman in the neighbourhood, who alerted other residents to watch out for such acts and strange faces in the area.

    “Luck ran out of the man on Thursday morning when one of the young girls in the area sighted him in the street and called the attention of some residents.

    “The suspect, who said he had a shop at Ladipo in Mushin, blamed it on the devil.”

    “The residents asked him to call his relatives which he did and his wife and children arrived at the scene.

    “The Divisional Police Officer, following a distress call by the community, took the suspect accompanied by his wife and children, the girl that identified him and others to the station,” she said.

    Vivour-Adeniyi said after investigation had been concluded, the agency would prosecute the suspect in court. (NAN)m

  • Igbonla kidnap : It has been 65 days of trauma-Parents

    Igbonla kidnap : It has been 65 days of trauma-Parents

    Parents of the six kidnapped students of the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, were hugely relieved on Friday reuniting with them, after more than two months of anxiety.

    The reunion came exactly 65 days after the students were captured from their school by armed abductors, 20 of whom were killed in a gun duel with the police on Friday, in the creeks of Ondo State.

    The freed boys are Peter Jonah, Isiaka Rahmon, Adebayo George, Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Philips and Farouq Yusuf.

    Mr Moruf Ramon, whose 19-year-old son, Isiaka, was among the rescued students commended the Lagos State Government and the Nigerian Police for their efforts.

    “’I am so happy with what is happening today and I want to appreciate the Lagos State Government and the Commissioner of Police for all they have done to secure the release of our children.

    “’I have been the one talking with the kidnappers all the time and the police were always with us to get information that could help to facilitate the rescue operations.

    “We pray that this kind of incident will not occur again in Lagos State or even Nigeria as a whole,’’ he said.

    Mrs Beatrice Jonah, said it had been a traumatic experience for her family.

    According to her, the experience is very difficult to describe as it is better imagined than experienced.

    “When I spoke to my son after the abduction, I was weeping because I was afraid for his life.

    “To me it has been 65 days of trauma but we thank God he is back safely,’’ she said.

    The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, who received the students on behalf of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, commended the efforts of the security agencies and the intervention of the Federal Government.

    “We commend the efforts of the Nigerian Police, particularly, the Lagos Command and other security agencies for their efforts in ensuring the safe return of these children.

    “We commend the Ondo State Governor and his deputy for their support and collaboration toward the rescue operation.

    “We appreciate the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for his invaluable intervention in ensuring that we have these children brought back to us,’’ she said.

    Adebule said that debriefing and comprehensive medical checks would be carried out on the students to help them get over the experience.

    “’Now that the children are back, the government will commence a comprehensive checkup on these children — physically, mentally and psychologically. This is very necessary.

    “And in debriefing them, we will be involving other stakeholders, including their parents to ensure that it is effective.

    “’We appreciate that 64 days was a long time to get these children back but it was in the interest of their safety,’’ she said.

    “’As a government, we will continue to work diligently to ensure the security of lives and property in the state. It is a must for us to deliver on the issue of security.

    “As for security in our schools, we are working and putting all necessary measures in place before the resumption of schools for the next session,’’ she said.

    Adebule also commended the parents and families of the students for their confidence in the state government.

    Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, who accompanied the students to Lagos with his Deputy, Mr Alfred Agboola, said the Igbonla Kidnap was a major issue at the National Executive Council meeting in Abuja in June.

    Akeredolu said it was also an issue at the South-West Governors’ meeting in Abeokuta, Ogun, where Ambode said there was the need for an increased joint security patrol of the riverine areas.

    “’We must appreciate the role of the Acting President in this matter because he was the first person that contacted us in Ondo last month. Gov. Ambode was also in touch all the time.

    “We promised them that we will make efforts, but then we did not believe that these children could be in the creeks of Ondo.

    “’My Deputy, however, waded into the matter because he is from the creeks.

    “In collaboration with the Delta Government, the Navy, Army and Marine Police, we did all that was humanly possible to secure the release of the students,’’ he said.

    Akeredolu pledged to ensure increased security in his state in collaboration with others that shared borders with Ondo.

    “Ondo State has Zero tolerance for crime. You cannot use our creeks as safe haven for crimes anymore,’’ he warned.

    The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, commended the South-West government for their joint efforts and support in ensuring the rescue of the students.

    “’This is one operation that will send fear to criminals as they will know that our governments in the South-West are committed to security and there will be no place for criminals in the region.

    “’During the course of the operation, 20 of the kidnappers, including the leader of that kidnap, Bright Adeniyi, were killed when they ambushed the operatives of the marine police and civilian volunteers.

    “We lost a civilian volunteer, while four were wounded. Eight policemen were also injured and all these people are receiving medical treatment under the care of the state government.

    “So far, we have arrested one suspect who has been swindling the parents of the children.

    He was arrested in Abeokuta when he asked the parents to drop some money. I’m sure others will be arrested soon and they will face the full wrath of the law,’’ he said.

    Owoseni promised that the police would not relent in its efforts to secure and protect the lives of citizens. (NAN)

  • …how Lagos, Ondo, Delta govs helped secure their freedom

    …how Lagos, Ondo, Delta govs helped secure their freedom

    THE combined efforts of Governors Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) were largely responsible for the rescue,yesterday, of the  six abducted Epe,Lagos State school boys from kidnappers,The Nation can now reveal.

    The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, is also  said to have “played a crucial role in the release of the boys.”

    No ransom was paid for their release, sources said last night.

    The  boys were left off on the coastal waterways of Ondo State after 63 days in captivity.

    A Presidency source speaking on the matter  last night said: “It took the hard work of the Lagos State Governor and significant collaboration of the governors of Ondo and Delta State to secure the release of the kidnap 6 Lagos school boys.

    “While the Lagos State Governor had worked so hard on breaking the ice, it was discovered that the boys were held around the coastal waterways of Ondo State.

    “This was where the coordination of the Federal Government became even much more compelling pulling in both civil and military security agencies like the Police, SSS and the Nigerian Navy to work with the Lagos State Governor and also the Ondo State government whose Deputy Governor played a crucial role in ensuring the eventual release of the boys.

    “Both the Delta State Governor and his deputy also supplied important support to the process that facilitated the release.

    “The Nigerian Navy was responsible for providing the required military logistics that eased the release.

    “The other security agencies like the SSS and Police also played active roles, and with the Navy, joined the Lagos, Ondo and Delta state governments in the final talks that produced freedom for the boys about two months ago.

    The source however insisted that “no ransom was paid.”

    Only Sunday while speaking to reporters in Lagos, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo assured the parents and families of the boys that their children  would return home hopefully.

    He praised the Lagos State governor for the efforts of the state government in dealing with the situation.

    He said other States were also collaborated with Lagos State and the Federal Government in ensuring the freedom for the abducted boys.

  • Lagos set to produce 2.6m bags of rice per annum

    Lagos State is embarking on the cultivation of 32,000 hectares of farm land to produce rice paddy, equivalent of 130million kilogrammes of processed rice per year (or 2.6milion 50kg bags of rice).

    To achieve the objective,the state government yesterday signed  an agreement with Bühler AG (“Bühler”), a leading rice-mill producer in the world, for the acquisition of a 32 tonnes per hour Rice Mill.

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, leading a team of the State Executive Committee members, signed the agreement on behalf of the state government.

    The governor said on the occasion that the development was in furtherance of his vision of enhancing food security and creating employment in the State, as well as providing  a platform for the state to partner with other South west States in consonance with the region’s resolve towards economic integration.

    The partnership with Buhler, he added, was in sync with his administration’s economic agenda of diversification of the nation’s economy and conservation of foreign currency reserve.

    “The state of the art rice mill will be sited in Imota, Ikorodu and it requires 32,000 hectares of land for cultivation of rice paddy. This investment is expected to create thousands of jobs in rice value chain. In addition to the current arrangement with Kebbi State, Lagos would go into partnership with neighbouring states, to ensure sustainable inputs for the mill and foster regional economic integration,” Governor Ambode said.

    The partnership with Buhler covers supplies and installation of the rice mill, including silos. It also covers maintenance and technical support as well as technical training of Nigerians in the ever growing sub-sector of the Nigerian economy.

    The rice mill will be the single largest mill of its kind in Nigeria and is expected to be delivered within twelve months.

    It is expected that it will help in creating about 200,000 jobs across the agriculture value chain.

    With Governor Ambode at yesterday’s ceremony were Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinyemi Ashade; Special Adviser to the Governor on Overseas Affairs & Investment, Professor Ademola Abass; Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Suarau Oluwatoyin; and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Olayiwole Onasanya.