The Nation Newspaper

Tag: lagos

  • Lagos eyes 3000Mw electricity

    Lagos eyes 3000Mw electricity

    Lagos State Government said it plans to build about 3000megawatts (Mw) of electricity power plant that would boost the state’s economy.

    The State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode who spoke during the Oil and Gas Trainers’ Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) 2017 Inauguration of its National Executive Council members in Lagos, said the government is committed to providing a conducive environment for businesses to flourish.

    Represented by the State Commissioner for Energy, Olawole Olumore, he said the state government was focusing on the development of the technology that would sustain the economy of the state and sustain the oil and gas industry within and across the federation. He urged  the association to show commitment in helping to sustain the state’s economy to raise the bar of oil and gas operation.

    “We have seen that you are helping the Nigerian economy and I know very quickly that you will be helping the Lagos State economy in the oil and gas operations.

    “As you are all aware, Lagos State is the newest oil and gas producing state in Nigeria following the discovery of oil in the offshore Lagos, the first oil plant outside the Niger Delta region. The discovery of this hydrocarbon should translate to oil and gas investment in the state and to contribute to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the state as well as diversify its revenue,” Ambode said.

    He urged the association to be dedicated to human capital development, to avoid unintended consequences towards the oil and gas activities as was witnessed in the Niger Delta

  • Businessman faces N2.1m fraud charge

    Lawrence Okpara, a 52-year-old businessman, who was slated to have obtained 45 pieces of secondhand air conditioners worth N2.1 million under false pretences, was on Thursday brought before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    Okpara, a resident of Ajegunle area of Apapa, is facing a three-count charge of obtaining money under false pretences, presumption as to false pretences in certain circumstances and stealing.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Tony Elibeh told the court that the accused, who entered a ‘not guilty’ plea, committed the offences on Sept. 17, 2016 at Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos.

    Elibeh alleged that Okpara obtained 45 pieces of air conditioners from DennisAdiele on the pretext of paying him after selling them.

    The prosecutor said the accused, who had no intention of paying the complainant, sold off the goods and converted the proceeds to personal use.

    “The complainant said when he did not get any feedback from Okpara, he decided to confront him and ask for his money, but to his surprise the accused started giving excuses.

    “The accused issued a cheque of N2.1 million after much pressure but the cheque was dishonored at the bank on presentation due to insufficient funds.

    “Adiele reported the case to the police and the accused was arrested, “Elibeh said.

    The offences contravened Sections 285, 312 and 319 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 provides three years imprisonment, while Section 312 prescribes a 15-year jail term for obtaining money under false pretenses.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Titus Abolarinwa, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until April 26 for mention.

     

  • Eko Disco to recover N1.3bn debts

    Eko Disco to recover N1.3bn debts

    The Management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EKEDCP) on Thursday said that over N 1.33 billion was yet to be collected from customers for their bills in March.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Oladele Amoda, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ consultative forum with Lekki customers in Lagos to rub minds on how to address payment of electricity bills.

    NAN reports that the forum is tagged “prompt payment of electricity bills to enhance effective power supply’’.

    Amoda, who was represented by the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr Sam Nwaire, said that the company recovered N4.8 billion payment out of N6.1 billion owed by customers for March.

    He said that the company was still battling to recover over N.13 billion debt being owed by customers for the month, adding that such huge debts had affected the company’s major projects.

    According to him, energy supply to the company from the national grid has increased from 150 megawatts to 300 megawatts in the month.

    “This has boosted effective power distributions to customers but yet majority of the customers refused payment.

    “In spite of the quantum of supply distributed to customers in the Month of March, large numbers of customers were yet to turn out for payment.

    “We have equally recorded over N6.5 billion energy consumed by customers for the month of April but we are yet to compute the final payment chats and outstanding customers debt profile since the month is still running,’’ he said.

    Amoda said that the 20 per cent compensation promised to offer anyone who reported energy theft by unscrupulous elements was yielding good result.

    He said that the company recorded high rate of customers who came to report those engaging in such act.

    According to him, we have received over 10 people who came to report those who are by-passing meters.

    “A task force has been set up to inspect houses of consumers and impose a penalty of N1m on anyone caught in energy theft.

    “The company would henceforth commence effective prosecution of energy theft suspects and also publish their names in the national dailies.

    “We appeal to our customers to avoid engaging in by-passing the meters because it’s criminal and punishable under Electricity Regulation Code of Conduct Act,’’ he said.

    On metering, Amoda said that the company had commenced deployment of the first phase of over 600 free pre-paid meters to all Eko disco’s district area.

    He said that the company would ensure that over 140,000 free pre-paid meters are installed in every district areas before the end of the year while appealing to residents to ensure prompt payment of their bills.

    The Eko disco boss said that about seven suspected vandals were arrested in various locations of its operations and were facing prosecution.

    He said that one of them was caught at Thomas Street in Surulere area of Lagos when he was caught in the act by a security guard in the area.

    The EKEDCP helmsman said that the suspect was caught trying to cart away 4core/70mm cable at Eko Club sub-station.

    He urged communities to be vigilant and guard against activities of vandals in their area, adding that the company would work hand in hand with the police to ensure that the suspects and others would be duly prosecuted in the court.

    Amoda said that the measure became necessary against the backdrop of over N1 billion lost to various forms of electricity theft and vandalism in the zone.

    He said that electricity materials, such as cables and wires, had either been stolen or vandalised within its operations.

    He said some areas where equipment vandalism had been rampant included Apapa, Mushin, Ikoyi, Ajegunle and FESTAC of Lagos State.

    According to Mr. Amoda, equipment such as 300KVA and 500KVA are being destroyed in Eko Disco monthly.

    “Vandalism of electricity installations in the areas has become a problem, and within the past four months, the unit has recorded further acts of vandalism of nine transformer substations,” he said.

  • Lagos trains head teachers on ‘assessment scores’

    Head teachers of public primary schools in Lagos State were given tips on how to effectively collate pupils’ assessment scores.

    The seminar themed: ‘Method of collating and presenting accurate and reliable continuous assessment scores (CAS)’, was organised by the state Ministry of Education.

    Speaking at the event held at Government Girls College, Ipaja, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education Adeshina Odeyemi, said improper collating of scores, prevents pupils from securing admission into secondary schools.

    “We want to ensure that head teachers have the grasp of what they need to know about CAS. It forms part of what we will use in assessing pupils. Once there is no error in the CAS, we administer Common Entrance for the pupils. We will collate the result and CAS and use this to place them in secondary schools,“ he said.

    Urging participants to replicate what they would learn in their various schools, Odeyemi noted that there had been some discrepancies in the past, which have not yielded effective collation of the scores, hence the seminar.

    The Director, Lagos State Examination Board, Hassan Oluwafemi said CAS must measure the three domain of education- the cognitive, affective and psychomotor.

    Aside ability to collate scores, Oluwafemi was hopeful the exercise would enlighten participants’ enhancement of the standard of assessment in terms of pupils’ ability. Also participants would be able to identify underperforming pupils which will help them strategies teaching and learning procedures to assist them, Oluwafemi added.

    A participant, Mr Fakunle Olutunbi of Nigeria Navy Primary School, Ojo, suggested that the training should be done annually to continuously equip teachers with up-to-date knowledge.

     

  • PENGASSAN, NUPENG picket Lagos, P/Harcourt GE offices

    PENGASSAN, NUPENG picket Lagos, P/Harcourt GE offices

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff  of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) yesterday shut down General Electric’s (GE’s) office at Bishop Aboyade Cole Street, Victoria Island over the its failure  to honour the agreement it signed with Arco Group Plc, a member of PENGASSAN  and  leading oil and gas servicing company.

    Also in Port Harcourt, PENGASSAN was joined in the picketing by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

    The oil workers accused GE of failing to pay Arco and the workers for services rendered. These include outstanding allowances, overall allowance, severance and contract allowances.

    The picketing started around 6.30 am, with hundreds of members of PENGASSAN blocking the entrance into GE’s office, thereby paralysing activities of the company.

    Addressing reporters, Lagos Zonal Chairman, PENGASSAN, Comrade Abel Agarin, said the union decided to picket GE because the company has failed to honour   the agreement  between the two parties, despite the involvement of the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige in the matter.

    Agarin said the picketing became inevitable because GE has failed to pay Arco Group, demobilisation due to them to enable them pay their workers, having been laid off from the OBOB/Ebocha/KwaleAgip gas plants in the Niger Delta without their severance benefits.

    The workers were declared redundant with effect from October last year and their services severed.

    Mr. Agarin lamented that the workers who are now jobless are facing untold hardship and GE appeared to be unmindful of their situation over these last six months. He referred to the meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige in Abuja on November 30 last year and attended by all stakeholders in the matter. He said GE in the presence of the Ngige gave an undertaking to pay to Arco, the money due to it once Arco fulfilled all requirements for demobilisation from the gas plants.

    Mr. Agarin expressed surprise that GE reneged on the undertaking to pay the money within 30 days of Arco’s demobilisation from the gas plants.

    “Instead of paying the prescribed demobilisation fee to Arco to enable Arco to pay the severance benefits of over 150 members of their Union that are affected by the lay-off from OBOB/Kwale/Eboch gas plants, GE is busy demanding untenable conditions for payment even when Agip had certified the demobilisation of Arco from the gas plants.

    “This is a downright negation of the promise that GE made before the Minister of Labour and Employment and other stakeholders at the November 30, 2016 meeting which representatives of PENGASSAN also attended,” Mr. Agarin added.

  • Lawmaker distributes uniforms to Lagos school

    Member of the Federal House of Representative representing, Amuwo-Odofin constituency, Mr. Oghene Ugoh, has distributed free 1,000 school uniforms to four schools in Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos State.

    The exercise, which had the support of a charity body-Warri Boys Social and Welfare Association, was held at the Palace of Alafin of Kuje Amuwo-Odofin, with hundreds of residents comprising teachers, parents, community development association and representatives from beneficiary schools.

    Speaking at the event, the donor said the items were to support parents whose children in the area go to school with torn uniforms

    He said: “I gave free buses to the children. Sometimes I board the bus together with them and I see a lot of children in torn uniform. So I informed the Warri Boys Association to help with 1, 000 uniform and they obliged, I am very grateful.”

    He noted that the development of local communities is a responsibility of every public office holders. He noted that  he was willing to do his best to lessen the suffering of the rural poor.

    President of the Warri Boys Social and Welfare Association, Pius Enakerakpo, said the body’s decision to sponsor the production of the uniform was informed by their desire to spread love, goodwill and care to hapless individuals in the society.

    He said Warri Boys Social and Welfare Association comprised top businessmen who came together for the purpose of supporting member’ gestures geared towards charity.

    Some of the beneficiary schools include; Satellite Secondary School, Ibese Secondary School, Festac College, and Z I Primary School.

  • ‘Lagos is Nigeria’s model in environmental management’

    • Cleaner Lagos initiative ‘will transform state’

    Lagos State is the country’s number one model in environmental management and its Cleaner Lagos Initiative will transform it into a more adorable place to live.

    This was the submission of a specialist in Environmental Resources Management Dr Tajudeen Abiodun Afolabi, in a lecture he delivered at the  Lagos State University (LASU) Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development. Dr Afolabi, Director of Enforcement Advocacy at the Ministry of the Environment,  spoke on “Good Governance and Environmental Sustainability.”

    Afolabi noted that government needed to be more proactive in ensuring the sustainability of the environment through forthright decision making, forward looking policies and focused execution of such policies in the interest of all.

    His words: “Environmental sustainability involves making decisions and taking actions that are in the interest of protecting the natural world with particular emphasis on preserving the capability of the environment to support human life.”

    He stressed that the state government had always taken positive steps towards actualising its vision of maintaining a flood free, hygienic and beautiful Lagos and had always risen to the challenge of achieving a clean, livable state.

    According to him, through the annual tree planting campaign, the greening and beautification programme as well as advocacy and public enlightenment campaigns, the Lagos State government had been in the forefront of efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, stressing that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had characterised climate change as ‘the defining human development challenge for the 21st century.’

    He stated that the adverse effect of climate change was considered one of the most serious threats to humanity and sustainable development, because if left unabated, it would cause global loss of gross domestic product (GDP) of between five and 20 per cent.

    Afolabi pointed out that Africa was becoming the most exposed region in the world to the impacts of climate change because in Sub-Saharan Africa, extreme weather would cause dry areas to become drier and wet areas wetter; agriculture yields would suffer from failures and diseases would spread to new altitudes.

    By 2030, Afolabi said, it is expected that 90 million people in Africa will be exposed to malaria, a disease that is already the biggest killer in the region. Lagos State, he said, is doing a lot which other states can emulate to regenerate the environment.

    Afolabi disclosed that to further sustain the environment, Lagos State government was embarking on effective solid waste management reform through Cleaner Lagos Initiative, stressing that the programme would transform the state into a cleaner and more beautiful one as it confronts the challenge of technology, investment in facility, job creation and poverty alleviation by creating the enabling environment for private sector participation.

  • Lagos gets youth ambassadors

    Lagos gets youth ambassadors

    A middle-age man has emerged the pioneer Lagos State Youth Ambassador.
    Promise Elijah Lana beat 49 others to win the contest. Drawn from five divisions in the state, they participated in the Ibile Youth Academy (IYA) hosted by the ministry of Youth and Social Development.
    Those who emerged divisional ambassadors are: Zainab Shonibare, Lagos Island division; Maruf Agbaje, Ikorodu division; Sarah Anakwe, Badagry division; Badmus Oladipupo, Epe Division and Winifred Oparacha, Ikeja division.
    Lana thanked the government for instilling in them the core values needed as a leader.
    He promised that he and the divisional Ambassadors would work together to come up with creative ideas on youth development.
    Unveiling the ambassadors at the end of their camping at Ipaja Youth Centre in Agege, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf urged them to work together in developing ideas for youth development.
    Mrs Akinbile-Yussuf said they were expected to step out with confidence as a team to think outside-the-box and showcase good leadership skills in their communities and divisions.
    She said: “The underlying philosophy behind the leadership training in the youth sector by the present administration in the state, is based on a firm belief that dividends from such investment can never be quantified. This is because young people are the resources that must be groomed and harnessed for the overall development of our beloved Lagos State and Nigeria at large.”

  • Man arraigned for impersonation, pre-paid meter fraud

    Man arraigned for impersonation, pre-paid meter fraud

    A 42-year-old man, Gbenisoye Akano, on Tuesday appeared before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court over alleged impersonation of staff of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) to defraud a woman of N130,000.

    The accused is facing a three-count charge of impersonation, fraud and theft.

    Akano allegedly collected the money from the complainant, Mrs Oluwakemi Abimbola, on the pretext of supplying her a prepaid meter.

    The prosecutor, ASP Richard Odigie, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Jan. 5 at about 10.00 a.m. at Opeyemi Close, Good Gbenisoye AkanoNews Estate, Ogombo Ajah, Lagos.

    Odigie said the accused posed as an official of the EKEDC attached to Marina Branch while committing the offences.

    He said the accused with three others still at large came with a ladder and posed as EKEDC officials and threatened to disconnect electricity supply to the house of the complainant.

    “Abimbola, a new landlady in the estate, pleaded with them and they insisted that she must get a prepaid meter which the accused and his accomplices told her will cost N130,000.

    “After transferring the money into the accused’s account, she did not hear from him again,’’ Odigie said.

    The offences contravened Sections 78 (a), 285, 312 (1) (a) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 78 stipulates four years imprisonment for impersonation, Section 285 provides three years for theft, while Section 312 prescribes 15 years for offenders.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    The Magistrate, Mrs F. O. Ikobayo, granted the accused a N100,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.

    She said the two sureties must be a blood relation of the accused, while the other surety should be a civil servant.

    The case was adjourned until April 28 for mention.

     

  • Woman charged with stealing clothing materials

    A 40-year-old woman, Oloyede Sola, who allegedly burgled the shop of one Glory Emmanuel and stole clothing materials valued at N54, 000 was on Tuesday docked at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    The accused, whose address was not given, is facing a charge of stealing.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Eruada Victor, told the court that the accused committed the offence on March 22 in Makinde Street, Alausa, Ikeja.
    Eruada said the accused broke into the shop of the complainant and stole 20 yards of ‘Atiku’ type of fabrics   valued at N20, 000 and seven bundles of ‘Ankara’ fabrics valued at N34, 000
    “She was caught by the vigilance group in the area with the items and the cutlass she used to damage the door of the shop,” he said.

    The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 stipulates a three-year jail term for offenders.
    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The magistrate, Mrs G.O. Anifowoshe, granted the accused bail in the sum of N20, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Anifowoshe adjourned the case until April 26 for mention.