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Tag: lagos

  • FAAC: Oyo, Lagos, others shared N76,349b in May’

    The Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) last monthsaid it shared a total of N76,349,365, 060.79 to the 36 states of the federation.

    Lagos got the lion’s share of N6,082,690, 933.64 while Oyo State  got  N2,105,441,605.75.

    The allocations were shared in June as revenue collections accrued to the account in May.

    Lagos was closely followed by Rivers which collected N4,354,473,497.62, including the 13 per cent share of derivation and Value Added Tax (VAT) allocations.

    The total net allocations were made after deductions from contractual and other obligations by some of the states including Bayelsa, Bauchi and Benue.

    Abia got N1,923,982,456.53 while Adamawa had N1,828,758,173.61 with Akwa-Ibom collecting N6,847,573, 681.87,  as Anambra got N2,116,807,667.14 during the period;

    The figures further showed that Bauchi State made N1,965,255,213.47;Bayelsa, N2,816,868,014.70; Benue, N1,534,960,334.09; Borno, N2,147,600,578.02 and Cross River, N804,060,982.38 in June.

    According to the  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Delta received N2,890913, 486.26 after deductions from some contractual obligations while Ebonyi got N1.843,573,739.61 from the Federation Account.

    Edo, which also collected allocations from the 13 per cent derivation account, had a total of N1,162,645,899.11 as Ekiti got N903,602,952.88 from the account.

    Enugu got N2,003,137, 942.20;  Gombe had N1,237, 565,490.87; while Imo got N1,872, 879,765.17 from the revenues realised by the Federal Government.

    Jigawa also had its own share of N2,339,773,705.98, Kaduna got N2,537,735,912.75; Kano-N3,233,171496.48 while Katsina State made N2,397, 831,082.43.

    Kebbi received N1,978,817, 185.53; Kogi-N1,800,713, 440.93; Kwara, N1,554,650, 906.93; Nasarawa, N1,738,115 545.39 and Niger, N1,795,229, 811.70 as allocations for May.

    Ogun realised N935,421, 032.61; Ondo, N1,765,753, 396.69; Osun, N2,105,441, 605.75; Plateau-N1,033,584, 304.35 with Sokoto making N2,165,593,899.10 just as Taraba got N1,712,426,074.23.

    Yobe, without record of contractual obligation, made N1,999,612,020.31 while Zamfara which had deductions from some obligations, got N1,242,750,215.67.

    The FAAC is responsible for the distribution of revenue accruing to the  Federation Account among the federal, states and the local governments.

  • Lagos and the nuisance of land grabbers

    Buying a  piece of land in Lagos State and putting up a structure on same is usually a tall order, no thanks to the belligerent activities of land grabbers and land speculators popularly known as Omo oniles who make life unbearable for intending house owners through their frivolous demands. There have been many instances where unsuspecting buyers paid for land only to be told to come and pay again to reclaim their land, or settle some aggrieved family members who were not factored into the sharing formula of the previous payment. Omo Oniles simply have no regard for the law of the land as they have become a law unto themselves charging and fining prospective land owners’ different absurd bills as it pleases them.

    They also ensure the buyers are not free from their strangulating grip as they exact different fines on them, at every stage of the development of their properties. Prominent among such fines are foundation bill, lintel bill, decking bill, roof bill, fencing bill and a whole lot more. The value of such bills could sometimes be equivalent of the total value of the land or a little less depending on their scale of relevance and location of the property.

    In addition, they employ the use of force and threat in collecting these monies from their victims who are at their mercy with no option or defence. Some of their victims have had their structures demolished, as the Omo Oniles storm their sites in commando-like style, wielding harmful weapons and attacking the workers on site. Property owners are often mercilessly beaten up, wounded and forced to stop work until payment is made. Through this trend, land grabbers have successfully stalled the development of many projects.

    Consequently, in Lagos, individuals and organizations planning to put up structures have learnt to factor the cost of Omo Oniles into their expenditure. This has not only hindered development; it has also made individuals and organizations to consider relocating to neighbouring states where the activities of land grabbers are not so pronounced.

    The activities of land grabbers are not only illegal, but anathema to society, development, peace and progress. They speculate on land with little or no recourse to land use laws, as they engage in the illegal sale of government land to unsuspecting individuals. They sometimes even dispossess people of land that are legitimately bought from the government. They also sell lands with no proper planning or cognizance of a mapped out environmental outlay, this is especially so, with new satellite settlements in the suburb of the state. Some houses within such locations don’t have a pathway for movement as other houses have been erected on their path; more appalling, some are built under high tension wires.

    Although some of the notorious Omo Oniles are known but the society is helpless in dealing with them. To stem the tide of Omo Oniles nuisance, there is a need for accurate and efficient record keeping were the history of every property is preserved and conscientiously kept and protected. The courts are congested with land cases because landed properties are not properly documented.

    It is not in doubt that the state has recorded enormous loss to the unlawful activities of these hoodlums, most of whom are layabouts, opportunists and exploiters who go about rubbishing the image of the state. It is in order to decisively tackle this nuisance that the Lagos State Government recently inaugurated a Task Force to check the menace of land grabbers in the state.

    The Task Force is saddled with the task of reducing to the barest minimum activities of individuals or corporate entities that use force and intimidation to dispossess or prevent people or organizations from acquiring legitimate interest and possession of property acquired through the state government or private transactions. The force is also empowered to co-ordinate the efforts of various agencies of government charged with enforcing the state government rights over lands in Lagos; and to work with all security agencies to ensure enforcement of state government and private property rights in Lagos State.

    The state government has vowed to deploy the full force of the state and the law to tackle the issue permanently, noting that the havoc and chaos being caused by land grabbers would no longer be tolerated. Consequently, henceforth any person who uses physical force, threats or arms to dispossess people of their legitimate property will be treated as a criminal in accordance with Sections 52, 53 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, which stipulates a two-year jail term for any person found to have forcefully entered or dispossessed a legitimate land owner of his property. According to Section 281 of the criminal law, land is part of items that can be stolen.

    A few days back, the Lagos State House of Assembly made good its promise to move against the threat of Omo Oniles in the state. The House passed a bill to prohibit forceful entry and illegal occupation of landed properties, violent and fraudulent conduct in relation to landed properties in Lagos State and for connected purposes into law. If found guilty, by the provisions of the bill, land grabbers, popularly known as Omo Oniles will face a maximum 21 years and minimum of five years imprisonment respectively. The bill, passed at its plenary, after scaling through Third Reading was later sent to Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his assent. The passage of this bill into law is, no doubt, a massive step towards a lasting solution to the activities of the land grabbers in the state.

    It is heart-warming that the state government is coming up with the legal and institutional framework to tackle the menace of Omo Oniles once and for all. A society that thrives on lawlessness cannot attract meaningful development and growth. The citizenry, especially masses who daily struggle to make ends meet would, without a doubt, benefit from this renewed attempt to sanitize the land sector in Lagos State. Meanwhile, it is crucial that the state government demonstrate sufficient political will to follow through this fresh process in order to repose the citizenry’s confidence in the rule of law.

    On its part, the citizenry must brace up to fully support the government in this new bid to restore law and order into the society.

    Aruya is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

  • Lagos warns against water pollution

    The Lagos State government will no longer tolerate the activities of pipeline vandals, the General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Adebola Shabi, has said.

    Speaking to Neighbourhood Watchers (NW) and Baales at a stakeholders’summit on oil pollution of water bodies in the state, he said the government would no longer watch while “respected community leaders turned their eyes off evils in the society”.

    The hard stance, he said, is necessary to protect lives as the result of oil seepage is devastating not only to the people, but to the flora and fauna of the affected community.

    He said the spillage being noticed at Awori Bus Stop, Abule Egba, is corrosive to the environment and may have very negative effect on the people.

    He blamed the NW whose mandate is to watch all government properties including pipelines and the Baales, in whose domain most of these facilities are located, for “turning the blind eyes” against the wrongs done to the economy by the activities of vandals.

    He said: “It is no longer acceptable that a Baale, who is expected to be in charge of his community, and help the government in keeping the peace of the community, would be inflicting more damages by aiding vandals in stealing from ruptured pipelines.”

    The meeting was attended by top officials of LASEPA, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the council of Baale’s of the Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA), environmentalists, sanitation experts and NWs and residents.

    The LASEPA chief said it was worrisome that most residents at Awori Bus Stop are now suffering from oil seepage into the underground water body, which arose as a result of indiscriminate stealing of the nation’s resource by the thieves thereby contaminating their wells or borehole water.

    He said: “Everyone, especially the Baales have a responsibility to protect the NNPC Pipelines and other national property against vandals and economic saboteurs. Let us, therefore, join hands with the government to protect these resources as they belong to all Nigerians.”

    Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), at the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) General Manager, Dele Dawodu, an engineer, said time has come for Nigerians to report vandals because their activities is already heating up the polity.

    He appealed to parents to warn their wards against involvement in the illegal activity and urged the government to take the policing of the pipelines more serious.

    NOSDRA Zonal Director, Olayinka Okunubi, urged those living within the pipeline right of way to report any illegal activity to the police and contact her office anytime leakages are noticed.

    The Council’s Sole Administrator, Dr Waleeh Ipaye, said the pollution of the environment by Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as Petrol as a result of vandalism, particularly at Awori Bus Stop area of Abule Egba, has become worrisome not only to those affected, but to the government.

    Recalling that such acts had, in 2006, caused the deaths of hundreds of residents of the area, Ipaye said the seepage caused by activities of the vandals is so devastating that “almost all residents of Abule Egba have no access to good water, as a result of the contamination of all the wells and boreholes by PMS.”

  • Lagos private schools get July 31 registration deadline

    Private school proprietors operating in Lagos State have until month-end to register their schools or be punished if found to have defaulted.

    The Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, gave this directive at a press conference in her office yesterday. There are more than 12,000 private schools in Nigeria, according to a census conducted by the Education Sector Support Programme In Nigeria (ESSPIN).  Most of them are not full accredited.

    However, Dr Adebule urged all private schools to visit the headquarters of the six education districts in the state for the registration irrespective of their accreditation status.

    The registration centres are: Education District I, Diary Farm, Agege; District II, Maryland Schools Complex, Maryland; District III, 123, Awolowo Road, Falomo, Ikoyi; District IV, Mcwen Street, Sabo, Yaba; District V, Agboju Schools Complex, Old Ojo Road, Agboju; and District VI, Ewenla Street, near Charity Bus Stop, Oshodi.

    She said that the exercise is strictly meant to gather data for the government to know all the education service providers in the state and supervise them to ensure that their activities meet the quality assurance regulation for primary and secondary schools.

    She said the aim was to ensure quality in education service delivery, warning that any school that fails to register by the deadline would be sanctioned when identified.

    She noted that the government owes responsibility to all pupils, whether attending public or private schools, to ensure that they are not half-baked. Mrs Adebule added that the registration, which is free, would help proprietors learn how to meet accreditation criteria.

    Responding to questions from journalists, Dr. Adebule said that the government’s intention is not to send any school out of business but to help them grow and operate in a conducive environment.

    She also said massive reconstruction of infrastructure in existing public schools and construction of new ones will commence next week to ensure that the schools resume into a conducive learning environment in the new academic session. She enthused.

     

  • Kasali enthroned as the new King of Igbogbo Community

    Kasali enthroned as the new King of Igbogbo Community

    Oba Semiu Orimadegun Kasali {Emugoriade 1} has been enthroned has the new king of Igbogbo land, Lagos.

    Igbogbo community has been without king for a year after the demised of the former number traditional ruler, Oba Johnson Olatunji Fatola who died on July 15th, 2015.

     

    coronation2

    The coronation was chaired by the Executive Governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government & Community Affairs, Hon. Musiliu Folami.

    Dignitaries that where at the event includes the Special Adviser, Communities & Communications, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan.   the Ayanburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi and his beautiful Queen, The Ranodu of Imota, Obateru on Egbinland, Prince Bashorun and his wife (who is also the sole administrator of Igbogbo/bayeku Lcda), Prince Ogunleye (Formal Deputy Governor of Lagos State) Majority Leader Lagos State House of Assembly , Hon Sanai Agunbiade, Hon Nurudeen Solaja (Member LSHA ), Senator Ashafa, Traditional Chiefs among others.

    The Monarch was a legal practitioner before his coronation.

     

  • Lagos targets N50b IGR, N1tr budget by 2018

    The Lagos State government yesterday said it would reduce dependence on federal allocation and increase its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to N30 billion monthly next year and N50 billion monthly in 2018.

    It is also aiming at a yearly budget of N1 trillion by 2018.

    These were part of resolutions after a four-day retreat for the State Executive Council, Body of Permanent Secretaries and heads of government agencies and parastatals at the VIP Chalets in Badagry, with the theme: “Reflect, Reappraise, Restrategise: Raising the Bar of Governance.”

    According to the government, efforts are being made to scale up and run efficient revenue collection through the convergence of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies’ (MDAs) operations and utilisation of cutting-edge technology.

    In a communiqué after the retreat, read by Commissioner for Information and Strategy Steve Ayorinde; Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget Akinyemi Ashade and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Fola Adeyemi, the government said participants deliberated on the six pillars of Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP).

    They are infrastructural development, sustainable environment, finance, economic development, social development as well as security and governance.

    On the budget plan, Ashade said although the target was ambitious, appropriate measures were being adopted to achieve the plan.

    The state’s 2016 budget is N662.588 billion – the highest since 1999.

    Ashade said: “Yes, it is ambitious. It requires thinking and what we are going to do differently is to ensure we use technology to drive it in terms of automation and collection. What we are also going to ensure is that the reform around consumption taxes is taken to another level. The land administration system, the EGIS, also will support this initiative and we believe once we are through with automation of the processes, the reform in the consumption tax administration and blocking loopholes, we believe we will have the right funding to finance these plans. We will not forget one critical fact, which is that all is about Public-Private-Partnership because we are also going to use that to drive implementation of our plan,” Ashade said.

    Ayorinde said participants reaffirmed the administration’s vision to make life better and meaningful as well as recognising the government’s role as enabler and resolved to create the enabling environment to promote and advance the wellbeing of Lagosians.

    He said participants agreed to achieve a 100 per cent budget performance, with a 58 per cent to 42 per cent ratio for capital and recurrent expenditure.

    The commissioner added that the MDAs not yet integrated into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) will be brought in before the end of this quarter.

    On tourism, Ayorinde said participants acknowledged its imperative and the need to invest more in the sector with emphasis on improving technological capacity of the Lottery Board to create jobs and increase revenue generation.

    Other key conclusions at the retreat, Ayorinde said, include the need to improve on the performance of Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) in the production of water and collection of water tariff as well as encouraging private sector investment in production and supply of portable water, mapping out strategies towards food security, especially by increasing rice production to reduce dependence on food importation within the next three years.

  • Lagos sues for calm over hijab verdict

    The Lagos State Government yesterday appealed for calm over last Thursday’s Court of Appeal’s verdict endorsing the use of hijab by Muslim schoolgirls.

    It urged the people to be law-abiding and exercise restraint in pursuing their rights.

    “We must not breach public peace. People should remember that to every right there is corresponding responsibility,” said a statement by Commissioner for Home Affairs Dr Abdulhakeem Abdullateef.

    The verdict, the commissioner said, is victory for the rule of law and not for a particular religion or its followers.

    The government, he said, recognises the rights to freedom of religion as enshrined in the Constitution and it has not at any time been at war with any religion or its followers.

    He said: “As a government, we have continued to provide an enabling environment for all citizens irrespective of their religious affiliations. The Appeal Court pronouncement on the use of hijab in public schools is victory for the rule of law, victory for everyone.”

    “No one should see this as war,there is no victor no vanquished in this situation. It is simply a constitutional issue on rights of citizens.”

    AbdulLateef said the Akinwumi Ambode administration has since inception condemned harassment and victimisation of any individual on religious basis, including those who wear of hijab.

    Also yesterday, two Islamic groups, Al-Mu’minaat Social Advocacy Project (SAP) and The Companion, said the verdict would increase girl-child enrolment in public primary and secondary schools.

    SAP Coordinator Mrs Sherifah Yusuf-Ajibade said the verdict came when privately run Muslim schools were beyond the reach of the common man, because of the prevailing economic challenges.

    “The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Number Five seeks to attain equality for men and women. This starts with giving both genders equal opportunities; particularly equal educational opportunities. Recent surveysshow that even here in metropolitan Lagos, there is a significant percentage of parents who would rather get theirgirl-children married after acquiring primary schoolthan enrol them in secondary schools,where their faiths are not guaranteed.This judgement will give hope to such parents, thus enhancing girl-child enrolment in Lagos primary and secondary schools, and ensuring Muslim parents and their children are not forced to choose between their religion and education; both of which are essential ingredients of a good life,” she said.

    The Companion President Alhaji Musibau Oyefeso said there would have been no need for the judicial process “if the Lagos State government had taken the right steps which states like Ekiti had taken long before now by allowing female Muslim pupils in public schools that chose to wear hijab to do so. It is unfortunate that the state government (which prides itself as centre of excellence) succumbed to the whims and caprices of mischievous and overzealous school heads and teachers to ban the use of hijab in public schools. It is a well known fact all over the world that hijab is the divine right of female Muslims which is allowed in public schools in virtually all countries of the world including the United Kingdom and United States as well as global organisations like the United Nations and its agencies.

    “For anybody to attempt to deny this right is an effort in futility and we are happy that the Court of Appeal was courageous enough to uphold this right. We call on the government not to attempt to appeal the judgment as it would amount to deliberate squandering of state scarce resources.”

    “Instead, the government should just take steps to invite Muslims and other stakeholders to design appropriate hijab for the use of the female Muslim pupils that opt to use hijab. This in our opinion is the most appropriate and sensible thing to do without further delay.”

  • Flood-free Lagos and poor drainage designs

    SIR: The recent pronouncement of the Lagos State governor, AkinwumiAmbode on the imperative of a flood-free Lagos is highly instructive. Lagos State has demonstrated exemplary template of governance in comparison with other states of the federation not because revenues have become low-fruit hanging across the streets of Lagos but largely because of the towering quality of minds superintending levers of governance in the state.

    One area of concern which continues to blight Lagos’s towering achievement is the declivity in the stewardship of the environment. As it is today, Lagos is sitting on a dangerous time bomb of natural flood disaster. It is difficult to reconcile the construction of beautiful drainage channels across the state without linking them to any major access canal.

    This explains why any rain in excess of the average results in flooding in Lagos.

    The governor must find a way of including proper linkage of all drainage channels in the jobs being awarded to contactors.

    Drainage is not just an aesthetic appurtenance or an abutment to road infrastructure designed in isolation of the overall serviceability.

    Take Lekki Phase One for instance. Almost all the drains in the estate are disconnected with the main canal and left without the covering slabs making them permanently blocked with sand and waste materials.

    More disturbing is the sight of newly constructed and ongoing drainage construction in Victoria Island without any visible link to an outlet.

    It is trite for contractors to attempt to short-change the government in delivery and standard specifications but the government is duty bound to provide necessary oversight and ensure value for money.

     

    • BukolaAjisola,

    Victoria Island, Lagos.

  • Lagos builds world-class critical care facility

    Lagos builds world-class critical care facility

    The Lagos State Government has built a high-tech Critical Care Unit (CCU) at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital  (LASUTH), Ikeja. The new unit occupies a three-floor edifice and has state-of-the-art treatment and monitoring equipment seen only in world-class CCUs.

    Right from the Ground floor, the automatic glass door opens and leads one to the elevators, which are designed to suit the patients as they allow for the easy movement of patient’s bed and accommodate the staff handling same.

    The First Floor has in-house laboratory, and the patient has no need to go out for such services. The laboratory also enables the medics to arrive at a quicker decision on the patient.

    The theatre has infrared light and medic compliant taps to curtail the spread of contaminants. The operating lights have recording device that help record the operations to be done, or allow for live transmission to any part of the world for teaching purposes.

    The operating bed is multi functional, as it helps a doctor to place his patient in the best position for surgery. The beds can be electronically adjusted- high, low, tilted or even angled. It can also be elongated to accommodate tall patients, or turned to a chair to suit the patient’s needs.

    The Anesthesia machine has an in-built Ventilator that guarantees reduction of post surgery complication.

    At the centre of the building is the Nurses’ station, where the nurses have direct observation of the patients and those in the isolation wards. It also has a close circuit TV.

    The Recovery room in the complex has adaptive and assistive equipment for full recovery of patients. The six dialysis machines are well laid out in a clean, comfortable and conducive environment, while the staff lounge is equipped with internet facility for quick research.

    The Second Floor is the Private Ward, which has a sit-out area where a patient can enjoy some fresh air, with a clear view of the surrounding area.

    The Third Floor hosts the consulting room for private patients who do not want to be attended to at the general clinic. The floor also houses the Pharmacy, the Call room and Administrative Offices for staff on night duty.

    Director, CCU and a Fellow of American College of Surgeons, Dr Ade Tinubu, said the concept of the edifice was his, but the funding came 100 per cent from the Lagos State Government, noting that there is power supply round the clock and the ceilings of the building are fire resistant.

    Some of the equipments at the unit are cardiac or heart monitors, pulse oximeter, which allows the critical care team to monitor the saturation of oxygen in the blood, There is also a Swan-Ganz or pulmonary artery catheter, for knowing the amount of fluid filling the heart as well as determine how the heart functions.

    Tinubu said: “Central venous catheter (CVC) is a type of catheter that is soft, pliable and is inserted into a large vessel (vein) in the neck (internal jugular vein), in the upper chest (subclavian vein), or in the groin area (femoral vein).

    “There is a Ceiling Pendant that supplies medical gases and electrical supply to the patient’s bed side. So also Intravenous (IV), which is a plastic catheter (tube) that is inserted into the veins (peripheral IV) or a larger size catheter inserted into the larger veins of the neck. Fluids, medications, nutrition preparations, and blood products are administered through IV catheters. Patients in ICU often have multiple IVs. Chest tubes are inserted through the chest wall into the space around the lung to drain fluid or air that has accumulated and prevent the lung from being able to expand.

    “Good quality chest tubes are available. Chest tubes are inserted through the chest wall into the space around the lungs to drain fluid or air that has accumulated and prevent the lung from being able to expand.

    “The CCU boasts of urinary catheters, often referred to as Foley catheters, which are inserted through the urethra into the bladder. Once in the bladder the catheter is kept in place by a balloon, which is inflated, at the end of the catheter. Urinary catheters continuously drain the bladder and allow for accurate measurement of urinary output, which is extremely important in fluid management and in assessing kidney function. Endotracheal tubes are used when mechanical ventilation is necessary.”

    According to him, the complex also has multiple ventilator, or respirator, a breathing machine that helps patients breathe when they can not breathe on their own. A patient is connected to the ventilator by an endotracheal tube (a flexible plastic tube that is inserted into the mouth and then down into the trachea).

    “Nutrition is very important for the critically ill. Even though the ICU patient is immobile and does not appear to require ‘food’ for energy, the illness or injury that has required the patient to be in the ICU increases the patient’s basal metabolic rate (a measure of the rate of metabolism). Adequate nutrition is essential to the healing process.”

    “Nutritional solutions can be administered through feeding tubes inserted through either the nose or the mouth into the stomach or through central venous catheters. The stomach route is preferred, as long as the patient’s GI tract is working and able to tolerate feeding. Special nutritional preparations are available to provide the nutritional needs of the critically ill. The nutritional needs are calculated and monitored closely by the nutritionist on the critical care team and are adjusted accordingly. This started with the former Health Commissioner, Dr Leke Pitan that showed interest in Open heart surgery which I was conscripted into. We offer first class services at the CCU,” said Dr Tinubu.

    At the inuaguration of the unit, the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof Wale Oke assured that with the huge investment of the state government in completing the complex, it will definitely result into a major improvement in patients’ care in the hospital.

    Commissioner of Health, Dr Jide Idris enjoined all to take ownership of the CCU, saying: “This belongs to us all. Refer your patients here. Nigeria is the next hub for Medical Tourism. Do not sabotage government’s effort on this.”

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello said the design and operation of the CCU will be deployed in the care of those in dire health condition that hitherto, predisposed people towards foreign medical tourism.

    “It will complement the capacity of the existing Intensive Care Unit (ICU) established over 10 years. The combined capacities of these two healthcare facilities will enhance the status of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the Lagos State University College of medicine (LASUCOM) as true centres for medical training and research. Ultimately, the facility will save from our nation scarce foreign exchange, of about $3 billion US dollar, which are spent annually on foreign medical tourism by Nigerians,” he said.

    He added: “We are strongly committed to the task of reversing the trend of overseas medical tourism in favour of local medical tourism through the provision of the right and conducive atmosphere for qualitative medicare in our state.”

  • MSSN Amirah urges Lagos to implement hijab verdict

    MSSN Amirah urges Lagos to implement hijab verdict

    The Amirah of Lagos State Area Unit Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Hajia Hafsah Badru, yesterday urged the Lagos State Government to immediately implement the Court of Appeal ruling on the right of female pupils to wear hijab (Islamic headscarf) in public primary and secondary schools across the state.

    A special five-man panel of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, yesterday set aside the judgment of Justice Modupe Onyeabor of an Ikeja High Court, on October 17, 2014, which banned pupils in state-owned primary and secondary schools from wearing the hijab on their school uniforms.

    In a unanimous decision, the court, presided over by Justice A. B. Gumel held that the appeal was meritorious and should be allowed.

    It also held that the refusal to allow female Muslim pupils wear the hijab “will amount to discrimination on the ground of their religion.”

    Other Justices in the panel are Justice M. Fasanmi, Justice A. Jauro, Justice J. S. Ikyegh and Justice I. Jombo Ofor.

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

    Hajia Badru urged stakeholders in the Education sector, especially the principals and teachers, to abide by the ruling.

    She said it would be an offence to molest or harass any female pupil who wears hijab on her uniform henceforth, adding that MSSN would not hesitate to take necessary action in accordance with the law to ensure justice for any pupil molested or harassed.

    The Amirah urged all female pupils to ensure the proper use of the hijab, because it is a garment of honour, adding: “They should hold the moral teaching which hijab has brought and strive towards academic excellence. They should emulate Asiyah  AbdulKareem, who despite the persecution, still excel, to the point of recognition by the Lagos State government,” she said.

    She thanked the Adetola Kazeem SAN-led legal team and all those who joined in the struggle from onset, saying: “Verily at the end of the tunnel, there is light.”