The Nation Newspaper

Tag: lagos

  • Lagos warns against illegal drug stores

    The Lagos State government has warned residents against patronising drug hawkers, illegal and unlicensed patent medicine and pharmaceutical stores.

    The government also warned property owners against allowing their premises to be used as stores by unregistered drug sellers.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. ‘Modele Osunkiyesi, said the government was reviewing reports of the activities of the illegal operators.

    According to her, the wrong prescription and administration of drugs might lead to serious health complications, such as kidney damage and even death.

    Her words: “The attention of the Lagos State government has been drawn to the nefarious activities of these drug hawkers and illegal pharmaceutical premises dotting the state; such that their operations have called for serious public health concern.

    “The government is therefore poised to rid the state of fake drugs and operators of illegal pharmaceutical outlets by enforcing compliance with pharmacy law and regulations.

    “The Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods have been mandated to enforce government’s stipulated regulation on drug production, importation, manufacture, sales or display for sales, hawking, distribution, adulteration, and possession of drugs by illegal operators.

    “It is important that operators of pharmaceutical shops and patent medicine stores operate within the ambit of the law regulating their operations as the state government would not take it lightly with any operators of pharmaceutical products who disregard the laws of the state.”

  • Lagos to enforce rules for boat operators

    The Lagos State Government will embark on aggressive campaign and enforcement of guidelines for commercial boat operators to stem boat accidents.

    A statement by Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) Managing Director Mrs Abisola Kamson said Governor Akinwunmi Ambode would ensure that water transportation, remained the most efficient and cost effective mode of transportation.

    Kamson, who spoke on the backdrop of last weekend’s boat mishap at Oke-Ira Nla, Ajah-Bayeku in Ikorodu, said LASWA was notified of the accident involving a Bayeku Ferry Association commercial boat carrying 20 passengers and two crew members.

    She said upon receiving the notification, the Authority’s Water Guards were immediately deployed to assist in rescue operations.

    Kamson said she later led a delegation of state officials and the Baale of Baiyeku, Chief Saheed Aleje Ajibode to visit the site of the incident.

    She confirmed that all passengers onboard were wearing life jackets, revealing that 17 of them were rescued alive while five who were earlier rushed to the nearest General Hospital, died afterwards.

    The LASWA boss said preliminary investigation by the Authority revealed that aside the mechanical fault that developed when the steering cable connected to the engine propeller cut, the captain of the boat was possibly also over-speeding, adding that he is presently being questioned by the Marine Police.

    She said: “The Lagos State Government in its drive to promote a multi-modal transport system, especially the movement of passengers, goods and services on its waterways, will under no circumstances compromise safety standards and the protection of lives and property. As such we restate our commitment to the promotion of all safety measures and ensure that all operators comply with all safety standards in line with global best practices.

    “You will recall that on Wednesday September 23, at Sabokoji Jetty in Amuwo Odofin local government, the Lagos State Waterways Authority commenced the distribution of 2,400 life jackets to students of riverine areas.”

  • Lagos Boxing Championships: Akintayo ,Arowolo progress to finals

     

    Ikorodu enjoyed a rare afternoon of boxing as it hosted the semi finals of the Lagos Boxing Championship for the first time.

    The event saw Star Boxing Club’s Femi Akintayo and Arowolo Dele of Always Boxing Club progressing to the finals.

    Akintayo, a middleweight won the bout of the day award against Babatunde Jato, seeing off the Ashimota Boxing Club pugilist by a technical knockout in the second round at the D’Jos Events centre despite his opponent taking the first round.

    ‘I am happy to defeat Babatunde to progress to the finals. He is a very tough fighter and defeating him by a knockout shows how much progress I have made as an athlete.’

    ‘After the first round I knew I had to come out because he was going to come at me. I just gave it all I had and I was able to dish out a flurry of punches which the referee felt was too much for him to handle and he stopped the fight.’

    ‘It was nice for my family to be able to watch me and winning the boxer of the day award is an added incentive for me to be a much better boxer.’

    His opponent, Jato was visibly upset and promises to learn from his defeat

    “I am disappointed, I know I could beat him, I was the better boxer in the first round,” he said.

    “He was different in the second round, very fast. I will learn from it.”

    Akintayo is set to fight Arowolo Dele, whose fight against Shina John was a walkover. John had failed his mandated medicals earlier in the day.

  • Hollywood movie, Captive to premiere in Lagos

    As Nigeria celebrates its 55th anniversary, The Rock Cathedral, in conjunction with the United States Consulate General, Lagos is set to offer Nigerians a taste of Hollywood with the premiere of the crime-drama thriller, Captive.

    According to a statement from the US Consulate, the film which premieres at The Rock Cathedral, 4th Roundabout, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos, by 5pm on October 1, ‘aims to awaken a purpose-driven life for all Nigerians.’

    Captive is a story of faith, redemption, and survival, based on the non-fiction book Unlikely Angel by Ashley Smith. It is a true story about Brian Nichols, who escapes from the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta on March 11, 2005 and holds Smith as a hostage. Filming began in October 2013 in North Carolina. The film was released worldwide on September 18, 2015 by Paramount Pictures.

    Captive tells the true story of Smith using Rick Warren’s best-selling book, A Purpose Driven Life, to find her own path to redemption and persuade her captor to find his.  British-Nigerian actor and Golden Globe Award nominee, David Oyelowo, who recently portrayed Martin Luther King, Jr. in the film Selma, and American actress Kate Mara (House of Cards, The Fantastic Four) are among the cast of Captive.

    The film was directed by Jerry Jameson and written by Brian Bird and Reinhard Denke.

  • I’ll fulfill my electoral promises, Ambode assures

    I’ll fulfill my electoral promises, Ambode assures

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has assured Lagosians that he would fulfill the electoral promises he made to the people, especially in the areas of infrastructural renewal.
    The Governor, who spoke on Sunday at the 2015 Ojude Oba Epe Festival held at the Epe Recreation Ground, Epe, said the infrastructural renewal drive of the previous administration in the state will receive adequate attention in the course of his administration.
    “One of the things that we did promise during the campaign is that we would continue with the infrastructural development of my predecessor and at the same time improve on it and that’s what we’ve started with areas where we feel that there are immediate palliatives that we can give, we have done that but more importantly, is for us to improve on the network in which Mr. Babatunde Fashola had actually laid down,” he said.
    Governor Ambode said he used the first three months of his administration to set up an institutional framework, assuring that going forward, Lagosians will begin to witness development across the state.
    “I have no choice, I have to do it for all Lagosians, that’s what I am committed to do, I have said I am going to be selfless about service and that’s what I am going to do and you will see it. What I have done in the last three months is to set up the institutional framework and If you want to build a house, you have to lay the foundation, you will now see what I’ll be doing in the next three and half years, just watch and you would see it,” he said.
    He also assured the people of Epe that development will also get to the area, saying aside being a native of Epe, the town has witnessed less development in recent times.
    “For Epe, you can see, in terms of the rural local governments. Epe is the most rural and in terms of the divisions, Epe is the least of all the five divisions. So for them, the best thing we can do is to increase the infrastructural development here in Epe and also help them to develop in other areas”, the Governor said.
    Dignitaries at the festival included the Oba of Epe Land, His Royal Majesty, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun, Asiwaju of Epeland, Justice Adesola Oguntade Rtd., Chairman Eleganza Group, Chief Rasak Okoya, Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Adeola Olamilekan Solomon and Chief of Staff to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Olukunle Ojo.

  • Lagos to intensify enforcement of guidelines for boat operators

    The Lagos State Government is to embark on an aggressive campaign and enforcement of guidelines for commercial boat operators, in a bid to forestall the tide of boat mishap in the state.
    In a statement signed by the Managing Director of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mrs Abisola Kamson, the new drive is in line with the commitment of State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode to ensure that water transportation by all standard, remains the most efficient and cost effective mode of transportation.
    Kamson who spoke following the boat mishap which occurred at the weekend along Oke Ira Nla, Ajah-Bayeku, Ikorodu axis of the state, said LASWA was notified of the incident involving a Bayeku Ferry Association commercial boat carrying 20 passenger and two crew members from Oke Ira Nla, Ajah to Bayeku in Ikorodu.
    She said upon receiving the notification, the Authority’s Water Guards were immediately deployed to the scene of the incident to assist in rescue efforts.
    Kamson said she later led a delegation of state officials including the Permanent Secretary, Local Government and Community Affairs, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, and the Baale of Baiyeku, Chief Saheed Aleje Ajibode to visit the site of the incident.
    She confirmed that all passengers onboard were wearing life jackets, revealing that 17 of them were rescued alive while five who were earlier rushed to the nearest General Hospital, died.
    The LASWA boss said preliminary investigation by the Authority revealed that aside the mechanical fault that developed when the steering cable connected to the engine propeller cut, the captain of the boat was possibly also over-speeding, adding that he is presently being questioned by the Marine Police.
    “The Lagos State Government in its drive to promote a multi-modal transport system, especially the movement of passengers, goods and services on its waterways, will under no circumstances compromise safety standards and the protection of lives and property. As such we restate our commitment to the promotion of all safety measures and ensure that all operators comply with all safety standards in line with global best practices”, she said.
    “You will recall that on Wednesday September 23, at Sabokoji Jetty in Amuwo Odofin local government, the Lagos State Waterways Authority commenced the distribution of 2400 life jackets to students of riverine areas.

    “Also, there were live demonstration of how to wear the life jackets, how to administer CPR and provision of water safety tips and vital life saving information,” she said.
    She said the Authority in furtherance of its core functions and policy objectives will in the coming days convene a stakeholders meeting were all commercial and private boat owners will converge and dialogue on the activities of boat operation in the state.

  • Six fire incidents in Lagos on Saturday

    Fire incidents are on the rise in Lagos.
    The State Fire Service attended to six cases on Saturday.
    The Director of Fire Service, Rasaq Fadipe warned Lagos residents to be more safety conscious as the dry season approaches.
    “We attended to a fire call at 11 Ihuntayi Street, off Oba Oniru way in Lekki; there was also a fire outbreak which affected two buildings of eight rooms each at Muri Ojora Street, Amukoko, caused by fuel storage.
    “Then, a confectionery factory at 5 /6 Peter Olu Ajayi Street, Agbado was gutted by fire, but our quick intervention saved the day; a restaurant at Ijaiye, Ogba also caught fire, thankfully, we were able to contain the fire there so that it does not spread into other shops and a bank beside it.
    “There was also a call of a drunk driver who was involved in a lone accident at Ebute Ero. By the time we got there, policemen were already at the scene and the man identified as Kasumu claimed two of his passengers fell into the river.
    “But a search was conducted and no one was found in the river. You can see that most of the cases were caused by carelessness. People have to be careful especially now that the dry season is near, ” Fadipe said.

  • Five dead, others missing in Lagos boat mishap

    Five dead, others missing in Lagos boat mishap

    Five persons were confirmed dead on Saturday and five others missing after a boat accident along Lagos-Ikorodu waterways.
    The mishap which occurred around Bayeku- Igbogbo in Ikorodu at about noon was said to have been caused by a steering problem, which the paddler could not control.
    The boat was said to be coming from Oke Ira Nla jetty at Ajah.
    Aside the bad condition of the boat, the crew were said to be inexperienced and over speeding.
    It was gathered that the boat had 20 passengers and two crew, out if which 17 persons were rescued by local fishermen at Igbogbo jetty and rushed to different hospitals.
    Of the 17 rescued, The Nation gathered that one died at Mica Hospital and four others passed on at Ikorodu General Hospital.
    Confirming the development, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Micheal Akindele said the boat captain has been arrested and was being questioned by Marine Policemen from Ikoyi.
    He said they got the call at about 1:29pm, more than an hour after the mishap.
    Akindele confirmed there were 20 passengers and two crew on the boat, acknowledging that 17 persons have been found, with five confirmed dead.
    “Our investigation revealed that 20 passengers were on board and two crew members(the captain and his assistant) before the mishap.
    “15 passengers and 2 crew members were rescued by local fishermen around Bayeku jetty,Igbogbo.
    “Four of the people rescued were taken to a hospital at Bayeku. Three of them are presently responding to treatment while one has been confirmed dead.
    “Seven others among the rescued passengers were taken to Ikorodu General Hospital where four were confirmed dead, two were treated and discharged and one in critical condition.
    “Those who have been confirmed dead include four adult males and a female. In all, 17 persons were recovered from the water,” Akindele said.m

  • Eko Hotel, Intercontinental, Wheat Baker ranked among best in Lagos

    Winners for the Top 100 Hotels in Lagos organised by Travellers Magazine, West African’s foremost travel journal have emerged after a 2 month long survey of Travellers and Travel trade practitioners in Nigeria.

    Eko Hotel, emerged as the best ranked hotel in Lagos, while Intercontinental and Wheat Baker emerged second and third best ranked hotels respectively.

    The survey for the top 100 hotels was done over two months through personal questionaire survey of Hotel managers and secret vote by Travel Journalists  in Lagos and online voting.The online  voting was done via the largest travel news website in Africa  www.atqnews.com. Questionnaires were delivered as newsletters to over 25000 people globally and the votes were collated using the Survey Monkey software. Each voter was asked to rank the top 15 Hotels out of all the leading hotels in Lagos giving reasons for the ranking.

    At the end of the survey,  the hotels were now arranged according to the number of high ranks they had garnered.  Eko hotel had the highest number of number one votes in all the  collated votes while other hotels on the top 25 list did well as number 2 and number 3 ranked hotels. Other hotels that did very well in the ranking includes Oriental Hotel, 4 points by Sheraton, Southern Sun hotel, Sheraton Ikeja hotel, Federal Palace hotel, Radisson Blu, Bogobori Hotel  Westwood, The Protea hotels and Golden Tulip Festac.

    The ranking for these hospitality providers were based on the perceived service rendered, Location, facilities, and capacity of the hotels. The not so popular new players on the Top 25 list include The George in Ikoyi,  Genesis Sojourner in Ikeja , Fahrenheit Maison in Victoria Island,  Ibis Hotel Toyin street, The Best Western hotels,  Welcome centre and Admiralty Hotel Lekki.

    The Full results for the Top 100 hotel in Lagos will be published in  Travellers magazine, and will be carried on www.atqnews.com, It will also be shared on different social media platforms.

    Travellers Magazine will be presenting certificates to the Top 100 Hotels at the Hospitality Day on the 24thNovember 2015 at the 11th AKWAABA Travel Market at Eko Hotel.

  • Lagos Permanent Secretary assures farmers of govt’s support

    Lagos Permanent Secretary assures farmers of govt’s support

    Lagos State government has reiterated its commitment to support farmers to boost food production and create opportunities for small farmers.

    he Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Olajide Basorun, stated this while delivering his keynote address at the award of certificates to 55 women and youths who were trained by the Commercial Agriculture Development Project (CADP) in the three value chains – rice, poultry and aquaculture.

    He said the state is ready to work with small farmers to assist them in solving food problems.

    The trainees were exposed to modern techniques and commercialisation.

    The new partnership aims at optimising food production in various areas of the state. Basorun said the state would work with them to improve food production, food security and rural incomes.

    Basorun congratulated the participants, surging them to make good use the training.

    ”We have engaged you; we have taken you from whatever you are doing to come and do farming and you have agreed because you have passion for it. We have equipped you with necessary information about the latest technology you need to use to succeed in farming,” he said.

    Basorun said the obejective of empowering the women and youth is to diversify the economy from over reliance on crude oil.

    He continued: “Before, it used to be about crude oil, now agriculture is a business. In other climes, the richest people are farmers, and that is why we need to focus on the benefit we can derive from agriculture produce. CADP was from to commercialise agriculture and shift from the hole and cutlass farming.’’

    Earlier, the state Project Coordinator of the Commercial Agriculture Development Project, Mr Kehinde Ogunyinka, said the space for the first batch of the trainees was keenly contested among over 100 candidates.

    He said they were chosen on merit and were certified to have passion for agriculture.

    The highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of certificates to the trainees by the permanent secretary.

    Speakinging on behalf of his colleagues, Jimoh Nurudeen thanked  Governor Akinwumi Ambode for his efforts to revitalise the agricultural sector of the state. He also thanked the state Ministry of Agriculture, the World Bank, CADP and other stakeholders for supporting  the scheme.

    He, however, promised that they would make good use of what they have learnt as well as any assistance they got from the scheme.