The Nation Newspaper

Tag: lagos

  • Give Lagos its due

    The state deserves a special status because it carries a collective burden

    Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, SAN, has opened again the debate on giving Lagos a special status, as former political capital but extant economic power house.

    Speaking during an event marking the anniversary of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Mr. Falana asked Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to demand compensation from President Muhammadu Buhari, for Lagos.

    “As long as we have this distorted federalism, Lagos must go further and demand its rights in the constitution,” he said. “All the shipping activities are done in Lagos, all the aeroplanes are flying over Lagos. This is the time,” he added, “ for Lagos to ask for compensation for what it is contributing to the country.”

    Despite Mr. Falana’s slight hyperbole (on Lagos as sole host to shipping and aviation activity), his claim is, over all, self-evident, fair and equitable. We therefore completely endorse it; and call on Governor Ambode to do as advised; and President Buhari to, without delay, do the needful.

    Indeed, way back in 1976, when Gen. Murtala Muhammed, then Head of State, approved the Justice Akinola Aguda committee’s recommendation to move Nigeria’s political capital from Lagos to Abuja, Gen. Muhammed pledged that the Federal Government would not abandon Lagos, since it was most likely to continue as the economic capital.

    Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, whose government formalised the movement to the new federal capital, also gave the impression that he was not averse to a special status for Lagos. Even during the last electioneering, President Buhari, then as presidential candidate, told former Governor Babatunde Fashola to, should their party, the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) win, pressure him to deliver on the Lagos promise.

    Still, Lagos continues to bear the brunt of the nation’s economic activity, putting immense pressure on its roads and other infrastructure, with the explosion of economic migrants, from all over Nigeria.

    The absence of a modern and efficient rail system is especially dire on Lagos roads; while housing delivery is tantamount to dropping spoonfuls of water, when an ocean-pour would be more like it. Though the Fashola government was very active on the environment front, the wear-and-tear is still all too visible, requiring the new Ambode Government to make sizeable investments, especially in transportation, housing, health, education and security, to cater for the needs of the state’s explosive population, put unofficially at near-20 million.

    President Buhari should, therefore, consider the Lagos special status as top priority; for any extra kobo spent on Lagos is well spent on all parts of the country, for no part is unrepresented in the Lagos mega-sprawl.

    This is all the more imperative, going by states’ internally generated revenue (IGR) figures, which the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) just released.

    In a pool of 23 states, Lagos in 2014 generated N276.1 billion (averaging N23 billion a month). Between Lagos and second-placed Rivers (N89.1 billion) was a gulf. But that Lagos earned 28.1 per cent lower than the N384.2 billion it grossed in 2013 appears to suggest its IGR-raising capacity is creaking.  Yet, its 20 million population appear far from being satisfied.

    That is why, aside from a special fund for Lagos’ development (which should pass for “compensation”), some economic derivation should be worked out for Lagos, if oil-bearing states enjoy 13 per cent derivation. Yes, these oil states face massive environmental hazards.  But Lagos’ roaring population, if neglected, could end in much worse: urban decay, breeding violent crimes, general insecurity and structured poverty.

    This derivation should come from a fair share from money made from massive business in Lagos sea ports; and airport.  Besides, earnings from VAT should be distributed in such a way that Lagos, which generates a good percentage of it, gets an equitable share. Indeed, the Buhari Presidency should assist Lagos in its light rail project, to give intra-state commuting a boost.

    Nigeria should pay Lagos its due.  It is called enlightened self-interest: for an unsettled Lagos slows down Nigeria’s economy; and invariably deepens poverty nationwide.

  • Special status for Lagos

    Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa has said the pursuit of a special status for Lagos will be one of the legislative agenda of the eighth Assembly.

    The Speaker promised that in doing this, the Assembly will work with National Assembly members to ensure the actualisation of the quest.

    According to him, this is imperative because apart from being a former federal capital, Lagos remains the economic and commercial nerve center of the country and the destination of many Nigerians seeking better life.

    “It is, therefore, important that the Federal Government takes a special interest in the state by according it a special status and making necessary provisions to cushion the pressure on infrastructure in the state,” Obasa said.

    Obasa said this at plenary yesterday after the Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade, presented a report on the June 12 anniversary lecture.

    Agunbiade said one of the recommendations at the ceremony was that since the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formed the Federal Government, the state should seize the opportunity to ensure that it is granted the status.

     

  • Lagos partners local govts to stop drainage blockage

    The Lagos State Government  will involve local government chairmen and Community Development Associations (CDAs) in ensuring that drainage channels are not blocked in the state.

    The effort will also help sensitise the people and discourage them from dumping refuse in canals.

    Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Ayodeji Adenekan, who spoke while leading officials of the Office of Drainage Services, Lagos State Ministry of Environment, on an enlightenment tour and inspection of drainage across the state, urged residents to be conscious of their environment and cultivate the habit of proper disposal of waste.

    “Any waste that is not well disposed will return and constitute a nuisance to the neighbourhood,” he said.

    At the Morkaz/Awori collector drain in Dopemu-Agege, beside Salvation Army Nursery and Primary School and Dopemu Nursery and Primary School on Surulere Street, the drain was filled with pet bottles and other refuse, causing major impediments to free flow of flood.

    Drain workers were seen collecting from the canal. A resident, Kazeem, said the pet bottles must have come from other sources in the neighbourhood where there are markets.

    But Adenekan explained that canals flow across the state, stressing that the refuse found in one place does not mean that they were generated there.

    At the drainage in Shyllon Street, Onipanu, drainage cleaners were at work, clearing and repairing a damaged underground drainage on Ikorodu Road near the Shyllon junction.

    The inspection train moved to Oko-Oba primary channel,  which crosses Oyatoki Street at Oko-Oba Agege.

    “Anytime there was heavy rain, the channel will no longer be able to contain the water and it will begin to overflow causing flood as far as four houses.This recent flood was so much that it nearly drowned   a nursing mother but for the help of people around,” Kafayat, a resident, said.

    Adenekan, however, explained that the incident was a ‘flash-flood’ which happens occasionally when there is heavy rain whose volume of water was beyond the capacity of a channel; but after some hours, it will disappear.

    He said: “This situation is not peculiar to Lagos or Nigeria alone; hence it is called flash-flood.

    “The rain was falling more than the canal was flowing and normally with a flash –flood you find out that within a few hours the water will clear up.”

    The Permanent Secretary assured the residents of government’s readiness to find solutions to the problem. He cautioned them to desist from dumping refuse in the gutter or canal indiscriminately.

    Adenekan advised residents that patronise cart-pushers to desist from it because their actions constitute nuisance and threat to the efforts of the government at improving the environment because cart pushers do not have anywhere to dump their refuse but will wait till night and dump it in the canals.

    Rather, he said, residents should patronise the P.S.P operators who are licenced to collect refuse.

    “The message is that everybody should be on the alert, should watch over this canal, not only that you should not dump refuse in the canal but you should be on the alert to watch people who will do it and caution them not to dump refuse in the canal so that all of us can live peacefully,” he said.

     

  • Three siblings die in Lagos fire

    Three siblings die in Lagos fire

    Three siblings were on Saturday burnt to death in their sleep at Egbeda in Alimoso Local Government Area of Lagos.

    The fire was said to have been caused by candle light.

    Fire has been wreaking havoc in the state of late.

    Just yesterday, another fire consumed 30 shops in a popular market in Ajah, a Lagos suburb.

    The victims – Ufoma, 9, Emeka,7, and Udoma,3,- ýlived in a self-contained apartment with their parents.

    The candle was said to have been lit by their father, who left to visit their mother who just gave birth. The candle fell and started burning the furniture.

    The fire which started around 10pm, was not noticed that until smoke started coming from the ceiling.

    Residents battled to put out the fire, without knowing that the kids were trapped inside the apartment.

    The Nation gathered that their bodies were evacuated by the police.

    “The incident happened on Fakoya Street, around Vulcaniser bus stop, Egbeda. It affected a building with three rooms-and-a-parlour self-contained apartments. The affected family stays in one of the apartments.

    “The fire was noticed around 10pm after their father had gone out to check on their mother who had just given birth at a nearby hospital. Before he left the house, he lit a candle and shut the door, while his children – two girls and a boy – slept off.

    “The candle stick must have either burnt out or fallen, causing the fireý. No one knew the kids were inside the apartment else they would have probably survived,” said a source.

    Confirming the incident, Director, Fire Service Rasaq Fadipe said: “We got the call at 10.48pm. We quickly sent the Agege Fire Station to the place with 10,000 litres of water. The fire started from the children’s apartment and consumed the three apartments in the building. The kids were fast asleep when the fire started and they were burnt to death.”

  • Cash shortage stalls Lagos, Port Harcourt airports’ renovation

    •Contractors insist on payment before returning to sites

    lack of fund has stalled the completion of airport renovation projects at the international wings of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos and the Port Harcourt International Airport , Omagwa,  Rivers State.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Mrs. Binta Bello, said this at the weekend  during  an inspection tour of ongoing projects at the two airports.

    The projects include the Lagos Airport Power Contract, Protocol Lounge and Landscaping as well as Construction of Departure and Arrival Halls at Port Harcourt Airport and others.

    The projects are parts of the remodeling contracts awarded by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration worth several billions of Naira.

    The contractor handling the Lagos Airport Power Project , Messrs Mantrac Nigeria Limited, has vowed not to return to site until the government reimburses the money it so far committed into the contract .

    The firm did not reveal the amount the company is owed and the entire cost of the contract. An official of the company said due to  lack of funds , some generating plants were not operating at the Lagos Airport .

    The firm insisted that until the fund it put into the contract was reimbursed, it would not return to site.

    At the new Protocol Lounge at the Lagos Airport,  where about 80 per cent of work had been completed, the permanent secretary was told that the contractor was also being owed, a situation which led to suspension of work .

    The officials of the contracting firm did not disclose the cost of the contract and how much the firm is owed.

    Besides, the permanent secretary was  informed that the contractor had suspended work until further payment is made.

    At  Port Harcourt International Airport , the contractor handling the construction of the departure and arrival halls, Messrs Inter Bau Construction Ltd, said work on phase 1 (departure) was between 80-90 per cent completion while work on phase 2 (arrival) “is almost nil.”

    The company’s chairman, Sir Nath Okechukwu, said in an interview that the second phase of the project was awarded at the cost of N1.7 billion, adding that the last time he received payment for the work was in 2013.

    “In phase 1, we have done about 80-90 per cent and phase 2 is almost nil. In phase 1, our money got exhausted. We don’t have money and we have to suspend work.

    “In phase 2, the total sum then was N1.7 billion. But it has gone up, though we don’t know how much we are coming up with.

    “We hope very soon they will make some payments so that we may go back to work. The owner of the project has just finished inspection. When she gets back to Abuja, then we will know what she is coming up with,” he said.

    He assured that “if money is made available, we will deliver the project(s) before the current administration marks its first 100 days in office.”

    But the permanent secretary said her mission was to see the projects to know the stages of completion in relation to money spent on them so far.

    On funding for the projects inspected, Mrs. Bello assured: “We will look at it and as soon as money is available, the contractors will be mobilised to site.”

    On the new terminals at the airports and the level of completion, Bello said: “Work is progressing very well. I am actually happy with what I have seen. I have seen the determination to improve infrastructure at the airports and we are taking what we have seen back to Abuja. I’ve been told they had some challenges during the take-off of the projects.

    “They have overcome most of them and they are working very hard to close the gaps created by man-hours lost. I am satisfied with the work done so far. If they didn’t have initial challenges, they would have gone further than where they are,” she said.

     

  • Lagos public school pupils relish children’s day celebration

    The annual Lagos Children’s Day celebration held recently at the Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, with over 1,500 public primary school pupils in attendance. The schools were drawn from various local government areas of the state.

    It featured keenly contested debate, Spelling Bee competition and highly entertaining cultural presentations.

    Speaking, the organizers, Adetola Okanlawon and Adeyemi Ifeoluwa, the Managing Directors of First Line Nigeria and Triple S Entertainment respectfully said: “Lagos Children’s day is what we have been doing since 2009. It gives feelings of positive memories, values and spirit of giving back to the community.  We are dedicating today the public primary school students in Lagos State. We strictly work with public schools because if we look at the level of comfort between them and the private schools, you will find that there is a wide difference.

    “It is not easy organizing the event but we have taken it upon ourselves to add value to the lives of these children in public schools in the state. It is something that we must do to make them happy whether we get financial support or not. We are simply out to create a memorable event in the minds of these children so that tomorrow they can they can be psychologically relieved and not feel inferior before their peers in the private schools,” they said.

    They admonished the pupils to focused, adding: “When they combine it with the fear God  and honesty, the sky would be their starting point. We really appreciate our sponsors for their support.”

  • Lagos accountants urged to invest in agric

    Accountants in the Lagos State public service have been urged to take advantage of the present economic situation in the country by investing in the agricultural sector.

    President, Institute of Chartered Accounts of Nigeria (ICAN), Otunba Femi Deru, who spoke yesterday at the fifth Annual Public Lecture of Lagos State Public Service Chapter of the association, said agriculture before now contributed about 42 per cent to the country’s revenue, adding that it remains one area that the country is capable of utilising to resolve its economic challenges.

    In his opening remarks, Chapter chairman, Mr. Abdul Adekunle, said agriculture has the potential to contribute immensely to the economy of the country if well harnessed.

    He explained that the theme for the lecture was carefully chosen after appraising recent happenings in the nation  urging the accountants to take advantage of the opportunities within the sector.

    “ICAN, since its formation, has consistently been in the fore front of awakening its immediate society in the areas of national issues with the aim of providing a platform by which issues of national interest are discussed. There cannot be a more appropriate time than this with the emergence of a new government which inherited a bewildered economy.”

    He said the Nigerian economy has largely depended on the proceeds from the sale of oil, which is at the expense of other sectors such as solid minerals and agriculture that contribute significantly to the nation’s economy.

    In his lecture titled ‘Agriculture: Catalyst for Socio-economic Development’, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives,  Dr. Yakubu Bashorun, stressed the need to diversify and explore opportunities within the sector.

  • Vandals attack Ije-Ododo pipeline, NNPC shuts facility in Lagos

    Vandals attack Ije-Ododo pipeline, NNPC shuts facility in Lagos

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday said vandals had attacked petroleum pipeline at Ije-Ododo community in Ijegun area of Lagos.

    Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the spokesman for NEMA in South West, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Farinloye said the incident occurred at about 11.15 p.m. on Monday.

    He said that the suspected vandals severed a petroleum pipeline, forcing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to shut down the facility.

    The NEMA spokesman said that NNPC had shut down the flows and locked the valves to stop further supply to the fire.

    Farinloye said fire service and other emergency services had arrived at the scene to put out the fire which was raging at the time of this report.

    He said the emergency service officials and fire fighters were able to secure access to the scene.

    He also said the terrain was difficult to access due to its swampy nature.

    Ije-Ododo line is directly from Atlas Cove which supplies products to Mosinmi depot in Ogun which further distributes to other parts of the South West.

    The affected pipeline was reportedly vandalised four times in 2014.

     

  • Lagos, agency partner on grassroots health

    The hall of the Eti-Osa Local Government Secretariat, Igbo-Efon, Lekki, Lagos was packed full. The participants comprised mostly women- expectant and nursing mothers, babies and toddlers and men, especially community leaders. They had one mission: to witness the launch and take off of the Pro-poor Community Health project in Lagos State. Their local government is the first beneficiary.

    It consists of Ikota Bamboo; Ebute-Ajiran; Jakande (Ilasan community) and Ebute-Ikate-Gbame community. The Marwa Association/Keke NAPEP members were also in attendance. They are in partnership with the project, with the understanding to transport any woman in labour in any of these communities to place of delivery round the clock; or anybody that needs medical attention.

    The pro-poor community health project is an initiative by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Health that focuses on strengthening outreach services in communities and encouraging members of the community to take advantage of health care services provided at the primary health centers (PHCs) close to them.

    The Chief Resident Representative of JICA, Mr. Hirotaka Nakamura, said JICA’s activities in the health sector is hinged on maternal, newborn and child health and strengthening the health system in Nigeria.

    Nakamura said the project was not the first in the state as the agency’s activities are evident by past projects which include the project for improvement of maternal, newborn and child health from 2010 to 2014.

    He explained: “JICA’s first phase of health project was aimed at providing intervention to health care providers through midwifery skill trainings on antenatal care, delivery management, and training on activities to improve operating environment which aims to promote the efficiency of routine works conducted at target PHCs.

    “The phase also aim at providing intervention to community through capacity building for ward health committee, health education for male and community needs assessment, stressing that one of the outcomes of the first phase revealed that more women had enrolled for antenatal care adding however that a number of women still prefer to deliver at home rather than health facilities.

    ”It is against this background that the current phase of the project focuses on encouraging members of the community to take advantage of the health care services provided at the primary health centres close to each community.”

    Nakamura expressed optimism that access could be achieved by strengthening outreach services in communities, increasing awareness about health and environmental health in community, initiating activities that help community members engage in matters concerning their health and mapping out possible solutions to challenges to access health care services and strengthen capacity of health care providers; as he solicited the support of the local government authority and community leaders for successful implementation of the project adding that cooperation and understanding for the project will no doubt, ensure the effort of health workers will be worth a lot and yield the desired result.

    The Medical Officer of Health, Eti Osa, represented by the Apex Nurse, Mrs Stella Adesiyan explained to the audience that the pro-poor community health project sponsored by JICA commenced in  2014 and is expected to end in  2018. The aim is to expand and improve the concept of universal health coverage, reduce child morbidity and mortality and improve maternal health.

    He said: “Aside this, it will also strengthen the health services being rendered; ensure sustainability of the health services and establish health services for the poor. The effective implementation, with your cooperation will reduce child morbidity and mortality rate and improve maternal health as envisaged in the Millennium Developmental Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5.

    “We expect the community dwellers to take advantage of this project by ensuring the increasing utiisation of healthcare facilities; encourage early registration  by pregnant women at the health facility and increasing participation of community dwellers in health activities and programmes.”

  • Another tanker falls in Lagos

    Another tanker falls in Lagos

    Another tanker laden with petrol fell in front of a filling station at Oribawa bus stop on Lekki-Epe Expressway yesterday.

    It spilled its cintent all over the road. No life was lost.

    Immediately, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) cordonned off the area, warning residents, commuters and others to keep away from the scene to avoid fire outbreak.

    Victims of last Saturday’s petrol tanker explosion, which razed 34 houses and 70 shops at Idimu, Lagos State, remained in shock yesterday.

    A tanker, loaded with 33,000 litres of petrol fell, spilling its contents and wreaking havoc on the neighbourhood.

    Grief-stricken, most of them stood in groups discussing their ill fate as they beheld the charred remains of their valuables.

    They, however, rested their hope on the promise by the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, to assuage their agony when he visited the scene last Saturday.

    Ambode, during the visit, promised to meet with tanker drivers today in his bid to stem petrol tanker explosion.

    After the visit, Ambode said: “We don’t want this to repeat itself. We have said it before; we need to address our tanker drivers and start to enforce our traffic laws. I have directed that the union of tanker drivers and the government meet on Monday (today) morning and we must make pronouncement relating to the usage of our roads.”

    The governor promised: “I commiserate with all the people here. I appeal for calm. We would do immediate relief; we would take enumeration and see in what ways we can address your pain. We would do everything in our power to do everything to help them get back to their normal lives.”

    Ambode, who was accompanied by his Deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, expressed concerns over the spate of fallen petrol tankers in the state, noting that Saturday’s incident came a few days after that of Iyana Ipaja in which several shops and vehicles destroyed.

    “This is another unfortunate incident happening within one week. It is unfortunate in the sense that we are beginning to lose a lot of our assets and property to fire,” he said.

    Meanwhile, another tanker fell in front of a filling station at Lakowe on Lekki-Epe Expressway yesterday.

    It spilled its cintent all over the road. No life was lost.