Tag: lagos

Lagos State has urged local government councils to improve agricultural practice to tackle food insecurity, especially at the grassroots.

Special Adviser to the governor on Rural Development, Nurudeen Agbaje, at an interactive session with heads of Agriculture and Social Services in the 57 local governments, lamented there was food insecurity because few people were into agriculture.

“If everyone plants tomatoes on a plot of land, at harvest time, we would have tackled a bit of shortage of tomatoes in the state,” he noted.

Agbaje stressed importance of agricultural revolution, saying it can only happen when adequate attention is given to agriculture at the grassroots. ‘This is why heads of Agric Departments at councils must equip farmers with requisite skills for farming all year round’, he said.

According to the governor’s aide, the government will invest in improving agriculture to tackle leaner food production and distribution. He urged council officials to meet with farmers to get areas where government can help in.

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He noted food security in Lagos is a responsibility of all. “Everyone must fight food shortage,” he said.

Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Mrs. Kikelomo Bolarinwa, represented by Director of Rural Agriculture, Mrs. Tawakaltu Kosoko, praised the HODs for ensuring the governor’s efforts in cascading development to rural farmers is visible.

She noted the interactive session is a move to foster agriculture development, especially at the grassroots.

Mrs. Bolarinwa hinted there would be subsequent meetings to equip rural farmers on improved methods and tools to engender increase in agriculture productivity.

Chairman of Body of Heads of Department of Agric. & Social Services, Rasheed Bada, hailed the governor for ensuring Office of Rural Development in the ministry becomes a rallying point for rural farmers to access information and opportunities for improved agriculture production.

Lagos State government has admonished the local government councils to embrace improved agricultural practices to tackle food insecurity, especially at the grassroots.

The special adviser to the governor on rural development, Nurudeen Agbaje, at an interactive session with Heads of Agriculture and Social Services in the 57 local government areas, lamented that food insecurity was because few people are venturing into agriculture.

“If everyone in this room plant tomatoes on a plot of land, at harvest time, we would have successfully tackled a bit of shortage of tomatoes in the state,” he noted.

Agbaje harped on the importance of the agricultural revolution, asserting that it can only happen when adequate attention is given to agriculture at the grassroots.

“This is why Heads of Agric Departments at the councils must equip farmers in their communities with requisite skills needed for farming all year round”, he said.

According to the governor’s aide, the government is willing to invest in the improvement of agriculture to tackle the dearth of food production and distribution.

He, therefore, urged the council officials to meet with farmers in their domain to get areas where the government can help their ventures.

He reiterated that achieving food security in Lagos is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders. “Everyone must partner with the agricultural sector to fight food shortage,” he said.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development Kikelomo Bolarinwa, represented by the Director of Rural Agriculture, Tawakaltu Kosoko, praised the HODs for ensuring that the efforts of Mr. Governor in cascading development to rural farmers are visible.

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She affirmed that the interactive session is a move to foster agriculture development across the state, especially at the grassroots.

Bolarinwa also hinted that there would be subsequent meetings targeted at equipping rural farmers with improved methods and tools that would engender an increase in agriculture productivity.

Chairman, Body of Heads of Department of Agric. & Social Services in the state, Rasheed Bada, commended the governor for ensuring that the Office of Rural Development in the Ministry becomes a rallying point where rural farmers can access information and opportunities that would improve agriculture production.

Lagos State government has issued a 14-day removal notice to owners of buildings and structures on drainage channels at Sangotedo, Lekki, and Okota, Isolo

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, gave the notice at the weekend after an inspection tour of various contravention sites and ongoing drainage enforcement projects at Ago Palace Way, Isolo, Sangotedo, Lekki, and Ikoyi areas of the state.

Wahab stressed that the government remains resolute in its quest to make the metropolis flood-free.

“The era of environmental indiscipline and nuisance is over in Lagos. We will not shy away from enforcing all relevant laws irrespective of whose ox is gored,” he said.

According to the commissioner, the team was on routine checks to ascertain the state of some drainage channels and ensure compliance with setbacks and alignments, knowing well that most flooding issues are caused by detrimental human activities.

Areas visited included Isolo, Ikoyi, Lekki, among others.

The commissioner was accompanied by top officials of the ministry and other heads of agencies under the ministry.

The team visited Aladelola Street in Ikosi-Ketu, where a channel had collapsed because the supporting iron under the culvert had but cut. The commissioner said the public works office will cordon the road off and repairs will begin immediately.

At Victory Estate collector in Ago Palace Way, Okota, where unscrupulous elements had blocked water paths and canals, and engaged in illegal sand filling and selling, Wahab noted that an enforcement team was sent earlier to check the status earlier.

“We are here following a written petition by residents of distortions to the canal and roads by some individuals which has been causing flooding,” he said.

At Sangotedo, by Lagos Business School (LBS), the commissioner said there is a natural stream that is supposed to discharge into System 63 and from there to Omu Creek which has been blocked and reduced by illegal structures built along the channel adding that a 48 hours contravention notice have been served to owners of buildings lying within the channels.

The team was also at Ajiran Primary Channel, Chevron Drive, to ascertain the level of the ongoing dredging project.

“We are building a new alignment to allow for free flow of water in this axis’, he noted.”

At Ilabere Collector, old Ikoyi, the commissioner said the fences will be removed following encroachment on the alignment.

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“The government is fixing a major infrastructure around Ilabere because if the collector is not properly handled, the infrastructure will be destroyed.

“Lagos, despite its peculiarities as a coastal state with low-lying terrains and a high population density among others, has remained afloat because of various measures put in place by the government.

“Climate change is real and there is a cholera outbreak again. We must know that all these things are interwoven; we must all be responsible and responsive as a people. We cannot continue to brazenly abuse the environment and expect that there will be no consequences,” Wahab said.

He appealed to residents to always take ownership of their environment, desist from illegal waste disposal, and construction of buildings on drainage setbacks/Right of Way, and say something whenever they notice an infraction so that the environment can remain habitable and safe for all.

The commissioner was accompanied by top officials of the ministry and heads of MDAs in the ministry.

The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, has disclosed that two officers of the Lagos State Task Force are facing disciplinary action after an illegal operation which they embarked on turned deadly.

Hundeyin disclosed this in a post on his X handle yesterday, while responding to viral videos that revealed the moment some motorcycle riders repeatedly ran over a body in Lagos.

The Police Spokesperson clarified that the officers were engaged in unauthorised duties on Wednesday and had civilians in their company.

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The situation escalated when the group was attacked by motorcycle riders, leading to the death of one civilian.

Hundeyin wrote: “Two police officers attached to the Lagos State Task Force on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, went on illegal duty, taking some civilians with them to shore up their number.

“They came under attack from motorcycle riders, resulting in the death of one of the civilians.

“While disciplinary actions have commenced on the already detained police officers, and search is on for their civilian accomplices, investigations have commenced to identify, arrest, and prosecute the perpetrators of this dastardly act.”