The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lekki

  • Drunk driver kills four in Lekki

    …As over speeding driver crush another, injures two

    Three men and a woman were on Sunday morning killed, while 14 others  sustained injuries after a drunk driver rammed into an 18-seater commercial bus at the first Lekki Tollgate.

    It was gathered that the driver, who drove a Lexus Jeep GX470 marker KJA615DF, belonging to Triple D Global Resources Limited, was returning from a night club and moving against traffic.

    The driver was said to be on top speed and rammed into the commercial bus with registration number KRE302XA, which had just been cleared by a ticketing officer.

    According to a witness, both vehicles upturned, killing two passengers on the spot, while 16 others were critically wounded.

    It was gathered that two other victims died at the hospital, where they were rushed to, while the drunk driver was said to be unconscious.

    It was learnt that the commercial bus driver’s legs might have been amputated, as crushed body parts were seen after he was extricated from the vehicle.

    Meanwhile, another accident occurred around 11pm on Saturday at Apangbo, inward Lagos Island, killing a good samaritan.

    The Nation learnt that the good samaritan, had alighted his vehicle to assist a wounded motorist, who had a collision with a trailer.

    The injured motorist was said to have been trapped in his Honda vehicle marked APP304DV, prompting the Good Samaritan to park his BMWX5 (KSF339BK) to assist the trapped victim.

    Also, a commercial bus marked BDG68XH was said to have also stopped to help the victim.

    As they were helping the wounded driver off his vehicle, it was gathered that an oncoming vehicle, while on top speed, ran them over, fleeing the scene.

    While the driver of the BMW X5 was said to have died on the spot, the trapped victim and the bus driver sustained injuries.

    Confirming both incidents, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency  (LASEMA), Adesina Tiamiyu, said all.injured persons were moved to either the Trauma Centre or Marina General Hospital.

    He said: “For the Apongbo accident, operatives of the agency were at the scene to ensure traffic management to avoid secondary accident. The affected vehicles were recovered and towed to Ebute Ero Police Station.

    “At Lekki, our men and other stakeholders had to ensure free flow of traffic. They had to control crowd, assisted injured victims with first aid before moving them to the hospital.

    “We are not happy when there are avoidable loss of lives.The Lekki accident could have been avoided if the driver had stayed back at the place he went to.

    “We have said it many times that people should not drive when they drink. I can assure you that these accid

  • Lekki Free zone and Lagos’ economic potential

    SIR: Lagos remains the economic and commercial hub of Nigeria and, indeed, the entire West-African sub-region. It generates 26.7% significant portion of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, besides over 50% of non-oil sector to her credit. Most of these come from taxes, levies, dues and rates paid on commercial transactions that daily take place in the Central Business District of Lagos Island. More importantly, most of the country’s corporate business headquarters, multinational companies and investment organizations are located in Lagos.

    The demands of the increasing population that migrate from other parts of the country have a compelling influence on the development of infrastructures and social amenities in the area of housing, hospitality, transportation. All these are investment opportunities which have expanded the scope entrepreneurship in the commercial nerve centre, called Lagos.

    Over the years, Lagos state has been blessed with visionary leaders who have committed themselves to exploring to the maximum the economic and commercial potentials of the state. On a daily basis diverse people from different parts of the world come into Lagos to explore her numerous economic and commercial potentials. This has paved way for progressive increase in the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the state as well as in her ability to meet critical financial obligations. Today, Lagos targets to hit N50billion as IGR by the end of the current year.

    In a bid to further enhance the economic fortunes of the state and expand the frontiers of the ever growing mega city, Lekki Free Trade Zone, LFTZ, was conceived in partnership with China-Africa Lekki Investment Company.  An initiative of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, the Zone sits on over 3000 hectares of land along the coastal corridor. The blueprint, over the years, has manifested into physical infrastructural development along the Lekki corridor.

    Towards the full realization of the Lekki Free Trade Zone initiative, the Ambode administration has committed over N2billion in partnership with the Dangote group as a major stakeholder in the construction of a deep sea port that is valued at about N4billion in the zone. The idea is to turn the Lekki corridor into a thriving industrial, commercial and economic hub. As a one stop business community with its full complements, the zone is being equipped with capacity to generate its own electricity. The construction of over 36 kilometres inner roads have been completed for the benefits of subscribers. Meanwhile, proper security arrangement has been put in place to ensure that lives and properties are well secured in the zone. A police station has been completed in this regards.

    Presently, over116 investors have registered with Lekki free Trade Zone, out of which 16 have commenced full operations while another 100 have signified their intention to register and situate their business within the zone. Against bureaucratic delay of involved in clearing goods/raw materials, with its attendant cost implications at the nation’s ports of entry, investors who operate at the zone are exempted from paying import duties on raw materials imported for production/ excise duties for final products if not sold to local market. As part of method of operation, duties will only be paid only on products that are sold into local market.

    As against the over dependence of many states in the country on federal allocation as major source of revenue, Lagos is practically extending her frontiers of wealth creation by providing basic infrastructures, capable of driving Lekki Free Trade Zone to generate further wealth for the state and, indeed, the country as a whole. Without a doubt, by the time current efforts of the state government and her partners to transform the Lekki Free Zone into a huge economically thriving focal point, the state and its residents would be the better for it.

     

    • Bolaji Odumade,

    Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

  • LCC hails motorists’ ‘compliance’ with new toll

    THE introduction of a higher toll took off yesterday at the Lekki Expressway and Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge without hitch,  the Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC) has said.

    LCC Managing Director Muhammed Hassan told reporters yesterday that there was ‘’massive compliance by motorists’’.

    The company,  on Monday,  announced an upward review in toll, with effect from yesterday.

    According to him, the increment was an economic decision done at the right time so that LCC would not continue to increase the tariff every now and then.

    Hassan said the last review was seven years ago, adding that, if LCC did not act now, it would  be doing the review  yearly.

    On the timing, the LCC boss said: “The more we wait, the more we experience new issues. In November, last year, we made an attempt to carry out the review but the governor was not happy. He asked us to make more consultations which we have done now. It was called off and despite that, motorists were already paying and complying. We sat down and started this during the Christmas but later stepped it down. We decided to tackle it once-and-for all and take care of the challenges.”

    Hassan urged motorists to embrace e-tag, stressing that its users were entitled to between 10 and 50 per cent discounts depending on their usage.

    Hailing motorists, he said: “If there is no compliance, by now, you would have seen protests. We are however, in a democratic government; there is right of choice for those who are willing to pay and those who don’t want to pay.”

    LCC Deputy General Manager,  Customer Services and Marketing, Adelola Hassan said e-tag was not elitist.

    She said: “e-tag is an electronic device that allows easy passage. It has a card that complements it. For the e-tag, we have corporate, commercial and individual’s category. It is not elitist, even the Danfo drivers use it. We need your vehicle license, proof of ownership and any valid identity card like national identity card, international passport or driver’s license to register you”.

    But some motorists and passengers  plying the Lekki-Ajah Highway expressed mixed feelings over the new fee.

    An interior decorator, Mrs Jane Alichi, appealed to the government to consider the prevailing economic situation and look for other avenues to absorb the cost.

    A civil servant, Mr Ehijimeto Modu, appealed to the government to improve the efficiency of the alternative route.

    An information communication technology (ICT) expert, Mrs Unera Markus urged the government to consider the wages of road users before  increasing the toll.

    An engineer, Gbenga Akinlolu, said any increase that would guarantee efficiency of service delivery was good.

    “The margin of the increase should not be much considering the kind of services they render. The current economic realities call for a review. The services they render on the axis are enormous such that if your vehicle breaks down the LCC personnel will assist you. They also provide security and those accompanying services come at a cost. I expected them to consult with the transporters and other stakeholders before the review,” Akinlolu said.

  • Lagos committee on Lekki, Ikoyi, Victoria Island clean-up resumes work

    Lagos committee on Lekki, Ikoyi, Victoria Island clean-up resumes work

    AHEAD of the yuletide, the Special Committee on the Cleanup of Lekki, Victoria Island and Ikoyi has resume work in the highbrow communities.

    The resumption, according to the contravention notices served on owners of illegal structures, disused buildings and automobile mechanics, operating on the highways in the three areas, was to ensure a cleaner Lagos during the festive period.

    Chairman of the Committee and Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Tunji Bello said in a statement that serving the contravention notices was preparatory to the commencement of enforcement on the affected structures and items.

    The statement added that the enforcement which will be a daily basis will be confined to the major streets and roads till the end of the year after which the team will move into the inner streets.

    It reads: “The serving of contravention notices and subsequent enforcement followed several weeks of sensitisation campaigns carried by the task force and residents associations for the areas like the Lekki Residents Association (LRA), Victoria Island and Ikoyi Residents Association (VIIRA) on the need for owners of illegal structures to remove such”.

    The statement listed the affected streets as Babatunde Dabiri; Admiralty Road, Fola Osibo; Omorinre Johnson; Durosinmi-Etti; Hakeem Dickson and Ogbunike.

    Also speaking on the forthcoming enforcement, the Chairman of the Task Force on Special Offences, Yinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police, sought the cooperation of all residents of Ikoyi, Lekki, and Victoria Island to comply with the environmental law of the state.

    He also charged residents of the areas to feel free to ventilate any new observations or reports about environmental nuisances that may have been missed out to his team through their various associations.

    The renewed enforcement which would be in phases is in furtherance of the avowed commitment of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration to restore Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki to its original master plan.

    The other streets on Victoria Island listed for cleanup by the committee include: Ahmadu Bello Way; Adetokunboh Ademola; ; Bishop Aboyade Cole; Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue; Idowu Taylor/Martins; Samuel Manuwa; Ajose Adeogun; Sanusi Fafunwa; Water Corporation Close; Adeyemo Alakija; Akin Adesola; Adeola Odeku; Saka Tinubu; Kofo Abayomi; and Ligali Ayorinde Avenue.

    The affected streets to be touched in Ikoyi are: Awolowo Road, Keffi Street, Falomo Roundabout, Kingsway Road, Norman Williams, Raymond Njoku Road, Oyinkan Abayomi  Bourdillon Road, Cameron Road, Onikoyi Crescent, Glover Road; Osborne Road; Federal Secretariat Road, First & Second Avenue, Lugard Avenue, Alexander Avenue, Bank Road and Club Road.

     

     

  • Eko Disco announces power outage in VI, Lekki, Ajah, Lagos Island

    The Eko Electricity Distribution (EKEDC) yesterday announced an impending power outage that would affect consumers in Lagos Island, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki, Ajah, Ibeju-Lekki and their environs.

    EKEDC General Manager, Corporate Communications Mr Godwin Idemudia, in a statement in Lagos, said the outage is to enable Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to carry out routine maintenance work on some its vital facilities servicing the area.

    According to the General Manager, the outage, which is scheduled to take place every Tuesday and Thursday for the next five weeks, will last for four hours on each day of the maintenance work.

    “In order to minimise the effect of the planned outage on the company’s customers, back-feeding arrangements have been put in place from Ijora Transmission station to Alagbon Transmission Station.

    “This will enable customers in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lagos Island to receive reasonable power supply.

    “We appeal to all residents that will be affected by the planned outage to please bear with the situation,” he said.

    Idemudia assured the consumers in the affected areas that the maintenance work would lead to better services to all customers.

  • Restaurant with home touch, Labule, opens in Lekki

    Restaurant with home touch, Labule, opens in Lekki

    Labule, Nigeria-centric restaurant operated by an indigenous company, Roots Foods Limited, is offering real Nigerian local delicacies in a unique environment, which combines the setting of a modern quick service restaurant with that of an African setting of a local ‘buka’, has opened a new outlet in Lagos.

    The brand name, Labule, is coined from a Yoruba phrase, which means ‘In the village’. The idea of the business was conceptualised with the sole aim of catering to Nigerians and lovers of Nigeria, especially those who take pride in their rich culture and identity of which food is a key component.

    The new outlet, which was formally unveiled on last Saturday, was declared open by one of Nigeria’s veteran broadcaster, Bimbo Oloyede. The formal opening was attended by a large number of guests drawn from different walks of life with a good representation from the world of Arts and Entertainment.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the new outlet, its Managing Director/Chief Chef, Mrs. Binta Adisa, disclosed that the opening of the new outlet in Lekki was in response to the yearnings of Labule’s numerous customers living and working around the Lekki/Ikoyi axis of Lagos, who have had the opportunity to eat at the main outlet in Ogudu GRA, Lagos.

    Mrs Adisa stated that the new Lekki outlet is in line with the brand’s vision of promoting the best of food and culture. She also disclosed that since the Ogudu outlet opened in May 2014, customers have come from all parts of Lagos and beyond to savour the taste and unique experience that Labule offers.

    “Apart from serving authentic Nigerian meals with the touch of home cooking, we also provide an environment that makes you take pride in your culture. We will also be serving unique Nigerian snacks and fries. Beyond food, Labule is also collaborating with Bellaafricana, a key promoter of Afrocentric creative businesses, to sell quality products and accessories at the new Lekki outlet,” she said.

    She declared that the company is delighted to add to the culinary and cultural landscape of Lekki and its suburbs. She promised to make every encounter with the restaurant an unforgettable food and cultural experience.

    “We have received several requests from our customers demanding for Labule outlets in different parts of Lagos. But as a brand, we have carefully chosen Lekki Phase 1 at this moment as the destination of an extension of the restaurant,” she said.

    Adisa noted that the outlet would be providing food offerings that transcend the regular Yoruba delicacies, stating that cuisines from the Southeast, Southsouth and other parts of Nigeria will be available for customers.

    Commenting further on what customers stand to gain from the outlet, Adisa explained that it would be open for other activities that include meetings, culturally themed events, art exhibitions as well as book readings, among others.

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  • LBS alumni take pupils on tour

    The Advanced Management Programme (AMP) Class 26 of the Lagos Business School (LBS) has taken pupils of Community Senior High School, Ibeju, Lekki on an excursion to Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care Treatment Home School and the University of Lagos.

    The purpose of the excursion, according to Dimeji Olono, a member of the class, was for the children to learn to appreciate their parents, lives and God to give back to society just as Cole did.

    Olono said the pupils were taken to University of Lagos (UNILAG) to inspire them to pursue university education, adding that some of them may not have been to that part of the state.

    At Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care Treatment Home School, a teacher, Mrs Oluwaseun Adaranijo, took the pupils round the school, including the bed-ridden section, whose occupants, she said, never go out, except those of them who attend school.

    In another part of the dormitory were those who could move around and play while some talk, others cannot.

    She also took them to the boys’ hostel and vocational centre, which houses the the computer room, home economics food laboratory, home economics sewing laboratory, leather work and carpentry work shop, art and craft, barbing saloon, among others.

    Another teacher, Mr kareem Akim, gave a short history of the school, recalled that the Child Care Home Treatment School, which was established in 1960 by Mrs Modupe Cole from her flat at Babatunde Close, Surulere, and relocated to Akoka when the children increased in number.

    The Lagos State Government took over the school in 1976 and renamed it after Mrs. Modupe Cole when she died in 1980.

    Akim said there were three categories of pupils in the school the educable ones, who can cope in the classroom setting; the trainable ones, who can learn vocational skills, and the dependent, who cannot do anything by themselves.

    He said some of the dependent were up to 30 years but had the mental age of a nine-month old.

    Speaking after the tour, Enobong Esther, an SS2 pupil, said she learnt to be friendly and not look down on anyone.

    “I learnt to be friendly and not look down on anyone, because i felt uncomfortable when we came but after the speech by Mr. Kareem, I was enlightened about the conditions of the pupils and could touch some of them,” she said.

    Joy Egbotolorun, an SS2 pupil, said she learnt to be grateful. “I learnt to be grateful to everyone. I had compassion on the pupils and after the orientation; I asked myself, if normal human beings are ungrateful to one another and God, what should the physical challenged do?” she asked.

     

  • LG donates to Lekki motherless babies home

    It was all excitement at the Lagos State motherless babies home, Lekki, as LG played host to over 100 children at a lovely party, as well as donating two units of all new Gencool Inverter ACs and three units of jet cool air conditioners to the home.

    This happened recently, as LG once again demonstrated its love and commitment to the welfare of children in the society as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR].

    Aimed at putting smiles on the faces of the children, as well as supporting their dreams and aspirations, the event which was a part of the organisations lined-up CSR activities for the year was indeed a fun-filled atmosphere as representatives of the organisation interacted freely with the children numbering well over 100.

    Speaking at the occasion, General Manager, Air Solution, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr.  Cholyong Park, said: “LG will continue to be alive to its corporate social responsibility by providing succour for the needy especially children who are leaders of tomorrow.” He stated further that the air conditioners being donated, if put to good use, will help to give the children some level of comfort while in the home.

    Also on ground to support the LG team was the Managing Director, Fouani Nigeria Limited, Mr. Mohammed Fouani, who in a short remark said: “It is for me a thing of joy to always contribute towards the upkeep of children anywhere and I am really happy to be here today.”

    The event provided an opportunity for the children to have fun like never before. The Matron-in-Charge of the home headed by Mrs. Olaore Feyisayo, expressed delight at having LG Electronics team in the home and putting together a party for the kids as well as donating some of their products for use in the home. She thanked the company for their kind gesture and commended the initiative.

    However, LG has continued to maintain its track record of always giving back to the society, particularly its host communities. In the past, the company has equally made some laudable donations to several orphanage homes across the country and even in the educational sector their immense contributions are being felt.

    LG Electronics has over the years demonstrated its love for Nigeria through various first-rated CSR activities. Some of which include scholarship awards to best engineering UNILAG students; visit to Idi-Ayunre community in Ibadan where they donated LG anti-mosquito air conditioners, as well as treated mosquito nets to the health centre, beach-cleaning activity to mark World Environment Day where staff of the organisation came together to clean an expansive beach in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State and many other activities.

    The kids danced joyously to the sound of music supplied by the DJ on ground as others engaged in different games that were provided for the party.

  • Demolish Lekki structures to check flooding- NiMet boss

    Demolish Lekki structures to check flooding- NiMet boss

    Prof. Sani Mashi, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has called for the demolition and reconstruction of structures in Lekki, Lagos state to check annual flooding of the area.

    Mashi made the call during in his paper entitled “Meteorology, flooding and the challenges before the Nigerian Engineers ’’at the 2nd Annual General Meeting/Lecture of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Giri Branch on Tuesday in Abuja.

    According to him, flooding occurs in Nigeria in three main forms, river, urban and coastal flooding.

    “However, flooding is worsened by human activities such as, rapid industrialisation, uncontrolled urbanisation, population growth, unregulated exploitation of natural resources and improper location of infrastructure,’’ he said.

    Mashi stressed that Lekki experienced flooding annually with devastating effects on the lives and property of residents in the peninsula.

    “What we are saying is that, Lekki has been developed; it is at the infrastructure level.  When driving, you will just leave the road and drive into your house.

    “ Lekki is a land belonging to the sea; by implication, Lekki is built on the sea.

    “Therefore, if you are building in the sea, the starting level of the building has to be above the sea, so what needs to be done is to demolish structures in Lekki. If you can’t demolish them, then convert the ground floor to be the base level,’’ Mashi said.

    According to him, if the first floor should now be the starting level for the houses,saying that when flood comes, it will stay at the lower level and will not affect the residents.

    NAN reports that Lekki is a city located to the east of Lagos, adjoining to its west, Victoria Island and Ikoyi districts with the Atlantic Ocean to its south and Lagoon to the north side.

    Mashi is also Nigeria’s Permanent Representative with World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), said if demolition of structures in the area was not possible, residents should take pragmatic action by converting the first floor of the houses to the base level.

    The NiMet boss said there wasalso  need for Nigerian engineers to ensure the design and construction of flood resilient public infrastructure that could withstand the destructive effects of flooding in the country.

    He also called for the strengthening of public infrastructure through stress resilient structural elements, choice of materials, and appropriate choice of technology and efficient supervision of construction.

    Mashi said such method would serve as in-built protective mechanism for the vulnerable public infrastructure, because “we cannot stop flooding from happening.’’

    He emphasised the need for design and construction of adequate drainage systems in both urban and rural settlements to accommodate the volume of water being generated during flooding.

    “There is also need for proper maintenance of the existing drainage systems for sustainable flood control and timely repairs and reconstruction of flood- damaged public infrastructure.

    “There is need for the design and fabrication of basic meteorological instruments to aid meteorological activities, especially in area of weather observation, forecasting and issuance of early warning alerts against flooding.”

    He also called for design,construction and launching into orbit a home-built meteorological satellite to help track real time weather parameters and events.

    He tasked Nigerian engineers to be abreast of the reality of climate change by providing and mitigating solutions in their designs, productions, fabrications and construction activities.

    “Public infrastructure should be designed with the reality of climate change.

    “Collaborations between relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) should be encouraged to advance the practice of engineering and meteorology in Nigeria.

    “For instance, NiMet and NASDA can collaborate to start preliminary discussion on the design of first meteorological satellite.Engineers from the two agencies can drive the process’’