The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lekki

  • ‘Why V.I., Lekki, Ajah, others are in darkness’

    ‘Why V.I., Lekki, Ajah, others are in darkness’

    •EKEDC promotes spokesman, others

    The trip in a line from the Egbin Power Station caused the power outage in some areas of its jurisdiction since Sunday, the Head, Corporate Communications, Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC, Mr. Godwin Idemudia, has said.

    He said the problem affected residents of Ajah, Lekki and Alagbon to get power.

    Other areas affected by the outage include Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Victoria Island Lekki, Ajah, and Ibeju, Idemudia said, adding that  efforts were being made by generation and transmission technical personnel to repair the fault.

    Idemudia appealed to customers to bear with the company, and that supply to the affected areas would be restored soon.

    The spokesperson of Transmission Company of Nigeria, Lagos Region Mrs. Celestina Osin, confirmed that the blackout was as a result of a detachment on the wire of the Egbin-Ajah 330KV Transmission Line3.

    She said: “Our team of maintenance engineers is already at work to rectify the fault as quickly as possible, with the aim of getting customers back to the system. We therefore, apologise to all affected customers to bear with us for all the inconveniences caused by the blackout. We assure customers of a speedy restoration of power.”

    Meanwhile, Eko Electricity Distribution Company has promoted  some top staff members.

    According to a statement, Idemudia was promoted from Assistant General Manager (Corporate Communications) to General Manager.

    Principal Managers Uzoh Obialeri, Femi Adewumi and Iyabo Iledare, have moved up  as Assistant General Managers.

    The District Manager, Islands District, Oluwafemi Olaoye and Uthman Saheed Abiodun of Finance and Accounts Department are now Principal Managers, while Ovie Adjekpiyede of Projects Department and Iheoma Chukwuka of Legal Department were promoted Senior Managers.

    The company said the exercise was  continuous  and a demonstration of the company’s unwavering desire to position itself as a worker-friendly organisation.

     

  • $1.65b Lekki seaport for completion in 2019, says Ambode

    Lagos  State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has assured that ongoing construction works at the $1.6 billion Lekki seaport would be completed in 2019.

    Speaking yesterday at the formal unveiling of the office of Overseas Affairs, also known as Lagos Global, he said the seaport, on completion would be the deepest in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Represented at the ceremony by  Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, Ambode said other projects that would get the attention of would-be investors in the state include the $1.3 billion Badagry Creek Industrial Park that will be completed in 2018 and the $12 billion Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Park among others.

    He said his administration has resolved to prioritise the achievement of the four pillars of the Lagos State Development Plan (2012-2015) which include economic development, infrastructural development, social development and security, and sustainable environment.

    He said the Lagos Global is an initiative of his administration, designed to encourage ease of doing business and help to turn Lagos into Africa’s model megacity and global economic and financial hub that is safe, secure, functional and productive.

    The governor recalled his inaugural speech on May 29 last year, where he stated the commitment of his administration to make Lagos an investment destination of choice by creating a favourable environment for local and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

  • Lekki, Calabar ports strategic, says NPA

    Lekki, Calabar ports strategic, says NPA

    The  dredging of the Calabar Port is vital to the economy, the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) has said.

    NPA Managing Director, Mallam Habib Abdullahi is also working to ensure that the Lekki Deep Seaport becomes operational, the General Manager, Public Affairs, Captain Iheanacho Ebubuogu said.

    The Lekki Deep Seaport and Calabar Port are strategically important to  the country and its economy Ebubuogu said, adding that the country’s, coastal waterways, which are supposed to be a veritable means of economic transformation, have seen neglected

    Processes, he said,  were on to ensure that the Ibom Port gets transaction agents.

    “With the dredging, the economic activities, especially within the two zones, have sprung up again, creating massive employment opportunities in the area and in the whole country,” he said.

    He said the creation of more ports was in line with the Federal Government agenda in diversifying the economy, adding that a maintenance firm was appointed to manage the Calabar channel. He urged the private sector to fully tap into the inherent economic benefits.

    He lauded the Federal Government’s efforts in ensuring that life was brought back to hitherto comatose projects, such as railway system and inland waterways and assured that the Eastern rail line from Port-Harcourt -Maiduguri, which is under rehabilitation, would be completed.

    “ The Managing Director Mallam Habib Abdullahi is working to make the port a transit point by  ensuring that the rail track at Lagos port is linked to the national line to reduce pressure on the road.

    “We all need to commend the efforts of the Federal Government in developing more ports across the country and the proposed change in the transport system to facilitate trade and boost the economy.

    “Nigerians will recognise the laudable efforts of the Federal Government by the time the Badagry and Lekki Deap seaports come on stream,” he said.

     

     

  • ‘I want to run an affordable school in Lekki’

    ‘I want to run an affordable school in Lekki’

    Lekki is one of the most elitist part of Lagos State, where prices of everything – food, transportation,  real estate to school fees, are high significantly compare to other areas.

    However, Mrs Royeke Obalade, proprietor of Grande Oakbridge Montessori School, located in Argungi, Lekki, Lagos State is determined to keep her fees affordable.

    Sharing her story during the school’s 10th anniversary, Mrs Obalade, who charges between N100,000 and N130,000, said the school was borne out of her desire to deliver quality at a cheap price in a high brow area of Lagos.

    She said she was forced to charge up to that because of the high cost of running a school.  However, despite the financial challenges, the proprietor promised to keep to her vision to charge affordable fees.

    She said: “I feel great, elated and happy. Ten years is a milestone. I am grateful to God for sparing our lives and for making my vision to come true. Before I started this school, I used to think there was a lot of money in it and I used to say that private schools are charging very high fees and I would not charge like that, which I followed through. We were charging as low as N45,000 per term when we started. But I found out that it did not work, especially with our environment being Lekki. We would, however, strive to maintain that standard no matter what it takes. The school’s tuition is now between N100,000 and N130,000.”

    She revealed her plans to sell her house to raise half of the money needed to complete the school’s permanent site, which is worth about N200 million.

    The proprietor said she had almost given up her dream of running a school when she ventured into importation business, which was thriving, until she was reminded of her dream by “the Lord” to embrace her teaching profession and establish a school.

    “In order to adequately prepare and fortify myself towards this divine assignment, I proceeded to University of Lagos, where I studied for a degree in educational administration, after which I went further to obtain a masters’ degree in the same. I later proceeded to obtain a diploma certificate in a much needed Montessori Education at Heritage Montessori Centre in Jibowu. I actually failed the first examination, but I went back to do it the second time and I passed,” she said.

    After 10 years of preparation, the school was officially inaugurated in September, 2005, with the vision to provide a platform where children would imbibe a culture of academic distinction, stand tall and make positive mark on everyone they come in contact with.

    Sharing his experience, first Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) Chairman and one of the first two parents of the school, Mr Uche Iheakanwa, said he placed his five children in the school based on his faith in the proprietor and the standard facilities he saw at work in the Montessori school.

    He said: “As a concerned parent, who has always been price and quality sensitive, we moved from Victoria Island to a home in the Lekki axis. I immediately took time off work and visited a great number of the schools springing up in this Lekki Peninsula, noting such things as teaching materials, capacity and knowledge of the academic staff, number of pupils per teacher, sanitation and environmental conditions, certifications and compliance with State Ministry of Education and regulatory requirement and of course, the fees. “Having circled the wheel, I quickly concluded that Grange Oakbridge Montessori is fully prepared to give our children the needed solid foundation to help them face and overcome the challenges of the future… at one point, we had five children here.”

    Iheakanwa said he looked past major challenges of bad road conditions, transportation, distance, security, high cost of living, among others to keep up with his office as PTA Chairman and sustain his children’s education in the school.

     

     

  • Palms Villa Estates berths in Lekki, Ikorodu

    A real estate firm, Chattel Reality and Investment Company says it has introduced a land ownership scheme that will eradicate owning a land in Lagos State as being the exclusive reserve of the rich and the powerful. One of such schemes with which the firm intends to achieve this is the Palms Villa Estate in Ibeju Lekki and Ikorodu,  which the firm has started selling.

    Aside from its 10 per cent discount offer on all land payment plans, the company is spreading payment options for purchased land up to four years. This, it says, is to give all low income earners an opportunity to be landlords in Lagos. For instance, to own a plot of land at Chattel Reality’s Palms Villa Estate in Ikorodu, an intending buyer can pay as low as N22,000 monthly and N83,000 monthly for land in the Palms Villa Estate in Ibeju Lekki.

    Its Managing Director, Mr. Ifeanyi Okafor, explained that such initiative is one of the company’s strategies to get more Nigerians to invest in properties and own their own houses. “We must as a matter of urgency always look for incentives to encourage people to own their homes. Things are pretty difficult at the moment and many people might not be able to afford a huge sum of money to purchase a land not to talk of building a house. So for us, we are more interested in empowering people and helping them to achieve their dreams of becoming a landlord,” he explained.

    Chattel Realty and Investment Company limited is an innovative real estate development company that engages in the development of master-planned housing estates. The company’s objective is to provide cutting-edge real estate solutions to the huge Nigerian real estate market, which yearns for affordable housing as well as other real estate investment products.

  • Lekki Free Trade Zone MD killed

    Lekki Free Trade Zone MD killed

    •Policeman, two villagers too

    Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) Managing Director Tajudeen Disu and three others were killed yesterday in a clash in Okuraiye Community near Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.

    Disu was reportedly killed by irate villagers, who were protesting against what they called “forceful takeover” of their land.

    The others are a policeman and two villagers.

    The villagers claimed that the police killed two of them in a bid to “forcefully takeover” the land on which Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote plans to build a refinery.

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode described the mayhem as shocking and unacceptable, urging the police to bring the perpetrators to book.

    Police chief Fatai Owoseni said 10 persons have been arrested in connection with the incident.

    A chief alleged that the Lekki Free Trade Zone called in riot policemen from “Mopol 49” because the villagers had always protested against forceful acquisition of their land. The chief claimed that the policemen were led by the late Disu.

    Soldiers have been deployed in the community to maintain peace. Chief Security Officer of Dangote Refinery Col. Usman (rtd) was among those injured.

    Addressing reporters, at the Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, Ambode said Disu was shot during an official visit to one of the villages within the zone.

    “We are deeply touched with the loss of our dedicated officer at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Alhaji Tajudeen Disu, who was until his death the arrowhead of the Free Trade Zone Initiative. He was killed within the Lekki Free Trade Zone this morning.  It really saddens my heart and the heart of all of us because this was somebody that has been dedicated to his duty in the past 10 years”.

    The governor described the late Disu as a man who was committed to promoting the inflow of investment to Lagos State. He expressed concern over the motives of those behind the killing.

    Ambode urged Owoseni to unravel the events that led to Disu’s death.

    “This is a great concern and I have directed the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to investigate the cause of the death. The Commissioner of Police must do a thorough investigation to unravel the root cause of what has just happened because he was on a peaceful mission to that place”, the governor said.

    He urged residents of the area to remain calm as his administration will continue to ensure the security of lives and properties.

    “I want to appeal to all our people in Ibeju Lekki axis that they should give peace a chance; it is in the interest of all Lagosians that we attract as many investors to the state. That is what we have been doing in the last four months. I implore everybody to be calm. We would get to the root of this unfortunate incident”, he said.

    The governor added: “I will like everybody to also know that we are trying our best but we can only appeal to our people to allow peace to reign in the Free Trade Zone. That is the only way we can allow more people to be involved in this trade zone. Let me tell our people that we are on the right cause for the kind of job creation we want to bring to Lagos State”.

    Owoseni said investigation is on-going to uncover the sponsors of the mayhem.

    “We have so far arrested 10 suspects and the arrests we have made are those that are directly responsible.”

    “We would do a diligent investigation. We will ensure that the people behind it are arrested, not just the people we see on the road are perpetrators, and there may be sponsors. We will go after these sponsors and I can assure you we ensure the investigation is carried out as speedily as possible and we will make sure they are diligently prosecuted,” Owoseni said.

    Lagos Command spokesman Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Joseph Offor said many were arrested after the clash, adding that some were let off after screening.

    Offor said the incident started around 9am, noting that Usman was stabbed by the mob who were armed with dangerous weapons and charms.

    He said: “The residents of the community engaged in a violent protest this morning. They claimed that they did not sell their land to Dangote refinery and they were carrying knives, sticks and charms.

    “So, the Managing Director of the Lekki Free Trade Zone came out and tried to appease them but he was lynched.

    “The mob also stabbed a retired Colonel, who is the CSO of Dangote refinery.

    “Some people are currently in police net and the Commissioner of Police has assured that the family of the deceased will get justice.

    “Those involved in this crime won’t go on punished. At the end of investigations, those found to be connected with it will be charged to court.”

  • Ambode promises incentives for Lekki Free Trade Zone’s development

    Ambode promises incentives for Lekki Free Trade Zone’s development

    Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday said his administration will provide all incentives required to hasten the development of the Lekki Free Trade Zone  (LFTZ) that parades multi billion dollars investments.

    Ambode spoke while fielding questions from reporters after an inspection tour of LFTZ situated on 16, 000 hectares of land at Ibeju-Lekki axis of the state.

    LFTZ  habours $11 billion Dangote Refinery and other multi billion dollar investments driven by consortium of Chinese companies. Ambode said inputs from the zone is needed to boost economic prosperity of the country.

    He said: “I came here to see the level of development that is going on. The Free Trade Zone is a major catalyst for the development of Lagos State. It was started during the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and continued by my predecessor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola.

    “I have come here to give my commitment that we would follow up with this project because it is going to be a major catalyst to the economy of this particular zone as well as the economy of Nigeria.

    “Whatever it is that we need to do together alongside with the community, we have got their commitment that we would join hands together to move this project forward,” Ambode said.

    The governor said his administration will also look at the Lekki Seaports which has been idle for about nine  years and ensure that it is revamped.

    He said:  “There is no way we would have this Free Trade Zone if the port is not activated. It needs to be reviewed. My administration will look at it and make sure the port is activated and construction starts immediately.

    “I also want to assure the people here that the issue of electricity will be looked at; its surprising that some communities here do not have electricity in the last five years. In the next four weeks something must happen. It is totally unacceptable and we would make sure that we bring succor to our people.

    “That is why we are in government and that is what they have told us that we should do and that is what we will do everyday in this administration.”

    The governor lauded the community and the consortium of Chinese companies for supporting the state in the project.

  • Court reorders police to produce robbery suspect

    Court reorders police to produce robbery suspect

    A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Monday, for the second time, ordered the state’s Commissioner of Police (Officer –in-Charge, State Anti-Robbery Squad), Superintendent of Police  (SP) Abba Kyari  to produce in court an armed robbery suspect,  Ebi Tosan, 20, on August 20, 2015.

    The new order followed the failure of the Police to present the suspect in court Monday as ordered by the court at its last sitting.

    Tosan was arrested by the police on April 5, 2015 over alleged involvement in the robbery of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) at Admiralty Way, Lekki.

    The applicant, Tosan was paraded alongside other robbery suspects before the press in May 2015 as one of the robbery gang that allegedly robbed the Lekki branch of FCMB.

    Tosan had  through his counsel, Chief S.W. Baidi, filed an application before the court presided by Justice Olabisi Ogungbesan for bail, claiming N1 million against the respondents for infringement and curtailment of his constitutional right to personal liberty, freedom of movement and presumption of innocence.

    However, the trial judge, Justice  Ogungbesan, on Monday, refused to hear the application since there was no information from the Attorney General, who was later joined in the suit, as to the whereabouts of the applicant.

    Justice Ogungbesan said: “It will be fair if the Attorney General is brought to court, they will be able to tell us where the boy is. It is an allegation and I want to hear from the Commissioner of Police. This is a weighty allegation and an allegation of robbery. I believe if you bring the Attorney General to court, you will have half of the problem solved.

    “I shall hereby adjourn to August 20 for hearing of the Applicant’s application. It is further ordered that the 1st and 2nd respondent produce the applicant on the adjourned date.”

    Counsel to the applicant, Chief Baidi had told the court that the 20-year-old boy was going to school when he was picked up by SARS that he participated in the Lekki robbery and had remained in the Police custody  since April 4, 2015.

    “We have not seen this boy till date. We have served all the orders of court to police and they have not come to court. Infact, the Investigation Police Officer (IPO) told the boy’s father that since they have met a lawyer, then let the lawyer show them where their son is,” he said.

    Baidi explained to the court that the urgency of the matter has to do with life of a citizen, saying “who knows if he can be the President of this country tomorrow, if alive. This boy can be dispensed with overnight. We have problem serving the police.”

    Baidi told the court that it has been difficult seeing the suspect since he was arrested adding that they are now very  apprehensive as to the state and well-being of his client having regard to reported cases of extra judicial killings in Nigeria.

    “I believe that it is a deliberate act by the respondents to keep the applicant in continued detention in order to extract a confessional statement from him on the alleged offence,” Baidi added.

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  • Kola Qudus berths at Lekki

    Kola Qudus berths at Lekki

    Talented fashion designer, Kola Qudus, is in the news again. He had metamorphosed form being a fast rising designer in Nigeria to being one of the very best in the game and prides himself on being exceptionally skillful at making men look stylish.

    The award winning designer behind Kola Qudus couture in Ikeja, Lagos is breaking a new ground in his trade as he prepares to open the Lekki branch of his fashion house in two weeks time. Needless to say that both Qudus and his customers in that part of Lagos are excited about his latest move.

  • Court restrains firm, Lagos, on Lekki property tussle

    A Lagos High Court has ordered that parties in a suit involving a firm, QMB Investments Limited, and the Lagos State Government (LASG) and its agency, the New Towns Development Authority (NTDA), maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit before it over a disputed land matter between the two parties. QMB Investments Limited, had dragged LASG before the courts for adjudication over a disputed landed property. The firm’s decision to challenge the state government followed an alleged proposal by the government, through its agency, NTDA, to convert the original use of a landed property located at Plot 8, Block 138, Lekki Peninsula Residential Scheme 1, Lagos State, known as NEPA Reservation to another use.

    The said land, according to QMB, is an extension of its landed property, but designated as NEPA Reservation in a layout plan attached to the land’s Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) issued by the state. Mr. Oluwemimo Ogunde (SAN), led other lawyers to represent QMB Investments Limited, while Mr. Akinjide Bakare, a Deputy Director, Lagos’ Ministry of Justice, appeared for the state.

    In its originating summons, the claimant sought the court to determine whether by the combined provisions of Sections 1, 59, 60 and 102 of the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law No. 3 2010 (as amended), the first defendant and the Lands Bureau in the office of the Governor of Lagos State have the legal capacity and power to issue the contravention notices of  April 23, 2015 and May 4, 2015 against it.

    On these said dates, the NTDA served contravention notices titled: ‘Important notice – illegal occupation of state land’ on QMB, making the firm to rush to the Court for adjudication, suing the NTDA and the Attorney-General of the state, as first and second defendants respectively.

    The claimant also wants the court to determine whether “Assuming, but without conceding that the answer to questions 1 and 2 is in the affirmative, whether the portion of land opposite the claimant’s plot (Plot 8, Block 138, Lekki Peninsula Residential. Scheme 1, Lagos State) known as NEPA Reservation in Plan No. LS/D/LA 516b constitutes Block 139, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos State in the Operative Development Plan contained in the claimant’s Certificate of Occupancy of 14th June, 1998?”

    Based on the aforementioned issues, QMB is requesting that the court should declare that with regard to the combined provisions of Sections 1, 59, 60 and 102 of the state Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law no. 3 2010, the first defendant lacks the legal capacity and power to issue the contravention notice against it and as such the said contravention notice is invalid, illegal, null and void.

    The claimant also sought that the court should declare that the state’s Land Bureau lacks the legal capacity and power to issue the purported contravention against it and as such the said contravention notice is invalid, illegal, null and void.

    QMB, therefore sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, their servants, agents, privies or other representatives from using or permitting the user of the portion of land which is known and described as NEPA Reservation for any other purpose contrary to that description and purpose and more particularly restraining the defendants whether by themselves, their servants, agents, privies or other representatives howsoever called from dividing or sub-dividing the said portion of land into plots for use as residential, official, business or commercial premises or for any other use contrary to that which is contained in the Operative Development Plan in Plan No. LS/D/LA 516b without following the procedure set down in Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,15, 16,17,18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 102 of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law No 3 2-010 (as amended).