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  • Updated: Sanwo-Olu signs executive order on traffic, refuse mgt

    Governor of Lagos state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared a state of emergency on environment as he signs the first executive order on refuse management, traffic management and public works.

    He also held meetings with service chiefs in the state and Permanent Secretaries.

    The events took place in the governor’s office, Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.

    He promised to look at ways to solve traffic and transportation issues, assuring all the existing staff buses will be fixed and that in a couple of days the government would procure 30 to 40 brand new staff buses for civil servants.

    “We are going to use our case here as a case study for Lagosians to know that we are serious about transportation, it is a message we are passing across to Lagosians that we are going to tackle and solve the transportation problems and we are starting with you; this includes taking care of pot holes and bad roads as well.

    “The issues of governance has started, I want all of you to support our team and I promise that as long as we appreciate what our roles are I will not forget you,” Sanwo-Olu said.

    The state of emergency, Sanwo-Olu said the administration will start the process of restoring stability and a culture of accountability in which all the ciizens become active stakeholders in bringing about the necessary changes.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu resumes, tours secretariat

    Tagged ‘Enforcement of law and order in respect of Traffic and sanitation matters’, there shall be zero tolerance for environmental abuse, including illegal and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, construction on drainage points and setbacks.

    “All LASTMA officials shall effectively carry out their functions by ensuring strict enforcement and compliance with all extant traffic rules and regulations while LASTMA officials will immediately begin work on a shift basis, in which road and traffic management operations will be on till 11 pm on a daily basis.

    “On its part, Lagos State Public Works Corporation will immediately commence the identification and repairs of all potholes and bad roads within the state.”

  • ‘Why Wike’s administration set up LG audit committee’

    The Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, has disclosed that the Nyesom Wike’s administration decided to set up a committee to investigate and audit the financial transactions of the 23 local government councils of the state is to reposition LGAs as the bastion of grass-roots development and democratic dividends.

    She made the disclosure at the Government House, Port Harcourt, according to an online statement on Thursday by the Head of her Press Unit, Owupele Benibo, when members of the audit committee met with chairmen of the 23 LG councils.

    Harry-Banigo said: “The local government is the closest tier of government to the people. His Excellency (Wike) wants to be sure that funds that get to the local governments are used in the overall interest of the people, especially for projects that will touch the lives of the people.”

    Rivers deputy governor also called for maximum cooperation with the committee members, for optimum result, declaring that the committee’s members would not hesitate to indict local government councils and other stakeholders that failed to give maximum cooperation, while insisting that all necessary documents in their possession and required for the exercise, must be provided.

    She noted that the committee’s members would not tolerate any attempt to interfere with the smooth running of the audit, while declaring that any form of inducement would attract sanctions.

    Read Also: Senate kicks against planned downgrading of Enugu Airport

    Harry-Banigo declared that any member of the committee who opted to compromise would immediately be removed.

    The Mayor (Chairman) of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council, Victor Ihunwo, while responding on behalf of his colleagues, assured Rivers deputy governor that all the council chairmen in Rivers would give their maximum support to ensure the success of the crucial assignment.

    Wike, on May 28 this year, inaugurated members of the committee to investigate and audit the financial transactions of the 23 LG councils from May 2018 to May 2019, with three weeks given to complete the assignment and submit the report.

  • Senate kicks against planned downgrading of Enugu Airport

    The Senate on Thursday asked the Federal Government to stop the planned downgrade of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

    The upper also urged the Government to take immediate steps to rehabilitate the runway of the airport for the safety of passengers and aircraft.

    It said the government should complete the new terminal building of the airport and put it to use by local and foreign airlines.

    A former minister of state for aviation, Hadi Sariki, was reported to have hinted that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu would be downgraded due to imminent dangers.

    The Senate resolutions followed the adoption of a motion by Senator Victor Umeh and 14 others titled “The threat to downgrade Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu”

    The senators urged the Federal Ministry of Transportation and relevant agencies to develop a source of water with the nearby Ekulu River for the use of the airport.

    The Senate lauded Enugu State Government for swiftly demolishing and ordering the relocation of Orie Emene Market, shutting down the nearby abattoir and ordering the immediate removal of broadcasting mast and other illegal structures close to the airport.

    Read Also: Senate okays N58.120b subsidy for 19 oil marketers

    The upper chamber urged the Ministry of transportation to return the generating set taken away from the airport to Port Harcourt Airport, allegedly by a former minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi.

    Senator Shehu Sani in his contribution noted that the reality of Akanu Ibiam Airport is not only used by the people of South East.

    The Kaduna central senator said that the airport is not only international but a strategic airport.

    He said that strategic airports located in different parts of the country should be well funded.

    Senator Jibrin Barau (Kano north) said that pressure should be mounted on the Federal Government to construct the airport runway to give it a new phase of life.

    Senator Barnabas Gemade (Benue North East) said that the Federal Government should ensure that air travel is safe especially as road travel becomes more hazardous.

    Gemade said that the talk about downgrading is anti-climax.

    He insisted that no part of the country should be the backyard of the country.

    Senator Kabiru Gaya said that there was no reason for any airport to be neglected.

    The Kano South senator noted that instead of downgrade, the airport should be upgraded.

    “If other airports are not downgraded why this one” he asked.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who presided noted that the concern about the airport is genuine.

    Ekweremadu said that the issue of Akanu Ibiam Airport had been taken to high places without any action.

  • Imo residents defy IPOB’s sit-at-home order

    Residents of Owerri, the Imo capital, on Thursday, defied the sit-at-home order from the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and went about their normal businesses.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that commercial activities went on uninterrupted in Owerri metropolis and its environs.

    Banks were open to customers, while commercial activities went on normally in all the markets in the city, including the Relief and Timber markets.

    Academic activities were also going on normally in some schools visited in the city.

    Mr Michael Ugochukwu, a school administrator, who spoke on why the IPOB’s order was not complied with, said:

    “We did not tell the students anything about it.

    “We allowed parents to use their discretion. Some came while others stayed back.”

    Another school owner, Mrs Chinwendu Osuji, said that the sit-at-home order was not captured in the list of holidays for the current academic session.

    Read Also; Sit- at- home flops in Ebonyi

    According to Osuji, “the school did not think it was wise to add an unofficial holiday to the week, having already observed May 27 and 29 as public holidays, respectively.”

    She said: “We already observed holiday for two days this week and we didn’t see the need to add an unofficial third.

    “We did not announce it, even though some parents held their children back at home, probably for fear of the unknown.”

    Also, Mr Anthony Obinka, a commercial vehicle operator, said, “Whether or not there is a holiday, people have to feed. So I came out to look for my daily bread.”

  • Breaking: Sanwo-Olu signs executive order on refuse, traffic mgt

    Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on his first day in office on Thursday signed the first Executive Order of Refuse Management, Traffic Management and Public Works of the state.

    He also held a meeting with service chiefs in the state.

    The events took place in the Governor’s office, Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.

    Details shortly…

  • 5 pupils drown in reservoir in Vietnam

    Five pupils drowned on Thursday in Central Vietnam after a group of children attempted to rescue a friend who fell into a reservoir, a local official said.

    The accident occurred when a group of eighth-grade pupils, about 14 years old from a secondary school in Nghe An province were playing near a dam in Bac Thanh commune.
    One of the children fell into the water and four others tried to pull her out, but they too fell into the reservoir.

    Read Also: 11-yr-old girl dies in well in Kano

    “All the four girls and one boy perished,” Tran Danh Luong, the Chairman of the commune, said.
    Around 2,000 children drown every year in Vietnam, according to government statistics, making it the country’s leading cause of death among children under 15 years of age.

    Many kids do not know how to swim and since the beginning of 2019, at least 30 school-age children have drowned in Nghe An province alone.

  • Breaking: Court summons NUJ Trustees, women journalists’ leaders

    A National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Lagos has summoned six parties suspected of involvement in the disregard of a court order stopping last Thursday’s National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) (Lagos Chapter) 2019 election in Lagos.

    Read Also: Alleged housing fraud: NAWOJ asks EFCC to release report

    Justice R. Gwandu ordered Ekene Adeola, the Registered Trustees of the Nigerian Union of Journalists NUJ, Ifeyinwa Omole, Ladi Bala, Mrs Abiola Beckley and Mrs Yemisi Adeniran, to appear before the court on June 10, 2019, alongside their lawyers.

    The judge warned that their failure to do so would put them in contempt.

    Details shortly…

  • Breaking: Court grants Naira Marley N2m bail

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday granted a musician, Azeez Fashola (a.k.a Naira Marley), bail for N2millon with two sureties in like sum.

    Justice Nicholas Oweibo ruled that one of the sureties must be on Grade Level 10 in the Federal or state employment.

    The other surety must have a landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

    The judge directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to verify the bail terms.

    Justice Oweibo adjourned until October 22 for trial.

    EFCC arraigned Naira Marley for alleged credit card fraud.

    He was charged with 11 counts of violating the Cyber Crimes Act of 2015.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    The musician risks seven years in jail if found guilty.

    Read Also: Nine facts about Naira Marley’s arrest

    The charge reads in part: “That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 11th day of December 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to use Access card 42658840359191132 issued to persons other than you in a bid to obtain gain and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 33(2) of the Same Act.

    “That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 10th day of May 2019, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud possessed counterfeit card 4921819410257431issued to Timea FedorneTatar and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33(9) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.”

    The prosecution said some of the credit cards bore the names Nicole Louise Malyon and Timea Fedorne Tatar.

    The singer was arrested on May 10 following intelligence report which EFCC said it received about his involvement in internet fraud.

  • Breaking: Appeal Court sets aside judgment faulting Adekele’s qualification

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set aside the April 2, 2019 judgment by Justice Othman Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, which voided Ademola Adeleke’s candidacy for Osun election on the grounds that he was not qualified, having not possessed valid secondary school certificate.

    A three-man panel of the court, held in a unanimous judgment on Thursday, that the FCT High Court was wrong to have concluded that Adeleke did not complete Secondary School and that he made false representation as regards his educational qualification.

    Read Also: Eligibility: Appeal Court to deliver judgment in Adeleke’s appeal today

    Justice Emmanuel Agim, in the lead judgment, faulted the trial court for assuming jurisdiction over the case filed by Wahab Raheem and Adam Habeeb outside the 14 days prescribed for pre-election cases by the Constitution.

    Justice Agim, said the case was statute barred, the plaintiffs, having not complied with Section 285 of the Constitution in the filing of the case and the trial judge, having failed to deliver its judgment within 80 days.
    He awarded cost of N3million in favour of Adeleke, to be paid by Raheem and Habeeb, who were plaintiffs at the trial court.

    Details shortly.

  • Kachikwu attributes achievements to teamwork

    At the valedictory event for the outgoing Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister attributed his acclaimed revolutionary achievements in the Oil and Gas sector of Nigeria to deliberate collegiate system of administration and not an achievement singly brought about.

    The ministry’s head of press unit, Oyetomi Olujimi, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

    According to the statement, the event that was held at the Minister’s Board Room on the 11th Floor of NNPC Towers, Abuja, was attended by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Folashade Yemi Esan, the Directors, the Heads Agencies of the Ministry, the Special Advisers and Technical Assistants of the Honourable Minister and a few others.

    One of the highlights of the valedictory event was a short documentary showcasing the 7 Big Wins which encompasses the thrust of Dr. Kachikwu’s administration of the Oil and Gas sector of the Nigerian economy.

    The Minister of State paid glowing tribute to President Muhammadu Buhari from whom he said he learnt the dignity of silence and trust in the capacity of others. He expressed gratitude for the vibrancy and support he got from the Permanent Secretary, the Heads of Agencies, the Directors of the Ministry, his Advisers and Assistants and even his support staff – driver, cooks, security staff for their loyal services, pledging that in or out of Government, he will always be around as a supportive voice and advocate for the best way to go in the Oil and Gas sector.

    The Minister encouraged the Heads of Agencies to find ways of supporting the Directors of the Ministry and the Permanent Secretary as this is his panacea for productivity and progress of the sector, declaring that there is still lots of works to do to grow the sector.

    Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu attributed most of the gains of his administration of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to the 7 Big Wins which he said led to policies and transparency in the sector, no queues at fuel stations, consultations and peace in the Niger Delta with attendant increases in the barrels of oil produced for the international market, bringing respect to Nigeria’s position in OPEC and the World’s Oil and Gas sector and more.

    A good number of speakers at the event which includes Heads of Agencies and Directors and aides to the Minister corroborated the achievements of Dr. Ibe Kachikwu with facts and figures.

    Read Also: Dabiri-Erewa urges 9th NASS to expedite action on Diaspora voting

    The Director, Oil Services in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Engineer Kamoru Busari pointed out that the expertise of Kachikwu supported by the Technical Advisers and Assistants he brought to the Ministry revolutionized the work delivery of the regular staff of the Ministry.

    The Permanent Secretary, Yemi Esan stated emphatically that Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu came to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and impacted not only policies and programmes but persons and work processes and will be missed even for the temporary exit from the Ministry.