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Tag: residents

  • Council chair empowers residents

    Council chair empowers residents

    Chairman of Oto Awori Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Musibau Asafa, has lifted over 500 residents with N20,000 each as palliative. 

     Addressing the gathering, Asafa said this is in continuation of the earlier distribution of foodstuff given to residents on August 15, where he promised to continue to give succour at intervals to mitigate effects of the subsidy removal. 

    Read Also; REAN: Why we are investing over $80m in renewable energy

     Mrs Abigail Shodeke, a beneficiary, hailed the chairman for extending his hand of fellowship to her at this time of hardship. 

     The 500 beneficiaries were selected across five wards.

  • Councillor provides free health for residents

    NO fewer than 1,000 Nigerians benefited from the second edition of a 2-day free health Campaign organized for Oke-Ira Central, Ojodu LCDA held recently.

    Speaking at the event, the Convener of the health Campaign, Councillor, Ward C, Oke-Ira Central Ojodu Local council Development Area, Hon. Gbenga Opebi said the program was aimed at ensuring an all year round sound health for the good people of Ward C who gave him opportunity to serve.

    “This is borne out of my desire to give back to party faithful and the society at large and also leave a legacy behind”

    Opebi stated that poverty was one of the factors responsible for the way Nigerians manage their health, and called on government to provide affordable health facilities for the masses.

    He noted that the health programme would enable residents in the area get the required information on the need for regular check-ups, rather than resorting to self-medication.

    Opebi also explained that he has a number of other programmes for the people: “My aim is to bring all of these activities into one initiative that will educate and create awareness that would lead to behavioural change among the residents.”

    While declaring the campaign opened the Chairman Ojodu LCDA,  Comrade Kayode Ajakaye commended the initiator of the programme. He however enjoined the residents to avail themselves of the opportunity.

    He said “When you have information about your body, it would empower you to seek medical expertise. This can be achieved only when you do a proper check-up, which enables you to know your health status,” Tagged “Oke-Ira Health Campaign,” the event saw health experts conducting a sensitisation and screening exercise for malaria, arthritis, rheumatism, high blood pressure, blood sugar, diabetes, HIV/AIDs, hepatitis and tuberculosis, among other ailments. Drugs were administered to those suffering from one health challenge or the other.

    Speaking with one of the beneficiaries Mrs. Bola Elufisan, said the councillor was committed to holding several enlightenment health campaigns in the community, including seminars on disease prevention as well as the provision and distribution of high-quality anti-malaria drugs.

    Elufisan said: “I am very happy about the tests and because the drugs here are original, since they came directly from the pharmaceutical companies.”

    She further called on government to provide drugs in the general hospitals across the state at affordable prices.

    Another beneficiary, Mr. Jessy Obasi, said the programme was aimed at promoting awareness on how people could properly manage their health. He appreciated the convener of the health scheme for the initiative.

    Also speaking, the Supervisor for the lkeja Local Government Tuberculosis and Leprosy Centre, Dr. Oladimeji Olasukanmi, gave a health talk on the prevention of tuberculosis (TB). Olasukanmi said TB was a highly infectious disease transmitted from one person to another.

    “People should be aware that there are other types of TB, apart from the normal tuberculosis disease found around the chest area in the body. There is TB around the breast area too. Although that is rare, it is equally infectious,” he said.

    He explained that TB treatment was free, and early detection and treatment were important to a decrease in the death rate arising from TB.

  • Residents : amenities inadequate in Lekki

    The Lekki Estate Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA) has urged the Federal and Lagos State governments to address the lack of adequate social amenities in the area.

    It lamented the infrastructural challenges facing the residents.

    LERSA is an umbrella body of over 77 gated and ungated estates, businesses and dwellers in the area now referred to as Lekki, from 1004 Flats to Lekki Free Trade Zone, Epe and  environs.

    It also includes Dangote Refinery (under construction) and the new Lagos Airport.

    Speaking in Lekki, at the weekend, during a pre-inaugural dinner for Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo and Lagos State Governor-elect Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu,  LERSA President Olorogun James Emadoye called for a strategic plan to reduce the suffering of residents and others.

    The residents, he said, were sad over the deplorable condition of the infrastructure “despite the intolerable taxes and levies imposed on them’’.

    Emadoye added : “We believe to make Lagos a real mega city, there is urgent need to improve the transportation system. There is need to improve power supply, health care, security, traffic management, housing and so on. This is why we said considering the situation of Lagos, we appeal to the Federal Government to allow states like Lagos take major share of their Value Added Tax (VAT) collection, to help in the development of such states. We know if this happens, the master plan of Lagos, which has a yellow lane on this axis, will be developed because Lagos collects huge VAT.

    “Then of course, the Federal Government can intervene in Lagos through some of the special funds like the ecological fund and all that. Lagos is battling problems like flood. We believe the Federal Government can intervene.

    “The government cannot avoid providing alternative roads to Lekki. We’ve been told there is going to be a new airport, Dangote Refinery, deep seaport and so on in this area. There is no way you will make these things work without providing better roads, alternative transport system like the rail and waterways. Governor-elect Sanwo-Olu knows Lekki is vital to the development of Lagos. He promised us during a meeting before the elections that he would develop the area.

    “The toll gate is a big challenge to us. He has promised to look into the operation of the toll gate. We have paid for this toll gate for over 12 years and the road has not been developed more than 30 kilometres. We believe there will be need to extend and dualise the road up to Epe and make it eight lanes, since toll is being collected on it.”

     

  • Lagos urges residents on waste management

    The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has urged residents to embrace the habit of proper waste disposal to enhance a cleaner and healthier city.

    Its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Obinna Onyenali in a statement reiterated the agency’s commitment to restoring Lagos to its former status of being one of the cleanest cities in the country, adding that the authority had a blueprint to achieve this objective.

    “So far that template is what we are looking at right now and it’s to take us to that level where Lagosians will be proud of the city,” he said.

    He appealed to the residents to shun the act of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and imbibe the culture of waste containerisation so as to ensure environmental sustainability and cleanliness of the state.

    He implored Lagosians to go back to the old habit of bagging their wastes and waiting for the PSPs to evacuate them, a strategy he said has over time  proven to be effective in curtailing rising cases of black spots in the metropolis in recent times.

    “What we want Lagosians to do right now is to go back to that habit of 2015 where households had their own containers in front of their houses,” he emphasised.

    He said private sector participants otherwise known as PSP operators had been empowered to visit tenements in the state to collect their wastes at least once in a week. He urged residents to contact LAWMA in cases where their assigned PSPs did not show up for appropriate measures to be taken to address the service gap.

     

     

  • Residents cry out as suspected cultists resume attack

    Residents of Agege area of Lagos State and its environs have appealed to the police to rescue them from attacks by cultists suspected to be Awawa Boys.

    These hoodlums, whose insignia is said to be a tattoo of tear drops, our correspondent gathered, have resumed their reign of terror for about two months now.

    The Nation learnt that the group that was hitherto alienated by police operatives, who infiltrated their ranks in Agege, Isolo, Ipaja, Ikeja and Ikotun areas of Lagos, recently resurfaced, vandalising and looting people’s homes and shops.

    Some of the residents took to social media to raise the alarm on the activities of the gang, appealing to security agencies to assist them.

    It was gathered that over 100 members of the gang last Monday went on the rampage along Dopemu Road, robbing and assaulting commuters.

    A man, who posted the incident on social media, said the hoodlums launched the attack around 8:30pm.

    He said: “Commuters in traffic were robbed of their phones, wallets and cash. Some were beaten mercilessly. Lagos has gone to the dogs!”

    Corroborating his claims, one Simbiat said the hoodlums had been operating unabated for three years, adding that they walked in group, including girls, and were dangerous.

    But the police dismissed claims by the residents that the cultists had resumed attack, insisting that the “clandestine cult has since been dislodged.”

    Spokesman Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), told our correspondent that the group was hibernating, adding that the command would not hesitate to match them force for force should they resume their violence.

    He said: “The command in the past arrested a lot of them and they were arraigned. They are no more there, but we are still watching the area. We are ready for them anytime they want to resume violence. We will match them. We have a tab on them and our sources are on ground.

    “There has been no recent attack or incident in the axis. Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu has ordered the Area Commander and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) to be on the alert at all times.”

     

     

  • Residents count losses in Oworo cult clash

    •Govt urged to tighten security •Victims seek financial help

    Some residents of Oworonshoki on Lagos Mainland are still counting their losses in Sunday’s cult clash in which 50 vehicles and several shops were vandalised.

    They have appealed to the government to tighten security in their area to ensure safety of life and property.

    The residents told The Nation yesterday that it was not the first time hoodlums were attacking them.

    “We are afraid of a recurrence. People can no longer stay in their homes comfortably. Some residents have even fled to safer places because of fear. Our wives can no longer go to the market; our children are not attending schools either. Muslims can’t go to the mosque for early morning prayer due to insecurity in the community. We implore the government to assist us,” they said.

    A source, who pleaded anonymity, said over 100 vehicles were vandalised.

    He said churches were not spared, adding that three persons were stabbed by the suspected cultists.

    A spray painter said: “Right now, I am devastated. I have incurred great losses. When I woke up on Sunday morning, I discovered that my customers’ cars had been vandalised. I am innocent, I’ve not offended anybody to warrant this treatment. I have incurred debts. My customers are on my neck. I need over N100,000 to offset the debts I have incurred following the vandalism of my customers’ cars. I don’t know how to get the money. I am begging the government and people to help me.”

    Read also: Suspected cultists kill eight in Edo

    A resident told The Nation that he witnessed how his vehicle was vandalised by the hoodlums, but he could not come out because he was afraid.

    He said: “It all started around 2am. The hooligans came to terrorise us in our community, I was in my room upstairs where I peeped through the window. I saw the way my car was vandalised. The glasses were broken, but the fear of death did not allow me to challenge the hoodlums, as they were armed.”

    He appealed to the government to tighten security at Oworonshoki and assist the victims financially.

  • Monarch, residents praise BEDC for reconnection

    The Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Felix Balogun, and some residents have commended the management and staff of Benin Electricity Distribution Company Plc (BEDC) for getting the town reconnected to the national grid.

    Speaking during a Town Hall meeting organized by BEDC in Igbokoda, Oba Balogun, noted that the distribution company (DisCo) not only deserved praise for the reconnection, but also for being on ground with its technical staff to resolve likely teething problems that may arise due to the prolonged outage.

    He appealed to residents to be patient with BEDC in completing the power restoration to the 11 outstanding distribution transformers. It will be recalled that 10 substations that were energized as at Wednesday included; Larada, General Hospital Secretariat road substation, Ikuomola, Ilara, Orioketilu, Church substation, Okoga College road/Omotehin, GRA1, GRA4/NDDC and Broadstreet substation.

    Oba Balogun further urged residents to work hand in hand with BEDC staff in ensuring that electricity supply reached all parts of Igbokoda, adding that now that electricity was restored, they should ensure prompt payment of their bills to strengthen relationship with the power firm, assuring that he would personally lead the team collecting bills to facilitate payment “especially now that BEDC has come to our aid in ensuring that we have light.”

    Also, several indigenes of Igbokoda praised BEDC for facilitating the reconnection of Igbokoda in collaboration with the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) back to the grid.

    They urged the firm to complete the energisation of the remaining 11 distribution substations in the town, with a view to provide  regular supply to the people.

    Tanimowo Igbokoyi and Prince Folorunso Oyeyemi both indigenes of Igbokoda equally lauded BEDC for the restoration of electricity supply to the town saying “we thank you for making Ilaje happy. There is light now in Igbokoda. We are grateful to BEDC for giving us light after 10years. May God help them”.

    Also, the Chief State Head, Ondo/Ekiti State, Mrs. Kunbi Labiyi remarked that the restoration was made possible through the collaboration between Federal Government through the Niger Delta Power Holding Company and BEDC and that the supply was from Ondo Transmission Substation.

    Labiyi said the Igbokoda reconnection was the Phase 1, while Phase 2 she said will entail the energisation of the outstanding 11 transformers, adding that the Phase 3 will connect new communities yet to be on the national grid.

    She, however, said that the present Ondo Transmission Station feeder which supplies electricity to Igbokoda town was lengthy and thus prone to fault, adding that the 132kva Erinje substation if worked upon by federal government, would serve the whole of Ondo South including Igbokoda more.

     

     

  • Residents urge govt to lift ban on street carnivals

    Some residents of Lagos have appealed to the state government to lift the ban on street carnivals especially during the Yuletide.

    They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the carnivals promoted brotherhood and faith among residents.

    The carnivals, they  added, strengthened the spirit of reunion among relatives and neighbours, who looked forward to meeting themselves on such occasions.

    According to them Yuletide without street carnivals was like soup without salt and other condiments that would make it delicious.

    The government banned street carnivals some years ago, saying they were avenues for hoodlums to unleash terror on the people.

    It introduced “One Lagos Fiesta,” which is celebrated in the five divisions of the state-Lagos, Ikeja, Badagry, Epe and Ikorodu-during the Yuletide.

    A Disc Jockey (DJ), Peter Nwafor, who participated in the 2017 “One Lagos Fiesta”, said the carnivals always happened yearly, adding that they served as sources of reunion among families.

    “Most carnivals now celebrated in forms of festivals bring people of different ethnic groups living within the same environment together to rejoice with one another.

    “They promote diverse cultures by bringing people from different ethnic groups together, who regard themselves as one entity,” he said.

    A dancer, Promise Idiala,  advised organisers of the “One Lagos Fiesta” to be transparent in relating with those they recruit.

    He said that would bring sanity and orderliness to carnivals and festivals.

    A youth organiser, Femi Odunlami, urged stakeholders to engage in proper planning to succeed.

    He enjoined youths recruited as ad-hoc workers to be patient with the organisers so that the events could go as planned.

    A musician, Ismael Lawal, popularly known as “King Songo”, said besides a festival being for fun, well-managed ones offer economic and social benefits to the host communities.

    “It boosts the economy of the host community, because its residents will produce souvenirs such as caps, T-shirts and cups for sale to visitors and guests,” he said.

     

  • Residents accuse woman of blocking Aguda canal

    Some residents of Aguda in Surulere, Lagos, have accused a woman of blocking their canal, causing incessant flooding in the area.

    They claimed that she had sandfilled the canal, with the intention of building on it.

    A resident Mrs. Ebun Oseni, said the problem began in June 2017 when the woman, Mrs. Arinola Ogbara claimed that the canal was on her mother’s land.

    “I did not know this woman before; neither did I know her mother. I saw her for the first time in this community when she came to begin work. She told me that the land belongs to her mother, and I replied that the place is not a land but a canal. I asked her how a canal would belong to her mother, but she insisted that it’s her mother’s property and not a canal.

    “She had a meeting with the community and insisted that the place is a land and it belongs to her mother. She showed us the documents, including the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O). But I don’t know if they are genuine or not.  We asked her what her plan was for the community, because whenever it rains, our area is usually flooded. She said she has a plan, explaining that she will get those who will take care of our gutters. We told her she is free to go ahead with what she wants to do. She thanked us and agreed to comply with the agreement.

    “Mrs. Ogbara later began sand-filling the place without fulfilling her promise. Since then, whenever it rains, our community will be submerged by flood.”

    She alleged that Mrs. Ogbara’s workers were always accompanied to the site by armed uniform men.

    “This woman feels she is doing the right thing. She claims the Ministry of the Environment is aware of her project. We have complained to the Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development and Governor Akinwumi Ambode, to no avail,” Mrs. Oseni said.

    Read also: Police declare Mustapha Seigo wanted for “attempting to disrupt APC rally”

    But Mrs. Ogbara insisted that the land belongs to her mother.

    She said: “The land was purchased by my mother in 1972. She obtained the C of O in 1994. It was purchased twice. The first purchase was from Wahab Irawo and family and the second was from the Jokotade family. We have the C of O, agreement and even the receipt my mother used to buy it.

    “When my mother purchased the land, she sand filled it. But it costs a lot of money to sand fill it, so she could not complete the sand-filling because she needed to send us to school.

    “We have appealed to the community that they should come together and look for a solution to the flood problem, but everybody has refused. They said I should go and do it, but I cannot afford to fix the drainage for the entire community.

    “The Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development have invited the community to a meeting to find a solution to the problem, but the residents refused.”

     

  • Residents seek speedy completion of Ajah roads

    Residents of Ajah Lekki; Lagos, are seeking early completion of their roads.

    They said the development was causing gridlock.

    The residents, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday said the roads, which appeared to have been abandoned, were affecting businesses.

    They added that the roads had become almost impassable.

    Some motorists said the roads had damaged their vehicles.

    A shop owner, Mrs. Fatia Lawal, condemned the deplorable condition of the roads.

    She said the bad roads were affecting sales.

    “These roads have worsened over the years,” Lawal added.

    A driver, Mr. Isaiah Thompson, said there was incessant traffic jam on the Lekki-Ajah Expressway because vehicles could no longer manoeuvre in to the inner roads, which are under construction.

    He said some of the roads could not be used by motorists.

    Thompson identified the major roads and streets where construction had stopped as Thomas Estate link road, Badore road, Langbasa road, Ajah bridge link road, Terminal bus stop by Ajah bridge side, among others.

    A businesswoman, Mrs Nkechi Nwachukwu, urged the government to intensify efforts in completing the roads, noting that the projects were 80 per cent completed.

    She said: “The Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration has really done well in the area of infrastructure development across the state, but needs to do more.

    Read also: May our road be rough in 2019!

    “The government should use the remaining months to complete projects across the state.

    “The era of abandoned projects should be a thing of the past. The administration should ensure completion of the projects before leaving office.”

    Nwachukwu said residents had written to the government to complete the projects.

    “The government should complete the terminal bus stop at Ajah by the bridge side in order to ease the suffering of motorists and boost business patronage in that axis,” she said.