The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rotimi Olowo

  • Lagos budget: Oshodi transport interchange, bus projects endangered

    The recently commissioned world class Oshodi Transport Interchange and high and medium capacity buses for public transportation in Lagos by President Muhammadu Buhari may be endangered if what transpired during the debate on the report of the Appropriation committee of the Lagos State House of Assembly and subsequent passage of the budget on Monday is anything to go by.

    The projects which were initiated and still on-going by the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration have unresolved issues with the state Assembly which would affect their speedy completion by this administration.

    Infact the projects were the only issues that came up for mention during the debate of the Appropriation committee report on the 2019 budget at plenary on Monday before the budget was eventually passed.

    Part of the recommendation of the committee as contained in the report was that the money budgeted for the completion of the projects should be deleted from the 2019 budget which would have meant stalling or stopping work out rightly on the projects.

    Our investigations into why the House revealed that there are issues, of non-compliance by the executive to directives of the Assembly concerning the projects, involved.

    However, during the brief debate on the committee report at plenary, Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Rotimi Abiru advised or suggested that instead of deleting the monies for the projects out rightly from the budget it should be transferred to Special Expenditure fund.

    Former Chairman of the Appropriation committee, Hon. Rotimi Olowo who spoke after Abiru supported the suggestion, they were the only two people who contributed to the debate and this was the only issue raised before the committee’s report was adopted as a resolution of the House and budget was subsequently passed.

    The implication of remitting the monies to the special expenditure fund is that the governor cannot assess the money unless he makes recourse to the House.

    Our investigations revealed that the lawmakers took this step because; according to them the two projects are alien or unknown to the House.

    According to a source in the House who craved anonymity, “the Oshodi transport interchange and bus projects as captured in the budget are unknown to the House; the two projects are not really known to this House because they were not budgetted for in the previous budgets”.

    Read Also: Ethnic groups seek harmony in Oshodi

    Our source further revealed that although the governor made request for them during the 2018 budget re-ordering, but when the House demanded for more information on the projects from the Executive there was no response.

    “So what the House did in the last budget, there were some expenditures that we put under special expenditure fund because we needed more information on these projects which was not given to us when we were working on the budget and this two projects fall into that category.

    “The reason for keeping them in special expenditure is that whenever the governor wants to assess the money he will make recourse to the House so that whatever we need to know will be explained to us.

    “But despite the fact that we gave that order from 2018 budget, the executive was spending that money without making recourse to the House and that is why the House is saying the projects are not known to it.”

    It is these same projects that the executive is making request for further funding in the 2019 budget which the House has declined.

    “The reason for declining the request is because of the previous instruction that we gave which they did not comply with.”

    A lawmaker who also craved anonymity said the lawmakers agreed at their parliamentary meeting to move the funds to Special Expenditure for two reasons.

    Firstly, deleting them completely from the budget will affect the total size of the budget which was ready for passage and would result to further delay in trying to reconcile the budget with the new reality.

    And secondly, “now a new government is coming in, Ambode is going, taking the expenditure for the two items to the special expenditure fund means that the new administration can still assess the monies and continue with the projects once it makes recourse to the Assembly for approval,” he said.

    However, since it is just one month to the end of the lifespan of this administration Lagosians might really not have to wait for too long for the continuation and completion of the projects, that is if the incoming administration makes it a priority.

     

  • Lagos Assembly urges Ambode to clamp down on fake job advertisers

    Lagos Assembly urges Ambode to clamp down on fake job advertisers

    The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday urged Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to work with security agencies to check the spate of fake job advertisements in the state.

    The call followed a motion moved by Mr Abiodun Tobun (APC-Epe I) at the Assembly on the security challenges emanating from such fake adverts that were pasted on street walls in the state.

    Tobun prayed the House to call on Ambode to direct the Commissioner of Police, Department of State Security ( DSS ) and the State Neighborhood Safety Corps to curb the activities of scammers who defraud job seekers.

    “This motion is borne out of conviction. If you go around Lagos, you will be amazed seeing the number of adverts of jobs that are non-existent with a view to luring unsuspected youth into their dens,” he said.

    According to him, some victims are kidnapped, raped or even die in the process.

    “Ritual killers also use that as a strategy. It is time to track down this and ensure that it is nipped in the bud,“ Tobun, Acting Chairman, House Committee on Works and Infrastructure said.

    Contributing, the Acting Chairman, House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Rotimi Olowo said: “When population is moving geometrically and job is growing arithmetically, there is going to be vacuum.

    “They come up with strategy to recruit and maim and kill. I am worried as a politician because 2019 is around the corner, people will believe the politicians are the ones who need human parts.’’

    Olowo said that the Lagos State Signage and Advertisements Agency ( LASAA ) must ensure scammers are detected.

    Also speaking, Mr Segun Olulade (APC-Epe II) called on the newly established Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps to do more in terms of intelligence gathering.

    “We have seen a lot of advertisements on walls in the streets claiming what they are not,’’ he said.

    Mr Yinka Ogundimu, on his part, said that emphasis should be laid on publicity and enlightenment.

    Ogundimu called for the sustenance of the state’s Employment Trust Fund, aimed at providing loans for small scale businesses.

    Mr Rasheed Makinde (APC-Ifako-Ijaiye II) in the House, who noted that he had once been a victim of such sharp practices, said that Lagos State was working assiduously to provide jobs.

    He urged the Federal Government to do the same to curb influx of unemployed youth into the state.

    In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa said: “it is not out of place to seek for jobs but the situation has turned upside down.

    “I strongly believe that the neighborhood safety corps is not doing enough in this aspect.’’

    Obasa called on the corps to verify claims on adverts placed on walls and liaise with the police in intelligence gathering to address the trend.

    NAN

  • Lagos Assembly moves to return history teaching

    Lagos Assembly moves to return history teaching

    The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution to revive teaching and learning of history as a subject in schools for nation building.

    The House called on Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to direct relevant ministries and agencies of the state to revive and enhance teaching of history.

    The Assembly also called on the state ministry of education to brief the House committee on education on strategies to be used to achieve the goal.

    The Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Olumuyiwa Jimoh, who moved the motion, said that there had been a decline in the teaching of history in schools.

    “Our history and collective patrimonies should be taught in schools to address some of the fundamental issues on nation building and give us direction.

    “Without history, we are a lost race; it is through history we know our origin and tradition.

    “We need to resuscitate it and make its teaching compulsory. Without our history, there is no way we can develop,” he said.

    Other lawmakers also decried the decline in history teaching in schools, saying that Nigeria had suffered much from the decline.

    According to them, history is important for the socio-economic, cultural and political development of the nation.

    The lawmaker decried the decision of the National Council of Education in 2007 that teaching of history was not necessary in schools.

    The Chairman, House Committee on Education, Mr Lanre Ogunyemi, said it was sad that history was no longer taught in many schools.

    Ogunyemi said that subjects such as social studies, civic education and government could not replace history.

    “The importance of history to mankind can’t be overemphasised because it helps us to remember the past and shape our future.

    “ No one can kill history no matter how he tries. The earlier we bring back teaching of history in our schools, the better for us,” he said.

    Mr Rotimi Olowo, the Chairman, House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, said that study of history would enhance national integration and economic prosperity.

    “Studying the evolution of Nigeria will make us to appreciate ethnic diversities, national resources and end many agitations.

    “The economy of Nigeria is in comatose because we fail to appreciate history.

    “ Teaching of history is imperative and is capable of moving the nation to the next level,” Olowo said.

    Mr Jude Idimogu (APC-Oshodi/Isolo II) said that agitations might have been avoided if history were well taught in schools.

    Mr Oladele Adekanye, the Chairman, House Committee on Commerce and Industry, who decried that many graduates of history were jobless, said that history teaching was essential.

    In his submission, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa described history as a teacher.

    Obasa said: “History is like a teacher teaching us where we were, where we are, and the way to go.

    “It is to our own advantage politically, economically, culturally and others.

    “It is important to return history to our school curriculum.

  • Lagos @50: Somolu residents hail Ambode for inclusive governance

    Residents of Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos State on Tuesday applauded Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode for inclusive governance and outstanding performance as the state counts down to its 50 years celebration.

    The residents, who spoke through their Community Development Committee (CDC) at a news conference to commemorate Lagos at 50, said Ambode had excelled in governance and infrastructure development.

    High Chief Modupe Oluwole, the Vice-Chairperson of the CDC, an umbrella body of 38 Community Development Associations (CDAs) in the area, said the governor’s achievements in the state and Somolu especially, were enormous.

    Oluwole, the Jomu Lobun of Ondo Kingdom said: “The Lagos success story can be traced to inclusive government by past and present administrations, and worthy of note is the productive effort of Gov. Ambode.

    “Various community development projects within the state are responsible for the brand that Lagos State represents.

    “For us in Somolu, we are very grateful to the government for positive impact in our community, ranging from infrastructure to education, health, empowerment and security”.

    According to her, some of the success stories in Somolu include Akinwunmi Ambode Primary Healthcare Centre, Eko Free Health Services programme, rehabilitations of Angus Memorial Model College and Ola-Olu Primary, Agunbiade.

    She also commended Ambode on the construction of Anifowoshe, Okunsuna, Odunlade and Abiodun roads among other development projects which moved the CDC to organise the event.

    “As an indigene and number one current female High Chief in Ondo Kingdom, Lagos is also my part of my success story as an accomplished entrepreneur. It is indeed a land of possibilities.

    “While we are appreciating His Excellency, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode for what his administration has done so far, we call on him to facilitate completion of Shodimu and Bolaji Omupo streets.

    “We also need a vocational training centre to empower both our young and old people so as to further improve the standard of living of our people in Somolu,” Oluwole said.

    The community leader urged the electorate and aspirants in the forthcoming council elections to shun violence and embrace peace.

    She advised the residents to vote only for trusted and tested candidates that would complement the efforts of Ambode at the grassroots.

    Meanwhile, Mr Rotimi Olowo, representing Somolu Constituency I at the Lagos State House of Assembly said that the state’s success story in 50 years would not be complete without Somolu.

     

  • Lagos lawmaker harps on robust SMEs for economic recovery

    Mr Rotimi Olowo, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, on Wednesday said that robust Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would strengthen the nation’s economy.

    Olowo (APC-Somolu I) said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    He spoke on the Federal Government’s economic recovery plan.

    “A lot of Nigerians are in depression due to economic recession.

    “We should make funds available to Small and Medium Enterprises.

    “We should make the banks to do their job of financing investments.

    “We have a lot of enterprises that cannot meet up because of issues that border on finance and infrastructure,” he said.

    According to him, the government also needs to give more attention to job creation, provision of power and improving security.

    He said: “We need to empower the people, empower our industries and empower security personnel.

    “It should be enduring security arrangements that will guarantee protection of lives and investments.

    “Nigeria cannot bounce back if we don’t invest in security, infrastructure and technology.”

    The lawmaker also urged the government to do more to diversify the economy to simulate growth.

    On the Federal Government’s borrowing plan, Olowo said that there was nothing wrong in borrowing for capital projects necessary to revamp the economy.

    He urged intensified efforts to end economic recession.