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  • Infrastructural development for boundary community

    Ahead of the commencement of the re-development of Isheri, a boundary community between Ogun and Lagos states, located along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC), says it has concluded review of the scope of the area and commenced putting in place roads and some infrastructure preparatory to meeting the needs of the changes that would take place.

    The Managing Director of OPIC Mr. Jide Odusolu revealed this recently in a chat with reporters.

    According to him, the re-development of Isheri would see the entire area transformed into a mixed-used development where people could live and work. He explained that this concept is to show the new face of Ogun State; especially to show the world that the “Gateway State” is ready to compete favourably with the very best that her neighbour, Lagos State, has to offer, in terms of luxury living.

    “We are re-developing the event centre in the area into a major entertainment centre; we are building three additional office complexes there. We are also putting in place, a mall and a hotel to support it but the first step is infrastructure which is what we are putting in place now with the construction of over 1.5 kilometres of road networks around this neighbourhood,” Odusolu explained.

    In line with this, and to properly position its luxury residential development, OPIC has done extensive work on its MTR Gardens, an upscale development of over 180 units of two and three-bedroom apartments. The three bedroom flat, which sits on a 176 square meters (sqm) is sold at N32 million; while its shell sells for N24 million. The completed two bedroom on the other hand, sits on 78 sqm and sells for N18.5 million; its shell sells for N14 million.

    Other features as explained by Odusolu includes installation of artisanal water of 520 meter depth, which is pumped into overhead tanks to serve the estate; recreational center; electricity supply from the national grid as well as generator power supply. Mortgage facility for these houses is provided by Gateway Mortgage Bank at 18 percent across a 15 year tenor. Once a subscriber pays up to 50 percent of the total cost, he gets the keys to the house, while upon full payment, the title documents are handed over to him.

    Read also: ‘We ‘ll deliver on state infrastructure master plan’

    The MTR Gardens concept, which started in 2015, according to Odusolu, is designed to be like the famous 1004 flats in Victoria Island, Lagos. “When we first came here, this place was a swamp. What led to the project was that the community wrote to the governor complaining that the whole area had become like a den of armed robbers and it was creating chaos for them. We then decided we wanted to create a new place with a mall, commercial area and residential buildings, we saw the potential of the place,” he explained.

    The MTR Gardens, built on reclaimed land from swamp, is in its first phase; when the second phase which is planned to accommodate about 600 houses, is completed, then a full commercial city, which will have a mall and commercial centre with broadband internet service, including one megawatts of Independent Power Plant (IPP), would have been built.

    Odusolu further summed up the initiative thus: “The first thing we did was reclamation, the soil here is worse than Lekki, it was a low land and there was nowhere for the water to go out. It was all sludge, meaning there was a lot soil to be removed. In Lekki, you just fill and start construction but here we had to remove soil because without that nothing can settle. We started with a process of reclamation, resettlement and infrastructure. The idea is to create a holistic community where people can live and work. People here have no business shuttling between here and Lagos.”

    He added that the vision is to recreate a great quality of life, capable of enabling people to invest more, live, play and thrive in Ogun state, knowing that it is their home.

    Odusolu said to tackle the problem of flooding in the area, his Corporation had to created a one kilometre channel taking water from the Express Road into the canal. He added that to also complement the development in the area, OPIC was working on residential estates in Warewa and Magboro.

    “In Warewa and Magboro, we are doing a lower-middle model of what we have here while in New Makun City, we have low to lower middle housing, which is exclusively for affordable housing and everything about it is done through mortgage. You can’t create exclusively upscale communities, at the same time, you can’t create exclusively lower scale communities, it is not viable. You must have a blended development that gives the robust answer to Nigeria’s housing needs,” he said.

  • Training for 150 miners in Osun

    No fewer than 150 participants drawn from Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo states attended a five-day training programme tagged “Extension Services to Artisanal and Small-scale Miners” in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

    The training programme was sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. The workshop provided technical knowledge and competence on mining for the participants to improve their skills and boost the economy of the state and the country.

    In his address, the team leader of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to the workshop, Engr. Olabisi Mojoyinola, said the Federal Government has recognised the importance of mining to national economy.

    Mojoyinola, who represented the ministry’s Director of Artisanal and Small-scale Mining, Mr. Patrick Ojeka, said the Federal Government has adopted a strategy termed formalisation through “Co-operation” to address the artisanal mining issues and to use it as an instrument to address poverty in the host mining communities in the rural areas.

    He further said in spite of inherent problems associated with informal mining, the artisanal and small-scale mining is a livelihood strategy adopted primarily to alleviate poverty in rural areas in most countries and “when properly organized, it can contribute to the socio-economic development at the grassroots.”

    Speaking further, he said: “Section 91 of the Mineral and Mining Act 2007 provides for extension services for registered and performing mining co-operatives, quarrying association and small-scale mining companies. Government, therefore, is expected to provide extension service programmes for the miners.

    “Prospecting and exploration services should be provided for to determine the geological setting, structure and nature of occurrences, quantity and quality of minerals being mined. Government should provide mineral testing standard and determination of mineral grades and provide proven mineral reserves evaluation, including feasibility reports. Government should also assist small-scale miners on mine design and planning suitable for the deposit.”

    In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Osun Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Chief Babatunde Falohun, urged the Federal Government to recognise the place of mining in boosting national economy.

    Falohun, a geologist, maintained that mining could provide an opportunity for the government to diversify the economy.

    Also, a mining consultant, Engr. Garuba Bida, advised the government to sanitise the mining sector in order to maximise its benefits for the individuals, communities, states and the country. The representative of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel in Osun State, Engr. Umar Kabir, who acknowledged the role of technology in mining exploration, said the workshop was designed to expose participants to trending methods and skills in the mining sector.

    Speaking at the opening session before declaring the workshop open, the Osun State Governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, promised to make mining of mineral resources found in the state work for the development of the people and the host communities. The governor said rejuvenation of the mining sector of the state economy is a major cardinal programme of his administration.

    Represented by the Executive Secretary, Office of the Forestry and Natural Resources, Mr. Simeon Lanlehin, the governor said his interest in the mining sector is based on its potential for its prosperity multiplier effect and huge labour employer.

    Stressing that the training programme will ginger the participants to be more active on the field, Oyetola said mining could create employment opportunities for teeming young population in the state.

    The governor, who said the objective of the workshop is to provide technical competence for stakeholders in the mining sector of the state economy, lamented that illegal activities of some miners have become inimical to the environment and exposes the people in “our communities to serious health hazards.”

    Oyetola revealed that gold is the most mined natural resource by artisanal and small-scale miners in the state whose activities are majorly unprofessional, unregulated, unsafe and unprofitable to government.

    He, therefore, pledged support for the Federal Government to make mining take the country to the next level, saying Osun and many other states are blessed with abundant mineral resources, including gold.

  • Foundation celebrates 5th anniversary

    Princess Modupe Ogunbayo Foundation has concluded plans to celebrate its fifth anniversary. The celebration will take place at the multipurpose Hall of Saints Joachim and Anne Catholic Church Ijegun, Ikotun Lagos. Although the foundation which caters for widows, orphans and the less privileged was established in 1982 in Ile-Ife but was launched in 2014.

    Since its launch, the foundation has been giving scholarships to children of widows, orphans and the less privileged and providing foods and other relief materials, including free medical services.

    The foundation has also helped widows to establish small businesses in order to sustain them and to restore their dignity. This it achieves through provision of soft loans to the widows so as to sustain their businesses.

    According to the initiator of the foundation Princess Modupe Ogunbayo, helping the needy has also been there since her days as a young girl while growing up in Jos, Plateau State.

    “My father was a senior civil servant and we lived in the quarters in Jos. Each time I went to town to sell for my mother I saw a lot of poor children roaming around place and when I talk to them they tell me they don’t have parents. Then, as a nurse, I noticed a lot of poverty among the people. I saw a lot of widows suffering from the hands of their in-laws,” said Princess Ogunbayo.

    Continuing, she said: “I worked as a nurse in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH); an area surrounded by poverty. I always have empathy for them. It grew up with me and when I had the opportunity, I started it with some other women in 1982.

    She noted that she was not motivated by material gains in establishing the NGO.

    She said: ‘I am not looking for any material gains. I derive joy when I see these people happy.

    Many of them came here very miserable and some even had suicidal tendencies according to their testimonies when they joined. My joy is that I see them and their children happy and their children progressing. Most of them can now render helping hands to others,” she said.

    One of the beneficiaries of the foundation, Mrs John Elizabeth said: “I came here with tears in my eyes five years ago when my in-laws frustrated me but when I met with Mama, she advised and encouraged me. I was given a grinding machine to start a small business and it has really helped me in taking care of my family.”

  • Community leader donates fans, cash to hospital

    The Head of Oke-Ahun community in Efon-Kingdom, Ekiti State, Alahun Jacob Adelowo Omole II has donated 10 ceiling fans to the Efon General Hospital.

    He also gave cash to patients in the hospital.

    Adelowo urged other eminent Nigerians from the ancient town to assist the hospital and patients generously.

    He said he decided to donate the items to the hospital because when he visited the hospital for treatment, he discovered that the facility has no fans. The Alahun said the gesture was to complement Governor Kayode Fayemi’s efforts in the health sector.

    Read also: Court resolves Ekiti communal land dispute

    Praising the governor, Adelowo said he has done a lot to make doctors and nurses comfortable in Ekiti State.

    He added: “We should all know that government alone cannot provide all the hospital and other government establishments need to operate successfully.”

    The event was witnessed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Joseph Alake, the Erugbua of Obalu Quarters, Efon Kingdom; Chief Alaraka, Chief Oloro, Chief Elejofi, Mrs. Olayinka Adelowo and members of staff of the hospital.

    Alake, who promised to donate a modern electronic oxygen bank to the hospital, urged well-meaning indigenes of the town to emulate the Alahun.

  • Firm unveils new homes, opportunities in real estate

    For the umpteenth time, stakeholders in the real estate sector have said that real estate investment remains most profitable investment with a high returns on investment (ROI). This, they contend, is why smart investors with the foresight of where the investment climate swings in real time, position themselves to become richer.

    This was the submission of the Managing Director of Richlife Properties Ltd, a subsidiary of Richlife Commercial & Logistics Ltd, Mr. Bankole Oluwasheyi, at the firm’s inaugural investors’ forum in Lagos, at the weekend.

    According to him, there is future in investing in real estate because of abundant benefits to be derived from such investment.

    He noted that the initiative to invest in real estate will address housing deficit currently facing the country, pointing out that investors’ confidence in the firm should be bolstered by her track record. “We have over 10,000 customer base, 16 estates across the country, capital base of N4 billion in three years of the company with workforce of over 1000. With these achievements of the company in just three years of commencing business, it means we are in a position to talk about business opportunities,” Oluwasheyi noted.

    Speaking on importance of real estate investment, Mr. Uduak Ekpenyong, a director in the group, said investing in real estate is a win-win situation for everybody- the company, investors and even the landowners.

    He explained that the bulk purchase of land brings about economy of scale, meaning it is cheaper when one is buying land in acres or hectares, adding that the subscribers to the housing scheme will not have problems with land grabbers.

    He said above all, the land in question continues to appreciate in value and will have a high return on investment ultimately.

    On profitability of investing in real estate, another speaker at the event, Mr. Olufemi Awonuga, said apart from profit making by investing in real estate, other benefits of the investment include full control of the property by the investor, there is an investment for every budget, which means that whatever your budget is, you will have property to invest in.

    Awonuga pointed out that investment in real estate is flexible, it does not require special skill to do that, it is not too late to invest in real estate, it is one of the most profitable investments, and a few years after investment, you will be glad you did.

    While unveiling its New Lagos Homes which is located in Ibeju-Lekki, Oluwasheyi said the estate is a 30-acre property situated in the strategic and developing area of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, pointing out that the axis is the new Lagos as a result of the high concentration of developments springing up in the area such as Dangote Refinery which is expected to be the world’s biggest single-train facility estimated to cost 14 billion dollars, Lekki International Airport, Deep sea port, Free Trade Zone and others.

    “This offer is an opportunity for you to invest and own a piece of the New Lagos Homes. After two years, the investor gets back his principal, 20 per cent interest per annum and still retains his plot within the estate after this two years period depending on amount invested. N10 million investment for two years gets 20 per cent guaranteed return on investment per annum and 800 square metres plot in the New Lagos Homes currently valued at N5 million”, Oluwasheyi stated.

  • Oyo steps up agric production with 33 excavators

    The Oyo State government has officially taken delivery of 33 Caterpillar Next Generation Excavators from Mantrac Nigeria Limited at a ceremony held at the governor’s office Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital.

    The 33 excavators were formally presented to the 33 local government areas by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

    Present at the event was the Deputy Governor, Otumba Moses Adeyemo, top government officials, traditional and religious leaders. A delegation of Mantrac Nigeria Limited, the authorised dealer for Caterpillar Products and Services in Nigeria, led by its Public Sector Manager, Mr. Alex Nwoko was present for the formal hand over.

    In his address, Governor Ajimobi said: “The excavators were acquired in order to boost agricultural production, improve rescue operations, urban renewal and for other environmental intervention purposes.”

    He recalled that one of the excavators was effectively deployed for rescue operations during a recent building collapse in Ibadan. It helped in rescuing victims from the rubble.

    He said: “The latest investment is in addition to the 33 machinery earlier acquired. The earthmovers will be used by the 33 local government areas and the 35 local council development areas (LCDAs).”

    He noted that the equipment are of high quality, adding that “we are proud to be associated with you at Mantrac Nigeria, your products and your professionalism. The inauguration of the excavators is another unprecedented feat.”

    The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Bimbo Kolade said the acquisition of the excavators was not just another first in Oyo State, but in Nigeria.

    “There has not been a single government in Nigeria that has, at one time, inaugurated 33 excavators. These are not just excavators but the latest of their kind anywhere in the world. Indeed, this is another first for us. Each excavator comes with full automation, that is, it can be controlled so much so that it can only move within the desired limit,” he said.

    The Public Sector Manager, Mantrac Nigeria, Mr. Alex Nwoko described the occasion as “a great honour”

    “We are proud to say that this is the highest single investment by any state or Federal Government in road construction in over 20 years. So, we are happy to be part of this partnership.

    “It is also remarkable to note that the excavators are caterpillar next generation of excavators (NGE) and I am proud to announce that Oyo State government is one of its first and largest users in Africa.

    “It reduces maintenance cost by up to 25 per cent, increases operational efficiency up to 40 per cent and increases fuel efficiency by up to 15 per cent, over previous models. To ensure good return on investment, Mantrac Nigeria provides Caterpillar-backed service agreement, covering regular parts and service, two-year extended warranty as well as operators training.

    “As the machines are remotely located, the caterpillar advanced product link technology will ensure their effective monitoring from the state headquarters to help achieve equipment availability. We are committed to offering our support to ensure adequate return on this investment,” he said.

    The Chairman Ibadan North West Local Government Area, Bashorun Bosun Ajuwon, on behalf of his colleagues, promised to use the excavators judiciously.

  • Breaking: APC adopts Gbajabiamila, zones deputy slot to North-Central

    The All Progressives Congress (APC ) has endorsed the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi  Gbajabiamila as its candidate for the Office of the Speaker in the 9th National Assembly.

    The party has also zoned the slot for Deputy Speaker to North-Central.

    According to a terse statement by the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the adoption of Gbajabiamila was arrived at during a dinner between President Muhammadu Buhari and House members-elect at the Presidential Villa.

    Read also: 9th NASS leadership: Buhari host reps elect to dinner

    The statement said: ” The APC has adopted Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as its candidate for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly.

    “This position was reached after an intensive deliberation with the APC’s House of Representatives members-elect at a dinner with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Banquet Hall of Aso Villa.

    “The Deputy Speaker position has been zoned to the North Central.”

     

  • 9th NASS leadership: Buhari host reps elect to dinner

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday hosted All Progressives Congress (APC) members of House of Representatives-elect to a dinner at Statehouse Conference Center.

    The dinner according to a source is meant to ensure unity among the newly elected members of the National Assembly as they look forward towards electing leadership of the 9th National Assembly.

    The 9th Assembly commences in June 2019.

    Already, the leadership of the party had maintained that the party’s candidate must emerge as leadership of the National Assembly.

    The National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and the National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, at different occasion had warned their party men and women that as the party with majority, they must produce the leadership of both houses.

    The party nominated Senator Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila for the position of Senate President and Speakership respectively.

    This, however, did not go down well with Former Senate leader, Ali Ndume who also declared his intention to run for the Senate Presidency despite the endorsement of the current Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan for position by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

    While House spokesman Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa), Ahmed Wase (APC, Plateau) and Umar Bago (APC, Niger) are challenging the party nominated candidate, Gbajabiamila for the speakership position.

    The other challenger, Muhammad Monguno who is the current Chairman Committee on Agricultural Productions and Services, Hon. Muhammad Monguno last week withdrew from the race for Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives.

    Monguno, who represents Marte/Monguno/Nganzai Federal Constituency of Borno State, said Gbajabiamila was the most qualified among all contenders.

     

  • ‘Poor technology infrastructure affecting on- demand transportation in Nigeria’

    European on-demand transportation platform – Bolt has identified poor telecommunications infrastructure as one of the factors militating against the growth of urban transportation in Nigeria.

    Bolt Regional Manager, West Africa, Uche Okafor disclosed in Lagos on Monday.

    This is just as the company has received over $175 million funding from its investors.

    Its investors include: Daimler, Didi Chuxing, Korelya Capital and TransferWise.

    Bolt, formerly known as Taxify is the leading European transportation platform that focus on making urban travel easier, quicker and more reliable.

    The acceptable level of funding puts  Bolt ahead of competitors including Uber put at $19 million; Didi $ 20 billion; Grab $7 million Lyft $ 5 million and Ola $ 4 million.

    According to Okafor, hitches arising from difficulties to connect with poor telecommunications network often affects payment processing between riders and drivers in Nigeria utilizing the global urban transportation value chain.

    Okafor said the Estonian – born technology company; formerly known as Taxify in the last five years of its existence plans to expand its operations in Nigeria beyond Lagos; Abuja; Ibadan; Owerri and Benin City.

    He said more Nigerians are embracing urban transportation with brands like Bolts, which has since its inception served over 24 million customers in over 30 countries in Europe and Africa.

    Okafor said Bolt recently changed its brand identity to reflect the company’s broader vision of transportation that has already expanded from ride-hailing, with cars and motorbikes to scooter sharing.

    He spoke of plans by Bolt to expand to other Nigerian cities to meet the yawning gap in urban transportation Even as plans were afoot to venture into courier services and food vending.

    Okafor said the company besides grappling with challenges of poor technology infrastructure, hopes to venture into electric transportation as technology improves in the urban transportation value chain.

    He said the company is handling customer complaint associated with biometric of its drivers, whom he said go through thorough background checks before they are signed up into the platform.

    The Bolt Regional Manager said the company has entered into partnership with officials of Nigeria Police Force to handle identity management challenges affecting its drivers to boost the confidence of customers.

    He said the company has put some processes in place to deal with drivers who bypass its system to either hoodwink or deceive customers.

    Okafor said punitive measures have been designed by the company to take care of drivers who are not willing to comply with its regulations.

    He said Bolt was running a lean operational structure in Nigeria because of car supply requirements, which is key sustaining the demand from customers from some areas.

    He said Bolt has entered into agreement with Smile Communications, to facilitate high-speed internet services for its drivers across its operational locations.

    Okafor said:” Though Bolt is a few years in operations in Nigeria, as a player in the urban transportation value chain we are grappling with huge concerns including poor telecommunications network.

    “There infrastructure dearth in Nigeria. Our drivers need good telecommunications network to connect with their customers especially in the area of processing payment for transactions. This is why we have acquired Smile bundles as part of the technology boost needed for the business. Another challenge is that some areas have poor mapping, and our drivers find it hard to access such locations. If issues concerning poor telecommunications infrastructure is addressed , adequate mapping on the global positioning systems and higher internet penetration, the business could be better.”

    He said the company intends to increase growth for on-demand urban transportation from four per cent to 28 per cent by 2028.

    On the change of brand identity, Okafor said:” While we have made progress on our mission, we have started to outgrow parts of our brand, including the name. Given our ambition to solve transportation problems on an increasingly broader scale, we want the brand to reflect the company’s future rather than the past.”

  • ‘25,000 underage Nigerians use tobacco products daily’

    No fewer than 25,000 underage Nigerians use tobacco products daily, Nigerian activists under the aegis of the Tobacco Free Nigeria campaign says.

    Ms Ebiuwa Uwagboe, a campaign specialist at Gatefield, the public strategy group backing the campaign disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Uwagboe called on government to enforce the law banning the sale of tobacco products to the underage to check such smokers in the country.

    “Every day, a whooping 25,000 children in Nigeria between the ages of 10 and 14 years use tobacco products.

    “This equates to 17 children smoking every one minute.

    “This is a result of the relative ease of their access to cigarettes and other tobacco-related products, which are sold to them by vendors,” she said.

    Uwagboe added that smoking among teenagers had devastating consequences including health-related ones such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well as reduced mental development.

    “Children must be protected as they lack capacity and are often unwitting targets of the tobacco industry,” she said.

    She noted that a recent survey released by Gatefield discovered that one out of every four vendors sold cigarettes to kids in the country.

    She added that the Nigerian Tobacco act of 2015 prohibits the sale of tobacco products to minors under the age of 18 but that the law was not being implemented or enforced.

    “While it is important to have the right laws, it is not enough. We need to enforce them now and ensure that the National Assembly passes the tobacco control regulations.

    “This is what our campaign aims to do,” she added.

    She further said that the #DontWaitRegulate campaign also released two public service advertisements to create awareness about the existing law and pressure government to properly enforce it with the passage of the regulations by the national assembly.

    She said that a campaign petition page http://www.regulate.tobaccofree.ng was created while the campaign was present on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram via @Tobaccofreeng,” she said.

    She said the advertisement featured individuals including Fakhuus Hashim, #ArewaMeToo founder; Ogor Ben-Iweagwu, a public hospital doctor; Anna Usman, a mother and entrepreneur; and Providence Anaro, a teenage freshman at the University of Abuja. (NAN)