THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE JULY 26, 2018
Ambode: Apapa Gridlock threat to Federal Allocations (ThisDay)
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Wednesday revisited the perennial traffic congestion undermining the socio-economic activities in Apapa and its environs, noting that the gridlock could drastically reduce federal allocations if not promptly addressed. Ambode also lamented that there are 68 tank farms located within Apapa Central Business District alone, noting that such facilities should no longer be located within Lagos metropolis due to the danger they could cause human lives and the environment. Ambode expressed these concerns at the 12th quarterly townhall meeting held at Iberekodo, a community in Ibeju-Lekki Government, where he challenged the federal government “to bring about permanent solution to the perennial traffic congestion in Apapa”. Read more
Lagos: Gains of inclusive governance (Nation)
In-spite of being cosmopolitan in outlook, Lagos has its fair share of rural communities. Approximately 12 percent of people in the state dwell in suburbs, and country sides. It is therefore, in an effort to ensure even and accelerated development in all parts of the state that the Ambode administration anchors its development drive on ‘all inclusive governance’. The administration’s idea of an all inclusive government is one in which “no one or segment of the society, irrespective of colour, race, faith, status, ability or disability is left behind”. One area in which this philosophy is actually being radically reflected is in the state government’s partnership with Community Development Associations, CDAs. Read more
Ambode orders recruitment of 1,000 teachers in Lagos (Punch)
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has announced the commencement of the recruitment of 1,000 teachers in the state. Ambode spoke at the state’s Third Quarter Town Hall Meeting, the 12th in the series, at the Community Primary School, Iberekodo in the Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area. The governor, who also directed that a physically-challenged resident and graduate of Computer Studies, Michael Ogunyemi, be employed from August 1, 2018, said, “more teachers will be recruited as the need arises.” He called on the Federal Government to revive the ports in other states of the federation in order to solve the perennial traffic congestion in the Apapa area of Lagos. Read more
Ambode to Kachikwu: Lagos doesn’t need more tank farms (DailyTrust)
Lagos State Governor Mr Akinwunmi Ambode has told the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe kachukwu, that the development of fuel tank farm is no longer needed in the state. Speaking at a town hall meeting in Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State yesterday, Ambode described continuous development of tank farms in the state as a disaster to happen.” “Aside the challenge of traffic, this is the place where all states in the countries are getting revenues through the customs. If anything happen to the port, the revenues will reduce. We don’t want that to happen. But we are not averse to the development of ports in other parts of the country so as to decongest the Lagos port. Read more
Ikorodu monarch, others deny opposing projects (Nation)
The traditional ruler and leaders of Ikorodu Division have welcomed the move by the Lagos State Government to construct a shopping mall and a theatre at the current underutilised site in Ikorodu Local Government, located at Tos Benson Road. They debunked claims that they were not in support of the plan, and instead commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his decision to embark on the projects in the area. Speaking on Friday at a Town Hall Meeting at his palace in Ikorodu, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi, who recently led a team of his Chiefs to the event, lauded the State Governor for the initiative, adding that the proposed projects would turn-around the economic potentials of Ikorodu Division. Read more
LAUTECH lecturers threaten strike (Punch)
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, have threatened to go on strike, alleging that the two states that own the university had failed to honour the agreement they reached with the workers after the auditing of the school. In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Biodun Olaniran, and the Secretary, Toyin Abegunrin, the union gave the school owners, Oyo and Osun states, two weeks to honour the agreement. The school recently resumed academic and administrative activities after eight months of closure. The workers lamented what they described as the failure of the two states to adequately fund the school while they were owed 10 months’ salaries, promotion arrears and other entitlements. Read more
Customs seizes G-Wagon, 20 other exotic cars in Lagos (Guardian)
Twenty-one exotic cars, including a 2016 Mercedes Benz G-Wagon (G-500), with duty paid value (DPV) of N484.4 million have been seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ Ikeja. Controller of the unit, Mohammed Uba, who paraded the seized items in Lagos yesterday, said the vehicles were seized for non-payment of duty. According to him, some of the vehicles were intercepted along Ijebu Ode Expressway, 10 evacuated from Oluwalogbon Motors, Ikeja, based on credible information. Nobody has come to claim ownership, he added, urging the owners of the vehicles to come forward with valid Customs documents, if they don’t want to forfeit them to government. Read more
Avery Nigeria Partners SOFI to De-worm 1500 Children in Lagos (ThisDay)
Avery Nigeria and Vitamin Angels, associates of WHO and UNICEF have partnered Save Our Future Initiative (SOFI) to de-worm over 1,500 children in Lagos recently. The health outreach programme which took place at Makoko and Ibasa Beach communities of the state, saw mothers bringing out their children en masse to benefit. The elderly also were not left out in the exercise as food stuffs, mosquito treated nets and other items were also distributed. At the occasion, the Managing Director of Avery Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Ebisan Onyema said the health programme is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility to the community, adding that there was a grave need to de-worm the residents. Read more
Family set to immortalise Late King Kosoko of Lagos (ThisDay)
Kosoko Descendants Youth Forum, the umbrella body of youths born into the royal family of the late Oba of Lagos, Oba Kosoko, is set to immortalize the late monarch, who reigned from 1845-1851, with an annual memorial lecture. The event which will be in three sessions have a paper presentation, socio-cultural parade, and exhibition of King Kosoko’s relics at a temporary museum set up at the venue of the event. Speaking at a media briefing to announce the inaugural edition of the memorial lecture in honour of Kosoko, the Chairman, Local Organizing Committee of the first King Kosoko Memorial Lecture, Prince Abiola Kosoko, stated that the lecture was designed to celebrate his legacy and contribution to Lagos. Read more
‘5,143 awaiting-trial inmates in Lagos prisons have no lawyer’ (Punch)
No fewer than 5,143 awaiting-trial inmates remanded in the five prisons in Lagos State have no lawyer to represent them in court, the Lagos Criminal Information System has revealed. It further revealed that though the five prisons have a total enrolled capacity of 4,087 inmates, they are actually holding 8,434 inmates, 55 per cent of whom are awaiting trial, as of May 15, 2018. Speaking on Tuesday in Alausa during the presentation of the LCIS inaugural report, the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, described the revelation by the new LCIS as astonishing. Kazeem, in his opening remarks, noted that the LCIS was created as a solution to the lack of comprehensive data for tracking suspects, which was hitherto a major challenge to proper justice administration in Lagos. Read more
Court remands Lagos PDP chairman, others over alleged murder (Guardian)
The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party in Lagos State, Moshood Salvador, and 10 others have been remanded in the prison over the alleged murder of party chairman in the Apapa Local Government Area, Adeniyi Aborishade. Aborishade was killed on his way from a Lagos State PDP meeting at Igbosuku Village, Eti-Osa LGA. The meeting was attended by the leaders of the PDP in the State and local councils. The remand order was made by a chief magistrate, Oyetade Komolafe, after Salvador and the others were arraigned by the Police on two charges of conspiracy and unlawful killing. Read more
Lagos Govt to prosecute owner of Otedola Fuel Tanker Disaster (Leadership)
Lagos State Government on Tuesday said Hassan Yusuf Maiwaka, the owner of tanker with registration number NSR 888 YQ registered in Kano that caused the inferno that led to the death of 12 people with 53 vehicles burnt will soon be brought to Lagos to face prosecution. It was learnt that the meeting was also for the Nigerian Insurance Association, NIA, to access the damaged vehicles in order to take necessary steps in ensuring prompt and proper payment of compensation to the victims and their families. The state Commissioner for Transportation Mr. Ladi Lawanson who disclosed this while giving report of the investigation carried out by government said 55 vehicles were involved in the accident comprising of 32 SUVs, seven buses, three trucks and one tricycle Read more
Woman in court over ‘fake funds transfer’ (Nation)
A woman, Joy Godwin, was yesterday brought before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court for allegedly paying for N306,000 worth of designer items via fake funds transfer. Godwin, 26, was arraigned by the police on a two-count charge of fraud and theft before Mrs F. M. Dalley. Prosecuting Sergeant Oluwafemi Adeleye alleged that Godwin committed the offences on July 13 at about 2:30pm at Ajah, Lagos. The court heard that the defendant bought clothes, shoes and bags worth N306,000 from Dress Jem Boutique and requested to pay by money transfer. She was given a Point of Sale (POS) machine and it indicated that the transfer was successful, following which she left with the goods. Read more
Siblings sentenced to community service over toy gun (Punch)
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court has sentenced two brothers, Moses Sunday and Godwin Sunday, to one month of community service for unlawful possession of a toy gun. The News agency of Nigeria reports that the Chief Magistrate, Olufunke Sule-Amzat, sentenced the siblings after they pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy and unlawful possession of a toy gun. The duo had urged the court to temper justice with mercy, saying their act was out of ignorance and poverty. The chief magistrate ordered that the convicts should spend two hours every day for the next one month carrying out the community service. Read more
Court sentences guard to 2 years for posing as doctor (Nation)
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, yesterday sentenced a 28-year-old security guard, Salisu Usman, to two years in Kirikiri prison for posing as a doctor. Magistrate B.O Osunsanmi sentenced Usman after he pleaded guilty. Osunsanmi, who sentenced Usman without an option of fine, ordered that the convict should serve the sentence with hard labour. Usman, at his arraignment on July 18, pleaded guilty, and was remanded in prison. When the case was called up for fact and sentence, he admitted guilt. The accused, who lives at Oluwalogbo, Isefun in Ayobo, Lagos, begged the court for leniency. Read more
5 die in Lagos boat accident (Punch)
No fewer than five people died on Wednesday in a boat accident in the Ikorodu Area of Lagos State. It was gathered that the boat belonging to a firm, Blue Sea, capsized mid-sea while travelling to Ikorodu from Lagos Island. Our correspondent learnt that the cause of the accident had yet to be established as of the time of filing this report. The Punch was told that the corpses of the victims, four male and one female, had been deposited at the morgue of the Ikorodu General Hospital.The General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency and Management Agency, Adesina Tiamiyu, confirmed the incident. Read more
2 die, 5 injured in Somolu gun war (Nation)
Two men were yesterday killed and five others injured following a gun war in Somolu, Lagos Mainland. The deceased, identified as Tunde Awokoya, 36, alias Chop-Up and Gabriel were shot at 34, Abiodun Street, around 10:30pm by suspected cultists. It was gathered that while Awokoya, a developer, was at a beer parlour, Gabriel, an hairstylist, was inside his saloon in the same premises when the bullet hit him. The Nation learnt that six masked armed men had stormed the compound, firing sporadically. They allegedly shot a councillor but the bullet did not penetrate. Read more
VGC Basketball final round holds August 4 in Lagos (Guardian)
The finals of the third VGC Basketball competition has been scheduled to run from August 4 to 5 at the Victoria Garden City Estate in Lagos, the host of the event, Siji Sowonuola has revealed. In a statement yesterday, Sowonuola said this year’s edition was built on the successes of the past two events, which featured top teams from the environs and some past and present national team players. “We have a very high level of interest that has built up from our past editions and we are working to make this edition an improvement of the past. We have compiled all lessons from the past and everybody is looking forward to it,” he said. Read more