THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE MAY 31, 2018
Ambode hails Lagosians on peaceful co-existence (Nation)
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has said the peace, harmony and development enjoy in the state was due to the people’s prayers. He made the remark at the special prayer for President Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Ambode by the League of Imams in Epe. He was represented by his Special Adviser on Religious Matter Dr Verralls Kolawole. He noted that the effort of the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIRC) was yielding the desired results. He explained that government would continue to provide the necessary support to ensure that peace subsist in the state. He said: “All that we have around us today especially in Lagos State is due to God’s intervention. Lagos is one of the few states that is enjoying relative peace in the country and its transformational agenda is moving on smoothly. Read more
The law makes it compulsory for hospitals to accept, treat gunshot victims – Lagos CP (SUN)
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, has given details into why the state command will prosecute staff of Reddington Specialist Hospital, Ikeja, over the death of Adebayo Akinwunmi, a senior engineer with Information and Communications Technology company, Ericsson. The deceased was attacked by armed robbers around 1am in his house on Madam Felicia Street, Orimerunmu, Ofada-Mokoloki, in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. He was reportedly rushed to the hospital and was not given treatment for allegedly failing to produce a police report. In this interview, Edgal also gives insight into the secret behind his ability to reduce violent crime in the state. Read more
Lagos gets new look with roads (Nation)
The infrastructural renewal in Lagos State, is edging forward as the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development (MPPUD) unveiled plans to link an adjoining community to the Third Mainland Bridge. The road, located in Odunsi Street, Bariga Local Council development Area (LCDA), a 1.5km stretch, with an approved width of 18m, begins from Ashogbon Street terminating at Alhaji Ariyo and Akinbayo streets. From its design, the road is expected to integrate the Bariga community with the Third Mainland Bridge and Oworonshoki community respectively. On completion, it is expected to resolve thevtraffic bottlenecks along Jagunmolu and Tijani Ashogbon streets, which are always jammed at the peak period on a daily basis. Read more
Ambode: Re-imagining Lagos public transport (Nation)
On assumption of Office in May 2015, the Akinwunmi Ambode-administration was confronted with a huge traffic situation that was further compounded by the activities of criminals taking advantage of the situation to rob commuters and others. The unyielding traffic jams created a cacophony of noise that made many to forget that traffic congestion has been a growing problem which successive administrations in the State have had to contend with right from the ‘80s when government resorted to issuance of “Odd” and “Even” number plates to allow motorists ply certain routes within specified periods. The LASTMA, LAGBUS, LAMATA, Traffic Radio, BRT system among others all came on board as part of efforts to ensure sanity and safety on Lagos roads. Read more
Ambode urges children to be good (Punch)
The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Bolanle Ambode, has advised children in the country to be of good character. Ambode said this during the Children’s Day celebration organised by Dufil Prima Foods, makers of Indomie Instant Noodles, under the auspices of the Indomie Children Fan Club. The events hosted over 100,000 pupils from various schools across the country. “You must always obey your parents and teachers, respect your elders, be humble and read your books. If you can do these, you will inevitably become good leaders someday,” Ambode said. Ambode commended Dufil Prima Foods for their child-friendly disposition and also for giving Nigerian children a memorable day. Read more
Protest as Lagos APC inaugurates executives (Vanguard)
The inauguration of chairmen local government area executives of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State was marred Wednesday when some aggrieved party members from Apapa Local Government stormed the state secretariat venue of the inauguration to protest the alleged substitution of their preferred chairman. The protesters displaying placards with various inscriptions lamented what they described as a deliberate attempt by the new party chairman, Babatunde Balogun, to subvert the will of the people. Read more
Apapa, Amuwo, Others to experience Blackout (Independent)
Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has announced that some areas under its operational territory would start experiencing power outage from today, Thursday. The company conveyed this in a statement by its General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr. Godwin Idemudia, and attributed the development to technical maintenance work being carried out by Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The release listed areas to be affected by the power outage as Apapa, Amuwo, Festac, Ojo, Okokomaiko, and Ijanikin. Others include Iba, Agbara, Badagry, Ibeju, Ajah and their adjoining areas. Read more
Ambode celebrates Democracy Day with Ramadan Tafsir in Epe (SUN)
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, on Tuesday evening, celebrated Democracy Day with Muslim faithful, saying despite all that had been achieved in the past, Lagos was still a work in progress, and that conscious efforts would continue to be made to further invest in infrastructural development to make life easier for the citizens. Governor Ambode, who spoke at a special Ramadan Tafsir and prayer held in Epe to commemorate the three years of his administration and Democracy Day, justified the massive infrastructural renewal across the length and breadth of the State, explaining that the huge investment in upgrading and providing amenities for the people was part of the greater vision towards making Lagos a smart city. Read more
Navy seeks cooperation against maritime crime (Punch)
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonishakin, has said the Nigerian Navy is focused on seeking regional cooperation to curb maritime crime. Olonisakin spoke on Wednesday at the inauguration of the Nigerian Navy Regional Maritime Exercise, code-named, Exercise Eku Kugbe, to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the Nigerian Navy. He said the exercise had brought together navies from countries in the Gulf of Guinea as well as other allied nations, including the Chinese Navy. Read more
Lagos pledges more investment in infrastructure (Guardian)
In his Democracy Day speech, he noted that Lagos was a work in progress, adding that conscious efforts would be sustained to make life easier for the citizens. Ambode, who specifically spoke at a special Ramadan Tafsir and prayer session in Epe to mark his third year in office, justified the massive infrastructure renewal across the length and breadth of the state, explaining that the huge investment in amenities was part of the greater vision at making Lagos a smart city. He said deliberate efforts had been made since assuming office to place the state on sound footing for growth and development. His words: “Lagosians have seen what we have done in the last three years but like we have said, there is a greater vision to make Lagos a Smart City. So, Lagos is a work in progress, and that is why you see a whole lot of infrastructural projects going on. Read more
$46bn loan request: American firm to invest $10bn in rail (SUN)
As the Federal Government scouts around the world for $46 billion loan to fix the rail infrastructure in the country, a United States-based Ameri Metro, has opted to invest over $10 billion in the coastal rail project from Lagos to Calabar and Calabar to Port Harcourt. The founder of the American firm, Shah Mathias, told newsmen that the project will be fully funded by the company if approved by the Federal Government. Mathias said that the company has done various rail projects in the United States, and has the resources and capacity to handle similar projects in Nigeria. Read more
Group seeks help for the destitute (Punch)
A non-governmental organisation, the Counselling Ambassador Organisation, has urged Nigerians to give succour to the less privileged in the society. The President of the TCAO, Pastor Regina Obasa, stated this on Sunday when the organisation visited over 2,000 Muslims living with disabilities at the Destitute Home, Oko Baba, Ebute-Metta, Lagos State. The Oko Baba camp serves as a home to both male and female adults who are leprous, blind, deaf and dumb, and their children. The destitute were given foodstuffs, money and beverages, among others, to make their “Ramadan enjoyable.” Read more
Lagos expresses worry over rise in violence among couples (Vanguard)
The Lagos State government has expressed fear over increasing cases of domestic violence in the state resulting in death of spouses, just as it established a prima facie case against Mrs Udeme Odibi, accused of murdering her lawyer husband, Otike Odibi. To stop escalation of such incidents, the government through the Attorney General and Commissio-ner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, vowed to leave no stone unturned in applying the law on any culprit found culpable. Speaking specifically on Odibi’s death at his Diamond Estate, Ajah, in May, the Commissioner revealed that the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, had established a prima facie case against the suspect, Mrs Odibi, and that she will soon be charged to court. Read more
Winners emerge in Lagos schools’ essay competition (Guardian)
Enilolobo Elijah of Vetland Junior Grammar School, Ifako-Ijaiye emerged overall winners of the 2018 Essay Competition amongst students of Junior and Senior Secondary Schools in Lagos State. The competition, which drew 96 participants from the six education districts in the state public schools, produced winners in the two categories. Kofoworola Ransome Kuti of Gbaja Girls Junior High School, Surulere and Ayomikun Bamise of Ojota Junior Secondary School emerged the 1st and 2nd runners up in the Junior Category while the Senior Category runners up were Davies Adebisi of Oke-Odo Senior High School and Mercy Mohammed of Oshodi Comprehensive High School, Oshodi. Read more
Concert to celebrate Ambode (Nation)
A non-governmental organisation, (NGO) Jubilee Concept International, will on June 9 hold a free 12-hour gospel concert to mark Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s third anniversary in office. Tagged Lagos Marathon Praise, the event, scheduled for the All seasons Events Plaza Agidingbi, Ikeja, will feature prominent and upcoming artists in Lagos. The group’s co-coordinator, Adegboyega Taiwo said the concert was the brain child of Ambode’s wife, Bolanle. He said it was meant to bring people together to praise God for good governance and harmony in the state. Read more
Simi thrills kids on Children’s Day (Nation)
Award-winning singer, Simi, endeared more kids to her fan base last Sunday in Lagos, during the Children’s Day celebration. The Children’s Day party organised by Peak Milk was also in celebration of World’s Milk Day. So many kids from all over the state gathered at the JJT Park Alausa to catch some fun and Simi made sure she thrilled the kids. With her silky voice and performing her hit songs back-to-back, Simi thrilled the children who sang along with her. Read more
Lagos, NGO unveil 12-hour musical concert (NewTelegraph)
A non-governmental organization (NGO), Jubilee Concept International yesterday said that it had concluded an arrangement for a12- hour gospel praise musical concert tagged “Lagos Marathon Praise” in partnership with Lagos. This, it said would feature prominent and upcoming Nigerian Artists in Lagos to appreciate God for good governance of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration in the state in the last three years. New Telegraph gathered that the 12 hours’ free musical concert would feature about 28 different gospel Artists who were being supported by the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode. Read more
Lagos set for 37th ANA international convention (Vanguard)
The Lagos State chapter, Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA is set to hold Nigeria’s biggest international convention of writers, come October this year. Expressing delight to host the 37th convention, tagged Literature, Mega city and Mega Narratives. Mr. Adebiyi, Lagos chairman, at the inauguration of Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the event explained that it was a privilege for the Centre of Excellence to be given due consideration after being denied before now to host the convention. Read more
FG intensifies Ebola Screening at Lagos Airport (ThisDay)
The federal government has intensified efforts to ensure that Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is not retransmitted into the country and therefore has activated all procedures to prevent infected travellers from gaining access to any of the nation’s airports. To ensure that this objective is achieved, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Port Health, a department under the Ministry of Health have increased surveillance on the screening of passengers for the deadly communicable disease. Officials of FAAN at the airport explained that all passengers coming in from West Africa and other countries around the world are constantly screened by the thermal screening machines deployed to the D and E wings of arrivals at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos even without the knowledge of the passengers. Read more
Alleged forgery: Court overrules Lagos prince’s conviction (Punch)
The Lagos State High Court has overruled the conviction of a prince and aspirant to the title of Oluwa of Lagos, Shamsondeen Oluwa, of forgery. A Lagos State Magistrate’s Court presided over by Mr. A. A. Adesanya, had in an August 5, 2015 judgment convicted Oluwa and four others of charges of conspiracy and forgery The others are Ismaikla Oluwa, Tajudeen Oluwa and Muse Oluwa. The magistrate held that they were guilty of forging a public notice of March 5, 2013. Dissatisfied with the judgment, however, they appealed to Justice Modupe Nicol-Clay of the Lagos State High Court, contending that their conviction was wrongful. Read more
Man electrocuted in Ikorodu not Ikeja Electric employee (Vanguard)
The Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, IKEDC, has said that the man that was electrocuted while trying to fix power problems caused by road reconstruction in Isawo Owutu Road, Ikorodu, Lagos is not an employee of thier’s. According to a statement signed by Felix Ofulue, Head, Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric PLC while commiserating with the family of the deceased, said the man electrocuted in the unfortunate incident was a contractor with Gosslink Engineering Limited. According to the preliminary investigations the deceased was a linesman with Gosslink Engineering Limited, a company engaged by the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to restore and replace electrical infrastructure that may be affected by the ongoing construction of Isawo Road. Read more
Lagos, Balmoral Group to build World Cup Village at Eko Atlantic (Guardian)
The Lagos State Government has partnered with Balmoral Group, the largest 360 events solutions company in West Africa, to build the biggest football viewing village that Nigeria and albeit the whole of West Africa has yet to see. The venture, according to Lagos State, is in line with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s focus on making Lagos a sports and tourism hub, The Football Village, according to a statement made available to The Guardian, is a state of the art viewing center that will run through the entire duration of the World Cup. Read more
1, 000 cyclists in Lagos for World Bicycle Day celebration (Guardian)
Over 1, 000 cyclists from all part of Nigeria are expected to arrive in Lagos this weekend to join their counterparts across the world to celebrate the World Bicycle Day slated to take place on Sunday, June 3. The Nigeria Cycling Federation (NCF) said it has met with the Federal Road Safety Commission to ensure the success of the series of events to mark this year’s World Bicycle Day. The NCF disclosed that United Nations set aside every third day of June to mark the World Bicycle Day to increase the awareness of cycling. This year’s event is put together by FT Cycle Care to commemorate the bicycle day in Lagos. Read more
