THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE APRIL 18, 2018
Ambode urges voters to prove Lagos’s most populous (DailyTrust)
The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday, has asked Lagos residents to get their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2019 general elections, saying the elections will partly serve as census in the state. Gov. Ambode made the call at the 11th quarterly town hall meeting held in Apapa. He said the 2019 general elections were not just about political parties; but that the elections would put a finality on the raging debate on which state had the largest population in Nigeria. Read more
Lagos reiterates commitment Staff Training (Leadership)
Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to the training of its staff, saying its drive to make the state a ‘Smart’ city had made the training of its staff imperative to push the vision with all enthusiasm and be able to cope with the transformation. The state’s Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pension Dr. Akintola Benson Oke disclosed this at the 2018 Ministerial Press briefing held in Lagos. He said the training department within the ministry which has the mandate to develop a highly skilled workforce for optimal performance and excellent service delivery has trained about 3,520 officers who attended 35 in-plant training. Read more
Lagos, Oyo, Edo Top States with unclaimed PVCs (ThisDay)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it was still in possession of 7,920,129 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) yet to be collected from its offices across the nation. The commission disclosed this in a tabular data on consolidated PVCs as at March 22, 2018, released yesterday in Abuja. The data showed that 8,271,401 PVCs were yet to be not collected as at 2016. A breakdown of the uncollected PVCs as at March 2018 also reveals that Lagos has the highest number of 1,401,390; followed by Oyo, 647,586; and Edo, 449,001 cards, while Kano has 195,941. Read more
Waste managers sue LASG over new environmental law (Punch)
Two members of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Lagos State have filed a new action in court to challenge the state’s new Environmental Management Protection Law, 2017, arguing that it is unconstitutional, null and void. Alhaji Oladipo Egbeyemi and Mr. David Oriyomi are asking the court in the originating summons in suit numbered Temp/35880/2018 brought under Section 7(5) and Paragraph 1(H) of the 4th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended, for an order to nullify, void and annul any law, particularly Part 111 of the Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, which seeks to regulate the management, control and administration of refuse, sewage and waste disposal along other incidental and ancillary matters in the state. Read more
Lagos moves against bureaucracy, complacency among civil servants
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday inaugurated a special advocacy campaign to engender growth mindset among civil servants and imbue them with the right skills and attitude to contribute to the efforts to fast-track development and set the State on the path of sustainable and inclusive growth. Speaking at a press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, the State’s Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr Akintola Benson Oke said the advocacy, which will initially last between three to six months, would be deployed to fight red tapism, complacency and all forms of attitudes that tend to delay progress and development in the civil service. Read more
Lagos ICSAN seeks growth opportunities (Punch)
The Lagos State chapter of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria has said it will endeavour to grow by reaching out to inactive members within the Lagos territory. The institute stated this during the investiture of its ninth Chairman, Mr. Francis Olawale. In his acceptance speech, Olawale said that the bedrock of growth in any system was the grass roots, adding that the executive council would exploit this to further drive the growth of the institute’s membership.” Read more
Olusosun: Fire re-ignites as police arrest 80 (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested over 80 miscreants, recovered a toy gun, 27 knives, substances suspected to be cannabis, and other weapons from the Olusosun dumpsite. A police team, comprising officers from the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, Counter Terrorism Unit, Alausa Police Station, and other police formations, were said to have stormed the dump on Tuesday to eject squatters who had built shades in the area. “The miscreants, in a bid to resist police arrest, set fire to the dump to stop the operatives from carrying out the clearing of the site as directed by the state government, but couldn’t do much before they were arrested,” a statement by the RRS said. Read more
Consumption tax: Court hears suit against Lagos May 7 (Punch)
The Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned till May 7, 2018, for hearing in a suit seeking to stop the Lagos State Government from enforcing the provisions of the Lagos State Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant (Fiscalisation) Regulations, 2017. Justice Rilwan Aikawa adjourned the case on Tuesday at the instance of the state’s counsel, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), who sought an extension of time to file a counter-affidavit in opposition to the suit. He told the judge that the state had received the plaintiffs’ motion on notice but needed time to file its response. The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mr. Olasupo Shasore (SAN), did not oppose Pedro’s application for extension of time. The judge granted it and adjourned till May 7 for hearing. Read more
Group laments insecurity, wants state police (Punch)
A group, Voice of Landlords Association in Nigeria, say the spate of kidnapping, killing, robbery and other violent crimes in the country is worrisome. It called for the establishment of state police to curb crimes, especially at the grass roots. VOLAN National President, Pastor Falola Vincent, in a statement on Tuesday, urged Nigerians to avail security agencies of timely information to fight crimes. He said, “We commend President Buhari on war against corruption, but we are not happy with the insecurity issue. We condemn the kidnapping of Dapchi schoolgirls and recommend the establishment of state police to work hand-in-hand with the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army. Read more
Rebuilding Nigeria initiative set for launch in Lagos (Leadership)
Re-building Nigeria Initiative, RNI, a pan Nigerian movement that seeks to advocate for the development and growth of the Nigerian state and the protection of its citizens’ rights and privileges worldwide will be formally launched this week in Lagos. The Deputy National President of the organization, Otunba Earnest ’Wale Fasan who revealed this in a statement made available to the press said the movement will be formally launched with its key national officials inaugurated to kick-start the campaign for the support of the Abubakar Atiku’s presidential ambition. Read more
Soyinka, others open Seaside Cottage Theatre in Bariga (Guardian)
A new initiative at harnessing child talent in the area of community theatre and talent development is set for launch. It is the community-based humanitarian project of Footprints of David Art, known as Seaside Cottage Theatre. It is a project of ‘My Bariga My Pride Initiative (MBMPI)’ in Shomolu, Bariga, Lagos, which will be officially opened April 28, 2018. Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, will declare the outfit open. The aim is to further advance the primary objectives of using arts, as a tool for community engagement and development. Seaside Cottage Theatre will cater for the interests and talents of children and young adults alike and take them off the streets and sundry vices. Read more
Hot FM berths in Lagos, Promises New Experience with Visual Radio (ThisDay)
The cosmopolitan Lagos environment has been assured of a fresh broadcast experience with the launch of Hot FM 93.3. The chief executive of Hot FM, Mr. Ndu Scott, who stated this at a launch party held recently to usher in the radio station in Lagos, also disclosed that it would give its target audience dual opportunities by providing short video and audio content simultaneously. With the commencement of broadcast in Lagos, the FM station now airs from four major cities in the country. Hot FM was first licensed to broadcast to the entire North-central Zone in 2005, broadcasting on the 98.3 FM frequency from Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. It has since extended its frontiers to Asaba and Owerri in the South-east. Read more
Police arrest 10 suspected cultists in Ojo (Nation)
The police have arrested nine suspected cultists said to be terrorising Amukoko in Ojo, Lagos. One of them, Chidubem Nwachukwu, 27, was arrested on April 8, around 9:45pm. It was gathered that Nwachukwu, a resident of 7, Ago Street, Ikotun, was seen on Fagbemi Street, Amukoko and was intercepted after policemen said he was suspicious. Upon searching the suspect, the police discovered a locally-made revolver pistol and one unexpended cartridge. Lagos Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal said the case was transferred to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Ikeja, where the suspect confessed to being a member of the Vikings cult group. Read more
Motorcylist bathes lover with acid over alleged infidelity (Punch)
A trader in Akala, Mushin, Lagos State, Toyin Busari, is battling with burns after her lover allegedly poured substance suspected to be acid on her body. The 27-year-old, who is on admission at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Annex, Gbagada, was reportedly accused by her boyfriend, Lukman Madoti, of infidelity. Madoti, who is said to be the chairman of okada riders in the area, was arrested by the police from the Alakara division. Our correspondent learnt that there had been a series of fight between the lovers since they met about a year ago over allegations of unfaithfulness. Read more
Fire kills Lagos businesswoman, maid, houseboy (Punch)
Sympathisers thronged Alade Close, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday after an early morning fire claimed the lives of a middle-aged businesswoman, her teenage maid and houseboy. The deceased lived in a two-bedroomed apartment on the top floor of a one-storeyed building on the close. Punch Metro learnt that the woman’s husband and their daughter escaped from the fire, which started around 2am from their living room and spread to another two-bedroomed flat on the floor, whose occupants escaped unhurt. Although the cause of the fire had yet to be officially determined, some residents claimed that it was caused by an electrical surge. Read more
2018 Milo Basketball National tourney: Niger, Benue secure final tickets (Vanguard)
Father O’ Connel Science College, Minna have emerged winners of the Boys Category at the just-concluded Emirates Conference of the 2018 MILO Secondary School Basketball Championship, which held at the Kwara State Township Stadium, Ilorin. The Minna boys defeated Christ Comprehensive College, Kaduna 68 – 35 to lift the Emirate Conference trophy and progress to the National Finals coming up in Lagos by May 2018. In the Female Category, Government Secondary School, Gboko, retained their crown as the champions of the Emirates Conference, after defeating their Niger counterpart, Government Girls Secondary School, Minna. Read more
Lagos sweeps honours at Nestle Milo Western Conference Basketball Championships (Vanguard)
Lagos State Male and Female Basketball teams have emerged the zonal winners of the 20th Nestle-Milo Secondary School Basketball Championships on April 17, at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan. International School, University of Lagos (UNILAG) male Basketball team, defeated their Ogun counterparts, Victorroti Private Secondary School from Olokuta , Idi-Aba 71-41 to win the trophy and cash awards at stake. In the same vein, Westley Girls Secondary School, Yaba, Lagos, defeated Yejide Girls Secondary School, Oyo State 36-35 in the female final to edge out their opponents. Read more
RevolutionPlus agrees N500m five-year deal with Access Bank Lagos City Marathon (Guardian)
RevolutionPlus Property Development Company yesterday became the latest heavyweight corporate organisation to pitch its tent with the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon for which it has agreed a five-year sponsorship deal worth N500 million. The deal will see the outfit, a real estate company, spend the sum of N100 million annually for the period of five years. The agreement confers on RevolutionPlus the position of title sponsor of the race, while Access Bank remains the headline sponsor.Speaking at a ceremony held in the company’s head office in Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Bamidele Onalaja said RevolutionPlus decided to join the marathon train as part of its social corporate responsibility to Nigerians, adding that the partnership would afford his company the opportunity to showcase its brand. Read more
Onyekuru resumes training with Everton (Guardian)
Everton striker, Henry Onyekuru has returned to Belgium to resume his loan spell with Anderlecht as he bids to finish the season on a high. The 20-year-old, an £8 million capture last summer from Jupiler League side, KAS Eupen, suffered a knee injury last December that looked at one stage as though it could end his season. Having avoided the need for surgery, Onyekuru has endured weeks of patient rehabilitation and was deemed fit enough to rejoin Anderlecht’s squad this week. Read more
Zimbabwe marks Independence Day _ from Mugabe, too (Abcnews)
Celebrating Independence Day for the first time without Robert Mugabe as leader since 1980 felt like a second emancipation for some Zimbabweans on Wednesday. For others, not quite. The southern African nation still faces persistent economic problems including cash shortages and high unemployment. Major public hospitals have been shut down after the government fired more than 16,000 nurses for striking against low salaries and poor working conditions. As the first post-Mugabe elections approach in the months ahead, some find hope. Others expressed relief that for the first time since the end of white minority rule in 1980, Independence Day was free from Mugabe’s often vitriolic speech against Western rivals and local opposition. Read more
Zimbabwe sacks thousands of nurses on strike (BBC)
Zimbabwe’s government has sacked more than 10,000 nurses who went on strike on Monday, in an apparently hardline attempt to quell labour unrest. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said the nurses had refused to return to work after $17m (£12m) was released to increase their pay. He chided them for not going back “in the interest of saving lives”. But the extraordinary move may simply be a tactic aimed at forcing the nurses back to work, correspondents say. Read more