THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE MAY 6, 2018
Disagreement Over ‘Dirty Naira Note’ Turns Bloody In Lagos (Leadership)
A disagreement between a commercial motorcyclist and his passenger over a dirty Naira Note, yesterday in Lagos, turned bloody as irate youth beat the cyclist to a state of coma.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who witnessed the incident, reports that the cyclist, identified as Okon Akpan, had conveyed his passenger, also identified as Miss Titilope Fatai, from Okokomaiko to Iyanoba market for a fee of N200. Read more
How transfer loading stations can solve Lagos waste collection challenges (Vanguard)
Facilitating an efficient approach to waste management in Lagos State is the core of Visionscape Sanitation Solutions framework for the new waste management system – the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI).
For decades, the waste management process encountered major issues with collection, and logistics of transporting waste. A major cause of these issues is due to the capacity and condition of waste collection trucks and their inability to travel as far as the landfills such as Epe to dispose collected waste. Read more
Ambode: Lagos will be Africa’s model mega-city (NTA)
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos on Tuesday said the state would by 2025 be Africa’s model megacity, a global, economic and financial hub that is safe, secure, functional and productive.
He also said that almost half of the Lagos state’s Internally Generated Revenue is used for the payment of salaries, including pensions and gratuities.
He said that as a result, the government is expected to explore the economic potentials of the State to meet the needs of the citizenry. Read more
PDP has credible presidential candidates, says Amori (Guardian)
Sen. Ighoyota Amori, the Political Adviser to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, has said that the party has enough credible candidates for the contest of 2019 presidential election.
Amori, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, said that PDP had credible people that could defeat President Muhammadu Buhari.
“PDP is national party. There is no ward, village or unit in this country you will not find PDP, meaning that it is a Nigerian party. Read more
NSCDC commends FG’s ban on codeine, urges regulation on rubber solution sales (Nation)
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has commended the Federal Government for banning the production and importation of codeine as active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough syrup preparations.
NSCDC’s Spokesman in Jigawa, Adamu Shehu, gave the commendation during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Sunday.
He said the measure would go a long way in reducing the rate of crimes, pointing out that most of drug addicts engaged in one crime or the other. Read more
Take full advantage of ‘Not too young to run’ Bill, Dogara begs youths (Vanguard)
The speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has charged all youths to take full advantage of the ” Not too young to run” Bill, explaining that the National Assembly passed the popular bill with the objective of lowering the age requirement for elective offices in line with its commitment to youth participation in governance.
He also added that House of Representatives is committed to the enactment of youth friendly legislations that will aid the total development of our youths into productive citizens, encourage them to imbibe and sustain the spirit of commitment to civic obligations, Read more
21 political parties to participate in Nasarawa State LG polls (Nation)
The Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) says 21 political parties have indicated interest to participate in the forthcoming local government election scheduled for Saturday, May 26.
Mr Aliyu Dogara, NASIEC Commissioner in charge of Planning, Research and Statistics, made this known to newsmen in Lafia on Sunday.
Dogara said that the commission was prepared and ready for the May 26 polls.
“We are still maintaining our election time table of May 26. The election is going to take palace.
“The election will hold as scheduled by the grace of God. Very soon, we will commence screening of candidates submitted by political parties. Read more
NNPC names firms to finance refineries’ repairs in June (Punch)
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation will, in June, announce names of the selected companies that will finance the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s three refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna.
It was also learnt that the board of the national oil firm recently received the names of investors who would fund the rehabilitation as near zero funding is to come from the Federal Government. Read more
As 90 million Nigerians lack electricity (Guardian)
Against the background of the seemingly intractable power supply problem, the disclosure, the other day, by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, that 90 million Nigerians lack electricity supply is not surprising.
This is an indictment of the government and a clarion call on that same government as well as other stakeholders to do something urgently about the wobbling electricity supply situation in the country. Of course, the question must be asked of how Fashola got his figure, using what measurement.
Since 1999, all the efforts and resources sunk into the electricity sector have proven a colossal waste to the extent that little has changed. Read more
FG spent N4.3tn to service debt in three years — Budget office (Punch)
The Federal Government spent a total of N4.3tn to service the country’s debt obligations to local and foreign debtors between January 2015 and September 2017, figures obtained from the Budget Office on Friday showed.
The figures are computed from the quarterly budget implementation report prepared by the Budget Office.
An analysis of the report by our correspondent showed that the sum of N1.06tn was used to service debt in 2015. The amount rose to N1.31tn in 2016 before hitting N1.54tn in 2017. Read more
Economists predict further inflation decline, marginal GDP growth (Punch)
Economists have projected a further decline in Nigeria’s headline inflation for April 2018 even as they say the Gross Domestic Product for the first quarter may fall below expectations when the figures are released in coming days.
According to them, the Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation, is anticipated to drop to 12.7 per cent, making it the 15th consecutive monthly decline and the lowest point since March 2016. Read more
Contract for 2nd Niger Bridge not yet awarded–FG (NewTelegraph)
The yet to be awarded main contract for the Second Niger Bridge, which was got appropriation of N10 billion in the 2017 budget, according to the Director of Highway Bridges and Design, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Sogbesan Adetokunbo, will gulp N210 billion. The original cost of the project before the Federal Government cancelled the contract was N117 billion. He disclosed this in Asaba last week during a media tour of the project site. He said that the early works were preliminary projects to be completed before the award of the main contract. Read more
Ayade’s aide urges Cross River workers to cultivate cocoa (Guardian)
Mr Oscar Ofuka, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Cross River on Cocoa Development, has urged workers in the state to embrace cocoa cultivation to improve their income.
Oscar gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar.He said that it was high time civil servants in the state learnt to plant cocoa in order to secure their future and that of their children after retirement.
He said that cocoa would be the mainstay of Cross River’s economy in future and the people, especially workers, should think of investing in cocoa production. Read more
How thousands of women get VVF treatment in North-west Nigeria (PremiumTimes)
Victims of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) in North West Nigeria are being rehabilitated after treatment to ease their reintegration into the society without discrimination, a check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has revealed.
The states of Kano, Kebbi, Kaduna, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina make up the region.
The reintegration programme being supported by health officials, donor agencies, families and community leaders have helped the victims to return to their communities and enjoy normal lives after the treatment. Read more
Buhari unveils two attack helicopters in Kaduna (Guardian)
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, commissioned two new Mi35 fighter helicopters at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base in Kaduna. The helicopters, procured from the Russian Federation, delivered to Nigeria in April, have night operational capacity.
The President, who performed the commissioning during the 54th anniversary celebration of NAF in Kaduna, reiterated the resolve of his administration to take Nigeria to the next level on security. Read more
Man arrested for raping 80-year-old woman (IOL)
King William’s Town – Kei Bridge police and Butterworth policing cluster officers have arrested a 31-year-old man for allegedly raping an 80-year-old woman, Eastern Cape police said on Saturday.
The victim “was in deep slumber” alone at her home at Nciba location, Ngquthu village near Kei Bridge, Butterworth on Wednesday May 2 about half-an-hour after midnight when she “noticed that there was a man inside her house”, Captain Jackson Manatha said. Read more
Davido, Simi are Headies biggest winners (Vanguard)
Singer Davido and vocal powerhouse Simi, were the biggest winners at the 12th Headies Awards on Saturday.
The Headies (previously known as Hip Hop World Awards), since 2006 has been recognising and celebrating outstanding achievement in Nigeria’s music industry.
Simi carted home the Best RnB Single for Smile for Me, the Best Recording of the Year for Joromi, and her album – Simisola – won the Album of the Year. Read more
Okagbare-Ighoteguonor will be force to reckon with during 2018 IAAF Diamond League, AFN official says (Vanguard)
Olalekan Soetan, Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) statistician, says Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor will be a force to reckon with during the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) 2018 Diamond League season. Soetan made this assessment while speaking in reaction to Okagbare-Ighoteguonor’s 10.90 secs recorded at the Doha Diamond League. Read more
McCain doesn’t want Trump at his funeral (NYPost)
The ailing Arizona Republican, who has brain cancer, is organizing his funeral – and close associates have told the White House that Trump will not be invited.
Instead, Vice President Mike Pence, who served with McCain in Congress, will be asked to attend the service, the New York Times reported Saturday. The ceremony will be held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Read more