THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE JULY 20, 2018
Gridlock: Don’t close Third Mainland Bridge, LASG counsels FG (Punch)
The Lagos State Government on Thursday urged the Federal Government to postpone its planned closure of the Third Mainland Bridge in the state, adding that the move would compound the unusual gridlock caused by activities of tanker drivers in Apapa. The state government, which lamented the congestion created by trucks and articulated vehicles along the Apapa vehicular corridor, said the development had caused traffic problem in the state. In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, the state government urged the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing to consider shifting the proposed closure dates of the Third Mainland Bridge to a later time to avoid compounding traffic situation caused by tanker drivers. Read more
Illegal migrants not welcome in Lagos, says SSG (Nation)
To ensure safety of lives and properties, the Lagos State Fire Service has begun the yearly evacuation drilling for public servants. The Lagos State Government yesterday flashed illegal migrants the red card, saying they are not welcomed in the state. The government said it had received a report from the Lagos State Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on the flash points that foreign nationals inhabit. The report showed that the migrants are engaging in menial jobs and illegal activities. Read more
Lagos monarch warns youths against cultism, hard drugs (Vanguard)
Oba Babatunde Akanbi Nasiru Ogunrobi, of Shasha kingdom in Alimosho Local government area of Lagos State, has advised youths to shun drug abuse and other social vices due to their negative effects on the society. Babatunde, gave the advice in Alimosho during a sensitization campaign against drug abuse and cultism among youths organized by Hope for the Addicts Initiative in Lagos State. He said, “Drug abuse is taking a drug not prescribed by experts. Youths, women and other Nigerians must shun drug abuse. Drug addiction if unchecked could only lead to the production of irresponsible people. My advice is for parents to talk to their children and bring them up in a way that they can be better citizens.” Read more
Lagos reiterates zero tolerance to street begging (Nation)
Worried by the alarming rate of street begging and its negative impact within the state, Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development Agboola Dabiri has reiterated the stance for zero tolerance on street begging. Agboola said this at a meeting held with Stakeholders on curbing the menace of street begging in Lagos. According to him available, statistics indicates that despite the law enforcement agencies’ efforts at curbing the menace, beggars had become recalcitrant and they sometimes engage in criminal activities while parading as beggars. According to him, the facilities which the government built to serve as transit home for rescued beggars and destitute is over stretched, hence, the urgent need for stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the problem. Read more
CISLAC launches ALAC Office in Lagos State (Independent)
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), national contact for Transparency International (TI) in Nigeria, conducted one-day orientation and training on July 17, 2018, for focal staff of Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation, the partner organisation hosting the Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (ALAC) in Lagos State. The training was organised as part of an ongoing project called “Integrity, Mobilisation, Participation, Accountability, Anticorruption and Transparency in Nigeria (IMPACT Nigeria), in collaboration with the TI-International Secretariat, Berlin and with support from Global Affairs Canada. As part of implementation of the project, CISLAC is setting up Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre desks in three geo- political zones of the country so as to cater to the size of Nigeria and make reporting of corrupt practices to the ALAC easier for citizens who wish to do so. Read more
LAGESC warns residents against indiscriminate waste disposal (Nation)
The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) yesterday urged residents to henceforth desist from dumping waste or be prosecuted. In a statement by its Deputy Corps Marshal in charge of Operations and Monitoring, Ademola Kazeem, the agency said it had noted with dismay the resurgence of refuse in public areas over the past couple of weeks. Investigation carried out by LAGESC, he said, revealed that some residents have deliberately cultivated the habit of dumping waste on the road, sidewalks, road medians, and open spaces. He said some residents were still illegally patronising cart-pushers, who recklessly dump collected waste in unauthorized places. Read more
Traffic party on Lagos roads as tankers’ takeover enters fourth day (Guardian)
Four days after the lawlessness drivers and owners of articulated trucks unleashed on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway continued unabated, Lagosians have been urged to brace up for ‘Armageddon Reloaded’ on the roads next week when the Federal Government go ahead with its advertised plan of closing the Third Mainland Bridge to traffic for three days. This is because alternative routes to the island beside the Third Mainland Bridge are places that have been converted to parking lots by trucks and tankers, leaving commuters plying the routes stranded in severe gridlock for hours. A bedlam better imagined than experienced is envisaged by the time all the vehicles to the island divert to the routes at Ikorodu Road-Ojuelegba axis. Read more
Lagos holds 2-day seminar for intending pilgrims(Vanguard)
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi has enjoined Lagos State intending pilgrims to represent the State well in Nigeria and in the Kingdom of Saudi Ararbia. He gave this advice during a Two-Day Seminar organised for 2018 hajj intending pilgrims. According to the governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Amir ul Hajj 2018, the event held at the Old Secretariat Central Mosque, GRA, Ikeja, was meant to deepen the understanding of the dos and donts, the basics of hajj rites and etiquettes while performing the Holy pilgrimage. Governor Ambode declared that his government has made adequate provision for comfortable accommodation, better feeding arrangement, buses, ambulances, Arabic classes, Lectures, Medical supports and other aids that will make the holy pilgrimage a success. Read more
Lagos drills workers on fire safety (Nation)
The exercise is part of measures to curb incessant fire in private and public places. The Ministry of the Special Duties and Inter Governmental Relations Permanent Secretary, Dr Jemilade Longe, who flagged off the exercise, reiterated the government’s commitment to safety. The sensitisation, he said, was timely considering the increasing incidence of fire. Acting Director, Lagos Fire Service Rasaki Musibau said the yearly event exposed public servants to measures to take in handling emergencies and ensuring that safety equipment was in good condition. Read more
Ikorodu leaders back relocation of secretariat for shopping mall (Punch)
Some leaders in the Ikorodu area say they welcome the move by the Lagos State Government to build a shopping mall at the secretariat of the Ikorodu Local Government Area on T.O.S. Benson Road, Ikorodu. The leaders, who claimed that the secretariat land was currently underutilised, spoke after a meeting, saying the claim that residents of Ikorodu did not support the use of the council secretariat for a shopping mall was not true, a statement said on Thursday. Punch Metro had reported that the residents had decried the usage of the council secretariat for the project, suggesting that the shopping mall should be built in unoccupied land. Read more
Boosting medicare at the grassroots in Lagos(Nation)
In twos and threes, residents of Ikoyi-Obalende and its environs thronged Daniel’s Compound. They were there to benefit from the free medical expedition programme tagged ‘The Eko Free Health Mission’ sponsored by the Lagos State Government. An Hausa man, a 40 year-old tailor, Aliu Dogo (not real names), who had a dental problem was attended to. He smiled, as he told The Nation that he was happy to get treatment. Dogo said: “My friend had a problem with his tooth. He went to hospital and it was pulled out. He got it refilled. He told me he paid over N40, 000. And that was the amount I was looking, when I learnt of this free mission. I did not pay,” Dogo said. Read more
Wedding expo holds in Lagos, Abuja (Nation)
Lagos and Abuja are set to host WED Expo, Nigeria’s largest wedding exhibition. A statement by the organisers yesterday said the exhibition would hold with the Urban Food and Drink Festival. The statement reads: “No wedding or event is complete without tasty food and drinks. This time around, we are hosting a co-located event to bring you the best of everything weddings, fashion, beauty, lifestyle and of course food and drinks. It’s everything you need in one location! “Expected at the event are wedding planners, decorators cake makers, makeup artists, photographers, videographers and asoebi merchants. Others expected are bridal houses groom houses rings merchants, caterers, cocktail service providers, aso-oke maker, beads and accessories makers, souvenir merchants and others.” Read more
‘We aren’t under pressure to win Lagos badminton’ (Punch)
Nigeria’s highest ranked female badminton player Dorcas Adesokan has said the country’s players are not under pressure to win the 2018 Lagos International Badminton Classics, which is ongoing at the Molade-Okoya Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos. Nigerians have failed to win the competition since its inception in 2014 as foreigners have dominated the men and women’s singles events. After the first day of the competition on Wednesday, several Nigerians were sent packing with a few favourites progressing to the next round. Read more