THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE APRIL 11, 2018
Lagos employees’ll work anywhere in the world – Ambode (Punch)
The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has said the state civil servants will be continuously trained to acquire managerial skills and good work ethics in order to compete favourably with their counterparts all over the world. The governor stated this on Tuesday in Ikeja at the opening of a two-day training programme with the theme, ‘Managerial Skills and Personal Effectiveness, organised by the Ministry of Establishment, Training and Pensions for directors and senior management staff of the state government. Ambode, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions, Dr Akintola Benson-Oke, noted that high performance increased in organisations that exposed their human capital to developmental training such as the one organised for the participants. Read more
New Lagos bus terminals to move 12 million people (Punch)
The new Ikeja Bus Terminal, the Oshodi Transport Interchange under construction and 11 bus terminals being built in strategic places in the Lagos metropolis are modelled after modern airport terminals, the Lagos State Government has said. The Ikeja Bus Terminal inaugurated on March 29 by President Muhammedu Buhari will hopefully open a new chapter in public transportation in the nation’s economic capital as commuters are expected to be treated with a high level of dignity with the state-of-the-art facilities provided at the terminal. Read more
Ambode: We are delivering more with less (Nation)
The Lagos State Civil Service has led the way in reducing waste in government while increasing productivity, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, has said. The governor said this had been made possible partly through extensive investments in knowledge and skills in the Civil Service. Ambode, represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions Dr. Akintola Benson during a training organised for workers in Lagos, spoke on the topic: “Adopting the lean process improvement culture in the Civil Service to further reduce waste and optimise productivity”. Read more
Why Ambode, Obasa deserve another Term – Egberongbe (Independent)
How would you assess the performance of the Eight Lagos State House of Assembly in the last two three years?
It has been a successful House. Unlike previous ones, the 8th Assembly has witnessed a high turnout of private member bills. In the past assemblies, most bills emanated from the executive arm. The Neighbourhood Watch bill, the cancer institute and the Yoruba Language bills are just a few of such. Most of such private members’ bill has direct impact on the people they represent and this suggests that the lawmakers are very close to the grassroots. Don’t forget also the town hall meetings, which affords the lawmakers the opportunity to feel the pulse of the people and which has equally assisted Governor Ambode in planning the budget. Read more
Govt warns account officers against sharp practices (Punch)
The Lagos State Accountant-General and Permanent Secretary, State Treasury Office, Mrs. Abimbola Umar, has called on finance and account officers in all the ministries, departments and agencies of the state government to adhere strictly to internal control processes. Umar in a statement on Tuesday said such would deepen transparency within the accounting system of the state and prevent issues of fraud and mismanagement. The AG, who spoke at Alausa, Ikeja, during a technical meeting with directors/heads of Accounts Departments across all the MDAs, added that strict adherence to control processes was necessary to assist in checking sharp practices in the financial management. Read more
Amid fears, residents return to razed Ojota dumpsite area (Punch)
With so much risk associated with smoke inhalation, it is imperative that people who work, live around or ply a polluted axis such as the Olusosun Ojota refuse dumpsite, in the Ketu area of Lagos should take some precautions. There is the need to avoid constantly inhaling methane and noxious gases in the air. Although activities at the dumpsite were practically shut down for weeks, following the fire that engulfed it, many people are back in the vicinity carrying out their daily activities despite the health risks involved. Read more
LASG promises improved health services (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has assured residents of improved healthcare services just as it extended its service charter initiative to three additional general hospitals. The inauguration of the service charter in the Alimosho, Epe and Gbagada general hospitals, according to the government, has increased the numbers of chartered general hospitals in the state from 14 to 17. The Medical Director of the Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, Dr Adebajo Madewa, while speaking at the inauguration of the charter for the three health facilities on Tuesday in Ikeja, explained that the move was to encourage improvement in service delivery by promoting transparency and responsiveness. Read more
Experts worry over declining use of Family Planning in Lagos (Independent)
Unmet needs for contraceptives among women in the Southwest region of Nigeria have been going down in the last decade. But, this has not been the case for Lagos State, the latest Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS) conducted by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has shown. For instance, in 2007 the unmet needs for contraceptives among married women in the South West region was lowest in Lagos State, but the new survey by NBS which was carried out with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), shows that while unmet need for contraceptives is on the decline in the region, it is on the increase in Lagos State. Read more
Lagos moves to boost Clinical Knowledge, Healthcare Delivery (Independent)
To boost clinical knowledge and healthcare delivery to its residents, Lagos state government has restated its commitment towards ensuring continuing medical education for its health workers. Announcing this was Dr, Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health in Lagos State, during the recent ‘Continuing Education Programmme,’ tagged, ‘Rebranding Healthcare Delivery in Lagos State,’ which held at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium at Alausa. While giving the opening remark at the event, Dr. Idris stressed the need for all medical professionals to be informed of modern knowledge of clinical practice crucial for patients to be given the quality of care that they deserve. Read more
Petroleum products top 45 vessels expected at Lagos ports (Guardian)
No fewer than 45 vessels are expected to berth at Lagos ports in two weeks, with 15 of such vessels laden with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol.Vessels statistics released by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) yesterday showed that some of the vessels are expected to arrive today and tomorrow. The massive importation of petroleum products is expected to bring relief to the ordeals of petroleum consumers who have been wasting useful man-hours to queue for fuel at filling stations. Other products expected in the country through Lagos ports include; fish, fertiliser, general cargo, soya beans, sugar, wheat and ethanol. Read more
LG opens free laundry hub in Lagos (Vanguard)
In its bid to alleviate the difficulty attached to getting clean water and power to efficiently carry out laundry by the people of Ogba and environs in Ikeja, LG Electronics recently inaugurated a free laundry service. The service tagged Life’s Good with LG Wash is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility program for the year designed to help people, homes and the community, meet their laundry needs. Speaking on the company’s drive at the event which held at LG showroom, Executive Vice- President, LG Electronics, Mr. Choong Hak Lee, said: “As a global company, LG Electronics is using its capabilities to help local communities all over the world by solving some issues. In this regard, I hope that Life’s Good with LG Wash will help make things more convenient and lives more comfortable. Read more
Nigeria Notes: Lagos-Kano Economic and Investment Summit: 5 takeaways (Vanguard)
I was one of the resource persons at the Lagos-Kano Summit held in Epe, Lagos State on February 28th and March 1st. I would like to share with readers my five takeaways from the Summit: (1) Leadership by example, (2) Challenge of weak institutions, (3) Challenge of security, (4) Internally generated revenue and the taxpayer, and (5) Possibilities of state partnerships. The leadership by example demonstrated by Governors Ambode and Ganduje at the Summit deserves to be acknowledged and commended. They attended all the plenary sessions and each attended one of the several simultaneous parallel breakout sessions during the two-day Summit. Read more
NURTW chief donates mosque to Lagos community (Nation)
The Chairman, Lagos Island chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Abdul Azeez Adekunle Lawal, has inaugurated a multi-million naira juma’at mosque built for the community in Apogbon, under Lagos Island Local Government Area of the state. According to him, the gesture was in memory of their loyal comrade member, the late Alhaji Abdul Ganiyu Ayinla who died recently and also as part of activities marking his birthday anniversary. He said the mosque would serve Muslims in the area in the worship of Allah and in remembrance of the good work of their late diligent and committed comrade. He added that he would not relent in his efforts to support the work of Allah and the well-being of the poor. Read more
Lagos reiterates commitment to tourism ahead of summit (NewTelegraph)
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has restated his commitment towards making Lagos the foremost tourism destination in Africa as the state prepares to hold a summit on tourism. The summit is coming on the heels of the state tourism master plan which the governor would unveil next month as part of the third anniversary of his administration. Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Steve Ayorinde, disclosed this yesterday at the state Secretariat, Alausa, while speaking on the state tourism summit billed to hold on Monday at Eko Hotel and Suites, with Ambode as the chief host while former president of Ghana, John Mahama, slated to deliver keynote address. Read more
A marriage of watercolour masters, luxury and royalty at The Content (Guardian)
Art masters, royalty, art dealers and enthusiasts from across the country recently gathered at Adam and Eve, a one-stop home and office luxury store, at Ikeja GRA, Lagos, for the third edition of The Content. It was an art exhibition of Watercolour Masters for 2018 Spring. The exhibition comes with an assortment of items from household products such as furniture, kitchen and cooking utensils, bedroom pieces, wallpapers, mirrors and other decorative materials that come in alluring designs. It will end on April 30. Executive Officer, Adam and Eve, Modupe Ogunlesi, explained that art encompasses the unending depth of creativity and abstraction, colours and perspectives, shades and emotions apart from offering solace. According to her, one of the aims of the exhibition is to connect the audience to the artistry innate in them while not forgetting that “at a time in life, we were all once great artists.” She quoted the late Chinese painter, Li Shan, who said: “Art that has depth makes a strong impact on the spirit, emotion, mood and thoughts of human beings.” Read more
WB Yeats’ The Only Jealousy of Emer hits Lagos’ stage (Guardian)
The Only Jealousy of Emer, written by well-known Irish writer, William Butler Yeats, and directed by Ray Yeates, will star Ireland-based Nigerian actors, Yemi Adenuga, Deji Adenuga, Oluwayomi Ogunyemi, Esosa Ighodaro and Penelope Anyaji-Aniuzu. It is the presentation of Nigerian Carnival Ireland, and scheduled for this Saturday, April 14, 2018 at Freedom Park, Lagos. The play centres around mythic Irish hero Cuchulainn, who has killed his son and in grief attempts to fight the sea. Half drowned, he lies in a state between life and death, with his wife and mistress watching over him. Strange events occur, as Cuchulainn has in fact been replaced by a changeling and they try tirelessly to get him back, bringing onto the stage demons, ghosts and the supernatural. Read more
Nostalgia opens at Omenka Gallery (Nation)
A solo art exhibition Nostalgia: Glimpses from Diaspora by Kunle Adegborioye opened last Saturday at the Omenka Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos. It will end on April 14. The exhibition is featuring his recent works in mixed media, acrylics and oils on canvas. The work shows the artist’s condition, his oeuvre: that is, his way of dealing with contrasting identities and influences on his life, having been born in Nigeria, but has been living and working in the United Kingdom. Several Nigerian artists share this condition of hybridity, many of whom have either been born, raised in the Diaspora and relocated to Nigeria or studied here, but now live and work abroad. Unlike many of them who feel a sense of shame, loss or displacement, Adegborioye depicts memories drawn from his childhood in Nigeria. But they are not always happy memories as the title of the exhibition suggests. Read more
Shock as councillor dies on birthday (Nation)
A councillor in Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos, Solomon Adewale Awokoya aka Ogbogbon, is dead. He died on his 45th birthday. The late Awokoya, who was representing Ward ‘C’ in the Bariga LCDA Legislative House, chatted with some people till 2am on Saturday before his demise. The deceased bought some empowerment materials including an industrial machine he purchased for N125,000 to be distributed to the people in his ward on Sunday as part of activities marking his birthday. Read more
Bribe: Police arrest, detain 5 SARS operatives in Lagos (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested five operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad for allegedly harassing a businessman in the state for bribe after seizing his company documents. The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, said the men were attached to the Ipakodo base of SARS. The culprits, according to him, are Inspector Taiwo Omojope, Inspector Arigidi Ebibor, Sergeant Rotimi Adesoba, Sergeant Olalekan Olakunle and Sergeant Friday Oni. Punch Metro had reported that the businessman, Immanuel Ibe-Anyanwu, had gone to a Zenith Bank branch at Ago-Palace Way, Okota, for a transaction when he was approached by one of the cops who took him to where their operational vehicle was parked. Read more
Badagry prince arraigned in court for forgery (Guardian)
A Badagry prince, Semasa James, of Kweme Land was on Tuesday arraigned before an Ikeja Special Offences Court for defrauding the estate of his father, late Oba Afolabi James of N500 million. According to the charges, the late ruler was the king of Kweme Land of Badagry.According to Mr. Sunday Ekong, the prosecutor for the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), the prince fraudulently converted N500 million property belonging to the late king between 2000 and 2017. Ekong said Semasa had in 2011 in Lagos, forged the resolution of a company called CAJ Industrial Enterprises dated Nov. 28, 2011. Read more
Lagos records 1,315 armed robberies, 392 kidnappings in four years (Guardian)
Between 2014 till date, a total of 1,315 armed robbery attacks, 359 cult-related cases and 392 kidnapping cases were recorded in Lagos State, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Imohimi Edgal, has revealed. Edgal said many arrests of suspected criminals have been made and prosecutions are ongoing. The police boss made the startling disclosure at the inaugural edition of the Lagos State Security Summit held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island. He said the activities of the Badoo cult group that was prevalent in Ikorodu axis of the state as well as militancy along the riverine communities have been degraded. Edgal said this feat was possible because of the massive assistance extended to security forces by the state government through consistent donation and funding of security equipment. Read more