THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE APRIL 19, 2018
Scholarship, Awards for Excellence await pupils in Lagos State (Guardian)
Lagos State Academic Competition and Award of Excellent Academic Performance is now open for upper primary, basic four to six with a view to providing a competitive head-start which would culminate into identifying, celebrating and rewarding industry and merit among schools and pupils in the state. Managing Director, RB Educational Books limited, Rotimi Babalola said the competition is premised on his organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility, which with the collaboration of co-sponsors would give scholarship to about 100 pupils in the state annually for the next five years. He explained that the programme is a special platform that would also see every participating school duly rewarded with gifts. Read more
Group plans campaign for Atiku in Lagos (Punch)
A group that seeks to advocate the development of the country and protection of the rights and privileges of its citizens worldwide, Re-building Nigeria Initiative, is set for inauguration, the conveners have said. The Deputy National President of the group, Earnest Fasan, said in a statement on Wednesday that the initiative would be inaugurated on Sunday, April 22 in Lagos. He said the inauguration would mark the beginning of a campaign for the support of former Vice-President Alhaji Abubakar Atiku’s presidential ambition. Read more
Voters hail senator on empowerment (Punch)
The Lagos East Senatorial District has described the performance of the senator representing the district, Gbenga Ashafa, as “impressive.” It commended Ashafa for sponsoring seven bills in the Senate and embarking on empowerment programmes within the constituency, a statement said on Wednesday. The apex leaders of the All Progressive Congress from the district, in a communiqué signed by the Secretary to the Lagos East Senatorial District, Joko Pelumi, said Ashafa deserved another term in the upper chamber. Read more
Lagos names new 4th Mainland Bridge investors June (Punch)
The Lagos State Government says new investors for the Fourth Mainland Bridge will be named in June. The cost of the previous contract which was cancelled in May 2017 was put at N844bn. The government had cited delay in the commencement of work as the reason for the termination of the contract. The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Adebowale Akinsanya, who stated this on Wednesday at a press briefing of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to mark the third anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, added, “We are at the last phase of selecting the preferred bidders. I believe the bidders would be announced by June.” Read more
Lagos denies involvement in Mayfair Gardens water crises (Nation)
The Lagos State government has dissociated itself from the water rate crisis at the Mayfair Gardens Estate, Lekki. The controversial rates did not emanate from the government, its Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Babatunde Durosinmi- Etti said. Speaking during a meeting with heads of the state Water Regulatory Commission, Mr. Kabir Abdullahi and Water Corporation, Mr. Munir Badmus, the commissioner urged Lagosians to report any billing or borehole closure to the ministry. He added that the government did not authorise the closure of any borehole except it was found to be unfit for domestic use. Read more
Handle It Africa conference holds May 4 in Lagos (Guardian)
The second edition of Handle It Africa Conference holds on May 4, 2018 in Lagos. Handle It Africa is a platform conceived to share knowledge on maximising the benefits of social media. The conference with the theme: Social Media: Expanding Influence, Broadening Thoughts, will feature exciting panel sessions designed to enlighten participants on the effective use of social media. The sessions will also feature speakers who have successfully built strong personal and corporate brands by leveraging on the power of social media. Read more
Kalu commends UNILAG, pledges foundation’s support (SUN)
Former Governor of Abia state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has commended the management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) for producing quality graduates for the country. He promised the Orji Uzor Kalu Foundation’s support for the institution. Kalu said this when he paid a courtesy visit to the UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe “I want to commend the university management. They are trying their best. I am excited by what I have seen. The VC’s office is organised. This tells us how the VC works. I promise you, I will come again.” Read more
AOCOED alumnus gives tips on RSW (Nation)
It was like homecoming on Monday for the former Adeniran Ogunanya College of Education Oto/Ijanikin president, Comrade Marvelous Ojuomla. He literarily set the Oluremi Tinubu’s hall of the college on fire when he shared his experience as an alumnus of the Ready Set Work (RSW). Ojuomola advised the 200 and 300 level undergraduates, who crowded the hall to register online for this year’s RSW, which started on Monday and would run till April 30. RSW is an employability and entrepreneurship programme aimed at preparing final year students for entry into the workforce as employees and employers. Read more
Rotary Club of Maryland erects school fence to ward off hoodlums (Guardian)
Succour came to pupils of the school complex made up of Community Primary School, Ewutuntun; State Primary School, Mafoluku; and State Primary School, Ewutuntun, when the Rotary Club of Maryland fulfilled its promise to erect a fence to ward off hoodlums that have made the school premises their second home. During the commissioning of the project, the District 9110 Governor, Rotary International, Dr. Wale Ogunbadejo, said the purpose of carrying out the project was to secure the lives of pupils and create a conducive environment for them to learn. “Where children come to school and begin to see obscene objects like condoms, we believe it is not ideal for children at this stage of their lives. We have therefore come to contribute our own quota by putting up this fence as one of the six areas of focus of Rotary International. Read more
2019: Oba Akiolu gives Buhari conditions for Lagos support (Vanguard)
Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu I, has said the only way the people of Lagos will support President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term re-election ambition is to grant the state a special status. Akiolu made the remarks, while speaking yesterday, during the second quarter of 2018 Town Hall Meeting with residents, at Apapa Amusement Park, Lagos. Akiolu in a reaction after the Senate rejected a bill to officially recognize Lagos as Nigeria’s commercial capital in 2016 had blamed former President Olusegun Obasanjo for Lagos not being granted a special status. Read more
Lawmaker donates furniture to Lagos schools (Nation)
A member of the House of Representatives representing Ifako-Ijaiye federal constituency Mr Nurudeen Olaitan Akinwunmi has donated tables and chairs to head teachers and pupils of four public schools in Ifako-Ijaiye. Akinwunmi said learning aids form a part of his intervention programme towards providing a conducive learning environment to pupils of public schools in his constituency. Akinwunmi said time has called for well-meaning Nigerians to join hands with the government in making life more abundant for the masses. He said: “Lagos State has the highest number of public schools, highest number of students as well as teachers and spreading infrastructure to all the schools in order to improve access to quality education would no doubt pose a big challenge; that is why everyone must join hands with the government to fill the gaps. Read more
Lagos promotes academic excellence, considers awards for heroes (Vanguard)
As part of efforts to promote academic excellence, the Lagos State Government is considering a merit award scheme to personalities who have contributed immensely towards the development of the state in various spheres of life. This was revealed during a Public Hearing on a Bill for a Law to establish the Lagos State Awards Scheme, LSAS, to specify among other things, the privileges of the recipients and for connected matters. The event which took place at the State House of Assembly, Lateef Jakande Auditorium, was attended by civil servants and other stakeholders. Read more
Amuwo Odofin MCC seeks expansion of facility for improved healthcare services (Guardian)
The Medical Director of Amuwo Odofin Maternal and Child Centre, Dr Ayodapo Soyinka has appealed to the government to look into the challenges facing the medical facility. He said the maternal and child centre has been experiencing challenges in the area of power, security, space, referrals of patients for tertiary care treatment in sister hospitals, inadequate personnel and lack of utility vehicles among others. Dr Ayodapo, who stated this during the second general stakeholders meeting of Amuwo Odofin said, the medical centre, which provides qualitative and unparralled maternal and child cost effective services needs improvement and expansion of the facility. Read more
Lawyer condemns arrest of Lagos market leaders (Punch)
Activist lawyer, Mr. Jiti Ogunye, has raised the alarm over the police raid on Araromi Oke-Odo Market in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State and the arrest of the market leaders. According to Ogunye, the police, on Friday, invaded the market at about 1pm and arrested the 82-year-old Deputy Baba Oja, Alhaji Taofeek Olorunkemi; the market secretary, Mr. Williams Falana, 78; Igbo leader, Mr. Livinus Njoku, 63; and Hausa leader, Alhaji Lawali Dan Galadima, aged 59. Also arrested, according to Ogunye, were Alhaji Narisu Ango, Musa Muhammed and Wasiu Anabi. Read more
LASG seeks safe, affordable transport system (Punch)
The Lagos State Government says the reforms in the transport sector will be sustained to provide a safe, integrated and affordable multi-modal transport system for Lagosians. The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Ladi Lawanson, stated this in Ikeja while giving out the scorecard of the transport ministry in the last one year in commemoration of the third year in office of the Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration. Lawanson, who noted that the present administration was keen on physical development and provision of world-class transport infrastructure in Lagos, said the state would soon acquire 14 and 18-seater yellow mini buses as well as 40-80 capacity buses in the state. Read more
Lagos Blue Line rail 95 % completed, says Commissioner (Vanguard)
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Ladi Lawanson. says the state government has achieved 95 per cent completion of the ongoing Blue Line rail construction spanning Mile 2 on the mainland to Marina on the island. Lawanson said this on Tuesday at a media briefing to mark the three years in office of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode. He said construction had been focused on National Theatre-Marina segment which had attained 65 per cent completion. “We have achieved 95 per cent completion of the blue line rail in Lagos State and currently we are focusing on National Theatre-Marina segment. Read more
SUV crushes graduate preparing for NYSC (Punch)
A 23-year-old graduate of the Ebonyi State University, Adeyinka Adelekan, will not be able to commence her National Youth Service Corps this month as planned after a sport utility vehicle knocked her down around Skiddo bus stop, Ajah, Lagos State. Adelekan, who studied Geology at the university, reportedly suffered fractures in his legs and brain injuries as a result of the crash. She was said to have been admitted to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, and had yet to come out of a coma since December 19, 2017, when the accident happened. Punch Metro learnt that Adelekan was going to buy drinks for herself and her elder sister around 4pm on that day. Read more
SARS officers allegedly harass Dr. Sid in Lekki (Punch)
Singer, Dr Sid was allegedly harassed by SARS officers On Wednesday in Lekki, when he was mistaken for an internet fraudster. According to an eyewitness, who shared a video with Instablog9ja, the singer was stopped on the suspicion that he is a “Yahoo boy” an internet fraudster. The eyewitness added that the incident occurred on Freedom Way, Lekki Phase 1; “after routine check , they found nothing implicating , and resorted to seizing the phone of the driver. Little did they they know, that this person is Dr Sid. They insulted and attempted to assault him physically.” Read more
Truck lands on cars after falling off Berger Bridge (Nation)
A Pay Loader truck yesterday fell off the Berger Bridge in Lagos and landed on two cars. The Nation gathered that two cars were damaged in the accident, which happened around 9am. The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority Response Unit (LRU) were at the scene. A LASTMA official said he heard of the incident on Traffic Radio around 9am and immediately ordered the officials close to the scene to go there. Read more
How senator escaped from mace thieves’ car – Aide (Guardian)
Senator Solomon Adeola (APC-Lagos) on Wednesday allegedly escaped an attempted kidnap in the hands of unknown men who stormed the Senate and made away with the mace during plenary. The Special Adviser to Adeola on Media, Mr Kayode Odunaro, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. Odunaro, who said he witnessed the near abduction of the senator, said that his principal escaped narrowly. According to him, the lawmaker sustained an injury to his head in the course of his escape. ”Apparently the senator was kidnapped by the people that took away the mace. Read more