THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE MAY 7, 2018
Why Ambode may emerge Lagos APC sole Guber Candidate in 2019 (Independent)
Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos State, may not face any major hurdle in securing the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest next year’s governorship election as his re-election bid has received the blessings of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Daily Independent has gathered. Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos and one of APC’s national leaders, played a major role in Ambode’s emergence in 2015. Although he has not made any official statement on Ambode’s quest to secure another term, a chieftain of the party who spoke with Daily Independent said Tinubu had already directed leaders of the three senatorial districts in the state to ensure they give the governor the needed support to ensure a seamless re-election bid. Read more
Ambode seeks effective public finance, strong leadership (Punch)
The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has said Nigeria can achieve better accountability with an effective public financial management system and strong political leadership. Ambode stated this on Friday at the retreat of the Forum of the Accountants General in Nigeria tagged, ‘Change in Nigeria’s Accountability and Transparency: Towards Professionalism and Good Governance,’ held in Epe. The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, said the theme of the retreat gave him the conviction that the current set of accountants general aligned with the evolving and demanding requirement of political and professional realities. Read more
Lagos begins N6b compensation payment (Nation)
The Lagos State government has begun the payment of compensation to owners of properties that gave way for Right of Way (RoW) for the various construction works across the state. Over N6 billion has been earmarked for the payment, which is being handled by the state’s Land Bureau at Alausa in Ikeja, the state capital. The exercise, which started last Friday at the Land Bureau office, will run till May 11 at Alausa before it returns to various zones in the state for continuation. When our correspondent visited the venue of the exercise, over 100,000 recipients were seen sitting peacefully as they awaited their turns for the verification. Read more
‘Govt improving quality of lives through health care’ (Punch)
The Lagos State Government says the it is committed to the protection of the health of residents of the state, adding that such will have a positive impact on the quality of lives of Lagosians. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, stated this on Friday at a briefing on his ministry to mark the three years in office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. “The government is determined to ensure continuous improvement in quality of lives through health service in the state and has been utilising its resources to actualise same,” Idris added. He said the renovation and extension of the popular Ayinke House, which caters to mothers and children, on the premises of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja would soon be completed, while work would resume there in June. Read more
2,131 pregnant women test positive to HIV in Lagos (Vanguard)
Lagos State Government has disclosed that at least 2,131 pregnant women have tested positive to Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV, while 3,876 children were placed under antiretroviral therapy within the last one year. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who gave the statistics while briefing pressmen on activities of the ministry, at Ikeja, explained that the $9.6 million grant from donor agencies further assisted in conduct of AIDS indicator survey, implementation and provision of technical support in Epe, Ikorodu and OshodI-Isolo councils. Idris, explained that the number was discovered after conducting test for the pregnant women during their visit to the State-owned medical facilities. Read more
Ambode, FG task Accountant-Generals on good governance, transparency (NewTelegraph)
The Federal Government and the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday tasked Accountant-Generals across the country to make use of technologies and other techniques to ensure transparency, good governance and accountability in the public sector. Speaking at a forum of Accountant-Generals held in Jubilee Chalet, Epe, Ambode said Accountant-Generals occupied one of the most sensitive and demanding positions in the public service, going by the clamour for good governance, accountability and transparency. To achieve better accountability and transparency in public accounting in Nigeria at all levels of government, the governor, who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, said there was need for strong political will of leadership and robust financial management systems that reflect global best practices which were being implemented by Accountant-Generals. Read more
Lagos pays N892m accrued pension rights (Punch)
The Lagos State Government says it has paid N892m into the Retirement Savings Accounts of 156 retirees for the 50th batch under the Contributory Pension Scheme. According to a statement obtained from the Lagos State Pension Commission on Sunday, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, said during the retirement bond presentation that pensioners were a vital part of the administration. The governor, who was represented at the event by the state Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Oke, said this was in line with the trend of paying pensions monthly. Read more
‘We abandoned collapsed Lekki Garden building at foundation stage’ (Guardian)
As controversy deepens on the collapsed Lekki Gardens building, one of the contractors, Messrs Geostruct Consult Limited has exempted itself from the mishap, saying that it abandoned works at the foundation stage over payment dispute. The firm director, Mr. Kuye Sodiq, disclosed this in his testimony before Justice Sybil Nwaka at the ongoing criminal trial of the Managing Director of Lekki Gardens Estate Ltd, Richard Nyong and eight others. Nyong, alongside Lekki Gardens Estate Limited, Get Rich Investment Limited known as Horizon 1 Extension House H15, Mr Sola Olumofe; the firm’s contractor, Odofin Henry Taiwo; Omolabake Mortunde, Omotilewa Joseph and HC Insight Solution Limited were arraigned before a Lagos High Court, Ikeja on six-count charge bordering on failure to obtain building approval and involuntary manslaughter. Read more
LASG to redevelop 100 slum settlements (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has said it plans to redevelop about 100 slum settlements across the state to make them more habitable. The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Rotimi Ogunleye, who stated this at the 2018 Ministerial Press Briefing, said the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency was working towards the regeneration and urbanisation of the state into a befitting megacity that was liveable and economically buoyant. Ogunleye said this would also help to prevent building collapse as well as reduce urban blight in the state. Read more
Lagos scales up work on 9 new jetties, 4 ferry routes (Guardian)
Lagos State government has said work is progressing steadily on the construction of nine jetties with shelter and shoreline protection and channelization of four new ferry routes as part of efforts to boost water transportation in line with the multi-modal transport policy across the state. Speaking at the ongoing 2018 ministerial press briefing to mark the third year anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration, the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mr. Babatunde Adejare, said the projects, upon completion, would transform water transportation and contribute to the vision of the present administration to reduce pressure on road infrastructure. Read more
Lagos commences N30m refund to 2017 pilgrims Wednesday (DailyTrust)
The Lagos State government will begin the disbursement of N30 million to 2017 pilgrims on Wednesday. This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Lagos State Amir-ul-Hajj, Dr. AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef while briefing newsmen on the issue. He explained that proper arrangement has been put in place to ensure that pilgrims get the refund without any stress. “Each pilgrim is entitled to N12,509.81,” he said. According to the commissioner, pilgrims from Agege, Ajeromi, Alimosho, Amuwo Odofin and Apapa are billed for Wednesday while those from Badagry, Epe, Eti-Osa, Ifako-Ijaiye and Ikeja will be attended to on Thursday. Read more
Quest to visit Lagos by British Tourists rises by 96% (ThisDay)
The demand to spend summer holidays in Lagos State by British tourists and visitors has risen by 96 per cent between 2017 and 2018, according to a report by KAYAK, one of the world’s foremost travel organisations. KAYAK, an independently managed subsidiary of Booking Holdings Inc, issued the report at the weekend covering searches made by British tourists and visitors for holidays beyond Europe in the last two years. Specifically, the report ranked Lagos, a widely acknowledged model megacity, 13th non-European destination, thereby making the city-state Africa’s choicest destination, especially for British tourists and visitors. Read more
Lagos Water unveils mobile billing platform (DailyTrust)
Lagos Water Corporation has launched its Billing and Collection platform called LWC mobile. The Managing Director/CEO, Engr. Muminu Adekunle Badmus revealed this over the weekend in Lagos. “This is one of the corporation’s efforts, in conformity with the state’s cashless policy embarked upon by the Lagos State government,” he said. Badmus said the main objective of the platform is to improve the efficiency in the processes of billing collection and customers management. He added that the App is designed for the customers to enable them send requests or complaints, check payments, accounts statement and any other related records in terms of consumption, meter reading etc, noting that the App is customer friendly. Read more
LNSC arrests 14 traffic ‘robbers’ (Nation)
Officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) have arrested 14 suspected traffic robbers on the Marina in Lagos. The suspects were apprehended during an operation codenamed, Jedi-Jedi, which was initiated to rid the axis of miscreants, who waylay motorists at night. According to the agency’s Chairman, Israel Ajao, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), LNSC had received complaints that motorists were usually robbed at that axis at night, especially by the State House on the Marina. He said LNSC officials went undercover and pretended as motorists, whose vehicles broke down. Read more
Court rules on suit against Dana motors over faulty Kia car (Guardian)
Magistrate Shokunbi of Isolo Magistrate Court, Lagos, has fixed May 11, for ruling on the suit brought by Lagos based-structural engineer, Victor Oyenuga, against Dana Motors Limited. Dispute arose when a brand new KIA Sorento car bought by the claimant in December 2009 allegedly developed fault barely four months after purchase from the defendant for N5.130 million. The claimant averred that he was surprised that the said car with Chassis No: KNAJC525896677 and engine N0: G6DB8H042746 had been developing fault four months after its purchase with the kilometer reading of 1,165 and has since been undergoing series of repairs. -products/
Tension in Oko Oba Abattoir over planned demolition (DailyTrust)
The last may not have been heard of the demolition of illegal structures inside the Oko Oba abattoir by the Lagos State government as members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria, Lagos branch have threatened to move out of the state if government goes ahead with its plan. The situation has generated tension in the abattoir as the cattle dealers have vowed to resist attempt to carry out the demolition. The state government through the Commissioner for Agriculture, Oluwatoyin Suarau, had in 2017 said that there was no going back on the planned demolition. The government had ordered the dealers who are members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders and butchers association, to move out of the market over its plan to rebuild the structure. Read more
Soldiers torture asthmatic patient, brother in Lagos (Punch)
Some soldiers, who were reportedly acting on the orders of a Lagos landlord, on Saturday allegedly tortured an asthmatic patient on Lekki Palm City Estate, Ajah, Lagos State. Punch metro learnt that the soldiers, who were five in number, stormed the estate with the landlord and an agent after a disagreement. The soldiers were said to have flogged a tenant, identified only as Ayoyemi and his younger brother, till the latter passed out. The victim, who was reported to be asthmatic, was rushed to a hospital where he was allegedly stabilised. Read more
12 teams begin final race for trophies, cash prizes (Guardian)
Twelve secondary schools, including six girls and six boys’ teams, have started the final race for the trophies and cash prizes earmarked for champions at the 2018 Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship, which national finals are holding in Lagos. The competition dunked off at the weekend at the indoor sports hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, where the zonal champions are fighting for the trophies won last year by Government Secondary School, Minna, Niger State (Boys) and St. Jude Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa State (Girls). Read more
Battle for Chamberlain International Squash Championship’s $35,000 begins (Guardian)
More than 25 local players and 32 ranked Professional Squash Association (PSA) stars have gathered in Lagos to fight for honours, as well as part of the $35,000 prize money earmarked for successful players at the second Chamberlain International Squash Championship, which began in Lagos at the weekend. The championship offers players in the male category a total prize money of $25,000, while the women will share $10, 000. The competition, which began at the indoor sports hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos at the weekend, will end on May 12. And according to its promoter, Chamberlain Usoh, the squash tournament is aimed at boosting the development of squash at the grassroots and also providing a robust platform that would nurture a new generation of players for the country. Read more