Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has approved the constitution of a Special Traffic Management and Enforcement Compliance Team to resolve the traffic gridlock in and around Apapa.
Members of the team are:
· Hon. Toyin Fayinka (Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation);
· Hon. Sola Giwa (SSA to the Governor on Central Business Districts); and
· Ayodeji Laurent: (SSA to the Governor on Political Security Intelligence).
The Special Traffic Management & Enforcement Compliance Team is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring zero tolerance of traffic offenders and a seamless traffic management system specifically designed to restore sanity in and around Apapa and create a cohesive system that would aid the resurgence of business activities and ensure that residents live in a conducive environment devoid of traffic-induced stress.
Mr. Governor said that the area of coverage of the Team’s operations includes:
With the development, it is expected that traffic within Apapa and its environs will be better managed by a team of dedicated LASTMA, FRSC, POLICE and Intelligence service Officers.
Mr. Governor added that the Policemen from Area ‘B’ Police Command will tentatively provide security back-up for the team, pending the announcement of the new security architecture by the State Government.
Mr. Governor’s action followed his December 28, 2020 visit to Apapa and his pronouncement on the takeover of traffic management from the Presidential Task Team on the decongestion of Apapa gridlock.
The head of the new Special Traffic Management & Enforcement Compliance Team, Hon. Toyin Fayinka (Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation) and other members of the team are expected to work with the designated team of the Inspector-General of Police and collaborate with the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu and other members of Law Enforcement Agencies in and around Apapa to ensure success of the team’s assignment.
The Lagos State Government has issued a suspension order on all approvals in respect of land extensions into the Lagoon at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi.
A statement jointly signed by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako and his counterpart in the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Arc. Kabiru Ahmed Abdullahi, noted that there has been increasing and continuing degradation of the Lagos shoreline as a result of indiscriminate illegal dredging, reclamation and land extensions into the Lagos Lagoon.
The statement said, “Of particular concern to the State Government are the extensions being illegally carried out at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi”, pointing out that such land reclamation and extension activities had resulted in gross violation of the Physical Planning Laws of the State and impinged on the ecosystem of the entire area.
The Commissioners maintained that the indiscriminate illegal proliferation of dredging and reclamation practices had occasioned serious distortion in the aesthetics of the shoreline with high potential for causing environmental degradation capable of producing dire consequences if unchecked.
“Government hereby suspends all existing, pending and subsequent approvals in respect of all Land Extensions into the Lagoon at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi”, the statement said.
The Lagos State Government also ordered the immediate cessation of all ongoing works, construction, reclamation and other similar activities in respect of extension approvals granted or being processed at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi.
Members of the public have been advised to comply forthwith with the Stop Work/Suspension Orders or risk facing criminal charges and the confiscation of their dredging equipment by the government.
Concerned by the rising spate of insecurity occasioned by cases of kidnappings, herdsmen/ farmers clash, banditry and cultism, the Ogun State House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on the State Government to step up plans towards the immediate commencement of operations/take off of the Amotekun Security network, with a view to strengthening security network in the State.
The passage of the resolution followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Hon Yusuf Sheriff Abiodun, seconded by a member representing Remo North State Constituency, Solomon Oso and unanimously supported by other lawmakers through a voice vote at a plenary presided over by Speaker Olakunle Oluomo at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The resolution according to the lawmakers was aimed at calling on the State Governor to achieve a seamless and immediate take-off of the State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps Law passed by the Assembly March, 2020 and subsequently assented to by Governor Dapo Abiodun, who later appointed a commandant for the corps recently.
Earlier, members including Honourables Sola Adams, Adegoke Adeyanju, Oludaisi Elemide, Kemi Oduwole and Solomon Osho complained about the nefarious activities of some herdsmen, who often engaged in kidnapping and destruction of farmlands under the guise of open grazing for their herds of cattle, as well as the incidents of high way robbery and rivalry cult clashes which had resulted in avoidable loss of lives and negative effect on the economic activities of the affected areas.
Other lawmakers including Sylvester Abiodun, Ganiyu Oyedeji, Haruna Wahab and Atinuke Bello, who jointly kicked against open grazing, following the tension created in some neighbouring States as a result of clashes between residents and herdsmen, called for improved surveillance by the various security formations in their respective constituencies to nip the situation in the bud so as to avoid inter-ethnic crises in the State.
In his response, Speaker Oluomo lauded the intervention of the State command of the Nigeria Police Force at checkmating crimes and criminality, with a renewed charge on residents to always provide timely and credible information to the security agencies towards aiding their operations and make the State an unsafe for criminals.
Condemning the unpatriotic act of some residents, who often connived with criminals through sharing of sensitive security information, Oluomo noted that the State Assembly would soon convey a stakeholders’ forum to harness the inputs of concerned stakeholders towards ensuring the passage of the Animal Grazing and Cattle Ranch Establishment Law, 2020.
The Deputy Governor of Ogun State Mrs. Noimot Salako Oyedele represented His Excellency Prince Dapo MFR at the flag off of the Federal Government’s Special Cash Grant Project for Rural Women in Ogun State.
The Honourable Minister, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouq, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Bashir Alkali reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to alleviating poverty in the country.
His Excellency expressed his gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for the various initiatives which had been launched to ameliorate the economic challenges caused by COVID-19.
He congratulated the beneficiaries of the Cash Grant for Rural Women, a one-off grant to some of the poorest and most vulnerable women in rural and peri-urban areas of the state and cautioned them not to see the money as a bonus but as additional capital in their respective businesses.
Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, has lauded the multiple award-winning entertainer and Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, for the concept of an in-house studios initiative that would serve an all-encompassing purpose of movie production from script to the screen.
The Commissioner, who gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to Jalade-Ekeinde in the new Studios billed for official unveiling in February 2021, said that the initiative coming at this period when all efforts are being made to curtail the spread of Coronavirus is no doubt a boost for movie production and practitioners in the industry.
She acknowledged the creative designs, the classic interior and all the fittings within the Studios, describing it as a world-class edifice that should be replicated in other parts of the State.
Akinbile-Yussuf stated that the idea of the Double-Doors Studios are also similar to the plans of establishing a Film Village by the State Government, saying that the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration has provided a location to be developed for filmmakers where their films could be produced under an ideal setting and in line with the best practices.
Responding, Mrs. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde said that she was compelled to save practitioners in the field from incessant harassment often associated with using public apartments for film making, saying that the Studios would serve as a Work, Live and Play solution Centre.
She opined that the Double-Doors Studios would also provide a relief for homeowners who often have to sacrifice their comfort in order to allow filmmakers to use their private apartments for film production.
The multiple award-winning actress said, “Having been in the industry for decades and as a brand recognised locally and internationally, I realised that having an edifice like this in place is long overdue for practitioners in the industry”.
“Even as a practitioner, I have reservations to allowing people into my own personal apartment for the purpose of Film production, it is really not the ideal thing and it’s time we started putting necessary infrastructure in place to reverse this trend. Home movies and entertainment generally are reflections of life and, as such, must not be hampered by situations or circumstances, though the advent of COVID-19 posed serious threat to the activities of practitioners in the entertainment sector. It behoves the practitioners to devise creative ways around the present circumstances in order to make the sector more vibrant”, she added.
While saying that the advent of COVID-19 has made it more compelling for filmmakers to embrace new ways of carrying out their activities, Jalade-Ekeinde called on her colleagues in the industry to leverage on the establishment of the Double-Doors Studios for the production of their films.
The actress acknowledged the various activities of the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the determination of the the leadership of the Ministry to drive the development of tourism despite the restrictions on entertainment activities by the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
Over 8,000 Rural Women across Local Government Areas in Lagos State today benefitted from the Federal Government Special Grants of N20,000 for rural women in the State.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony held at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, who spoke through his deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, stated that the objectives of the initiative are in line with the present administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda and reflect the commitment of the government to the Sustainable Development Goals.
He described the event as a further testament of government’s determination to change the socio-economic development narrative of Lagos State to a different level, where rural women become the centrepiece of a strategy in poverty reduction through women empowerment.
According to the Governor, “We have continued to demonstrate this commitment through the numerous gender-based intervention programmes being implemented by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund. I am happy to say that these programmes are making the desired impact as many beneficiaries are becoming economically independent and contributing meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the State”.
While emphasising that the administration is not oblivious of its responsibility to the citizenry, Sanwo-Olu stressed that the government will continue to initiate specifically designed empowerment programmes that will cushion the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural women and their small-scale businesses in the State.
He stressed that the initiative would ultimately go a long way in boosting their businesses and assisting them to overcome the post-COVID-19 socio-economic challenges, appealing to beneficiaries of the grant not to see it as their own share of the so-called National Cake but to deploy the fund as a seed to boost their trade and businesses for greater income.
“The grant should be judiciously utilised for good returns on investment, as this is the main vision behind the initiative”, the Governor asserted.
Earlier in her address, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouk, who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mallam Bashir Nura Akali, disclosed that the Special Grant for Rural Women programme was introduced in 2020 to sustain the social inclusion agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, in line with the Federal Government’s vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
The Minister added that the scheme was designed to provide a one-off grant to some of the poorest and most vulnerable women in rural and peri-urban areas of the country with a cash grant of N20,000 disbursed to about 125,000 poor women across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said, “Our target in Lagos State is to disburse the grant to over 8,000 beneficiaries across the all Local Government Councils. The grant is expected to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries. It is our hope that the beneficiaries of this programme will make good use of the grant to generally contribute towards improving their living standard”.
In her welcome address, the Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke, stated that the Special Grant project is targeted at addressing the scourge of poverty amongst the poor and vulnerable women dwelling in rural areas in the country.
She said the gesture goes to highlight the spirited effort of the present administration to underscore its responsiveness to matters that affect its citizens.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved a reduction in the tuition fee for students of Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Friday, via his official Twitter handle.
The tweet reads, “Flash: Lagos State government reduces tuition fee for students of Lagos.”
When contacted, Wahab said the approval was in tandem with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to providing qualitative education at an affordable to all and sundry, irrespective of class, gender, ethnicity, race, among others.
“Yes, the Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has graciously approved the reduction in LASU tuition fees. An official statement will be issued in due course,” he said.
Wahab, however, explained that the move is in pursuance and fulfillment of the Education agenda of the present administration as one of the pillars in the THEMES agenda.
Recall that earlier this month, LASU students protested the hike in tuition fees by the institution’s authorities.
They also demanded the reversal of the decision within two weeks.
The management of LASU had in December last year increased the tuition fees for fresh students from N25,000 to N67,048.50, representing 168 per cent increase.
-As MD Attributes Feat to Investment in Qualitative Healthcare
The Ijede General Hospital, on Thursday, recorded a successful and historic birth of a set of triplets since the establishment of the hospital almost four decades ago.
Speaking on the feat, the Medical Director/CEO, General Hospital, Ijede, Dr. Olufunmilayo Bankole expressed profound joy over the landmark achievement, attributing the development to investment in qualitative healthcare delivery by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration.
In her words, “The Lagos State Government has done a lot in putting up infrastructures, providing state-of-the-art equipment and recruiting professionals, who have been highly trained in their respective fields, as evident in our success story”.
Dr. Bankole congratulated the parents of the triplets and assured the mother of adequate post-natal care as well as more qualitative healthcare for the babies.
The consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist, General Hospital, Ijede, Dr. Babatope Oni, who led the delivery team, said the mother, Mrs. Balikis Arobieke delivered a male and two female babies at 12.20, 12.21 and 12.22 pm through a caesarian section, weighing 2.2kg, 2.7kg and 2.3kg respectively.
Dr. Oni said the team, which also included Dr. Omolola James (Surgeon), Dr. Rafiat Obani (Anaesthetics) and CNO Harriet Kelani (Nurse), was full of gratitude to God and the State Government for its commitment towards improving quality healthcare delivery in the State.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has said that with the receipt of the Certificate of Compliance, the Federal Government is to officially commence the procurement process for the highway concessions under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI).
According to the Minister, the HDMI would facilitate further development of Nigeria’s federal highway network by bringing in investment to improve efficiency, accountability, and profitable entrepreneurship to the operation, management, and maintenance of all assets within the Right of Way on the highways.
Mr. Fashola said that the initiative has further affirmed the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s commitment to infrastructure development funding which has been driven by the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme Order of 2018 , the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) being managed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and the SUKUK Fund.
He noted that through such initiatives the Federal Government has been leveraging on private sector funding and participation in the development of critical infrastructure across the country and the HDMI is another innovation developed to attract the private sector.
The Minister who spoke at the official handover of the Certificate of Compliance by ICRC, explained that the HDMI was a fully home-grown idea that would deliver a safer and enjoyable travel experience for Nigerian road users as travel time would be shortened, cost reduced, and commercial activities stimulated.
Explaining further, he said the HDMI is an indigenous Land Value Capture scheme conceived by the Ministry to develop Nigeria’s network of federal highway corridors and boost economic development along the Right of Way. He added that it would be executed in two parts comprising Value Added Concession (VAC) and Unbundled Assets Approval (UAA).
On the economic benefits, Mr. Fashola said: “Apart from infrastructure and assets development, thousands of jobs will be created for Nigerians as the initiative will open up the highway economy with opportunities in various economic activities including fabrication of gantries and directional signages with advertising opportunities, towing van operations and auto repair stations, operation of rest areas and emergency services, among others.”
Continuing, he said: “ When fully operational road users will now enjoy first-class facilities on federal highways with directional signages, well-equipped rest areas, round-the-clock security patrol, and ambulance services for emergencies”.
Mr. Fashola appreciated and commended the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission’s (ICRC) diligent appraisal of the initiative and for issuing Certificate of Compliance to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to proceed with the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI).
In his welcome address the Permanent Secrtary , Federal Minsitry of Works and Housing Babangida Hussaini said that the development , expansion and maintenance of federal highways have increasingly become a herculean task to government due to dwindling revenues and other compelling public service obliigaitons.
He said: ‘’It is to mitigate this challenge that the Ministry has adopted the option of exploring the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement , which seeks to employ the private sector’s technical competencies , managerial capabilities and financial resources to salvage the federal roads networks.”
According to him, the PPP arrangement in the management of our highways will bring order, efficiency , accountability and profitable entrepreneurship to the operation , management , maintenance of all assets within the nation’s right of way.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Engineer Chidi Izuwah represented by Barr. Joel Micheal Ohiani , who presented the certificate to the Minister in Abuja on Friday 29th January, 2021 said that the initiative would enable private sector participation in the management and maintenance of road assets through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements. The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) is charged with the responsibility of developing guidelines for monitoring contract compliance during construction, operation, and contract termination and supporting MDAs like the Ministry of Works and Housing in achieving such compliance. Over time, ICRC had collaborated with the Ministry of Works and Housing, to implement a cohesive national legal, policy, and regulatory environment that was conducive to private sector investment in Nigeria’s roads and housing projects.
He commended the novel initiative and said that it would create jobs, boost the government’s revenue, and speed up Nigeria’s economic recovery, citing the popular Chinese proverb that says, “If you want to grow rich, build a good road first.”
-As Delegation Requests for Collaboration on Traffic Enforcement
The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce), on Thursday, hosted the executive members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (Lagos Branch), led by its Chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Oluomo (a.k.a MC), on a courtesy visit to the Agency.
Speaking during the visit, the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye, implored the NURTW executives to educate their members on the need to comply with the State traffic regulations, stressing that the operatives would no longer tolerate the excesses of some commercial bus drivers who are in the habit of causing traffic gridlock by loading and off-loading passengers at undesignated bus stops across the State.
He said, “We must all work together to checkmate the recalcitrant commercial bus drivers among your members, causing unnecessary obstructions on Lagos roads, as well as those driving on BRT corridors and plying the one-way road in flagrant disobedience to the Lagos Traffic Law”.
The Chairman condemned the recent incident where a commercial bus driver killed an innocent member of the public due to recklessness, adding that the State Government would not condone the killing of road users by commercial bus drivers trying to evade arrest by law enforcement officers after contravening traffic rules and regulations.
He also urged the delegation to support the government in screening out the criminally-minded drivers, especially those who use their commercial vehicles to rob innocent members of the public, an act which is popularly referred to as ‘One- Chance’.
CSP Jejeloye also acceded to the request by the leader of the delegation and Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (Lagos Branch), Mr. Musiliu Oluomo (a.k.a MC Oluomo) for collaboration on the enforcement of the State Traffic Law, saying that all hands must be on deck to restore sanity on Lagos roads.
While imploring the team to compel their members to always make use of garages provided by the government and desist from using illegal bus-stops, roadsides and drainage alignments as loading points across the State, CSP Jejeloye said the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has directed that any arrested traffic offenders should be charged to court and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Responding, the NURTW Chairman promised cooperation with the government saying, “Our union members are ready to work with your Agency in the area of ensuring strict compliance with the State Traffic Laws across the State”.
AjasaInfo 