With the continuation of their Safety Awareness campaign, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) donated life jackets to students at Whanyinna School in the Makoko area of Lagos State on Thursday 4th of April 2023
Located in the coastal Area of Makoko Lagos, the school is owned by whanyinna Children Foundation, a charity organization that uses education to combat child labour, illiteracy, malnutrition, crime and health in Lagos State.
Whanyinna School has partnered with Chess in Slums Africa to enroll and educate out-of-school children. As part of its commitment to the school, Chess in Slums Africa strives to facilitate training and technical support and teach the children how to play chess.
LASWA officials educate the students on safety precautions, especially how to wear a lifejacket properly. The students and Laswa team also engaged in an enlightening Chess game while taking a tour of the area.
Lagos State Government has commenced the distribution of palliative measures to vulnerable residents in fulfilment of Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s promise to cushion the effects of the hardship being experienced by Lagosians occasioned by the fuel scarcity and non-disbursement of currency by the banks.
Speaking at the launch and distribution exercise held today at Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the distribution will be a continuous exercise as the government will be reaching out to religious centres, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and other distribution channels across the State.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented at the event by his deputy Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, said the targeted beneficiaries of the palliatives include the vulnerable and civil servants, among others, adding that the move is to alleviate the hunger that has been the outcome of currency redesigned by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other crises associated with fuel scarcity.
In his words, “The purpose of the palliative is to cushion the biting effects of the current scarcity of Naira occasioned by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) naira swap policy and the lingering fuel scarcity in the State”.
The Governor explained further that the measures became necessary to improve the living condition of the vulnerable residents of the State, saying “We are doing this to alleviate the pains and sufferings of Lagoaians. The distributed boxes contain different food items for the consumption of the vulnerable in the society”.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Mrs. Cecelia Dada stated that the Lagos State Government has put together the palliative measure for Lagosian, particularly the vulnerable residents in society.
Dada stressed that the present administration is mindful of the welfare of its people and that the challenges faced by citizens are due to the naira swap and difficulties being experienced in accessing their money at the banks.
The Nigerian Air force has announced the commencement of its Y2022 Direct Short Service Commission for interested applicants across the country.
A statement signed by Air Vice Marshal P.O Jemitola, Office of the Chief of Air Staff, implored interested persons, especially indigenes of Lagos State, to obtain the application form and other required details by visiting http://www.nafrecruitment.airforce.mil.ng which closes on the 30th of January, 2023.
While emphasising that prospective candidates must diligently follow the instructions and supply all requested details, Jemitola enjoined Lagos State indigenes to take advantage of the recruitment opportunity before the closing date.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reinforced his stand on justice for the family of Bolanle Raheem, who was shot dead by a policeman on Christmas Day. He sent a delegation today to console the family at their home in Ajah. “We have the permission of Mr Governor to tell you that justice will be done in this matter. The matter will be charged to court as soon as the police send us the case file. I will be leading the prosecution to show the seriousness the government attaches to this matter,” Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Moyo Onigbanjo SAN said.
Special Adviser Tubosun Alake said Mr Governor urged the family to take heart. He prayed that The Almighty would console the family. The husband of the late Bolanle, Mr Gbenga Raheem, thanked Mr Sanwo-Olu for his empathy.
Also in the delegation were Head of Service Muri Okunola, who signed the condolence register on behalf of the government ,Women and Poverty Alleviation Commissioner Mrs Bolaji Dada and Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso
…Isuti Road, Ishefun-Camp Davies highway opened to traffic
….Governor inaugurates Ishefun Jetty to link Lagos boundary towns to Ogun State
From Ishefun community in Ipaja-Ayobo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Ogun State-bound travellers can now get to their destination through waterways in seven minutes.
All thanks to a network of transport infrastructure inaugurated, on Friday, by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Alimosho, which creates a fast access between boundary towns of the two States.
Sanwo-Olu commissioned the newly-rehabilitated Isuti Road in Igando, Ishefun-Camp Davies Road and Ijon-Liasu Ojo-Ijo Road, relieving the residents of traffic burden. The road infrastructure has improved connectivity and solved traffic congestion in the area.
The Governor also commissioned a newly built T-shaped jetty in Ishefun riverine community to facilitate seamless ferry services to other boundary towns along the river channel. A ferry journey takes seven minutes to Igbesa, an Ogun State town.
Sanwo-Olu led members of the State cabinet to Alimosho for the formal inauguration of the projects.
Excited residents received the Governor and his entourage with placards, bearing messages of appreciation on the development.
Sanwo-Olu said the projects were testimony of his administration’s determination to improve the wellbeing of the people, regardless of their status. He said the development had solved the perennial traffic congestion experienced in the area, adding that the ancillary lighting facilities had improved the security situation in the area.
He said: “It is a great day in Alimosho, the largest Local Government Area in the country, where we are inaugurating projects that will impact the quality of life of our citizens. My administration acknowledges the strategic position of this big constituency that has five local councils. The delivery of these projects further demonstrates that people remain at the centre of our activities in Government. We don’t want to come here only for political campaigns; we also want to come and raise the hope of our people.
“This is why we dedicated today to commission a network of roads that have direct impacts on the lives of our people on this axis. We have just handed over the rehabilitated Isuti Road, which is designed to have a water transportation hub at the end of it. The jetty is yet to be fully developed but the platform with anchors are already in place. We are now in Ishefun to hand over the Grade-One highway network, which is a dual carriageway of over 7 kilometres in length.
“The Ishefun-Camp Davies, Ijon-Liasu Ojo-Ijo highway network leads to the modern jetty we are handing over to boost waterways transport around coastal communities. Our cardinal objective is to reduce the time people spend in traffic and facilitate quick connectivity. We deliberately focus on developing these boundary roads to ensure livelihoods within this neighborhood are improved. This development will impact on commercial activities and sustenance of life for the people in the beneficiary communities.”
Sanwo-Olu told the residents to take ownership of the projects, urging them to protect the infrastructure and the ancillary facilities.
On the request of the Isuti community, the Governor promised to build a primary school in the area to further scale up access to education.
Sanwo-Olu said his visit to Alimosho for project inauguration showed that his Government had not neglected the area in its development programmes.
He said: “The infrastructure being provided today will not be the last set of projects we are bringing to this part of Alimosho. We have several ongoing projects scheduled for completion. We will come back for comprehensive drainage and channelisation work to limit flooding threatening your livelihood.
“These are part of our promises to you. By committing ourselves to fulfilling the promises speaks about purposeful governance. We have come back to show what we have been doing for you over the last three and half years. We have never forgotten you and we will fulfil all pledges made to you.”
After the commissioning, Sanwo-Olu inspected the ongoing construction of a bypass in Baruwa-Ayobo, which links Ayobo-Ipaja to Iba and Igando axes. The wooden toll illegally raised on the bypass, which is nearing completion, has been removed.
The bypass road, the Governor said, will bring huge traffic relief to the entire neighbourhood when it is completed. It will reduce the journey time from Ayobo-Ipaja into LASU-Iba Road from 45 minutes to less than 15 minutes.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, said the infrastructure projects were initiated in response to deplorable conditions of roads arising from growing population in area areas.
She said the development had changed the narrative after 12 months of initiating the infrastructure, stressing that the significance of the projects was the creation of hubs for water transportation to Agbara and other coastal communities in Badagry and neighboring Ogun State.
Adeyoye said: “This intervention which brings about the full reconstruction and upgrade of Isuti Road and two other roads network with the provision of a brand new Jetty is strategic, because it would not only serve people in the beneficiary communities around Ayobo which is one of the largest sellements in Alimosho, it will also improve road connectivity and serve as a bypass to the Lagos-Badagry Expressway via Agbara, Ishefun and Isuti.
“We embarked on these projects, given their importance to the socio-economic realities of the residents. The Isuti Road project extends to a jetty connecting to the famous Totowu food market in Ogun State. These projects will boost food supply and accelerate growth in commercial activities around Igando. The dual carriageway of Ishefun-Camp Davies was constructed with reinforced concrete drains with a cover slab and walkway on both sides.”
Chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, Hon. Bolatito Sobowale, praised Sanwo-Olu for the gesture, saying the Governor’s name would remain indelible in the minds of residents, given the importance of the projects.
“Socio economic lives of our people will be boosted and their livelihood will be touched positively by these infrastructure projects. Our neighbouring State can now be accessed through the jetty,” Sobowale said.
… As It Marks Y2022 United Nations 16 Days of Activism
The Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD), has challenged men to take the front position in the current war against gender-based violence through active participation in the sensitisation and awareness campaign against the social menace in the State.
The Director, Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Mrs. Olubunmi Adesomoju gave the charge during the sensitisation and enlightenment campaign organised by the Office to mark the 2022 United Nations 16 days of Activism for the Elimination of Violence Against Women & Girls, tagged “Orange the World”, with the theme: ”Unite! Say No To Gender-Based Violence ”.
Speaking at the event held at the Chapel of Christ the Light and later at Nasrul-Lahi-il-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Alausa over the weekend, Adesomoju said many men are culpable of physical, emotional and psychological violence against women, stressing that the theme for this year is apt as all hands must be on deck to eliminate gender-based violence in the State.
According to her, men should take the bull by the horn and lead the fight against this scourge that is capable of undermining our socioeconomic growth and development, warning that failure to nip it in the bud might deny our nation the opportunity to occupy a rightful place in the comity of nations.
Adesomoju further encouraged clerics to also join in the crusade as they wield a lot of influence in society, just as she equally advised the populace to say no to any form of gender-based violence and urged victims to approach the nearest office of the OPD in their area for free and quality legal services in order to bring perpetrators to justice.
As part of the activities marking this year’s event, the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender had earlier held a sensitisation campaign for the students of Zumuratul Islamiyya Senior High School, Yaba on Lagos State Child’s Rights Law and how children can access OPD free legal services to safeguard their rights in the State.
The Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB) is set to launch a historical comic book collection that is focused on telling stories about important events in Lagos history and is tailored to children. The first book in the series is titled: “The Story of Aina on Iddo Island”. The launch is slated for Monday, 12th December, 2022.
A release signed by the Director-General of LASRAB, Mrs. Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, said the Bureau is committed to ensuring Lagosians’ interest in their cultural heritage is stimulated by every means possible, hence the birth of the comic book collection.
She explained that the children’s book collection is dedicated to all Lagosians and is written to help the present and future generations of Lagosians to understand and connect with their heritage from a young age.
In her words: “The first book in the series, ‘Aina on Iddo Island’ is a historical story of real-life events during the reign of legendary Olofin and Aina, a wealthy livestock trader who was falsely accused of witchcraft and how she sought external help from the Benin kingdom”.
“The twists and turns in this first historical storybook about Lagos make for an interesting read for all ages regardless of their social status, with vivid descriptions of some heroic and gallant actions by past rulers to defend the Lagos territory from being penetrated by external aggression”, she added.
Adebiyi-Abiola further said other exciting topics that will be explored in the collection include the story of the first Queen Mother of Lagos and that of a Female Army General among others, which are coming soon to sustain public interest in all that the present administration is doing to promote the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda on Education as well as on Entertainment and Tourism.
She said the essence of the storybook collection published in comic form, is to arrest the attention and inspire the younger generation to attain lofty heights by connecting with their ancestral achievements that birthed the modern society we have today.
The Director-General reiterated the need to reintroduce history as a subject back into the academic curriculum, stressing that these types of historical storybooks will enrich the minds of students, helping them gain a better understanding of the past, as well as instilling pride in the actions of their heroes past.
Recall that LASRAB was established by the State Government and tasked with the statutory responsibility of ensuring the acquisition and preservation of records and assets of enduring value, as well as promoting and sustaining the heritage of the State, among others.
•Governor charts inclusion, partnership in chat with youth entrepreneurs
At 24, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu initiated a disruptive shift in the plumbing sector, which revolutionised the vocation and aided its transition from the trade of unskilled artisans to professional occupation.
The young freshly graduated Sanwo-Olu, in early 1990s, incorporated “Dial The Plumber” – an engineering and business-centric coy that leveraged the limited telephone technology of the period to create hands-on solutions in plumbing ecosystem for the growing oil industry in the Niger Delta.
The disruption created huge opportunities for local skilled plumbers until the mid-1990s when advanced technology swept through the sector and created a wide knowledge gap for local professionals. With no Government incentive and support for up-skilling, the firm had the market out of its reach and became disadvantaged.
The short background narrative about his start-up experience set the tone for the robust conversation Governor Sanwo-Olu had, on Thursday, with dozens of under-35 young executives in Lagos tech space, telecommunications, Fintech, banking, arts and creative industry, health, agric and logistics sectors.
The Rafkatu Hall in The Wheatbaker in Ikoyi offered a relaxed ambience for the engagement tagged “Meet and Greet: In Conversation with Mr. Governor”, organised by the Senior Special Assistant to Sanwo-Olu on Development Partnership and Economic Planning, Ayisat Agbaje.
It was the second in the series of the strategic engagements the Governor had with innovative millennials in private sector to foster the administration’s objectives of promoting youth inclusion in public governance through deliberate partnership and collaboration.
Sanwo-Olu said his “Dial The Plumber” start-up idea came 10 years ahead of its time, stressing that the innovation could have been fully activated and sustained job opportunities for the then young skilled plumbers, carpenter and IT professionals had GSM revolution in Nigeria happened in the early 1990s.
From his interaction with the young tech disruptors, Sanwo-Olu said he could visualised a lot of possibilities through the minds of the participants, assuring that his Government was ready to take forward the conversation through interventions.
He said: “In the space of 32 years, we have seen advancement in digital technology, which has created a lot of opportunities across sectors. We believe you young people of today have a lot of creative and innovative ideas that can change our society and bring us in tandem with modernity. We are having this conversation because we don’t want these brilliant ideas and energy to exist only in your minds; we want to create an avenue for partnership where the Government can initiate necessary interventions, so that you won’t feel discouraged and be at disadvantage.
“The intervention could come in terms of Government incentives, encouragement, public policies, funding or bringing your creative ideas in contact with investors to take them up for full activation. Our Government in Lagos is about giving support to young people to nurture their dreams to reality. Many start-ups were not opportune to have opportunity of technology decades ago. My own start-up idea came 10 years ahead of its time. If there was GSM revolution in the 1990s, the idea would have been fully activated. My charge is that, you must first believe in yourselves and ensure your creative ideas are genuine. As responsive Government, we are ever ready to partner with you in driving your passion.”
Sanwo-Olu said Lagos could not afford to lay back in taking the advantage of young people’s innovations, noting that the disruption caused by global pandemic had effects in food supply chain, nature of work and access to medical services. Lagos, the Governor said, was able to turn around the challenges, given the creative solutions encouraged by the State Government through youth innovators.
The Governor took the participants on achievements recorded across his administration’s THEMES agenda, especially the ongoing rollout of smart city capability of the State to deliver a resilient 21st century megacity with functioning integrated urban mass transpaotation system.
Sanwo-Olu said: “We want to have this kind of engagement with you, where Government does not have comparative advantage, let it slow down and create relevant ecosystem where the private sector can take leadership role. We strongly believe it is the private sector that can create the jobs, while the Government enables the environment to flourish. We want to leverage this platform to build strong and lasting partnership with you to co-create the growth trajectory we all want to see. One of the ways of achieving results is engagement like this.”
Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Sam Egube, gave a projection of the future development Lagos was working towards. He said Lagos was running on a big vision that situated its development activities in group of developed economies.
The convener and SSA to the Governor on Development Partnership and Economic Planning, Ayisat Agbaje, said the programme was initiated on the desire of Sanwo-Olu to meet young people doing outstanding work to drive economic development in the State.
She said: “The event focuses on igniting communication between the high-flyer youths in the State and the administration. Establishing consistent communication is not our only goal, we want you to promote full understanding of the activities of this administration and give participants a sense of satisfaction for their contributions to the development of Lagos emerging economy.”
Some of the participants had the opportunity to share their transformational ideas with the Governor in the segment tagged: “The Lagos I See”.
Hanu Fejiro Agbodje, founder of Patricia – a Fintech company focusing on blockchain technology.
Named Vanguard ’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2021, Hanu shared story of how he hit gold with his Patricia dream, having failed 13 times to build at start-up stage.
Others are Anthony Azekwoh, a digital artist who lives and works in Lagos; Folake Owodunni, CEO of Emergency Response Africa, and co-founder of Hook Creative Agency, Toheeb Balogun.
… As 3rd Real Estate Market Place Conference and Exhibitions ends in Lagos
The Lagos State Government has called for the urgent review of Nigeria’s power generation and distribution law under the purview of the Federal Government based in view of the huge amount spent on diesel daily by industries especially manufacturing sector in the State.
Lagos State Commissioner for Energy, Engr. Olalere Odusote made this call on Wednesday as part of his submission at the end of the 3rd Real Estate Market Place Conference and Exhibitions held in Victoria Island.
Speaking on Sustainable Energy Solutions in the Real Estate, the Commissioner said that personal energy generated by individuals, corporate organisations including real estate practitioners usually come with huge financial burden in addition to the environmental pollution that comes with it.
According to him, the country’s Real Estate sector is still begging for huge investment in the area of power to make the sector more viable and attractive to potential investors.
He explained that this became necessary as most private individuals and businesses in Lagos utilised diesel powered generators rather than electricity from the national grid.
According to him, the two distribution companies in Lagos State – Eko Disco and Ikeja Electric – established nine years ago, sell about 800 to 900 megawatts initially and have only improved to 800 to 1,000 megawatts nine years after.
“Nothing has changed in the national grid sector nine years after. However, Lagos State within a spate of nine years had grown from having about 8,000 megawatts of installed diesel capacity to about 23,000 megawatts.
“The diesel market of the off-grid market has grown by about 300 per cent but the grid market has not grown at all or just about one to two per cent,” he said.
He added that the state injected almost 1,000 transformers into the grid to improve electricity supply to its residents, but without the desired result.
Odusote said a lot of the energy utilised in Lagos came from diesel generators, and that because of the high population of the city, the emission from that energy source had become unsustainable.
The Commissioner explained that Lagos had been projected to be city with the largest population in the world in 50 years, therefore energy for the housing infrastructure needed for the population must be put into consideration.
Odusote said that was why the state government came up with the Lagos Electricity sector policy, with the aim of providing universal access to electricity for all residents of the state.
He stated that the draft of the Lagos electricity law had been completed and was before the state’s House of Assembly for consideration.
Odusote explained that the bill, when implemented, would take regulation of electricity from the centre and domicile it with the Lagos regulatory agency.
“The Nigerian constitution domiciles the responsibility of regulation and distribution of electricity with the state government but when the law was passed in 2002, many states were not ready for the responsibility.
“Many housing estates in the state run on diesel generators because they are unable to benefit from the grid, yet they cannot share from the excess capacity they currently have because the Federal Government does not permit it.
“Lagos is now ready, willing and in the process of passing the law. It means we will be able to locally determine our faith when it comes to electricity,” he said.
According to him, the Lagos Regulatory Agency will work with the residents and the state government to determine the need of the electricity market and make laws that will enable investors to invest in identified gaps.
The commissioner said the state was working with the Federal Government to ensure its laws were reviewed and the new law passed at the National Assembly aligned with the state’s law and in line with the development of the sector.
Odusote explained that the state was working with the built environment and other private sector operators to create a framework that would ensure that by 2036, everybody that wanted electricity in Lagos got it.
On her part, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Mrs Toke Benson Awoyinka promised that LASRERA will sustain the use of sanctions to rid the industry of fraudulent Real Estate Agents.
She added that the state government was determined to ensure sanity was restored to its real estate environment.
Towards ensuring the vast majority of youth in the State are carried along in terms of policy formulation and implementation, the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund has organized one day program tagged “High Level Meeting With Young Policy Makers And Youth Leaders On Harnessing Demographic Dividend”at the State Treasury Office, Ikeja on Tuesday.
In her speech, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Pharm (Mrs) Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu said “demographic dividend has become necessary because of the significant population changes Lagos State has gone through over the years.It is important to note that the population of youths in Lagos State which stands at approximately 10 million is the highest in the country.Consequently, the role of policymakers and youth leaders cannot be overemphasized in achieving a population structure that would add value to the economy of the State.”
According to the Permanent Secretary,it was the increase in population size accompanied by changes in age that resulted in the creation and eventual commissioning of the Demographic Dividend Initiative in 2015 with the objective to study the population status and determine the investment climate in the State that will bring about short and long term gains to residents of the State.
Pharm (Mrs) Oke-Osanyintolu disclosed that “Lagos State has attained its First Demographic Dividend and on the path to achieving the second.The Roadmap and Profile was launched by Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget in October 2022.Young people in policy making and leadership positions are to be sensitized on their roles in achieving the Second Dividend.”
Head,UNFPA, Lagos State,Dr Somefun Esther noted that the international organization was collaborating with the State in pursuit of its mandate to invest in the youth that would in turn develop the nation.
Equipping the youth with requisite skills and providing them with opportunities are some of the things that the UNFPA has put in place to assist the youth, according to Dr Esther.
In their presentations, the facilitators,Mr Basit Baruwa(Deputy Director, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget)and Mr Ibrahim Oladimeji(UNFPA Representative) enlightened the participants on “Overview of the Demographic Dividend Profile and Roadmap” and “Youth Angle: Highlighting and Identifying Accelerators Towards Achieving Demographic Dividend In Lagos State” .
The duo pointed out the different ways the youth would be able to identify opportunities, collect and process data as well as utilizing Education, Empowerment and Employments (3Es) in harnessing demographic dividend in Lagos State.
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