Lagos State
Lagos financially, economically viable – official
Contrary to the publication by BudgIT, a public finance analyst, the Lagos State Government said it is economically and financially solid. The state Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo, made the assertion in a statement on Monday in reaction to BudgIT, publication, titled: ‘Ability of States to Meet Monthly Recurrent Expenditure and Loan Repayment Obligations, 2019’, which the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, administration described as “misinformation”. According to Olowo, BudgIT has apologized for its error in the report. According to Olowo, the facts are: “Lagos State continues to meet all its recurrent and loan service obligations and the information that was published in incorrect, inaccurate and a gross distortion of the actual facts. “The accurate information that ought to ...
TUC begs Nigerians not to lose faith in labour movement
File Photo The Lagos State Council, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), has urged people not to despair or lose faith in the labour movement over suspension of the much publicised nationwide industrial action. The state Chairman, Mr Gbenga Ekundayo, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Lagos. “Quite expectedly, Lagosians would feel disappointed; however, they should not despair or lose faith in our labour. “When labour leaders go into a negotiation, it is for a purpose, and when that purpose is not served, we press home the demands of our own by withdrawing services of our members. “Our national leaders went into further negotiations last night, which lasted till early hours of today. An understanding has been reached and the strike was called off,” he said. Ekunday...
Lagos launches N5 billion support capital for low-cost schools
Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Lagos State Government in partnership with First Bank of Nigeria has launched N5 billion Post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) Recovery Support capital for the education sector to support low-cost private schools across the state in mitigating the negative impact of the pandemic. The intervention fund, which targets over 2,000 private schools, was formally launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday at a ceremony held at the Banquet Hall in the State House, Alausa, Ikeja. Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) collaborated with First Bank of Nigeria Limited to facilitate the matching fund, which will be given as a loan to schools and vocational education centres across the State. Sanwo-Olu said the intervention was part of the State Government’s sustainable...
Why APC ‘suspended’ Ekiti governor
The State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has suspended Governor Kayode Fayemi. Fayemi was accused of holding meetings and fraternising with PDP members like Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK), Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike. According the statement, Fayemi was suspended due to “his numerous anti-party activities, especially his role in the recently concluded governorship election in Edo State which is contrary to the provisions of Article 21 (A) (ii) of the APC constitution.” The Ekiti chapter of the APC claims that five days before the Edo election, Fayemi hosted FFK in government house Ekiti. “For five days prior to the Edo election, Gov Fayemi hosted PDP big wig Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode in the government house in Ado Ekit...
EFCC recovers N4.16 billion debt owed Nigerian government by lottery companies
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered at least N4.16 billion out of the debt owed the federal government by lottery companies. The Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Mohammed Umar Abba, gave the figure on Thursday when a delegation from the Ministerial Task Force for recovery of unpaid revenues from lottery businesses, led by its chairman, Willaims Alo, visited the commission in Abuja. Mohammed noted that lottery companies operating in the country were not forthcoming in remitting revenues that were due to the government hence the need for the EFCC to intervene. While appraising the efforts of the Commission in this direction, he said, “We mapped out strategies which resulted in the recovery of over N1.16 billion from lottery companies, operating in Abuja with over N3 bi...
Lagos seeks monthly payment of house rent for residents
The Lagos State Government has called on stakeholders in real estate sector to work out modalities for residents to pay house rents on monthly basis instead of yearly. Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, made the call on Thursday in Lekki, during the Policy Roundtable Dialogue with key stakeholders in the Real Estate Sector. The roundtable, with the theme ”International Best Practices On Real Estate Regulations”, was organised by the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA). Sanwo-Olu said that a situation whereby residents faced pressure once their rents were due was not palatable, hence, should be looked into. He called for synergy between the state government and stakeholders in the real estate sector to address issue of housing deficit and reduce rents in the st...
Governor Sanwo-Olu: Pre-primary classes remain closed in Lagos
The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that pre-primary classes in public and private schools across the state are to remain closed until further announcements are made. Sanwo-Olu said this during a press briefing on Saturday, where he gave an update on COVID-19 in the state and gradual resumption of activities. Newsmen earlier reported the announced reopening of schools in the state in which private secondary schools are allowed to open from September 21, while public schools will adopt a “phased reopening” on the date. Speaking on school resumption, the governor said it is necessary to provide clarifications regarding the resumption of schools, “to clear any confusion that may have arisen since the original announcement was made.” Mr Sanwo-Olu said while students in JS 3 ...
Edo election: Atiku Abubakar asks voters to vote Governor Obaseki
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has asked voters to cast their votes for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Godwin Obaseki, in the Saturday’s Governorship election in Edo State. He tweeted this a few hours after the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, said Obaseki does not deserve a single vote in the Saturday governorship election. The former governor of Lagos State had in a televised broadcast said, “He (Obaseki) does not deserve any democratic ballot paper. Don’t vote for him, I appeal to all of you.” But Obaseki debunked Tinubu’s claim, noting that Tinubu would fail in his attempt “to extend his political dominance and empire to Edo State”. Atiku in his tweet warned against violence during the election. He said, “The democracy that we enjoy t...
Nigeria’s virus death toll hits 1,083
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) at midnight on Monday said that the death toll for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Nigeria had jumped to 1, 083. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle. Newsmen report the NCDC confirmed that there were 132 new infections . It stated that one new fatality raised the death toll to 1,083. The agency said 132 new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, were recorded across Nigeria on Monday, Sept. 14. The public health agency stated that the new cases now bring the number of confirmed infections in the country to 56,388. It noted that 185 people had been treated and had recovered from the virus, bringing the nation’s number of recovery to 44,337. According to the agency, Lagos State had the highest number ...
Lagos Police command deploys 1,000 officers for Edo election
The Lagos State Police Command has deployed 1,000 officers to complement other security personnel drafted for the Edo governorship election scheduled for Sept. 19. This is contained in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP qqq. Adejobi said that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, admonished officers from the Command to be of good conduct and exhibit professionalism in discharging their duties during the election. “He further reiterated the commitment of the IGP to sustain the core values of democracy in Nigeria via fair, free and credible elections,” the police spokesman said. Odumosu said that adequate incentives and welfare packages as approved by the IGP had been provided to encourage and boost the morale of the ...
Court jails 21-year-old for N37.6 million fraud
The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja on Friday sentenced 21-year-old Paul Adesanya to 21 years’ imprisonment for defrauding an American-based woman, Mrs Oluwatoyin Akinwole, of the sum of N36.7m. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission also told Justice Mojisola Dada that Adesanya posted Akinwole’s nude pictures on the social media, and thereafter reported that she committed suicide by jumping over the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos in 2017. The prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Samuel Daji, said Adesanya acted contrary to sections 1(1) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act; as well as sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. In her judgment on Friday, Justice Dada convicted Adesanya of the three counts filed against him by the EFCC. The judge said she was sat...
Senator Tinubu: Amotekun will be a pet if everyone is engaged
A former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has called for a review of the country’s revenue formula, saying Amotekun security outfit in the S/West will be a pet if everyone is engaged. Tinubu, who spoke in Akure while inaugurating the Ondo Revenue House constructed by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, described the present revenue formula in the country as cumbersome. While commending the efforts of Akeredolu at improving the Internally Generated Revenue profile of the state, the former governor said the potential of each state in the South, West must be harnessed in order to solve many other problems. According to him “You can equally use the synergy with the Odua investment to collaborate, not only on Amotekun C...
