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Lagos Mulls Law to Stop Multiple Dues by Transport Unions
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Lagos State House of Assembly is considering regulating the multiple dues collected by transport unions in the metropolis to ease the burden on commuters, who are forced to pay higher by drivers.
This was one of the issues addressed at the plenary on Tuesday by the state legislators.
Another matter discussed by the lawmakers was the activities of some officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) in the state.
On Monday, it was reported that a driver, who was allegedly being chased by officials of the traffic control agency, crushed to death two workers of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) on the Gbagada Expressway.
During today’s session presided over by the Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, the House invited the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa; and the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Bolaji Oreagba; to explain the incessant recklessness of drivers and the roles played by LASTMA officials.
Mr Obasa, while noting that incidents involving recklessness of drivers and careless attitudes of LASTMA officials were on the increase, said, in addition to the invitation of the affected top officials, there was a need to revisit the laws guiding transportation in the state.
“The Commissioner and others can be invited so we know what to do to change the current narrative. It is good that we also look at the law to see the penalties. Maybe this would reduce such recklessness on the roads.
“The driver who has been arrested must be prosecuted to the latter. If the driver is not found, the owner of the vehicle should be arrested where the driver is an employee of someone so as to serve as a deterrent to other motorists,” Mr Obasa said.
The Speaker also supported suggestions by the Majority Leader, Noheem Adams, and another lawmaker, Gbolahan Yishawu, that modern technology be added by the government in the cleaning of roads in the state, but said it was necessary to accommodate the sweepers, who, he argued, were employed to earn a living and assist their families.
“We have to call on our people, the road users, to be very careful. LAWMA should also come up with ideas to help protect staff, insure them and make the motorists know when the sweepers are working,” the Speaker said while calling for more enlightenment of motorists.
The House held a minute silence in honour of the deceased while Mr Obasa instructed the Clerk, Mr Olalekan Onafeko, to convey a condolence message to the bereaved families.
Meanwhile, the House of Assembly may dust up the law regulating transportation to address the problem of alleged multiple taxations by various unions in the sector.
Mr Obasa gave the hint following a motion raised by Adewale, over a recent protest against alleged extortion by the transport unions in Lagos.
“This alleged extortion affects our people generally and looking at the economic condition of the country, we need to intervene. We must be able to define the paths that these unionists have to tread so that they do not make life unbearable for the people.
“At every bus stop, they collect money causing traffic snare. In the end, the man making the payment would go home with nothing and to avoid this, he has to put the weight on the commuters.
“We must avoid a situation where people would be moved to take laws into their hands. We need to extract seriousness out of this situation. Where there is a law, there will be penalties,” he said while calling for the engagement of candidates recently interviewed for recruitment into the Neighbourhood Safety Corps to expand the security network in the state.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to creating an eco-friendly state with fewer cars on the roads in the future.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said this during a presentation at the closing of the fifth Lagos Real Estate Marketplace Conference and Exhibitions in Lagos.
Mr Osiyemi said that the commitment is in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s led administration, expressing concerns that traffic congestion costs the state trillions of Naira in budget deficits annually.
The transportation commissioner noted that the heavy reliance on road transportation, which accounts for 90 per cent of travel in Lagos, is unacceptable and unsustainable.
The Commissioner stated that water and rail transportation account for only two per cent of the means of transportation, highlighting their gross underutilisation.
Mr Osiyemi emphasised that every sector in the state must be robust enough to contribute significantly to the wellbeing of its residents, as Lagos accounts for 30 per cent of the nation’s gross domestic product.
He expressed the state’s readiness to maximise the use of intermodal transportation system, to help upscale socio-economic activities in the metropolis and reduce man-hour loss to traffic.
In a panel discussion, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Ms Titilayo Oshodi, emphasised the need for the state and its stakeholders to adopt a purposeful approach to waste management.
Ms Oshodi highlighted the importance of a circular economy in recycling, repurposing and reusing waste effectively.
She noted that several policies were already in place in the state for managing waste, urging producers and manufacturers across various sectors to collaborate with the state government to contribute to carbon reduction efforts.
Other panellists including Ms Stella Okengwu, Chief Executive Officer of Winhomes, said that the current economic situation calls for housing to be built based on clear demand that aligns with people’s budgets while Mr John Oamen, Co-founder of Cutstruct, urged the state government to promote the digitisation of construction procurement.
This, he added, would enhance the efficiency and practices of the construction and real estate sectors.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
There are plans by Heirs Insurance to introduce insurance products tailored for vehicle owners, a statement from the underwriting firm has disclosed.
According to the subsidiary of Heirs Holdings, this low-cost motor insurance package known as the Flexi Comprehensive Motor Insurance Plan will provide the benefit of a comprehensive motor insurance plan for a fraction of the cost, addressing the financial realities many Nigerians face.
The underwriting company announced the plan to introduce this package as it launched a new campaign designed to reward its customers.
This initiative themed Unwrapping Smiles will bring hope to individuals, families, and communities this holiday season, and will run from December 10 to December 31, 2024.
It will feature community-focused outreaches, including Christmas gifts and exciting rewards to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians. It will also include the launch of a holiday-watch web film known as The Underwriters for all Nigerians to enjoy.
“At Heirs Insurance Group, we are committed to providing much more than insurance. In a season when many Nigerians seek hope and reasons to smile, we are proud to offer initiatives that inspire and uplift,” the Chief Marketing Officer of Heirs Insurance, Ms Ifesinachi Okpagu, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi) claims that investments in championing the CNG value chain have hit $450 million.
This was disclosed by Mr Michael Oluwagbemi, Project Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), PCNGi, during the 9th Edition of the Nigeria Energy Forum (NEF2024) Day 2, Virtual Event themed Energising Sustainable Industrialisation.
According to the PCNGi CEO, the amount goes into things like mother stations, daughter stations and refuelling stations as well as conversion centres which are starting to spring up across the nation.
Mr Oluwagbemi, represented by Mr Tosin Coker, the Head of Commercial, PCNGi, said the initiative had successfully converted more than 10,000 vehicles from petrol to CNG.
“By 2027, the initiative will have converted more than one million vehicles using petrol to CNG,” he said.
On incidents of explosion of vehicles using CNG, the CEO assured Nigerians that it had taken precautionary measures with different agencies of government to ensure safety.
Mrs Ibironke Olubamise, National Coordinator of the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), managed by UNDP, said the SGP was investing in youth energy innovation for economic growth and environmental sustainability.
Mr Daniel Adeuyi, NEF Group Chairman, said, “The event featured three super sessions on Energising Industrial Revolution, Community Climate Action by GEF-SGP UNDP and Clean Energy Innovations.
“The sessions are to share lessons learnt from real-life projects and build capacity of young entrepreneurs and cross-industry professionals.”
Mr Joseph Osanipin, the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), said that the council had trained more than 4,000 auto technicians on how to convert petrol vehicles to CNG.
He said the council had started campaigns to sensitise Nigerians on the advantages of using CNG to power their vehicles.
“CNG can guarantee a cleaner environment, it is cheaper and affordable,” he said.
Mr Oluwatobi Ajayi, the Chairman and Managing Director of Nord Automobile Ltd., said the company was established to tackle the growing demand for vehicles in Africa and reduce import dependency.
He said that because of the Federal Government’s CNG initiative, the company had incorporated it into their vehicle production to meet up with the government policy.
Mr Armstrong Tankan, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), said that MOFI was set up in 1959 as the statutory vehicle to hold all the assets owned by the federal government.
“Today, we’ve been able to identify the assets the federal government owns and we are trying to track them.
‘We actually do have assets, not just locally but globally as well and we must establish visibility over what the federal government owns before we can start talking about managing them.
“So, we want to try to minimise the waste, minimise the overlaps and help to improve output,” he said.
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