General
Ambode Pities with Flood Victims, Threatens Environmental Criminals
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has expressed sympathy to those who lost properties to the flood caused by torrential rainfalls in the state at the weekend.
Mr Ambode said it was painful to see most prime estates flooded with water, roads taken over by floods, while many homesteads literally became pools.
Speaking on Monday at a sensitization workshop on water management and environmental control held at Ikeja, which is a prelude to a Water Technology and Environmental Control (WATEC) exhibition holding in Israel later in the year, the Governor assured the incident would soon be a thing of the past, as the state government was working towards embarking on holistic solutions to address the situation once and for all.
He said aside the fact that the issue of flooding was not peculiar to the state or Nigeria, urgent steps were being taken to tackle the challenge in a holistic manner and protect the state from future re-occurrence.
Describing the workshop as apt coming at a time the state witnessed flooding in some parts, Governor Ambode said in as much as the development was a trying period for him given the fact that so much had been expended in providing infrastructure for the people, but that major strategies would be implemented with the view to bequeathing the State with enduring solution to water management and environmental control.
“However, if we have learnt anything in the on-going flooding of some parts of the State, it is that there is an immediate, even urgent need for us to embark upon a review and reengineering of our canals and drainage systems.
“This must be pursued hand-in-hand with a clear and crystal re-envisioning of our water management system. So, in effect, what we should immediately pursue is a holistic solution to what is certain to be a recurring problem. It must be a sincere collaboration between government and the citizenry,” Governor Ambode said.
The Governor said despite the fact that the State had been denied ecological funds by the previous federal government for political reasons, several reforms were being implemented in line with the capacity of the State Government to protect the shoreline and carry out de-flooding, which according to him, are equally expensive to implement.
“The issue is when you are talking about reforms, it comes with pains but it is only the vision that drives it through and that is what we are doing,” he said.
Speaking on the import of the workshop, Governor Ambode said the State Government was partnering with Israel which is one of the first countries to successfully overcome its limitations in water resources to develop water technology and environmental control, adding that the intention would be to explore a wide array of technological advancements and possibilities to ensure best solutions.
He said as a first step, the State Government would participate at the WATEC exhibition and take full advantage of state of the art technology in Israel, with the view to applying same solution in the State.
While alluding to the fact that the incidence of flooding was not circumscribed to Nigeria or Third World countries as United Kingdom and even Japan recently witnessed heavily flooding, the Governor said no matter how well a society may be prepared, natural occurrences could not be totally ruled out, and such was why Lagos State and indeed the country fully subscribes to the tenets of Climate Change Solutions by the United Nations.
“While all the aforementioned examples enjoin us to put our experience and pains into perspective, they also impress on us as a State and a government that we must learn from all these examples in order to better prepare for the future.
“To that extent, we will reinvigorate our campaign against the dumping of refuse by citizens into canals. We will be stronger in enforcing our physical planning laws especially those building illegally on canals and blocking the free flow of water across the State,” Governor Ambode vowed.
Speaking on the new waste management strategy being adopted by the State Government encapsulated in the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), Governor Ambode said available statistics show that the State generate 13, 000 tonnes of waste per day which is the highest in the world, and that the new approach was aimed at revolutionizing waste management with particular emphasis on reusing waste for other critical purposes and growing the economy, as against the present practice of dumping.
Besides, the Governor said as government would be implementing new strategies to find a lasting solution to the problem of water shortages and flooding, it was also important for residents to play their part by bearing new attitudes towards civic obligations at all times, without which the efforts of government would be in futility.
Also, the State’s Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Engr Ade Adesanya said the torrential rainfalls witnessed in the State in the past few days accumulated a total of 477mm of water, which was equivalent to the rainfalls experienced in other climes for six months, and that the successful management of the situation was commendable, while expressing the determination of the government to mitigate the impact of such in future.
On his part, Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Guy Feldman said his country was delighted to partner with the Lagos State Government to bring about lasting solutions to water management and environmental control.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Abdulmalik imposed a series of stringent conditions that the defendant must meet before perfecting the bail.
The court held that the proposed surety must reside in either the Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) of a landed property at the court registry.
The surety is also required to be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, authenticated by a letter from the manager of a bank within the jurisdiction of the court.
The court further ordered the surety to depose to an affidavit of means, enter into a bail bond, and submit a recent passport photograph to the court registry.
As part of the bail conditions, Mr El-Rufai is to deposit all valid international passports with the court registry.
The court also directed that a verification letter from the surety’s immediate department be submitted, alongside a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.
Justice Abdulmalik further ordered the defendant to report to the headquarters of the Department of State Services every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register pending the determination of the case.
The judge warned that failure to comply with the conditions would lead to an automatic revocation of the bail.
The court additionally directed the defendant to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.
This comes a month after a Kaduna Court granted bail to the former Minister in a corruption case filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over charges related to alleged corruption and abuse of office during his tenure in the North-Western state from 2015 to 2023.
He was alleged to have abused his office and to have intended to commit fraud and confer undue advantage, which were alleged against the opposition politician.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has proposed a sweeping reform of retirement benefits for officers of the Nigeria Police Force under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), including lifetime monthly pensions equivalent to 100 per cent of their final salary and a gratuity of 200 per cent of their annual emoluments upon retirement.
According to the Leadership newspaper, the measure is part of federal government efforts to address persistent agitation from retired police personnel who say CPS payouts are inadequate.
The reform will see retired police officers receive a monthly pension equivalent to 100 per cent of their final salary for life and gratuity payments amounting to 200 per cent of annual emoluments, benefits that many officers have been clamouring for years.
According to the newspaper, retirees under the scheme have raised concerns over poor pension payouts, with some saying they receive as little as N30,000 to N80,000 monthly, while also lamenting the inadequacy of their lump-sum retirement benefits.
Some other recommendations include increasing active officers’ monthly pension contribution for serving police officers from the current 10 to 20 per cent, while employee contributions will remain at 8 per cent.
The new arrangement, which includes a monthly pension equivalent to an officer’s last salary and increased gratuity benefits, is expected to strengthen financial security for retired personnel and boost the morale of officers still in active service.
The measure is expected to significantly improve Retirement Savings Account (RSA) balances, enhance pension payouts, and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the pension structure.
If approved by President Bola Tinubu, the augmentation plan for police personnel will reflect the government’s recognition of the police’s critical role in maintaining national security and public order, as well as the need to ensure officers’ dignity and stability after retirement.
Police pensioners who have been protesting against the CPS insisted that the scheme, which requires both employers and employees to contribute monthly into Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) managed by Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), has worsened their welfare.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art is organising a two-day training for media practitioners in the art and culture segment.
The programme is scheduled for June 10 and 11, 2026, at the museum, located at the Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.
The theme of the event is New Narratives & Singular Communication in Arts Journalism: The Museo del Prado Experience.
The training is being put together to enable participants to refine their storytelling and reporting skills in arts journalism; learn audience-focused, ethical, and impactful communication techniques; gain fresh perspectives on media engagement in the creative sector; and connect with peers and build valuable professional networks.
To be part of this initiative, journalists are required to apply through this link on or before May 25, 2026, as spaces are limited, and only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
The organisers said this specialised workshop offers a rare opportunity to learn directly from one of the world’s leading museum communication teams. The programme will be led by a highly respected and accomplished expert from the Prado Museum, bringing global insights and practical strategies to the Nigerian arts journalism landscape.
“At YSMA, we are excited to bring this opportunity to the Nigerian media community and to support the growth of thoughtful, innovative, and globally relevant arts journalism.
We encourage you to also share this opportunity with colleagues and peers who are passionate about covering arts and culture,” a notice from the organisation signed by its Head of Corporate Communications and Visitors’ Services, Mr Solomon Nkwagu, stated.
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