General
Lagosians Blast Ambode Over Public Holiday Declared for Buhari’s Visit
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
On Tuesday, the Lagos State government declared Thursday, March 29, 2018 as work free day in the state to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on a two-day working visit to the metropolis.
A statement issued by Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, explained that the holiday was to allow residents of the ‘Aquatic State’ come out enmasse to welcome the President.
In the statement, Mr Bamigbetan urged residents to adhere to the security guidance earlier announced to make the visit as peaceful and orderly.
While in Lagos, Mr Buhari will commission the new Ikeja Bus Terminal, attend a colloquium in honour of national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of the state, Mr Bola Tinubu, and as well as embark on tour of the Eko Atlantic City, among others.
During the visit, traffic would be diverted in some routes and Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Imohimi Edgal, during a press briefing yesterday at the Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, said adequate preparations have been made to mitigate the impact of the road diversions on residents, while access would be given to any emergency situation.
Mr Edgal, who addressed the briefing alongside heads of security and emergency agencies in the state, said, “To ensure smooth, security-free visit of the President, we would need to do some diversions.
“Some certain roads will be closed at certain times; some diversions will be made but I want to use this opportunity to appeal for the support and understanding of Lagosians that this temporary road closures and diversions might cause a little inconvenience.
“We want the people to bear with us to ensure that we all join hands together to make the visit of Mr. President not only hitch-free but also very memorable.
“The road closures and diversions will be very temporary and immediately the President leaves a certain location, that area will be opened very quickly for the general public. We have also made adequate arrangements to mitigate the impact of the closures on residents.”
He listed the areas to be affected to include Bank Anthony Way in Ikeja, Agege Motor Road, a section of Eko Hotel Road in Victoria Island and Old Marina in Ikoyi axis.
Besides, Mr Edgal said security arrangement was already in top gear and that people would see a lot of deployment of personal of both military and civil logistics adding that it is nothing to worry about.
“We have done the necessary threat assessments; we have reached out to all stakeholders in areas that we believe we should reach out to them to ensure their full cooperation. We are using this opportunity to call again on the Okada Unions and the National Union of Road Transport Workers that they must abide with the terms of agreement we reached during meetings with them regarding the visit.
“We will not want to see commercial motorcycles plying the prohibited routes of Agege Motor Road, Bank Anthony Way and anywhere on the Island. Should that order be disobeyed, we would be constrained to ensure that you are arrested with your motorcycles impounded.
“Whoever is also found as a passenger will also be arrested and prosecuted so do not patronize these Okadas on these prohibited routes not only for the purpose of the visit but also to ensure that Lagos State Laws on the regulation of commercial motorbikes are obeyed at all times,” Mr Edgal warned.
He added that three locations have been designated for all first emergency responders to station their equipment and officials including the Police, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), LASAMBUS, Civil Defence, Fire Brigade, among others at Ikeja, Victoria Island and Free Trade Zone at Lekki-Akodo axis.
On the Apapa gridlock which has spilled over to other parts of the state, the police chief said while the Joint Task Force set up by the state government was already working to ensure free-flow of traffic, the government nonetheless has commenced the construction of a new Trailer Park in Ijora axis that can conveniently accommodate 2,800 trucks and tanker at a time.
“The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, in collaboration with stakeholders, has identified a location known as the White Sand in Ijora axis and we have done an assessment of the place with my colleagues in other agencies and all shanties there have been destroyed.
“Now, the state government has given out the contract to a firm and they are now smoothening up the place. It has the capacity to take well over 2,800 trucks and tankers at the same time. Work is ongoing there at a very fast pace and I can assure Lagosians that very soon, the place will be completed and we intend to move all trucks, tankers to that location and as soon as that is done, we would have permanently take care of this trucks and tankers,” he said.
But reactions have trailed this announcement by the state government with some residents castigating Mr Ambode for declaring a public holiday to welcome the President.
They argued that it was wrong to shut down economy of a ‘mega city’ just because the President was commissioning a ‘mere’ bus terminal that has minute effect on the economy at large.
Furthermore, the critics said it was insensitive to declared Thursday a work free day when Friday and Monday have already been declared as public holidays by Federal Government to mark Easter break.
A journalist with Bloomberg, Mr Paul Wallace, who wrote on his Twitter page, “#Nigeria’s President #Buhari is going to be in #Lagos on Thursday for the first time in a while and Lagos State government has declared it a “work free day,” had many Nigerian lambasting Lagos Governor for the move.
“Senseless set of leaders, declaring work free day for failed president…Lagos is (an emoji showing a face with medical mask),” one of the commenters said.
Another said, “Declare a work-free day, just like that; this doesn’t add up as many businesses especially banks will be adversely affected with Friday and Monday already public holidays.”
“Grounding To A Halt Businesses On A Thursday For The Commissioning Of A “BUS TERMINAL” ??? Outright Rubbish!!!..” a commenter also wrote.
“Arrant nonsense! How does this even make sense to our government? Shutting down a state for a whole day just to commission a bus station! Gutted!” another person said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has pledged to deliver the first batch of a promised three million electricity meters, amounting to 275,000 units, in the next two months.
The move is part of efforts to close the seven million metering gaps in the country, a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations to the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, Mr Bolaji Tunji, revealed
The Minister said 75,000 meters under the International Competitive Bid 1 are expected by April 2025 and the second batch of 200,000 meters will follow in May 2025.
“While challenges persist, the facts tell a more balanced story – one of sustained effort, financial commitment, and structured implementation plans by the Federal Government of Nigeria to close the metering gap”, the statement noted.
“Despite claims of stagnation, metering installations have been progressing steadily. As of December 2024, a total of 5,502,460 customers had been metered, representing about 55 per cent of the 10,114,060 active electricity customers in Nigeria.
“In 2024 alone, 572,050 meters were installed. While the government acknowledges the existing metering gap, it is actively working to close it as quickly as possible. However, the fact remains that a sizable portion of active electricity users already have meters, countering the exaggerated portrayal of an industry in crisis,” Mr Adelabu stated.
According to the statement, though installation rates have varied over the years, the sector has maintained a yearly average of about 668,000 meters of installation annually.
Structured financing and government-backed initiatives are expected to accelerate deployment beyond the current pace, ensuring that the metering gap is addressed efficiently, the minister added.
“To bridge this gap, the government has put in place key initiatives aimed at significantly improving metering across the country. The Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) is set to deliver 3,205,101 meters by 2026.
“This will be achieved through different procurement models, including 1,437,501 meters through International Competitive Bid 1 (ICB1), 217,600 meters through National Competitive Bid (NCB), and 1,550,000 meters through International Competitive Bid 2 (ICB2).
“As part of this plan, the first batch of 75,000 meters under ICB1 is expected by April 2025, followed by the second batch of 200,000 meters in May 2025.
“In addition to the DISREP, the N700 billion Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) is another key intervention designed to accelerate metering. The initiative, which has already secured N700 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), is structured to ensure large-scale meter procurement and deployment,” the minister added.
According to the power minister, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has been established to oversee the implementation of the initiative, with the government setting a target of deploying two million meters annually for five years, with the tender for the first batch of two million meters expected to be released by the third quarter of 2025.
These structured interventions, the minister explained, provide a clear roadmap for addressing the metering gap in an effective and sustainable manner.
According to the statement, further that while the metering gap remains a concern, the notion that it will take over a decade to resolve is misleading.
“With the ongoing DISREP and PMI initiatives, Nigeria’s metering landscape is set to experience significant improvement before the end of the year. The focus should be on the execution of these well-structured plans rather than a blanket critique that overlooks the real progress being made,” the minister added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited Group Executive Council (GEC) have expressed concerns over the recent filling of top management position with externally recruited personnel.
President Bola Tinubu last Tuesday sacked the entire 11-person board of the NNPC and replaced the chief executive, Mr Mele Kyari with a former Shell executive, Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari.
Mr Ojulari previously served as Managing Director of Shell’s Nigeria deepwater exploration and production unit. He was most recently chief operating officer of Renaissance Africa Energy, the consortium that bought Shell’s Nigeria onshore division.
The new board will be led by Mr Ahmadu Musa Kida, a former Total executive.
On Friday, the NNPC announced the appointment of a new 8-man senior management team. The company said the appointments takes immediate effect.
In a letter, addressed to the NNPC Chief Human Resources Officer, NUPENG and PENGASSAN said they cannot accept or support the recruitment of senior and management staff from outside the company.
The letter, titled Filling of top management positions in NNPC Limited with externally recruited personnel is unacceptable to PENGASSAN and NUPENG GEC, was signed by GEC Secretary at PENGASSAN, Ms Amaoge Chukwudi; its chairman, Mr Solomon Orieji; and the GEC Secretary at NUPENG, Mr Paulosa Paulosa and its chairman, Mr Baba Kaumi.
The letter was also sent to the new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Executive Vice President (EVP) Business Services, of the state-oil company.
“We extend our warm congratulations to the newly appointed Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and Board Members of NNPC Limited. We wish them success in their new roles and pray for excellence in their assignments.
“However, we must draw urgent attention to a matter of serious concern to avert avoidable consequences. Based on past experiences, we have observed a recurring trend whenever a new GCEO is appointed externally – the temptation to fill top management positions with external recruitment rather than promoting staff members from within NNPC Ltd.
“As a matter of caution, we must state clearly that we cannot accept, accommodate, or support the recruitment of senior and Management staff from outside NNPC Limited and that any plan in such direction be stopped immediately,” the letter reads.
It said NNPC Limited is home to thousands of experienced, competent, and dedicated Nigerian professionals across various fields.
They argued that these individuals, who include their members, have dedicated quality years to sustaining the legacies of the company and are eager to take on higher responsibilities.
“Denying them career advancement opportunities and overlooking them in favor of external recruitment is grossly unjust and wasteful, and it will also disrupt the company’s steady progress towards greater profitability and efficiency.
“We must therefore caution against any unjust action that undermines the career growth of deserving staff members of our company. If this warning is ignored, we cannot guarantee the continuation of industrial harmony within NNPC Limited.”
Therefore, they said the letter serves to put the management and the Board of NNPC Limited on notice that PENGASSAN and NUPENG categorically reject any recruitment or appointment of senior or management staff above the SS6 cadre (specifically within the SS5 to M2 cadre) from outside the organisation.
“Any attempt to do so will be met with strong resistance, including a total shutdown of operations. Please accept our assurances of continued support and regards,” the letter read.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A former governor of Oyo State, Mr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, has died some days to his 90th birthday, precisely April 14, 2025.
He was said to have breathed his last in the early hours of Sunday after battling with old age-related ailments for the last few weeks.
In a statement signed on behalf of the family by Mr Oladapo Ogunwusi, it was stated that the deceased was a source of pride to his family and associates and serve the nation and humanity.
“With a heavy heart but gratitude to the Almighty, we announce the passing into glory of Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, former governor of Oyo State, mathematician and engineer and renowned technocrat, a few days before his 90th birthday.
“The Balogun of Oyo and Otun Bobasewa of Ife, Dr Olunloyo was first Rector, Ibadan polytechnic and first Rector, Kwara State Polytechnic among other notable appointments.
“His long record of service to the nation and humanity is a source of pride to his family and associates even as we come to grip with this devastating event.
“The Olunloyo family will appreciate the understanding of the press and the public as they commence efforts to give him a befitting burial.
“Even from everlasting to everlasting, He is God,” the statement read.
Business Post reports that Mr Olunloyo was the Governor of old Oyo State between October and December 1983.
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