General
Sanwo-Olu Promises Quarterly Supervision of Blue, Red Line Rail Projects
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the blue and red line rail projects across the state would be supervised every quarter until it is completed in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The governor gave this assurance during an inspection tour of the projects at Ikeja, Yaba, Ebute Metta, and Marina Stations yesterday.
Mr Sanwo-Olu expressed satisfaction with the pace of work at the stations, noting that the contractors were on course and hoped that they would round up this year, promising to intensify supervision and monitoring of the projects quarterly to facilitate speedy completion.
“Our promise on the blue and the red line is still on course. We believe that, by coming on a quarterly basis to supervise them, we would ensure that before the end of this year, we will see the trains on top of the tracks. That is our commitment and we will begin to monitor and check ourselves.
“It is a very iconic and landmark project that we are truly proud of. On behalf of the government, I want to commend all of our contractors because they are very committed. They have assured us that whatever it takes, they will complete all of the projects on schedule and on budget,” the governor said.
“We embarked on this similar tour about three or four months ago and we did mention that we would be doing it every quarter so that we can see how far the constructions are going.
“As we all have seen, I am happy to report that the construction is going on according to schedule. All the contractors are here even today not being a working day, they are all on-site working,” the governor told journalists who were with him during the tour to the four stations.
The Red and Blue line rail is part of the intermodal transportation system of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration in reducing gridlock and ensuring interconnectivity in different parts of the state.
When completed, the 37 kilometres Red Line Rail Project will link Agbado to Marina, while the 27.5 kilometres Blue line Rail Project will run from Okokomaiko to Marina.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also disclosed the plan by the State Government to relocate the market around the train station at Yaba as the government is engaging the concerned stakeholders on how best to relocate traders to another place.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Muhammadu Buhari has joined many Nigerians to celebrate the President-elect, Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on his 71st birthday today, Wednesday, March 29, 2023, saying his vast experience as a politician will help achieve effective governance.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, the President joined “members of the President-elect’s family, especially his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, business partners and political associates in celebrating the recently elected president who is expected to lead the country from May 29.”
Full of praise, he said his successor, endeared as Asiwaju, is “heralded with many years of experience and achievements in the private and public sectors, which prepared him for the historic win on February 25, 2023.”
The statement noted that President Buhari believes, “Asiwaju’s warmth, friendliness and generosity has set the pace for a network of friends, home and abroad, that will shape his presidency with the requisite expertise to guide the economy and consolidate on the investments of past leaders, particularly in people-first development and infrastructure.
“As the President-Elect prepares to take over the mantle of leadership at 71, the President affirms that his political pedigree from the ’90s, active role in party politics, being elected Senator and later Governor of Lagos State, and diligent involvement in structure of leadership at the Executive and Legislative levels for many years, will serve as an asset for good and effective governance.
“President Buhari prays for the wellbeing of Asiwaju and his family,” the statement added.
On March 1, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that Mr Tinubu won the 2023 presidential elections as he scored 35 per cent of 24.97 million votes cast, beating Mr Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
The two main opposition parties had already rejected the results before the final count, saying the electoral commission failed to follow its own law in transmitting and announcing results.
Both parties have also filed separate cases in the courts.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with eTranzact, a foremost fintech company, to sanitise and regulate activities of setbacks and Incidental Open Spaces (IOS) and ensure physical orderliness in the state.
Signed by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, the agreement will help curb unregulated development, manage setbacks and open spaces and improve the beautification of the environment in Lagos state.
The MoU will strengthen the partnership between Lagos State Planning and Environmental Monitoring Authority (LASPEMA) and eTranzact.
This collaboration will allow eTranzact to deploy an integrated technology solution for data collection, management, and digitization of revenue collection processes from the informal business players operating on the setbacks and Incidental Open Spaces (IOS) in Lagos State to regulate setbacks/IOS and enhance the State Internally Generated Revenue.
Speaking during the signing of the MoU held at the state secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Omotayo Bamgbose-Martins, represented by the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on e-GIS and Planning Matters, Mr Olajide Babatunde, said the initiative was a public-private partnership that would yield a good result hence the need to take care of the environment.
He said the MoU is for accountability and in the interest of the general public in Lagos State, as well as improving the internally generated revenue (IGR) of Lagos State.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of eTranzact, Mr Niyi Toluwalope, said his organisation was partnering with Lagos State Government for social development, noting that the project would develop solutions on data, enumeration, reordering setbacks, putting incidental open spaces in an orderly manner, among other benefits.
He said: “eTranzact is a premier technology solutions company in Nigeria. Today we are partnering with the Lagos State Government and LASPEMA for the enumeration and data management of the occupants of the setbacks and incidental open spaces within the City. We are licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to provide this service.
“The Lagos State Government has taken this laudable initiative to identify the setbacks, enumerate the people on these setbacks, do the necessary data capture, and manage the entire setback infrastructure in the State so that it is structured, following the proper model for setbacks, improves beautification, improves transparency within the environment and ensures that our critical urban infrastructure is well laid out properly to ensure Lagos functions as a major critical landmark with global recognition.
“We are committed to partnering with the State government to build a beautiful and prosperous Smart City for all. As Nigeria’s Super Fintech Choice, eTranzact is committed to providing payment technology support for all public and private stakeholders.”
Also speaking, the General Manager of LASPEMA, Mr Daisi Oso, said the agency was saddled with addressing challenges that were associated with managing and regulating all activities on setbacks so as to ensure orderliness while leveraging technology.
He said the agency is saddled with the deployment of drones for mappings, collaborating with other ministries, departments, and agencies on urban development to improve security and order in the use of land in tandem with the state’s developmental plans to enhance social and political sustainability of businesses.
By Dipo Olowookere
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Iyorchia Ayu, has stepped down from the position and has been replaced by the Deputy National Chairman of the party for the northern region of the country, Mr Umar Iliya Damagum.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Hon. Debo Ologunagba, confirmed this development.
It was disclosed that Mr Damagum would be the acting chairman of the country’s main opposition party, pending the determination of a case in court.
Recall that on Sunday, the executive of the PDP in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State suspended Mr Ayu for alleged anti-party activities.
He was accused of working against the success of the party in Igyorov Council Ward, and failed to “pay his Annual Subscription Fees as provided under Section 8 (9) of the constitution of the PDP 2017 (As Amended).”
“Further investigation also revealed that he did not vote during the Governorship and State Assembly Elections held on March 18, 2023.
“It was also discovered that most of his closest allies worked for the opposition party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, and hence, the abysmal performance of the PDP in Igyorov Ward.
“In view of the foregoing, we hereby pass a Vote of No Confidence on Dr Iyorchia Ayu and suspend him as a member of our party with immediate effect. The suspension takes effect from March 24, 2023,” the Ward Chairman of the PDP, Mr Kachi Philip, and the secretary, Mr Vangeryina Dooyum, announced while addressing journalists.
Today, the national spokesman of the party said Mr Ayu stepped aside from the position during the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP on Tuesday in Abuja, after the NWC acknowledged “the order of the Benue State High Court dated March 27, 2023 with regards to the chairmanship position of our great party.”
“After a careful consideration of the court order and in line with Section 45 (2) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017), the NWC resolved that the Deputy National Chairman (North), Umar Ililya Damagum, assumes the national chairmanship of our party in acting capacity with effect from today, Tuesday, March 28, 2023.
“The NWC charges all leaders, critical stakeholders, teeming members and supporters of our great party to remain calm and united at this critical time,” the statement said.
