General
Stakeholders Lauds Lagos Assembly’s Decision to Empower LAWMA
The decision of the Lagos State House of Assembly to amend the state’s Environmental Law in order to give more powers to the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has been commended by stakeholders in the sector.
Last Thursday, the Assembly held a one-day Public Hearing on “A Law to Amend the Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017” organised by the House Committee on the Environment headed by Mr Dayo Saka-Fafunmi.
During the hearing, the stakeholders described such step as timely to ensure cleaner and healthier environment in the state following the failure of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative introduced by the present administration of Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.
Mr Olugbenga Adebola, an environmentalist said, “I will like to commend the proactive Lagos State House of Assembly members for this amendment.
“For a long part of 2016 and 2017 we have a big issue in environment family. It is good that more power be given to LAWMA as the regulator.
“I hope LAWMA, should be able to manage this. I commend the House.”
Mr Adebola urged the House not to jettison the private sector in the board constitution and looked into cost recovery level, and enforcement.
Mr Kadiri Shamusideen, a safety expert, who also commended the House for the amendment, called for efforts on the health and safety of PSP operators on the field.
Mr Shamusideen, Executive Director, Safety Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation, decried various unsafe practices of the operators on the highways, trucks and dump sites, which was corroborated by another expert Mr Adegbenro Adu.
Mr Olalekan Owojori, Consultant to PSP, who noted that waste management was service-oriented, called the House to look into how money for the services rendered by the operators would get to them.
Mr Owojori, who frowned at PSP depending on government bureaucracy before getting money for the service provided, called for a system that would allow the service providers to collect their .
Mr Adedotun Oriowo, a PSP operator, said, “I salute House for the impeccable sense of responsibility. We are here to right some wrongs of the outgoing Lagos State government.
“The Cleaner Lagos Initiative distorted waste management operations in Lagos State. It should be expunged from waste management in Lagos State.”
In his contribution, Mr Ola Oresanya, the Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, said, “If the law is wrong everything will be wrong.
“I want to thank the Chairman of the committee for this painstaking effort to correct the wrong. The intention of this amendment is genuine and germane.”
According to Mr Oresanya, the authority will submit a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), especially on the functions of Public Utilities
Monitoring and Assurance Unit (PUMAU) bothering on waste management and revenue collection.
Mr Idowu Salau, a Consultant with the Federal Government on waste management, who commended the House, harped on cost recovery and identified user charge system and property charge system.
In his comment, Mr Ola Egbeyemi, President of the Association of Waste Managers (AWAN) thanked the House “for this noble gesture.”
“We have good laws but those laws are found ineffective because of enforcement. We should thank the lawmakers for revisiting this controversial law that have actually caused a lot of retrogression,” Mr Egbeyemi said.
In his welcome address, Chairman of the Committee, Mr Saka-Fafunmi said that extant law passed in 2017 could not meet expectations as discovered during impact assessment analysis.
“We cannot have a law that is not serving the interest of Lagos and that is why we propose several amendments. The amendment essentially bothers more on LAWMA law.
“As at when the law was made, we were looking at having a concessionaire-an operator that will take over the waste management of Lagos.
“No sooner had the law was passed we realised that it was not something that could stand the test of time here. We have decided to revert back to our ways of doing it.
“That is why we are empowering the PSP and every other stakeholder in environment. We must empower LAWMA and take away concessionaire,” he said.
Over viewing, Majority Leader of the House, Mr Sanai Agunbiade, stated that the proposed amendment affected only 48 sections of the 526-section extant law.
Mr Agunbiade said that the House had a penchant to monitor laws passed and conducts impact assessment and whenever a shortcoming was noticed,an amendment would be sought to make it conform to realities.
Earlier in his keynote address, the Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashirun Obasa, represented by his deputy, Mr Waaiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, explained that the House intention was to improve the environment and make waste management seamless.
By Dipo Olowookere
Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, will run as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
President Bola Tinubu retained Mr Shettima as his running mate for re-election next year, according to the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Nentawe Yilwatda.
In a post on Friday on X, the ruling party chairman described this as “another significant milestone in the journey of our great party.”
He also said it reaffirms the party’s collective resolve to sustain the Renewed Hope Agenda and deepen the progress already being recorded across the country.
It was gathered that Mr Tinubu submitted his presidential nomination forms today through his Special Adviser on Political and Other Matters, Mr Ibrahim Masari.
The submission was done ceremony at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, attended by several party chieftains, including The event brought together an impressive array of leaders of our great party, including the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodimma; Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, as well as other governors, party executives and critical stakeholders from across the federation.
“The All Progressives Congress remains focused on strengthening its grassroots support, consolidating the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda and working together to build a more prosperous, secure and inclusive Nigeria for all,” the party leader stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on X. He revealed that eight of the kidnappers have been arrested and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while some others were neutralised during the operation.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
He said no concession was made to the terrorists to secure the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Mr Onanuga explained that the kingpin whose release the kidnappers had demanded was neither freed nor spared, as he remains under prosecution for offences linked to his terrorist activities.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools: Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks. During the attack, a teacher, Mr Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
The President’s spokesperson said that security agencies would soon provide a comprehensive account of the operation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The board of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved a $260 million financing package for the construction of a 123-kilometre section of the Trans-Saharan Highway in Nigeria as part of more than $417 million earmarked for strategic projects across West Africa.
The approval was granted during the bank’s 99th Ordinary Session, chaired by its President, Mr George Donkor, according to a statement issued after the meeting. It was noted that the total financing will support five public and private sector projects spanning infrastructure, healthcare, housing, mining, financial resilience and regional connectivity.
EBID said the approved investments underscore its commitment to funding high-impact projects that drive economic growth, create jobs and improve living standards across the sub-region.
“The projects approved during this 99th Board Session demonstrate EBID’s unwavering commitment to financing development solutions that directly improve the lives of West African citizens.
“From clean energy and transport infrastructure to healthcare, housing and financial sector resilience, these investments will strengthen regional competitiveness and support sustainable and inclusive growth across our community,” said Mr Donkor.
That of Nigeria is to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, reduce logistics costs and support economic integration; West African CFA franc (XOF) 10 billion in a line of credit to Banque de l’Habitat de Côte d’Ivoire (BHCI) to expand housing finance and support SMEs operating across the housing and construction value chain; €80 million for the design, construction, equipment and maintenance of the 150-bed Regional Hospital of Ferkessédougou in Côte d’Ivoire under a public-private partnership;
XOF 12.82 billion (West African CFA Franc) for the renovation, operation and maintenance of the Symphonie Building in Abidjan under a public-private partnership and $47.4 million for Azumah Resources Ghana Limited to finance the procurement of long-lead process plant equipment and critical early-stage development activities for the Black Volta Gold Project.
“These approvals advance EBID’s Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy, which prioritises transformative infrastructure, human capital development, private sector growth and regional integration. Through these investments, the Bank continues to promote sustainable development and shared prosperity across West Africa,” the statement said.
