Category: General News

Birthday
By Aderonke Ojediran
Lagos, June 25, 2024 (NAN) Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Mr Gboyega Akosile, has described the governor as a leader who recognises the needs of the citizens in the state.

He made the statement at governor’s 59th birthday in Lagos on Tuesday.

“He recognises the importance of food security in the state and he initiated the widely acclaimed subsidised food market and the Ounje Eko food palliatives to cushion the effects of the economic downturn for the vulnerable people in the state,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that children with special needs were selected from Wesley School of deaf, Addo Inclusive Unit, Ayeteju Inclusive Unit and Army Children Inclusive Unit, among others, to felicitate the governor at the Lagos State House Ikeja.

“Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the 15th Governor of Lagos State is a good example of Godsend and a perfect description of God-does-not- make mistakes.

“Calm, humane, urbane, visionary and exemplary in many ways, governor Sanwo-Olu personifies character, giving credence to what we describe as Omoluabi (gentleman)in Yoruba.

“I remember one of his election slogans — when Lagos speaks, Sanwo-Olu listens — which attracted some criticism from naysayers who believed at the time that no leader would fulfill such a promise,” he said.

Akosile said that there were several other areas such as the environment, technology and tourism that had stood the governor out.

“I consider most of these as the real deal because they provide the basis for the future of Lagos and her residents.

“Lagos State has grown increasingly in global livability index, using some of the above factors as parameters.

“In Lagos, Sanwo-Olu has risen up to the challenge and has provided leadership,” he said.

Akosile who is also the Special Adviser Sanwo-Olu on Media and Publicity said “there are many sides to the governor”.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
OAF/KAY
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Edited by Kayode Olaitan

Sanwo-Olu dissatisfied with Lagos State Water Corporation’s performance

Water

By Aderonke Ojediran

Lagos, June 25, 2024 (NAN) Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has solicited partnerships from  stakeholders in the public and private sectors in tackling water resource management challenges.

Sanwo-Olu made the appeal on Tuesday at the Fifth  Lagos International Water Conference in Lagos.

The conference had the theme: ” Financing Water and Sanitation for a Greater Lagos”.

The governor expressed dissatisfaction that  Lagos State Water Corporation had not been  innovative enough to create solutions to water resourcecmanagement challenges in the state in spite of international trainings of its staff.

“We have had several World Bank best trainers.

“They have been trained in best institutions but that has not put solutions on the table for us, that has not resolved the challenges that we have.

“Water, as Fela said, has no enemy, but it has got a lot of enemies because we are all not sincere or serious and true to ourselves.

“We all need to ask ourselves how well we are playing these roles. How well are we moving from lip service to being able to resolve the issues?” Sanwo-Olu asked.

Sanwo-Olu said that water remained important to the government and people of Lagos State.

“In the last five years, this administration has been dedicated to financing this conference with discussions as to how to straighten water resource management.

“Our focus includes regulating the water sector, promoting public/ private partnerships; we believe this will fill the gaps and foster operational efficiency of Lagos State Water Corporation.

“We want to move away from talk to action, we want to move to action.  It is the fifth year we are coming for the water conference. I want to see the outcomes and the outputs.

“We have increased our spending in this sector, we appreciate how Denmark and the Netherlands have collaborated with us.”

He said that if the state government had not been proactive, the recent outbreak of cholera  in the state would have become a pandemic.

The Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, also called for more public/private partnerships in order to find permanent solutions to water resource management problems.

” I am proud of Lagos and its strides.

“We need more collaborations between the private and public sectors, we need each other to find solutions,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference  held at the Eko Hotel and Suites on Victoria Island. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

OAF/IGO

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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Cabinet
By David Adeoye
Ibadan, June 25, 2024 (NAN) Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has effected a minor cabinet reshuffle.
This is contained in a statement issued by Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, on Tuesday in Ibadan.
According to the statement, Mr Segun Olayiwola, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, has been moved to Ministry of Establishment and Training.
The Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Mr Ademola Ojo was named as the new Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.
The Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Mr Adeniyi Adebisi, is to take over the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives.
The postings, according to the statement, are with immediate effect. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
DAK/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

Traditional ruler urges Nigerians to support Tinubu’s administration

Support

By Edeki Igafe

Warri(Delta), June 25, 2024 (NAN) King Monday Whiskey, the Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta,  has appealed to Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The traditional ruler made the appeal while addressing newsmen on Monday at his palace.

He expressed displeasure at the manner Nigerians criticised Tinubu’s government on social media.

“Leaders need support and encouragement; I therefore remind Nigerians that we do not have another country than Nigeria.

“The manner people use social media to condemn leaders is appalling. This government is just one year in office, we should pray and support it,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government to ensure that farm inputs were evenly distributed across the six geo-political zones of the country.

Whiskey urged the federal government to holistically address the farmer-herders clashes, and improve the nation’s security architecture to encourage people to go into farming.

The traditional ruler frowned at ethnic profiling of the crisis, saying that all Nigerians have roles to play in the sustenance of peace and security in the country.

“Nobody ascends a position without the hand of God. We cannot take the blame and heap it at the door step of the government, we all have our roles to play,” he said.

He lauded the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), for effectively protecting the oil facilities in the Niger Delta region.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that TSSNL is a private pipeline surveillance outfit engaged by the federal government to secure oil facilities in the region.

The traditional ruler appealed to Tinubu and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to expand the scope of the TSSNL’s coverage.

“If we must move forward, there is a need for more government encouragement to expand the scope of coverage of the oil facilities by the security outfit.

“For more than one year, we are seeing clean water. The environment is regenerating. Sea piracy has reduced; crude oil production has increased tremendously.

“By expanding the scope of coverage, there will be more jobs created; many youths will be taken off the streets.

He called for a specific and concerted development-driven agenda in the Niger Delta.

Whiskey said that the more the federal government opened up the Niger Delta to modern ways of doing things, the better for the security of national assets in the region. (NAN)(www.nannnews.ng)

EDI/KOO/JPE

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Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Joseph Edeh

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Complaints
By Polycarp Auta
Jos, June 25, 2024 (NAN) Public Complaint Commission (PCC) says it received 1,500 complaints from 2021 till date in Plateau.
The Federal Commissioner of PCC in charge of the state, Mr Abbas Garba, disclosed this at a town hall on Tuesday in Jos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Garba spoke on the theme: ”Systematic and Proactive Investigation into the Victimisation of Students in Tertiary Institutions in Plateau.”
He said that while a total of 881 of the complaints had been resolved, 619 were still pending.
Garba said that the commission was established as machinery for the control of administrative excesses, particularly non-adherence to procedure and abuse of rule of law.
”It is an organ of government set up to redress complaints lodged by aggrieved citizens or residents of Nigeria against administrative injustices.
”It was established to strengthen and advocate for good administration that would lead to good governance, justice, fair play, tranquility and peace for national growth and development.
”The commission has received a total of 1,500 cases in Plateau between 2021 to date. 881 of the complaints were resolved while 619 are still pending,” he said.
Also speaking, the PCC Director of Investigation, Mrs Florence Oguchi, said that the commission had recorded 500 cases of victimisation in tertiary institutions across the country.
Oguchi stated that the high rate of various forms of victimisation in higher institutions informed the decision to organise the town hall.
According to her, the commission has put modalities in place to establish units in high institutions where victims can easily reports cases.
On her part, the Commissioner for Higher Education in Plateau, Dr Kachollom Gang, decried the culture of silence among victims.
”Because victims don’t speak out, we hardly get to know if these things happen. Unfortunately, the cases are on the rise.
”So, we call on victims to speak out; that will enable government or appropriate authority to take necessary action,” Gang said.
NAN reports that heads of tertiary institutions, students, media practitioners and government agencies, among others, attended the town hall. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
AZA/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

Felicitation
By Yetunde Fatungase
Abeokuta, June 25, 2025 (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogun chapter, has congratulated Gov. Dapo Abiodun on his emergence as Chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum.
This is contained in a statement issued by the party’s Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, on Tuesday in Abeokuta.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum, comprising 17 governors from the southern part of Nigeria, had, on Monday, unanimously elected Abiodun as the chairman and his Anambra counterpart, Prof. Charles Soludo, as vice-chairman.
Congratulating Abiodun on the development, the APC chairman in the state, Yemi Sanusi, described the governor as “an asset to the nation”.
Sanusi said that his election was a demonstration of the belief in his capacity and integrity by his fellow governors.
“On behalf of the state executives, leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun state, I congratulate our dear governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, on your election as the Chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum.
“Your unanimous election by your colleagues is a demonstration of their trust, confidence and recognition in your leadership capacity and integrity.
“It is also a clear endorsement of what we already know of you, that you are an invaluable asset to the nation,” he said.
The chairman pledged the party’s continuous support, loyalty and solidarity to the governor, even in this higher call to serve, and wished him a successful tenure of office. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
YAF/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

Man, 40, docked over alleged electric cable theft

Theft

By Funmilayo Okunade

Ado-Ekiti, June 25, 2024(NAN) A 40-year-old man, Musa Haruna, was on Tuesday, docked in an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged stealing of electric cable.

The police charged Haruna, with stealing.

The police prosecutor, Insp Elijah Adejare, told the court that the defendant and others at large, committed the offence on June 17,  at about 10:00 a.m in Ado-Ekiti.

He alleged that the defendant and others at large, stole electric cable wire valued about at N2 million, property of Adebisi Olufemi.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 302(1) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021.

He prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him assemble his witnesses.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Counsel to the defendant, Mr Opeyemi Esan, urged the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Olarewaju Owoleso, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Owoleso said one of the sureties must be a landed owner.

He adjourned the case until Aug.2, for hearing.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

FOA/JPE

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Edited by Joseph Edeh

Cement
By Mercy Neme
Asaba, June 25, 2024 (NAN) A former Commissioner for Lands in Delta, Mr Raymos Guanah, has advised the Federal Government to encourage further production of cement in the country through involvement of more investors in the sector.
Guanah made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Asaba.
Guanah decried the increase in the price of cement from N3,500 to N8,000 in the last four months.
According to him, while Egypt has more than 50 cement factories, Nigeria has only two or three, adding: “Whereas, the population of Egypt cannot be compared with that of Nigeria.
”Second, the core raw materials for cement production are within the country. So we don’t import any raw material to produce cement.
”As it is now, we have enough resources to produce cement, but only few companies are utilising them,” he said.
The former commissioner urged the federal government to encourage more individuals and corporate bodies to go into cement manufacturing.
He said that the potential investors should be supported by Bank of Industry, commercial banks and development banks, among others, so that the country could have as many cement factories as possible.
”Encouraging more cement manufacturing factories in the country will give room for builders and dealers to make choices.
”This could also lead to reduction in the price of cement,” he said.
NAN reports that the price cement, as a major component in the construction industry, has hit the roof, forcing many Nigerians to suspend their projects for the time being.
Some Nigerians, who spoke with NAN in Asaba on the negative impacts of the cement price increase, said that the development had made it practically impossible for them to embark on any building project now.
Mr Felix Chigozie, a civil servant, said though he had an ongoing building project, he had to suspend it, for now, because of the high cost of cement and other building materials.
For Mr Joshua Okeke, a commercial driver, life is very tough now, adding that his main focus presently is how to feed his family and send his children to school.
”Though I have it in mind to complete my ongoing building project, it not a priority for now because of the high cost of building materials, particularly cement,” he said.
NAN reports that while Dangote cement currently sells for N8,200 in Asaba, BUA cement goes for N8,000. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
MOA/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq