Category: Metro

Eid-el Kabir

By Aisha Cole

Lagos, June 16, 2024 (NAN) Imam Nurudeen Abdul-Kadiri, Chief Imam of Alhaja Sideeqat Ahmad Megida Central Mosque, Ikorodu, Lagos State, has urged the Federal Government to provide more palliatives to mitigate the suffering of the masses.

Abdul-Kadiri made the appeal  during  Eid-el Kabir prayer at the mosque on Sunday.

He said that prices of goods and services had gone higher, urging urgent measures to reduce hardship on the citizens.

The cleric urged the three tiers of  government to provide more foods and employment opportunities for Nigerians.

He, however,  urged Nigerians to go closer to God and be patient with the Federal Government in its efforts to tackle the country’s many problems.

“We should be patient and pray to Allah to guide our leaders.

” In our various homes, we should try and obey the laws of Allah. Once we do that, Allah will not let us down,  just as Allah did not let Prophet Ibrahim down,” he said.

Mr Rasheed Akindiya, a Lagos resident, who worshipped at the Mosque,  urged governments to come up more  initiatives to reduce economic hardship on the citizens.

“Governments should create more jobs and a  more favourable  business environment,” Akindiya said.

A Muslim scholar, Ustaz Habib Tinuolaji, said, “We should see any situation as from Allah –  good or bad.”

He urged Muslims to  promogate their faith with steadfastness.

Another Lagos resident, Hajia Nimat Agoro, also urged Nigerians to be patient with the current administration.

She urged Nigerians to continue to be patriotic.

A U.S.-based Nigerian, Hajia Rasheedah Sadiq,  called on Muslims  to use the opportunity of the celebration to show love and preach peace and unity.

Sadiq urged governments to improve the well-being of the citizens. (NAN).

AIC/IGO

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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Prayer

By Oluwatope Lawanson

Lagos, June 16, 2024 (NAN) A  group, The Collective Movement (TCM), has congratulated  Muslims on Eid-el-Kabir celebration, urging them to pray more for Nigeria’s security and economic growth.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media, Mr Ndubuisi Nwachukwu, TCM said that there was need for  Muslims  to use the celebration period to reflect on Nigeria’s economic and security challenges and seek divine intervention.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Muslims worldwide  celebrated Eid-el-Kabir on Sunday.

Eid-el-Kabir marks the culmination of  Hajj.

It is to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to a command from God.

“Our political leaders should make sacrifices that would improve the living conditions of the citizenry.

“They should put the interest of the country  first,” the group said.  (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

LAW/CHOM/IGO

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Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Ijeoma Popoola    sc

Sallah

By Philip Yatai

Abuja, June 15, 2025 (NAN) The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has urged the Muslim frightful to pray for President Bola Tinubu to successfully steer the country towards a brighter future.

Wike made the appeal in his Eid-el-Kabir message to Muslim Ummah in Abuja on Saturday.

The minister said: “Kindly remember our President and the Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to steer our nation towards a brighter future.

“Your prayers and support are crucial in achieving these goals and ensuring that our leaders are guided by wisdom and integrity.

“I also call upon the Muslim faithful to use this period to offer prayers for our beloved country, Nigeria for peace, stability, and prosperity.”

Describing Eid-el-Kabir as the festival of sacrifice in commemoration of the unwavering faith and obedience of Prophet Ibrahim to Allah, the minister said it was time to reflect on the virtues of sacrifice, selflessness, and devotion.

He said that the occasion also teaches us the importance of caring for one another and sharing God’s blessings, especially with less fortunate individuals and households.

“As we celebrate, let us embody these values by showing compassion, generosity, and support to our neighbours and the wider community.

“In these challenging times, let us unite and look out for one another, fostering a spirit of solidarity and kindness.

“We must remember that the FCT was founded on similar principles of unity and the imperativeness of peaceful co-existence of all Nigerians, sharing a common destiny.

“As the FCT Administration, we remain committed to the development of our nation’s capital. We are dedicated to providing the necessary infrastructure that will enhance the quality of life for all residents.

“Our continuous efforts in building roads, schools, hospitals, and other essential services demonstrate our commitment to making the FCT a model for progress and development,” he said.

Wike said that the FCT Administration was making significant strides in improving infrastructure, enhancing security, and promoting economic opportunities in the FCT.

He reiterated the FCTA’s commitment to sustaining ongoing efforts and exploring new initiatives that benefit all residents.

Wikw called for the cooperation of all the residents of the FCT and enjoined them  to support all government policies designed to uplift the wellbeing of all residents and ensure that Abuja remains the pride of Nigeria.

“As we celebrate, let us not forget to be security conscious and obey all extant rules and regulations, especially traffic and sanitation laws,” the minister said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

FDY/BRM

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Carbon

By Lydia Ngwakwe

Lagos June 15, 2024 (NAN) The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi,  says building roads using concrete will lead to carbon credits and align with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s efforts  in tackling  climate change effects.

Umahi said this on Saturday  in Lagos while inspecting  works on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and other road projects on the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Dangote Tax Credit Route,  and Eleko, among other axis.

He said, ” There is huge carbon credit on all these roads. We are going to put solar lights.

“All these road, we are building with concrete because there is low emission by reason of the traction of vehicles on these concrete roads. Asphalt gives a lot of heat and troubles our environment.

“It shows that Mr President is a champion of climate change effects mitigation, and  I am happy with what Mr President is doing.

“The president is going to be working with us to see how we can claim a lot of carbon credits by reason of this innovation.”

The minister emphasised that the lights on the Third Mainland Bridge would be completely removed and replaced with solar-powered lights.

He said, “We will put CCTV and we will put solar lights and save energy.”

Umahi commended Hitech Construction Company Ltd. for carrying out the road construction well.

” I want any other company that can challenge Hitech in terms of quality, in terms of equipment, in terms of being amenable to our changes, to challenge it,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
LED/IGO
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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Lagos-Calabar  Coastal Highway: FG withholds payment of some compensations

Compensation

By Lydia Ngwakwe

Lagos, June 15, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Government says it is withholding payment of compensation to affected property owners from Kilometer Seven on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, due to alteration on the plan.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, said this when he  inspected ongoing works on Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and other road projects on the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Dangote Tax Credit Route and Eleko, among other axis, on Saturday in Lagos.

The minister said that, to resolve most of the compensation issues where a lot of critical infrastructure were affected, the government had reduced the entire corridor from Phase Two, Section Two of the coastal route, to effective pavements of 55km, including the 10 train tracks.

He said that the government had released about N10 billion so far in compensations.

Umahi said, “We are going to withhold compensation payment from Kilometer Seven because we have re-routed some of the sections, like the white sand beach.

“I know the indigenes have been praying very well. I think God has answered their prayers because we have also compressed the corridor to 55 effective pavements with the 10 train tracks.

“We reduced the 10 tracks from 55 to 20, and we are taking it back also towards the beginning of this project.”

The minister said that after review, payment of the compensation would  continue.

“For Section Two, we are going to have brand new enumerators so that they will also give us their opinions.

” It is going to be very, very fast,” the minister said.

According to Umahi, many property are going to be saved.

He said, ” We saved all those cables and saved the whole community of Okunaja, by not only re-routing, but re-routing entirely through a swamp.

” I hear that some people are calling to protest that we are re-routing to the swamp, that we should go to the gazetted and then destroy the cables.

“I wonder what kind of people we are dealing with. It is very funny.

” I believe that they will see reasons to be very reasonable.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
LED/IGO
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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

DMGS centenary building collapse: Institute says project not approved

Collapse

By Chimezie Anaso

Awka, June 15, 2024 (NAN) The Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) says preliminary evidence before it shows that the collapsed Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, centenary building, did not get necessary approvals.

Prof. Akaolisa Ezeagu, Chairman of NBRRI Technical Team on Building Collapse in Anambra, said this when the team visited the site for assessment  on Saturday.

Ezeagu, who is the Head of Civil Engineering Department of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, attributed the collapse to foundation problem that resulted from  disconnect between the building team and the technical engineer.

He said that a building of such magnitude should be subjected to all construction approval processes including those from the central authority.

“For now, what we have seen shows some areas of concern which point towards a foundation problem.

“We have seen that there was a gap between the technical engineer and the construction team in terms of the foundation the technical engineer prescribed and the one the construction team used.

“Again, the document they gave us had no approval stamps by any known authority, which should not be the case,” he said.

Ezeagu added that drawings sighted by the team had no stamp of any central approval to show that it had been  studied and given a seal of approval to start.

“This type of building should get approval from a central body in the state which will thoroughly go through the documents submitted by the architect and engineers and look for gaps, and where there is none, construction will be approved,” he said.

Ezeagu, who described the building collapse as unfortunate,  said that the visit was mainly for fact-finding which involved establishment of negligence and concerns, and recommendations.

He said that the team had collected samples for a series of tests.

The expert expressed worry over  the rate of building collapse in Onitsha metropolis, and recommended a detailed research on the type of soil and the height of building it could carry.

He commended the school and the building team for cooperating with the NBRRI team by providing  information to aid its investigation.

“We have interacted with the principal of the school and the consultant, and the building team has supplied us with all the information, including building drawings and building calculations.

“There are areas that are originally designed for non-high rise buildings, and if you must build high-rise buildings in such places,  you must go the extra mile.

“Based on the history of this area, the highest floor here is three or four, and if you want to go for six floors, it requires that you must do something different from what other people here have done,” he said.

Ezeagu said that the details of the teams’s findings would be captured in a report which would be gazetted and made accessible to members of the public. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

APC/IGO 

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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

FG flags off construction of Section 2 of Lagos-Badagry Highway

Construction

By Lydia Ngwakwe
Lagos, June 15, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Government has flagged off construction of Section Two of the Lagos-Badagry Coastal Highway

The project starts from  the Lekki Deep Seaport, which is Lagos  State border with  Ogun.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, flagged off of the construction on Saturday.

Umuahi was accompanied by some other officials of the Federal Ministry  of Works.

They also inspected works on  the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and other road projects on the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Dangote Tax Credit Route and Eleko, among other axis.

Umahi promised that each section of the project would be given desired attention.

He said that about N10 billion had so far been paid as compensation to owners of structures affected by the rights of way of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

The minister also said that construction of flyovers would begin by the first week of July.

He added that the Federal Executive Council had given approval for the construction of the Sokoto-Badagry Road.

Umahi, who also inspected the Third Mainland Bridge, said that 80 per cent of road projects flagged off since the inception of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration had been completed.

The Senate Deputy Chief Whip and Member, Senate Committee on Works, Mr Peter Nwebonyi, commended the administration for  infrastructure development. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
LED/IGO
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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Synergy
By Aisha Cole

Lagos, June 15, 2024 (NAN) In a bid to strengthen collaboration, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps,  Mr Shehu Mohammed, has paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa.

The Acting Corps Public Education Officer, Corps Commander Olusegun Ogungbemide, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Saturday.

He said that the visit was to consolidate the relationship between FRSC and the nation’s defence arm and seek more areas of fruitful partnership.

According to Ogungbemide, the visit  was a giant step toward achieving considerable mileage in inter-agency collaboration.

“During the visit, the corps marshal commended the chief of defence staff for good leadership qualities and  successes achieved in the area of national security,” he said.

He added that Mohammed solicited  collaboration in the area of human capital development to advance  safety on  highways.

“Mohammed intimated the CDS of the role of the FRSC in improving national security through intelligence gathering.

“He noted that FRSC was a custodian of critical national infrastructure,” he said, adding that the National Vehicle Identification Scheme had helped in the fight against insecurity.

The spokesperson said that the CDS  congratulated the corps marshal on his appointment and emphasised the critical role of  FRSC  in advancing national security.

“He assured the corps marshal of the readiness of his office to assist in the area of personnel training as well as other  areas of interest.

“Musa highlighted the critical role the corps plays in the fight against insecurity since the corps has a greater level of interface with the general public.

“He applauded the energy, resilience and steadfastness of FRSC personnel who, against all odds, are out in their best to make the highways safe,” he added. (NAN)

AIC/ISHO/IGO

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Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Ijeoma Popoola

LASU chief imam blames hardship  on cumulative political misadventures

Hardship

By Uchenna Eletuo

Lagos, June 15, 2024 (NAN)  Prof. Amidu Sanni,  the Chief Imam of Lagos State University (LASU), on Saturday appealed to the organised labour and the Federal Government to tidy up all issues concerning a new minimum wage.

In his Eid-el-Kabir message in Lagos, Sanni said that timely completion of the entire process would be in the interest of the country.

“The harsh economic conditions which we are all passing through today is the outcome of cumulative political misadventures over the years, lack of an enduring commitment to public good, and the shortage of trust between leaders and the led.

“The situation in Nigeria today calls for a new approach to governance and consistency in the deployment of public resources for the good of the largest majority.

“The crisis in the Middle East which is reflected in the Israeli-Palestinian war, the Russian-Ukraine war of attrition, the unending insurgency, kidnapping, banditry, and the pervasive insecurity of life and property in Nigeria should elicit the concern and empathy of all.

“The persistent advocacy for prosperity by religious leaders has promoted corruption in all aspects of life at the expense of morality, and other worldiness and the edification of criminality and perverse behaviours with impunity has made nonsense of our age-long respect for high moral values, innovation and dignity,” he said.

He said that while a living wage is legitimate and desirable, labour leaders should  be reasonable in their demands and think of non-monetary measures which could also benefit ordinary Nigerians, the majority of whom are outside the formal labour sector.

The cleric congratulated all Muslims on the 2024 Eid-el-Kabir celebration to take place on Sunday.

“Sacrifice of personal wishes for higher ideals and demonstration of love and affection to all are what the feast entails.

“We pray that the Almighty Allah  will enable all our brethren who are away on Hajj to the holy land to perform all the rites of the exercise and return safely to their homes.

“We also pray for the governments at all levels that Allah grants them the grace of making life more meaningful,” he said.

Sanni also prayed that the Almighty would guide  the authorities of LASU toward  achievement of set goals. (NAN)

EUC/IGO

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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola