Blog

Abule Egba-Oshodi gridlock: Lagos Commissioner seeks understanding, says no project delay

Road
By Kazeem Akande
Lagos, Sept. 5, 2018 (NAN) Mr Ladi Lawanson, the Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, says it is not the plan of the state government to delay ongoing road construction projects in the Abule-Egba-Oshodi axis for political motives.

Lawanson told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has been putting pressure on the contractors handling the projects for quick delivery.

“It is not in the government’s interest to prolong the life span of any project, because the government is passionate about delivering it on time.

“Most of the projects that are ongoing have December 2018 expected completion date, so, it is amusing that people are saying it is being delayed for political motivation.

“I have accompanied the governor on the inspection of the ongoing projects, most times on Sundays, and I can tell you the governor is putting lots of pressure on them (contractors) for quick delivery,” Lawanson said.

NAN reports that the construction work in the axis has been on since 2017, with motorists passing through the route having hectic time due to gridlock.

According to Lawanson, anybody with knowledge of construction will know that it is actually in the best interest of a contractor to be fast with a project, because the longer you stay, the more expensive it becomes.

The commissioner said that the government was particular about the quality of work, at the same time considering the plight of the people during morning and evening traffic jams on that corridor daily.

“We empathise with motorists and commuters over level of traffic situation along Abule-Egba, Iyana-Ipaja, Cement, Ikeja Along, up to Oshodi corridor, and we apologise for the inconvenience encountered as a result of the construction.

“We crave the indulgence of the Lagos residents to understand that development comes with a price sometimes, but it’s all intended for a better tomorrow,” he said.

Mr Adebowale Fajinmi, a civil servant, in an interview with NAN, urged the state government to expedite the project to allow free flow of traffic along the routes.

Fajinmi said that usual traffic jam in the early hours of the day along Iyana-Ipaja, Cement to Oshodi axis of the road had earned lots of people queries in their places of work.

He said that some motorists spent hours in the morning from Iyana-Ipaja to Oshodi as a result of the ongoing construction along the road.

“We are begging the government to fast-track the pace of the road construction along the axis and Agege bridge because the early morning traffic jam is unbearable.

“We appeal to the government to consider us and expedite the projects, because people are saying that the government may want to use it for 2019 campaign strategy, ” he said.

NAN reports that Gov. Ambode had said he was committed to the well-being of Lagos residents when he inaugurated the Abule Egba bridges on May 17, 2017.

Ambode said his administration had commenced the construction of a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) road network to Oshodi to make life more meaningful for Lagos residents.

The governor said that all roads affected in the course of the construction of the bridges had been awarded for rehabilitation, while a shopping mall would also be constructed at Oke-Odo Market, Abule Egba, to boost economic activities in the axis.(NAN)
AKA/AOS/SOA
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Oluwole Sogunle

Metering

By Kingsley Okoye

Abuja,Sept.5,2018(NAN)The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says only four out 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) in the country have metered up to 50 per cent of  electricity customers under their coverage areas.

NERC in its 2017 third quarter report published on its website, on Wednesday also revealed that only 46 per cent out of total 7,476,856 registered customers had been metered by the 11DisCos.

The report indicated that there was an existing consumer metering gap of 54 per cent in the country during the quarter under review.

According to it, only 25,504 customers are metered during the quarter under review.

“This is grossly lower than the quarterly average of 410,103 meters expected of DisCos as stated in their performance agreement with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), NERC said.

According to the report, the metering status of the DisCos under the period is: Benin  DisCo, 69.9 per cent, Eko,  60.7, Ikeja 55.9 per cent, Abuja 52.2 per cent, Jos 48.7 per cent .

Others, NERC added are: Port Harcourt 48.5 per cent, Ibadan 41.3 per cent, Kaduna 37.2 per cent, Kano 34.4 per cent, Enugu 27.7 per cent, and Yola 23.6 per cent.

It, however, said the pace of metering rolled out by DisCos remained the priority of the commission, noting that metering was key in accurate billing of customers.

According to the report, NERC has initiated a strategy to address the problem, by developing a framework to ensure rapid roll-out of meters by potential investors under a bankable financing arrangement.

On energy generated, it said that the total power generated stood at 7,568,489 MWh with in the period under review.

This, it said, was 3.2 per cent less than the power generated in the second quarter.

The commission said the industry recorded the peak daily generation of 4,589.70MW on September 6, 2017.

It, however, said despite the increase in the peak generation, the utilisation of the total available generation capacity had been constrained by a combination of factors.

The commission listed the factors to include; inadequate gas supply, transmission bottlenecks and limited distribution networks.

NERC also said the resolution of the technical and operational constraints of the power industry remained a top priority of the commission.

On energy received and Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) load allocation, it noted that energy delivered to DisCos at their trading points declined by 6 per cent in the third quarter and stood at 6,200GWh.

It said out of the total 6,200GWh received by DisCos, 4,768GWh was billed to the end users.

“This is lower than 5,009GWh billed in the second quarter of 2017, reflecting the decrease in generation in the third quarter.

The commission, however, said the billing efficiency improved marginally to 77 per cent in the third quarter from 76 per cent recorded in the second quarter.

“The level of billing efficiency during the third quarter indicates that for every 10kWh of energy received by a DisCo from the transmission company; approximately 2.3kWh is lost due to technical constraint and illegal connection.

“In other words, for every ₦10 worth of electricity received by DisCos, ₦2.30 is lost due to poor distribution infrastructure and energy theft.“

It revealed that Abuja DisCo had the highest billing efficiency of 83 per cent , while Kaduna DisCo recorded the lowest billing efficiency of 66 per cent .

NERC also indicated that on quarter-on-quarter basis, Ikeja DisCo recorded a significant improvement in its billing efficiency moving from 70 per cent  in the second quarter to 81 per cent  in the third quarter.

“Other DisCos that recorded improvement in their billing efficiency include Abuja: Benin, Enugu, Ibadan, and Yola.“

On complaints from consumers, it said that a total of 109,048 complaints were lodged by customers to the DisCos in the quarter.

“This translates to an average of 1,185 complaints per day, of the total complaints lodged; however, 76 per cent were resolved.

“Specifically, billing and metering constitute the major concern for electricity customers in Nigeria, accounting for 60 per cent (65,428) of the total complaints received during the quarter under review.“

It said the number indicating interruption of supply accounted for 21 per cent of the total customer complaints during the quarter.

This, it said, implied that one in every five customers was unsatisfied with the quality of supply from the grid.(NAN).

KC/DUA

Edited by Dada Ahmed

Businessman arraigned for allegedly impersonating U.S. attorney-general

By Moji Eniola
Ikeja, Sept. 5, 2018 (NAN) A businessman, Khareem Oluwaseyi, was on Wednesday arraigned by the EFCC for allegedly impersonating the U.S. Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, to defraud people online.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oluwaseyi has however, pleaded not guilty to a five-count charge of possession of fraudulent document before a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja.

The Prosecuting Counsel for the EFCC, Mr A.M. Ocholi, told the court that Oluwaseyi committed the offences on June 29 in Lagos.

“The defendant goes by the alias Jeff Sessions and using the moniker, he had created an e-mail address jeffsessions54@gmail.com.

“He had in his possession an e-mail correspondence containing false pretence titled: “Grant Money”, which he sent from that e-mail address to compbellellaine390@gmail.com, the e-mail address of an unsuspecting victim.

“Oluwaseyi had in his possession another e-mail correspondence titled: “Grant” which he sent from his Jeff Sessions e-mail address to tomzglamorously@gmail.com which he knew contained false pretence.

“He also had sent an e-mail: titled “no subject” which he sent to daphebarney3@gmail.com, knowing same to be false,” Ocholi said.

The prosecutor said that in addition to the e-mail correspondences, Oluwaseyi was also allegedly nabbed with a fraudulent document titled: “National Endowment for Humanities”.

Ocholi said that the offences contravened Sections 1(3) and 68(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

However, following the plea of the defendant, Justice Oyindamola Ogala, the vacation judge, ordered that Oluwaseyi should be remanded in prison.

Ogala adjourned the case until Sept. 10 for hearing of the bail application of the defendant. (NAN)
MAE/AOS/SN
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Silas Nwoha

Man, 40, docked for allegedly raping teenager

By Teniola Ibitola

Lagos, Sept. 5, 2018(NAN) An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday remanded one Olajide Ajayi, for allegedly raping a teenager.

Ajayi, 40, appeared before the court on a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.

He, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Chinalu Uwadione, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on Aug. 29 at 11.30 p.m. at Orofun area in Ibeju Lekki, near Lagos.

He alleged that the accused had unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl.

Uwadione said the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Counsel to the accused Spurgeon Ataene, informed the court that there was a letter of withdrawal written by the mother of the accused, in respect of the case before the court.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Adedayo, dismissed the application and directed that a proper and formal bail application should be presented to the court.

She, thereafter, remanded the accused at the Ikoyi Prisons, directing that the case file should be forwarded to the office of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.

Adebayo adjourned the case until Sept. 12. (NAN)
OAT/FLP/SN

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Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Silas Nwoha

Abia Govt. trains citizens on medical emergency

Emergency

By Leonard Okachie

Umuahia, Sept .5, 2018 (NAN) Dr Chukwuemeka Nwakanma, Medical Director, Abia Emergency Medical Services (EMS), said the Abia Government had embarked on extensive training of its residents on skills in basic life support (BLS), first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Nwakanma told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Umuahia that 30 healthcare providers from each of the 17 local government areas were trained in the first phase of the programme.

He said apart from the medical personnel, the training was extended to individuals in various communities, schools and other institutions.

“The intention was to make as many Abia citizens as possible skilled in First aid, BLS and CPR.

“The training will enable them identify someone in emergency situation and intervene when people have crises such as stroke, heart attack, chocking, among others,” he said.

Nwakanma commended Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu for launching Abia EMS in 2017, saying he had brought emergency services such as ambulances and paramedical services closer to the people.

He said the service was being offered free to all indigenes and visitors alike in the state.

“It is his belief and ours too that this programme will reduce deaths because of disasters, accidents and other emergencies occurring not only on our roads but also in our homes, schools, churches, and others,” he said.

The medical director said the agency had, since inception, achieved an average response time of 10 to 45 minutes, depending on the location and terrain.

He appealed to the people to give the ambulances right-of-way to reduce time of rescue.

Nwakanma also lamented that the personnel were sometimes forced to carry accident victims at one time, thereby making it difficult to treat the seriously injured while on transit. (NAN)

LEO/OIF/SA

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Salif Atojoko

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14 ships laden with petrol, other products arrive Lagos ports

By Aisha Cole

Lagos, Sept. 5, 2018 (NAN) Fourteen ships carrying various products are at the Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports waiting to berth, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said in it daily publications on Wednesday in Lagos.

It said that eight of the vessels contained petrol, while the remaining six ships would berth with buckwheat, soya beans, container and bulk fertiliser.

The NPA also stated that 34 ships carrying buckwheat, frozen fish, bulk sugar, diesel, container, general cargo, frozen fish and petrol were expected at the ports between Sept. 5 and Sept. 20. (NAN)
AIC/OIF/SN

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Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Silas Nwoha

Loans
By Nabilu Balarabe
Guri (Jigawa), Sept. 5, 2018 (NAN) The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has granted over N1 million agriculture development loans to nine trade associations at Guri Local Government Council of Jigawa.

The IFAD Coordinator in the council area, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammad, disclosed this in Guri on Wednesday while disbursing the funds and distributing equipment to Kalwa women in Abunabo and Nagarta Fish Sellers Association, among others.

Mohammad said that N250, 000 was released to the smoked fish sellers, while other beneficiaries got 10 irrigation pumps, 27 bags of fertiliser, 10 bags of paddy rice and 15 bags of flour, among others.

He said that all the beneficiaries were expected to repay whatever they received in cash within one year and six months.

The Council Chairman, Alhaji Barkono Adiyani, commended IFAD for the loans, which he said, would assist the beneficiaries to become self-reliant.

Represented by the Council’s Supervisory Counsellor for Works, Alhaji Umaru Madugu, Adiyani, urged the beneficiaries to repay the loans in time so that others could benefit from the funds.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the associations had disbursed part of the funds they received from IFAD to their members, while others purchased farming equipment and distributed same to their members. (NAN)

NB/OIF/TA
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Tajudeen Atitebi

Experts fear $8.1bn refund order will jeopardise listing of MTN shares on NSE
Listing
By Lilian Okoro
Lagos, Sept. 5, 2018 (NAN) Experts said the request by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that the MTN Group should refund 8.1 billion dollars illegally repatriated from Nigeria would jeopardise the listing of its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
The financial experts said this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
NAN reports that the CBN had ordered MTN and four banks to refund $8.1 billion illegal capital repatriation from its Nigerian operations to offshore investors. Allegations which MTN Group swiftly denied.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it had not received any application from the MTN Group regarding its proposed initial public offering (IPO).
NAN also reports that MTN has the largest share of the Nigerian market with 36.39 per cent, while Airtel has 26.10 per cent as at February. Globacom and 9mobile have 26.03 per cent and 11.49 per cent respectively.

Mr Boniface Okezie, the President, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), advised CBN and MTN Group to dialogue and resolve the issue of repatriation of 8.1 billion dollars.
He said he expected a resolution on the matter to avoid a systemic banking crisis given that the repayment of 8.1 billion dollars, which is about half of MTN’s market capitalisation, could threaten its Nigerian bankers.
“Talking about the CBN allegation that MTN repatriated 8.1 billion dollars out of the country.
“It is an issue that can be resolved by the two parties because there is no way such huge amount of money could have been transferred by the commercial banks without the knowledge and approval of CBN in the first place.
“Let MTN and the affected banks engage with the relevant authorities and face CBN to vigorously defend their position on this matter,” Okezie said.
Okezie blamed the delay in the listing of MTN shares and those of other foreign companies on NSE on lack of a regulating law in the Nigerian financial market.
He said the growth of the Nigerian capital market was tied to the effectiveness of its regulatory framework.
“Normally, if there is a functional law in place, after operating for a minimum of three years, the foreign company if not yet listed is supposed to be compelled to do so.
“But MTN has been in operation in Nigeria since 2001, yet it is not listed on NSE. So, it is obvious that MTN Group does not want Nigerians to benefit from its shares.
“All the Group is interested is how to do business, make profit and repatriate the proceeds to their home country to the detriment of the Nigerian economy.
“Therefore, it behooves on SEC to formulate and implement the appropriate regulatory framework to guide the operations of the NSE,” Okezie said.
Mr Sunny Nwosu, National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), urged the MTN Group to be more proactive with its proposed listing plans.
Nwosu said the more MTN delays the offer, the more the market players and the public believe there was crisis.
According to him, postponing the offer is not the best option because it damages investors’ confidence and jeopardises the telecom company’s proposed public offer in Africa’s largest economy.
“The denial of an IPO application by MTN to SEC signifies doubt over the extent of preparation on the part of MTN to be listed on the NSE this year.
“MTN has been foot-dragging on the move for listing. But the earlier it steps forward with the listing offer, the better for the Telecom industry and the Nigerian economy,” Nwosu said.
There were reports earlier in the year that the MTN Group was perfecting plans to raise about 500 million dollars from the sale of shares in its Nigerian business in the first half of 2018.
Standard Bank Group Ltd. and Citigroup Inc. have been advising the company on the disposal of as much as 30 per cent of the Lagos-based unit on the NSE. (NAN)
LUC/AOM/SA
Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed/Salif Atojoko
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Cards
By Muhammad Bello
Sokoto, Sept. 5, 2018 (NAN) The Sokoto State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday inaugurated a 92-member committee to revalidate membership cards in the state.

The Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, while inaugurating the committee, said that the committee members were selected from the 23 local government areas of the state.

“Each local government constitutes four members of the 92 members inaugurated today in order to commence the revalidation exercise across 244 wards in the state.

“So we are starting the exercise with 100,000 membership cards to be distributed among our genuine members,’’ Milgoma said.

He said that 400 cards would be shared in each of the wards.

Also speaking, a former Commissioner for Rural Development, Alhaji Mani Maishinku, said party members were committed toward ensuring the success of PDP during the 2019 general elections. (NAN)
BMN/AJA
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Edited by Adeleye Ajayi

ALGON moves to stamp out fake revenue agents

ALGON

Enugu, Sept. 5, 2018 (NAN) The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) says it has put machinery in place to check the activities of fake revenue agents who defraud local councils of legitimate revenue.

The association said that it had also inaugurated a special task force for the collection of vehicular annual taxes and levies.

Mr Mohammed Abubakar, Chairman of the Special Taskforce, said this when he briefed newsmen on the activities of his group in Enugu on Wednesday.

Abubakar said that the association had not authorised anybody or groups to collect such levies on behalf of ALGON.

He said that it had become imperative to make their position known on the issue of vehicular annual taxes and levies which was the exclusive preserve of ALGON.

He said that the 1999 Constitution had empowered local councils to collect such levies and taxes as also approved by the Joint Tax Board (JTB).

“ALGON disowns and dissociates itself from any person or association parading itself as consultant or coordinator of ALGON on the above issue.

“We, hereby, affirm that a special taskforce has been constituted by local government councils in Nigeria to discharge such responsibilities,” he said.

Abubakar said that the primary duties of the special taskforce were to eradicate the menace of printing, distribution and issuance of illegal documents to motorists.

He also said that the taskforce would do away with multiplicity of taxes and levies by dubious practitioners, which he noted, had made life difficult to motorists.

The chairman said that they would also fashion out modalities for easy identification of genuine revenue consultants with a view to regulating illegalities in the process of issuing their documents to motorists.

“ALGON National President, Mr Gombo Kagara, has directed that the state coordinators of the taskforce be inaugurated forthwith.

“The problem is that most of these persons that call themselves revenue consultants are merely consulting for themselves as whatever revenue they generate does not get to us.

“They go about duping people by collecting levies from unsuspecting motorists. All these amount to multiplicity of taxes which affect the ease of doing business in parts of the country,” he said.

Abubakar said the task force would work with all the security agencies to curb the fraud in revenue collection.

“We also expect the security agencies to profile anyone parading himself as consultant for ALGON in respect of revenue,” Abubakar said. (NAN)

EOA/OFN/MNA

Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Maureen Atuonwu