LAGOS ASSEMBLY COMMENDS BENUE COURT JUDGEMENT, CALLS ON PRESIDENCY AND IG TO CORP EXCESS POLICE ACTIVITIES

        Lagos Lawmakers have call on the presidency and the inspector general of police Ibrahim Idris, to warn Commissioners of police across the country to restrict themselves to constitutional provision in their line of duty, rather than venturing into legislative matters, which is outside their jurisdiction.

       The Chief Whip, Rotimi Abiru called the attention of his colleagues to the interference of the police authority in Benue State legislative crises that led to the impeachment of its Speaker, and shutdown of the Assembly Complex.

Abiru had raised the issue under matter of urgent public importance at today’s plenary.

      The Chief Whip expressed dismay over the interference of the police in the business of legislative duties.

      The impeachment issue was later taken to court and a pronouncement was made by the Chief Justice Aondover Kaka’an who vacated the interim order restraining the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Titus Uba and all other lawmakers from holding sitting at the assembly complex.

     Law maker, Rotimi Olowo, in his contribution, expressed that the judgment only amplified the interdependence of the three arms of government. “It’s what I call Executive recklessness” they had no right to shut down the House of Assembly.

      Law maker, Dayo Saka Fafunmi was of the opinion that the House of Assembly needs to be respected and protected. Law maker, Adefunmilayo Tejuosho who also lent her voice commended the Judiciary as a whole in this landmark judgment noting that the police have no right to invade any House of Assembly.

      The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa commended the judge who made the pronouncement. Rt. Hon. Obasa also enjoined lawmakers to apply maturity in carrying out their legislative duties.

PR/LAHA/ADEAGA

OSHODI TRANSPORT INTERCHANGE TO BE DELIVERED FIRST QUARTER 2019

The Lagos State Government has announced that  the ongoing Oshodi Transport Interchange  would be completed within the first quarter of 2019.

 The project  was conceived and being implemented to evolve a seamless way by which Lagosians commute across the State on a daily basis

Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure,  Adebowale Akinsanya, in a statement on the state of the project, said it was gratifying to report that substantial progress had been made towards its completion. 

 The Commissioner noted  that with the ongoing pace of work, the project would be completed within the first quarter of 2019, and operations commencing soon after.

He said currently , eighty three  per cent total work progress has been achieved, including completion of piling works on the three terminals and completion of the piling works for the Skywalks.

The commissioner said among others, works on the pile caps for the three terminals, concrete works of the buildings, ground floor works on all the loading bays for the three terminals, erection of steelworks for the Skywalks and terminals and Taxi Park and car park area have been completed  while road works around the terminal are at an advanced stage as well as bus holding bays around the terminals.

Akinsanya commended motorists and residents in the State for cooperating with government in the implementation of the project, just as he assured that all hands were on deck to expedite work and complete it on schedule.  

The Oshodi Transport Interchange Project (OTIP) which is part of the Bus Reform Initiative of the State Government, is an iconic infrastructure designed to transform the axis forever and enhance connectivity.

The project, in a nutshell, seeks to transform Oshodi into a world-class Central Business District (CBD) with business, travel and leisure activities conducted in a serene, secure, clean, orderly and hygienic environment, comparable with other transport terminals around the world including Stratford and Victoria Bus Station in the United Kingdom.

The project, on completion, would consolidate all the 13 city and interstate bus parks into three multi-storey terminals, providing standard facilities including waiting area, loading bays, ticketing stands, drivers lounge, parking areas, rest rooms, accessible walkways and pedestrian sky-walks linking all the terminals.

PR/LGS/ADEAGA

 

LAGOS GETS TOURISM PROMOTION AGENCY AS LAWMAKERS PASS BILL INTO LAW

Lawmakers in Lagos have passed into law the bill to provide for the establishment of the Lagos State Tourism Promotion Agency, after scaling through the third reading .
The bill seeks to promote, market, and develop the State domestically and internationally as a major tourist destination while  highlighting its uniqueness and assisting the development of its tourism products and services.
The bill  also seek ways of  identifying  and developing  potential tourism destinations in the state as well as  facilitate closer cooperation between government and participants in the tourism industry.
The establishment of the agency similarly intends   to increase employment opportunities in the tourism sector and encourage active Public Private Partnership in the development of tourism in the State.
The proposed Agency when operational is expected to advise    private organizations, state and Local Governments on matters relating to tourism; formulating and implementing campaigns, and other strategies  to promote the State , locally and internationally  as a major tourist destination.
It would also promote the State’s tourism industry to achieve the international best practices in the delivery of the tourism products and services. 
The agency will equally undertake and conduct necessary research for the promotion and improvement of the tourism in the state.




LAHA

FG EXPANDS TRADERMONI SCHEME TO THREE ADDITIONAL MARKETS IN LAGOS

The Federal Government has launched the special enterprise and empowerment programme otherwise known as TraderMoni in three additional markets in Lagos, with an assurance that the scheme would be extended to two million beneficiaries by December 2018 across the country.


The TraderMoni scheme, which is a collateral and interest-free loan for petty traders, had earlier been launched in some markets in Lagos, while three additional markets in the State – Ketu, Bariga and Oshodi were added to the scheme by Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), accompanied by Lagos State Governor,  Akinwunmi Ambode and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate in the State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.


The trio, while inspecting implementation of the scheme, took time to interact with petty traders in the markets, assuring that government would continue to come up with innovative initiatives to benefit the critical mass of the population.  


Giving details, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, said close to 800,000 petty traders had so far benefited from the scheme, adding that the programme had been structured for traders to borrow up to N50,000 and repay back seamlessly.


He said the TraderMoni scheme was part of the socio-investment programme of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and the plan was to ensure that between September and December this year, two million petty traders receive the first payment of N10,000.


He said  Once they are able to return it within six months, they get additional N15,000 and when they return that, they get another N20,000 until they get as much as N50,000.




He said  that at the end of the first batch, the government would take it further to ensure that more traders benefit from the scheme.


Lgs press