The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) will today at its Oshodi Headquarters, inaugurate a call centre with toll-free lines aimed at providing timely assistance and information to road users. 

The Special Adviser to to Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, who bre the news yesterday said the call centre is designed to enhance LASTMA’s reputation and restore public trust in the agency.

Giwa emphasized that the centre’s role in promoting professionalism among the agency’s officers when interacting with the motoring public. 

He stated that the call centre, equipped with toll-free lines, will have over 10 responders dedicated to addressing traffic management issues and complaints from motorists.

“We will introduce dedicated toll-free phone lines for individuals to report any road-related incidents or emergencies,” said Hon. Giwa.

Additionally, the Special Adviser confirmed that the call centre will accommodate communication in English, Pidgin, and Yoruba.

“Monitoring and prioritizing feedback will be central to the agency’s operations, especially in addressing instances of officer misconduct. 

Hon. Giwa encouraged the public to provide feedback not only on negative experiences but also to commend exemplary conduct by agency personnel,” he added.

The launch will also include a Walk-in Complaint Centre, a new website, a Whistleblower Application, and an upgraded LASTMA Department of Statistics, Research and Data.

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The Special Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Sola Giwa, who confirmed the incident said the accident occurred at about 6:15 am at Sifax, inward Iganmu Bridge, Lagos.

Giwa said that the driver of a loaded containerized truck lost control of the truck while descending the Iganmu Bridge and the truck fell sideways, on the female biker.

The driver fled the scene upon realising the enormity of the accident.

“Immediately after the incident, LASTMA personnel called in other emergency responders, including the Lasema Response Unit (LRU), for a rescue operation,” Giwa said.

He added that the deceased’s body was taken away by personnel from the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), and the containerized truck was evacuated to clear the way for free vehicular movement on Iganmu Bridge.

While expressing his condolences to the family of the deceased, Hon. Giwa warned truck drivers to adhere to speed limits both within and outside the state.

He also advised motorcycle operators, both commercial and private to obey traffic rules and regulations as stipulated in the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.

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The award which was presented by the Vice President of Nigeria, Sen. Kashim Shettima, GCON on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, underscores Mr. Halilu’s stellar performance and transformational leadership during his first year in office.

The presentation ceremony, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Saturday 6th July 2024 aimed at celebrating outstanding public servants who have made significant contributions to the nation’s development.

Mr Halilu’s recognition is a testament to his unwavering commitment to making NASENI a hub of technology transfer and innovation not only in Nigeria but across Africa.

Under Halilu’s leadership, NASENI has witnessed transformational reforms aimed at fostering technological advancements and industrial growth. His visionary approach has driven the agency to new heights, with key initiatives that have positioned NASENI as a leading hub for innovation and proving the manufacturing capabilities of Nigeria.

These efforts have included the development of cutting-edge technologies, the promotion of sustainable industrial practices, and the fostering of strategic partnerships with leading industry players to enhance Nigeria’s competitive edge in the global market.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Halilu expressed his gratitude to President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and the entire NASENI team. He emphasized that this recognition is a collective achievement, reflecting the hard work and dedication of everyone at NASENI.

“This award is a recognition of our commitment to advancing engineering and industrial innovation in Nigeria. It is a testament to the efforts of the entire NASENI team, and I am deeply honored to accept it on their behalf,” Mr. Halilu stated.

The award not only highlights Mr. Halilu’s contributions over the past year but also sets a benchmark for future endeavours aimed at driving technological and industrial innovation in Nigeria and beyond.

NASENI remains committed to its mission of fostering sustainable development through technological innovation, and this award is a strong validation of its ongoing efforts to make a lasting impact on the nation’s industrial landscape.

Also, other eminent Nigerians, who received the award were: General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, former and serving Governors, Ministers, Lawmakers, and Head of Government MDAs among others.

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A subset of the Group’s Capital Raising Programme aiming to generate up to US$1.5 billion, the Rights Issue is designed to strengthen the Group’s financial footing and support ongoing working capital needs, including organic growth funding for its banking and non-banking subsidiaries.

Bolaji Agbede, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, stated:

“The commencement of the Rights Issue subscription is an important step in our growth strategy and capital raising plans, reinforcing our financial strength and accelerating our strategic ambitions. However, this execution is more than a capital raise; it is a pivotal process that will propel us towards our goal of becoming one of the top 5 financial institutions in Africa by 2027. We are confident that this exercise will solidify our position as a market leader and drive sustainable growth for years to come.”

Access Holdings’ Rights Issue offers 17,772,612,811 ordinary shares of N0.50 each at N19.75 per share. The Offer will be issued on the basis of one (1) new ordinary share for every two existing ordinary shares held as of Friday, 7 June 2024.

The lead issuing house for the Rights Issue is Chapel Hill Denham Advisory Limited. Atlas Registrars Limited will serve as Registrars to the Offer.

The Rights Circular will be distributed to shareholders by the Registrars to the Offer, while the application forms will also be available on the following websites:

www.theaccesscorporation.com www.chapelhilldenham.com www.coronationmb.com; www.atlasregistrars.com

Now operational in 22 countries across the globe, with 15 in Africa, Access Holdings has established itself as one of the continent’s most trusted performers over the last 20 years. The Group reported robust financial results for the year ending December 31, 2023, with a 335 per cent increase in pre-tax profit to N729 billion and an 87 per cent surge in gross earnings to N2.59 trillion. A final dividend of N1.80 kobo per every N0.50 kobo ordinary share for the 2023 financial year was paid to shareholders, representing a 28 per cent increase from the previous year.

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This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Zone A Secretary of the Union, Comrade Abduralzak Bello Kaura and made available to newsmen in Gusau.

The statement noted that the abducted journalists are correspondents from The Nation Newspaper and Blueprint Newspaper, who were taken from their residences, alongside members of their families, in the Danhono area of Kaduna metropolis.

The statement added, “Note that journalists play a crucial role in reporting on the happenings around their areas of coverage, without bias or involvement in political or group conflicts.

“These journalists are innocent and not affiliated with any rival groups. Therefore, we urge the government and security agencies to ensure their timely and safe rescue, along with their families.

“While we recognize and appreciate the ongoing efforts by security agencies to restore peace in the region, we implore them to prioritize the rescue of our colleagues as a matter of responsibility”

“The abduction of journalists is not only a grave injustice to the individuals and their families but also a threat to the freedom of the press and the safety of journalists nationwide”

“The Vice President of NUJ Zone A, Malam Muhammad Tukur Umar, has directed me to express our deepest sympathy to the NUJ Kaduna Council, its members, and all journalists across Nigeria over this regrettable event.

“We urge all journalists in our zone to remain calm as the NUJ leadership at the National, Zonal, and State Council levels are actively working in synergy with security agencies and other concerned authorities to ensure the safe rescue of the journalists.”

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The Nigerian leader stated this during the opening of the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on Sunday, in Abuja.

According to a statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu highlighted the expediency of a standby force in the face of growing security threats in the region.

He said, “The Regional Action Plan against Terrorism has enhanced cooperation on training, intelligence sharing, and humanitarian interventions. In addition to this, the Ministers of Finance and Defence met recently in Abuja to raise funds for activating the ECOWAS Standby Force to boost counter-terrorism efforts.

“Member countries are also displaying their commitment to combating insecurity by individually increasing their defence budgets in order to acquire necessary equipment and ensure preparedness.”

President Tinubu urged member states to commit more to providing the needed resources for securing the region.

“Let me underscore that a peaceful and secure society is essential for achieving our potential. As we move to operationalize the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in combating terrorism, I must emphasize that the success of this plan requires not only strong political will but also substantial financial resources.

“We must, therefore, ensure that we meet the expectations and recommendations set forth by our Ministers of Defence and Finance, in order to counter insecurity and stabilize our region,’’ he added.

Tinubu also advised ECOWAS leaders to leverage the capabilities of Nigeria’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre, which has been widely acknowledged as one of the best on the continent.

The President said his government has decided to make the NCTC a regional centre to enable all ECOWAS member states to benefit from capacity building and other related opportunities it offers.

Tinubu also advised the management of ECOWAS to re-align and reposition its priorities by reducing overheads and setting up in-country steering committees.

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The Ad-hoc Committee headed by Senator Jibrin Isah, which has since been probing the Ways and Means, has been granted two more weeks by the Senate to complete the assignment.

Sunrise recalled that the Ad-hoc Committee was inaugurated in March this year by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

Barely three months after, the Committee informed the Senate “that required vital information for the probe exercise were still being expected from some of the relevant agencies involved in the spending of the monetary facilities”.

In a telephone conversation with journalists in Abuja on Saturday, Jibrin, who doubles as Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs and Excise Duties, said the two months extension granted the Committee by the Senate on Thursday last week would help to further intensify the probe exercise.

“Most of the relevant agencies have been contacted and their documents being thoroughly scrutinized as regards spending of the disbursement gotten from the Ways and Means.

“Being a very sensitive national assignment, the committee is carrying out very thorough investigation devoid of rushing into conclusion.

“More pressures would now be mounted on few of the agencies that have not adequately responded to vital information seeking requests forwarded to them, failure of which would lead to summoning of heads of such agencies.

“The new timeframe given for the investigation by the Senate will surely make the committee come up with a thoroughly investigative report in September this year on how the N30 trillion Ways and Means were disbursed within the period under review, and for what purposes they were expended,” he said.

Ways and Means is a loan facility through which the Central Bank of Nigeria finances the Federal Government’s budget shortfalls.

This manner of financing government deficits usually results in macroeconomic instability, leading to inflation and high exchange rates because of the excess liquidity injected into the economy.

The CBN law limits advances under Ways and Means to five per cent of the previous year’s revenue, but this has been mostly breached over the years.

As a way of remedying the situation, CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso declared in February this year that the bank would no longer grant Ways and Means advances to the government until all outstanding debts are refunded.

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Oyedele made the call while delivering a keynote address at the hybrid 16th annual lecture of the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) held in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The theme of the event was “Nigeria’s Economic Policies: Effects, Challenges, and Strategies for Sustainable Economic Stability”.

Oyedele explained the principles and importance of fiscal and monetary policies in shaping the economy.

He said that the problem with the economy was not the cost of governance but rather the lack of adequate finances to run the nation.

“If you look at the budget of all the states, it is N16 trillion. If you add 16 to 29, it is about 45 trillion Naira.

“That N45 trillion is barely 30 billion dollars for 200 million people.

“That 30 billion dollars is less than the budget of Kenya, which is 32 billion dollars for 54 million people.

“It is less than one-quarter of the budget of South Africa and less than 30 per cent of the budget of New York City, not New York State, which is 107 billion dollars,” he said.

Oyedele pointed out that Nigeria’s budget was higher than its revenue, and at about N18 trillion, representing only half of the funds required.

He added that the nation’s revenue was not enough to pay salaries alone under the proposed minimum wage being agitated by labour unions.

“If you take the entire revenue of the Nigerian government, local government, state government, and federal government, and you pay only the salary of civil servants, you cannot pay N500,000 per month.

“If you pay N500,000 per month per civil servant, that whole money is gone, leaving no money for defense, roads, or anything else,” he explained.

He urged NIQS to sponsor bills that tackle critical issues related to taxes and obsolete legislation affecting land, construction matters, and the economy.

Dr Olujide Oke, Managing Partner at Jim Partnership, spoke on policy mistakes of previous and current administrations and how the challenges of COVID-19 affected productivity.

Oke called for the upscaling of social skills and the provision of an enabling environment, including a stable power supply, to stabilise the economy.

He listed strategies for sustainable growth, including reviewing the cost of governance, improving security, strengthening monetary policies and rehabilitating the nation’s refineries.

According to him, others include boosting the ease of doing business, investing in accessible and affordable power, enhancing revenue generation, diversifying the economy, providing social safety nets, and exploring alternative energy sources.

Dr. Paul Alaje, a financial expert, described Nigeria as a nation chasing its tail by not properly utilising its human and natural resources.

Alaje, Chief Economist and Senior Partner at SPM Professionals noted that unemployment figures have worsened, but current statistics appear low due to changes in measurement parameters.

He suggested some indicators and provided statistics for the economic development while also urging the government to build strong institutions to curb corruption.

Alaje also emphasised the need to tackle insecurity affecting food production, boost manufacturing, address unemployment, stabilise the exchange rate and combat corruption.

He appealed to Nigerians to consume local products as an act of patriotism to grow the economy.

Other speakers called for an enabling environment, fair taxation, sustained spending and responsible borrowing for Nigeria to surmount its economic challenges.

They also advocated for improved power supply, investments in infrastructure, enhanced productivity, and quality healthcare delivery.

Mr Kene Nzekwe, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), commended the Lagos chapter for organising the event and choosing a topic that addressed current challenges facing Nigerians.

Represented by his deputy, Aminu Bashir, Nzekwe urged the conference to provide solutions to the exodus of investors and the high cost of living eroding capital and increasing poverty.

The NIQS Lagos State Chapter chairman, Olanrewaju Farotimi, highlighted the importance of effective economic policies for sustainable growth and stability.

He welcomed participants and urged discussants to provide deeper insights into Nigeria’s economic journey, the challenges faced, and strategies for achieving stability and prosperity.

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) UK South-West Caucus has strongly condemned the brutal attack on officers and men of the Amotekun Corps by Fulani herdsmen, in Akure north, Ondo State capital.

The caucus described the attack as “barbaric” and “unacceptable” and promised to provide support for the victims.

In a statement jointly signed by the group’s general secretary Mr. Ayodele Adigun and the Chairman Hon Andrew Taiwo, APC UK South West Caucus expressed shock and outrage over the incident, which left several Amotekun officers injured and one in a critical condition.

Reacting to the sad development Hon Andrew Taiwo, reiterated that the south-west caucus once again called for the provision of sophisticated weapons for the Amotekun Corps, to enable them avail effective security and ensure protection of lives and properties of south western Nigerians.

The caucus expressed profound commendation for the Ondo State government’s spontaneous response to the incident, adding that it reaffirms government’s commitment to ensuring the security across the nooks and crannies of the state.

“We feel the urgent need to appreciate the speedy move of the Ondo State Government, sequel the incident, it saddens us to record such gory tales at this age and time.

“It clearly brings to the fore the importance of our prayers, that the local security network-Amotekun be better and adequately equipped with sophisticated weapons to stem such ugly trend in future.”

The caucus however, tasked federal and state governments to provide necessary enabling laws to support the southwestern Nigeria security network to combat insecurity in the region.

Apc UK south-west Caucus also expressed its solidarity with the victims of the attack and their families, while promising a continued support for the southwestern Nigeria governor forum, in its efforts to ensure peace and security in the region.

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