Flowerbud News

Month: September 2023

  • Fire guts section of Lagos International Airport

    Fire guts section of Lagos International Airport

    A fire outbreak has razed a section of the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos State, Wednesday morning.

    The incident affected the primary gateway section of the airport, halting some operations.

     

    It was gathered that firefighters were swiftly mobilised to contain the inferno while passengers and airport personnel have been evacuated from the affected building.

    The Director Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Federal Airport Authority, Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua confirmed the development in a statement.

     

    He said the swift response and professional efforts of the firefighters from the Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS) of the airport “have successfully brought the situation under control”.

     

    “In accordance with our unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of passengers, staff, and all airport users, the Terminal building was promptly evacuated due to the smoke that had permeated some areas of the facility.

    We are pleased to report that the situation is presently under control.

     

    “FAAN remains committed to her core values of safety, security and comfort”, he added

  • Video: Commotion as police tear gas protesting UNILAG students

    Video: Commotion as police tear gas protesting UNILAG students

    There was a commotion on Wednesday after officers of the Nigerian Police Force fired tear gas at students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

     

    The students had converged around the school to protest the increase in tuition.

    The National Association of Nigerian Students had on Tuesday warned the Department of State Services not to prevent students from exercising their rights to protest, saying it is a universally recognised human right.

     

    The National Public Relations Officer of the union, Giwa Temitope stated that the statement made by DSS on Monday that some politicians were mobilising student leaders for violent protest against the Federal Government over socioeconomic matters was propaganda.

     

    He boasted that the protest would go on as planned.

  • Police fire tear gas at protesting UNILAG students, arrest two

    Police fire tear gas at protesting UNILAG students, arrest two

    Two protesters were on Wednesday, arrested at the University of Lagos Junction while protesting a fee hike at the institution.

     

    The two students, identified as Femi Adeyeye and Philip Olatinwo, were arrested by policemen and put in a police van stationed in the area.

     

    “They mobilised policemen from many stations,” Adeyeye said in a distress message sent to our correspondent, sharing another video of himself and Philip in the van.

     

    Another protester, Bayo, told our correspondent that policemen fired tear gas at them and many students that had gathered, dispersed.

    Many students have fled the scene. I’m hiding somewhere. Femi and Philip are inside the Black Maria. They have not moved them to anywhere,” Bayo said.

     

    A video shared with our correspondent showed some of the protesters carrying placards as they ran from the tear gas said to have been fired by the police.

     

    The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, has not responded to calls and text messages sent by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report.

  • Breaking: APM’s petition against Tinubu incompetent – Tribunal

    Breaking: APM’s petition against Tinubu incompetent – Tribunal

    The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, has dismissed as incompetent, the case the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, filed to nullify President Bola Tinubu’s election.

    The court held that issues the APM raised in its petition contained pre-election matters that could only be determined by the Federal High Court.

    Chairman of the panel, Justice Haruna Tsammani, who read the ruling, upheld preliminary objections that all the Respondents raised to challenge the competence of the petition.

     

    Justice Haruna noted that since the petition centered on the qualification or otherwise of President Tinubu to contest the presidential election that held on February 25, the APM, ought to have gone to court within 14 days after Tinubu was nominated by the All Progressives Congress, APC.

     

    He held that since the cause of action bordered on a pre-election matter, the APM, lacked the locus standi to challenge Tinubu’s nomination.

     

    More so, Justice Tsammani held that the Supreme Court had earlier decided that a political party does not have the right to challenge a nomination that was made by another political party.

     

    He held that section 131 and 237 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, made provisions for the qualification or disqualification of candidates in an election.

     

    The court noted that the main grouse of the APM was on the alleged invalid nomination of Tinubu’s running mate, Kashim Shettima.

     

    “It is clear that the claim of qualification it non qualification of the the 3rd Respondent (Tinubu) centered on alleged invalid nomination of the 4th Respondent (Shettima).

    It is a pre-election matter,” Justice Tsammani held.

    He further held that section 84(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, stipulated that political parties should not impose qualification criteria on a candidate, except as provided for in the constitution.

    According to the court, sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 185 and 187 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, settled the issue of qualification and nomination of a candidate for an election.

    It held that where an election has already been conducted and result declared, the qualification of a candidate could no longer be challenged on the basis of sections 131 and 137 of the Constitution.

    The court held that since the APM failed to challenge President Tinubu’s nomination within the constitutionally allowed period, its case, therefore, had become statute barred.

    It held that where the constitution has qualified a candidate for an election, no other law can disqualify such candidate except the constitution itself.

     

    The court held that the issue of double nomination as canvassed by the APM, was not a legally cognizable ground for disqualification.

     

    Besides, the court held that it found no reason why Mr. Ibrahim Masari was cited as the 5th Respondent in the petition since he would not in any way be affected by the outcome of the case.

     

    Consequently, it struck out his name from the petition.

     

    The APM had in its petition marked: CA/PEPC/04/2023, argued that the withdrawal of Mr. Masari who was initially nominated as the Vice-Presidential candidate of the APC, invalidated Tinubu’s candidacy in view of Section 131(c) and 142 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

    The party argued that there was a gap of about three weeks between the period that Masari, who was listed as the 5th Respondent in the petition, expressed intention to withdraw, the actual withdrawal of his purported nomination, and the time Tinubu purportedly replaced him with Senator Kashim Shettima.

     

    It further argued that Tinubu’s candidature had elapsed as at the time he nominated Shettima as Masari’s replacement.

     

    According to the petitioner, as at the time Tinubu announced Shettima as the Vice Presidential candidate, “he was no longer in a position, constitutionally, to nominate a running mate since he had ceased to be a presidential candidate of the 2nd Respondent having regards to the provisions of section 142 of the 1999 Constitution”.

     

    The APM contended that Masari’s initial nomination activated the joint ticket principle enshrined in the Constitution, stressing that his subsequent withdrawal invalidated the said joint ticket.

     

    It, therefore, prayed the court to declare that Shettima was not qualified to contest as the Vice-Presidential candidate of the APC as at February 25 when the election was conducted by INEC having violated the provisions the of Section 35 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

    An order nullifying and voiding all the votes scored by Tinubu in the presidential election in view of his non-qualification as a candidate of the APC”.

     

    As well as an order to set aside the Certificate of Return that was issued to the President by INEC, reliefs that were rejected by the court on Wednesday

     

     

     

     

  • Makinde issues 7-day ultimatum for clearance of shanties around public schools

    Makinde issues 7-day ultimatum for clearance of shanties around public schools

    Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has issued a directive for the removal of shanties and commercial centers built around public schools in the state within seven days.

    The governor gave the directive Tuesday, during a series of midnight inspections conducted across public schools in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    Makinde expressed concern about the presence of these shanties surrounding schools in the state, saying such encroachments do not align with the state’s image and its education system’s standards.

     

    He said: “The entrance is almost blocked by people who have their shops very close to the entrance of the school, which is not conducive for learning.

     

    “So, we have gone round and what we are saying is that if you have anything attached to the fence of a school, you must remove it.

     

    “We are going to give them about a week to remove those things. They should clear them so that when our children come back to school, we will know they are coming into an environment conducive to learning.

     

    “Also, we have taken the opportunity to look at the situation with solid waste management. You can see most medians have become dumpsites but this has to stop.

     

    “Where we have single carriage roads, you don’t see people dump their waste by the roadside. How come they have made the medians the dumpster?

     

    “So, we will, again, go back to the drawing board because something is not obviously working with the architecture that we have in place.

    In the same vein, the governor reassured residents that the prevalent practice of indiscriminate waste disposal along roadways would soon become a thing of the past, adding that plans are underway to overhaul the state’s waste management system.

     

    We are working to look into what has to be done next to have the kind of environment that we really want to be proud of,” Makinde said.

     

    The governor was in company of the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade; his counterpart in the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola; and the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of Oyo State, Barr. Abiodun Aikomo.

  • Oyo Govt. Completes Rehabilitation Of Roads Across 33 LGAs

    Oyo Govt. Completes Rehabilitation Of Roads Across 33 LGAs

    Oyo Govt. Completes Rehabilitation Of Roads Across 33 LGAs

     

    By Adewale Owoade

    Oyo State Government has completed the rehabilitation of deplorable roads earmarked for re- construction across all the 33 local government areas in the State.

    While briefing journalists over the development on Tuesday during the inspection of the rehabilitated roads, the Chairman of Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA), Honourable Busoye Ogunlade appreciated the state governor, Engr. ‘Seyi Makinde for providing all the needed materials for the agency which resulted to seamless working condition on the affected roads.

    The OYSROMA Boss who was accompanied by the management staff and engineers of the agency expressed satisfaction over the level of the job done so far on the affected roads.

    Some residents that spoke with journalists could not hide their joy, as they were praise singing the state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde for the prompt intervention on the affected roads.

    Mr Olawole Akinwale, a farmer who is a resident of Iwere-Ile, in Iwajowa local government area, who spoke on behalf of the entire community said, “I thank the Almighty God for giving us Governor Makinde in Oyo State who is making life more easier for us in this community, I also thank God for making us witnessing this kind of project under this administration, this is will surely bring a better change in our community, and I can say it is like a dream come true for us, this road is very crucial in moving our farm products from farm to the main city.”

    In Ibadan metropolis, Mrs Adebola Adeshina, a trader in Agbowo UI Axis, who resides in Major Salawu Street, in Ibadan North Local Government Area commended Governor Makinde for fulfilling his electoral promises, most especially in the area of provison of basic infrastructures in the axis.

    She is optimistic that rehabilitated road will definitely put a stop to the hardship faced by the masses, especially the motorists. Mrs Adebola noted that most of the roads rehabilitated were in deplorable condition before the intervention of the state government.

    A resident of Igbeti, in Olorunsogo local government Mr Olajire Oyebisi, stated that most of them never believe that the rehabilitation of the roads could be in their life time, as most of the roads have been abandoned for a very long time.

    While speaking on rehabilitation of Ring Road, Mobil, Sharp Corner to WEMA, Apata Junction, Hon Busoye Ogunlade said the work will ease traffic congestion in the axis.

    Speaking on behalf of residents, the Chairman of landlord Association in Oluyole Extension, Chief Akinwunmi described the ongoing rehabilitation project prayers answered by God.

    He said, “We are full of joy and gratitude to Governor Seyi Makinde, the Executive Chairman of Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency OYSROMA, Hon Busoye Ogunlade for coming to our aid by fixing these roads.”

    Chief Akinwunmi said, the gesture by state government will usher in more developmental strides that will encourage businesses in those areas, as well as attract investors.

    According to him, “On behalf of the residents, motorists, commuters and peace-loving people of Ring Road, Mobil, and environs, I heartily appreciate the most performing governor in Nigeria, His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde, I thank OYSROMA for coming to our rescue, especially on the clearing of the refuse dump and dirty along the sharp corner road.

    “We’ll continue to support the present administration in its sustainable development agenda that will return the state to her pace setting standard in the country.This intervention on our roads will no doubt ease traffic and enhance free flow of traffic in which crashes will be reduced to barest minimum.”

    Recall that the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde had declared operation zero potholes across the state and has promised equip OYSROMA to perform optimally when the Governor paid an unscheduled inspection to the agency’s office at Eleyele some weeks ago.

    Upon his reappointment, Hon Busoye Ogunlade swung into action by embarking on the spot assessment of some of the dilapidated roads under his agency’s purview and assured that the State Government would fix the dilapidated portions where necessary.

  • Oyo State’s budget performance is at 75 per cent – Makinde

    Oyo State’s budget performance is at 75 per cent – Makinde

     

     

    Oyo State’s budget performance is at 75 per cent – Makinde

    By Adewale Owoade

    Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says the state’s 2023 budget performance is already at 75 per cent and should exceed 80 per cent by the end of the year.

    Makinde gave his administration a pass mark while speaking at the Stakeholders’ Consultative and Engagement Meeting on 2024 Budget, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

    He maintained that his administration would continue the tradition of engaging with residents of the state in the making of the state’s annual budget, noting that this would help the government to serve the people better.

    He urged residents to take the engagement meetings, which would be held across the seven zones of the state, seriously as inputs from the meetings would be captured in the budget.

    “It is not just a yearly ritual; it is an exercise that is extremely important. We are not coming around for this exercise just for the fun of it.

    “The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning said we are at 75 per cent performance and before the end of the year, we will surely go beyond 80 per cent; I believe this is a pass mark.

    “Thankfully, the people of Oyo State gave us an opportunity to serve them further. So, we will continue to hold this stakeholders’ engagement under my watch for another three years.

    “So, we must let our people know that this is not a jamboree. It is an avenue for our people to let us know what they want us to do for them,” he said.

    The governor equally advocated for better synergy between the state and the local governments so they can serve the interests of the people better.

    He said that the creativity of his government had ensured the construction of Oyo-Iseyin Road, a federal road, and the rebuilding of Akesan Market, Sasha Market and the Iseyin City Hall, which were local government projects.

    Some of the issues raised by stakeholders at the event were the recruitment of teachers into primary schools and the completion of 351 primary health centres.

    The governor assured that his administration would address all the issues in the next budget.

    Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof Musibau Babatunde, said the state government had been using the stakeholders’ meetings to influence its budget since 2019.

    “So what we have been doing is all about people and I believe that with this particular one that we are trying to do, we are also going to get it right and move Oyo State forward,” he said.

    In separate goodwill messages, the Director-General of DAWN Commission, Mr Seye Oyeleye; Chairman of the House Committee on Budget, Public Accounts, Finance and Appropriation, Hon Sunkanmi Babalola; and representative of Ibadan Main LGs Chairmen, Alhaji Ramoni Adepoju, commended the government for the budget initiative. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

  • NAFDAC Consolidates Efforts to end Rejection of Nigerian Food Exports, Solicits Cooperation of Freight Forwarders, Others

    NAFDAC Consolidates Efforts to end Rejection of Nigerian Food Exports, Solicits Cooperation of Freight Forwarders, Others

     

    By Biola Lawal

    Lagos (Flowerbudnews):  National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified efforts to end rejection of Nigerian food exports by strengthening collaboration with freight forwarders, Clearing Agents and Freight Consolidators at the ports.

    A NAFDAC statement by Sayo Akintola, the Resident Consultant, disclosed that the Agency had successfully held discussions with critical trade groups at the ports under the theme: The role of Freight Consolidator in the Export of NAFDAC Regulated Products at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos,

    The parley brought together all the major stakeholders in the ports trade at the nations ports to align with the appropriate electronic channel to obtain NAFDAC export certification.

    NAFDAC DG, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye emphasised the need for collaboration of the various trade groups in the export business to put an end to rejection of food exports from Nigeria in Europe and the U.S.

    Speaking at the stakeholder meeting Prof Adeyeye implored the clearing agents to propagate to the various exporters, cargo operators and handlers, the need to align with NAFDAC guidelines and its appropriate regulatory channels for export certification.

    This She noted, would assist the efforts to stop to the embarrassment that rejection of food exports from Nigeria more often than not, brought to the country and the huge losses incurred by the exporters.

    She noted that NAFDAC efforts were in line with the Federal Government policy on diversifying the economy through the non-oil export sector and with the policy initiative on the Presidential Enabling Business Executive Council (PEBEC),

    Prof Adeyeye pointed out that NAFDAC was one of the key drivers of the noble initiative had stepped up its processes and procedures towards ensuring that all NAFDAC Regulated Products meant for Export meet the required standard acceptable at national and international markets especially with the specifications of buying country

    She disclosed that this was now being done through an improved process of Documentation, Laboratory analysis, Inspection, Registration and Certification before products are exported.

    The meeting with freight forwarders, freight consolidators, and clearing agents Freight Consolidators in export business was a follow-up to the one the Agency had with Pre-shipment Agents about a month ago.

    The Director General,  who was represented by the Head, Export Division, Ports Inspection Directorate of NAFDAC, Mrs. Oluwaseyi Sanwo-olu, called on the export stakeholders of the Agency regulated products for effective collaboration with the regulatory authority to complement its robust regulatory policies geared toward understanding the NAFDAC export processes.

    The main objective was collaboration to safeguard a unified exportation procedure and zero rejects of Nigeria export products.

    NAFDAC as a Governmental Agency was established by its Enabling Act Cap N1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 which empowers the Agency as the competent authority in Nigeria, charged with the responsibility of regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale, and use of food, drug, chemicals, and other regulated products.

    Prof Adeyeye noted that the regulatory policy of the agency was geared towards the protection of consumers and promoting public health, by ensuring that regulated products were of good quality, safe, efficacious, wholesome, and accepted in the global market.

    ”We recognize and appreciate the role of each of the Export Facilitation Stakeholders namely: (Consolidators, freight forwarders, clearing agents, members of the Association of Nigeria Customs Licensed Agents, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF),Association of Nigeria licensed custom Agent (ANCLA),” She stated.

    The National Association of Freight Forwarders and Air Consolidators (NAFFAC) etc.) here represented today as main actors in the export chain, she said, stressing that it is their obligation to sensitize and enlighten the exporters on NAFDAC processes and procedures as well.

    She pointed out that by coming together, the Agency and port operators will help make the trade of the non-oil sector be better, more robust, and more consultative.

    According to the NAFDAC boss, the following are the Agencys expectations from Consolidators of its regulated products.
    Freight Consolidators should be well informed on the nature of the products they are handling and how to keep the products integrity intact.
    Guide their clients (exporters) to always factor in, time for processing of export certification in their timeline before planning the next exportation.

    Comply with documentation requirements for NAFDAC regulated products before shipment.
    Have a requisite understanding of quality, safety and standards of regulated product or consignment they are handling.

    A good understanding of proper handling, use of approved packaging material, group-packaging of like products.

    Understand the implication of forwarding and exporting products without recourse to NAFDAC processes and procedures.

    She said they must always avoid cross-contamination of products (e.g., food products, cosmetics, chemicals), adding that cool temperature that does not allow microbes to grow must be maintained.

    Prof Adeyeye urged them to use quality finished and raw material, adding that they should also ensure that personnel handling processes are medically fit to avoid contamination.

    She added that NAFDACs door is opened to trade, we encourage and support trade, adding that the NAFDAC Export certification channel is Customer friendly, easy to operate and timely.
    According to her, the Agencys leverage is on the commitment to achieve zero export reject.

    She said the Agency is sensitive to the peculiarity of export consignment at the MMIA and is willing to guide the erring exporters as well as streamline export requirements for such consignments hence the reason for relocating the Export Division of PID in NAFDAC to the newly built NAFDACs NAHCO at MMIA for easy accessibility to exporters of such consignments.

    Prof Adeyeye noted that the Agency acknowledges the importance of having broader and deeper Interactions and collaborations with sister agencies such as Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) etc.

    It is worth noting that all exported products that went through NAFDAC export certification process have never been rejected, she said. (Flowerbudnews)

  • Photos: Senator Oyewumi PhD Pays A Courtesy Visit To Federal Polytechnic Ede, Assures Maximum Support

    Photos: Senator Oyewumi PhD Pays A Courtesy Visit To Federal Polytechnic Ede, Assures Maximum Support

    Senator Oyewumi PhD Pays A Courtesy Visit To Federal Polytechnic Ede, Assures Maximum Support

    The Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate, Akogun Lere Oyewumi today paid a courtesy visit to the Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State. Senator Lere Oyewumi noted that the visit was to familiarize them with the school management and assess the level of challenges confronting the school and how he could use his office to assist the institution for the betterment of the students and the staff of the institution. While congratulating the Institution management for the outstanding academic feat, Senator Lere Oyewumi commended the Rector, Dr. Sanni Manyahaya for being focused and determined to see the institution reach greater heights.

     

    In his remark, the Rector, Dr. Sanni Manyahaya expressed his deep gratitude for the visit. He appreciated and commended Senator Lere Oyewumi’s leadership traits and magnanimity which is very rare in a politician. He highlighted the Polytechnic’s rapid expansion and growth over the years but noted that low budget and funding have hindered the necessary upgrades in facilities. He equally solicited for support the infrastructural development on the permanent site of the Polytechnic, erecting a perimeter fence for the security and prosperity of the institution.

    While responding, Senator Lere Oyewumi assured the Rector and the institution management that as a Senate committee member of Tertiary Institution and Tetfund, he will seek further discussions with the Polytechnic’s authorities on possible specific areas of support while enjoining the team to work hard to achieve success. He noted that education is the bedrock of the socioeconomic development of any society which must be given priority and support.

    Signed:
    Media Units,
    Office Of The Deputy Minority Leader Of The Senate