Author: Lawal AbdulSalam Olawale

The minister for works, Dave Umahi has offered apology to civil servants after locking them out of the gate for coming late to work.

 

There was protest by the workers yesterday following the decision of the minister to lock them out.

In turn, they also locked the minister in his office in order to show their grievances.

 

The workers were all chanting ‘Umahi must go’ during the protest yesterday as they were surprised at the development.

However, the governor has addressed the workers and explained the reason for his decision. He asked for forgiveness and requested for partnership.

 

‘’Nobody locked the gate, we needed to get your attention. I came here on 22nd of august with two agenda. One is the welfare of the workers and number to is discipline.”

There was going to be a holiday on Tuesday and to demonstrate my welfare agenda, I gave on my own N15 million to workers in this ministry.”

Since 22nd Of August, I will come to work and see workers coming to work by 1pm, just a week ago I called all the directors for discipline. I ask for files and they say the staff isn’t yet around. “

 

I offered that workers should come to work by 9 o clock, they are all here. I can’t do without you and you can’t do without me.”

 

“I came to work by 9:30 today and needed some files but not 5% of the workers were around.”

 

“If you were offended this morning, I offer apology to you.”

 

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Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate closure of Ladipo Market, Mushin, over alleged environmental infractions including, reckless waste disposal, unhygienic premises, and non payment of waste bills, among others.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, who ordered the closure in the early hours Friday, said the market would remain closed until the mandatory conditions of redress were met by traders and market stakeholders, adding that it was part of ongoing efforts at instilling compliance in markets around the state.

Speaking on the development, Wahab underscored the critical importance of environmental hygiene in markets, noting that, “It is imperative that markets in the state adhere strictly to environmental laws and regulations put in place for the well-being of residents.

 

The closure of Ladipo market serves as a stern reminder that no entity, regardless of its size or influence, is above the law.”

 

Wahab stated that the state government was fully committed to collaborating with market stakeholders, to facilitate necessary adjustments and improvements, to enable them meet required environmental standards, adding that the market would not be reopened for business until set standards were met.

 

The commissioner said, “Ladipo Market, a prominent hub for automotive spare parts and related services, has been a focal point for environmental concerns due to various activities that contravene established regulations. Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA’s intervention is a significant step towards rectifying these issues and bringing the market to compliance.”

 

In his reaction, the Managing Director, LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said that the closure was expected to allow for a thorough assessment of the environmental impact of the market’s activities and the implementation of necessary remedial measures, serving as a clear signal that LAWMA would not hesitate to take decisive actions, where and when environmental laws were flouted.

 

According to him, “As Lagos State continues to grow and develop, it is imperative that economic activities are conducted in a manner that is sustainable and environmentally responsible. LAWMA’s recent actions demonstrate the authority’s commitment to this cause.

 

“The offensive against environmental infractions will continue till sanity is restored in our markets, while the next stop will be illegal markets.”

The closure of Ladipo Market followed similar action taken against Oyingbo, Alayabiagba, Oke-Odo Markets, and some sections of Tejuosho Market, for serial infractions.

The decision to shut down those markets underscored the state government’s unwavering commitment to the restoration of environmental sanity in the state,” Gbadegesin stressed.

 

For waste management related issues, the commissioner urged residents to call LAWMA toll-free numbers: 617 and 07080601020

Nigeria’s Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, has been hospitalised in Abuja after allegedly suffering acute poisoning from unknown origins. “Her family members fear time was running against their efforts to save her life,” according to Peoples Gazette, which broke the news this Friday morning, September 29, 2023.

 

“Lola Ade-John, 60, was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, shortly after she started manifesting symptoms of her poisoning, according to family sources familiar with her ordeal. She has spent four days at the facility as of Friday morning,” the portal said, adding:

 

“Ms Ade-John, a career banker and tech investor, has been on a machine to aid her breathing, our sources said. The specifics as to what substance she ingested and how could not be immediately established”.

The Gazette said the police and the Department of Security Service did not immediately return a request on whether or not any investigations had been opened into the matter.

 

It further said: “Her worsening situation has further set the family against the government, with the permanent secretary of her ministry said to be in disagreement as to whether she should continue receiving treatment at a public hospital or be moved to a better-equipped private facility downtown.

 

“The permanent secretary, Ngozi Onwudike, was said to have insisted that the minister should not be transferred because the FMC is a public hospital and its services wouldn’t attract substantial charges to the government, a position her family rebuffed. But they remained with her as they could not raise funds to move her to a private hospital, our sources said. A phone number for the permanent secretary did not connect on Friday morning.

 

“A spokesperson for the FMC did not immediately return a request seeking comments from The Gazette about Ms Ade-John’s condition.

 

“Ms Ade-John was appointed as a minister by President Bola Tinubu in August. She was immediately touted as one of the few cabinet members appointed from outside the political beltway. She was based in London for years before she was asked to return to the country to serve by the president.”

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) says it is ready to shut down all oil field locations in the country if the ongoing discussions with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) do not yield positive results.

The President of TUC, Comrade Festus Usifo, made the threat on Channels Television on Wednesday.

 

Oando PLC announced on September 4, an agreement with ENI, an Italian multinational energy company, over the 100 percent acquisition of Nigerian AGIP Oil Company Limited shares.

Concerns have been raised about the fate of Nigerian workers in Agip Company following the transition of ownership.

 

Reacting to the issues raised, Usifo maintained that the Union’s position is for due process to be followed by Agip Company.

 

According to him, TUC is not in support of rolling its members over to Oando PLC without adequate development plans for workers who have worked for so many years for Agip Company.

Usifo said, “What we are asking is that we need to be sure, our members have worked with NAOC over the years, some have worked for over thirty years, some at the point of retirement, and you are saying you want to hand them over to a new company.

 

“The question is; the liabilities that have been incurred by Agip, the pension, gratuity you are supposed to pay these people? Does Oando have the financial wherewithal to be able to meet these financial obligations to our members? That is the first thing.

 

“As a patriotic association, we are also asking Oando, you are buying this, what is your development plan? Because the future of our members depends on that company, if the company folds then our members will go home.

If we are not satisfied with the plans, we will say, pay us our obligations; we do not want to be transited into Oando, pay us our money.

 

“I have worked for you for 35 years; I have worked for you for thirty years; pay me my perseverance, and let’s discuss a special separation package so that I go.

 

“If I now want to join Oando it would be based on my discretion, anything I see I take, but the years I have put in Agip and NAOC settle me.

The TUC President insists that Oando PLC cannot manage and sustain production like the International Oil Companies, IOCs, who inject finances into managing the assets.

 

“When the IOCs were managing most of these assets, they had the finances to inject into it, and we could have sustained production. That is the real challenge we would be having, and those are the discussions we are also fronting with Agip group.

 

“Part of operations like stimulation operations, they do not do well enhancement so we would have issues. Those wells will start declining”.

 

He said Agip must sit and have a conversation with the operators working in the oil field locations and ensure their demands are met.

 

“We have people who are working in the field locations, the operators working there; you cannot bring people who are dissatisfied to be running your assets it does not work like that

Who is going to run it? Is it the management of Oando that will just come there and start pressing the buttons? No, you need these employees. So, you must sit down and have a conversation with them.

 

“If they insist on not complying, they know the consequence, we will withdraw our members from the respective field locations. What we are doing now is conversation, consultation, and discussion with the Agip management”.

 

Meanwhile, members of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in Agip have held a series of prayer sessions in various NAOC offices and field locations across Delta, Rivers, Imo, and Bayelsa States.

 

The workers are using the prayer sessions to seek God’s intervention, and support from the Federal Government and relevant government agencies to impress on NAOC to follow due process on the engagement of Nigerian workers in the sales of NAOC shares to Oando.

They prayed that the Nigerian labour laws would be enforced strictly to protect the interests of the workforce during the tumultuous transition and the protection of all their members whom the alleged sale of Eni’s assets to Oando has unleashed a storm of uncertainty, fear and despair upon its loyal workforce.

Governors and stakeholders of South East Nigeria have met in Owerri where they resolved to put up plans and policies to drive the region forward.

 

They made the resolution at a South East Summit on Economy and Security convoked by the South East Governors’ Forum and Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide.

 

The Protea Hotel, Owerri was venue of the event which drew the five South East Governors and had the theme: “South East Beyond 2023: Time For A Reset.”

 

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo who expressed the unwavering, unalloyed commitment of the state to the South East Agenda, revealed that the state has started to demonstrate this through the policies and programmes of the state government.

 

While pointing out the need for a 100-year development plan for the region, Governor Soludo also emphasized the need to drum up homeland consciousness and seek for the right partnerships from the rest of the country and the the international community to implement the plan.

 

The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, on his part, noted that there was a time in the region when cohesion and vision were potential drivers of progress, wondering why such is no longer the case, saying that it is only when ndị Igbo reinvent their unique republican and entrepreneurial spirit, driven by the private sector that the region will begin to reclaim its pride of place.

 

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah and the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Princess Patricia Onyemaechi-Obila, opined that the past leaders did well because of their commitment to their visions, adding that the development of the region is a collective obligation.

 

In a Keynote speech, the Director General, World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwela who joined virtually agreed that ndị Igbo have been fragmented for a while, advocating for rebuilding the sense of common purpose and cohesion and asked government to increase the IGR, tone down borrowing and get the people to invest in the homestead.

 

Dr. Okonjo-Iwela suggested that a South East Investment Forum be convened to examine what is blocking investments in the region, take advantage of the Ìgbo diaspora, concentrate on digitally delivered services trade, build a digital backbone, and attract foreign investors while adding that the youth are to ready work but are in search of a truly dedicated leadership.

 

For the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator Emmanuel Iwunayanwu and the Chairman of the South East Traditional Rulers’ Council, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, they are determined to engender programmes that will promote the region, asking the region to set its own overarching agenda and reset the Ìgbo agelong values of truth, compassionate living, patience, restraint, modesty, vigour, natural support, among others.

 

Earlier, the Chairman, Planning Committee of the Summit, Senator Chris Anyanwu said that the region which was known for industry and innovation is facing insecurity and other challenges which the Governors are making efforts to tackle while the Chairman of the Occasion, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim called for a re-engineering of the entrepreneurial system in the region, saying that the perpetual sit-at-home exercises have adversely affected the region in all facets.

Two final year students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo state were killed in a fatal accident in Osun state.

The driver of the 18-seater bus which caught fire at Ojutu area of Ilobu, Irepodun local government area of Osun state was also killed in the accident which occurred on Wednesday evening.

 

Eye witnesses in the area disclosed that the Mazda bus burst into flame on speed and the three victims were burnt to death on the spot while five others sustained various burnt injuries.

 

Confirming the incident on Thursday, the Osun Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corp, Agnes Ogungbemi said the incident was due to speed limit violation and loss of control.

 

She added that some of the injured victims were taken to Uniosun Teaching Hospital in Osogbo while others have been taken to a private hospital in the town.

 

She added that the three mobile phones recovered at the scene were handed over to the police.

 

The Sector Commander, Henry Benamaisia urged motorists to drive carefully on public highways to avoid unnecessary death.