THE NATION WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012
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CITYBEATS
‘Budget will eradicate poverty’
By Oziegbe Okoeki
THE Lagos State government’s 2013 Budget will eradicate poverty and sustain economic growth, Deputy Whip of the House of Assembly Hon. Rotimi Abiru has said. Abiru also cautioned the Federal Government against holding talks with the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, saying the intention of the group must be ascertained. Abiru said: "The budget will eradicate poverty through infrastructural renewal and development. Key priority areas of the budget include security, power, agriculture, transportation, housing, education among others. "About N497 billion representing 54 per cent would be targeted at capital expenditure while recurrent expenditure is about 46 per cent, with the economic affairs sector taking the largest chunk of 31 per cent followed by the general public sector, then education sector taking about 13 per cent of the total capital vote.” Abiru, who welcomed the call for dialogue by Boko Haram said: "The sincerity and intentions of the sect should be ascertained." This, he said, was necessary because the sect’s spiritual leader is not part of the negotiating team and some of the proposed negotiators have denied knowledge of their nomination.
Soyinka for arbitration conference By Joseph Jibueze
NOBEL laureate Prof Wole Soyinka will speak at the Kuramo Conference, during which the Lagos Court of Arbitration will be launched. Organised by the Lagos State government, the conference will begin on Friday. The chairman of the Kuramo Conference Planning Committee, former Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Olasupo Shasore (SAN), said in a statement that renowned economist Paul Collier and acclaimed author Dambisa Moyo will deliver keynote speeches. Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), the conference convener, will declare it open at the Eko International Conference Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island. The statement reads: “On November 9 and 10, Lagos will once again host the Kuramo Conference, a summit for ideas, policy and global development. “The Kuramo Conference 2012 will highlight some of what are considered to be topical global issues – the role of the creative industries in supporting local economies; the recovery of stolen oil wealth from public coffers; solutions to addressing contentious energy solutions; creating a knowledge economy; African dispute resolution, aquaculture and food security and consumer rights in developing economies.”
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Policeman kills Okada rider
A
motorcyclist was yesterday allegedly shot dead at the Ilupeju by-pass in Lagos by a policeman. But the police denied the death of the Okada man. Three policemen were said to be patrol when one of them reportedly fired the fatal shot. The Nation learnt that one of the policemen was hit on the right palm when the killer-cop shot sporadically to escape mob action. According to eyewitnesses, the policemen wanted to arrest the Okada man but he did not stop when he was
•Nobody was killed, say police By Mariam Akingbala
flagged down. “The next thing we heard was a gunshot from one of the policemen. The Okada rider fell off the bike and died instantly. When the officer that fired the shot knew he had killed the Okada rider, he fled the scene, shooting sporadically and ran towards Ilupeju Police Station for cover. It was in the process that a bullet hit one of the policemen in the palm.” The Nation gathered that
there was confusion when passers-by discovered that the Okada rider had died. Other motorcyclists plying the route parked and mobilised their colleagues from the nearby Obanikoro and Onipanu. About 15 minutes later, Okada riders from these areas besieged the scene with various weapons. Police spokesperson Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), denied the death of the motorcyclist, adding that he and the
•Manko
injured policeman were in the hospital. According to her, what actually transpired is still vague, with nobody having an authentic account yet.
•From left: Mrs. Folami Bolajoko, Acting Permanent Secretary, Environmental Services, Mrs. Adeola Afun, Mrs. Ayinde, Dr. Folami an official of Council of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), Mrs. Aderonke Solomon, at the event... yesterday.
Fashola’s wife advises traders, artisans on sanitation T HE wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola, yesterday urged traders and artisans to change their attitude towards environmental sanitation. Mrs. Fashola gave the advice during the environmental advocacy campaign organised for operators in the informal sector by the Ministry of the Environment. Represented by the wife of the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mrs Rhoda Ayinde, Mrs Fashola urged people to demonstrate positive attitude to the environment, adding that recent happenings in some parts of the country and around the world,
By Miriam Ndikanwu
particularly America, call for concern to the way environmental issues are handled. “A major question we must ask ourselves is how our business activities or vocations in the markets or workshops contribute to the poor sanitation in our environment”, she said. Mrs Fashola said there was need to look into those areas and change in order to combat the impact of climate change. Healthy sanitation and hygienic habit, she said, included proper disposal of wastes in markets/workshops, participating actively in the monthly sanitation
exercise and imbibing the culture of regular washing of hands. She said it was important for mechanics to know that improper handling of used oil is dangerous to health because it seeps into the soil to contaminate underground water. Welcoming participants, the Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, said it required collective efforts to protect the environment from the danger of Climate Change. Bello, represented by the Special Adviser in the Ministry, Dr. Taofeek Folami, said the government placed high premium on the environment in the be-
lief that a healthy environment where good sanitary habits reign, is germane for the wellbeing of the citizenry. “We have in a determined manner progressively addressed the challenges posed by waste management with the provision of needed facilities such as dump sites, transfer loading stations(TLS) and waste compactors in addition to the involvement of the private sector participation (PSP) in waste management,” he said. As a way of enhancing environmental sustainability, the government, he said adopted measures to encourage citizens’ participation in the attainment of a cleaner and sustainable environment.
Traffic Law: LASTMA trains more officers
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NOTHER 200 officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) have been inducted in their on-going career evaluation training. Six hundred officers have undergone the training designed to change the approach to law enforcement from punitive to civil engagement. Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Transport Education Dr. Miriam Masha said the training
By Segun Balogun
was part of the government’s plan to ensure that the new Traffic Law promotes deterrence and voluntary compliance. She assured residents of a new regime in law enforcement, saying officers who pass the training would be civil to traffic offenders. “The core objective of the programme is to equip all the participants with a better approach to law enforcement, which is largely to deemphasise the use of force while placing premium on the tools of advoca-
cy in changing the way people behave,” she said. She promised that there would be no more forceful arrest and any other excessiveness hitherto associated with the officers. Mrs Masha called for road users’ cooperation as a critical link in the chain of law enforcement, saying: “There is nowhere in the world that people like those enforcing the law. This is because they are trying to change people’s behaviour and make them do things in certain ways that may not be comfort-
able, even though it will benefit the larger society. “This shows how people are resistant to change. People may not necessarily like law enforcement agents. So, the attitude of the people demands that as a government, we need to train and re-train our law enforcement agents so that they can respond to challenges in line with global standard and best practices.” A LASTMA official, Rasheed Sulaimon, urged road users to cooperate with them, saying they are ready to key into government’s reforms.
Agency decries rampant graffiti THE Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA) has decried the increasing rate at which graffiti appear in Lagos. The agency said the graffiti is now the alternative for indiscriminate pasting of posters, which the agency has fought hard to curtail. In a statement signed by Temitope Akande, the agency’s Manager, Corporate Affairs/PR Department, LASAA’s Managing Director, George Kayode Noah, said poster offenders in Lagos State are switching to wall painting. “These offenders have now adopted a more brazen approach by painting directly on public walls bridges and pillars,” he said. “They have decided to adopt this new strategy following the level of success our Agency has recorded in curbing the menace of indiscriminate posters wherever we find them within the city”. He added that crave for publicity is driving culprits to deploy graffiti and pasting of small stickers on public infrastructures as a new method of defacing Lagos. He however warned that “our position remains unchanged about indiscriminate pasting of posters, or painting of public walls. Anyone caught engaging in this illegal act will be prosecuted.” He concluded that LASAA will continue to deploy its resources to fight against these practices.
Five arraigned for attempted murder By Adebisi Onanuga
FIVE persons, including a woman, were yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly threatening to kill one Olusegun Adeniyi over 100 plots of land belonging to him. They are: Abiodun Omoju, 35; Nneka Akandi, 36; Bamiloke Okemosadi, 53; Abu Tani, 32 and Dipo Omoju, 30. They are facing a threecount charge of conspiracy, forgery and acts likely to cause breach of peace. The accused, according to the prosecutor, Barth Nwaokenye, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), sometime in August, allegedly threatened to kill Adeniyi with thugs. The offence, according to him, is punishable under Section 166(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Nwaokenye alleged that the accused, about the same time, forged a receipt and Deed of Assignment for 100 plots of land. The offence, he said, is contrary to Section 363 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The accused were alleged to have conspired to commit felony to wit forgery and conduct likely to cause breach of peace, contrary to Section 401 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. They pleaded not guilty. Chief Magistrate A. O. Isaac granted each of them N100, 000 bail and two sureties in the like sum. He adjourned the matter till December 10.