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T H I S D AY • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016
PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT
Hearing in Bianca’s Suit against Ojukwu’s Family over Property Resumes Tomorrow Akinwale Akintunde Justice Abdulfattah Lawal of a Lagos High Court, sitting in Igbosere will, tomorrow, continue with the hearing of the suit instituted by Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, the embattled wife of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, against her husband’s family over property rights. Bianca, a former Nigerian Ambassador, had on behalf of her two under-aged children, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu (claimants) sued Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL) and seven others over an alleged move by the Ojukwu family to eject her two sons from the company’s properties situated in Lagos. Other defendants in the suit are Prof. Joseph Ojukwu; Engr. Emmanuel Ojukwu; Lotanna Putalora Ojukwu; Dr Patrick Ojukwu; Arch. Edward Ojukwu; Lota Akajiora Ojukwu and Mrs. Massey Udegbe (doing business under Massey Udegbe & Company). In the suit, Bianca, and her two children, had in their statement of claim, prayed the court to declare that the threat of forceful ejection from 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Street by the defendants is illegal. She is also asking the court
for a declaration that her children are entitled to possess the following property, namely: No. 13 Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi (now known as No. 13 Ojora Road; No. 32A Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos; No. 30 Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and No. 30 McPherson Avenue, Ikoyi. The company (OTL) and its property belong to the grandfather of the claimants, late Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu. But at the last hearing, one of Ojukwu’s sons, Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Jr) filed an application seeking to be joined as defendant in the suit. Emeka junior prayed the court to join him in the suit on the grounds that he is a director of the first defendant company (OTL) and by virtue of his position, he has responsibility to look after the interest of the other children of his late father. He also prayed the court to join him as defendant in the best interest of justice, stating that any decision in respect of the claims of Bianca’s two children in the suit, so far as it relates to his father’s interest in OTL, would affect him as the current head of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu’s family.
Lagos gets First Multi-level Car Park, Event Centre Fadekemi Ajakaiye Lagos state is set to get the first-ever multi-level car park and event centre in its Central Business District. The car park is on 5 floors with the event centre on top of it. The project located on Campbell Street in Lagos Island is a car park designed to accommodate 400 cars and an event centre, stated the Managing Director, Ibile Holdings, Mr. Biodun Amokomow. Conducting the groundbreaking ceremony in Lagos, recently, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State governor on Global Investment, Prof Ademola Abass, stated that his responsibility was to drive investment into the state, both from within and outside the country, one of which was the car park project. The Project is a remarkable achievement for the state as it is the first of its kind. It is also a confirmation of the confidence of both Foreign and Domestic investors in Lagos state, he said. Abass stated that the Multicar Park takes away traffic from the area of the Mega city. “It is the way to go in a city of 21 million people; a population more than that of several countries combined.” “The project is a major forward movement in the state, especially working with local investors in the country’s trying period. Though challenges abound, but our investors see opportunities,” he said. He stated that “there exist plenty of opportunities in Lagos State, which propels the synergy between international and domestic investors. Bringing in as many investment opportunities as possible from all over into the State is our aim.”
He stated that the present administration in the state promised to enhance the ease of doing business by partnering with investors; strong on the application of the Rule of law; protection of citizens, and protection of all investors. The multi-car park project costs N2 billion investment at ground capital and could go beyond that, he said. Abass stated that the project is a joint venture between Ibile Holdings, the investment arm of Lagos State, and Willao Nigeria Ltd., Property Developers, through a Special Purpose Vehicle. According to Mr. Femi Williams, the Managing Director, Willao Nigeria Ltd, the Property Developing Company, the project, which started last month, is to be completed in October next year, adding that there was structured finance between Willao Nigeria Ltd and Ibile holdings. He stated that the project suits the environment, as it helps to eliminate parking problems in the area, serving Island Maternity Hospital, St Nicholas Hospital, Western House, Independence Building, as well as visitors to the area. The event centre will seat 1000 guests at the top floor, and it is to promote the culture of Lagos, he said. Mr. Igbuan Okaisabor, the Vice Chairman, Construction Kaiser Ltd, stated that the car park being built by Construction Kaiser Ltd is to serve the neighbourhood and improve the infrastructure of the area generally. He stated his delight to be involved in such a big project, as an indigenous company. Adequate security is also provided through CCTV, among others.
Emeka junior averred that the claimants in the suit are the last two of the eight children of his late father and that they are represented by their mother who was the last of the six wives of his late father.
Bianca, however, urged the court to refuse the application filed by Emeka Junior seeking to be joined as defendant in the suit. In a 12 paragraphs counter affidavit, Bianca’s children opposed the application on the ground that they have
no claim or relief whatsoever against him in the suit. Bianca’s children averred that the suit can be duly and properly determined without having their elder brother as a defendant in the suit. The claimant stated further
that the application was only a ploy to delay and scuttle the hearing and determination of the suit. It was on this basis that Justice Lawal fixed tomorrow, September 14, for further hearing on the application.
R-L: Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, handing over a souvenir to the Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority, Prof Mohammed Al-Amin, when officials of the Authority visited the governor in Port Harcourt... recently
Graduate Internship Scheme Operators Partner Govt, NGOs Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), a nationwide continuous training programme, is collaborating with government and non-governmental organisations to train graduate and prepare them for the future. The partnership is designed to reduce the rate of unemployment among youth and empower them by promoting career development and free enterprise. Graduate Internship Scheme was created by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and was developed on by the present administration to help increase job creation and enhance social protection among the youth. It does this by providing internship opportunities for graduates, who could be employed by the organisations or have enough training to be self-employed. According to the Project Director of GIS, Mr. Dennis Chukwu, who was represented by the Head of ICT GIS, Mr. Lassa Samaila, at a workshop in Lagos, recently, the training aims to promote skills building and job creation and the scheme has developed special programmes, which would benefit the non-oil sector. Chukwu said GIS has entered into special partnerships with governmental and non-governmental organisations to have graduates trained, mentored and supported in areas such as; non-oil export trade, ICT, agriculture, community health, construction, financial inclusion, among others. He said the internship programme, which would last for 12 months, comes with successes, challenges, and attendant curiosities thereby bringing them to crossroads where they would be fully equipped and prepared to enter into the job market or start-up businesses of their own choice. Chukwu
further explained that the Career Development and Entrepreneurship Skills training have been designed to help answer the question of ‘what next’. “At the end of the training, each graduate is expected to develop an action plan that will guide the next few years of your life.” He added that skills and experience acquired through GIS internship programme “will help them to contribute meaningfully to national development. So far, 41,161 graduates from the ages of 18 to 40 have benefitted from the scheme, with 68% males, 31% females and 1% vulnerable. Over 35,000 have exited the scheme, with thousands of them having secured jobs. Many have secured credit facilities and grants (including YouWiN! Grant) to expand businesses they set up using GIS stipends and many have set up cooperative associations, some of which have transformed into SMEs. Rather than seeking for work, they are now becoming employers.” Samaila, Head of ICT, GIS, said to enhance credibility, the scheme has improved on the system and that it would also continue to improve its capacity to absorb more applicants. “In other to prevent misappropriation and embezzlement in the scheme, the civil servant structure, which is a more guaranteed structure, has been implemented.” He added that the monetary evaluation system has also been implemented to ensure that fund allocated is audited and accounted for. He advised graduate interns to submit all requirements needed by the scheme to enable the system carryout its functions. He said though the scheme was the first of its kind in Africa but that there was still room for improvement. Some of the graduates,
during their testimonies, said GIS Internship is a scheme that they have benefited from despite the present state of the nation’s economy. It would be recalled that the
federal government’s purpose of setting up the Graduate Internship Scheme was to ensure that unemployed graduates acquired skills that would make them employable.
Rivers to Partner FHA to Develop Affordable Housing Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has stated that his administration would partner with the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) to ensure that the people of the state have access to affordable housing. The governor said such partnership would involve ensuring that the FHA is given access to land to commence the immediate construction of houses. Speaking during a courtesy call by the Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority, Prof Mohammed Al-Amin, recently, Governor Wike directed the management of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority and the State Ministry of Housing to liaise with the Federal Housing Authority to develop a framework for affordable housing. The governor, however, stated that the Federal Housing Authority must sign an undertaking that it would develop lands allocated to it within one year, failure which the Rivers State Government would repossess the said allocated lands. He said, “State Governments find it difficult to allocate plots of land to the Federal Housing Authority because lands allocated are allowed to stay fallow without any developments on them. “I have directed the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority in conjunction with
the State Ministry of Housing to discuss with the Federal Housing Authority on how to develop a framework for the Joint development of affordable housing. “However, we are proposing that the Federal Housing Authority signs an undertaking that should they fail to use the parcels of land allocated within one year, we shall repossess same.” In his remarks, the Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority, Prof Mohammed AlAmin noted that the essence of the visit was in furtherance with the directive of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing to the Federal Housing Authority and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria to use lands owned by the Federal Housing Authority across the country and finance from the Federal Mortgage Bank to invest and deliver housing. He said Rivers State was among the first slated to benefit from the programme. He disclosed that the Federal Housing Authority has been restructured into Commercial and Social Departments with a view to making housing a tool for development. Prof Mohammed appealed to the governor to allocate more land to the authority, as well as intervene in ground rents and acquisition fees charged the authority.