FRIDAY, ÍšÍżËœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ Ëž T H I S D AY
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Nine Killed in Lagos Rail, Road Crashes, Scores Injured Chiemelie Ezeobi No fewer than four persons were crushed to death yesterday when a train derailed at the Abattoir area of Agege, Lagos, which also left several others with varying degree of injuries. Another five persons were also confirmed dead and 19 others injured in a multiple car crash at Berger area along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. According to an eyewitness account, the train went off its track and would have caused untold destruction but for a nearby trailer into which the train rammed, stopping it from veering off further. It was gathered that the four persons that died were passengers hanging on the rooftop of the moving train. In the chaos that ensued after the crash, it took the efforts of the Railway Police Command and other emergency
responders to get the situation under control. Confirming the incident, the state police spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, said the train rammed into a trailer, injuring many, adding that the official figure of the dead was three. He said: “We just got the information. Our policemen and those attached to the railway command are in control of the situation. Three persons died in the incident and some others were injured.� Also speaking on the accident, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, said the trailer with registration number MYM 63 XA was trying to make a U-turn near the railway track when it was hit by the train. He said: “According to investigation conducted by the
agency, it was revealed that four male adults who were said to be hanging on the moving train were confirmed dead, while others sustained injuries. “Those injured were attended to by the Lagos State Ambulance Service and the deceased persons were taken away to the mortuary.� The state Commissioner of Special Duties, Mr. Oluseye Oladejo, was at the scene of the incident to supervise the emergency responders on the ground. Asides LASEMA, the emergency responders included the state ambulance service, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos Neighbourhood and Safety Corps, Rapid Response Squad, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the police. In the multiple road crash at the Berger area of the state,
five persons also perished while 19 were injured. LASEMA’s general manager said the accident occurred at the Kara bridge, adding that the multiple accidents involved 16 vehicles. He said the 19 injured persons were taken to the state trauma centre for treatment. According to him, “The LASEMA Response Unit today at about 7 a.m. responded to the multiple accidents which occurred at Kara bridge along Lagos-Ibadan expressway. “The multiple accidents which occurred outside the jurisdiction of the agency resulted in a gridlock along the expressway, disrupting vehicular movement. “However, due to the prompt intervention and immediate deployment of the agency’s operatives and equipment to the accident scene, the LASEMA response unit assisted in
clearing and recovering affected vehicles in order to facilitate free flow of traffic. “On arrival at the scene of the incident, it was discovered there was a multiple accident involving 15 vehicles consisting of seven trucks, one pick up, three cars and four buses. “The vehicles comprised a Man Diesel truck with registration number JJJ 342XD (Lagos); three DAF trucks with one unknown registration, APP 769XR (Lagos), GGE 818XC (Lagos); two Sino trucks with registration numbers KRD 122 XC (Lagos), KRD 123 XC (Lagos); a Mack truck with registration number BDG 561 XG (Lagos); and a Nissan cabster with registration XS 216KSF (Lagos). “Others included two Honda Accords with registration numbers MUS 411DG (Lagos), APP 303DV (Lagos); a Lexus SUV with registration
number FKJ 475BR (Lagos); a Volkswagen mini-bus with registration number KTU 594XM (Lagos); Ford bus with registration number KTU 340XU (Lagos); Mazda bus with registration number AKD 520XW (Lagos); and a Nissan bus with registration number BDG 27AA (Lagos). “Although the cause of the multiple accidents are unknown, unfortunately, five lives were lost, while 19 persons sustained various degrees of injuries. The 19 injured comprised 11 adult males and eight females.� Adesina, who said a thorough investigation would be conducted into the accidents, advised motorists to adhere to road safety rules. He also urged people who are in the habit of hanging on to moving train/vehicles to desist from doing so to prevent fatal accidents.
biggest long-term challenge. The prior government operated during times of plenty. The opposite is the case now. “Sadly, that plenty was stolen or directed toward policies of no lasting consequence to the average Nigerian save to compel them to say another opportunity had been wasted. “Through no fault of its own, this administration had to grapple with a rapid fall in oil prices. That fall brought recession and collapsed our exchange rate regime. “More fundamentally, it showed that the very economic model upon which this nation operated was outmoded and flawed. Unfortunately, the past administration did nothing to re-calibrate the economy. “With fewer resources at hand, this government is compelled to do more. It must respond to immediate needs in a way that leads to long-term economic reform. “This will be a complex journey. This government has taken the first steps in the right direction. “We are inching out of recession. The exchange rate has stabilised. Internationally, we are seen being as on the mend and have been recognised for making significant progress in the ease of doing business,� he stated. The former Lagos State governor who tasked the government to take cognisance of the plight of the downtrodden people of Nigeria, whom he said had been denied their pride of place for so long, said today’s investments by the government
are for their comfort in future. “While we work toward this good end, we must recognise the situation of millions of our people. Wrongfully denied for so long, they suffer still. But we ask them to take heart. Don’t forfeit hope. “Understand that tomorrow will not be as the past when what was built and bought was not intended for you. “What we are now building, is meant for you. This is your government and you will be the beneficiaries of its policies and programmes. You are no longer the forgotten. You are the hope and promise of a nation and its future. “As this government implements its economic plans, the griping poverty you have long suffered will give way and ultimately turn into the fertile progress and prosperity that only good governance can bring. We do this with a sense of urgency!� he added. Tinubu then proceeded to make three suggestions which he asked the government to consider, stating that no nation has ever experienced prosperity without building a huge industrial capacity. He tasked the government to learn from countries such as the United Kingdom, which he said became prosperous because it was built on its industrial strength. He also counselled the government not to pay lips service to the industrial revolution but to evolve it in reality and draw up infrastructure plans, invest in research and assist farmers to grow their income by returning
the nation to the path of the commodity exchange board. In his remarks, Buhari who said he could not adequately thank Nigerians for their prayers and goodwill when he was ill and had to travel to London for treatment, said the only way he could repay them was to deploy his energy to serving them. He also promised to deploy his energy towards fighting corruption, improving security and repositioning the economy, warning that anyone caught by the long arm of the law for corruption, should be prepared to face the music. Buhari said concerted efforts were being made to secure the release of the last set of Chibok girls, adding that the government was according topmost priority to the violence of herdsmen. He added that Nigeria had been repositioned and had gained the respect of the international community. “I thank the media team in its efforts in recoding recording events and our scorecard. But I cannot thank Nigerians enough for your prayers and goodwill during my health vacation. “I can only replay you by resolving to work by putting every ounce of my energy to
TINUBU: BUHARI’S GOVT YET TO WIN ANTI-GRAFT WAR and Properity,� a mid-term scorecard of the administration, authored by the trio of Femi Adesina, Garba Shehu and Laolu Akande, the president’s media advisers. Tinubu also said though the anti-terror war had not been won, it was not in doubt that Boko Haram had been largely decimated, recalling how the insurgents wreaked havoc on the nation and proceeded to claim a territory within the Nigerian nation. He said never again would the sect’s flag be seen in the country's territory. Tinubu, who described corruption as a dangerous tree that needed to be axed, did not mince words when he said it would take some time to win the anti-corruption war. Nevertheless, he was swift to add that concerted efforts must be made by the government to ensure the battle is won. “President Buhari has set an axe to the root of this dangerous tree. I would be lying if I said the war against large-scale corruption has been won. It has not. “It will take time and countless swings of the axe to fall such a deeply-rooted tree. But try we must. This is what the President is doing,� Tinubu said. The former governor then proceeded to lash out at former President Goodluck Jonathan whom he alleged won a gold medal in corruption and secured a red card in governance. According to him, corruption was so rampant during the last administration that the
nation’s institutions were not only inflicted with the menace but corruption became an institution. Taking a further swipe at the immediate past administration, Tinubu said the former government turned the national treasury into a charity box while corruption grew fat and developed wings, citing how a former minister and those he described as “her rogues gallery� looted the national treasury with impunity. “The prior government used the public treasury as a private hedge fund or a charity that limited its giving only to themselves. So much money grew feet and ran away faster than Usain Bolt ever could. “That which could have been spent on national development was squandered in ways that would cause the devil to blush,� he said. However, Tinubu who said that era of impunity in Nigeria had eventually been conquered, was swift to add that much still needed to be to done to track down agents of corruption. He also called for the review of salaries of civil servants, adding that people of character and competence must be appointed to office to stop corruption. “One minister and her rogues’ gallery picked the pocket of this nation for billions of dollars. While poor at governance, these people could give a master thief lessons in the sleight of hand. “In governance, they earned a red card but in the corruption, they won the gold
medal. “It was not that our institutions had become infected by corruption. Corruption had become institutionalised. Gone are the times when a minister can pilfer billions of dollars as easy as plucking a piece of candy from the table. “We have much to do to combat this disease. Not only must we track down the takers. In the long term, we must review the salaries of public servants and create universal credit for our people to reduce temptation. “We must also take greater care by placing people of character, competence and goodness into key positions. When they fail, they must be removed without remorse or favour. “Unlike its predecessor, this government has demonstrated the will to walk this path. While this might not cause much fanfare or celebration, this cleanses the institutions upon which a nation’s wellbeing is founded with a future assured,� the APC leader said. On the state of the nation’s economy, Tinubu said the biggest long-term challenge confronting the administration was the economy, pointing out that whereas the previous administration operated in the era of plenty, the incumbent who he said was grappling with meagre resources was duty bound to salvage the system, then proceeded to reel out the improvements made so far by Buhari’s government. “The economy remains our
FG COMES UP WITH ACTION PLAN FOR TAKE OVER OF DISTRESSED DISCOS process of restructuring Discos that are found to require new capital injections�. “This would involve NERC, BPE (Bureau of Public Enterprises), the Discos and other relevant parties. This may also involve the takeover of Discos with degraded financial positions,� said the PRSP report. It however explained that before the takeover, technical competence reviews including forensic audits of all the Discos and the adequacy of their technical partners, should be undertaken to ensure that they had not failed in their initial agreements with the government after the
privatisation exercise. The document also revealed that there was an ongoing audit of the performance agreements and all direct agreements the government signed with operators in the sector to ensure that it was in compliance with its obligations. It explained that there should also be measures to address the operational challenges of the Discos, which should include: “Develop case studies to determine the level of load rejections in the network, develop investment plans with clear impact analyses for increase in load across the network and in metering, and ensure regulatory measures are
enforced.� Also at the workshop, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), Dr. Marilyn Amobi, debunked claims by the Discos through their umbrella association, the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), that the electricity they distribute to Nigerians at an average of N31 per kilowatts hour (kWh) is retailed to them at N68/kWh. Amobi, in her response to a question on how much the NBET really sells the electricity it procures from the generation companies (Gencos) to the Discos, stated that its retail price per kWh of electricity
to the Discos had not exceeded N18/kWh. Meanwhile, NERC has invited car dealers in the country to bid to supply it seven sport utility vehicles (SUV) for its commissioners. The regulator, in a procurement notice it recently put out, requested bidders to supply the vehicles with specifications that include 4.6 litre engine capacity and V8 type. It equally noted that vehicles should have full options and must be 2018 models. The commission, however, did not specify the exact make of the vehicles it wants buy, but a price survey conducted by
THISDAY on the commission’s specifications for the SUVs showed that a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 2018 model with full options currently starts from N55 million. During the time of the Dr. Sam Amadi-led board, the commission reportedly bought Ford SUVs for its commissioners who left office in December 2015 when their tenure expired. It was not certain if the retired commissioners left with the SUVs. In the tender notice, NERC said successful bidders would be given just six weeks from the date of the award of the contract to deliver the vehicles.
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TOP GAINERS BOCGASES PZ A.G LEVENTIS SEVEN-UP NPFMFB TOP LOSERS CAVERTON ETERNA HONEYWELL
NGN NGN 0.41 4.56 1.02 21.42 0.03 0.67 4.00 90.00 0.05 1.35 NGN NGN 0.13 1.32 0.23 3.76 0.10 1.90 UNIPRESS 0.14 2.66 VITAFOAM 0.14 2.74 HPE Nestle Nig Plc â‚Ś1,250.00 Volume: 217.750 million shares Value: N11.705 billion Deals: 3,088 As at yesterday 16/11/17 See details on Page 43
% 9.8 5.0 4.6 4.6 3.8 % 8.9 5.7 5.0 5.0 4.8