Month: <span>March 2021</span>

166 Officers of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Agency, (LNSA) have sought the intervention of the State House of Assembly from being relieved of their duties through retrenchment by the Agency.

Following a petition signed and sent to the Assembly by 20 of the aggrieved corps members, some of who are divisional commanders of the security outfit in the state, the Assembly mandated it’s Committee on Information, Strategy and Security headed by Hon. David Setonji, to meet with the petitioners, board and management of the agency on the matter.

At the meeting with the Committee today, the petitioners, led by the Lagos Island Division Commander, Mr. Bashiru Giwa-Bioku appealed to the Assembly to prevail on the Agency to stop the “retrenchment process slated to commence on April 2, 2021 and also regularise their appointments to permanent officers as against the current employment status of contract staff” in which they are placed.

The Chairman of the Board of the Lagos Neighbourhourhood Agency, Mr. Israel Ajao, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, told the committee that the Board was in complete agreement with the point of petition raised by the officers in question, insisting that the issue of contract staff had never been supported by the Board.

He pointed out that, “drawing from experience, LNSC is a law enforcement agency and not a civil service parastatal, therefore, there is a difference in the schedule of an average civil servant and the daily duties of these officers. They work day and night, in rain and sunshine to combat crimes and criminals sustaining injuries and being casualties in the process.”

“The Board in good conscience cannot subject these ladies and gentlemen of the Corps to civil service rules when they do not perform civil service duties. Whilst recruiting and absorbing these officers, we followed the rudiments of the laws in terms of eligibility which made no mention of qualifications and age.”

Highlighting sections from the law that established the Agency, Ajao stated that “when the issue of letter of appointment came up to those recruited and absorbed, the officers were appointed as contract staff as prescribed under the civil service rules due to their lack of record of service.

“As I debated at the Security Council, the propriety of the Civil Service Rules is not in question but some of the rules are counter-productive and cannot be applied in a law enforcement agency like LNSC. We would like the Committee to implore the Speaker, Rt.Hon. Mudashiru Obasa as the leader of this noble Assembly, to support our position that these people should be allowed to continue their service and their salaries should not be tampered with until we find a permanent and final solution to the crisis,” he maintained.

Mr. Bajulaiye Adegboyega, General Manager of the Agency, who implored the Committee to dispassionately look into the issue explained that, as the head of administration of the Agency he was obligated to apply the Public Service Rules to determine the appointment of the Officers as contract staffs, which according to him is renewable for 2 years.

“The issue now is where we stand after the expiration of the two years, which is why I mentioned that the Committee needs to look dispassionately into. The Chairman has enumerated those grounds that should be considered in their favour to enable them enjoy the benefit of elongation with the peculiar nature of their job. These officers are committed and passionate and they are the experienced hands that will mentor the new recruits coming in. That said, I am only obliged to follow the rules of Public Service but to every rule there is always an exception and it should be the exception that we should hinge on to enable them enjoy desirable remunerations,” he said.

Having heard from the Chairman of the Board, General Manager and representatives of the Officers facing the impending retrenchment; a member of the Committee, Hon. Ganiyu Okanlawon said that, “It is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this pitiable situation, I wonder why people like these are used and dumped, having worked since 1996 with no promotion. We have enormous job on our hands to redress this untoward impending retrenchment such that these people do not labour in vain.”

“They are not pensionable and we cannot allow them to become social menace in the society. We need to review the Agency’s Law to redress this issue so that we can begin to do saner things,” he added.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. David Setonji, who was visibly not happy with the shabby treatment of the petitioners, commended the Board of the Agency for deploying wealth of experience and initiative to handle the petition in supporting the Officers in question. He requested the Board to forward the regulations and all other necessary documents that can assist the Committee’s effort in redressing the issue to the House of Assembly.

“We need to review this Law, however, lawmaking takes longer time and rigorous processes but we need to solve this problem now,” he lamented.

The Committee thereafter resolved that the retrenchment of the officers should be suspended until further notice. The chairman of the committee also directed that the Head of Service, top officials of the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions should appear before the Committee on Thursday next week for further briefings on the issue.

As the second phase of the inspection exercise on projects executed by Local Governments and Local  Council Development Areas, LCDAs in Lagos commenced, the House Committee on Local Government Administration and Community Affairs visited Mushin Local Government, Odi Olowo LCDA, Lagos Mainland Local Government, Yaba Local Government, Iba LCDA, Ojo. Local Government and Oto Awori LCDA, Badagry Local Government, Badagry West LCDA, Olorunda LCDA, Surulere Local Government, Itire Ikate LCDA, Coker Aguda LCDA, Lagos Island Local Government, Lagos Island East LCDA, Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, Ikorodu West Local Government, Ikorodu Central LCDA, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Ijede LCDA, Ikorodu North LCDA.

Hon. Olayiwola Olawale Abdul Sobur; Chairman of the Committee expressed satisfaction over projects executed by the council bosses. “They have performed relatively well but I must say I am not impressed with what I saw at Iba LCDA. It appears government money is not judiciously spent here at Iba LCDA” he lamented.

Hon. Olawale Age Sulaiman a member of the Committee also noted that the council bosses have tried to meet the yearnings of the people in various councils and charged them to do more. He added that the exercise is also aimed at ensuring cordial relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms at the councils.

While at Ikorodu , The House Committee rejected the claim by the council bosses of Ikorodu Local Government, Ikorodu West LCDA and Igbogbo/ Baiyeku LCDA for poor performance due to low allocations received.

Hon.Olawale disclosed his displeasure while reiterating that There is enough funds from the Federal and State governments for the local governments, he stated that the problem he saw is inability of the Local governments to generate revenues creatively.

Olawale maintained that there are commercial ventures around the community which the councils can tap into to improve on their Internally Generating Revenue (IGRs), he further tasked them to fashion out modest ways of generating funds to help the Councils develop its infrastructure.

Speaking also, Hon. Kehinde Joseph dismissed the excuse of low income as stated by the council chairmen, he further probed the judicious spending of the approved allocation.

“Their level of allocation does not commensurate with what they have done; looking at what we have seen here, most of you became chairmen over three years ago and nothing much to show for it.”

“If they are saying they do not have enough funds, are they judiciously spending the ones they have collected?” He added

Other Members on the inspection tour are; Hon Rasheed Makinde, Hon. Nureni Akinsanya, Hon. Olawale Age Sulaimon, Hon. Kehinde Joseph and Hon. Olawale Olayiwola Abdul Sobur.

In a bid to monitor the Joint Account Committee (JAC) funds issued to Local Governments in Lagos State, the Lagos State House of Assembly’s Committee on Local Government Administration and Community Affairs on 1st March 2021 embarked on an inspection tour on all 20 Local Governments and 37 LCDAs in the state to have a first hand knowledge on how the funds are expended.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Olawale Olayiwola Abdul-Sobur, who led a 5-Man delegate on the inspection, noted that the tour is aimed at checking the excesses of the Councils in terms of infrastructural developments, health care provision, road networks, drainages, education and also; to look into the relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms in the Local Governments.

The first port of call was Agege Local Government where the Committee was conducted round by the Council boss Hon. Ganiyu Kolawole Egunjobi. Egunjobi showcased already completed projects as well as the ongoing projects. Part of the completed projects are the Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa legislative building, rehabilitation of council secretariat and Agege Primary School while the Agege health center under construction is set to finish by end of July 2021.

Other councils visited were Orile Agege LCDA, Ojokoro LCDA, Ikeja Local Government, Onigbongbo LCDA, Ojodu LCDA, Mosan Okunola LCDA, Ayobo Ipaja LCDA, Agbado Oke LCDA, Alimosho Local Government, Egbe Idimu LCDA, Igando Ikotun LCDA, Kosofe Local Government, Agboyi-Ketu LCDA and Ikosi-Isheri LCDA.

Hon. Olawale Abdul Sobur while commending the Chairmen of the Councils visited so far, said “we have seen the good job they have put in place, we have examined their books and seen the list of projects completed and the ongoing projects which is part of the reason we are here”. What we have seen in the Councils so far is commendable and we encourage them to do more so the electorates can feel the impact of quality representation in their various Local Government Areas.

Speaking on the harmonious relationship between the Legislative and the Executive in the council, Hon. Sobur urged Chairmen to see that there is synergy between then and implored them to promote cordial relationship for ease of work. He further urged the Chairmen who have their legislative buildings under construction to emulate the newly constructed legislative building in Agege Local Government.

Hon. Kehinde Joseph a member of the Committee, in his remarks while at Agboyi-Ketu LCDA said “The way the Council Chairmen have utilized tax payers money in carrying out laudable projects is very commendable and we pray them not to relent in their good works’

However, Hon. Nureni Akinsanya after commenting the council Chairmen noted his displeasure in the erection of structures on existing structures, he said ‘ while inspecting we noticed some new structures being erected on existing buildings which I totally do not support. For safety and integrity of the building, it is best to bring down the old building and construct a new one”. Hon Akinsanya cited an example “If you look at the 411 road in Okunola, the contractor started drainage with 16mm rods and at the end they started using 10mm. If the council engineers are on ground to surpervise the contractors such things won’t be seen”. He therefore advised the council engineers to give their best while carrying out their duties.

Hon. Rasheed Makinde while adding his remark at Agbado-Oke LCDA said “The Chairmen have done well, this shows that tax payers money are been used and expended on projects that will benefit lagosians and the general public” I commend the Chairmen for what they have done within their 3 years in office.

Other members in the committee on the inspection tour are; Hon. Olawale Age-Sulaiman, Hon. Kehinde Joseph, Hon. Nureni Akinsanya and Hon. Rasheed Makinde.

The second phase of the inspection tour will commence 8th March 2021.

Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday at the Assembly Complex quelled the displeasure of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, nationwide protesters over moves by the National Assembly to remove the national minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list.

It would be recalled that the congress had declared protest in all 36 State Houses of Assembly and National Assembly in Abuja, against a bill seeking to remove the negotiation on minimum wage sponsored by Hon. Garba Mohammed, a representative from Kaduna in the House of Representative who stated that the bill is to allow both the Federal and State governments to freely negotiate minimum wage “with their workers in line with our federalism.”

Opposing the plan, the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC described the bill as an attempt to undermine Nigeria’s working class in the past forty years to free itself from the manacles of slave wages and savagery working conditions.

Speaking at Lagos Assembly, Chairman, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter Com. Gbenga Ekundayo expressed his dismay, immediately seeking for the intervention of the Lagos State House of Assembly to put a stop to the bill.

“This minimum wage is not only about the government, it covers every working class Nigerian and to remove the wage from the exclusive list to concurrent is an increase in challenges that we do not need.”

Com. Ekundayo strongly maintained that, “Any attempt to do otherwise will be violently restricted as the sweat of labourers must not dry up before their salaries are paid. Leave our minimum wage alone.”

Also contributing, Chairman, NLC Lagos Chapter, Dr. Funmi Agness Sessi appreciating the House of Assembly Members for salvaging the situation stated that Nigerians are not happy with government policies as they tend to hurt the people especially on the matter of the minimum wage bill.

While agitating that the bill must not see the light of day; Dr. Funmi described the ₦30,000 minimum wage as a “starvation wage” which is an unpopular policy against the masses.

Having listened to their contributions; Hon. Solaja-Saka Nurudeen, Member of the Lagos State House of Assembly gave kudos to the NLC Lagos State Chapter for their comradeship in the fight for justice and common interest of the people; assured them that their message will be delivered to the appropriate quarters.

Other Members present at the protest include, Hon. Okanlanwon Sanni, Hon. Adewale Temitope, Hon. Setonji David, Hon. Slyvester Ogunkelu, Hon. Tijani Surajudeen and the Clerk of the House, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, has been named and decorated the first ever grand patron of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Lagos state.

The honour was bestowed on the Speaker on Tuesday by a delegation from the Lagos branch of the notable body led by its chairperson, Adeola Akinwunmi Ekine, as part of this year’s International Women’s Day celebration.

Adeola noted the association with over 500 members had followed the activities of the House over time, particularly as they relate with the focus on the protection of the female gender in Lagos.

According to her, the association is happy that the House had constantly spoken and legislated against domestic and gender-based violence as well considered a bill to curb the incidences of rape.

Apart from these, the chairperson noted that the Speaker brought pride to Lagos with his successes he achieved as the chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria.

She also commended the House for the ensuring live broadcast of plenary activities saying this had eased the process of gathering and writing stories.

While pledging the support of the association for the Speaker and his activities, Adeola noted that NAWOJ under her leadership in the state had plans to touch the lives of residents and attract young people to take interest in the journalism profession.

Commending the association for honouring him, Speaker Obasa described journalism as a respected profession across Nigeria and the world.

He, however, said there was need for the professionals to self-regulate themselves as well as create a system to sanction fake journalists and carriers of fake news among them.

“It is very important. When you look at the Nigeria Bar Association as a body, there are internal mechanisms where members who err are dealt with,” he said.

Noting that there are fakes in other professions, Obasa, who said he had been a victim of blackmail by some fake media practitioners, argued that sanitizing the journalism profession would save the genuine media organisations and the true journalists from issues of trust from the public.

In a related development, Speaker Obasa on Tuesday admonished the Lagos state Muslim Pilgrims Board to idealise ways of better service to pilgrims who travel to Saudi Arabia through it.

Obasa said this when members of the board led by its executive secretary, Isola Rahman, visited him to solicit for support and cooperation with members of the House ahead of pilgrimages to the holy land.

Obasa, who urged the board to establish a relationship with the House Committee on Home Affairs, added that better services to pilgrims would attract many more residents who want to travel through the board.

Rahman earlier commended the Speaker for sponsoring many less privileged Muslims on pilgrimage adding however, that general patronage of the board had dwindled over time possibly as a result biting economic challenges.

He solicited for the support of lawmakers ahead of future pilgrimages.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, has said his dream is to ensure that the state-owned university (LASU) catches up with top with top tertiary institutions across the world.

Speaker Obasa said this on Tuesday when he received the Lagos State University Alumni Association led by its vice president, Norrison Quakers, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Obasa, who noted that majority of the lawmakers in the State Assembly are products of the institution, said the House is poised to make it compete favourably with others across the globe.

Currently, according to the Speaker, “There is hardly any institution in the country that lasu cannot compete with shoulder to shoulder.”
He commended the alumni association saying it was obvious its efforts have paid off for the institution.

“There is need to come together and build the society especially considering the factor that binds us together which is LASU. I cannot disengage myself from LASU and LASU cannot disengage itself from me.

“On our own as representatives of the people, we have been doing our best in terms of lawmaking to keep building that institution,” he said citing how the House passed a legislation that resolved the crisis in the appointments of LASU’s vice chancellors.

He said the House had always ensured requests involving LASU are made parts of the budget so that the institution would always meet the requirements of the NUC for accreditation. “This shows we are conscious of the need to grow the institution,” he added.

The Speaker promised that the House would continue to liaise with the executive arm led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the benefit of the institution and for future generations.

Earlier, the delegation commended the Speaker for his effective leadership of the House of Assembly saying his activities as a product of the institution had assisted it with the successful accreditation of its law faculty.

The body described Obasa as a pride of LASU, both because of his position as Speaker and success in the leadership of the legislative arm of the state.

Noting that the association had many programmes lined up to benefit LASU and Lagos residents, the members of the alumni said they were at the Assembly to partner with the Speaker.

The alumni said one of its proposed programmes assist indigent students of the school graduate and become useful individuals in the society.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, has described the just opened 1.4km Agege-Pen Cinema flyover as the result of the robust relationship that exists between the executive and the legislative arms of government.

The bridge was opened by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at an event attended by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, leaders of the party and top government officials.

Speaking at the event, Obasa recalled how he first moved motion on the floor of the House and later reintroduced it during the 8th Assembly.

He said following the reintroduction of the motion, the project was supported by the executive arm and added in the budget.

Speaking about the project, Obasa who said he was excited, added: “This shows collaboration and strong relationship between the executive and legislature in Lagos state.

“We recognise the doctrine of separation of power but it is not the end if there is no collaboration among the arms of government.

“We enjoy the cordial relationship between the House and the executive and this has brought employment and development to the state.”

Citing how the state has further benefited from relationship between the arms of government, he noted: “The initiative of Neighborhood Watch is an arrangement between the Assembly and the executive and today the security outfit has employed thousands of people.

“This shows that collaboration between the two arms of government can create employment.

“This relationship among us will continue because any motion that fails to get the support of the executive ends there,” he said.

The Speaker appreciated Governor Sanwo-Olu and the members of the Assembly for the roles they played which resulted in the completion of the project.

He also thanked Asiwaju Tinubu for laying the foundation for the sustenance of the growth, development and progress of Lagos State.

Obasa described the project as a dividend of true governance as well as the desire of the APC to meet the yearnings of the people.

He also urged the governor to continue to do more for the people of Agege as there is more to be done in the area.