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EDO 2018: Obaseki assents to budget of N150bn

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…As LCCI calls for more reforms, to boost efficiency at Lagos ports***

The Executive Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki on Friday assented to the 2018 budget of N150.09 billion pledging 95 per cent implementation before the end of 2018.

The Edo House of Assembly had on Dec. 21 passed the state’s budget with an increase of about N3.4 billion, sequel to the Governor’s budget proposal presentation on November 29, of N146.6 billion, made up of N66.7 billion recurrent and N79.8 billion capital expenditures to the legislature for consideration.

Assenting to the budget in Benin, the governor described the occasion as ‘historical’, noting that it was the first time in the history of the state a budget was given assent before the beginning of the new fiscal year.

“It shows seriousness of both arms of government and it also demonstrates the level of alignment between the legislative and the executive,” he said.

The governor commended the legislature for fine-tuning the budget, saying that the increment of about N4 billion was realistic going by the current crude oil prices.

“The ratio of capital to expenditure is now better; 2018 will be much better than what we experienced in 2017.

“We will implement the budget to bring succour to the people of the state,” he said.

Earlier, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Kabiru Adjoto, had said the budget was designed to meet with the prevailing realities as well as for the benefit of the people of the state.

Adjoto said the legislature increased the budget allocation for agriculture and infrastructure to allow for revenue generation for the state.

In  the meantime, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on the Federal Government to initiate new reforms to bring about greater efficiency and productivity at the ports.

The LCCI Director-General, Mr Muda Yusuf made the call in the chamber’s 2017 Economic and Business Review document released to newsmen on Friday in Lagos, stressing that port users and operators currently faced major challenges and bottlenecks, due to deplorable state of roads, leading to Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports, as well as resulting from other infrastructure and technology breakdown.

According to him, estimates from LCCI research on Maritime Ports Reform reveals that billions of naira is lost annually due to inefficiencies and shortcomings in the nation’s ports.

He said that to enhance efficiency at the ports, there was a need to adopt and enforce an Integrated Advance Cargo and Customs Clearance System with scanning, and tracking (SST) capabilities.

Yusuf also urged the government to implement the National Trade Data Centre project that would be readily accessible to all agencies, operators and stakeholders at all times to eliminate inherent abuses.

The LCCI boss said that full implementation of a Single Window Platform was a vital reform measure with potential to create immediate positive impact in the ports.

He called for an improved private sector investment toward building and managing ports infrastructures such as roads, rail and truck parks with online call-up systems.

Yusuf urged the government to enforce the Presidential Order that reduced the number of public sector agencies/departments operating at the ports from 14 to six.

The LCCI boss appealed to shipping companies to establish adequate holding bay for empty containers to decongest the ports.

He said that from the Chamber’s research, the port could double its 2016 non-oil volume of 1.1 million 20-foot equivalent unit container transit over the period of 2018 and 2019, if the reform measures were implemented.

Yusuf said that effective implementation of the reforms would create 10,000 new jobs within the port sector and lead to approximately 800,000 additional jobs in other sectors over the same period.

Economy

YULETIDE Decorations: LASG To Divert Traffic At Ajose Adeogun

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YULETIDE Decorations,: LASG To Divert Traffic At Ajose Adeogun

The Lagos State Government will divert Traffic, away from a section of Ajose Adeogun Street in Victoria Island, for the mounting of end-of-the-year decoration, for a duration of three weekends starting from Saturday 19th October 2024.

The aforementioned exercise, according to Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi,  will be carried out in three phases with each phase focusing on different sections of the street. 

To this end, the following alternative routes have been mapped out for motorists during the cause of the mounting; 

 During the First Phase which will cover Jubril Martins to Chicken Republic – (Saturday, 19th and Sunday, 20th October 2024)

Traffic inward Eko-Hotel Roundabout will be diverted to the other half (existing section) of Ajose Adeogun Street by VCP Hotel to form contra-flow traffic and exit at Eko-Hotel Roundabout to continue journeys.

Alternatively, Traffic inward to Eko-Hotel Roundabout from VCP Hotel will be diverted through Jubril Martins into Muri Okunola to link Patience Coker and access Ajose Adeogun Street to connect destinations.

During the Second Phase which will cover Molade Okoya Thomas to Mounis Bashorun section – (Saturday, 26th and Sunday, 27th October 2024). 

Traffic inward Ajose Adeogun Street from Eko-Hotel Roundabout will be diverted to a right turn into Molade Okoya Thomas to link Younis Bashorun to access Ajose Adeogun Street to continue journeys. 

During the Third phase of the project spanning 10 meters inward Ajose Adeogun (Saturday, 2nd November, 2024).

Motorists from Adetokunbo Ademola Street will maintain a lane movement for about 10 metres into Ajose Adeogun Street to connect their destinations, while Motorists inward Eko-Hotel Roundabout on Ajose Adeogun Street will maintain a lane movement for about 10 metres into Eko-Hotel Roundabout.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi while imploring Motorists to note the ease of movement plan assured that the State’s Traffic Management Authority will be on ground to manage vehicular activities along the corridor to minimise inconveniences.

The Commissioner therefore advised Motorists to be patient, as the Partial closure is part of the traffic management plans for the commencement of End of Year Decoration of Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, by Zenith Bank PLC.

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Economy

NLC Kicks, Says Petrol Hike Will Further Deepen Poverty, Job Loss

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NLC kicks, Says Petrol Hike Will Further Deepen Poverty, Jobs Lost

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has kicked against the current petrol price hike, stressing that the latest increase in the pump price of petrol will further deepen poverty as production capacities dip.

The Congress added that the increase would lead to more job loss with multidimensional negative effects, and therefore, demanded its immediate reversal.

NLC’s position is contained in a statement signed by its President, Mr Joe Ajaero on Wednesday in Abuja, titled, “What next after increase in pump price?”.

The labour leader said the previous increases had not produced any good results, rather, people only got poorer.

He said the Congress was dismayed by the latest increase in the pump price of petrol without commensurate capacity of Nigerians or mitigatory measures.

“Even following the logic of market forces, we find it an aberration that a private company (NNPCL) is the one fixing prices and projecting itself as a hegemonic monopoly.

“We challenge the government to go to the drawing board and present us with a blueprint for inclusive economic growth and national development instead of this spasmodic ad hocism and palliative policy.

“It needs no stating the fact that the latest wave of increase has grossly altered the calculations of Nigerians once again at a time they were reluctantly coming to terms with their new realities,” he said.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had raised the pump price of petrol by 14.8 per cent to N1,030 per litre from N897 across its retail outlets in the FCT.

Earlier in September, the NNPCL had increased the price of the product from N615 to N897.

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Economy

LASG Signs Mou For Green Line Mass Transit

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LASG Signs Mou For Green Line Mass Transit

…Assures that rail transit will seriously improve commuting within the metropolis

The Lagos State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the Green Line Rail Mass Transit Project which is to span the expanse of Lekki corridor within the state.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi highlighted this, in response to questions raised by the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Transportation, led by Hon. Temitope Adewale, the Chairman during a courtesy visit of the committee to the ministry.

The Transport Commissioner stated that the addition of the Green Line to the existing Blue Line which has transported over 2 million passengers since its inception and the Red Line which will convey 750,000 passengers daily at its kick-off, will significantly improve commuting within the state. He also said that the plan for the second phase of the Blue Line, Mile 2 to Okokomaiko is underway.

Mr. Osiyemi also disclosed that the Ministry was currently working on creating 2 Interchanges to ensure the interconnectivity of the modes especially in areas where all of the available modes exist (Road, Water and Rail), adding that the interconnectivity of the modes was deliberate to ensure that there is no lacuna in the implementations of these plans.

Speaking on the areas of concern raised about the Lekki-Epe Corridor and the impact of the refinery along the axis, the Commissioner elaborated on the modality of the E-call Up System.

He explained that 7 trailer parks are available to prevent trucks from loitering on the corridor as well as an RFID which will ensure compliance with the e-call-up system as it will expose any truck not scheduled to be at the port or parks.

He also revealed that plans are also underway to ensure containers are moved via water on barges in ten’s to further reduce the congestion on the corridor.

In affirmation, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olawale Musa explained that the number one hindrance to fully digitised enforcement is the lack of data.

He decried that many motorists especially commercial vehicles submit incorrect data to the Government due to the use of agents to procure vital vehicular and driver documentation hence the continued use of physical enforcement. 

He further stated that the Ministry has prioritized training of its enforcement and traffic management officers to ensure that they deliver on providing sanity on Lagos roads.

The Chairman House Committee on Transportation, Hon. Temitope Adewale applauded the Ministry for living up to its responsibility as the first on the THEMES+ Agenda, he enjoined the Ministry to provide a project status report to enable the House of Assembly to monitor and stay abreast of the plans of the ministry and as well support the projects in line with their functions as representatives of the people.

Expatiating on the development, the Deputy Director Public Affairs, Bolanle Ogunlola (Mrs.) noted the presence of other members, which included Hons. Afinni Olanrewaju, Slyvester Ogunkelu, Olootu Emmanuel and Kazeem. O, alongside other Officers from the Lagos State House of Assembly, as well as the Management of the Ministry of Transportation.

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