Lagos releases N2.04bn to pensioners in three month

The Lagos State Government has in the last three months released N2.04 billion to clear the arrears of pensions under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Mrs Folashade Onanuga, the Director General of the Lagos State Pension Commission made this known in a statement in Lagos on Monday.

Onanuga said that the sum represented money released for the months of May, June and July.

She said that N859.06 million was released for the retirees in May, N716.9 million in June and N466.9 million in July, totalling N2.04 billion.
She, however, emphasised that the total pensions fund released by the state government under Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration as of June had hit N38 billion covering  9,214 retirees.

Onanuga said that insurance benefits of N40.2 million were also paid to 15 beneficiaries of deceased employees.

She said that the state employees were expected to have signed-up a Retirement Saving Account with one of the 13 PFAs approved by the state.

The LASPEC boss said the PFAs were AIICO Pension Managers, ARM Pensions, Crusader Sterling Pension, Fidelity Pension Managers, Leadway Pensure, Nigerian Life, and Provident Company, Pension Alliance, and Premium Pension.
The others were Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, Trustfund Pensions, Sigma Pensions, FUG Pensions, and Legacy Pension Managers.

Onanuga said that the governor was committed to the welfare of retirees and was working toward clearing accrued pension backlogs that the administration inherited under the old pension scheme known as Defined Benefit Scheme.


“Retirees that retired solely under CPS for one reason or the other collected their gratuities upon retirement with steady monthly pension payments because the pension funds under CPS is intact,” Onanuga said.

Punch

Ambode boasts of two years achievements without increasing taxes

AgegePulse magazine

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode said that his administration would take necessary steps to eliminate any incidence of multiple taxation in the State, especially at the local government level.

The Governor, said the tax system in the State must be presented in such a way that would be clear to all and sundry.

He, therefore, tasked Professor Sanni to use his tenure in office to address issues relating to multiple taxation, noting that his administration was able to achieve the level of infrastructural development in the last two years without necessarily increasing taxes.

“You know the citizens believe strongly that the way and manner we structure our tax system is done in such instance that we are doing multiple taxation within the local government and the State. That’s one aspect that we think that we can create some kind of partnership to be able to say that in no distance future that nothing exists in Lagos that relates to multiple taxation. I would like that aspect to be something of interest in the course of your research.

“In the last two years, we have seen the level of infrastructural development that we have put in place without necessarily increasing the taxes or levying citizens to pay more taxes. You have seen development taking place in the midst of recession.

“The only way to sustain this growth will be coming from the aspect of how we can sustain the revenue model that Lagos State can use to drive this growth and development in the State”, Governor Ambode said.

The Governor also said that there was a need to grow the financial template of the State.

Lagos could take to secure the next 50 years.

Shun Cultism, Drug Abuse, Truancy - Hon. Egunjobi Advises Youths

In a bid to nip the prevalence of youths involvement in all forms of social vices in the bud, the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, Hon. Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi has advised youths in Agege and Lagos State to eschew the act of drug abuse, cultism and all forms of social vices.

Egunjobi stated this at the National Campaign on cultism for Secondary School students across Agege LGA which was organised by Agege Local Government in collaboration with Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs.

He recalled that youth empowerment was a major agenda on his manifesto during the chairmanship electioneering process adding that his administration is working tirelessly towards eradicating the nefarious social menaces such as drug abuse and cultism prevalent among Agege youths.

The youthful council boss reiterated that efforts are being put in place to engage the youths in various vocational trainings such as Computer Training, Cosmetology, Hairdressing, Catering/Hotel Management, Computer Engineering, Bead Making which would help students/youths to become useful to themselves and the society at large.

“Our administration will organize sensitization campaign and workshop, purposely to let the youth be aware of the dangers in being a secret cult member, its negative effects on them as a person and on the society at large.” Egunjobi asserted.

The Council Medical Officer of Health, MOH, Dr. Akintayo who advised the students to desist from consuming hard substances such as narcotics, cultism, and other illegal activities, said the social vices can truncate the brighter future that God has created for them.

Speaking with Agege Pulse Magazine, DPO, Isokoko Police Division, SP Ayuba NAS, he said crime rate in Agege has drastically reduced to nothing as a result of the monthly security meeting with other Security Agencies and  stakeholders.

He added that the police division is partnering with the youth in order to gather intelligence on how to checkmate the excesses of the evil perpetrators among the youths.

Head of Administration LGA, Engr. Abass, HoD WAPA, Mrs. Odetola, Mr. Ali Ahmed, NDLEA Commandant among other notable dignitaries were all present.

Lagos begins safety audit in schools - AgegePulse

...safety of school children is of great importance - Hon. Hakeem Dickson

The Lagos State Government, through the State Safety Commission, has commenced safety compliance audit/inspection of all public and private schools in line with the policy of the Ambode-led administration to entrench the culture of safety standard across the State.

Speaking at the flag off ceremony, the Director-General, of the Commission, Hon. Hakeem Dickson disclosed that the State Government will ensure that the environment where children spend a greater part of their day is free of hazards.

He reiterated that the safety of school children is of great importance to the state government most especially in the light of the activities of kidnappers in some quarters across Lagos hinterlands.

In his words, "The essence of the audit is to ascertain that safety measures are installed in these schools to safeguard the students and the teachers as well. This is because the present administration is concerned about the overall safety of school children in the state".

Some of the schools visited are Ipakodo Junior and Senior Grammar School, Majidun Junior and Senior, Goshen College, Government Junior and Senior College, Ikorodu, Yintab College, Ayangburen Junior and Senior College, Oriwu Senior College, United Junior High School, Oriwu Junior College, Oriwu Senior College, Maps College amongst others.

The safety audit team is expected to visit private and public schools across the state, without prior notice, to identify hazards in the schools and report to the appropriate quarters for prompt action.

Presidency releases Full list of Buhari’s appointees

The presidency has released the full list of all the appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The release was in response to the recent media report that 81 of the 100 appointments made by Buhari were from the North, while the other regions shared the remaining 19 appointments.

Earlier, Buhari’s media assistant, Femi Adesina had said the claim, initially made by a newspaper, was either an ignorant effort or a mischievous attempt to mislead the public and portray the Buhari administration in bad light.

Below is an updated table of President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments, disproving the allegations of lopsidedness.

Governor Ambode to commence 181 new roads soon

AgegePulse Magazine

...To bridge infrastructure gap between the divisions, districts to make every part livable 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday pledged his readiness to make every part of the State livable by bridging the infrastructure gap between the divisions and senatorial districts.

The Governor who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tunji Bello, at the opening ceremony of the 4th summit of the Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries with the theme "IBILE ECHOES" added that the present administration will make every part of the State economic centres.

“Making every part of the State economic centres is a key strategy to address the challenge of rural-urban migration which has a negative impact on urban infrastructures and other social and economic challenges”, the Governor stated.

He noted that part of what had been done by the Government in this regard is the connection of communities in Ibeju- Lekki and Badagry to the national grid after several years without electric power supply.

“Part of what we have done in this regard is the connection of communities in Ibeju Lekki and Badagry to the national grid after several years without electric power supply. In addition, the 114 roads initiative has been delivered while the 181 new roads will commence very soon”, he said.

Governor Ambode expressed the belief that every division of the State has something to contribute to its collective prosperity if properly harnessed, adding that one of the key policy objectives of the administration is to ensure even development among the five divisions or three Senatorial districts.

He cited the example of the Badagry and Epe axis with its great tourism potentials, stressing that it is one sector with limitless opportunities in terms of wealth and employment creation.

In his words: “We are therefore committed to opening up these two axes through massive investment in infrastructure development and renewal to attract both local and foreign investors. When fully developed, our State will join other cities and countries whose major chunk of foreign exchange comes from tourism”.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Head of Service, Mrs. Olabowale Ademola said members of ALARHOSPS are at a critical turn in the history of the State because its 50th anniversary has been celebrated and this gave them the opportunity to reflect on history and the reasons that Lagos
State is a Centre of Excellence.

She added that the forum will leverage on lessons learnt to chart the course for a brighter and rewarding future.

She, therefore, urged ALARHOSPS members to focus deliberations on the impact of Government’s policies, programmes and projects on communities with a view to developing strategies to improve the effectiveness of Government’s interventions in the areas of socio-economic development, inclusive governance and environmental sustainability.

Also speaking, the President of the Association of Lagos State Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries, Alhaji Omokayode Anjorin who was represented by the 1st Vice-President, Alhaji Mohammed Olagbaye, said in the almost three years of its existence, ALARHOPS has been waxing stronger, expressing appreciation to the Governor for his support at all times.