Building collapse: Lagos to investigate agencies over corruption

The Lagos State Government has said it is investigating alleged corrupt practices by some operatives of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, and the Lagos State Building Control Agency.


According to a statement by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tayo Bamgbose-Martins, in Alausa on Friday disclosed that the move became imperative sequel to the allegation of malfeasance against LASPPPA and LASBCA staff in an investigative media report.
According to the commissioner, the government was not oblivious of the fact that while majority of staff act to uphold professionalism and good ethics, there might be a few others who compromise their position and connive with others to denigrate the system, adding that observers would do well to come up with names of perpetrators as against making them anonymous to aid investigation.


He said, “The two agencies, which have been doing their best to sanitise the Lagos building environment, have been mandated to fish out the bad eggs within their fold who have been complicit in illegal building construction, such erring officers would be made to face punitive actions in line with the public service rule.”
Bamgbose-Martins urged members of the public to embrace the ethos of building right and shun the temptation of making recourse to underhand practices as physical planning regulations remained the hope of the Lagos megacity faced with strong population and land use pressures.


Whilst not ruling out the possibility of impersonation in the matter, he urged the public to be weary of touts who sometimes parade themselves as officers, adding that the government had made it mandatory for all members of staff to conspicuously wear their identity cards for easy identification.
Recalling some of the many steps taken by the state government to ease planning permit approval processes and enhance monitoring of the building environment, he said that the government had increased the number of LASPPPA and LASBCA district offices, devolved approval powers to the district level and embarked on the adoption of e-planning permit and automation of processes of the ministry and its agencies to eradicate delays and remove undue interference in the approval process.


He added, “The administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the state, in line with its T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of making Lagos a 21st century economy, has prioritised citizens participation through massive sensitisation and the establishment of the Lagos State Physical Planning and Building Control Appeals Committee to hear petitions from members of the public on physical planning and building control infractions.
“Other measures are the promotion of whistle blowing policy, which allows Lagosians to report observed misdemeanors through various platforms including the state toll-free lines, 112 and 767 as well as the Lagos MPP&UD mobile app on Goggle Play and Apple Store.”
The physical planning commissioner assured Lagosians of the unwavering commitment of the Sanwo-Olu administration to livable, organised and sustainable building environment through seamless and effective regulatory procedures as demanded by the smart city drive of the administration.

Source: Punch News Paper.

UNILAG alumni to hold dinner, awards night Dec

The University of Lagos Mass Communication Alumni Association has announced its plans to hold its annual Dinner and Awards night on December 3, 2022.

According to a statement by the alumni association on Wednesday, the venue of the event will be at De Rembrandt Hotel, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos.

The statement revealed that there would also be special recognition awards for 10 veterans, with categories such as Broadcast Journalist of the year, Public Relations Professional of the year, Advertising Professional of the year, Print Journalist of the year, Online Professional of the year, Lecturer of the year, UMCAAite of the year and Most Participatory set of the year.

This year, the new categories of awards were said to have been introduced to appreciate illustrious members, individuals, and sets, who had contributed immensely to the development of the department and the growth of the association.

The Chairman of the Award Sub-Committee, Eniola Mayowa, stated that the 2021 dinner and awards were big and loud but this year would be bigger and better.

She said, “You have seen the sights and sounds of the 2021 dinner and awards, the 2022 edition promises to be bigger and better. You will have to do the nominations. And it has more awards and recognitions. It is a beautiful way to end the year.”

The Chairman of the Dinner and Awards Committee, Tunde Awobiyi, noted that the 2022 dinner and awards will be bigger and more colorful.

He said, “This year’s dinner will be different and special because it will be a 3-in-1 event: the dinner proper, swearing in of the new executives, and awards for deserving UMCAAites,” he said.

Credit: Punch News Paper.

NURTW Factional Leaders Arrested Over Lagos Mayhem

On Monday, The Lagos State Rapid Response Squad announced the arrests of two factional leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Abdulazeez Lawal, aka Kunle Poly, and Adekunle Mustapha, aka Sego, over a clash in the Idumota area of the state.

The arrest was confirmed on the Facebook page of The RRS in a post posted on Monday.

The post read, “The Lagos Rapid Response Squad, led by its Commander, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, this evening (Monday), arrested the two principal suspects in the constant clashes in Idumota and its environs, which has intermittently crippled commercial activities in the area.

“The arrest was effected today at a meeting where the two NURTW members, along with some other stakeholders, converged.

“The latest clash, which occurred last Thursday, reportedly led to the death of a victim, while commercial activities were paralysed in the area for some time until a joint team of police officers were deployed in the area to restore peace.

“Kunle Poly and Sego are presently being transferred to Zone II, Onikan, Lagos State.”

According to Punch correspondent, two persons lost their lives during the clash, which involved factional members of the transport union in Idumota.

Stop MC Oluomo From Becoming Oba Of Oshodi, Olushi Onigbesa Family Begs Sanwo-Olu

The Olushi Onigbesa royal family has appealed to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to stop the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mr Musiliu Akinsanya (popularly known as MC Oluomo) from becoming the Oba of Oshodi.

The Head of the Olushi Onigbesa royal family, Kabiru Eyantan, said this on Wednesday during a press briefing.

He said, “The attention of the Olushi Onigbesa royal family of Oshodi Awori Kingdom has been drawn to the picture of Alhaji Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo, Chairman, NURTW in Lagos State circulated on numerous social media platform where he was dressed in traditional kingly attire intended for an Oba in Yorubaland.

“Our attention has also been drawn to the trending videos and news in social and conventional media with reference to the message delivered by a first class Oba in Ikorodu Division at the coronation anniversary of Oniba of Iba Kingdom in Iba Town, Ikeja Division on the issue of intended aspiration of Akinsanya to become Oba of Oshodi.

“We plead with the Lagos State Government to avert communal crisis, breakdown of law and order and bloodshed in Oshodi community, if urgent action is not taken by our proactive and peace-loving Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to stop MC Oluomo from soliciting to become the Oba of Oshodi or laying claim to the Obaship stool.”

Eyantan added that Akinsanya was not eligible to the throne of the Oba of Oshodi.

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