The governor who spoke at Mba Street, Ajegunle location of the hospital which is the fourth to be handed over by the present administration added that maternal and child health remains critical determinants of global and national health.

“Women of child bearing age and the pediatric age group constitute a significant and vulnerable segment of the good people of Lagos State. We cannot underplay the crucial and unequalled roles our mothers play in the nurturing and growth of our children and consequently, our nation. We will continue to strive for their utmost comfort and safety”, the governor said.

Governor Fashola disclosed that the first three maternal and child care centres which are located in Ikorodu, Isolo and Ifako Ijaiye were handed over in the first quarter of 2010 and have collectively in their first 21 months of operation recorded a total of 89,255 ante natal clinic attendances.

He added that during the same period, the three hospitals dealt with 15,091 gynecologic clinic attendances out of which 5,335 children (4.4percent) required hospitalization. Of the total of 9,689 deliveries conducted to date in the three hospitals, 3,653(38percent) were caesarean sections.

He disclosed that the Ajeromi Maternal and Child Care Centre which is being handed over actually commenced operation in July this year and has as at November recorded ante natal clinic attendance of 2116, gynecology clinic attendance of 783 and pediatric clinic attendance of 4,423 out of which 254 required hospitalization.

The governor said the Ajeromi facility has also recorded 254 deliveries inclusive of 94 caesarean sections and 31 gynecological surgeries and expressed hope that the availability of the services would complement other maternal and child survival strategies being implemented by the State.

He also used the occasion to reiterate his message about the need to control the rate at which the people procreate stressing that birth control and family planning are the responsibility that everyone must take seriously.

“Our war against poverty will be difficult to win if nothing is done to aggressively control our population growth. If we control the number, the feast will be plentiful”, he stated.

P.M.News

The party disclosed this during its stakeholders’ meeting held at its secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

The meeting, which was presided over by the party chairman, Otunba Henry Oladele Ajomale, was attended by Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; former Deputy Governor Abiodun Ogunleye; ACN vice chairmen, Cardinal James Odunmbaku (Lagos West); Adeseye Amingo (Lagos Central) and Akanni Seriki-Bamu (Lagos East); Mainland ACN leader, Hon. Wale Oshun; former Head of Service, Yaqub Balogun and House of Representatives member, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Others are Commissioner for Rural Development, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi; his Transport counterpart, Comrade Kayode Opeifa; Alhaji Mutiu Are; Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele; Mrs. Kemi Nelson; Chief Funso Ologunde; Primate Charles Odugbesi; Hon. Toba Oke; Huntonyon Bamgbose and Hon. Goriola Agbara, ACN chairmanship candidates among others.

Ajomale thanked the chieftains and members of the party for keeping faith with it, assuring them that they would not lose out when dividends of democracy are distributed at the grassroots.

The national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, charged members to brace up for the local government election scheduled for 22 October, saying that the party deserves victory across the pre-existing 20 councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas.

The former Lagos State governor called for unity, reconciliation and harmony in areas where the primaries conducted by the chapter created tension and intra-party disagreement, reminding party stalwarts that they would always find accommodation within the larger collective interests.

Tinubu reviewed the primaries, lamenting that many members wrote spurious petitions against incumbent council chairmen.

He said the false petitions were ignored because the party believes in truth, fairness, justice and rule of law.

“Some petitions written against the chairmen were not true. Don’t because you want to remove a chairman continue to write false petitions. Remember the judgment day. Councillors should also desist from running after money after elections. Councillors who threaten their chairmen with impeachment would be impeached instead, if they do not inform the party leadership.”

The former governor, who said the party leadership had approved the list of candidates for the polls, advised Ikeja ACN leaders to resolve their misunderstanding at home.

He said the party had no reason not to field the council boss, Hon. Wale Odunlami, as its chairmanship candidate.

He explained that the Chairman of Agege Council, Jubreel Abdulkarim, had to be given a second chance because the allegations against him were false.

Urging the ethnic nationalities in Lagos to continue to support the ruling party, he said Arewa and Igbo must have supervisory councillorship slots in Agege and Ojo Local Government councils.

He frowned at the attitude of members who have blocked the gates of council secretariats against some outgoing chairmen, reminding them that their tenure would only expire when they hand over to their successors after elections.

The party leader said the Ajomale Executive Committee had quashed the purported impeachment of the Agbado-Oke-Odo Council outgoing Chairman, Pastor Kenny Okunmuyide, affirming that he would serve his tenure to the end.

He urged the candidates and party members to work for the success of the party in their local government areas.

Tinubu advised members of the party in Isolo LCDA never to succumb to threats.

He said: “Don’t be afraid. I heard that they brought sacrifice to the council secretariat. Get a keg of petrol and pour it on the sacrifice. It will be consumed by fire and that will be the end.

P.M.News

Mr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA), in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Ikeja, said that the gesture was aimed at giving the victims succour.

Oke-Osanyintolu told NAN that the affected residents of Apata in Shomolu Local Government Area, Lekki, Orile-Agege, Ifako–Ijaiye and other communities ravaged by the flood, would benefit from the materials.

He said that the disbursement of the materials, including household items and other consumables, would be handled by a special committee comprising officials of relevant ministries.

The committee, he said, which included officials of the Ministries of Health, Environment, Town Planning and Urban Development as well as Special Duties, would be headed by the General Manager of LASEMA.

The general manager added that the exercise would hold on Friday at the Lagos secretariat.

Oke-Osanyintolu said that the government would continue to respond to the needs of residents in emergency situations, adding that it was committed to the well-being of all its citizens irrespective of their situation.

On the recent Nigerian Meteorological Agency‘s (NIMET) prediction that Lagos might experience another flooding, the LASEMA boss said there was no cause for alarm.

“Lagos is at currently taking proactive measures to prevent flooding as well as expanding emergency capacities to confront any eventuality.

“It is an integrated approach involving relevant ministries working together, yet each doing its own bit to ensure that the flooding that trailed the July 10 downpour does not reoccur.

“We are dredging canals and building more relief camps, among others, so Lagos residents should not panic. The government is up to the task,” he said.

P.M.News

The Lagos ACN has cautioned those who have formed the habit of picking bad roads in the metropolis and post on the internet and other social media to give the impression that Governor Fashola does not care about fixing roads in Lagos.

In a release signed by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, the party says it is wickedness, unrealistic, inconsequential, petty and cosmetic for anybody to descend so low as to deceive the public and the world that Governor Fashola neglects roads in Lagos even when it is crystal clear that he has made monumental investment in roads in almost every area in Lagos in the past four years.

“We note that sometimes some of these bad roads being posted on the internet just to ridicule the Lagos State Government are federal roads and state government finds it difficult if not impossible to work on federal roads without clearance from the Federal Government. For instance, for close to 10 years now, the Lagos state government has been asking the Federal Government to hands off the Lagos Airport Road for rehabilitation and all to no avail. Recently also officials of Ondo state government rehabilitating bad portions of Ore-Benin Expressway were chased away by federal officials from Federal Ministry of Works.”

The party says while the government of ACN Lagos cannot build all the roads in Lagos in one fell swoop, the hardworking and committed governor is handling the road issue one by one. “It may take years to build all roads in Lagos but surely we will get there”

Igbokwe added: “We note also that there is no area in Lagos that cannot boast of at least one new road in the past four years. Meticulously and with every sense of commitment and responsibility, the Governor of Lagos State is aware that much still needs to be done on matters of roads in Lagos ”

“We believe that people are free to express themselves in a democracy but such freedom should not be used to deceive the public. We hold the view that it would have been nice for those posting these pictures to show balanced reporting by showing many of the newly constructed roads in the metropolis at least in the past four years, placing them side by side with the bad roads so that the people will know better.

“We urge Lagosians and Nigerians to continue to support Governor Fashola as he continues to show leadership in Nigeria . Governor Fashola means business in carrying out his duties as a governor and his huge legacies in the past four years are there in the open for all eyes to see. Fashola dreams big for Lagos and Nigeria and he puts everything: hard work, integrity, honesty, commitment, character into the business of governance.”

P.M.News

LAGOS—The Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has described as wicked and petty, alleged attempt to portray Governor Babatunde Fashola as a failure in the area of road rehabilitation.

Noting the reported posting of Lagos bad roads on the internet by critics, ACN said such action was unmindful of the great strides of the administration in the rehabilitation of Lagos roads.

The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, in a statement in Lagos, boasted that there was no area of Lagos that cannot boast of a new road in the past four years.

He said: “We note that sometimes, some of these bad roads being posted on the internet just to ridicule the Lagos State Government are federal roads and state government finds it difficult, if not impossible, to work on federal roads without clearance from the Federal Government.

”For instance, for close to 10 years now, the Lagos State Government has been asking the Federal Government to hands off Lagos Airport Road for rehabilitation and all to no avail. Recently also officials of Ondo State Government rehabilitating bad portions of Ore-Benin Expressway were chased away by officials from Federal Ministry of Works.”

The party says while the government of ACN in Lagos cannot build all the roads in Lagos in one fell swoop, the hardworking and committed governor was handling the road issue one by one, adding “it may take years to build all roads in Lagos but surely, we will get there.

“We note also that there is no area in Lagos that cannot boast of at least one new road in the past four years. We believe that people are free to express themselves in a democracy but such freedom should not be used to deceive the public. We hold the view that it would have been nice for those posting these pictures to show balanced reporting by showing many of the newly constructed roads in the metropolis at least in the past four years, placing them side by side with the bad roads so that the people will know better.

“We urge Lagosians and Nigerians to continue to support Governor Fashola as he continue to show leadership in Nigeria. Governor Fashola means business in carrying out his duties as a Governor and his huge legacies in the past four years are there in the open for all eyes to see,” he added.

Vanguard

The Lagos State House of Assembly debate on Tenacy Bill ended on Wednesday as Governor Babatunde Fashola signed it(bill) into law.

With the new law, any landlord who collects more than a year rent from a new tenant will spend three months in jail or pay a fine of N100,000.

Also, any landlord who demands for a rent of more than six months from a sitting tenant will be liable to six months in jail or pay N100,000 fine.

Forcible eviction of a tenant by any landlord attracts six months jail term or N250, 000 fine.

Forcible ejection or eviction of a tenant includes removal of the roof or doors to an apartment by a landlord or his caretaker or agent.

Fashola, who also signed the state Park and Gardens Bill, said the onus had fallen on property owners to be at the forefront of making life bearable for those who do not own property in the state.

He added that if property owners made sacrifice, many things would change for the better as price indices would move in a more affordable direction and everyone would be better for it.

The governor said, “Let us remember that property owners are privileged when compared to tenants. This law seeks change like it is done in all decent societies by asking the privileged to sacrifice a little so that the underprivileged can have a survival chance.

“This is the reason why this bill has been commended even before it became a law. It seeks to protect the poor and the underprivileged. A society that cannot protect the underprivileged cannot protect the privileged.”

Fashola reiterated his administration’s commitment to the provision of affordable housing in the state, stressing that details of implementation would soon be made public.

He said the law had done a lot to reduce and simplify personal service (like the use of agents and lawyers), notice to quit and alternative dispute resolution.

He said, “It seeks to ask us to stop passing the cost of our solicitors and our agents because after asking for two years rent, we also ask the tenant to pay landlord’s agent fees and the landlord’s lawyer’s fees who will make an agreement in favour of the landlord.

“That tenant has a right to also go and engage his own lawyer. This is the character and representative essence of our democracy. This is the law our people want.”

On the Park and Gardens Law, he said it was in furtherance of the environmental policy of the government.

The Punch

•Protests continue over appointment of acting Appeal Court President

As protests continue across the country over the recent suspension and replacement of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has urged adherence to the principles of law as the only means of sustaining democracy in the country.

Fashola spoke at Lagos House, Alausa, on Tuesday while addressing members of a civil society group, Nigerians For Rule of Law, who had gone there to present, through him to President Goodluck Jonathan, a letter of protest against the suspension and replacement of the Appeal Court President.

Acknowledging the rights of all Nigerians under the Constitution to express their grievances concerning any matter of national interest, Governor Fashola, said such actions should comply with the principles of law which have proved most enduring in the protection of the people.

“Let us all stick to the principles of Law. They have proved historically, time after time, to be the most enduring principles that will protect all of us”, the Governor said adding that the wheel of justice may be slow but it would eventually reach its destination.

He commended the group for choosing a peaceful protest to express its grievance and said since the action being complained about by the group is already a subject of litigation, the courts should be allowed to do their work.

“You have chosen to express your dissatisfaction in a manner that is peaceable and without any disruption of law and order. What you are complaining about is a grievance about the breach of law. Now, we must all agree that you cannot break the law to enforce the law”, the Governor said.

He promised to act “as courier” for the letter presented to him by the group for onward transmission to the President adding, “I will ensure that it gets to the addressee of this letter in the shortest possible time”.

Earlier, before presenting the letter to Governor Fashola, the convener of Nigeria for Rule of Law, Comrade Declan Ihekaire said members of the group were at the Government House to express their grievance over the recent development in the Judiciary which, according to him, “is the last hope of the man in the street”.

“The Nigerian people are not happy with recent developments in the Judiciary which is the last hope of the man in the street. We have come today to do what the masses want us to do.”

“We want to say to you that Nigerians are not happy the way and manner Justice Ayo Salami was purportedly removed and suspended from office by a few cabal who do not even know what democracy is all about. They have been preaching rule of law but they are not practicing rule of law. What they are practicing is rule of shame”, he said.

Some of the placards carried by the protesters read “Why, Jonathan Why?”, “No Salami, No Democracy”, “Nigerians reject JUSTICE Salami’s Removal”, “Removal of Justice Salami is a threat to our Democracy”, “Jonathan, Removal of Salami is unfair”, “Removal of Salami is the handiwork of PDP”.

On Monday, Governor Fashola also received members of Coalition of Civil Society Groups Against Injustice who came to hand him a letter for transmission to President Jonathan protesting  the removal of Justice Isa Ayo Salami.

Governor Fashola who expressed concern that within a very short time, a decision was taken to supplant President of the Court of Appeal whilst there was a pending court action on the issue, said he was shocked at what seemed the very quick rush by the President to give effect to the recommendations of the National Judicial Council on the matter, adding that there were more important problems facing the nation that should take the President’s attention.

The Nation

Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday  condemned President Goodluck Jonathan for hurriedly approving the suspension of the President of the Appeal Court, Justice Ayo Salami, describing the action as an “abuse of rule of law”.

Deputy Speaker  Taiwo Kolawole, who raised the issue under Matter of Urgent Public Importance, noted that the judiciary has always been seen as the holiest amongst other institutions in the country.

Wondering whya few people in the National Judicial Council (NJC) will go ahead to suspend the president of the Appeal Court on a matter pending in  Court, Kolawole condemned Jonathan for approving what he described as an illegality.

According to him, Salami is a man that has done a lot of good things, especially concerning the election petition tribunal. But the NJC decided to suspend him just because he refused to do what is not legal. This is condemnable and must be treated as such by all.

Contributing, the member representing Epe Constituency 11, Segun Olulade maintained that what the NJC has done amounted to an abuse and total disrega for Rule of Law. He praised the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for its planned boycott of  the swearing-in of new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).

Olulade however, urged all Nigerians to come up with one voice and condemn  President Jonathan and the NJC’s action.

On his part, Sanai Agunbiade from Ikorodu 1 Constituency wondered why the NJC could take such an action on a matter that is pending in  court. “It is worrisome that the NJC can no longer even respect the court,” Agunbiade added.

Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji noted that the development portends a bad omen for the country’s nascent democracy and the nation’s judiciary.

Ikuforiji, who said he held the President in high esteem, lamented that “the worst I have seen of Jonathan’s administration is that he approved a recommendation from a small team; a cabal from the NJC. Jonathan should go back to his scripture and  be reminded of history.

“He is not thinking of the unity of this country, because there are germane issues out there for him to attend to. He should concentrate on restructuring the country,”  Ikuforiji said.

He wondered if the President ever  considered the repercussion of his action.

The House in its resolution, however, called on members of the National Assembly to stand by the popular position and out rightly reject the position of President Jonathan.

The Nation

The national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said that there will be third term for two local government chairmen in the state.

Tinubu, who disclosed this during the stakeholders’ meeting at the party’s secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, however, refused to mention the affected councils but added that the issue has been agreed upon by the leadership of the party and the governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola.

At the meeting, the party also resolved to allow chairmen and councillors who are completing their tenure to go for a second term.

He said the party has resolved to allow serving chairmen to renew their mandates because what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

The former Lagos State governor who spoke on the outcome of the party leaders’ meeting, which preceded the stakeholders’ meeting, urged members to get ready to battle the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the council polls.

Party elders and leaders said that second term ticket was not a blanket offer, adding that chairmen who did not perform would not be picked.

The meeting, attended by all the top leaders of the party across the councils, was addressed by the Asiwaju himself, who urged members to return home to prepare for the election.

At the meeting chaired by the party chairman, Otunba Oladele Ajomale, were Governor Babatunde Fashola, Pa Olatunji Hamzat, Pa Busura Alebiosu, Pa Akanni Seriki, Pa Akanni Suara, Pa Tajudeen Olusi, Pa Olorunfunmi Basorun, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora and Mrs Folake Sokunbi.

Others were Hon. Ademorin Kuye, Hon. Kayode Opeifa, Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye, Hon. Ebenezer Akinbolade, Hon. Kehinde Babalola-Adepoju, Primate Charles Odugbesi, Alhaji Mutiu Are, Chief Funso Ologunde, Comrade Joe Igbokwe, Chief Alabi Macfoy, Chief Lanre Rasak, Dr Tola Kasali, Hon. Lanre Odubote, Hon. Arole Fansy, Hon. Abiodun Mafe, Hon. Ayodele Adewale, Hon. Huntiyun Bamgbose and Dr Augustine Arogun.

P.M.News

In the continued effort of his administration to improve security and environmental sanitation in the State, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, (SAN), Thursday met with members of the State’s Neighbourhood Watch, Community Development Councils (CDCs) and Community Development Associations (CDAs).

The meeting was to sensitise them on their roles in the implementation of government policies, especially at the grassroots.

The meeting, which took place at the Banquet Hall of the Lagos House, Alausa, had in attendance 377 Watchers, representing the 377 wards of the state, 114 Neighourhood Coordinators (NECO) officers, seven State Coordinators and 57 Community Development Council Chairmen, representing the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas as well as chairmen of Community Development Associations in the state.

Before the meeting went into close session, Governor Fashola who welcomed all the participants to the meeting, thanked them on behalf of all elected officials in Lagos State for their assistance in enabling the administration deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

The Commissioner for Rural Development, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, while answering questions from newsmen on the meeting said the governor charged the watchers with the responsibility of providing information to the police and other relevant government agencies on the issue of security and environmental sanitation.

According to him, the governor was particular in soliciting the support of the CDCs and CDAs to ensure that the state is kept clean as well as to ensure that the state is secured, pointing out that when the state is kept clean and secure, investors would come in thereby creating jobs for the unemployed in the state.

On Okada riders, the commissioner said, “These are people residing within our environment. We are not saying they should not do business, but they should do it with moderation. The law says by 10 pm, they should not operate. We have found out that men of the underworld are using Okada to operate. The governor is of the opinion that with the help of the CDCs and CDAs, we can curb the menace of men of the underworld.”

He gave a commitment that the new term of the administration would witness increased activities as it will not rest on its oars, stating that a trip round all parts of the state would reveal that developmental work has not stopped in any part of the state.

Answering questions from Government House Correspondents after the meeting, Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello said the meeting centred on the need for the Neighbourhood Watchers, the CDCs and the CDA’s to assist the government in the areas of crime detection and prevention, maintenance of clean environment and protection of State Government facilities.

The Commissioner, who noted that there is a seeming increase in crime immediately after the general elections, said the Watchers, the CDCs and CDAs were charged to provide useful information to the police to enable them prevent crime, pointing out that they were best positioned to detect criminals in their communities.

Also speaking with newsmen on the meeting, Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Wale Ahmed said the meeting looked at ways of introducing some security measures at the grassroots level.

“The eyes of the Federal Government cannot see everything up to the grassroots level because most of the time they do not know what is going on in the states and if we are now talking about constitutional amendment, those are the issues that should be addressed instead of talking about single tenure or double tenure.

“I think one of the germane issues to be addressed now if we are to amend our constitution at all is the issue of State Police but that is not a matter of if but a matter of when it would come to pass. In this country, states would be in charge of the police but before that comes we have to have people at the grassroots level that will not bear arms, would not carry guns but would be a body that watches what is going on in the community at the grassroots level.”

Also addressing the newsmen after the meeting, the Chief Neighbourhood Watcher, Alhaji Musiliu Sanni, said the members of the Neighbourhood Watch will try their best and also seek the permission of the governor to meet all the royal fathers and let them realise that matters of security is the responsibility not only of the police or Neighbourhood Watch members but everyone.

“We must all come together and protect our people, so we are meeting all the royal fathers, we are meeting the Baales and would give them the message of the governor that we should all work together and protect Lagos State,” Alhaji Sanni added.

The State Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Alhaji .Kolawole. Dosunmu while also speaking with newsmen said the duty of the members is to disseminate all the information received at the meeting to the people at the grassroots level.

P.M.News