#EndSARS: Osinbajo, Gbajabiamila, Sanwo-Olu, Others Move to Rebuild Lagos Infrastructure

November 17, 2020

It’s a gathering of prominent people from all walks of life as the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State Government formally inaugurated an eight-man team led by the Chairman of Citibank Nigeria, Yemi Cardoso, at an event tagged “Consultative Forum on Rebuilding Lagos” held at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium in Alausa.

The forum was attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; Senator representing Lagos West, Solomon Adeola; Chief Judge of Lagos, Kazeem Alogba; and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, represented by the group’s Executive Director, Mansur Ahmed.

Also, captains of industry, members of organised private sector and members of diplomatic corps graced the event aimed at restoring the infrastructure destroyed in the wake of violence that trailed the #EndSARS protests.

Speaking at the event, Osinbajo described Lagos as a critical federating unit around which Nigeria’s fortune is tied.

He said as a city with flourishing economy, Lagos deserved the support of both the government and private sector to heal, noting that the task of reconstructing the destroyed assets would be painful and costly.

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Osinbajo charged the rebuilding committee, which was announced fortnight ago, not to be discouraged by the enormity of the task before them, while also urging them to pursue the rebuilding process with an objective to restore trust between the government and citizens.

The vice president pledged President Muhammadu Buhari’s support for the Lagos State-led recovery effort, but said the presidency still awaits the full report of Lagos destruction in order to know the level of support required from the Federal Government.

According to him, “On behalf of the Federal Government, let me assure you that we stand with the great people of Lagos as you undertake this difficult journey of rebuilding the lost assets. It my conviction that Lagos and the nation at large will emerge from this crisis better and stronger.”

Also speaking at the event, Gbajabiamila said the level of destruction was heartbreaking and the loss on hardworking people was monumental, praising Sanwo-Olu for his doggedness and courage to lift the spirit of Lagos State in the face of devastation.

The Speaker said the effort to restore Lagos would go beyond budget, adding: “It requires special intervention from the Federal Government.”

In his remarks, Sanwo-Olu described the proportion of the devastation suffered by Lagos State as unprecedented, saying the coordinated violence set Lagos economy, the fifth largest in Africa, back by hundreds of billions of Naira.

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The destruction, the governor said, tore down the fortress of Lagos commerce built over centuries ago, adding that those who carried out the violence made an attempt to ruin values that stood the state out as centre of creativity and innovation in the country.

Sanwo-Olu said the consultative forum was to set the stage for the necessary public-private partnerships and collaborations required for the task of rebuilding and restoration of the infrastructure that was destroyed.

He said: “The violence we witnessed last October is the most widespread carnage the state has seen in decades. Every aspect of life and livelihood in Lagos was affected – government buildings, offices, public monuments and historical archives, public infrastructure and very sadly too, private property and investments.

“The violence has, no doubt, set our economy back by hundreds of billions of Naira, and impacted our confidence.

“We have, however, found hope and great strength in the offers of assistance from far and wide, which culminated in the constitution of the Lagos Rebuild Committee to coordinate our efforts to rebuild and upgrade our state.

“We seek to restore the infrastructure that was destroyed, to revive the energy and confidence of everyone who has been affected by these losses, to help restore the confidence of the people of Lagos in the infinite potentials of Lagos. Lagos State Government cannot do this alone. We need all the help that we can get.”

The governor disclosed that his administration would be setting aside a huge amount of money as the state’s collateral in the recovery effort, adding that the Cardoso-led team that would be coordinating the Trust Fund would be given legislative backing through an Executive Bill that would soon be transmitted to Lagos State House of Assembly.

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He promised that money that would be donated into the Trust Fund would go into rebuilding and re-tooling security infrastructure, strengthening public transportation systems, restoring judicial and local government operations, rebuilding damaged public monuments.

Sanwo-Olu emphasised that transparency and accountability would be foundational elements in the implementation of the mandate of the rebuilding committee, noting that the fund-raising and disbursement would be supervised by FBN Trustees Limited.

Emefiele, on his part, said the unrest impacted greatly on the national economy, adding that Lagos particularly must sustain the recovery effort to protect its economy from catastrophic consequences.

Given the magnitude of losses and devastation that trailed the unrest, the CBN governor disclosed that Bankers’ Committee and key stakeholders in the private sector would be unveiling a recovery blueprint next week to support all households and businesses affected by the crisis.

The intervention being delivered under Coalition Against COVID-19 (Ca-COVID) Alliance would lead to an effort of rebuilding all the razed police stations and a five-year plan to generate millions of job for the youth.

“I am pleased to note that the Ca-COVID Alliance will, over the next week, be unveiling a blueprint that will provide details of our planned support that positively affect households and businesses. This is in addition to measures that will create millions of jobs for our youths over the next five years. Many parts of the country were affected by the unrest, but Lagos remains the worst hit.

“The Ca-COVID Alliance is fully aware of the vital relationship between security and a prosperous economy. The damage done on police stations in different parts of the country can undermine provision of adequate security, which is vital to households and businesses.

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“The Ca-COVID Alliance is committed to the rebuilding and rehabilitation of all the 44 police stations destroyed in the unrest. More than half of the police stations are in Lagos; funds will be provided to rebuild these stations,” Emefiele said.

He added that Bankers’ Committee had started to take stock of private businesses destroyed in the violence, pointing out that those with existing loan facilities and those with no loan would be supported to come back on their feet.

Also speaking, Cardoso promised that members of the rebuilding committee would give their full commitment to the recovery process, pointing out that the best decision Sanwo-Olu took was to get the private sector involved in the rebuilding effort.

“The task may seem though and arduous, but it is not unachievable. We will do it,” Cardoso assured.

Other members of the rebuilding committee are: the Managing Partner, Olaniwun Ajayi LP, Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN; Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman; Co-founder and CEO, Flutterwave, Gbenga Agboola; Vice Chairman, Standard Chartered Bank, Bola Adesola – all representing the private sector – and a representative of an International Donor Agency.

Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Jimi Hotonou, are members of the committee representing the public sector.

Idowu Sowunmi

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#EndSARS: House of Reps Commits to Supporting FG’s Efforts to Rebuild Lagos, Others

Tobiloba Kolawole

November 16, 2020

FB_IMG_1605568805098 — Speaker of Nigeria House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that the House is ready to support the interventions of the Federal Government to rebuild Lagos and other states worst hit by the recent EndSars protests.

Gbajabiamila also tasked Lagosians to put heads and resources together to rebuild the state in view of the destruction of properties worth billions of naira in the state.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Board of Trustees of the Rebuild Lagos Trust Fund on Monday in Lagos, Gbajabiamila said he was heartbroken after going round the state for an on-the-spot assessment of the devastation that followed the unrest.

He said it is time for Lagosians to put aside partisan politics and stand up to rebuild the state, saying “I believe more than ever before that saying, Eko o ni baje, and the quick reply is, O baje ti’.

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“I believe in my heart, that this saying can never be truer than now, that Eko o ni baje, o de baje ti. (Never will Lagos go bad, never).

“We will rebuild this state with everything that we need, with all the tools at our disposal, we will rebuild Lagos. This is the time to prove it, that Eko o ni baje,” he said.

He said in rebuilding the state, there should be a public-private partnership, which he said would be one of the best ways to face the task.

“I think it goes beyond budget or appropriation. It will call for a special intervention from the Federal Government to make sure that monies are devoted, not just to Lagos, although Lagos bears the major devastation.

“So it’s going to be panoramic; it’s going to be for all the states, but we all know that Lagos bears the brunt of the devastation.

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Gbajabiamila said in working for Nigerians, the 9th House would try as much as it could to abide by its slogan, which is ‘Nation Building: A Joint Task.

“So we will pull all our friends and colleagues and talk to them that we don’t look at this from a state or political prism but a nationalistic point of view and make sure that what needs to be done would be done.

“We will remain our brother’s keepers. That’s what we do in the National Assembly, be our brother’s keepers, and that’s what we will do for Lagos State and the rest of the country.”

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Labour Union in Nigeria Rejects Another Hike in Petrol, Knocks Government on Failed Responsibilities

Tobiloba Kolawole

November 16, 2020

The immediate reversal of the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol has been demanded by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday.

The demand was made known In a statement by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who condemned the increase in the price of the product by the Federal Government.

It stated that the recent hike in petrol pump price has worsened the level of pain and anguish in the country.

According to the NLC, it is worrisome to make Nigerians continue to suffer for the failures of successive governments to properly manage the nation’s refineries.

It added that the development has questioned the explanations made by the government on the payment of subsidy.

The union insisted that the nation would not have been in its present position if the government had been alive to its responsibilities.

It warned that Nigerians have a limit to tolerate the continued increase in the price of refined petroleum products and other essential goods and services.

On the way forward, the NLC asked the government to fix the nation’s refineries, stressing that several options were available to tackle the trend of high prices of refined petroleum products.

Among other recommendations, it asked the government to declare a state of emergency in the downstream petroleum sector and seal refining deals with refineries closer to Nigeria.

A file photo of an attendant filling the fuel tank of a car.

The union was, however, silent on what action it would take if the increased price was not reversed.

The Federal Government had announced a new pump price band for petroleum products, raising the ex-depot price of petrol to N155.17, making marketers sell between N165 and N173 per litre to consumers.

Read the full statement by the NLC below:

THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS CONDEMNS AND REJECTS THE RECENT INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF PETROL (PREMIUM MOTOR SPIRIT)

There is no doubt that there is great disquiet in the land over the extraordinary level of inflation in the country. The recent increase in the pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) has only exacerbated the current level of pain and anguish in the country.

The recent increase in the pump price of PMS is clearly against the spirit and content of what Organized Labour agreed with government at the last negotiations over the last fuel price increase.

It has also cast in very bad light our utmost good faith with regards to government explanations that it lacks funds to continue bankrolling the so-called subsidy payments as such would sooner than later cripple the entire economy, throw the country into severe economic crisis and cause loss of jobs in millions.

While we await the full recovery of our refineries as contained in our agreement with government, Nigerians cannot be made to bleed endlessly for the failures of successive government to properly manage our refineries, ensure value for money for the numerous Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) which were poorly and barely executed and the horrifying lack of interest in prosecuting public officials and private business people who have profited from the rot in our petroleum sector and the collective misery they have imposed on the general population.

The truth is that we would not have been in this precarious situation if government had been alive to its responsibilities. There is a limit to what the citizens can tolerate if this abysmal increases in the price of refined petroleum products and other essential goods and services continue.

While we fix our refineries, there are a number of options open to government to stem the tide of high prices of refined petroleum products. One is for government to declare a state of emergency in our downstream petroleum sector. As a follow up to this, government should enter into contract refining with refineries closer home to Nigeria.

This will ensure that the cost of supplying of crude oil is negotiated away from prevailing international market rate so that the landing cost of refined petroleum products is significantly reduced.

Government should also demonstrate the will to stamp out the smuggling of petroleum products out of Nigeria. We need to see big-time petroleum smugglers arraigned in the court of law and made to pay for their crimes against the Nigerian people. Government has the resources available to it to ensure this economic justice to Nigerians.

The question in the minds of many Nigerians is if government is willing to go headlong against major financiers of the major political parties known to the public as the architects of the current national woe.

We also demand that Nigerians should be carried along on the distribution of refined petroleum products. Information of the distribution of petroleum products to petrol stations should be advertised and made public knowledge.

It should not be difficult to establish the average time it takes a petrol station to exhaust its supplies. There is already an established market trend which will help government fix the rot in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.

Second, we call on government to review the entire process of licensing for modular and bigger refineries. It is queer to depend on the enterprise of one man to fix Nigeria’s downstream petroleum subsector. The more public and private refineries in play, the higher the competition.

This would serve end consumers who would benefit from lower prices. Organized Labour will not accept a fait accompli of the monopoly of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector or the emergence of a cartel of Oligarchs whose end game is mass pauperisation.

Third, in line with our recent agreement with government, we will be receiving updates in the next few days from our unions in the petroleum sector which have been given the mandate to keep surveillance on government promise to overhaul our public refineries.

We will also receive updates from our representatives in the electricity review committee. The updates we receive will determine whether the government has kept to its side of the bargain which is to take serious steps to recover and reposition our public refineries.

The outcome of this engagement will determine our response in the coming days. But while we are at that, we condemn the recent price increase, and we call for its reversal with immediate effect.

Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni

President

16th November 2020

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Nigerian Troops Kill Armed Bandits, Rescue Kidnapped Victim

Tobiloba Kolawole

November 16, 2020

In continuation of aggressive clearance operation to stamp out banditry and sundry crimes in North-West zone of the country, troops of Operation ACCORD have recorded significant successes.

Troops of Operation ACCORD on Sunday 15 November 2020 while on Night patrol at Yar Tasha village made contact with armed bandits and engaged them in firefight, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, Major General John Enenche said in a statement on Monday.

“During the encounter, 3 armed bandits were neutralised while others escaped with various degree of gunshot wounds. Equally, 3 AK 47 rifles were recovered during the operation.

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In another development, the defence chief said: “following credible intelligence on movement of bandits, troops conducted fighting patrol to Natsinta and Dawanna villages in Jibia Local Government Area along Katsina-Jibia road.

“In the course of operation, 10 suspected bandits migrating with rustled livestock were arrested. Upon interrogation, suspects claimed that they migrated from Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State to Niger Republic.

“Suspects were arrested with 88 cows and uncomfirmed number of sheep.

“Suspects are currently in custody undergoing further investigation.”

Similarly, troops deployed at Ungwan Doka on 15 November 2020, rescued one kidnapped victim named Adamu Yahaya.

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According to General Enenche, preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was kidnapped at Unguwar Sa’ida village in Faskari Local Government Area.

“The victim has been reunited with his family. Currently, the gallant troops have continued to dominate the general area with patrols to provide security for locals and deny bandits freedom of action”, General Enenche stated.

He added that the Military High Command commends the gallant troops for their professionalism and encourages them to intensify the onslaught against the criminal elements in the country.

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#EndSARS: ‘Do not Intimidate Nigerian Youth, Unfreeze Accounts’ – Tunde Bakare

Tobiloba Kolawole

November 16, 2020

images (20) — Serving Overseer of The Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC), Pastor Tunde Bakare

The Serving Overseer of The Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC), Pastor Tunde Bakare, has condemned the clamp down on #EndSARS protesters noting that the older generation cannot afford to keep ‘sinful’ silence over the incident.

Bakare, who disclosed this in an address in his church on Sunday also condemned the freezing on accounts of #EndSARS promoters describing it as some of the actions recently taken by the government which needs to be reversed.

“As our nation returns to the drawing board in the wake of the #EndSARS protests, I have observed with keen interest the policy actions and positions taken by national and subnational governments to address the broader issues of youth development in Nigeria.

“Truth be told, this season of our national life requires deep humility, sobriety, and deliberate thinking through, both by the government and the governed, in order to ensure that our plans, policies, and actions are weighed before they are implemented to avert the re-occurrence of our most recent crisis.

“In light of the foregoing, some of the actions recently taken by the government on the heels of the EndSARS protests may need to be reversed sooner rather than later in our collective best interest so that they do not trigger further protests.

“Among such policy, actions is the freezing of the accounts of young Nigerians who reportedly sponsored the protests,” he said.

Bakare adds that although he accepts that under the country’s extant laws, banks may freeze an account upon an ex parte order granted to a law enforcement agency by a court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of the investigation, but this Law should not be used to intimidate Nigerian youth simply because they engaged in and promoted protests against the inactions of government.

He said, “targeting and arresting citizens on trumped-up charges, deploying court probes as a tool of intimidation, and generally eroding our fragile peace, are deeply worrisome signs of regression.”

Speaking concerning the shooting of protesters, Bakare who is also the Convener, Save Nigeria Group (SNG) lamented that this is painful.

“As I reminisced on the unfortunate incident of the shooting of unarmed protesters by Nigerian soldiers, I recalled with solemnity how I almost lost my life in the Ali Must Go protests as armed policemen fired live bullets into a crowd of students protesting peacefully.

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“It is painful that the younger generation has had to face the same beasts we fought in my generation. This is why we cannot afford to keep sinful silence when the youth of our nation are being oppressed by a Nigerian state that is supposed to protect them,” Bakare said.

He however commended the Federal Government for taking some actions like the disbandment of SARS; setting up a panel of inquiry with youth representatives; and the launch of N75B Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (N-YIF), Bakare urged the Federal Government to reverse the decision of freezing the account of #EndSARS campaigners.

“I commend these actions by the Federal and state governments. They have, to an extent, been forced to self-reflect and align with the times,” he said.

Channels TV

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Police in Lagos Raids Black Spots, Arrests 720 Suspects with Incriminating Items

Tobiloba Kolawole

November 16, 2020

IMG-20201008-WA0200-1024x683 — Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu

The Lagos Police Command on Sunday arrested 720 suspects with incriminating items including locally-made guns and life cartridges, charms, weed suspected to be Indian hemp, substances suspected to be cocaine and some items suspected to have been looted from various shopping outlets within the state during the recent Endsars violence.

According to a statement by Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos Command, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, “the raids was carried out at 7am simultaneously on identified black spots, reasonably believed to be harbouring criminals and hoodlums, across the fourteen (14) Area Commamds in Lagos State”.

The police spokesman stated that the sting operation was in line with the command’s resolve to launch an offensive against criminality and lawlessness in Nigeria’s commercial capital.

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“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, who matched his words with actions, had earlier warned and directed police officers and men to move against lawlessness and criminality in Lagos. He affirmed the zeal of the command to sustain the operations, even, beyond the yuletide season.

“CP Hakeem Odumosu has however directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of SCID, panti, to commence discreet investigation on the arrested suspects for immediate prosecution. He also urged those whose items were looted during the recent Endsars violence to come up for claims of their items with prove of ownership.”

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Furthermore, the police commissioner was said to have commended officers of the Lagos Police Command.

“The police chief commended the officers and men of the command for the successful operations, while he charged them to be at alert for more operations across the state” Adejobi stated.

Following the violence that erupted after hoodlums hijacked the EndSARS protest, the Lagos Police Command relaunched its anti crime strategies to curb crimes and criminality across the state, and solidify the security apparatus of Lagos State.

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Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway Ready By Christmas 2020 – Ogun Governor

Tobiloba Kolawole

November 15, 2020

images (19) — File Photo! Governor of Ogun State in South-West Nigeria, Prince Dapo Abiodun

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, weekend, declared that the 14.7km Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway would be ready for use by Christmas 2020.

Governor Abiodun said: “The contractors have assured me that they will intensify work on this road. I have insisted because we have Christmas approaching, and so, they must complete one segment of this road – one lane all the way to Ijebu-Ode.

“They, in turn assured me that in the next 10 days, they would have completed about eight to nine kilometres of one lane, and promised to ensure that by Christmas, the entire stretch going all the way from Epe to Ijebu-Ode is completed.

“Furthermore, we’ve just awarded the interchange flyover contract that will allow for ease of traffic from this road into Ijebu-Ode and onto the expressway, so that we do not have a situation where people are speeding on this road and they run onto Sagamu-Ore Expressway and then we begin to have accidents like we’ve seen in other interchanges or intersections.

“It is going to be a loop, that has been awarded. The contractor has started to mobilise and get ready to begin that loop.”

Abiodun added that the opening of the road would further open up the corridor for more industrial activity, while noting that the road when completed would also increase the efficiency of travel and longevity of road.

The governor pointed out that the road, when completed, would not only connect Ogun State to Lagos State, but connect the mid-western states of the country to the eastern part.

He noted that the road would also help to reduce the burden of traffic on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“This road connects not just Ogun State to Lagos State. It connects the rest of the mid-western Nigeria to the eastern part of the country, so by doing this road, we are increasing the efficiency of travel, and longevity of the road itself.

“This stretch will now be open to more industrial activity as Lagos is expanding along Lekki corridor: this is where you have the Free Trade Zone, Dangote Refinery. Industrial expansion is in this area, so we are opening up this road to increased economic activity,” he said.

Abiodun said his administration has awarded the construction of Molipa Expressway, while noting that construction work would soon commence as the contractors have already been mobilised.

In their separate remarks, some residents, Oluwaseun Odumade and Oluwatoyin Omotayo, appreciated the Abiodun administration for the quality and network of road construction in Ijebu-Ode-Epe, Imowo-Ibadan and Awujale Palace-Stadium roads.

They noted that the roads when completed would aid the economic development of Ijebu-Ode in particular, and Ogun State in general.

Idowu Sowunmi

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With Estimated $3.46M Income, Comedienne Emmanuella Builds House for Mum

Tobiloba Kolawole

November 14, 2020

Emmanuella 8 — Popular Nigerian comedienne, Emmanuella Samuel poses in front of the newly built house she built for her mum.

Award winning commedienne, Emanuella Samuel, has given her mother a newly built house as an early Christmas gift.

The Popular comedienne announced this on her official Instagram page where she has a following of 471,000.

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“I built this for you mom. For all the prayers; all the encouragement and support. Mummy, I know you said you want a portable house and this is it. But forgive me because I must complete your mansion for you next year. Don’t worry, it won’t make us go to hell; my super Christmas mummy. I love you.”

The 10-year-old rose to limelight with her funny skits which she posts on her social media accounts.

With a portfolio of between 1.6 million to over 6 million viewers on youtube, the Mark Angel Comedy label through which Emmanuella syndicates her comedy series earns an income of $ 577K – $ 3.46M, youtubers.me stated.

In the last 90 days, the award-winning comedian has earned a net income of $104k.

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In 2018, Emanuella was invited to the National Assembly by Senate President Bukola Saraki on account of her landing a role in a Disney film. In 2016, Emanuella won the award for Top Subscribed Creator from YouTube at the inaugural edition of the Sub-Saharan African YouTube Awards. She also won the Best New Comedienne & Princess of Comedy awards at the Afro-Australia Music & Movie Awards (AAMMA). She was hosted by CNN in November 2016.

Emmanuella’s awards and achievements include a 2015 G-Influence Niger Delta Special Talent Award and an ambassador to several brands.

Photos:

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Opposition PDP Accuses President Buhari of Insincerity with Fuel Price Regime

Tobiloba Kolawole

November 14, 2020

PDP-Buhari — Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has tackled the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government over the hike in new fuel price.

The opposition party rejected an increase in the pump price of fuel to N170 per litre by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, describing it as wicked, unbearable and unacceptable, particularly given the prevailing excruciating economic crunch already foisted on Nigerians by the Buhari administration.

The party insisted that the increase in the pump price would worsen the already suffocating economic situation in the country.

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“Such hike will also be an additional log tied on the economic neck of Nigerians,” PDP said.

The party noted that the APC-led administration has “no justification to increase the cost of fuel to anything above N100 per liter talk less of N170, when there are practical options to maintain affordable price given our production capacity and potentialities.”

“It is evident that the continuous increase in the pump price of fuel under opaque and nebulous indices is a product of incompetence and large scale corruption being perpetrated by a few individuals in the Buhari administration, who are bent on fleecing Nigerians and holding our nation to ransom.

“Our party notes that the APC administration has failed to come clean on the parameters being used for the hike in prices vis-a-vis our production, export and accruing revenue.

“Indeed, the APC administration is not being honest with Nigerians regarding the status and volume of oil production, sales and accruing revenue.

“This is in addition to its failure to fix our refineries and end crude oil theft, allegedly to aid APC interests.

“This appears to provide answers to why the APC administration has failed to offer any explanation on huge fraud going on in the management of our nation’s oil resources including the alleged stealing over N9.6 trillion ($25 billion) by APC interests, as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo.

“It has also failed to publish details of its sleazy oil subsidy regime, including the involvement of APC interests in the claimed under-recovery for unnamed West African countries, running into trillions of naira, while Nigerians are made to bear the burden of high fuel costs.

“Such humongous fraud in the management of our oil resources is responsible for the high costs and unspeakable hardship being suffered by millions of Nigerians who can barely afford their meals and basic necessities of life,” PDP said.

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The party urged Buhari to end the alleged “corruption and the stealing of our oil resource under his watch by APC leaders, recover the looted resources and immediately reverse this increase in price of fuel.”

“President Buhari should also take steps to fulfill his promise to revamp our refineries or accept his failures and apologize to Nigerians.

“It is still not yet late for him to get more competent hands to run our oil sector instead of imposing more hardship on Nigerians,” said PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.

Idowu Sowunmi

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Fancy Driving Electric Cars? Lagos Governor Unveils Nigeria’s 1st, Assembled Locally

Tobiloba Kolawole

November 13, 2020

Sanwo-Olu Electric Car 1 — Governor of Lagos State, babajide Sanwo-Olu unveils first electric car in Nigeria. Friday, November 13, 2020.

The first locally assembled electric car has been unveiled by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos on Friday.

Governor Sanwo-Olu who commended Stallion Group for believing in the Lagos and Nigeria dream, also hailed the company for revamping the moribund VON asset located along Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

He said: “This is one of the major industrial hubs of this nation. This is one of the major employers of labour in this country. I commend Stallion Group for revamping the asset that was going moribund.

Governor of Lagos State, babajide Sanwo-Olu unveils first electric car in Nigeria. Friday, November 13, 2020.

“I want to assure you that the Lagos-Badagry Expressway would be completed. The road was just a two-lane way, but the government has turned it into 10 lanes, five on both sides.

“We are doing a complete rebuild of the road, with bridges and interchanges. We are building a road that will last for 30 to 40years for you. And because we know that this is an international gateway, it does not deserve anything less. We are building a first-class road infrastructure that all of you would be proud of.”

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Speaking on the Hyundai Kona car, Governor Sanwo-Olu said with the unveiling of the car, Nigerians can now drive electric cars, noting that Lagos remains the hub for the nation’s economy and a pacesetter in industrialisation.

The Hyundai Kona car is 100 per cent electric and comes with zero emission, 482km driving range and can be charged both at home and workplace.

He said: “We are not just launching Hyundai Kona, Nigeria’s first electric car assembled in Lagos, we are indeed empowering and creating youth employment. We are also creating opportunity for teeming youths of this nation.

“The future that we see is the future of technology and this is the technology that we are talking about. This is 21st Century technology that has been brought into our country. With hardcore manufacturing companies like Stallion Group Automobile, we can begin to see the need to disemphasise mono product, which is oil.

“With the innovation of Hyundai Kona, we do not need to put the pressure on what the pump price of oil is again. All the issues and fights that we are having about prices of petroleum going up and the rest of it will be a thing of the past. This is a way to go and it is the future that we are seeing now.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu while stressing his administration’s commitment to growth of businesses in the State, said Lagos State Government will partner with Stallion Group Automobile as well as private industries in the State and create an enabling environment for them to do well, so that they can create job opportunities for the youths.

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He also assured that Lagos State Government would be partnering through Ibile Oil and Gas and other private organisations to create different charging points in Lagos, so that people will have opportunity of where they will charge the electric cars.

He said: “This is the first electric car that we are seeing and we as the government need to partner with them. We need to create an enabling environment for them to do well, so that they can employ a lot more youths and create more jobs and pay our youths a lot more money, knowing fully well that the future belongs to you and the future is here.

“And so the state government, working with Ibile Oil and Gas will be creating different charging points in the city, so that people will have an opportunity of where to charge the cars.

“For us we see a renewed hope, for us we see a tomorrow coming today, for us we see and believe in the Stallion dream.”

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of the Stallion Group Automobile, Mr. Rohtagi Manish, said the innovation toward building Nigeria’s first electric car was a step towards an eco-friendly green Lagos.

Manish said that the materials used to assemble Nigeria’s First 100 per cent electric zero emission car was mostly sourced from local resources.

The Vehicle, when fully charged for 9hrs, 35mins could go a distance of 482km (a distance of Lagos to Warri), before it requires another charge.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also took time to tour the premises of Stallion Group Automobile to see the various innovative work and assembling of various brands of vehicles by the company.

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Speaking at the unveiling of Hyundai Kona, Nigeria’s first locally assembled electric car in Nigeria at Ojo in Lagos State on Friday, Governor Sanwo said the Lagos-Badagry Expressway when completed will last for about 30 to 40 years.

Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu however seized the opportunity to assure Lagosians that the State Government would complete the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

He said his government is committed to the construction of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, saying that the delay of work on the road was based on the government’s plan to build a first-class infrastructure that people would be proud of when completed.

Tobiloba Kolawole

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