Federal Government, in conjunction with Lagos State Government (LASG) ordered the stoppage of barge operations

The Lagos Marina is set to regain its beauty and serenity, with the planned stoppage of barge operations along the coastline, according to a statement issued yesterday by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso.

The federal government, in conjunction with Lagos State Government (LASG), yesterday ordered the stoppage of all such operations, which have desecrated the once beautiful and peaceful Marina coastline.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is to revoke barge approvals granted some companies operating in Lagos.

The Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, and the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who defied the early morning downpour to inspect activities around the Marina coastline, made the stop-work order during an unscheduled visit to the Marina.

They went around the coastline, seeing the long row of trucks and containers that have constituted health and security hazards on the Marina.

Amaechi and Sanwo-Olu kept on shaking their heads on seeing the devastation of the coastline that used to be the pride of the state, attracting crowds of visitors.
Amaechi and Sanwo-Olu found the “unwholesome” activities on the coastline “shocking” and “unacceptable.”

The minister spoke of an urgent need to sanitise the entire Marina coastline and restore its tranquility and beauty.

He ordered that trucks must immediately stop coming to Marina to load.

Amaechi said the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) did not grant anyone the permission to carry out barging operations, insisting that all such activities must stop immediately.

“The Federal Ministry of Transport has agreed with Lagos State Government to ensure that whoever is making use of Marina coastline should stop. We have agreed with Commissioner of Police to stop those using the roads and we have agreed with NPA to cancel all barge permits pending when each person will come back to NPA, NIWA and Lagos State Government to renew such approval,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu directed the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to arrest and prosecute anyone who flouts the order to stop unauthorised activities on the Marina.

He said the state government would do everything to bring sanity to the coastline.

“We are also talking to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing because we understand that some of the approvals were from the Federal Ministry of Works. So, we are also taking up that responsibility and we would do what we need to do,” the governor said.

Also at the inspection were the Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, and representatives of NIWA, Ministries of Works and Waterfront as well as the Police.

Source: THISDAYLIVE.COM

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT REVEALS PLANS FOR A NEW 2020/2021 ACADEMIC SESSION RESUMPTION

The Honourable Commissioner for Education, Lagos State Mrs Folasade Adefisayo has announced the plans for both Public and Private Schools resumption in the State after the lockdown of schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also wish to congratulate SS 3 students who have successfully completed their WASSCE exams and urge them to stay safe even as they await their results.

The plans for reopening for a new 2020/2021 academic session are as follows:

PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

The Ministry is adopting a phased approach to opening public schools . This phased approach to opening will enable public schools meet COVID-19 social distance rules and safety protocols and will help us watch the behaviour of the pandemic as we gradually open up our schools.

The present JS 3 and SS 2 students in public schools in the State are to resume classes from Monday, 21st of September, 2020. 

The resumption will permit the present JS 3 students who are already in an exit class to revise and get adequately prepared for their forthcoming Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) organized by the Lagos State Examination Board and scheduled between Tuesday, 6th and Monday, 12th of October, 2020. The resumption will also afford the present SS 2 students an opportunity to prepare effectively for their transition to SS 3. The scheduled dates and venues for Entrance Examination into Lagos State Model Colleges will soon be announced by the State Examination Board.

We assure parents that announcements for opening the other classes will occur as soon as we are certain of their safety. In the meantime, the unopened classes in public schools will continue their lessons on our various distance learning platforms (Online platform, radio, television and WhatsApp) while the next phase for physical resumption will be announced in due course. 

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Private Primary and Secondary Schools in the State are permitted to resume from Monday, 21st of September, 2020 and the State Government strongly recommends and encourages school owners to put safety first and open in phases similar to the plans for public schools. Phased opening also include strategies for staggered resumption in the mornings, classes on alternate days during the week and teaching through various distance learning methods. Schools must also comply with safety protocols and hygiene guidelines as instructed by the State Government through the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA). The Office of Education Quality Assurance will continue to monitor and evaluate Schools’ preparedness.

Please note that pre-primary classes and schools in both public and private schools will remain closed until further announcements are made.

The State Government wishes to remind schools that the pandemic is still with us and we must in all situations, make the safety of our children, teachers and parents and our community as a whole our first priority.

Kayode Abayomi

Head, Public Affairs

Ministry of Education

13th September, 2020

Lagos state government dismantle illegal abattoirs; seize cow and butchered meat (photos)

The Lagos state government has begun a clampdown on illegal abbatoirs in the state.

Earlier today September 3, men of the re-inaugurated Monitoring, Enforcement, and Compliance Team dislodged an illegal slaughter slab at Oke Rube, Ikotun, Alimosho Local government in furtherance of the sanitization of the red meat value chain.

The monitoring team seized a cow and butchered meat from the illegal slab and also arrested the operators of the illegal slab.

Speaking on the exercise, the state acting Commissioner for Agriculture,  Abisola Olusanya,

“The dismantling of the abattoir is necessary because the state is concerned about the production of wholesome and healthy meat for the citizens as well as ensure that the streets are free of stray animals, which has lately become more rampant in the state.

We will also strictly enforce meat transportation, using only the designated vehicles and stray animals control”

The Commissioner added that the confiscated meat will be donated to charity while the live cows would be kept at the Oko-Oba abattoir, Agege to be claimed by their owners within 48 hours or they would also be donated to charity.

She added that the arrested butchers would be prosecuted at the Lagos State taskforce mobile court.

See more photos below