via pmnewsnigeria.com

A Nigerian company, Eko Rail, has agreed to purchase 255 of the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) best-equipped subway cars for use in a much-needed Lagos Blue Line mass transit system. The TTC is in the process of purchasing larger “Rocket” trains to increase passenger capacity on their lines.

As the electric-powered cars become surplus and are pulled offline in Toronto, they will be individually trucked to the United States for a rebuilding by a team of world-class rail engineers. The cars will also undergo track-width (or “gauge”) conversion and interior refurbishment before being shipped to Lagos.

The trains have been inspected by the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, who endorsed the plan to purchase them following his official visit to Toronto in May 2011.

“The shipment of the first car is an important step in Eko Rail’s efforts to support the Governor’s transformation agenda for the city,” said David Potter, Eko Rail’s Chief Engineer. “Ultimately, the Blue Line, with this modernized fleet, will bring massive benefits to Lagos’ economic development and improve Lagosians’ quality of life.”

Each of the TTC cars come equipped with air conditioning, automatic sliding doors, solid-state traction control, energy saving regenerative braking, and a wide range of modern safety features and amenities. Once equipped with a state-of-the-art, GPS-based train control system made by General Electric, Eko Rail’s trains will provide faster, safer, cheaper and more reliable transportation for Lagosians.

Eko Rail is entering into an innovative public-private partnership with the government of Lagos State to equip, operate and maintain the Blue Line for 25 years. Negotiations are being finalized and a concession agreement is expected to be signed in the near future. Lagos State has already started to make significant progress with building the rail tracks and stations. Eko Rail is utilizing URS Scott Wilson, one of the world’s leading railway infrastructure consultancies, to ensure that the infrastructure is built to global standards.

With financing led by Investec Plc, financiers of more than 25 rail projects around the globe, Eko Rail expects to invest about $400 million to equip the Lagos Blue Line, including construction of a dual-fuel electric power generating station, modern train control system, communications and power distribution, as well as depot and maintenance facilities. When the entire line is operational, Eko Rail expects to attract at least 300,000 passengers per day, with trains running every 5 minutes.

The Eko Rail consortium – led by Nigerian-based emerging markets investment firm Verod Capital – brings together a world-class team of manufacturers, technical advisors, metro operators and public private partnership experts from the UK, Canada and South Africa.

 SOURCE Eko Rail

culled from http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/433925#ixzz1ZRNHb3wp

Governor Fashola, who spoke at the Tafawa Balewa Square venue of this year’s Ramadan Lectures of the Ansar – Ud – Deen Society of Nigeria, said in order to continue to improve drainage, housing, security, law and order and quality of education, among others, the support of the people was needed by way of paying their taxes and fulfilling other obligations within the terms of the ‘Social Contract’.

He told the capacity crowd of Muslim faithful, “Improved drainage, Housing, Security Law and Order, quality Education and others require not just human effort and intelligence which we offer; in energy you will not find us wanting, but we also require money and this is why we require your cooperation to pay your taxes to give us the tool to do the work that you sent us”.

“The few of us you elected did not elect ourselves. It took 1.5 million votes to put us there. If that is the minimum we get to tackle these problems; if all the 1.5 million voters or indeed the six million registered voters, or better still the 18 million residents of Lagos become our ambassadors over these problems, I am sure that in the shortest possible time, not only will we overcome them, they will become history in our State and in our nation”, the Governor said.

Governor Fashola, who noted that the aforementioned aspirations would remain only dreams without the support of the people, declared, “We have the formula, we have the work plan, we have the energy, we have the cabinet, we have the lawmakers, we have the judicial arm of Government all ready to serve you”.

“I have the belief that if you come with us in this journey that we intend to address the burning issues such as to improve the quality of education, improve quality of our inner city roads, deliver social housing that is affordable and payable through mortgages, improve the quality of our drainages, we will record outstanding success”, the Governor said.

Speaking specifically on the Lagos drainage network, Governor Fashola paid glowing tributes to the founding fathers and subsequent administrations in the State since 1967 for their works in terms of Lagos drainages saying, “But for the work they have done and which we are improving upon, we would have been totally submerged by the flood of July 10, 2011″.

“What is happening across the world today is not going to spare Nigeria. You have noticed the unusual weather patterns, and you have seen what is happening in Korea, in China and other parts of the world. We need to continue to improve on the drainage, we need to improve our level of security and law and order and it cannot be done by these people in Government alone. It requires a community of action by all of you”, the Governor said.

On the need for peace and security in the country, Governor Fashola said the opportunities for prosperity for Nigeria could not be brighter at this time when, according to him, “the economies of the West are heading South and investment is looking for places of comfort and high returns”.

“Africa, and indeed Nigeria, is one of the pre-eminent investment exiles and oasis to pitch. But, if we do not address those very nagging issues of insecurity, those issues of ethnic and religious divide, investment will not come here”, the Governor said and urged all Muslims in the country to pray for peace and security in the country at this period of Ramadan.

He added, “It is in our hands now and in this very special month, one of the prayers I would urge us to engage in is to pray that those who are angered and who resort to violence would sheath their swords. When we have peace, when we have security, this economy will prosper beyond our imagination”.

“Let me say publicly here that barely three years ago, European economies were issuing travel guides to their citizens; ‘don’t go to Lagos, don’t go to Nigeria’. But today, the leaders of those countries are coming here. There is a sense here that we can take the benefit of this opportunity”, the Governor said.

Speaking at the LTV 8 Blue Roof Multipurpose Hall, venue of the 3rd Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu Memorial Lecture later, Governor Fashola also thanked the people of Lagos for their support in ensuring the election of Action Congress of Nigeria candidates, including himself, both at the State and National levels during the last General Elections pledging that his administration would not fail the people.

Governor Fashola also poured encomiums on the late Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu whom he described as a father figure to everybody but particularly his (Governor’s) family and all those who came in contact with him.

On the two lectures titled Islam: “The Media and National Interest”, delivered by Imam Abdul Mojeed and “Democracy, Corruption and Public Office holders: Islamic Perspective”, delivered by Barrister Abdullah Adam Abdullah, Governor Fashola said leadership should be selfless while the Media has a role to play in the enhancement of good and sustainable democracy for all.

In his lecture at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, the National Missioner of Ansar – Ud – Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Ahmad, urged Nigerians, Muslims and non-Muslims, to embrace God who never changes, saying that only God knows what will happen tomorrow.

The National Missioner, who condemned pride and corruption, lamented that some people live today as if they know tomorrow adding, “Tomorrow seniors everybody including kings. It is only God that knows tomorrow”.

Speaking at the 3rd Alhaji Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu Memorial Lecture, Chairman of the occasion and Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, praised the late Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu for providing opportunities for all that came in contact with him to achieve their goals in life. The Governor also commended the widow of Alhaji K.O. Tinubu for her steadfastness and charged Muslims to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Quran.

Also in his vote of thanks, National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, commended all those elected into public office on the platform of the party saying they have displayed good governance. “People entrusted us with good governance because we have done it in Lagos. ACN has shown that it is a party of choice” the National Leader of the Party said.

In his lecture titled “Islam: The Media and National Interest”, Imam Abdul Mojeed said the agenda setting role of the Media was greatly echoed in the Holy Quran pointing out that Allah detests mischief-making urging that the Media should play more advocacy role.

Advising that Muslims should appreciate the importance of the Media in nation building Imam Mojeed lamented that Muslims have not sufficiently embraced the Media enough as a tool for the enhancement of the ideals of Islam expressing regrets that less than five percent of media proprietors are Muslims. “The Media is a change agent”, he said.

culled from lagosindicatoronline.com

Commissioner for Health Jide Idris said this would ensure rapid response to emergencies.

He said: “These ambulances, just like the other MICUs, have improved capacity over the old mobile clinics. They have enhanced features including Twin Cross main stretchers with matter, belts and floor fastener; two Oxygen Cylinders of 100 litres each; Scoop Stretcher; Twice foldable reserve stretchers; Extrication device; Collar Cerviflex; Ventilator Spencer 170; Emergency Case Circulation; Accu Vacu Suction Pump; Sphygmomanometer; and Defibrillator.

“The government is also carrying out a robust training of both government health workers and private doctors and nurses. We’re training Paramedics in emergency services as well; and all these efforts are targeted at improving our preparedness level on one hand and the efficiency and effectiveness level of our staff on the other hand; with the overall objective of improving the emergency response team.”

The commissioner said an effective emergency response team would reduce the number of accident-related deaths, adding that this informed the establishment of the Accident and Emergency Centre at the old toll gate end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Idris said the government also has Mobile Field Hospitals with six inbuilt components, which include a standard theatre, coupled with six inflatable tents that serve as Emergency and Examination Section; Pre-operation Section; Recovery and Intensive Care Unit equipped with 3 beds; Registration and Laboratory Section; Medical Supplies; and an In-patient Ward that can accommodate 20 patients.

culled from www.thenationonlineng.net

culled from www.lagosindicatoronline.com

Governor Fashola spoke with State House Correspondents at Lagos House, Ikeja who wanted to know why he has decided to conduct on the spot assessment of inner city roads after he embarked on an inspection of Akerele Street in Surulere. The Governor added that it is the State Government that is working on the roads and there is a need to keep track and focus on the election promises which featured prominently inner city roads.

“I am just doing spot inspections to see that progress is on course and that we can finish them depending on the capacity and speed of the contractor and also depending on the big challenge which is funding. We need more money to continue to keep the contractor at work and expand the scope of work that we are doing”, the Governor stressed.

The Governor informed that currently, work has been completed on Adeniran Ogunsanya while it is on-going on many of the other projects like the Akerele road expansion, Bode Thomas, Ogunlana Drive just as plans are being concluded to start work in Aguda, Adetola, Brown, Sanusi and many of the roads inside Aguda.

“We are already looking at some inner roads in Agege. Work has started in Agege, work is going on in Orile. We are also looking at inner roads in Ikorodu while Lagos Area Metropolitan Transport Agency (LAMATA) is also working on Amodu Ojikutu Street, Ibiyinka Olorunnimbe Close and Abagbon Close in Victoria Island and Iju road in Ifako Ijaiye”, the Governor stated.

The Governor explained that the inner city roads will be the focus of his administration as it tries to complete those other roads that it has started work on during the last term of the administration, adding that he has decided to conduct on the spot inspections to see that progress of work is on course and when work can be completed on them depending on the speed and capacity of the contractors.

He further explained that he was going out to assess progress on the inner roads that the State is working on recalling that during the last electioneering campaigns, some of the issues that came to the fore was that while Government has focused on some roads, it has not focused on inner roads.

“My visit last week to Badejo Kalesanwo Street was to keep track and keep focus on those election promises and electoral issues which was inner roads and to which I am committed and which I also dealt with in my inaugural address”, the Governor stated.

“At this moment, we are doing about 13 roads in Mushin and Idi Araba and that road, we inspected last week (Badejo Kalesanwo) is one of the roads in Mushin. Its construction is being disturbed by the inappropriate location of the Ladipo Mushin Police Station which had consequential drainage impact as well. We have to relocate the Police Station now and find alternative land for it because it is sitting on part of the 19 metres width of the road. We have told the contractor to start work from the other end so that by the time it gets to that end should have moved that Police Station”, the Governor explained.

The Governor said he was at Akerele Road to inspect the culvert across the Akerele Canal because there was some flooding problem there during the July 10 heavy rainfall, which was caused by the inadequacy of the culvert to discharge the velocity of water, stating that, oday, we now have culverts of about 1.5 by 1.7 metres width and in a set of three which would now allow bigger flow of water in Akerele”, he added.

Giving an update on what his administration has so far done to give vent to the various directives it gave on people who built on drainage lines, the Governor said some work has started, stressing that it entails planning before embarking on such removal projects.

“Some work has already started but you know that even in demolition exercise, it is a project for the demolition team which must therefore plan on how to embark on it. Are we going to evacuate the rubbles after demolition or leave the rubble at the same spot and allow it go back into the drainage and so on. Those questions must be answered and planned”

“You must understand also that in the process you have to hire people and equipments. You also have to plan to control law and order during the process, so we are working off the scene now. It also entails project planning because it does not happen by accident but have to be planned, ordered, sequenced and financed”.

Governor Fashola explained that with the kind of efforts that the number of buildings affected will require, Government cannot afford to start and stop but would want to sequence it and plan them.

He said Government will continue to depend on the media to help it intensify advocacy that canal setback is no place at all for anyone to build a house, stressing that they are practices that are not tolerable.

“The canals take away water storm water, so if any heavy rain comes and enter any house, we will take the blame. Nobody should build near any of our canals. They are reservoir of water for flooding. They are God’s natural protection for holding water during massive flood and is not a place for anybody to build a house. Anybody who proposes to sell land for you there does not like you”, the Governor stated.

He also appealed to all people including land speculators to desist from putting people’s life in danger by selling or offering to sell any land that is close to canal or close to river setbacks because they are not meant for habitation.

Among the inner city roads already completed by the State Government in the Orile area are Akinwande Street, Strabag Road, Abu, Kekere- Ekun, Ali Olanipekun, Ogungbesan, Austin Nwaolu, Alice Tinubu Streets, Savage Lane and Opeloyeru Street while ongoing ones include Oduche, Bale/Coker, Orowunmi, Alagba, Imalefealafia, Memudu, Alhaji Bello Tapa and Alhaji Jimoh.

In Surulere area, the completed roads includes Funsho Willams Avenue, Eric Moore Street, Adeniran Ogunsanya and Mogaji Street while on-going include Akerele Street, Adelabu/Ogunlana Drive, Aibu, Idita, Itolo and Oyediran.

In Apapa, the roads completed by the State Government includes Aerodrome Road, Warehouse Road, Calcutta Crescent, Abraham Adesanya Street, Itapeju Avenue and Kofo Abayomi Avenue.

culled from tundefashola.com

Governor Fashola, who spoke at the Tafawa Balewa Square venue of this year’s Ramadan Lectures of the Ansar – Ud – Deen Society of Nigeria, said in order to continue to improve drainage, housing, security, law and order and quality of education, among others, the support of the people was needed by way of paying their taxes and fulfilling other obligations within the terms of the ‘Social Contract’.

He told the capacity crowd of Muslim faithful, “Improved drainage, Housing, Security Law and Order, quality Education and others require not just human effort and intelligence which we offer; in energy you will not find us wanting, but we also require money and this is why we require your cooperation to pay your taxes to give us the tool to do the work that you sent us”.

“The few of us you elected did not elect ourselves. It took 1.5 million votes to put us there. If that is the minimum we get to tackle these problems; if all the 1.5 million voters or indeed the six million registered voters, or better still the 18 million residents of Lagos become our ambassadors over these problems, I am sure that in the shortest possible time, not only will we overcome them, they will become history in our State and in our nation”, the Governor said.

Governor Fashola, who noted that the aforementioned aspirations would remain only dreams without the support of the people, declared, “We have the formula, we have the work plan, we have the energy, we have the cabinet, we have the lawmakers, we have the judicial arm of Government all ready to serve you”.

“I have the belief that if you come with us in this journey that we intend to address the burning issues such as to improve the quality of education, improve quality of our inner city roads, deliver social housing that is affordable and payable through mortgages, improve the quality of our drainages, we will record outstanding success”, the Governor said.

Speaking specifically on the Lagos drainage network, Governor Fashola paid glowing tributes to the founding fathers and subsequent administrations in the State since 1967 for their works in terms of Lagos drainages saying, “But for the work they have done and which we are improving upon, we would have been totally submerged by the flood of July 10, 2011″.

“What is happening across the world today is not going to spare Nigeria. You have noticed the unusual weather patterns, and you have seen what is happening in Korea, in China and other parts of the world. We need to continue to improve on the drainage, we need to improve our level of security and law and order and it cannot be done by these people in Government alone. It requires a community of action by all of you”, the Governor said.

On the need for peace and security in the country, Governor Fashola said the opportunities for prosperity for Nigeria could not be brighter at this time when, according to him, “the economies of the West are heading South and investment is looking for places of comfort and high returns”.

“Africa, and indeed Nigeria, is one of the pre-eminent investment exiles and oasis to pitch. But, if we do not address those very nagging issues of insecurity, those issues of ethnic and religious divide, investment will not come here”, the Governor said and urged all Muslims in the country to pray for peace and security in the country at this period of Ramadan.

He added, “It is in our hands now and in this very special month, one of the prayers I would urge us to engage in is to pray that those who are angered and who resort to violence would sheath their swords. When we have peace, when we have security, this economy will prosper beyond our imagination”.

“Let me say publicly here that barely three years ago, European economies were issuing travel guides to their citizens; ‘don’t go to Lagos, don’t go to Nigeria’. But today, the leaders of those countries are coming here. There is a sense here that we can take the benefit of this opportunity”, the Governor said.

Speaking at the LTV 8 Blue Roof Multipurpose Hall, venue of the 3rd Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu Memorial Lecture later, Governor Fashola also thanked the people of Lagos for their support in ensuring the election of Action Congress of Nigeria candidates, including himself, both at the State and National levels during the last General Elections pledging that his administration would not fail the people.

Governor Fashola also poured encomiums on the late Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu whom he described as a father figure to everybody but particularly his (Governor’s) family and all those who came in contact with him.

On the two lectures titled Islam: “The Media and National Interest”, delivered by Imam Abdul Mojeed and “Democracy, Corruption and Public Office holders: Islamic Perspective”, delivered by Barrister Abdullah Adam Abdullah, Governor Fashola said leadership should be selfless while the Media has a role to play in the enhancement of good and sustainable democracy for all.

In his lecture at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, the National Missioner of Ansar – Ud – Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Ahmad, urged Nigerians, Muslims and non-Muslims, to embrace God who never changes, saying that only God knows what will happen tomorrow.

The National Missioner, who condemned pride and corruption, lamented that some people live today as if they know tomorrow adding, “Tomorrow seniors everybody including kings. It is only God that knows tomorrow”.

Speaking at the 3rd Alhaji Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu Memorial Lecture, Chairman of the occasion and Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, praised the late Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu for providing opportunities for all that came in contact with him to achieve their goals in life. The Governor also commended the widow of Alhaji K.O. Tinubu for her steadfastness and charged Muslims to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Quran.

Also in his vote of thanks, National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, commended all those elected into public office on the platform of the party saying they have displayed good governance. “People entrusted us with good governance because we have done it in Lagos. ACN has shown that it is a party of choice” the National Leader of the Party said.

In his lecture titled “Islam: The Media and National Interest”, Imam Abdul Mojeed said the agenda setting role of the Media was greatly echoed in the Holy Quran pointing out that Allah detests mischief-making urging that the Media should play more advocacy role.

Advising that Muslims should appreciate the importance of the Media in nation building Imam Mojeed lamented that Muslims have not sufficiently embraced the Media enough as a tool for the enhancement of the ideals of Islam expressing regrets that less than five percent of media proprietors are Muslims. “The Media is a change agent”, he said.

Also present at the Ansar-Ud–Deen of Nigeria Society’s Ramadan Lecture were National President of the Association, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, House of Representatives member for Ikorodu, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Lagos State Council of the Association, Alhaji Nurudeen Okuleye, past chairmen of the Association, top Lagos State Government functionaries including the Special Adviser on Education, Otunba Fatai Olukoga and other Muslim dignitaries.

At the 3rd Alhaji Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu Memorial Lecture, those present included Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Remi Ibirogba, Head of Service, Prince Adesegun Ogunlewe, Tinubu Family members including Chief Executive Officer of Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu, representative of Alhaji Azeez Alao Arisekola Alao, Chief Imam of Lagos, Alhaji Garba Akinola and representatives of the Oba of Lagos as well as other top government functionaries.

culled from tundefashola.com

Speaking at the signing ceremony of the law to Amend the State Emergency Management Agency Law, Provide rules on criminal conduct, regulate public order as well as a law on Criminal Justice Administration in the High and Magistrates Courts in the state at the Lagos House, Alausa, the Governor said the amendment to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency law with its provision for the establishment of an advisory committee for LASEMA will assist the organization to improve its capacity to save life and property.

The Governor also directed the Commissioner for Special Duties to as a matter of urgency constitute the new advisory committee so that they can hit the ground running.

On the two other laws aimed at strengthening law and order, the Governor expressed surprise that a country like Nigeria which is mouthing its determination to fight corruption is still making do with a law enacted over a century ago in its administration of criminal conducts.

Said he: “I wonder how we intend to fight corruption effectively without institutionalizing the process of law and order, when you have a criminal code that is almost 100 years old. It has lost touch with the development of today and become inefficient to respond to the complexities of modern crime

“It is our contention that crime has become a business and those who profit from it continue to reinvent and therefore the Government must continue to be ahead of those businessmen by outspending and outrunning them and to mount a campaign against corruption without creating new laws and without challenging the frontiers of existing thinking is really to pay lip services to idea of enforcement of law and order”.

Governor Fashola said the new law on rules for criminal conduct that would also regulate public order will give Lagos a contemporary criminal law in the sense that not only does it protect the rights of women and children, it also lends credence to the Yoruba recognition of the post partum psychosis.

He added that with the new law, the Government is also challenging all of the academics especially in the field of criminal law to go back to the research board and create new annotations, stating that the new law also recognizes new offences which may be committed through computer and electronic means and cheating in examinations among other offences captured in the law.

The Governor explained that the new law has also brought about a recognition now of the need to pursue non custodial offences which clearly approximates with the State Government’s concept for African jurisprudence.

“In some instances, in the past where we asked members of the community who commit offences to perform community services which are beamed into prominence by the Television stations, they would rather prefer to be dealt with through custodial way rather than either cutting grass or sweeping the streets. This is one of the ways by which deterrence in sociology really works”, Governor Fashola stated.

He also said the new law will help to protect the weak and the vulnerable in the society just as it will also give teeth to the commitment to decongest the prisons because not every offender will end up in prison.

Governor Fashola added that the new law on Criminal Justice Administration in the High Courts and Magistrates Courts includes some very innovative provisions such as the inclusion of the plea bargaining which is a clear demonstration that the members of the State House of Assembly also connect with the people.

While speaking, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice , Mr Ade Ipaiye who gave very detailed insights into the new laws said the criminal bill of Lagos State 2011 in terms of significance is hard to beat because it is the first of its kind in Southern Nigeria after the first law made by the British colonialists in 1914.

He added that the new law which is a total departure from the present Criminal Code law which provides for custodial sentences on offenders and for the first time non-custodial sentences as forms of punishments like compensation, restitution, community service and probation are provided for.

Mr Ipaiye explained that the new law also provides for Courts in addition to custodial provisions to order offenders arraigned and convicted for minor offences to be useful to the society because part of the reason for sentencing an accused is to useful to the society and not merely to be thrown into jail.

“Part of the highlights of the Criminal law of Lagos State is that it is a substantive law which is standing on its own and has a simplified use of language adopted as well as statement of purpose and guiding principle which is intended to assist judges and Magistrates on the application”, the Attorney General added.

He also informed that the law also has new provisions such as defence of diminishing responsibility which is provided in section 226 and excusable ignorance of the law which may be admission of ignorance as a defensive excuse especially in cases where diligent efforts have been made to ascertain the state of the law and an accused was misled.

The Attorney General also said the law also gives opportunities to women who have just given birth but may have mental disturbance which leads them to commit crime in what is biologically known as post partum psychosis.

He added that some of the new offences created under the law are terrorism, immaturity which has seen the minimum age of criminal responsibility raised from seven to 10 years while all sexual offences against children has been brought together into a chapter.

The Commissioner for Justice also informed that all computer and electronic data misuse, cheating at examinations, money laundering/allied offences, unlawful conversion of public property/interference with property, desertion of pregnant women, unlawful harassment of debtors and special aggravated offences all constitute crimes under the new law.

Mr Ipaiye also said the Principle of Corporate Criminal Liability has been clearly defined in section 20 of the new law for the first time and could lead to the conviction of a corporate organization if found guilty.

The Attorney General explained that the law on Criminal Justice Administration in the High Courts and Magistrates Courts was first passed in 2007 but is being reviewed in the aftermath of a stakeholders forum held in June 2008 which threw up a lot of suggestions that has now been incorporated.

He said section 58 provides for venue for trial of offences which has been amended to determine the divisions where offences can be tried while section 76 spells out procedural rules for plea bargaining principally to protect the rights of defendants in plea bargaining and ensure that the process is not misused.

On the amendment to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency law, the Attorney General said it will strengthen the agency and its corporate management with the new law providing for the establishment of an advisory council for the management as provided in section two of the law.

Mr Ipaiye added that the advisory council will consist of a chairman and four members with proven integrity and cognate but relevant experience while section three provides for a management committee to assist the advisory council in carrying out the day to day running of the affairs of the agency.

The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Governor, Princess Adejoke Orelope -Adefulire and many members of the State Executive Council including the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Wale Ahmed, his Information and Strategy counterpart, Mr Lateef Ibirogba and other senior government functionaries.

culled from tundefashola.com

Muhammed’s counterpart in Transport, Idris Umar, is also in Lagos on a tour of federal transport parastatals geared towards reviving the nation’s moribund railway system.

Muhammed, who was hosted at the State House, Ikeja, Lagos, by Governor Babatunde Fashola, said it would be a waste of the nation’s resources not to understudy the highlighted sectors of the economy when the state had made an enviable inroad into them.

He said, “We have come cap in hand on behalf of the President to tell you that Lagos is working, we want you to imbibe in us that culture for Abuja to be able to secure”.

According to him, Fashola has directly placed Nigeria in a positive limelight through transformation of the state, saying, “I have come to underscore a pact; we have come to appreciate excellence and performance.

“You have shown leadership and responsibility; we appreciate how you use problem to offer solutions; Lagos, under your leadership, has shown that Nigeria is working,” he stated.

He explained that President Goodluck Jonathan is committed to transformation, sound institutional development and determination to redress religious differences in the country.

“We have always known and considered you as our brother and consultant on the need to raise IGR for the FCT,” he noted, explaining that a railroad system is on the way for the FCT to take care of large number of Nigerians trooping into the capital on a daily basis, saying, “90 per cent of people working in Abuja live outside the city”.

On Abuja master plan, Muhammed said the project is on course, adding that some people in Abuja don’t have habitation.

“They pass the day or night anywhere they find themselves; our master plan is to ensure that our satellite towns are patronised so that pressure could be reduced on the city, that is why we are demolishing houses”.

Responding, Fashola commended the minister’s courage to seek knowledge on how to further develop the FCT, recalling how the idea of the acclaimed street signage and green revolution in the state came about.

“There is no monopoly of knowledge. Let me say here that the street signage was copied from Abuja, so also the greener revolution copied from Abuja and Egypt to Lagos.”

culled from www.independentngonline.com

culled from lagosindicatoronline.com

Mr. Fashola, while playing host, on Thursday, to the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, added that “there can be no good roads in the country until plans to build new ones are complemented by a reactivation and maintenance of a reliable rail network.”

He said Nigerian roads are not designed to endure the tonnage of goods it withstands on daily basis and according to him; this “explains the sorry state of the Apapa -Oshodi Expressway which also serves five industrial estates namely Apapa, Amuwo- Odofin, Isolo, Matori, and Ilupeju Industrial estates. Non- industrialists are also making use of the roads importing rice, milk and so many other things that hit the market.”

“The people of Lagos will hope and give support to you to do the right things to resuscitate the rail network so that petroleum cargo can pass through the rail network. Go to Apapa today, the rail tracks are still there. It is how to re- establish network that remains the challenge,” Mr. Fashola said.

“The bad state of the Apapa Oshodi Expressway will affect all of us in terms of diminished revenues, the amount of business, the amount of productivity would affect the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ultimately. Each one of us will take our own share of that adverse impact.”

He explained that fixing the rail networks will bring more gains than invested as the roads will last longer, tanker accidents, which have caused unbearable hardships, will also be eliminated. “Until the country gets the very heavy tonnage off the roads either intercity or intracity, Nigeria will simply be chasing shadows,” he emphasised.

“We hope you will find the resources, energy and team with the same commitment that you have shown to deliver this rail network in the shortest possible time. No road will last without a supporting rail network”.

While expressing his delight that the minister is also a legal practitioner, he said, “If the jurisdictional lines are not maintained, we know what to do on this part. I am sure that you will do your very level best to ensure that we complement and not aggravate one another. You need us as much as we need you. Really, what is important to our people is to see service delivery rather than bickering over rights and rules.”

Speaking earlier, Senator Idris Umar said he was in Lagos to familiarise himself with the workings of the Ports, Railways and to see how they are faring and also see the level of achievements, the challenges and discuss them.

“I belief that with further interaction and interface, we will resolve all contending issues particularly as it affects the railways and to some extent maritime Ports Authority, National Maritime Safety Agency (NIMASA), and the Shippers council,”

he said.

“It is really out of sense that for a government which is hosting very serious critical infrastructure and agencies like the Ports and such a Government is not benefitting. I think it is a bit absurd and I want to assure you that we will look at the possibility of meandering through the various legislations, to look at ways to best assist Lagos to have some share of benefits.”

“I belief you will be willing to take up the challenge of putting in place infrastructure needed particularly leading to the Ports. We have cases pending before you on the need to release certain parcels of land for purpose of port development.

Whatever is due to Lagos within the confines of the law will be addressed.”

He said his investigation has shown that as far back of 1964, a total of two million tonnes of goods were transported through the railways while sadly in 2010 less than 150,000metric tonnes of goods were transported through the rails.

culled from 234next.com

culled from lagosindicatoronline.com

The device, Auto Inspector, is the first of its kind in Nigeria and will help to reduce traffic gridlock on Lagos’ highways occasioned by police stop and check of vehicles’ documents. With the device, stolen vehicles can also be easily identified as the device could tell the name of the owners of such vehicles as well as the history of such vehicles.

Launching the device at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, South West Nigeria, Fashola said Lagos had joined the league of selected cities in the developing world where traffic management and compliance with vehicle documentation regulations had been revolutionised with the introduction of high-tech device .“Traffic congestion experience on Lagos roads is some of the time compounded when traffic control and law enforcement officers stop motorists to check their vehicle particulars and determine their documentation status which hitherto was done manually. “This is avoidable stress and the same purpose of checking particulars and documentation of vehicles can be achieved through automation utilising technology without disturbing the flow of traffic,” he said.

According to him, the auto inspector service would enable traffic control and law

enforcement officers to simply punch the registration number of a vehicle into a hand-held electronic device and instantly determine thevehicle and vehicle owner’s documentation status. “The hand-held auto inspector device will be issued to and used by officers and men of the Nigeria police, LASTMA, VIOs and ultimately, the FRSC. Vehicles that will be screened by auto inspector are those registered in Lagos State which have their updated documentation data including vehicle license, driver’s license, hackney permit and road worthiness/MOT captured on the AUTOREG platform which is operated by the Motor Vehicle Administration’s technical partner, Courteville Investment Plc,” he said. Fashola added that the device would enhance compliance since motorists in contravention were easily identified as the device verifies the validity or otherwise of the vehicle documents instantly.

He stated that the device would lead to relative reduction in man-hours wasted

in traffic during checks by law officers as well as help to eliminate corrupt practices by law enforcement agents as the status of any vehicle screened was simultaneously captured both by the hand-held device and operators manning the servers at the Automated Registration, AUTOREG control rooms. “It is also a huge boost to our crime prevention and control efforts due to instant data-capturing capabilities. It will also boost e-governance,” he said while advising motorists to update their vehicle documentations.

culled from lagosindicatoronline.com