NYG: Team Lagos increases medal sweep 

Team Lagos continued to soar in the 2024 National Youth Games taking place in Delta State with the state athletes making an impressive sweep of medals.  David Akinade has defied all odds by landing a gold medal for Team Lagos in the Shot Put event at the ongoing National Youths Games in Asaba, Delta State. Akinade showed resilience, putting up an impressive performance against his opponents in the Shot put F42/44 by throwing 7.74 in the event, defeating his counterparts from Delta and Edo states. Akinade coming into the games as a first-timer and winning a gold medal, shows the commitment of the Lagos State government to sports development and indeed, a state that nurtures and breeds talents providing an enabling environment for people with disability to thrive. Still in Athletics, the trio of Fashola Abiodun, Akinwuwo Oladeji and Soliu Simbiat also recorded four medals in their events. Abiodun won a silver medal in the 100 metres boys while Soliu Simbiat settled for bronze and Oladeji scooped two gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres respectively. Oladeji is now working hard to surpass the feat he recorded three years ago, with other events slated for tomorrow. In boxing, Lagos’s four pugilists, Agboola Oyindamola (F), Bello Olamide Lawal (M), Yakubu Sofiat (F) and Bolarinwa Michael (M) progressed to the finals in their different weight categories. The four pugilists will be competing in 40kg, 42kg, 42kg and 44kg respectively during the final bouts at St.Patrick’s College, Asaba, on Wednesday, Similarly, the Lagos Girls Basketball team has set up a final battle against the hosts, Delta. The girls will do everything within their power to upstage their opponents and add another gold to Team Lagos’ medal haul. Lagos Hockey team are also set for a South-West derby, seeking qualification for the final, in the semifinal clash with Osun State.

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NAFDAC shuts down illegal Cosmetics factory in Lagos 

NAFDAC has shut down an illegal factory producing counterfeit cosmetic products at Benue Plaza, Trade Fair Complex in Lagos State. NAFDAC officers raided the location discovering various unregistered chemicals and packaging materials, along with expired products that were being revalidated for sale. The operation also led to the seizure of over 1,200 cartons of fake cosmetic products. Items including mini-mixing containers, unlabelled chemicals, batch coding materials, and thinners, were confiscated and moved to the NAFDAC office for further investigation. The Agency estimated the street value of the confiscated items to be around ₦50 million. NAFDAC urged the public to be cautious when purchasing cosmetic products and report any suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office.

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Lagos serves notice on Illegal Occupants of Maiyegun Waterfront scheme 

To forestall the creation of slums, distortion of the Lagos State Master plan and erosion of the state coastal area, the Lagos State Government on  Saturday issued contravention notices to over 280  illegal property owners and occupiers in the Mayegun Waterfront Scheme, located in the Eti Osa Local Government area of the State. According to the Contravention Notices, the occupants are required to provide relevant documentation and approvals that justify their occupation of the properties in question within seven days of the notice, failure of which a demolition notice will be served on them. The over 280 properties, which included completed, under-construction, and undeveloped lands, were found to be without any government papers authorising their construction after a detailed technical assessment of the Mayegun Waterfront Scheme by the survey team of the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development charged with the responsibility of maintaining the Lagos State Waterfront Schemes. The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Hon Ekundayo Alebiosu urged the property owners to voluntarily remove their structures before the expiration of the contravention notices served on them or come forward to regularise their documents if they have any to avoid penalty. He warned that all the illegal activities along the Waterfront schemes and corridor must come to an end immediately as the State Government will no longer condone or accept people encroaching on government properties, land and setbacks. Revealing that the State Government, through the Ministry, is currently sanitising the Okun Ajah waterfront scheme where similar encroachment is, Alebiosu noted that the State Government will not relent in its efforts to protect the State Waterfront Schemes and infrastructure while ensuring the safety of life and properties along the coastal area of the State.

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LASG to begin E-Call Up system on Lekki-Epe corridor 

In a significant move to avert severe congestion by articulated trucks and improve the efficiency of logistics operations within the Lekki-Epe Free Trade Zone corridor, the Lagos State Government has announced the commencement of the e-call-up system for managing truck movements within the axis from 23rd September, 2024. The commencement date was earlier extended on Stakeholders’ request to give adequate room for full compliance. The e-call-up system is ready for implementation as a sustainable, effective and technology-driven solution for truck movement in the Lekki-Epe Corridor. Disclosing the new commencement date, the State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi explained that the application of an e-call system will help synchronise the movement of trucks assessing the Lekki Deep Seaport and other industries within the corridor, starting from Eleko junction to Lekki Free Trade Zone. Highlighting the State and Federal Government plans for road network expansion and intermodal transport systems to streamline vehicular traffic and enhance free movement in one of Lagos’ most critical economic zones, Osiyemi opined that the e-call system will control the corridor. Also speaking on the development, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, who is saddled with the enforcement of the e-call-up system, stated that an interim arrangement is being put in place to decongest the roads through evacuation of all illegal tankers from the red zone by a joint Taskforce of the State, LGAs/LACDAs, Security Agencies and Stakeholders, urging truck operators and logistics companies to comply with the new system to ensure its success. The e-call-up system, an advanced digital platform, is designed to regulate the entry and exit of trucks in the Lekki-Epe area by scheduling and coordinating their movements. This system will help prevent the chaotic traffic situations often caused by the indiscriminate parking and movement of trucks within the corridor. The Lekki-Epe corridor, a key economic hub in Lagos, is home to numerous industries, including the Lekki Free Trade Zone, the Dangote Refinery, and the Lekki Deep Sea Port. The efficient movement of goods and services in this area is crucial for the state’s economy, making the e-call-up system an essential tool for sustainable development.

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Lagos signs MOU with Chinese Coy on rice value chains, agric productivity

Lagos State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese food processing company, Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings Co. Limited, to increase productivity in the rice value chain and enhance food security in the State. Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State Governor, who is currently in China with some Lagos State Government officials for the ongoing Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), witnessed the signing of the MoU on Wednesday. The Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Agriculture (Rice Mill Initiative), Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola, signed the MoU on behalf of the Lagos State Government, while Group Director, Rice Industry Division, Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings Co. Limited, Mr. Wang Wei, signed on behalf of the Chinese company. The signing of the MoU was also witnessed by the Group Head of Rice, Wilmar Group, Mr. Prashant Trikha. The signing of the MoU and collaboration between the Lagos State Government and the Chinese company will enhance rice production and agricultural productivity in Lagos State in line with the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration’s quest for food security and agricultural revolution. He said: “We realise that we have the capacity to feed ourselves as a people, if we put the right investment in agriculture. That is why our administration has prioritised agricultural value chains. Our rice initiative, with the Imota Rice Mill is projected to provide 1,500 direct jobs and over 250,000 indirect jobs. The rice mill alone has a capacity to produce 2.8 million bags of 50 kg bags of rice yearly.” Lagos State Government is committed to enhancing agricultural productivity and has been actively engaged in the promotion of cultivation of rice to meet the high demand for rice consumption in Lagos State, further to which it has established a 32-metric-tonne per hour capacity rice mill in the Imota area of the State. Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings Co. Limited is one of the largest food processing companies in the Peoples Republic of China, which operates an integrated rice business covering the rice value chain, from cultivation to processing and distribution of milled rice.

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Lagos commissioner leads officials on redline rail passenger ride 

As part of the ongoing trial phase, the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, today, led officials from the Ministry of Transportation on a non-fee paying ride aboard the Redline Rail. The journey, which took place between Ikeja and Agbado, marked a significant milestone in the testing process. For the past six weeks, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has conducted test runs without passengers, achieving a 90 percent success rate.  This current phase, involving non-fee paying passengers, aims to study passenger behaviour along the corridor and provide LAMATA with valuable insights to fine-tune the operations before the official launch of passenger services. The train arrived at Ikeja Train Station at approximately 1:19 pm, boarding passengers before making brief stops at Agege and Iju stations, and ultimately arriving at Agbado Train Station at 1:47 PM. The return journey from Agbado commenced at 2:50 PM, with the train reaching Ikeja at 3:19 PM. Key officials who joined the Commissioner on the exercise include the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olawale Musa; the Managing Director of LAMATA, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo; the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Toyin Aremu and Directors in the Ministry of Transportation amongst others.

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