Day: July 22, 2023

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)’s Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, commended the SADC Secretariat and Member States for successfully implementing 42 out of 58 decisions, while seven others are underway.

This brings it to a total of 86 per cent implementation of the decisions of the meeting held in July 2022.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said this here on Friday during the closing session of the SADC 25th Ordinary Meeting, adding that the meeting received updates and progress reports on programmes and efforts to consolidate peace, democracy and good governance in the region.

“The said report includes, amongst others, the proposed amendments to the revised SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections in light of the upcoming elections in the region, specifically the Republic of Zimbabwe, the Republic of Madagascar, the Kingdom of Estawini, and the Democratic Republic of Congo,” she said.

The chairperson added that the meeting was updated on the political and security situation in the region, defence policy issues and State security, which are areas of equal importance that contribute to the peace and security architecture in the region.

“I am pleased to note that our interventions in the Kingdom of Lesotho are yielding results, as per the report presented to our meetings. We are looking forward to the eventual removal of Lesotho from the agenda of the organ very soon,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

The incoming chairperson of the MCO is Stanley Kakubo, Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the upcoming summit will be held in Luanda, Angola.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Outjo Secondary School’s astonishing 2022 academic attainments earned them the best accolades on Friday during the regional annual award ceremony held at Putuavanga Secondary School at Opuwo.

The event was held under the theme ‘Revival of Hard Work towards Improving 2023 Academic Performance’.

Outjo SS took home 90 per cent of the honours after receiving both the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSCO) and the National Senior Secondary Certificate Advanced Subsidiary (NSSCAS) levels of awards.

Annalise Januarie and Nuleipo Indileni received gold medals in the two categories. Indileni, however, shared the gold prize with fellow Outjo scholar Karipata Mukuaruuze and Maveja Mukuaruuze from Putuavanga Secondary School.

The top performers in both categories received N.dollars 3 500 in prize money from Outjo’s OK Grocer.

Leticia Sakaria of Outjo SS received the best overall teacher award for the 2022 academic year. Outjo SS was also awarded the most improved and best-performing school awards respectively.

Other top-performing schools were Kamanjab Combined School and Putuavanga Secondary School, which took second and third positions respectively, while Mureti High School and Welwitschia Junior Secondary School received bronze and silver for the most improved category, respectively.

The principal of the year award, which was awarded to Richard Tjazapi of Putuavanga SC last year, was presented to Sadrag Zauana of Ehomba Combined School this year.

The occasion was attended by Dr Roswitha Mahalie, Head of Department of the Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), who complimented the region’s overall performance of last year.

During the event, Mahalie urged for a unified effort to achieve the region’s aim of educational prosperity.

She also encouraged all parties to work together to improve education and alleviate poverty in society.

Similarly, Mahalie encouraged the students to study and be responsible adults for their own futures.

“As students, you should adapt to your current learning environment and methods because no one will push you to study at universities as opposed to schools where you are monitored on a daily basis,” Mahalie continued.

Angelina Jantze, Kunene’s education director, emphasised the importance of education, stating that tutoring is the foundation of prosperity and development.

Jantze also encouraged the award recipients to cultivate a bright future full of limitless possibilities.

“Today, we celebrate your accomplishments. But tomorrow, we will turn to you to construct a more compassionate, inventive, and just world,” Jantze remarked.

In an onsite interview with Nampa, Ehomba CS’s Zauana who scooped the principal category underscored the imperativeness of awarding top performers as a way of encouraging not just learners but teachers as well to be dedicated and hard-working servants towards achieving the education directorate ambitions.

Zauana who is nearing retirement stated that he will cherish the award forever, for he is reminded of the good work that he carried over the years as both a teacher and now principal.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The resignation of two management committee councillors at the Karasburg Town Council has resulted in the council not conducting decision making meetings, hampering the delivery of services to the residents of the town.

The town council has not had management committee meeting for the past two months.

This was picked up by Nampa during the ||Kharas Regional Council development coordination committee meeting here on Wednesday.

The town council’s Local Economic Development Practitioner, Hieronimus Basson told the meeting that Council sits with N.dollars 500 000 for the Build Together project but nothing can be done without a management committee meeting.

“Decisions cannot be made in the absence of management committee meetings, nothing can be approved or so, we even have funds from Road Fund Administration for roads, however we cannot utilise that also. It was recommended that we do a strategic plan which was done at the cost of N.dollars 296 000, however it still sits on my desk waiting for council approval,” he said.

He added that the council spent over N.dollars 300 000 for a consultant company to evaluate and assess old council buildings at the town to determine their value and what the council could use them for.

Nampa is reliably informed that the Karasburg Town Council has at least N.dollars 7.2 million “lying around” that awaits to be utilised to the benefit of the residents.

Basson said during the 2023/2024 financial year, the council has allocated close to N.dollars 1 million to install a water treatment plant to reduce council operating costs when providing water to the residents, and the project is 80 per cent completed.

The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has approved the construction of a fire station at the cost of N.dollars 4.5 million, however such construction cannot happen in the absence of a management committee.

The management committee is the link between the administration and council of any local authority, it manages the operation of the institution on a day-to-day basis and ensures that resolutions taken are carried out.

Karasburg Mayor, Maria Veldskoen when approached for comment on the matter, promised to get back to this news agency but failed to do so, whereas repeated follow-up attempts also failed to yield a response.

The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) has four out of the seven seats at the Karasburg Town Council, while Swapo has two and Independent Patriots of Change has one.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Crop farmers should start embracing new farming methods in order to increase their yields.

This was the advice of a crop farmer in the Zambezi Region, Liswani Kambinda in an interview with Nampa, adding that times have changed and the old traditional way of ploughing needed to be revisited.

He said new farming methods such as conservation agriculture will enhance the yield and efficiently dodge unexpected droughts.

He added that conservational farming uses a ripper on the tractors, that no matter how little the rain will fall in the year, the water will be stored while crops will be kept wet and fresh for a long time.

The crop farmer who tills his 17 hectares of land every year, noted that: “Rain nowadays is not the same rain the farmers would receive back then, therefore it is important that the new good agriculture practices are encouraged.”

Kambinda says last year he got a bumper harvest of over 400 bags of maize, while this year he only managed to get 81 bags of 61 kilogrammes of maize due to low rainfall.

Ploughing earlier, using certified seeds and weeding on time, he said are some of the factors that contribute to a high yield of harvest and therefore advised his fellow farmers to always plough on time from mid to end of November and to the first week of December.

“With less rainfall received this year, drought is definitely hitting many and this is unfortunate, and I foresee an increase in prices of maize meal in stores,” he said.

He further advised those in the agricultural industry to keep abreast with climate change, saying with the frost being experienced in the month of July, crops and fruit trees are burning from the cold fronts.

He added that across the globe, other countries are experiencing floods and too much rainfall causing a loss of life and habitation for many.

Close to a hundred farmers in the Zambezi Region have lost their crops to early floods and drought this year, while many others harvested only 10 to 50 bags of maize.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (NORED) has renewed its strategic partnership, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding, with the Rundu Vocational Training Centre (RVTC) on Friday.

The five-year agreement is aimed at enhancing bilateral collaboration and cooperation in the field of technical and vocational education and training.

NORED and RVTC officially inked this MoU in July 2015, and to date, over 100 electrical trainees have received internships at NORED through this agreement.

NORED Chief Executive Officer Fillemon Nakashole said technical and vocational education and training are crucial for sustainability and socio-economic development.

“Therefore, the signing of another MoU today between the two institutions affirms our clear joint commitment and ambitions on skill development and capacity building to ensure that we produce superior human resources who are competitive and ready to enter the global workforce,” he said.

Additionally, the signing of the MoU is a huge incentive to both NORED and RVTC, as it will strengthen the collaboration mainly in the areas of education, research and development, and practice, he added.

The MoU includes amongst others, assisting RVTC in equipping their training workshops through sponsorships, and provide guest lectures to RVTC in order to inspire and motivate general electrical trainees or any other trades where it may be required.

NORED staff will also attend short courses for capacity building and basic skills upgrading purposes at a favourable (agreed) rate on the course fee.

Currently NORED employs four electricians from RVTC.

On his part, RVTC Manager Kornelius Lukas expressed appreciation for NORED’s contribution to the institution and for having extended the term of industrial attachments from six to 12 months.

“Today marks a new chapter in this partnership journey. RVTC commits to assisting NORED staff members without qualifications through recognition of prior learning. In addition, we have designed new short courses that will assist those who would like to acquire skills and knowledge in a particular field, which will be open to NORED staff at a reasonable fee,” he noted.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Youth Activist, Queen Pieter has discouraged learners from bullying one another, citing bullying robs the community of many pupils that ought to be productive but are lost to suicide and not having the self-esteem to achieve their dreams.

Speaking here on Friday during a bullying awareness talk at PK de Villiers Secondary School, Pieter said that learners should create safe places for others at schools because some learners come from homes where domestic violence prevails and schools are supposed to be places to feel safe at and not to be bullied.

“These learners have so much already happening in their lives and now you as a bully you are picking on them, so that builds a lot of emotions in them. It starts with you deciding that you are not to pick on someone that is not your size, let us choose kindness, let us choose to save a life, you do not want to be responsible for someone giving up on life. We should also stop bullying our teachers, we all have roles to play to stop bullying and we have the responsibility too to stop it,” she said.

Also speaking at the event, Pastor Zezito Epifanio from a local church while urging learners and teachers to stop any form of bullying at school and beyond, said the damage done to those bullied does not end at school but in most cases continue into one’s adulthood.

“Bullying does not happen between learners only but teachers also bully learners, and this affects our children badly, someone that was supposed to be a president, a doctor or a productive citizen – if bullied that person can turn into an unproductive citizen because they feel they are worthless. All forms of abuse follows a pattern that if unchecked will only increase over time, break the cycle of bullying today, it starts with you,” he stressed.

Speaking to this news agency Lapakasheya Shapaka an AS level learner who experienced bullying herself implored victims of bullying to stand strong, pray about it and speak up citing that it is important to communicate.

“From my own experience of bullying I was not aware that I was being bullied until I had a sit down with my life skills teacher after attempting to take my own life, it was only then that I realised that it was bullying that led to the build-up of the negative emotions that made me want to take my own life,” she said.

“I myself I was a bully, at first, I didn’t know that I was bullying my friends and all that, we really need to be aware of how bullying occurs for us to recognise because if we do not it will be too late when someone else takes their own life because of what you have said or done,” said Rauha Shikwaya, the deputy head girl at the school.

Similar talks are expected to take place at other schools.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Federal Government on Friday charged States and Local Government Councils to domesticate and implement the revised 2021-2026 National Gender Policy (NGP) for equity and welfare of vulnerable groups.

Dr Monilola Udoh, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, made the call at a Dissemination and Sensitisation Workshop on the 2021/2026 revised NGP in Abuja.

She said: “The overall goal of the 2021 NGP is to build a just society in which women, girls, and other vulnerable groups will enjoy the same opportunities, rights and obligations in all spheres of life.

“This should be devoid of discrimination; where their needs and concerns are mainstreamed equitably into all sectors of national development.

“The strategic objectives of the revised NGP are to bridge gender and social inclusion gaps and achieve parity in all spheres of life.

“The policy will also protect women’s human rights and mitigate sexual and gender- based violence through appropriate buffers and related services.”

According to her, the NGP will explore and fully harness women’s human capital assets, as a growth driver for national development through women’s economic empowerment, participation and representation in leadership and governance, amongst others.

She, therefore, urged all gender officers represented to ensure the domestication and full implementation of the policy in their various states for overall impact and national development.

Ms Beatrice Eyong, the Country Representative, UN Women, highlighted the importance of NGP towards setting the tone for meaningful engagements on issues around gender equality and women’s empowerment.

“UN Women has always been at the forefront of the development of the strategy, we feel very honoured to continue to be part of this,” she said.

Eyong, represented by Ms Patience Ekeoba, the National Programme Officer, UN Women, urged all development partners to continue to support the process of review, dissemination and implementation of the policy at all levels.

Prof. Olabisi Aina, the Executive Director, Centre for Gender, Women and Children in Sustainable Development and Lead of the 2006 Gender Policy, stressed the need to mainstream gender equity in all sectors across the states.

“Unless we get all the processes right, we will not make it in terms of development and this is the reason why the gender policy must be domesticated across all states of the federation,” he said.

Other partners present included the African Development Bank (AfDB), ActionAid, religious and traditional leaders, as well as women groups.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) in collaboration with Prof. Felicia Anumah Diabetes Centre have called on the Federal Government to implement sugar-sweetened beverages tax to help reduce diabetes and obesity in the country.

The organisations made the appeal on Thursday during a sensitisation walk/rally, health talk and press conference held at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada.

Mrs Felicia Anumah, the Director, Centre for Diabetes Studies, University of Abuja, identified over-consumption of sugar as a major contributor to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.

According to her, people who consume sugary drinks regularly have a 26 per cent greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than people who rarely consume such drinks, hence the need to impose tax on sugary products will cushion the effect.

“Obesity is a worldwide epidemic and is a major risk factor for the growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, heart diseases and some cancers.

“In the past three decades, globalisation and urbanisation has led to a shift in food culture and convergence in consumption habits.

“In this ‘nutrition transition’, the consumption of foods high in fats, sugars, salt and sweeteners has increased throughout the developing world.

“This transition therefore is implicated in the rapid rise of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases, worldwide.

“Organisations (CSOs) advocating for policy measures to address the health risks of consuming SSBs. In December 2021, tax policy of 10% on SSBS was introduced via the Finance Act. Unfortunately, this has been suspended in June 2023.

“Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax Policy is an anti-obesity, anti-diabetes policy,” Anumah, Prof. of Endocrinology and Diabetology, said

Besides, she defined sugary drinks as all types of beverages containing free sugars and include carbonated or non-carbonated soft drinks, fruit/vegetable juices, ready-to-drink coffee and flavoured milk drinks, among others.

However, the don maintained that evidence has shown that with respect to obesity, an effective starting point to reduce unhealthy food consumption will be through taxing of SSBs.

Anumah said: “There is therefore a need to combine programmes that target individual behaviour change with a fiscal policy such as excise tax on SSBs.”

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Prof. Bisallah Ekele, commended the organisations for the initiative and called for the implementation of tax on sugary products to help reduce diabetes and obesity in the country.

Ekele, who was represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr Bob Ukonu, called for speedy implementation, with efforts from the organisations to help reduce diabetes and obesity for healthy living.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO)-Europe has donated 12 blood pressure monitors to the General Hospital, Wuse in Abuja.

The Chairman of the group, Dr Bashir Obasekola, while handing over the equipment, in Abuja on Friday, said that the gesture was under the organisation’s project tagged, “A Week in Nigeria”.

Obasekola explained that the organisation, with members across Europe, including medical practitioners working in the United Kingdom, Italy, Island, Spain, and other European countries, were on a solidarity visit to Nigeria.

He said that the donation was to support the hospital to deliver quality services, particularly by addressing the lack of adequate equipment and awareness on blood pressure management.

He said that the team was in the hospital to donate the devices and demonstrate how it should be used.

This, he said, was key, adding that a lot could go wrong when people do not manage their blood pressure properly.

“We know that the medical sector in Nigeria is faced with many challenges, not only because of brain drain, but also because of the lack of adequate equipment and enabling environment.

“We know how the medical sector works in developed countries and felt the need to support our dear country to improve the quality of healthcare services,” the chairman said.

Responding, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Sa’ad Idris, commended the group for returning home to give back to the society.

Idris described the hospital, with the biggest and largest Dialysis Unit as “one of the best” in the Federal Capital Territory.

He disclosed that the dialysis unit was donated by the Redeemed Church Of God, along with a Water Treatment Plant and a generator, estimated at over N200 million.

The medical director also lauded the support of the FCT Administration, particularly the designation of the hospital as a Teaching Hospital in conjunction with Nile University, Abuja.

Also, Mrs Sarah Areo, Director and Desk Officer, FCT Diaspora, commended NIDO-Europe for the support and for choosing to identify with their fatherland.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Commander, Training and Doctrine Command of the Nigerian Army (TRADOC), Maj.-Gen. Kelvin Aligbe, has called for constant training of officers and soldiers to ensure optimum performance and professionalism.

Aligbe made the call at the closing of the 2023 Combined Mid-Year Courses Appraisal Curriculum Harmonisation Workshop, Research and Development Conference, held in Minna.

This is contained in a statement by the Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations for TRADOC, Lt.-Col. Uba Sani, on Saturday.

He said the event was aimed at building capacity for optimum performance and professionalism in the Nigerian army, in tandem with international best practices.

Aligbe said the conference created an enabling environment for interaction and brainstorming on new ideas that would promote the core mandate of the Army.

He urged the participants to take lessons learnt to their various schools to aid the Nigerian army in its operations.

The commander commended the facilitators, moderators and discussants for bringing their expertise to bear during the event.

He thanked the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja for approving logistics for the smooth conduct of the event.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Mr Buzin Vyacheslav, Director-General, JSC Gazprom Gas Distribution, Leningrad Region, on Saturday said Mr Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, was committed to an all-Russia gasification programme, to promote clean energy and energy security.

Vyacheslav said this during a visit to Voskresenskoye, a gasified village in the Leningrad Region, Russia, by African journalists and energy experts on tour of Gazprom facilities.

Vyacheslav said Voskresenskoye was one of 500 villages that had been gasified as part of the initiative to make gas available to homes for cooking and heating.

“Gazprom is actively bringing gas to cities and villages, building gas pipelines stretching from major gas trunk lines to consumers.

“Gas infrastructure expansion is the most ambitious socially significant project of Gazprom that helps to improve the living standards of people.

“The main benefits of pipeline natural gas are: convenience of use, eco-friendliness, cost efficiency and reliability.

“Uninterrupted delivery and safety are the main principles of Gazprom as regards gas supplies,” said Vyacheslav.

According to him, both construction and operation of gas infrastructure facilities are performed with stringent requirements.

“Natural gas is the cheapest energy source available in Russia today, and gas prices are regulated by the government, which makes gas affordable for households.

“Gas infrastructure expansion is a powerful driving force for the development of regional economies,” he said.

He said the government was responsible for the expenses for gas installation and underground piping (120-150 metres depth) up to the border of the house, while expenses for piping from the border into the house are taken care of by the owner.

The Russian government reimburses money spent by the gasified house owner after the installation.

Vyacheslav said gas was supplied to 28.9 million apartments and households and 413,500 industrial, agricultural and public enterprises.

He said the monthly payment by the gasified house owner was on post paid basis and depended on the season of year to ascertain consumption level.

He said during winter the average cost of gas consumption by households was estimated at 20 euros or 25 dollars per month, and as low as five euros or five to seven dollars per month in summer due to less consumption of gas occasioned by the weather.

According to him, the house owner signs an agreement with the company on maintenance and technical work, and that the company is responsible for damaged equipment.

He said the advantages of access to gas for domestic use included availability of reliable source of energy, which increased the investment attractiveness of Russia’s regions, larger tax payments, employment growth, improvement in living standards and better environmental conditions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Russian gasified programme started in 1960 and since then 500 villages have been gasified, while houses in the Leningrad region were gasified in 2022.

Gazprom Gas Distribution Network provides Russian consumers with natural gas in 72 Russian regions to make clean energy widely available.

The piping is carried out by the government through the Unified Russian Gas System by lowering gas pressure to 0.5 Megapascal (MPA) and supplying into houses for cooking and heating.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Civil society organisation, Patriotism Awareness Forum (PAF), has commended Nigerians for their understanding, resilience and patience on the aftermath of the fuel subsidy removal.

The Convener, PAF, Mr Nelson Ekujumi, said this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

Ekujumi commended Nigerians for their understanding on the foreign exchange unification policy, amidst falsehood and misinformation by anti-democratic elements to mislead, confuse and incite Nigerians for political capital.

He said some persons were trying to destabilise the country by peddling fake news and misinformation, over the recent rise in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit due to market forces.

According to him, they are trying to incite and cause bad blood between the people and the government over the biting economic conditions.

“It is an indisputable fact that Nigerians across all divide have spoken in unison with one voice to commend and congratulate President Bola Tinubu for the courageous economic decision of fuel subsidy removal.

“Nigerians have also spoken in unison on the introduction of a single foreign exchange system to stop the hemorrhaging of our commonwealth and free resources for the three tiers of government to be able to deliver the dividend of democracy to our teeming masses.

“This bold economic policy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has earned it commendations not only from financial experts and bodies at home, but also from international financial experts and institutions.

“This has increased the potentials of Nigeria as investor’s haven to be sought after in the global business environment, with the attendant creation of wealth and mass employment,” he said.

Ekujumi said that the outcome of the economic policy of fuel subsidy removal though painful and inevitable to come with economic pains and hardship for all irrespective of social status, has also brought in significant gains.

He said that the fuel subsidy removal had brought in savings of over N400 billion in June alone, with the World Bank projecting fuel subsidy savings of N3.9 trillion by December 2023.

According to him, it has resulted in an increased FAAC allocation of N1.959 trillion, to the three tiers of government in the month of June, which is unprecedented in Nigeria’s political and economic history.

“As a result of the fuel subsidy removal and forex reforms, investors in the stock market raked in N5.3 trillion in the first quarter of 2023, which represented a gain of 18.9 per cent, which is the highest in 15 years.

“We are also aware that as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy, daily fuel consumption in the country has dropped drastically from 66 million litres to 40 million litres and has in a way curbed the menace of smuggling of the product, which remained intractable till now,” he said.

Ekujumi, however, called on the organised labour to drop its confrontational approach against the policy of the Bola Tinubu administration.

He urged the organised labour to apply rationality and embrace dialogue, putting national interest above any other interest.

Ekujumi commended the National Economic Council for coming up with far reaching decisions to cushion the effect of the pains of the policies on ordinary Nigerians.

He also urged the citizens to remain resolute and unwavering to holding the three tiers of government accountable on the palliatives and other measures.

Ekujumi also urged the three tiers of government to activate their information machinery for aggressive education and sensitisation of the citizenry on the fuel subsidy removal policy.

Ekujumi urged the governments to educate the citizens on their policies and programmes in order to deepen and sustain democracy in the country.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Lagos State Government says recent demolition of distressed buildings in Alaba International Market in Ojo Local Council was neither a witch-hunt nor intended to acquire the land but done to protect lives.

Mr Gbolahan Oki, General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, (LABSCA) said this on Saturday during an on-the-spot assessment of the demolition site.

Oki visited the market amid heavy downpour alongside his counterpart in Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authourity (LASPPPA), Mr Kehinde Osinaike, and the seven-man committee set up by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the aftermath of the demolition exercise.

They were led on the trip by Mr Oluwole Sotire, Permanent Secretary of their parent parastatal, the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that South-East traders in the market, led by Imo Governor, Mr Hope Uzodimma, met with Gov. Sanwo-Olu of Lagos to put to rest allegations of tribal bias behind the demolition exercise.

During the on the spot assessment, Oki explained that the demolition was simply to enforce building regulations and laws, to prevent building collapse.

According to him, most of the demolished buildings were without permits, and necessary documentations needed by the state government were also ignored.

“All we are after is that the lives of traders and other Nigerians are extremely important to the Lagos State Government.

“I have seen people painting buildings that are delapidated, that are not good, it is not painting that makes a building new. Our lives are more important,” he said.

Oki urged owners of distressed buildings marked for demolition to remove them within two weeks, to prevent disaster, or else government would move in to take action.

“My mandate is to remove anything that is dilapidated, that is harmful to the people that even owns it,” he said.

The General Manager said Sanwo-Olu set up the seven-man committee to look into the demolition without causing disaffection among the traders at Alaba International Market.

He said LASBCA officials were usually prevented from enforcing laws by people who failed to get building plan approvals or those who did illegal conversion of their properties.

NAN reports that the LASBCA boss waded through flash floods to issue stop work order on a contractor on site from the Ojo Local Government, for amicable resolution of all issues.

He assured protesters carrying placards that government had their interests covered with the appointment of additional 17-man sub-committee compromising their market leadership, for quicker resolution of issues.

Oki explained why distressed buildings were being demolished and the need for some of the traders to do regularisation.

He said this was because of issues of land grabbers selling one land to several people as well as the need to correct haphazard development.

Earlier, the general manager and his team had a meeting with leadership of the Alaba International Market traders at LASBCA head office at Ikeja GRA, before they all embarked on the trip to the market.

During the meeting, the market leaders who are members of the seven-man technical committee set up by to look into the issues of demolition in Alaba International Market discussed the way forward.

The LASBCA boss explained processes and procedures guiding laws on physical developments and what must be done to comply with regulation.

He said that there was no ethnic colouration to the decisions of government, whose only motive was to prevent building collapse, to ensure safety of lives of the traders and other Nigerians.

Mr Chris Maduka, Secretary to the seven-man Technical Committee on Alaba International Demolition, commended action of the government to sanitise the market.

Maduka said it had brought them closer and was in the best interest of everybody, to save traders from touts extorting them with various conflicting taxes and illegal levies.

During the on-the-spot assessment to the market, Maduka appealed for cooperation and understanding of the traders affected by the demolition exercise.

He said that taking to protest or violence would defeat the purpose for which Sanwo-Olu set up the Committee.

Some of the affected traders carrying placards with various inscriptions at the market pleaded with Sanwo-Olu to fast track the assignment of the committee to restore their means of livelihood.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria