Tag: Sanwo-Olu

  • Omicron: Sanwo-Olu cancels Peace Walk

    Omicron: Sanwo-Olu cancels Peace Walk

    The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has cancelled the peace walk that was meant to herald the healing of the state.

    Sanwo-Olu had invited a few celebrities, youths, civil society organizations and the media to join him in the peace walk.

    A few people publicly turned down the invitation, despite the governor saying it will signal a new beginning for the state.

    Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Sanwo-Olu explained that the peace walk was cancelled due to the rise in cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

    “We chose to be guided not by our emotions, but expert opinions rooted in science. Between Tuesday 30, November 2021 that I made my address, and now, we have seen a significant rise in cases associated with the Omicron variant of this pandemic.

    “Given this development, I am constrained to stand down all preparations for the walk for peace. I will not endanger the life of any Lagosian in my sincere search for peace,” he said.

    Sanwo-Olu added that he is “overwhelmed by the outpouring of support the initiative received from far and near. The deluge of support is, however, indicative of one thing: our people know the strategic place of peace to our quest for development.”

  • #EndSARS Panel Report: Our Decisions Will Be Based On Truth : Sanwo-Olu

    #EndSARS Panel Report: Our Decisions Will Be Based On Truth : Sanwo-Olu

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday said his government was committed to justice and truth as it relates to the report of the state’s #EndSARS panel.

    The panel submitted its report on November 15, although the state government is yet to make its contents public with a White Paper expected today (Tuesday).

    However, a leaked version of the report indicted the Nigerian Army and the Lagos state government in the killing of unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate and a subsequent cover-up.

    It is not yet clear how the report was leaked.

    Sanwo-Olu, commenting on the report, said the leakage was “regrettable”.

    “While I commend the panel for undertaking its task to the best of its abilities, it is however regrettable that the panel’s work and the leakage of an unauthorized version of the report have generated much tension. Sadly, a deep wound has been reopened,” he said.

    “The heated exchanges among various shades of opinion on the report have unfortunately put us all at the risk of missing the larger picture; the fact that what we all seek in common is a land in which we are all safe and secure, law enforcement agents are trusted, and justice is guaranteed for all.

    “As I have stated earlier, we have no intention to engage in histrionics or further inflame passion on a matter that has generated intense interest and controversy nationally and internationally. Our decisions and actions will be based entirely on the law, the weight of evidence, and an unblemished respect for the truth.”

    Read the Governor’s full speech:

    GOVERNOR BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU’S SPEECH TO THE PEOPLE OF LAGOS STATE ON THE LEKKI TOLLGATE INCIDENT – DELIVERED ON TUESDAY 30 NOVEMBER, 2021.

    My dear good people of Lagos State,
    It is with great sense of responsibility that I address you today on the reactions that have trailed the release of the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry Report submitted to me two weeks ago, and how it has played out in public discourse since then.
    I believe — and have always been vocal about this — that we owe it to you, the people of Lagos, to constantly speak and engage with you. In easy times, in difficult circumstances, we will never shy away from making our case to you, while also ensuring that we listen to you.
    I will start by saying that we, as an administration, are determined that the next steps that will be taken in this process of coming to terms with the events of October 2020, must bring closure to a painful episode in the history of our State, with the release of the White Paper later today.
    This, in my view, is a moment that beckons us to define who and what we are as a people.
    To be a Centre of Excellence, we must be a Centre of Truth. To be a smart city, we first must be a just one. To be a prosperous state, we must establish ourselves as a peaceful entity. And to achieve the Greater Lagos of our dreams we must learn to live in harmony, even amidst inevitable disagreement.
    In times like these, with anger and animosity too quick and fast at hand, it is easy to hide behind our own prejudices, treating them as deeper truths instead of the superficial lies they are.
    It is far too easy to take sides and choose emotion over fact, even when the truth is to be found in shades of nuance. It is easy to choose darkness over light; to take perverse delight in playing unhelpful games of cynicism and suspicion; to cling to beliefs that do not carry the weight of verifiable evidence.
    To become a champion of prejudice is to own a fleeting and false victory. It is a victory of rancor over reason, of vengeance over justice, of anger over compassion.
    Today, I stand before you to declare that I reject this path; and I invite you all to do same.
    The choice confronting us today is between restoring greater harmony or doing greater harm. I choose harmony over harm. As your Governor, it is my task to explain why all Lagosians should join me on this path that promises a more beneficial future.
    Fellow Lagosians, let me at this point bring to the fore some very important context that we must never lose sight of. You will recall that the Judicial Panel of Inquiry was originally inaugurated to investigate allegations of police brutality committed by the disbanded SARS in Lagos state.
    In the aftermath of what happened on October 20, 2020, I decided to expand the mandate of the Panel to include investigating what really happened at the Lekki Tollgate that night.
    As a matter of good faith and a sincere commitment to uncovering the truth, we constituted a panel of individuals that we believed were independent, credible, and representative of the various stakeholder community interested in the movement against police brutality.
    Apart from the Chairman of the panel being a respected retired jurist, various stakeholders including the youths, #EndSars protesters, the police and civil society groups were represented on the panel.
    I am sure no member of the panel can claim that the state government made any attempt to influence them in any way throughout the duration of its sitting.
    While I commend the panel for undertaking its task to the best of its abilities, it is however regrettable that the panel’s work and the leakage of an unauthorized version of the report have generated much tension. Sadly, a deep wound has been reopened.
    The heated exchanges among various shades of opinion on the report have unfortunately put us all at the risk of missing the larger picture; the fact that what we all seek in common is a land in which we are all safe and secure, law enforcement agents are trusted, and justice is guaranteed for all.
    As I have stated earlier, we have no intention to engage in histrionics or further inflame passion on a matter that has generated intense interest and controversy nationally and internationally. Our decisions and actions will be based entirely on the law, the weight of evidence and an unblemished respect for the truth.
    Let me at this juncture say that I have never been in any doubt as to the sincerity, patriotism and noble motivations of both organizers of and participants in the movement to see an end to the human rights abuses by the now disbanded Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS).
    It is also on record that the Federal Government accepted all the demands of the protesters, including the immediate scrapping of SARS. The National Economic Council (NEC) also recommended the establishment of State Panels of Inquiry into cases of police brutality. And the Lagos State Government was the first to set up its own panel.
    I can boldly say that no State took the advocacy for police reforms and justice in the face of documented brutality more seriously than we did in Lagos. We have so far paid N420million in compensation to victims of police brutality, in line with the recommendations of the panel.
    My good people of Lagos State, you will also recall that, in solidarity with the protesters, I joined our youths at various points during the demonstrations, particularly at the Lekki Tollgate and Alausa.
    I received the charter of demands of the protesters and promised to pass them on to the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari.
    I kept my word and passed on the demands to the President, who promised to act promptly on the issues raised.
    However, perhaps as a result of entrenched lack of trust between the government and the governed over the years, the protesters responded to the government’s concessions with skepticism, and the demonstrations continued, even growing in intensity.
    Regrettably, what had been very well organized and peaceful protests were subsequently hijacked in different parts of the country, particularly in Lagos.
    In the ensuing descent into anarchy, many of our compatriots were caught up in the violence. Several policemen were killed. Public and private property, including critical infrastructure, were set on fire, leading to losses estimated at several billions of naira.
    At that point, I imposed a curfew to restore normalcy in Lagos. We had only one goal in mind: the maintenance of law and order, and protection of citizens going about their daily lives. This is more than a legal duty. It is a sacred obligation under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which I swore to uphold.
    In my inaugural speech on May 29, 2019, I said:
    “Let us explore how we can establish a harmony of interests and avoid the growing tendency to focus on those things that differentiate and divide one Lagosian from another. By dint of providence, this small tract of land intersected and surrounded by waterways and lagoons has become home to roughly twenty-two million people, with their various dreams and aspirations.”
    It is my earnest desire that all of us — the government, the youth, protesters, the police, and other security agencies — learn the appropriate lessons from the #EndSars protests, particularly the Lekki Tollgate incident, with a view to averting any recurrence to the detriment of our dear state.
    It is a testimony to our strength and resilience as a people that, despite the huge losses incurred because of these terrible incidents, we have bounced back, with our economy as vibrant and virile as ever. I have no doubt whatsoever that our prospects are as bright as ever and the best lies ahead of Lagos State and Nigeria.
    My Dear Lagosians, let me remind you of our collective strength as a people. We are that social collective who through the resilience of our Spirit confronted an unseen enemy called Covid- 19. In our common resolve, we overcame the worst of the pandemic.
    We are the great people who triumphed over the terrible explosion at Ado-Soba, an incident in which many lives and property were lost. Just a month ago, we rose above the differences in our tribes and tongues; we rallied our inner strength to rescue survivors of the collapsed Ikoyi building and console those who lost their loved ones.
    THE TESTAMENT TO THE RESILIENCE OF OUR SPIRIT RESTS IN HOW WE RISE AFTER EVERY ADVERSITY. THIS IS WHO WE ARE. THIS IS THE TRUE SPIRIT OF LAGOS.
    Our resilient and irrepressible spirit also propels us to show our empathetic nature in the face of tribulations has long defined us as a people; and is also at the root of the just clamor for an end to Police brutality.
    Going forward, dear Lagosians, we shall facilitate better communication between our youths and the state’s security machinery to resolve issues before they become intractable. We will make it easier for our young people to initiate formal complaints on human rights violations through the Ministry of Justice.
    We will also improve the coordination between the state government and the security agencies, including the police and the military. In this vein, we are studying how to improve security policy formulation, information sharing, and clarifying rules of engagement in times of social unrest.
    Just as we have established a mechanism to compensate all those who lost homes, businesses, and livelihoods to the violent destruction of October 2020, we shall also establish a detailed procedure for the just compensation of citizens with verified claims of police brutality committed during the protests.
    In December, I will be leading A WALK FOR PEACE to herald the healing of our land. Let me use this occasion to extend an open invitation to our youths, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society groups, students and the media as well as other stakeholders to join me.
    FOLARIN FALANA (FALZ). DEBO ADEBAYO (MR. MARCARONI). DELE FAROTIMI. TEMITOPE MAJEKODUNMI. SEGUN AWOSANYA(SEGALINKS). ADETOUN (JUST DETOUN). SEUN KUTI. CP HAKEEM ODUMOSU. CSP YINKA EGBEYEMI.
    JOIN ME ON THIS HISTORIC MARCH FOR OUR DEAR LAGOS. NOBODY WILL BUILD THIS CITY FOR US. LET US SHOW THE WORLD WHO WE ARE. WE ARE LAGOSIANS. A PEOPLE OF GREAT RENOWN, DRIVEN BY THE IRREPRESSIBLE SPIRIT OF LAGOS.
    God bless Lagos State
    God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria.
    BABAJIDE OLUSOLA SANWO-OLU
    GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE
    NOVEMBER 29, 2021.

  • BREAKING: Gov Sanwo-Olu Signs VAT Bill Into Law

    BREAKING: Gov Sanwo-Olu Signs VAT Bill Into Law

    The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has signed into law, the State VAT Bill that was passed by the House of Assembly, on Thursday.

    Sanwo-Olu signed the bill for a law to impose and charge VAT on certain goods and services.

    The VAT bill had passed its first and second readings at the house on Monday, while the committee on Finance committee held public hearing on the bill while it was passed at parliament on Thursday.

    By this act, the bill is considered a Law in Lagos.

    Details later…

  • PHOTOS: Sanwo-Olu Presents Cars To Outstanding Lagos Civil Servants

    PHOTOS: Sanwo-Olu Presents Cars To Outstanding Lagos Civil Servants

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu presents cars to 10 lucky distinguished public servants in the State.

    He also awarded a cash gift of N5 million to a Level 16 officer for winning an impromptu quiz competition.

  • Sanwo-Olu commends UNILAG for sacking randy lecturers

    Sanwo-Olu commends UNILAG for sacking randy lecturers

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has hailed the University of Lagos (UNILAG) for ensuring discipline and sustaining excellence.

    He commended the management for the dismissal of two lecturers caught on tape soliciting sex from an undercover reporter who posed as a 17-year-old admission seeker.

    Boniface Igbeneghu and Samuel Omoniyi Oladipo were exposed in BBC Investigative Series, Africa Eye. The documentary was aired in October 2019.

    Sanwo-Olu said the sanction had redeemed the reputation of the institution and now serves as deterrent to other members of staff.

    He spoke at the State House in Marina on Thursday at a meeting with members of the Federal Government Visitation Panel for UNILAG.

    The panel members were led by the chairman, Lt. Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), a former Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff.

    “The school has maintained high discipline with lecturers who want to bring down the image and name of the school”, Sanwo-Olu said.

    The Lagos helmsman said the management had proven that nobody is above the law.

    “These are parts of the commendable steps which the school management has taken to ensure the standards are sustained.”

    Sanwo-Olu reiterated his administration’s commitment to raise standards of education and academic research in Lagos.

    He assured that the Lagos government would fulfil its pledge to construct a standard jetty at the UNILAG waterfront.

    The governor mentioned the ongoing reconstruction work on St. Finbar’s Road and Iwaya Road, and other adjoining areas around UNILAG.

    In his remarks, Agwai described Sanwo-Olu as “education-friendly governor”.

    He said the panel was raised to carry out full assessment of UNILAG administration to know the challenges it is facing in delivering on its mandate.

  • Sanwo-Olu Launches Body Cameras For Lagos Law Enforcement Officers

    Sanwo-Olu Launches Body Cameras For Lagos Law Enforcement Officers

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday launched body cameras for security agencies in the effort to enhance security and safety in the state.

    The governor during the unveiling at the Government House in Alausa announced that law enforcement officers in the state will now make use of body cameras while discharging their duties.

    He said the use of the cameras will help provide first-hand evidence in the case of any wrongdoing.

    “To enhance public safety and increase investors’ confidence, I approved the use of body cameras and mass training of its use for law enforcement personnel in Lagos.

    “This move will increase the transparency and accountability in the activities of our law enforcement agencies,” Sanwo-Olu announced in a Twitter post, sharing pictures from the event.

    The governor also approved mass training for the state’s law enforcement personnel on the use of body-worn cameras, ahead of the deployment of the digital tools for security operations across the state.

    The three-day training, to begin in May, will be facilitated by the Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute (LETI), headed by Falade Oyekan.

    After the training, all state-funded law enforcement officers would be mandated to wear body cameras for their operations.

  • Sanwo-Olu honours 13 Teachers with SUVs

    Sanwo-Olu honours 13 Teachers with SUVs

    Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has honoured 13 teachers with Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) while ten others were rewarded with consolation prizes at the Lagos State Teachers Merit Award for the Year 2020.

    Details soon….

  • Sanwo-Olu, Runsewe clinch Balearica Tourism Award

    Sanwo-Olu, Runsewe clinch Balearica Tourism Award

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    Governor of Lagos State, Babajide  Sanwo- Olu, Director General if the National Center for Arts and Culture, NCAC, Otunba Segun Runsewe have both clinched the covetious Nigeria Tourism Awards known as Balearica Award.

    Otunba Runsewe  who emerged  ” Tourism Personality of the Year”  over the weekend alongside  Sanwo-Olu, Dr Ibrahim Goni,  Prince Adeyanju Lipede, Sterling Bank at the Fourth Edition of Nigeria Tourism Awards.

    History was made as the winners of the Tourism Awards were announced via a virtual event. Nigeria Tourism Awards, also known as The Balearica Awards, named and design after the Crowned Crane which was once voted the national bird of Nigeria. According to the CEO of the awards, Mr. Efetobo Awhana the event was switched to a virtual meeting due to the rising numbers of the Covid-19 infections in Nigeria and the health risks of large gatherings.

     For the first time potential winners were judged and scored on the set criteria for their category. For the previous editions the winners were determined via public nominations and online voting. The number of awards were also increased from 24 to 44 for this edition to cover the diverse nature of the tourism industry.

     Awhana said , “2020 was indeed a difficult year for every practitioner in the tourism industry.”
    “Nigeria  Tourism Awards 2020 recognises those tourism firms and individuals who have gone out of their way to boost domestic tourism whilst Covid-19 ravaged the world.”

    The most anticipated categories for 2020 went to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Best Tourism Governor), Otunba Segun Runsewe (Tourism Personality of the Year), Dr Adebisi Obawale (Best Tourism Commissioner), Alado of Ado Awaye, HRM Oba Ademola Folakanmi (Royal Support for Tourism), and Omotoke Fatoki (Young Tourism Personality of the Year). Lifetime Achievement Awards went to Chief Mike Amachree and Mr Jemi Alade.

    There were also special recognition awards for Hon. Rotimi Amaechi (Tourism Infrastructure); Conservator-General of National Park Service, Dr Ibrahim Goni (Essential Duties); Prince Adeyanju Lipede (Tourism Investment) and Sterling Bank (Tourism Support). Others who received the individual awards include the National President of NANTA, Mrs Susan Akporiaye; National President of ATBOWATON, Mr Ganiyu Tarzan Balogun; MD of Sprints Travels, Mrs Bunmi Aremu; MD of Aviator Travels, Mrs Tinuke Nwakohu; MD of Traveltron, Mrs Bimbo Durosinmi-Etti; DG of CRIMMD, Dr Raphael James and the DG of NTDC, Mr Folorunsho Coker.

    Other  outstanding tourism brands who won their categories for 2020 include Z Kitchen (Premium Dining Restaurant), Tamberma Ibadan (Best Ethnic Restaurant), Work And Play (Best Tourism Promotion Initiative).Radisson Blu Anchorage Lagos (Best International Chain Hotel), Transcorp Calabar (Best Independent Brand Hotel), Jara Beach Resort (Best Beach Hotel), La Campagne Tropicana (Best Resort), TVC News (Best Tourism Support Media). Angel Style World Travels (Best Domestic Tour Operator), Zee Goes (Best Travel Blog) and Badagry (Best Tourism Destination). The Envoy Hotel Abuja went home with two awards for Best Boutique Hotel  and Best Luxury Hotel. 

  • COVID-19: Sanwo-Olu extends work from home for civil servants

    COVID-19: Sanwo-Olu extends work from home for civil servants

    The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has extended the work from home order to civil servants in the State.

    Sanwo-Olu gave the order to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

    Following the resurgence of COVID-19, the State government had ordered workers from Grade Level 14 and below to work from home.

    But, workers across most sectors have been directed to resume on Monday, January 18, 2021.

    However, a tweet by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile reads: “Breaking: Gov @jidesanwoolu has extended work from home order for civil servants on Grade Level 14 and below from Monday January 18 to February 1. A circular by @HMOKUNOLA1 Stated that decision was taken by the Gov to successfully curtail the spread of the #COVID19 in the State.”

  • Gov Sanwo-Olu cancels LASU VC appointment process

    Gov Sanwo-Olu cancels LASU VC appointment process

    Lagos State Governor and Visitor to Lagos State University, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has cancelled the ongoing process set up for the appointment of a substantive ninth Vice-Chancellor of the University.

    The Governor further directed that a fresh process that would terminate in 45 days should commence immediately.

    This was contained in a statement by Sanwo-Olu’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, on Friday titled, ‘Sanwo-Olu cancels ongoing appointment of LASU VC, orders fresh process’.

    It stated that the governor’s “decision on the cancellation came after a thorough investigation and stakeholders engagement, which were necessitated by various petitions against the selection process”.

    The statement added, “Governor Sanwo-Olu was inundated with petitions arising from the selection process of the Vice-Chancellor by the Governing Council. After a thorough evaluation and investigation of the various complaints, Mr. Governor, in his capacity as the Visitor to the University ordered the cancellation of the process.

    “The outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, has also been directed to convene an emergency Senate meeting for the purpose of appointing one of the Deputy Vice-Chancellors, who is not a candidate in the cancelled selection process as Acting Vice-Chancellor from Monday, January 11, 2021, when the tenure of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Professor Fagbohun expires.

    “The Governor further directed that the Senate should select among its members, a pro tem chairman to superintend the meeting and conduct of the election of Acting Vice-Chancellor.”

    Following the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent VC of LASU, Prof. Lanre Fagbohun, on Monday, January 11, 2021, a joint Selection Committee of the Senate and Council was set up by the university to interview candidates for the position.

    The Committee was expected to submit the names of the three best candidates for the job for onward transmission to the Visitor (the Lagos State Governor) for the final selection of one successful candidate for the job.

    Among the criteria set by the committee in the advertisement for the post required a successful applicant to be a Professor of at least 10 years standing, with good track record of academic excellence of local and international repute including supervision and mentoring of postgraduate students among others.

    More than 18 Professors from about 10 universities applied for the job. But there was controversy over the qualification of some candidates selected to replace Fagbohun.

    One of the three candidates was said not to be qualified for the job because his entry qualification to the university was the Fellowship of the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical College and not Ph.D.

    Another candidate was said not to be a professor of at least 10 years as stated in the advertisement for the job.