Business
Lagos govt engages multinationals to increase housing delivery
By Dada Jackson
Lagos State government has taken bold steps to upscale its housing delivery performance in response to the growing demand for accommodation in the state.
The state Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, dropped the hint in his office in Alausa, Ikeja
He said that the Lagos State Government was pursuing the agenda of housing provision with increased vigour to ensure that more homes for the people of the state before the end of the year.
His words: “We are engaging multinationals along with other MDAs to build and support financing of vertical buildings in the state. This is the viable option given the fact that land is a limited resource in the State.”
He added, “With the rate of population explosion in the state, meaningful impact can only be achieved through maximization of our scarce land by the construction of high rise buildings and we are making progress in our discussions with some international organisations.”
He also disclosed that state housing schemes located in Odo-Onosa Ayandelu, Agbowa, Sangotedo Phase 1, Gbagada and Omole Phase 1 would be delivered to the people very soon.
Speaking further, the commissioner said that the cited projects being financed through direct budgetary allocation were specifically for the benefit of low- and middle-income earners.
He said the state government was working tirelessly to deliver the ongoing housing schemes so that the low and middle class Lagosians can also come on the home ownership ladder.
This, according to him, would be accomplished through a convenient mortgage system since a larger percentage of the homes shall be allocated to the Rent-to-Home Scheme whereby the tenure of payment will 120 months after the initial payment of 5 per cent of the value of the homes by the allottees.
The commissioner pointed out that the Lagos was also subsidizing the cost of the homes to reduce the barrier to home ownership.
This, he said, was in spite of the increased cost of building materials occasioned by the current inflationary trend.
“The governor of the state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has insisted that cost of homes built by the State should be lower than the market price so as to make home ownership easier for the people.”
Other schemes being constructed through direct budgetary allocation include Egan-Igando, LASU, Ita-Marun in Epe and Ajara, he said.
He noted that though these schemes were inherited from previous administrations, the Lagos State Government was committed to their speedy delivery and commissioning because they are all for the utmost benefit of the people.
Akinderu-Fatai said, “in line with the THEMES agenda, housing provision is pivotal to the transformation of the lives of the people. Provision of decent homes is actually the bedrock of making Lagos a 21st Century economy.”
The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Wasiu Akewusola, also indicated that an additional number of homes will be made available before the third anniversary of the present administration through Joint Ventures or partnership with private investors.
Akewusola said, “A lot of incentives have been put in place to encourage private sector participation. These include infrastructural development and technical support to ease the task and enhance quick completion of the projects.”
The joint venture schemes are sited at Ilubirin, Ilamoye-Isolo, Ijora-Badia, and Ibeshe. Others Joint Ventures by the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation include Iconic Towers in Victoria Island, Channel Point Apartments Ogudu, Davilla Court, and Ilupeju Gardens, Akewusola said.
The state government under Sanwoolu has commissioned the housing schemes at Igando, Igbokushu, Lekki Phase 1, Lekki Phase 2, Idale, Badagry, Iponri and Igbogbo.
Aviation
Disaster averted as bird strike hits Abuja-Lagos Air Peace flight
Disaster averted as bird strike hits Abuja-Lagos Air Peace flight
An Abuja-Lagos flight was on Thursday aborted following a bird strike on the airplane belonging to Air Peace, forcing the authorities to ground the aircraft.
The bird strike experienced in the early hours reportedly prompted a ramp return to ensure the safety of passengers onboard.
All the passengers quickly disembarked and were calmed down before they were moved into another plane for the one-hour journey.
A bird strike is a collision between a bird and an aircraft, or other airborne animal, while the aircraft is in flight, taking off, or landing. And it can be a significant threat to aircraft safety.
Air Peace in a statement by its Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, said the bird strike occurred at 6:30am, and all passengers disembarked normally.
The statement read, “We wish to inform our esteemed passengers that our Abuja- Lagos 06:30 flight experienced a bird strike before take-off, prompting a ramp return as a safety measure. All passengers disembarked normally.
“We have deployed a replacement aircraft for the affected flight in order to minimize disruptions, thus ensuring that passengers continue their journeys promptly.
“We appeal for the understanding of our valued passengers impacted by this development, as well as those on other flights that may experience delays.
“At Air Peace, we are committed to providing safe, comfortable, and reliable air travel for all our passengers.”
Business
NNPC achieves 1.8mbpd crude oil production
NNPC achieves 1.8mbpd crude oil production
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and its partners have revved up crude oil and gas production to 1.8million barrels per day (mbpd) and 7.4standard cubic feet per day (scfd).
The company which announced this at a press briefing said the feat was achieved in compliance with the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking on the development, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mele Kyari, congratulated the Production War Room Team that anchored the production recovery process.
“The team has done a great job in driving this project of not just production recovery but also escalating production to expected levels that are in the short and long terms acceptable to our shareholders based on the mandates that we
have from the President, the Honourable Minister, and the Board,” Kyari explained.
Giving details of the efforts of the Production War Room, the Chief War Room Coordinator and Senior Business Adviser to the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lawal Musa, disclosed that the feat was achieved through the collaborative efforts of Joint Venture and Production Sharing Contract partners, the Office of the National Security Adviser, as well as government and private security agencies.
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He said the interventions that led to the recovery of production cut across every segment of the production chain with security agencies closely monitoring the pipelines.
He stressed that when the Production War Room team was inaugurated on 25th June 2024, production was at 1.430mbpd, but the team swung into action, culminating into sustaining the production recovery to 1.7mbpd in August and hitting the current 1.808mbpd in November.
“We are confident that with this same momentum and with the active collaboration of all stakeholders, especially on the security front, we can see the possibility of getting to 2mbpd by the end of the year,” he stated.
Also speaking on the development, Chairman of the NNPC Ltd Board of Directors, Chief Pius Akinyelure, who also congratulated the team, said he was happy to be part of the production recovery process, adding: “today, I will leave this place with my heart full of joy”.
He charged the Company’s Management to come up with a cashflow projection based on the new production figures to facilitate planning, stressing that he was looking forward to further production increase to 3mbpd.
On his part, the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the team and pledged the Federal Government’s support for the company to do more.
NNPC achieves 1.8mbpd crude oil production
Business
FG gets fresh $134m loan from AfDB for agric projects
FG gets fresh $134m loan from AfDB for agric projects
The Federal Government has secured a loan facility of $134million from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to help farmers boost seeds and grain production in the country.
This is contained in a statement issued by Anthonia Eremah, Chief Information Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, on Thursday, in Abuja.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, made his know at the unveiling of the 2024/2025 National Dry Season Farming in Calabar, Cross River State capital.
Kyari explained that with the re-introduction of the national dry season farming to boost year-round agricultural production, the loan would be handy and guarantee national food security in the country.
The minister said the initiative is under the National Agricultural Growth Support Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) Project.
He said the federal government had declared an emergency on food production to enable all Nigerians to get easy access to quality and nutritional food at affordable rates.
Kyari also said government wants to use the agricultural sector for national economic revival through increase in production of some staple food crops such as wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, soybean, and cassava during both dry and wet season farming.
He added that 107,429 wheat farmers were supported under phase 1 of the 2023/2024 dry season, and 43,997 rice farmers under the second phase of the 2023/2024 dry season.
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The minister said recently, government supported 192,095 rice, maize, sorghum/millet, soyabean and cassava farmers under the 2024 wet season across the 37 States including the FCT.
He said Cross River was leading 16 other states in wheat production, adding that over 3000 wheat farmers have been listed to benefit from the support to grow the grain.
Kyari noted the Cross River government’s commitment to wheat production.
He said it informed why the federal government is partnering with the state to kick start the maiden wheat production and enlisting them among states commencing the current 2024/2025 dry season farming.
“The 2024/2025 dry season farming, the project is targeted to support 250,000 wheat farmers across the wheat-producing states with subsidised agricultural inputs.
“This is to cultivate about 250,000 hectares with an expected output of about 750,000 metric tonnes of wheat to be added to the food reserve to reduce dependence on importation of the product and also increase domestic consumption.
“Equally the programme will provide support to 150,000 rice farmers under the second phase to cover all the 37 states, including FCT, with an expected output of about 450,000 metric tonnes,” he said.
FG gets fresh $134m loan from AfDB for agric projects
(NAN)
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