metro
Commuters groan, businesses shut as Sango-Ota road collapses
The deplorable condition of the Sango-Ota end of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ogun State, has continued to compound the woes of residents and business owners in the area.
Our correspondent, who visited the area on Thursday, observed that the road had collapsed.
Motorists and commuters had a hectic time plying the route.
The almost three-kilometre stretch of Joju, immediately after the Sango-Ota Bridge inward Ifo, was abandoned.
The road was dotted with large potholes lodged with water.
Both trucks and vehicles were forced to connect to the other lane, as they faced oncoming vehicles only to connect back to their lane at the Igbala end of the road.
Motorists expressed fear that the available lane might soon get damaged due to the high volume of traffic in the axis.
It was also a similar sight at the Toll Gate end of the road, where the lane connecting motorists from Alakuko inward Ogun State, had also been abandoned.
Only a few vehicles were seen meandering through the section of the road ridden with potholes.
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A gully lodged with water could also be seen at the end of the axis.
Most of the motorists resorted to plying one way, including a police patrol van.
Our correspondent learnt that the vehicles driving against traffic had knocked down commuters several times.
The deplorable condition of the road had also become an avenue for street urchins to extort money from commercial drivers.
Checks by our correspondent revealed that the road had paralysed economic activities in the area.
At least two filling stations and some other business outlets along the axis were shut down.
A business owner, Abdullahi Sanusi, said, “We are tired of complaining. Almost all the businesses on this side of the road have been paralysed. We are only living by God’s grace. As you can see, I sell tiles, but my customers rarely patronise me these days. They prefer to buy somewhere close to their area whenever they think of the stress of coming here.”
A trader, Afolabi Lawal, who sells plank at a sawmill close to the Joju end of the road, said he had been experiencing low patronage.
He said, “Our sales have reduced in the past few months since the road got worse. There was a time vehicles were still managing the road, but not any longer since their vehicles started to break down.”
Motorists also complained bitterly about how the road had damaged their vehicles.
The supervisor in charge of the Lagos-Toll Gate section of the road, Wale Adebote, said the Federal Government had not abandoned the road.
He said, “We are coming back to the road. The problem we have in that area is that every space of land has been sold. Everywhere is fully developed and the water accumulated on that axis comes to the lowest point. But a redesign has been undertaken to take care of that problem. The contractor has been moved out of site, but they will soon come back. We aim to deliver the road by the end of the year, and that is what we are working on.”
Punch
metro
NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution
NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution
The General Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Comrade Kayode Agbeyangi, has enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of peace, love and compassion as taught through the birth of Jesus Christ.
He stated this in his Christmas and end of the year goodwill message to felicitate members of the union and Nigerians in general.
Agbeyangi urged Nigerians to use the festive season to reflect on the values of love, compassion, and sacrifice that Jesus Christ embodied.
“This period is not for merry making alone; we should also spare time to reflect on the birth and life of Jesus Christ.
“His birth teaches humility, love compassion and sacrifice. As Nigerians, we must show love to our fellow county men. We must love our country. As Nigerians, we must be ready to make sacrifices for the nation.”
The NURTW scribe also used the opportunity to appeal to members of the union and other road users to always exercise caution and adhere to all safety protocols while travelling during the festive season.
“As we celebrate, let us not forget the importance of road safety. The roads can be treacherous, especially during the festive season.
“I urge our members and all road users to drive safely, avoid overspending, overtaking at dangerous bends and overloading, and be courteous to other road users,” he stated.
He also advised drivers that all their vehicle papers should be up to date to avoid embarrassment from law enforcement officers on the highways.
Comrade Agbeyangi prayed for a peaceful and joyous celebration, and wished members of the union and Nigerians, a happy prosperous New Year.
metro
Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam
Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam
The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody. The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an…
The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody.
The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an attack on the Christian faith.
Addressing his congregation, Jamiu said the banner was displayed to educate Muslims.
He said, “When you come to Lekki Central Mosque, at least you should learn something. You pass by the banners outside, you look here and there, you learn something because Islam treasures knowledge.”
The Imam said all the banners displayed outside the mosque contain Quran and Hadith verses.
He said after a photo of one of the banners went viral, he “received calls from the government, local government, and area command appealing to us to please remove the banners because of the festive period.”
He said the display of the banners was not to provoke anyone, noting that there’s a difference between propagation of Islam and provocation.
“It was not placed there just yesterday. It has been there for about two months or thereabout. We are peace loving people, we don’t provoke anyone. We only propagate our name,” he said.
Jamiu further stated that nobody can monopolise Jesus because Muslims also have what they believe about him as backed by the Quran which calls him Isah.
“If you don’t believe in Jesus, you are not a Muslim. We are Muslims and anything we believe must be in consonant with the Quran and the Quran says Jesus Christ is not God, he’s a messenger of God. We quoted this verse in the banner. Is there anything wrong if we paste what we believe on our territory to educate our congregation? It’s a verse of the Quran. This is freedom of religion, freedom of speech,” he said.
On the removal of the banner, Jamiu said he received multiple calls ascribing the gesture as cowardice.
“It is not cowardice. We removed it to let peace reign, to obey our government because we are peace-loving people and also because we know it’s a festive period, people may think it was actually calculated to enrage others. We are going to modify it and put it back. We are not cowards,” he said.
The banner has since been replaced with another which says “A
llah is the lord of Jesus.”
Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam
metro
CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m
CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has imposed a N150 million fine on a commercial bank for failing to dispense cash through its Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).
This action follows an unannounced inspection by the apex bank, which uncovered deliberate cash hoarding and ATM manipulation by the erring bank.
Sources within the CBN revealed that the sanctioned bank was caught disabling its ATMs, thereby denying customers access to their funds while prioritizing cash disbursements to select VIP clients.
A staff member of the CBN stressed that the apex bank would not tolerate such practices.
“The Bank will not spare any Deposit Money Bank (DMB) caught in the act of hoarding cash or found favoring VIP customers over other customers,” the official stated.
To this end, the CBN has intensified spot checks on banks nationwide, exposing various illicit cash-handling practices by some unscrupulous financial institutions.
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For now, the CBN is imposing financial penalties on defaulting banks. However, according to the official, the next phase of enforcement will include publicly naming and shaming offending banks and prosecuting implicated bank officials.
“This fine is just the beginning. The CBN is determined to hold banks accountable for any actions that undermine public trust and the integrity of the banking system,” the official added.
Despite the ongoing challenges, the CBN has reiterated its commitment to promoting cashless banking in the country.
Another senior official disclosed that the apex bank’s management is intensifying efforts to encourage the use of electronic channels for transactions.
“The frustration faced by account holders is undermining our push for a cashless economy. We are doubling down on initiatives to restore public confidence in electronic banking solutions,” the official said.
CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m
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