Osun lawmakers allegedly demanded $5m bribe from me — Ilesa water project Consultant – Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

Osun lawmakers allegedly demanded $5m bribe from me — Ilesa water project Consultant

Published

on

THE Consultant handling the $106 million Ilesa water project, Mrs. Tawa Williams, yesterday, alleged that the Osun State House of Assembly Committee on Water demanded a $5 million bribe from her.

She also disclosed that the state government probing the project did not study the project report before it.

Governor Ademola Adeleke had ordered a probe into the project and also suspended the consultant, requesting the return of the N75 million project vehicle in her possession.

However, the consultant, Mrs Williams, while speaking on a Western television programme in Osogbo, disclosed that the project has suffered a lot of blackmail due to her refusal to part with the money allegedly requested by the Chairman, House Committee on Water, Nasiru Olateju.

She said: “The House of Assembly members visited us in 2020 and gave us kudos, but what changed their position about us, I don’t know. Though, there were some demands on us that we can’t meet. The house is asking for $5millon and I told them we don’t have much money to give to anyone. They were asking for a takeaway bribe else they will go to the press and blackmail us that the quality of work done was not good.

“The request was not from House as a whole but House Committee on Water Supply with its chairman. I told them that I only have money to execute the project, not for a bribe. They demanded the money after the exit of Adegboyega Oyetola as the Governor.”

READ ALSO:

Efforts to reach Mr Olateju for a reaction proved abortive as he failed to answer his calls or reply to messages sent to him.

It’s an attempt to blackmail us, says Speaker

Threatening to drag the consultant to court, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Timothy Owoeye, yesterday, warned the consultant to withdraw allegation that the House Committee on Water Resources demanded $5million bribe from her.

The Speaker, in a statement by his spokesperson, Kunle Alabi, stated that the consultant was trying to blackmail the House for doing its legal duty.

The statement reads: “It is quite unfortunate that the consultant of Ilesa water project, Tawa Williams, has resorted to cheap blackmail in trying to cover up her incompetence, just like a drowning person who will want to cling to any available straw.

“It will be recalled that sometime in November during plenary, the Assembly had raised concerns over the poor implementation of the project and the non-execution of a $2 million treatment plant, doesn’t it defy logic and common sense that one will request for a $5million bribe on a $2million project?

“The House of Assembly under the leadership of Mr Timothy Owoeye has given Tawa Williams 24hours to retract her bribery allegation against the committee of the Assembly, her failure to do that within the said hours, the Assembly shall be forced to seek redress in court as no amount of blackmail will stop the Assembly from playing its constitutional role.

“Osun House of Assembly will never ask any agency of government or individual for any gratification before it could adequately discharge its constitutional duties.

“Williams had shown that she’s not worthy to have been handed such huge responsibility with her recent outburst of resorting to blackmail to keep afloat with her designation as the consultant of the water project.”

metro

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

Published

on

Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

The Lagos State Government has rolled out stricter measures to combat noise pollution, requiring nightclubs, lounges, bars, and worship centres to obtain permits for events involving amplified sound.

The measure, it said, aimed to safeguard the health and well-being of Lagosians during the festive season and beyond.

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on noise pollution.

Wahab highlighted that events with amplified sound must be conducted in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise.

READ ALSO:

“Establishments such as worship centers, nightclubs, lounges, and bars must now obtain permits for events involving amplified sound and ensure these activities take place in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect neighboring residents,” the statement read in part.

To enforce these directives, the government said it had established a Special Task Force on Noise Pollution under the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

This task force, in collaboration with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), would oversee compliance, arrest offenders, and prosecute violators of noise regulations, it stated.

The statement further noted that starting January 2025, the government would roll out a public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on acceptable noise levels and the benefits of a quieter environment.

 

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

Continue Reading

metro

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

Published

on

Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as Verydarkman

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

Singer, Dammy Krane has stated that social critic, Very Dark Man, is joking with claims that N180 million was diverted from the NGO account he created in October this year.

VDM shocked Nigerians on Friday, December 27 when he released a video claiming hackers had breached his NGO website and moved N180m leaving only N20 million.

The news shocked many Nigerians who took to social media to slam him.

READ ALSO:

However, in a post shared on his Instagram page this evening, Dammy Krane claimed that VDM is renovating a school in Jos, and was only joking with the story of stolen funds.

Also, a Human Rights activist, Omotayo Williams, claimed the man VDM showed in his video as an officer accompanying him to Jos is a well-known member of the Kogi State Taxi Taskforce.

Alleged missing N180 million: It?s a prank. VeryDarkMan is renovating a school in Jos - Singer Dammy Krane says

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

Continue Reading

metro

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

Published

on

Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed support for the proposed implementation of Sharia law in the South-West, emphasizing its historical presence in Yoruba culture.

Oba Akanbi noted that Sharia principles have long been part of Yoruba land, citing examples such as Sharia banking and the existence of a Sharia college in Iwo, Osun State.

He stated, “Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years… It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.”

Recall that the discussion around Sharia law gained traction after plans were announced for the inauguration of a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Oyo. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely following widespread public criticism.

READ ALSO:

Critics have argued that the Yoruba-dominated South-West, where Muslims and Christians coexist, is distinct from the predominantly Muslim northern region where Sharia is more widely practiced.

Addressing concerns, Oba Akanbi explained that Sharia law is already embedded in Nigeria’s constitution and should not cause alarm for non-Muslims.

“Sharia law is only for Muslims and does not concern others. If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free,” he said.

The monarch also drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslims under existing laws, particularly in matters such as inheritance and divorce, where Western legal frameworks may not align with Islamic traditions. “Many Muslims feel disenfranchised… Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance,” he added.

Oba Akanbi emphasized that Sharia law represents the inalienable rights of Muslims and should not be viewed as a threat to other religions. “No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights,” he concluded.

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

(PUNCH)

Continue Reading

Trending