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Sanwo-Olu approves 10 hectares for workers’ housing scheme

Published

5 years ago

May 2, 2021

On the occasion of International Workers’ Day commemoration, Lagos workers, yesterday, reaped a bumper harvest of welfare packages – thanks to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The Governor approved 10 hectares of land in Idera, Ibeju Lekki, and Badagry for workers housing schemes.

Sanwo-Olu handed over the title documents to chairmen of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) at an elaborate event organised to commemorate Workers’ Day.

The event, with the theme: “COVID-19 Pandemic, Social and Economic Crises: Challenges for Jobs, Social Protection and Peoples’ Welfare”, was held at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan in the heart of Lagos.

The two housing schemes will be built by the labour unions with funds from Federal Mortgage Bank. The Ministry of Housing will supervise the project.

Also, the labour unions will now have a befitting secretariat to aid their operations, the Governor said. The secretariat, Sanwo-Olu promised, will be ready before next year’s May Day.

There was applause as Sanwo-Olu announced the package. He was hailed as “the best worker friendly Governor”.

Sanwo-Olu said a productive workforce remained the backbone of a prosperous society, pointing out that Lagos workers are important stakeholders in the growth of the state’s economy and they deserve more than just an increment in the minimum wage.

Sanwo-Olu was the first Governor to fully implement new salary structure that raised minimum wage from N18,000 to N30,000. The Governor approved N35,000 minimum wage, which is above the national benchmark.

Sanwo-Olu said his administration, in the last 12 months, had initiated welfare programmes specifically targeted at improving workers’ welfare and helping them to stabilise their livelihoods, following the economic disruption occasioned by spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the state.

He said: “Today, I am handing over 10 hectares of land to organised labour unions in Lagos State to get mortgage scheme and build a housing estate for workers. The title documents to lands have been approved and I am happy to hand them over to the leaders of the labour unions at this occasion. This intervention is part of our interventions to reduce burden on our workers whose means of livelihood have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In the past year, we took a major step in promoting workers’ welfare by revising the 2020 Budget to accommodate the social and economic impact of COVID-19, and to prioritise spending and investment that fulfilled the two primary goals of keeping our people alive and helping them sustain their livelihoods.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, we asked most of our civil servants to stay at home and work from there. I am proud to say that we did not lay off workers, despite the economic recession that accompanied the pandemic and the downward review of the State’s 2020 Budget. We strengthened our social safety net to prevent a widespread loss of jobs, which would have led to a reversal of the progress we have made in the reduction of poverty.”

The Governor specially recognised the sacrifice and selflessness of frontline workers in the COVID-19 response, extending his appreciation to medical personnel and sweepers disposing medical waste.

Henceforth, Sanwo-Olu said the labour unions shall have a representative on the Board of the Pension Commission, pledging that the State Government would extend the courtesy to other labour-centric statutory bodies. He asked the organised labour to immediately forward the name of their representative for the pension board.

He said the State Government had demonstrated sincerity in implementing most of the demands of workers, pointing out that Lagos paid the statutory uniform allowances for medical workers. He pledged commitment to fulfilling demands of the unions that were yet to be redeemed.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that his administration had cleared the backlog of pensioners’ benefits and did not owe any retiree their monthly allowance.

He said: “We are in the process of increasing the fleet of our buses and we are going to consider supporting labour unions in Lagos with buses for Labour City Transport to assist in movement of workers. We have reviewed the composition of appointees in the Pension Commission; we will make amendment to ensure the labour representative in included.

“We have increased allowance we pay to pensioners and we have consistently ensured that pensioners get their pension the same time State workers get their monthly salaries. There is no pensioner we are owing today; we will continue to ensure that retirees who have served the State are not left behind in our welfare programmes.”

The Governor also donated official vehicles to the NLC and TUC chairmen to assist them in running the unions.

State chairman of NLC, Comrade Funmi Sessi, extolled the Governor’s leadership qualities demonstrated in combating COVID-19, praising Sanwo-Olu for the payment of full salaries of workers who could not go to work during the first and second waves of COVID-19.

News

Google Expands AI Search to Include Yorùbá, Hausa Languages in Nigeria

Published

3 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Trends Admin

Google Expands AI Search to Include Yorùbá, Hausa Languages in Nigeria

Google has expanded its AI‑powered Search features to support Nigeria’s Yorùbá and Hausa languages, enabling millions of users to interact with AI Search in their mother tongues. The update allows Nigerians to ask complex questions, either by typing or using voice input, and receive AI-generated summaries, insights, and conversational responses in their preferred language.

Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa at Google, said the rollout is part of the company’s broader effort to make AI more inclusive across Africa. He explained that the system goes beyond simple translation, using advanced language understanding to provide contextually relevant and culturally grounded answers.

“This development ensures Nigerians can converse with search in their local languages, making information more useful and accessible to everyone,” Kola-Ogunlade said. He highlighted that a student in Kano can ask questions in Hausa, while a trader in Ibadan can seek business insights in Yorùbá, demonstrating the practical impact of the update.

Google Expands AI Search to Include Yorùbá, Hausa Languages in Nigeria

News

FG Approves Medical Fellowships as PhD Equivalent in Nigerian Universities

Published

4 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Trends Admin

Federal Executive Council (FEC)

FG Approves Medical Fellowships as PhD Equivalent in Nigerian Universities

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved a landmark policy recognising medical fellowship qualifications as equivalent to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree for medical professionals pursuing academic careers in universities. The decision, taken by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was announced by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, following a Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

This policy means that medical doctors with recognised fellowships from accredited institutions such as the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) and the West African College of Physicians (WACP) can now advance in academia without needing a separate PhD. The move aims to align Nigeria’s academic system with global standards, recognising the rigorous clinical practice, research, and academic work involved in fellowship training.

For years, Nigerian universities and professional bodies debated whether fellowship qualifications should substitute for a PhD in attaining senior academic ranks such as senior lecturer, associate professor, or professor. Many institutions, guided by National Universities Commission (NUC) regulations, required a PhD for promotion, even for experienced clinicians. The new policy resolves this long-standing issue, allowing medical specialists to focus on teaching, research, and clinical service without additional academic barriers.

Benefits for Medical Education and Career Progression

Experts believe the policy will significantly improve the career prospects of clinician-lecturers, many of whom previously struggled to pursue PhD programmes due to the demanding nature of residency and fellowship training. Recognising fellowships as equivalent to a PhD will encourage more specialists to engage in academic research, enhance medical education quality, and ensure experienced clinicians can occupy senior academic positions while contributing to healthcare delivery.

The policy also forms part of broader federal education reforms, including a six-year moratorium on new tertiary institutions and revitalisation of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC). These measures aim to improve academic standards, address workforce gaps in universities, and ensure professional training systems in Nigeria meet international best practices.

Education stakeholders have welcomed the development, describing it as a major step toward resolving structural challenges in medical education and supporting the growth of a performance-driven, quality-focused university system.

FG Approves Medical Fellowships as PhD Equivalent in Nigerian Universities

News

FEC Approves 100% Gratuity for Retiring Federal Civil Servants

Published

4 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Trends Admin

FEC Approves 100% Gratuity for Retiring Federal Civil Servants

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a groundbreaking Exit Benefit Scheme that will grant retiring federal civil servants a gratuity equivalent to 100% of their total annual salary and allowances. The initiative aims to strengthen welfare and retirement security within the Nigerian civil service.

The policy, which takes effect from January 1, 2026, will benefit federal employees who have served the government for at least ten years before retirement. The scheme was announced in a statement released on Thursday by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in Abuja.

The new scheme marks a significant policy shift designed to enhance retirement benefits for civil servants operating under the Contributory Pension Scheme, which was introduced in 2004.

Eligible federal civil servants will receive a one-time gratuity payment equivalent to their full annual salary and allowances upon retirement, in addition to their pension benefits. Officials say the measure is intended to provide a stronger financial safety net for retirees, ensuring that civil servants who dedicate their careers to public service can retire with dignity and financial stability.