The Lagos State Government has promised to provide 549 plots of land to Shangisha landlords as compensation to end the land dispute between them and the Magodo Residents Association.

The move is an agreement reached by parties following Wednesday’s meeting presided by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.

Governor Sanwo-Olu had on Tuesday visited the area where he implored  the parties in the in the crisis to sheathe their swords, in a bid to completely resolve the matter.

 “We have actually started a committee meeting, but I want to invite them (Judgement creditors) again officially to my office tomorrow (Wednesday) by 11 a.m. to come over with two or three of their representatives.

 “The State Government representatives will be there, the residents’ association will be there, and the police will also be there. So whatever it is that must have brought about all these troubles and heartaches will need to be brought there.

“We will all go through every line of it and we will come to an amicable resolution. So, I want everyone to please ensure that peace will be restored to the estate. I want all of our citizens to go about their lawful businesses knowing full well that nobody will be harassed or any property will be trampled upon pending all of these conversations,” the governor had said then.

The Federal Government  says  it has designed  measures to reduce its workforce in order to cope with its present dwindling revenue profile and provide efficient infrastructure to  boost the economy.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, who disclosed this at the public presentation and breakdown of the highlights of the 2022 Appropriation Act, in Abuja,disclosed that the

 government is designing  an exit package for the workers that will be affected by the impending sack.

She noted that reducing the size of government has become imperative given the huge amount the government spends on recurrent expenditure annually.

She explained that the government’s mode of reducing the workforce, she pointed out will not entirely be in line with the Stephen Oronsaye report but based on a committee recommendation.

She added:”The government is already working on an “exit package” to be paid to those that will be affected.There is a special committee led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) that is working on the review of agencies with the view to collapsing them partly using the Oransanye report.

“At the end of it, what we want to do is to reduce the size of government and also to reduce the size of personnel cost and part of it will be designing the exit packages that are realistic,” she said.

Speaking on  the reason for the planned merger of agencies, the finance minister said “We are revenue challenged; so everything we do we can’t put an exit package if you are not willing to cash it immediately. So, when you are asking people to exit by choice you must be able to give them that package as they are exiting.”

“There are so many things that are happening; these are not easy decisions to make because they affect people and families. So, you have to make sure that whatever we commit to we are actually going to deliver on it.”

The father of Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr.), the late 12-year-old student of Dowen College, has punctured the release of the suspects linked to the murder of  his son.

He maintained that the teenager was murdered  by five senior students of the school on November 30, 2020, for allegedly refusing to join their cult.

The Lagos State Government  had yesterday exonerated  five students and five employees of Dowen College accused of complicity in the death of 12-year-old Sylvester.

But Sylvester Oromoni’s  father said he was not surprised that the students   were granted bail even before the stipulated time granted by the courts for the police to carry out their investigation.

According to him,contrary to the results conducted by the Lagos State Government, there was another autopsy carried out by the Delta State Police Command which suggested that his late son may have been fed with harmful chemicals.

He insisted he will not give up and that his family will meet with his lawyers on the way forward.

He added:“This one is not new to us. I remember of the 31st of December when the Commissioner of Police was making his speech, he mentioned that at the instance of the governor, the Attorney General and the DPP, they have completed their investigation.They discovered that the children, housemasters have no case so he has released them on bail, discharged. He is not the court to decide this matter. What I will tell you is that the family will sit with our lawyers, we will respond appropriately and that time, all of you will be there.

“But on the main time, let me assure you that on December 21, the same Commissioner of Police told me that they were not done with their investigation. They also told me that they are writing to the Attorney General of the state and the Governor to return those boys back.

“Okay look at the holiday. When did they write to the Attorney General to send those boys back to complete their investigation? We did not hear anything like that. At what point did they complete their investigation?

“There was a holiday on Monday, Tuesday and all of that. Don’t worry; we are not bothered, we have heard of this before. This is just the beginning of the case,” he said.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency,has alerted of a possible rise in temperature in some parts of the country in the next couple of days despite the harmattan being witnessed in Nigeria.

The agency disclosed this  in  a weather advisory released by the  Central Forecast Office on the 5th of January, 2022 titled  high-temperature outlook.

 It said  on the 6th of January, 2022 parts of Niger and Kwara are expected to experience temperature greater than 40°C.

It also said, parts of Kebbi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Adamawa in the north are expected to experience temperatures greater than 35°C and less than 40°C.

It added:”The alert also said that parts of Niger, Kwara, Kogi, FCT, Nasarawa and Benue in the north-central are also expected to experience temperatures greater than 35°C and less than 40°C. Similarly, the entire south (except Lagos) is expected to be in the same temperature range.The advisory disclosed that on the 7th of January, 2022 parts of Niger and Kwara are expected to experience temperature greater than 40°C. Parts of Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa and Taraba are expected to record temperature between 35°C and 40°C.

“The same is expected over parts of Niger, Kwara, Kogi, FCT, Nasarawa, Benue and Kogi in the north-central. The south (except Lagos, Ekiti and Ondo) is expected to be in similar temperature range.NiMet therefore advised that  to cope and stay safe in extreme heat,  drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration, avoid leaving humans or animals in the car, especially young children. It is best to stay in the shade such as trees if you have to wait outside and to wear light and bright clothing, avoid wearing dark colours, the advisory said.

The  Senate has said that the  Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) didn’t remit $679.4 million realized from the concession of various ports  granted to 23 companies under Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) for ten years.

The Senate Committee on Public Account chaired by Senator Matthew Urhoghide, which made this discovery, hinged the investigation, where this was uncovered

 on Auditor General’s report, which had been transferred to the Committee for consideration.

According to the query by AuGF, 23 companies were granted concessional rent at various Port under Nigerian Ports Authority for ten years and above associated yearly rent of $679.4 million payable to NPA as at 31st December.

He said there was no evidence to show that $679 million was collected as at when due and remitted to Consolidated Revenue Fund.

The  Bureau of Public Enterprise,in its written response to the Senate Committee explained that the concession transactions were done in 2005 .

The agency also said the concession agreement executed shows  that BPE was only a confirming party while the primary parties to the concessions are the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).

According to the agency,the responsibility for such collection, is that of NPA  and not that of the agency, adding, “having midwife the concession transactions, the BPE collected some of the remittance to the NPA.

“The NPA has since acknowledged the transfer made regarding the rentals received on its behalf by the Bureau.Revenue accruing on the Ports concession have, beyond 2008, been paid directly to ‘Landlord,’ NPA and not the BPE as the OAuGF report appears to allege.We are therefore unaware of the $679.4 million.”

The AuGF query reads: “Twenty-three (23) companies were granted concessional rent of various Ports under Nigerian Ports Authority for ten years and above with associated yearly rent of $679,403,172.00 (Six hundred and seventy-nine million, four hundred and three thousand one hundred and seventy-two dollars) payable to NPA as at 31st December, 2016.

“There is no evidence to show that the sum of $679,403,172.00 was collected as at when due and remitted to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. This has been communicated to the Bureau vide letter with reference No. OAuGF/RESAD/05/2016/07 dated 19th April, 2018. No response has been received from the Bureau.   Unremitted funds may be misapplied by the Bureau. Also, it may lead to diversion of funds to other uses”.