Connect with us

BIG STORY

Sanwo-Olu Orders Demolition Of Three Buildings On Banana Island

Published

on

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos State, has ordered the demolition of three two-storey buildings in Banana Island following the collapse of a seven-storey building in the area.

Sanwo-Olu gave the order on Saturday during his visit to the site of the collapsed seven-storey building and inspection of other infrastructure around the Island.

At 310 Close, he ordered the demolition of the two-storey building because it was an illegal structure, without approval.

Also at 306 Close, the governor ordered the removal of two-storey buildings adjacent to each other because they were constructed under the powerline and underwater.

While speaking at the site of the collapsed seven-storey building, he blamed the unfortunate incident on the irresponsibility of the developers and some of the citizens that just wanted to make quick money.

Sanwo-Olu also blamed the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and National Inland Waterways Authority, for allegedly granting an extension of the line of Banana Island.

According to him, the incident shows that the Lagos State building officers are not alive to their responsibilities, and officers found culpable will also be sanctioned.

“We are at the site of the last unfortunate building collapse in Banana Island Lagos. As it has been reported before now, there has been a lot of investigation that is going on right now and you can see that they are still clearing the rubbles at the site.

“We have given the order to stop work, not only at this site but also in all of the construction sites in Banana Island.

“I think that the exercise we are doing today is not really just about this location. You have all seen the extent of what I will call an unapproved extension into the water, at the back of each of the land that is abutting water.

“You can see that the original line for Banana Island is even not where we are. It’s the way in front there and you can see that there are several extensions that have been granted by both the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and NIWA.

“These are the two federal agencies that have been culpable for those extensions.

“From what I have been told all of the four buildings at the back have never even applied for approvals. The illegality is real and so that is why we are going around other properties in Banana Island.

“Excuses have been given that they don’t have access and this is not acceptable. This is a total recklessness of all of the developers and we will make a strong point out of this place and all-around Banana Island and in other developments that we have,” he said.

The governor said that an external seven-member committee had been set up with two weeks mandate to independently ascertain what had gone wrong.

He said that the outcome of the committee would further strengthen the government to be able to come up with a robust work plan that could be enforced going forward.

“We have had to change staff here and there so that we can bring forward robust and very strong monitoring offices. But we believe that we are still far from it, we are still short on it, I must say.

‘“We will continue to do what we need to do to ensure that we keep the lives of our residents safe at all times,” Sanwo-Olu said.

BIG STORY

BREAKING: EFCC Declares Yahaya Bello Wanted [PHOTO]

Published

on

Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi state, has been declared wanted by the EFCC.

He reportedly evaded arrest yesterday when the commission visited his home to enforce arrest.

More to come…

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

Hydrogen, CCHub Partner To Encourage Fintech Startup Success

Published

on

As the country faces economic challenges, the need for adaptive strategies in the fintech industry becomes paramount. In line with this, leading fintech startup Hydrogen Payment Services Limited (‘Hydrogen’) has teamed up with Co-creation Hub (‘CcHub’) to host an insightful event themed ‘Adapting Fintech Business Models to Economic Climates’.

The event is set to take place on Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 12:00 a.m. WAT at the CCHub office in Sabo, Lagos, will delve deep into the intricacies of Nigerian economic challenges and how these influence the fintech ecosystem. Participants will gain actionable insights on how to adapt fintech business models to volatile economic conditions by prioritising flexibility, agility, and customer-centricity.

This collaboration underscores the shared commitment of both entities to empower aspiring founders venturing into the fintech space amidst economic uncertainties. By leveraging their respective expertise and resources, Hydrogen and CcHub aim to equip
emerging entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools, and support needed to thrive in today’s dynamic economic conditions.

Emeka Awagu, Chief Technology Officer at Hydrogen, commented on the strategic partnership with CcHUB: “Our alliance with CcHUB amplifies our shared commitment to pioneering transformative solutions in the Nigerian fintech sector. By leveraging Hydrogen’s technological expertise alongside CcHU’s innovative approach, we are primed to set a new standard for fintech excellence and drive impactful change across the industry.”

The event will feature a distinguished panel of industry experts and thought leaders. including Ina Alogwu, Group Director, Digital Transformation, ARM HoldCo; Emeka Awagu, Chief Technology Officer, Hydrogen; and Miracle Ezechi, Digital Marketing Manager, Hydrogen.

The panel discussion will be moderated to encourage an engaging and insightful conversation on the strategies and innovations required to thrive in the Nigerian fintech landscape amidst economic challenges.

Interested attendees are encouraged to register here and reserve a spot.

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

ECONOMY: CBN Not Using Foreign Reserves To Defend Naira — Olayemi Cardoso

Published

on

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, asserts that the nation is not defending the value of the naira with its foreign reserves.

He made this known on Wednesday in Washington, DC, where he is attending the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Spring Meetings.

Cardoso said $600 million came into Nigeria’s reserves account within the last two days.

The naira has appreciated against the dollar in recent weeks, gaining over 40%, from about N1,900/$ to about N1,000/$1 now. But while the naira rebound, Nigeria’s foreign reserves are dwindling, dropping to about $32.29 billion on April 15 — the lowest level in over six years.

Cardoso said, “What you’ve seen with respect to the shift in our reserves is normal in any country’s reserves where for example, debt is due and certain payments need to be made because that is also part of keeping your credibility.

“Other times money comes in, it takes it up again. Between yesterday and today, about $600 million came into the reserves account. We are looking towards a market that operates by itself, willing buyers, willing sellers and price discovery.

“The shift in our reserves has really little or nothing to do with defending naira and that is certainly not our objective.”

Continue Reading

Most Popular