InCaseYouMissedIt: Fashola and Obasanjo battle over vehicles

 by Hauwa Gambo

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola are at loggerheads following the seizure of one of Obasanjo Farms’ utility vehicles by men of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA).
Sources close to Obasanjo Farms in Ota, Ogun state explained that one of the utility vehicles allegedly committed a traffic offence in Lagos last week and it was impounded by LASTMA.
It was gathered that all efforts by the ex-president to ensure the release of the seized vehicle proved abortive.
Sources also added that between last Friday and Sunday, October 21, over 10 red-coloured LAG Bus belonging to Lagos State Government have been forcefully diverted into the Obasanjo Farms compound in Ota.
This action has led to scarcity of the popular bus on Lagos-Abeokuta expressway while thousands of residents of Sango, Ota, Ifo and other settlements along the axis have become stranded for the second day running and this has also doubled the cost of transportation in the area.
YNaija.com

Fashola means business: Lagos bus drivers and conductors to wear uniforms from January

 by Isi Esene

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by Isi Esene
Oh boy, what have y’all done to the stern Governor of Lagos State?
Many commercial motorcyclists have complained over the ban on their operations on major highways in Lagos State but the government is not soft-pedaling (pun intended) on the traffic law as the commissioner of transportation, Kayode Opeifa, has disclosed that as from January 2013, commercial bus drivers and conductors will have to wear uniforms and badges.
He disclosed this during the weekend at a sensitisation programme for transporters on the new road traffic law at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Secretariat, Alausa, Lagos.
He said the government’s intention is to bring sanity to Lagos roads so that transport operators in the state can develop pride in their jobs. The commissioner appealed to commercial bus drivers to desist from attacking BRT buses.
While speaking on the occasion, the attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Ade Ipaye reportedly insisted that the new traffic law is not a tool for revenue generation but as a means to protect the interest of the citizens.
He stated that the penalties for road traffic offences were to serve as a deterrent to road traffic offenders thereby guaranteeing safety on the roads.
The commissioner informed the transport operators who feel wrongly treated by traffic management officials to report such incidents to the relevant authorities or seek redress in court.
Commissioner for information and strategy, Lateef Ibirogba urged them to first comply with the law, insisting that in any civilized society there must be rules and regulations which must be obeyed for there to be peace and order.
The new traffic law continues to get more interesting by the day.
YNaija.com

My mother died after falling out from a chair – Tunde, Sheila Solarin’s son

Tunde, son of the late famous social critic and frontline activist, Dr. Tai Solarin, has said that his late mum, Sheila, passed on Sunday sequel to the injuries she sustained after falling out from a chair recently.
According to the bereaved man, his mother, until her glorious end on Sunday loved gathering children around herself.
Describing her as “an educationist who devoted the whole of her life time to teaching”, Tunde affirmed that the entire Solarin’s family would greatly miss her.
He said, “Even at old age, she would sit on her chair, gather some children of staff members and others who used to come to her from outside and teach them.
“She died as a result of the injuries she sustained when she fell out from her chair while trying to get out of it.”
He added that his late mother would be interred beside her husband, Tai Solarin in two fortnight after a meeting with the family members.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has extended his condolence message to the family. He described her demise as “a big loss to the nation”.
Jonathan in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the death of Sheila would greatly affect the educational system of the country.
He said: “Her remarkably long period in running the popular Mayflower School, Ikenne and teaching English in that school, made her to leave an indelible impact on generations of students who today occupy prominent positions in all sectors of the Nigerian society,” he said.
Also mourning the late renowned educationist, widow of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief HID Awolowo, and other well-meaning Nigerians have express their hearth-felt over the irreparable loss.
Awolowo in her condolence message to the deceased family described Sheila as “a close family friend who would be greatly missed by all”.
HID added, “We are really going to miss her greatly and pray God to give the children and family the fortitude to bear the great loss.”
Also, Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Mr.Olusegun Odubela said the deceased left a legacy in the educational system: “we cannot talk about education in Ogun State and Nigeria in general without mentioning mama’s name”.
Vice-Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education Ijagun, Prof. Segun Awonusi and President, Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin also described her death as, “a colossal loss to the Mayflower family, the education community in Nigeria and all admirers of the exemplary life of the Solarins all over the world”.
Sheila passed away at the age of 88 at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State.

DailyPost

Like a boss: House of Reps shuts down Kogi House of Assembly

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by Stanley Azuakola

The Kogi State House of Assembly has been rocked by crisis which has seen two factions emerged. The Federal House of Representatives viewed the crisis as so severe that it had to intervene, setting up a six-man ad-hoc committee chaired by Mohammed Mourktar Ahmed.
That committee has quickly sprung into action, sealing off the state Assembly complex and preventing any of the factions from sitting or performing any legislative duties.
Ahmed disclosed this yesterday after holding a public hearing with state legislators at the state Assembly complex. He said none of the contending factions would be recognised by the House and none would be allowed to sit or perform any legislative function until the crisis was resolved.
He also threatened that unless the state assembly gets its house in order, the House of Representatives would be left with no other choice than to take over the legislative duties of the House in line with the country’s constitution which empowered them to do so.
Some drama occurred yesterday while the members of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on the Kogi assembly visited on their fact finding mission. The police said that it arrested 13 persons in connection with an alleged attempt to disrupt proceedings of members of the House of Representatives.
Kogi State Police spokesman, ASP Ajayi Olusankami, who paraded the suspects before newsmen, yesterday, said: “They were picked up at the premises of the state assembly complex while chanting unscrupulous slogan capable of distracting the peaceful proceedings.”
However, one of the suspects who said he was a Special Assistant to the embattled former speaker, Abdulmuni Yakubu, denied being political thugs, saying they were in the House on a solidarity mission to their principal.
YNaija.com

Insurance firms drag FIRS to tribunal over N1.15 billion excess tax

NICON Insurance Company Plc and 43 others, on Monday in Abuja, dragged the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the Tax Appeal Tribunal over the non-refund of about N1.15 billion overpayment for stamp duties.
The insurance companies, in an appeal filed by their Counsel, Taiwo Osipitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, alleged that they paid the excess stamp duties to the Federal Government through the FIRS between 2002 and 2006.
They averred that the FIRS acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” by refusing to refund the excess stamp duties to them, pointing out that the tax agency erred in law “in refusing to refund excess stamp duties paid on various increases on their share capital.”
According to the companies, the revenue service was wrong to have claimed that their refund of excess stamp duties paid by them on their respective statements of increase in share capital were time barred by virtue of Section 21 of Stamp Duties Act Cap S.8 Laws of the Federation, 2004.
Sunday Oghayei, who stood in for the defense counsel, said the appellants’ claims “are for a refund of excess stamp duties paid over and above the amount prescribed by relevant Statute/Money had and received by the respondent.”
The revenue service says the application for refund of excess stamp duty payments, on increases in the applicants share capital, is statute barred. The insurance companies are seeking a declaration against this position; describing it as incorrect, arbitrary, oppressive, and a derogation of the appellants’ rights.
They are also seeking for “an order setting aside the decision of the respondent to the effect that the appellants claim for a refund of excess stamp duties paid on various increases on their share capital is time barred.
Also sought is an order directing the respondent to refund the respective amounts due to each of the appellants as shown in the schedule attached to their application for refund.
They are also seeking an order that the respondent pays compounded interest on all refunds due to appellants at a rate of 20 per cent per annum from January 2003 until date of judgment/award. Thereafter, interest at the rate of 10 per cent per annum until all excess payments and interest thereon are refunded.
The appellants include, among others, Continental Re-Insurance Plc, Industrial and General Insurance Plc, Royal Exchange Assurance Nig. Plc, International Energy Insurance Plc, Lasaco Assurance Plc., ADIC Insurance Ltd; and Standard Alliance Assurance Company Ltd.
In his ruling, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Nnamdi Ibegbu, adjourned the case to December 4 for hearing.
 BusinessNews

Ondo Polls: Nigerians should expect more from INEC – Jega

Following the successful Governorship election help in Ondo state over the weekend, Nigeria’s Electoral powerhouse, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has predicted a free, fair and credible election come 2015 and beyond.
According to the Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, the result of Ondo election portrays that the commission is gradually getting it right.
Jega said: “What you saw in Ondo last weekend was a reflection of the people’s wish and I can say that INEC and the other stakeholders were up to their tasks.
“We can say that the security agencies and the commission did their best to ensure an election that truly reflects the wish of the Ondo people.
On the past elections, the INEC boss said: “But I want to state unequivocally that the allegation has no basis as the person who is making the claim cannot say that INEC or the security agencies aided and abetted the so-called fraud before, during and after the poll.
“When we go out for election, we make sure that all the candidates are well represented and that security agents are available at all points to ensure that no cheating takes place.
“That is exactly what we did in Ondo and all men of good conscience will attest to the fact that we did not in any way give room for anyone to cheat. The records are there for all to see.”
Speaking further, Jega added that Nigeria should expect more from the commission: “We are ready to do all that is possible to ensure that Nigerians’ votes count in future elections and to justify the confidence reposed in the commission by the government and the people of the country,” he said.
DailyPost

Nigeria loses $500m yearly to foreign medical trips

The search for better medical healthcare abroad by Nigerians particularly political office holders is said to be costing the nation over $500 million annually, even as a traveller on the average is said to be spending between $20-$40,000 on a trip.
Similarly, about 5,000 Nigerians are said to visit India and other countries in Europe and America every month in search of medical care even for medical conditions that can be satisfactorily managed in the country.
President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Osahon Enabulele, who disclosed this Monday at the commencement of the 2012 Physicians Week in Abuja, alluded the development to the deplorable situation of the health sector, which he said like any other sector, had suffered from years of systemic decay occasioned by lack of political commitment and mismanagement of the nation’s wealth.
Speaking on one of the sub-themes of this year’s celebration, “Medical Tourism and Investment Options in Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector – The Role of NMA and Other Stakeholders”, Enabulele argued that the poor confidence in Nigeria’s health system had led to poor investment in the sector with many Nigerians travelling outside the shores of the country in search of medical care.
He said for a country to be destination for medical tourism, it must substantially have a healthcare system that meets the satisfaction and expectation of her citizens and foreigners alike. He disclosed that India earned over $260 million from medical tourism from Nigeria alone, adding that it had been projected that in 2012 India would realise between $1 and $2 billion from a medical tourism market worth over $20 billion.
While calling for greater political commitment by governments at all levels, so that Nigeria can begin to tap into the lucrative business of Medical Tourism, Enabulele said: “Indeed, the NMA is convinced that if President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Senator David Mark, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and other political office holders, make it a point of duty to stand on the same queue with ordinary Nigerians to seek medical care and conduct health checks in public hospitals in Nigeria, the confidence of ordinary Nigerians and foreigners in health care system will be re-ignited and bolstered.”
 BusinessNews