News
LASG declares waterways safer, introduces cash reward system for users
By Moses Adeniyi
Lagosians who use the waterways through the Lagos State Ferry Services, (LAGFERRY) now stand the chance to win cash rewards ranging from N5,000 – N100,000, Nigerian NewsDirect has learnt.
This is just as the State Government has said assured its waterways is now safer for businesses and commuters.
The reward system came on the heels of the adoption of Eko Token into the operating system of LAGFERRY, giving users the chance to win up to a N100million through a weekly draw.
The system, the State Government said, was introduced to give added advantage to users of waterways through LAGFERRY.
The Managing Director, Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY), Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun, at a press briefing on Thursday to disclose the new development in the services, said the need for waterways users “to enjoy and maximise” the benefits of the use of waterways informed the adoption of the reward system.
According to him, there has been since 2019, a transformation of the waterways sector, mentioning that key interests and commitment of the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to development of the State’s waterways has afforded essential investment for crucial growth and acceptability among Lagosians.
The LAGFERRY Boss disclosed that more boats would be commissioned for use in close time, mentioning that with the development, experiences with businesses and cummuting would further receive broader outlook with firm control and regulation.
According to him, the collaboration with Eko token, which he described as “seamless, wonderful and fantastic initiative” is a pathway for waterways users to enjoy added benefits, extending reward system to users who patronise Lagos Ferry Services.
He added that with assurance of safety and comfort, users now have benefits to wining “something at the end of day” which he said would come in “cash and kind”, while increasing their mileage.
Speaking, the State’s Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke said the core values of the initiative is to create responsive path to meet needs of Lagosians.
According to her, the initiative was conceived “to better the lives of Lagosians”, stating that the “success is for every Lagosians to get benefits for every purchase with instant rewards.”
“It is a dawn of new season to change lives of Lagosians for good,” she said, stating that it was right time for businesses to begin to reward Lagosians who the have contributed to their “success stories.”
“There has been nothing like this in Nigeria. As the economic nerve center of the Country, every good thing must start from Lagos. 100 percent, the initiative is meant for the advantage of Lagosians. It is for you, EKO is not only for show, EKO is for reward,” she said.
She mentioned that it is deserving for local and international companies and businesses to value and appreciate those “Lagosians” who have formed their success stories as customers and service users.
“We are now telling them (companies and businesses) that you should reward those that have made you to rise from nothing to something,” she said.
She appreciated the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his full support towards the birthing of the initiative.
The General Manager, Lagos State Consumers Protection Agency (LASCOPA), Afolabi Sholebo, said the Government is committed to protecting the rights of consumers in the State.
He said the reward system would avail Lagosians not just to get “the value for money and services” but also tokens, “while spending and at the same time getting benefits.”
“Spending money and getting reward is something that should be appreciated,” he said, mentioning that the initiative forms a part of efforts to actualise making Lagos a 21st century economy as captured in the THEMES agenda.
The Chairman, the United Waterways Passengers Association, Ade Bakare, said members of the Association are looking forward “to the project being successful and impactful.”
Mentioning that it is not so cheap to “to fly waterways”, he said the initiative comes with added advantage with immense benefits to passengers “to get something in return for money spent on waterways.”
He said with more LAGFERRY boats, there has been an increase in the usage of waterways in Lagos, stating that with improved monitoring mechanisms, only very few incidences of mishaps were recorded in two years.
The CEO Lagos Lottery And Gaming Authority, Mr. Are Bashir, said the project was built around the anchor of the THEMES agenda, which he said was designed around Private Public Partnership (PPP) under a tripod arrangement.
According to him, the realities of COVID-19 pandemic with the associated economic challenges, necessited the essentials of innovation to address new situations.
Describing the system as a “win-win situation for every stakeholders”, he said “the initiative is all encompassing and a great innovation,” employing all Lagosians to key into it to optimise the benefits.
According to him, the system have been taken through all approval, monitoring for validation processes and integrity test, to ensure transparency for Lagosians not to be swindled.
The General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, said the Government in eftort to raise the standards for safety measures, has employed more officers to strengthen its work force for proper monitoring of waterways activities and increase patrol for rescue mission.
According to him, mechanisms have been put in place for access to petrol on the waterways in the State, disclosing that the State is at the verge to commission a broad based command and control centre for effective monitoring of all activities on waterways to respond to unfortunate incidences.
According to him, the safety measures is very important, to encourage more people, mentioning that there has been about 90 to 95 percent compliance to the use of life jackets with stricter controls.
He disclosed that the State Government provides a minimum of 2000 life jackets to various stakeholders for safety precautions.
In his testimony, a beneficiary of Eko Token, Saheed Ogundare, who won a sum of N3million in April, said he was linked to Eko token through MTN and was in short time informed of the fortune after a draw.
The CEO, Cash Token Africa, Lai Labode, represented by the Head Business Expansion Unit, Adeoye Timi, said the integration of Eko Token into LAGFERRY services offers a broader range of coverage for Lagosians to benefit from the tripod system.
He said the token is routed through fair and transparent reward system, with cash rewards for consumers whose transactions having reached N5,000 are entitled to Eko token points for the weekly draw for cash rewards.
Eko Token initiative is a scheme which focuses on financial inclusion to bring more people under the system of wealth creation through a tripod system involving the government, business entities and Lagosians who would get benefits of tokens for every purchase with the chance of cash reward ranging between N5,000 and 100million from a weekly raffle draw.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, has challenged the participants of the National Defence College (NDC) Course 32, to reaffirm commitment to upholding the principles of cooperation, tolerance and respect for diversity.
Tuggar, who was represented by Amb. Tiwatope Elias-Fatile, made the call at the NDC International Day organised for allied participants of Course 32, on Saturday in Abuja.
He said the event was organised by the college to foster the existing cordial relationship between Nigeria and the countries of all international participants on the course through showcasing of different cultural heritage
”I also understand that variety of foods from different countries will be served at this event,” he said.
The minister commended the college for the increase in the number of foreign participants
He said that NDC environment had become a diplomatic hub of a sort and not only an academic institution and I think this is highly commendable.
According to him, NDC has provided a platform for them to come together, share their heritage and strengthen the bonds as they appreciate the artifacts, cuisine, traditional dresses and music on display.
“Today, as we celebrate International Day for international participants, let us reaffirm our commitment to upholding the principles of cooperation, tolerance and respect for diversity.
“Let us embrace the notion that our differences are a source of strength, not division, and that by working together, we can overcome even the most formidable of challenges.
“Let us recognise that cultural diversity is a strength, not a weakness.
“For us in Nigeria, we have success stories of how our different cultures have brought us together and make us very strong in a world where division and conflicts often dominate the headlines,” he said.
According to him, this event reminds us that our shared humanity is greater than our differences.
“Let us continue to build bridges of understanding, foster dialogue and promote peace.
”We should strive to create a world where diversity is cherished and inclusivity is the norm,” he said.
Tuggar challenged participants from the 19 countries to continue to be ambassadors and representatives of their nations
He added that their stories, traditions and customs were the bridges that connect them with each other.
In his address of welcome, the Commandant of the College, Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, said the International Cultural Fiesta was a routine part of the NDC’s academic programme.
Olotu said said the event culminated the Country Briefs by the international participants where the history and culture of their peoples were highlighted, showing similarities with Nigeria.
He said the briefs by the international participants also highlighted government policies on the economy, security and development in heir respective countries.
According to him, the participants display the culture, artefacts, maps and culinary specialities of their countries during this event.
“This tradition is to foster and deepen the existing cordial relationship between Nigeria and all the countries here represented by our dear international participants.
“This is in addition to the need to strengthen the bond, friendship and comradeship amongst participants.
“In a nutshell, it is a pleasant event that brings joy to the entire college community and today we have participants of NDC Course 32 to do us the honours.
“It is also a family gathering and an avenue for us to take a break from academic work and unwind in a relaxed atmosphere,” he said.
The Commandant said the 2024 edition had participants from 19 countries and Nigeria which include; the Republic of Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Chad, Congo, Cote d’ Ivoire the Gambia, Germany and Ghana.
Others according to him, are; India Liberia, Mali, Nepal, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia as well as Zimbabwe.
The Representative of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr Tunde Spencer, from Liberia, said the college had contributed immensely to various aspects of Liberia’s national development.
He commended NDC for the initiative to promote cultural diversity, foster understanding and cultural exchange among the participants.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Youth and Community Engagement, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, (APC Ekiti South), said that the recently passed National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) Trust Fund Bill would provide jobs for graduates.
Adaramodu disclosed this when he led a delegation of the committee on official visit to Oyo State NYSC Orientation Camp at Iseyin on Saturday.
He said that the bill would soon be sent to the President for assent and had scaled through both first, second reading and other crucibles of legislation.
The lawmaker said that the provision of the Bill was basically to ensure that corps members get established through the training they had acquired through NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
He added that the provision of the Bill also cater for corps members who might wish to go into business after their service year.
“The issue of unemployment and what next for corps members after the service year will be a thing of the past soon.
“The bill will ensure that the dreams of every Nigeria graduate become a reality, “he said.
Adaramodu disclosed that the Senate, in collaboration with relevant government departments, agencies and other stakeholders, would soon work on the upward review of corps members’ allowances across the country.
He said that the Senate, in its legislative agenda, would also consider other youth development programmes aside from those embedded in the NYSC trust fund Bill.
Also speaking, the Oyo State NYSC Coordinator, Mr Abel Odoba, said that NYSC SAED training aimed to empower corps members to consider the possibilities of self-employment or initiating their own businesses.
Odoba noted that the NYSC trust fund Bill would practically eradicate unemployment among graduate youths in Nigeria.
He said that statistics have shown that many corps members who actively engaged in SAED programmes have become employers of labour after their service year.
“The Bill will provide soft landing for corps members who have undergone SAED in securing startup funds.
“Through the trust fund, skilled corps members will be given startup grants so that they will become employers of labour and contribute to development of the nation.
“Country like China and other fast developing nations are exploring skills development to address unemployment.
“A time is coming that certificate will no longer be useful but skills acquired will always make way at all times, “he said.
The News Agency Nigeria(NAN) reports that members of the Senate delegation include Sen. Salisu Afolabi (APC Ogun Central), Sen. Aminu Abbas(PDP Adamawa Central), the clerk – Mrs Ijeoma Chikwem and other principal officers of senate youth development committee.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), on Saturday in Benin said that there would be power outage in its Amukpe substation for two weeks.
This is according to a statement signed by the General Manager, Public Affairs TCN Ndidi Mbah.
Mbah said the disruption would begin on May 4 and last till May 17.
The outage according to TCN, is to enable contractors have safe environment to erect two 132KV transmission towers at the substation.
The company also said d that as a result of the intending power outage, there would be no bulk power supply to Benin DisCo through the Adeje industrial, woodland, Mosogar, Sapele and Abraka feeders for the period.
“The transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) hereby states that it will commence the erection of two (2) number 132kV transmission towers at its Amukpe Transmission Substation.
” And will equally restring a portion of the Benin-Delta and Delta-Oghara 132kV double circuit transmission lines from Saturday, May 4 to May 17, 2024.
“Consequently, Amukpe Substation will be out of power for the duration of the work.
“Also, there will be no bulk power supply to Benin DisCo through the following feeders: the Adeje, industrial Woodland, Mosogar, Sapele and Abraka feeders.
“The outage is necessary to create a safe working environment for the contractor. Completion of the projects will put in place N-1 redundancy that would enable TCN supply bulk electricity to the substation from either the Benin or Ughelli transmission line.
“This means that when one transmission line is faulty, bulk electricity can still be received in the substation from the second line., ” Mbah said.
According to her, TCN apologises for the inconvenience electricity consumers in the substation will experience within the period.
She said that the projects would help ensure a more flexible and consistent bulk power supply through the Amukpe transmission substation when completed
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