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 Federal Government has said that about $2.5 billion would be saved yearly from every one million vehicle converted into Compressed Natural Gas-powered cars.
The Programme Director, Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas, Michael Oluwagbemi, disclosed this during the South-South/South-East Stakeholders Engagement Meeting on Presidential Initiative on CNG held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Friday.
Oluwagbemi explained that the initiative has the capacity to reduce the current inflation bedevilling the nation’s economy
He said the push for CNG by the Federal Government is germane for the economic development of the nation and to end the era of pollution and environmental degradation.
He noted that while the country has abundant, it lacked what it takes to utilise, pointing out that CNG is cleaner, cheaper and would reduce the cost of transportation.
Oluwagbemi stated, “The initiative of the government is critical to our national development and to the well-being of the people. Rivers State is the heart of the oil and gas region. Over the last five to six decades, these resources have continued to waste.
“Nigeria is the second largest waste of oil and gas. We exploit it and waste it then continue to suffer poverty. The president has set us on natural gas features and set up the nation on the path of growth. The use of gas ensures we have energy savings, mind you the price of Natural gas is controlled by the government.
“What the president is asking is to do more with the blessings God has given us. If we are able to move three million vehicles in the next three years we are going to end the era of environmental degradation.”
Oluwagbemi averred that the nation stands to benefit much with the energy transition, insisting that CNG is more reliable for the transportation sector of the country.
“Nigeria stands to gain a lot from the energy transition in the transportation sector. First and foremost, CNG is our own resource. Natural gas is everywhere in Nigeria. It is a much more reliable source of fuel in the transportation sector. No longer will there be crises out of Nigeria impact the economic livelihood of the country?
“It has the capacity of reducing inflation. It is cheaper. You can realize between 40 per cent to 50 per cent savings from patrol. This is good for Nigeria and it is safer. It is 18 times safer than petrol and diesel. It is cleaner and safer for the environment,” he added.
The Programme Director further said, “We will stop subsidising poverty importing unemployment and exporting jobs. We will be using our own natural gas to drive our transportation sector. To a common man, this translates to a reduction in the cost of transportation. Our job is to give incentives to the CNG vehicle. To ensure we close the financing gap that exists.
“There is enough demand for natural gas all we need to do now is to open stations, pipelines and conversation centres. When we convert our vehicles, 1,000,000 vehicles they will convert, it saves the country about $2.5 billion a year.
“This will also save us 6,000,000 litres a day. These are monies that we can spend on hospitals on roads.”
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of FEMADEC Energy Limited, Fola Akinola, disclosed that modalities have been concluded to open two CNG refuelling stations and two vehicle conversion parks in Port Harcourt.
Akinola said, “CNG is an old technology. We want to tell you that you have the opportunity to convert your vehicle from fuel to CNG. The stations will be launched in Port Harcourt and we are launching a refueling unit alongside. Rivers State is going to have a micro refuelling unit at Stadium Road and in GRA.
“For those that want to invest in CNG refuelling units it is available. Even those who have fuel State facilities can as well invest in this.”
Meanwhile, the Abia State Government said it has already diverted its N2bn subsidy palliative from the Federal Government for investment in CNG.
The Abia State Commissioner for Energy and Environment, Prof. Joel Ogbonna, informed the Presidential Initiative on the CNG committee that his state has set all grounds ready to key into the presidential directive, saying the state was ready to kick off.
He stated, “When Governor Alex Otti came, he declared a State of emergency on the environment. The governor has set aside N2 billion for the fuel subsidy for CNG. Abia State has set aside the Abia State Polytechnic for training in CNG.
“We have also developed an industrial park to be able to produce gas. We also want to pass a bill so that people will be told what to do to ensure safety so that there will not be hazards. We are ready to take off with the CNG.”
About 555 persons have been appointed to serve as chairmen and members of governing councils of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu, according to the Ministry of Education in an advertorial signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, gave the approval of the pro-chancellors and chairmen of the Governing Board of universities, polytechnic and colleges of education.
He approved the appointment of Air Cdre. Emmanuel Jekada as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State.
Members are Usua Charles Akpan, Sen. Lanre Tejuosho, Modu Mustapha and Olusegun Olufemi White
Also, a former Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, was appointed as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Bayero University, Kano, Kano State. Prof. Idris Nasiru Maiduguri, Prof. Uchenna Newi, Salisu Mohammed Birniwa and Ms Fola Akinsete are members.
The President appointed a former Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Martin Elech, as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State. Members are Imamuddeen Ahmed Talba, Ismalla Monammed, Prof. Seun Liberty and Moses Osogi.
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, was named the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State. Members are Opeyemi Aisha Oni, Rufus Bature, Wumi Ohwovoriole and Matthew Raymond Akpan.
For the University of Calabar, Cross River State, he appointed a former Governor of Adamawa State, Bala Ngalari, as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board and Dr. Adebisi Obawale, Idowu Mafimisibe, Nbadiwe Emelnmna and Sadat Garba as members.
Also, a former Governor of Zamfara State, Aliyu Shinkafi, was made the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of the Federal University in Jos, Plateau State.
Members are Malandi Sabo, Chijioke Okeifufe, Ayo Afolabi and Mohammed Abdullahi
Tinubu appointed a former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Open University of Nigeria. Members are Mrs Betty Efekodah, Bawuro Bapetel Yahaya, Dr. Gidado Bello Kumo and Mr Bola Akinola
A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, was also appointed as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Sokoto State.
Members are Miss Mary Nyieor Yisa, R. O. Kazeem, Prof. Usman Musa and Dr. Anthony Usoro
Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, was made the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State. Members are Prof. S. E. Ogbeide, Rufai Chanchangi, Chief Mrs Glory Ekpo-Oho, and Patricia Seubittere Yakubu
See the list below:
The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it has started the sales of e-tags at airports.
FAAN confirmed this in a statement on Friday. “Following the presidential directive that all citizens are mandated to pay for e-tags at all the 24 federal airports across the country, we wish to inform the general public that the e-tags are available for sale from Friday, 17th May 2024 at the following locations,” it said.
“Lagos: Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, Terminal 1, 5th Floor) Office of HOD Commercial. Contact: 08033713796 or 08023546030.
“Abuja: Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, HOD Commercial Office (General Aviation Terminal) Contact: 08034633527 or 08137561615.”
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