Metro
I’d End Apapa Gridlock within My First 60 Days in Office – Sanwo-Olu
The Lagos State governor-elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said he would end the protracted gridlock in the Apapa area of the state within the first 60 days of his administration.
He said not minding the politics involved, he would rid the area of all the trailers, whose operations were responsible for the intractable gridlock.
Sanwo-Olu said this on Saturday during an interactive session with his classmates at the Executive Master of Business Administration class, University of Lagos, 1998/2000 set.
The erstwhile classmates held a “Congratulatory Dinner Reception,” in Sanwo-Olu’s honour at Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi.
At the dinner, they presented to him a policy document designed by them, which contained their ideas and suggestions on some of what Sanwo-Olu could do in office to have a successful tenure.
They also asked him specific questions and his plans about them.
One of the questions was what he would do about the trailers causing the gridlock in Apapa.
Taking on the issue, Sanwo-Olu promised that within the first 60 days in office, he would rid Apapa of the trailers.
He said, “The Apapa trailer issue; it’s a campaign issue; it’s very serious. I’m going to take it very seriously. I believe that it is something that we are going to solve in the first 60 days of our government. Whatever is going to be required of us, we will take them out. There is a lot of politics being played around there. But no, it cannot be the way we’ll continue to live. We cannot continue to give excuses.”
The governor-elect, however, said as a long-term solution, his administration would develop the Badagry Port, to diffuse the pressure on the Apapa Port.
“Five or 10 years ago, if we had been forward-thinking, we would have also realised that the city had actually outgrown the Apapa Port. So, the long-term solution is to build another one. Our government, by the Grace of God, will start the Badagry Port. That is the long-term solution,” he said.
Responding to the concern about the recklessness of some of the Bus Rapid Transit bus drivers, Sanwo-Olu said his administration planned to employ graduates as drivers.
He said, “The BRT issue is something that has to do with culture. When we take over, by the Grace of God, we will advertise and see if we can employ some of our graduates as drivers.
“What I realised is that apart from the money we will be paying them, which is more than what they are paying an average graduate, we need to very quickly tell our people and encourage ourselves that there is dignity in work. We are going to be paying (them) between N80,000 and N100,000 to come and drive these buses because we expect a lot more decency.
“By the time we get the culture of the drivers’ right, the routes are coming up, by the time we finish the Abule-Egba/Iyana Ipaja/Ikeja route, it will boost the number of BRT (buses).”
Sanwo-Olu added that he dreamt of introducing technology to upgrade and model the BRT ticketing system after what is obtainable in the United Kingdom, without necessarily making the process cumbersome for the passengers.
As part of the solutions to gridlock around the city, he said his administration hoped to, by the middle of next year, complete the blue rail starting from Okokomaiko, through to Mile 2, Orile and Marina.
“The water will work, BRT buses will work and rail will work,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The Punch
Abuja, the nation’s federal capital, came alive with joy and excitement on Wednesday as a new set of winners in the ongoing Globacom Festival of Joy promotion received mouth-watering prizes they won at a special presentation ceremony held at the premises of Globacom at Aminu Kano Crescent.
A glittering brand new Toyota Prado, a brand new Kia Picanto, tricycles (Keke Napep) and scores of other prizes including power generating sets, sewing machines and grinding machines were handed over to joyful winners.
Sarah Ilya Madu was presented the keys to her brand-new Toyota Prado by Senator Simon Lalong, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth Development, supported by a stellar cast of celebrities and influencers.
Sarah, a federal civil servant from Borno State, who emerged winner of the Toyota Prado in the draw of the promotion held in Abuja last Friday, expressed shock when she was called up. She dropped the call from Globacom several times because the news was too good to be believed.
She said, “I was prevailed upon by my colleagues to do a video call with the Glo staff who called me. Even when I saw the office environment, I was still doubtful.” She added that when she eventually agreed to visit the Glo office, she went with a hefty colleague just in case she was being set up.
Ufot Victor, a 43-year-old businessman based in the FCT, was expectant about winning as he had been recharging regularly so as to cross the minimum requirement for a car. Winning a brand new Kia Picanto was a huge reward for his dedication.
Other lucky winners also went home with tricycles (Keke), power generating sets, sewing machines and grinding machines. Ireimiya Mallo, a SIM registration agent and native of Nasarawa State, who won Keke, said, ”I was so joyful on learning I had won a Keke”. He disclosed that he would be deploying it for commercial purpose”, while the winner of a power generating set, Felix Gabriel, thanked Globacom for always remembering Nigerians every year in its annual promos.
The Special Guest, Senator Simon Lalong, praised the Chairman of Globacom for putting the promo in place for Nigerians and also extolled his strong support for sports. He said he would love to be a winner in the Glo promo one day soon. Also Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the spokesman of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth Development, said Globacom has always been a brand after his heart, adding that the network is not just attracting customers but also giving out to show that it means well not only for the customers but also for Nigerians.
In his remarks at the event, Globacom’s Head of Division, North West, Mr. Kazeem Kaka, said that to participate in the Festival of Joy promo, new and existing subscribers should dial *611# so as to opt into the promo and to keep recharging thereafter to meet the threshold for the various prizes. He added that new subscribers can participate immediately by purchasing a new SIM, registering it and dialing *611#.
Guests at the event included representatives of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Mariam Imam, Assistant Director, Consumer Affairs at the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Moses Iyi; comedians, Tee A, Seyi Law, and Gordons.
Others were Nollywood duo of Ebube Nwagbo and Juliet Ibrahim as well as popular content creator, Kiekie.
U.S immigration and border officials will be able to arrest migrants at so-called “sensitive” locations again, after the Trump administration overturned policies limiting where such arrests could happen.
Officers will now be able to make arrests at designated “sensitive” areas, including houses of worship, schools, and hospitals.
Officials have been prohibited from doing this since 2011.
Later, the Biden administration expanded the regulation, further restricting the authority’s powers.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
“The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”
A second directive reinstates the ability for the U.S. to quickly deport any undocumented person arrested who is unable to prove they have been in the country for more than two years.
A 23-year-old Turkish OnlyFans model, Azranur AV aka Ezra Vandan, has been arrested by Istanbul police after announcing her plan to engage in sexual activity with 100 men within 24 hours.
Vandan’s social media post, in which she declared her intention to live-stream the act in an attempt to set a national record, was deemed “obscene” and “damaging” to public morals by authorities.
“My goal is to break a Turkish record first, then a world record!” she wrote in the now-viral post.
Her arrest was carried out by the Morality Bureau of the Istanbul Security Branch Directorate at a cosmetic surgery clinic in Atasehir, Istanbul.
