PRESS RELEASE
- 90 percent of properties in Lagos have no building approval – Gov’s aide
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration has deployed tools, comprising ICT devices, to the Physical Planning and Automation Department and Lagos State Planning Information Centre (LASPIC), in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for automation of all physical planning activities in Lagos State, marking a new era of innovation and efficiency.
Speaking during the presentation of the tools at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa on Monday, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde, said the tools will simplify the process of building plan and enhance the ease of doing business in Lagos.
He said: “Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu in his bid to deliver quality service to the people of Lagos State decided that from the comfort of their homes, they should be able to visit LASPIC online and get Certified True Copy of approvals that are missing and apply for a building permit online. In Lagos, we have so many buildings without approvals. Lagos State Planning Information Centre (LASPIC) and the Physical Planning and Automation Department have been able to document all those within Lagos State who have approvals.
“We have up to five million properties in Lagos but we have less than 500,000 properties in the land registry. So, we have less than 10 percent in the land registry. It is only when you have land documentation that you can apply for building approval. That showed that the total number of people who don’t have building approval in Lagos is about 90 percent.
“The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development has said that we are going to give amnesty. So, with amnesty, then comes documentation. So, if we say we are going to give you amnesty because you don’t have building approvals, then the best thing is to take advantage of the amnesty that has been announced.”
In his address, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, said the automation system is to make things easier and therefore urged the personnel in charge not to compromise for the system to be a huge success.
He said: “We want to encourage people from the comfort of their homes to interface with the ministry electronically. They don’t necessarily have to be physically here before they get things done. In the comfort of their homes, they can apply and get approval.
“The innovation will be very effective because a lot of resources are committed to the venture and most importantly it is to eliminate compromise because now people will be interfacing with machines for necessary information, which will enable and simplify the process of building plan.”
Also speaking, the Director of the Physical Planning and Automation Department, TPL Musa Okuniyi, said Lagos residents should look forward to a future where technology and planning go hand-in-hand for the betterment of Lagos State.
He said: “As we embark on the transition towards becoming a Smart City, we understand that change is inevitable. I encourage everyone to welcome this change and imbibe the innovations that promise to make Physical Planning activities seamless and efficient.
“These advancements are not just about technology; they are about improving the lives of the people of Lagos State. They are about making our cities more livable, more sustainable, and more resilient. They are about making Lagos a model for other cities to emulate.”
Highlights of Federal Executive Council decisions on Monday 26 February
Here are some of the highlights of the far reaching decisions taken today at the Federal Executive Council meeting, chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
- FEC approved construction of Lagos-Port Harcourt-Calabar Coastal Superhighway to Messrs Hitech Construction Africa. The First phase made up of 47 kms will begin in Lagos.
- Social security payments to the vulnerable households to begin immediately. Recipients will be those with NIN and BVN.
- Social security payments to be extended to graduates from NCE and upwards
- Consumer Credit to be established very urgently. Chief of Staff to lead a committee that includes Budget Minister, Attorney-General, Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance, to make the scheme a reality.
- The Council in order to enhance efficiency in the Federal service, and reduce the cost of governance, decided to implement the recommendations of the Steve Oronsaye panel on the restructuring and rationalisation of Federal agencies, parastatals and commissions.
The implementation involves merging, subsuming and scrapping agencies with similar functions.
The Oronsaye report was submitted in 2012 to the Jonathan administration. In 2014, the Jonathan government released a white paper on the report. The Buhari administration after re-examining the white paper also released a second white paper in August 2022, but did not implement the report.
However, the Tinubu administration has decided to confront the monster of high governance cost by implementing elements of the report.
An eight-man committee has a 12-week deadline to ensure that the necessary legislative amendments and administrative restructuring needed to implement the reforms are effected in an efficient manner.
The committee comprises Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of the Civil Service, Attorney General and Justice Minister, Budget and Planning Minister, DG Bureau of Public Service Reform, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Special assistant to the president on National Assembly. The Cabinet Affairs Office will serve as the secretariat.
Key recommendations for implementation:
National Salaries, Income and wages Commission to be subsumed under Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission. The National Assembly will need to amend the constitution as RMAFC was established by the constitution.
Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission to be merged with Bureau of Public Enterprise and be rechristened as `Public Enterprises and Infrastructural Concession Commission
National Human Rights Commission to swallow Public Complaints Commission
Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate(PTAD) to be scrapped and functions to be taken over by Federal Ministry of Finance
NEMA and National Commission for Refugees to be fused to become National Emergency and Refugee Management Commission
Border Communities Development Agency to become a department under National Boundary Commission
NACA and NCDC to be merged
SERVICOM to become a department under the Bureau for Public Service Reform(BPSR)
NALDA to return to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Federal Ministry of Science to supervise a new agency that combines NCAM, NASENI and PRODA
National Commission for Museums and Monuments and National Gallery of Arts to become one entity that will be known as National Commission for Museums, Monuments and Gallery of Arts.
National Theatre to be merged with National Troupe.
- Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa and Directorate of Technical Aid Corp to be merged under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission to become an agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Federal Radio Corporation and Voice of Nigeria to be one entity to be known as Federal Broadcasting Corporation of Nigeria
National Biotechnology Development Agency(NABDA) and National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology to be emerged into an agency to be known as National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency(NBRDA).
National Institute for Leather Science Technology and National Institute for Chemical Technology to become one agency.
Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency and National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development to become one agency.
The National Metallurgical Development Centre and National Metallurgical Training Institute will be merged.
National Institute for Trypanosomiasis to be subsumed under Institute of Veterinary Research in Vom, Jos.
The list is not exhaustive.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser Information and Strategy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
COMPLETE LIST OF AGENCIES, COMMISSIONS AND PARASTATALS AFFECTED BY THE APPROVAL OF THE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING [FEC] MEETING OF 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 ON THE ORONSAYE PANEL REPORT
AGENCIES TO BE SCRAPPED
- Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate to be scrapped and functions transferred to the Federal Ministry of Finance
- National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) to be scrapped and functions transferred to the department of Basic and Secondary Education in Federal Ministry of Education.
AGENCIES TO BE MERGED
- National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) to be merged under the Centre for Disease Control in Federal Ministry of Health.
- National Emergency Agency (NEMA) to be merged with National Commission of Refugee, Migration and Internally Displaced persons [NCFRMI].
- Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA) to be merged with Directorate of Technical Aid (DTAC) and to function as a department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to be merged with Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE).
- Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) to be merged with Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
- National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to be merged with National Centre for Agriculture Mechanization (NCAM) and
Project Development Institute (PRODA).
- National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) to be merged with National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB).
- National Institute for Leather Science Technology (NILEST) to be merged with National Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT).
- The Nomadic Education Commission (NEC) to be merged with National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult Education and Non Formal Education.
- Federal Radio Corporation (FRCN) to be merged with Voice of Nigeria (VON)
- The National Commission for Museums and Monuments to be merged with National gallery of Arts.
- The National Theatre to be merged with National Troupe of Nigeria.
- The National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC) to be merged with National Metallurgical Training Institute (NMTI).
- Nigerian Army University (NAUB)should be merged Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA)
- Airforce Institute of Technology (AFIT) should be merged Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA)
AGENCIES TO BE SUBSUMED
- Service Compact with all Nigerians (SERVICOM) to be subsumed to function as a department under Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR).
- Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) to be subsumed to function as a department under the National Boundary Commission (NBC).
- National Salaries, Income and Wages Commissioned (NSIWC) to be subsumed into Revenue Mobilization & Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).
- Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution to be subsumed under Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA)
- Public Complaints Commission (PCC) to be subsumed under National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
- Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis (NITR) to be subsumed into Institute of Veterinary Research (VOM).
- Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) to be subsumed under the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development
(NIPRD).
- National Intelligence Agency Pension Commission to be subsumed under the administration of Nigerian Pension Commission (PenCom).
- The Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to be subsumed as a department in the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy.
AGENCIES TO BE RELOCATED.
- Niger Delta Powerholding Company (NDHC) to be relocated to Ministry of power.
- National Agricultural Land Development Agency [NALDA] to be relocated to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
- National Blood Service Commission to be converted into an Agency and relocated to the Federal Ministry of Health
- Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to be converted into an Agency and transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT TINUBU CALLS FOR SUSPENSION OF SANCTIONS ON GUINEA, MALI, NIGER, AND BURKINA FASO
President Bola Tinubu has called for the suspension of economic sanctions imposed on Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea by ECOWAS.
Speaking at the Extra-ordinary Summit of ECOWAS in Abuja on Saturday, President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the organization, stated that: “Everything we did was in hopes of persuading our brothers that there existed a better path, a path that would lead to genuine improvement of their people’s welfare through democratic good governance. And this was a path each of our nations had solemnly agreed with one another pursuant to formal regional treaty and protocol.
“However, the sanctions that we contemplated might help lead our brothers to the negotiating table have become a harsh stumbling block. In my mind and heart, that which is hurtful yet ineffective serves no good purpose and should be abandoned.
“ECOWAS was established for the unassailable objective of improving the lives of the people of this region through fraternal cooperation among all member states. This edifice was cemented on the strong foundation and apt conviction that, united as one, we can be the true masters of our destiny.”
The President further explained that ECOWAS took the steps it did based on the regional ideals of security, social stability; democratic governance, political freedom, broad-based prosperity, and sustainable economic development through fair opportunity for each and every one in West Africa.
He said neither hatred nor hidden motive influenced the steps taken and that there was never any intention to douse or undermine the legitimate political aspirations of any member state or to advance the interests of any outside party.
In calling for the suspension of sanctions, President Tinubu stressed that: “We must take note of the approach of the holy month of Ramadan and of Lent. Whether you pray in the mosque or in the church, this represents a time for compassion, hope, and harmony. It is a time that we must not only seek God but also a closer relationship with brother and neighbour.
“In the Spirit of the holy month and of the Lenten period, and with hearts bestirred by goodwill towards all our people, let us extend a hand as brothers and friends to those in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
“What I suggest in real and practical terms is that we, my colleagues and fellow heads of state in ECOWAS, indefinitely suspend economic sanctions against Niger, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso and against the leadership of the military authorities in those nations.”
The President asked that ECOWAS facilitate the unfettered flow of foodstuffs, medicines and other humanitarian items to the people of these nations, especially to the most vulnerable, adding that for Nigeria, this will also mean the prompt resumption of export of electric power to Niger.
“In this vein, suspension of sanctions is an important but initial step. What we seek is more than the breaking of the diplomatic logjam. We must use this very moment when things seem tense and progress unavailing, to forge greater cooperation within our community.
“We not only reach out to our brothers. Today, we say unto them — let us begin to work more earnestly together for the economic development of our people and towards confronting those modern challenges that respect no borders or boundaries. Challenges ranging from climate change to violent extremism to illegal pilfering of our precious natural resources require that we join together in progress or we fail separately.
“As leaders of ECOWAS, we have accepted the honour and duty to draft the history of the region and its people during our tenure in office. We have also accepted the honour and duty to reach out to our brothers, letting them know this regional home belongs to us all. I shall do my utmost in this regard. I humbly beseech that you do the same.
“For these reasons, we must suspend sanctions and return to brotherly dialogue. I call on the leadership in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger to embrace the hand extended,” the President stated.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
February 24, 2024