A corrupt judge is worse than an armed robber— Fashanu SAN

Babatunde Fashanu

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Babatunde Fashanu, in this interview with TOLUWANI ENIOLA, backed the call for the suspension of the judges accused of corruption

Some have described the corruption in the judiciary as the worst kind of corruption, what is your take on this?

We have not seen this scale of corruption before. There has always been corruption but it was at a very low level when I started to practice some 36 years ago. In fact, the corruption you could perceive then was in subtle forms; like a judge bending the rules because of his affiliation with the other side or one of the lawyers.

There might have been no contact at all, it was just a connection thing and there were judges that were government judges that were always afraid to give any judgment against the government once the latter was a party in a case before them.

Notwithstanding that, no one approached them. But with time, some judges have commercialised the bench; some are so cheap that anything goes. But, with the advent of serious money politics, especially from 1999, things have changed.

 Being an experienced lawyer, you do not have to be told that something out of the ordinary has happened, especially in many cases we got involved in, with the mannerisms of some judges and the fluidity of many of their judgments. Of note is the intentional abdication from the principle of judicial precedents which lead to many conflicting judgments, even in the appellate courts.

It is commonplace now to see many judges living beyond their means hence, the corruption is palpable. The seat of a judge is meant to be one of honour and not a place of wealth but now many go to the bench for the same reason many youths go to the Police or customs.

No matter the good conditions of service, such judges will always be corrupt. Though corruption in the judiciary is just a reflection of all the pervasive corruption in the country, one expects less corruption in the judiciary.

What message does the National Judicial Council and the Nigerian Bar Association’s positions on the corrupt judges send to the international community?

The initial responses of the NJC and NBA to me are highly technical. Yes, some technical issues of human rights, rule of law and independence of the judiciary may be involved, nevertheless, these bodies responded as if they are operating from Planet Mars and not Earth.

Everyone, including these bodies, knows the extent of corruption in the judiciary as endemic but those that are primarily responsible for the discipline of judges and lawyers have not hitherto dealt with the matter as cancer, which ought to be cured.

With the embarrassment caused by the allegations of corruption against the judges, do you think they will still command the respect that they deserve from lawyers?

We will all assume the judges involved are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt under the law. But with regard to all that has happened, I cannot comfortably bow before these judges for now until they are exonerated of the allegations against them. When it is alleged that a judge is corrupt in respect of his judicial duties, it is worse than an armed robbery accusation.

Some lawyers and activits have asked the judges to step down. Some are also calling for their resignation. Are you in support of this and why?

I am in support of the call for the judges to step down or be suspended pending the conclusion of investigations and prosecution where necessary. It is heartwarming to see that the NBA is now toeing this line.

That is the sane thing to do, though some people are saying that some ministers and lawmakers accused of corruption have not stepped down. The judiciary is different from the executive or legislature and the sanctity of the institution must be maintained at all times.

It is not for the executive or the legislature to do anything about it. It is the judiciary and the judges that should make the move. The CJN says nothing can be done because there is no petition before the NJC against the judges. But then, why are we now hearing that a Code of Conduct or Ethics is now being laid down by the CJN for judges.

That is because it (NJC) realised that there is the need to act because of this development. So, let the security agencies please send what they have to the CJN and for the latter to cooperate with them in getting something done because, at the end of the day, what Nigerians want is justice.

If there is still no cooperation, then the relevant agencies of the executive like the Attorney-General of the Federation should ensure the matter is charged before the relevant courts so these will be test cases to show that corruption does not pay and act as a deterrence to others.

How can the judges be brought to justice when the criminal justice system has been allegedly compromised?

I can tell you that many judges who are straight must be very happy inside them that something is being done to bring sanity to their job.

These straight judges who keep to their oath of office have been made to look like fools when they see what their corrupt counterparts are doing and how they live ostentatious lifestyles beyond their means, obviously from proceeds of corruption.

The arrested judges should be made to face the law with the cooperation of the NJC. Some may eventually have to be charged to court for criminal offences in relation to their corrupt acts. Judges will ensure justice is done.

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Banky W shares special moment with mother during Washington show

Bankole Wellington, Nigerian singer popularly known as Banky W, on Friday, sang in front of his parents for the first time in his “adult life”.

The ‘Strong Thing’ singer performed at the Tum Showcase event which held in Washington DC, United States — and his parents were present in the audience.

Banky W, upon sighting his mother trying to take pictures of him, got down from the stage and went to share an embrace with her.

“She’s been praying for me my entire life… If you love your mother, show some love to my mama,” he said, while holding on to her.

“Mummy is it okay? Did I do all right?” he asked, and she responded with a nod of the head.

The singer subsequently took to social media to share a video of the incident.

“Last night’s @tumshowcase was such a great show… but it had a special significance to me cuz it was the first time in my adult life that my parents had ever come to see me perform live.

“While I was wrapping my set up, I noticed Momma W sneaking up through the crowd by the stage to take pictures of me, so I did what any good Momma’s boy would, and went down to embarrass her small. Love her forever,” he wrote.

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New Deadly Disease Worse Than HIV That C0nd0ms Can’t Stop (Must Read)

Unmarried men too seem to prefer condoms as the popular method to protect against STIs. But for a virus whose disease has no symptoms, the inefficacy of condoms allows for faster and wider spread, especially amongst those with multiple s*x partners.

The only 100 per cent effective way to prevent HPV transmission is abstinence from any s*xual contact, including oral, an*l, and vaginal s*x.

See also: Morning after:That ‘oops’ moment when women’s emergency pills backfire Since abstinence may not be a realistic option, Dr Mugo advises remaining monogamous while in a relationship, vaccination and screening for women. Women can also pass viruses without having any symptoms.

But the chance of females infecting men is estimated at less than five per cent of the rates of male-to-female transmission. There are more than 100 types of HPV and about 13 of these are cancer causing, with HPV types 16 and 18 causing approximately 70 per cent of all cervical cancers worldwide.

Sadly, it’s physically difficult to tell whether your partner has the HPV virus unless they have private part warts, yet those who do not have visible signs can also spread the virus. The other interesting aspect of this particular virus is that you do not need to have s8*x for it to be passed on from one person to another.

The virus is found in the flora of the man-hood, scrotum, vag1na, vulva@, or anus of a person who has the HPV. One can get infected through kissing or touching an infected s8*x organs or through oral s3’x.

Since cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among adult women, in the developing world, and the second most common cancer among women worldwide, preventive measures include getting a pap smear for women and/or getting vaccinated.

Better still, it’s important that you be honest with your partner about your s3’x history. Immunizing all girls before becoming sexually active ideally aged nine to 13 years in order to lower the risk of HPV took off in Kenya under a pilot project in Kitui County in 2013, targeting 20,000 girls

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Rules to Stop Erring Judges: Why Corruption thrives in the Judiciary – Justice Isa Ayo Salami

…Justice Salami

‘Way out of the mess in the

Justice Isa Ayo Salami (retd) was   the President of the Court of Appeal. In a paper delivered at the 2015 annual lecture of the Nigerian National Merit Award, titled: ‘ Corruption Eradication and the Nigerian Ethical Revolution’ , Salami spoke about his controversial retirement from the Bench under Chief Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, saying the incumbent CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, played a role in the episode.

The former appellate court President explained why corruption thrives in the Nigerian judiciary while  stating that the rules make it easy for the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to manipulate the National Judicial Council (NJC) in disciplining judges accused of corruption.


The former jurist spoke ahead of the action of the Department of State Security (DSS) against seven judges accused of corruption and the new rules put in place by the NJC to tackle corruption in the judiciary.

The new rules bar judges from accepting gifts while the aspect that speaks about discontinuing investigation into petitions against judges ,if the petitions are leaked to the media, is generating controversy. Extracts from Salami’s paper:

THE PROBLEM WITH THE JUDICIARY

The problem with the Nigerian judiciary is that some dishonourable people not cut out to be judges got into the system and, after that, made it to the highest level of their judicial careers. Another major factor the problem has festered is that many Nigerians do not want the truth to be told.

Whoever dares to tell the truth is marked down for persecution. Members of the Bar often narrate horrific stories or tales of certain high-ranking judicial officers who act as couriers of bribe, but, they are never ready to come out with details.

Such a person is engaged at a fee to reach out to judges in order to influence decisions in certain sensitive cases. At times, the bribe they collect for and on behalf of such designated judges never come to their knowledge, not to talk of its being delivered to them.

It is  also alleged  that some  legal practitioners, in addition  to their legitimate fees, demand  fees from their clients purportedly to influence the judge or judges handling their cases. It is the activities of these wicked legal practitioners and retired judges who can be rightly described as interlopers that have given the Nigerian judiciary a negative image.

There are, of course, honourable gentlemen in the judiciary who will not accept a farthing from anyone and who can stand up to anyone. Many of the justices and judges in Nigeria are hard working, patriotic and honest and can compare favourably with judges and justices from any of the Commonwealth countries.

However, there are many lazy, ignorant and dishonest judges in the system. It is these bad eggs that have desecrated the temple of justice, and they need to be flushed out to enable sanity return to the system.

INJUNCTIONS OF THE HOLY BOOKS ON THE ROLE OF THE JUDICIARY

Before proceeding further, I propose to set out what the Books of the two prevalent religions in the country have to say on the attributes of a judge. I am doing this on the tacit understanding that all Nigerian judges or justices are either adherents of Islam or Christianity.

There may be judges who belong to other religions, but I have not come across one. I tender my unreserved apology if my judgment is incorrect.

The Holy Bible in the book of Deuteronomy Chapter 16, verses 18-­-20, says;

“18   Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

“19   Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous. “20    That  which  is  altogether  just  shalt  thou  follow,  that  thou  mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

And in the Holy Quran in Surat Nisaa Chapter IV verse 135, it was revealed to the

Holy Prophet (SAW) as follows:

“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both (than you).

So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you avoid justice; and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-­-Acquainted with what you do.”

on appointment, viz;

“to do justice to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill will so help me God.”

The two Holy Books, the Holy Bible and the Glorious Quran, demand from judicial officers to refrain from –

a)   perverting the course of justice;

b)   showing partiality;

c)    accepting bribe; and

d)   subverting the course of righteousness.

The things judges are required to do and those they should avoid are very clear and unambiguous. The problem, however, lies in the will, the innate ability or the conviction or conscience to avoid those that are not permissible or forbidden and to do what is right.

THE JUDICIARY NOT THE ONLY BODY TO BLAME

The issue of fighting corruption bedeviling our country cannot be solved by focusing on the judiciary alone. Corruption affects everything and everywhere in the country. There should, therefore, be a critical examination of all the facets of our national life, for instance,

redefined or re-­-orientated in a manner that will abhor corruption:

a.)   A system or culture which appreciates politicians who obtain their wealth improperly but disparages an erudite judge or scholar  a failure requires redemption.“b.)  

A system which makes our children prefer appointments in customs, immigration and police to the arduous task of being a lecturer in our tertiary institutions, a doctor in our general hospitals or a state counsel in the federal or state Ministries of Justice is a system that must be defenestrated.“c.)  

The mentality  that makes  members of  the legislature  to prefer appointments to certain committees of the assemblies or ministers to prefer appointments to certain ministries of government on account of the juiciness of such committees or ministries must be re-­-examined and discouraged.

For their consideration has never been on the ground of demonstrating the beauty of hard work or opportunity to serve the people they claim they are representing.

Corruption is the product of a failed system – educational, social, political and economic and the earlier it is tackled from the roots rather than engaging in a game of responsibility shifting, the better it would be for all of us.

FOCUS ON THE JUDICIARY

It should not be assumed that the judiciary does not have a role to play; in fact, it cannot absolve itself from blame. Just as it is not open to a doctor to reject blame for incompetence or negligence on account that the patient was careless in infecting himself with the ailment for which he is being treated, so would a judicial officer not be exculpated if he failed to perform his duty according to law and practice.

THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL COUNCIL

The National Judicial Council (NJC)  is a shadow of its old-­-self; it seems to me that it no longer appreciates the reason or purpose for its creation. A very important part of its duties is to protect and insulate judges from the executive.

This explains why there is no representative of any other arm of government in the constitution of the Council; even the Honourable Attorney General is not made a member of the body.

However, there was a time in the recent past when a member of the National Judicial Council doubled as the Chairman of Council of Legal Education, a parastatal under the supervision of the Honourable Attorney General. This clearly was an anomaly.

Furthermore, at the time when my matter (which is well known to the public and which I have left in the hand of God for just judgment) was being considered at the National Judicial Council, the then Attorney General of the Federation was alleged  to have  boasted to a state governor, that he uses his telephones to direct the proceedings of the Council.

It is this body that Honourable Justice Uwais  recommended that  the  selection of  the  Chairman of  the  Independent National Electoral Commission should be entrusted to. My Lord and the members of the Electoral Reform Committee sincerely believed that the National Judicial Council he left behind remains what it was  – but it is clearly not. All the Chief Justices that served during the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan believed that they were beholden unto him and were prepared to obey his command.

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Angelina Jolie’s Father Speaks Out Against Illuminati

Angelina Jolie’s father, Jon Voight, has publicly spoken out against the Illuminati elite’s that he says are attempting to prevent Donald Trump from winning the Presidency.

In a video uploaded toYouTube, Voight slammed both George Soros and Hillary Clinton, claiming they are attempting to turn America into a country of tyranny.

“May God protect the real truth and may Donald Trump win this presidency. He will save our America, and he will certainly make it great again,” he said.

Daily Mail reports:

Voight has repeatedly supported Trump throughout the election cycle despite the business tycoon’s unprovoked attacks on his daughter Angelina Jolie’s looks.

In the video, posted on Voight’s social media channels, he said: ‘We were once a country of freedom. Now we’re becoming a country of tyranny.

‘Thousands of refugees will flood our nation, and no one will know the good guys from the bad guys. It will kill our economy which is at an all time low under the years of Obama’s presidency.’

Millions of jobs have been created, unemployment has plummeted, and the economy has grown about two per cent each year under Obama’s administration, with experts grading it a ‘solid B or B+’, CNN reported.

But Voight also warned that people would lose their Second Amendment rights under Hillary Clinton, even though she has repeatedly disputed similar statements.

Voight went on to say: ‘Freedom of religion will be attacked…and Hillary will try to stop all conservative voices on TV and radio.

‘Our highest courts will become socialist, and she will restrict what America was founded on – our freedom to become a small business owner and pursue our own personal dreams.’

Watch Video

Voight also accused Soros of ‘turn[ing] hundreds of Jewish people over to the Nazis to be exterminated during World War II,’  an idea perpetuated by conservative commentator Glenn Beck.

When Soros was 14, his father bribed an agriculture official in Nazi-occupied Hungary to pose as his Christian godfather.

Soros once accompanied the man during an inventory of an estate left behind by the wealthy Jewish aristocrat Mor Kornfeld.

In a 1998 episode of 60 Minutes, Soros said: ‘I had no role in taking away that property. So I had no sense of guilt.’

While Voight made no reference to Trump’s comments about women in his latest video, he came out to defend the business tycoon days earlier.

‘I am so ashamed of my fellow actor Bobby DeNiro’s rant against Donald Trump…’

‘Donald Trump’s words were not as damaging as Robert DeNiro’s ugly rant. Trump’s words did not hurt anyone.’ Voight tweeted in response to the Republican candidate’s comments that he could sexually harass women without consequence.

‘I don’t know of too many men who haven’t expressed some sort of similar sexual terms toward women, especially in their younger years,’ Voight added.

Trump has since been accused of sexual harassment by six women in the days following the 2005 hot mic recording’s emergence.

The presidential candidate has spoken out against Voight’s daughter over the last decade, saying in 2006: ‘[Angelina Jolie has] been with so many guys she makes me look like a baby, OK, with the other side. And, I just don’t even find her attractive.’

In 2007, Trump said: ‘Angelina Jolie is sort of amazing because everyone thinks she’s like this great beauty.

‘I really understand beauty. And I will tell you, she’s not—I do own Miss Universe. I do own Miss USA. I mean, I own a lot of different things. I do understand beauty, and she’s not.’

source:

yournewswire.com

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Tomb of Jesus opened for first time in centuries

Tomb of Jesus opened after many centuries

For the first time in hundreds of years, the marble stone above the tomb of Jesus Christ in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was lifted as part of historic renovations at the holy site.

According to the Christian faith, after his crucifixion, Christ’s body was laid on a shelf that was placed within a cave, now covered by a structure called the Aedicule – a small chapel which will also undergo renovations alongside the tomb itself, which Christians hold to be empty following Jesus’ resurrection.

The marble stone covering the empty tomb was lifted as part of the attempt to renovate the tomb itself and the Aedicule. This is most likely the first time since the 16th century that the huge marble stone covering the tomb has been moved.

The renovation of the structure began a number of months ago after a historic agreement was reached between the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Armenian churches – the three main churches sharing the structure according to the status quo.

The last time the actual structure was renovated was by the British in 1947, when thick metal cables were put in place to support the Aedicule, but the actual tomb stone wasn’t touched. Since then, no substantial renovation was conducted on the structure and its condition has deteriorated, a situation which was further exacerbated by the inability of the three churches to agree on a course of action.

A year and a half ago, antiques’ officials warned about the structure’s state and the police decided to close the site to pilgrims for a number of hours, fearing additional damage to the site. The closure prompted anger and protest, with church officials claiming that the police took the decision without conferring with them or informing them in advance.

Greek preservation experts work to strengthen the Adicule surrounding the Tomb of Jesus, where his body is believed to have been laid, as part of conservation work done by the Greek team in Jerusalem

Greek preservation experts work to strengthen the Adicule surrounding the Tomb of Jesus, where his body is believed to have been laid, as part of conservation work done by the Greek team in Jerusalem

In wake of the incident, representatives of the three churches involved in the running of the site began holding negotiations and some six months ago they reached an agreement. According to the deal, the renovation would be led by the National Technical University of Athens under the oversight Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Custody of the Holy Land – an order of the Roman Catholic Church that is the site’s custodian.

The renovation is substantial and includes dismantling the metal cables put in place by the British, and putting large metal rods inside the columns and injecting advanced cement-like materials inside the cracks and crevices in the stones to reinforce them. Part of the structure itself will also be taken apart to be restored independently before it is placed back within the holy site.

Last Wednesday, for the first time in hundreds of years, the actual stone above the interior tomb was lifted, exposing the holy site to about a billion Christians across the globe.

The marble blocks were placed above the grave some 500 years ago. Underneath them, workers discovered another marble block marked with a cross and dating back to the 12 century crusaders, as well as building materials used at the time the upper marble slab was placed above the tomb.

As far as is currently known, the workers did not reach the surface of the tomb shelf itself, which was where Jesus’ body was placed after the crucifixion and before he ascended to heaven, according to the Christian faith. After the tomb area was renovated, the marble block was put back in its place and on Saturday the site was reopened for visitors.

Prof. Joseph Patrich from the Hebrew University’s Institute of Archaeology said that he was amazed that restorators were given authority to lift the stone to begin with: “It very much surprised me that a secular activity was permitted in such a sensitive and holy site, but this renovation is ‘holy work’,” he said.

Last week, the project’s chief scientific supervisor, Prof. Antonia Moropoulou spoke at a Jerusalem conference organized by Israel’s Antiques Authority. The talk was attended by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III.

HAARETZ

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We are not interested in arresting Jonathan – Osinbajo

Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has disclosed in far away United States that the federal government is not interested in arresting former President Goodluck Jonathan over various allegations of corruption during his administration.

Prof. Osinbajo revealed this in Houston, Texas at a Townhall event where he interacted with US-based Nigerians who asked questions live at the event and also via the Internet, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson Mr. Laolu Akande in Houston.

The vice president fielded about thirty questions at a well attended townhall event moderated by Mr. Rudolf Okonkwo of Sahara Reporters and Prof. Nimi Wariboko of Boston University.

Answering question from the internet on when former President Goodluck Jonathan would be arrested, Osinbajo pointed out that the Buhari administration is not in the business of arresting just anyone anyhow.

He said all the Buhari administration does is to empower the security agencies and the anti-corruption agencies to do their jobs, without the administration trying to teleguide them.

He also added that the fight against corruption in the country is not fought on ethnic, hasty or premediated grounds.

According to him, “corruption is not an ethnic thing, there is an equal representation in the stealing as no one operates with his/her ethnic group alone, the culprits are in every case seen so far, united by greed to steal and not by ethnic or religious interest.”

He frowned at a situation where for instance as much as $15 billion has disappeared from the national coffers into private pockets, pointing out that no responsible government would wave that aside so as not to offend people.

He also said security agencies in Nigeria have arrested about 800 suspected violent herdsmen across the country.

Asked about the issue of Fulani herdsmen attacks in certain states across the country and what the Federal Government was doing to curb the problem, the Vice President said, “the President has given firm instructions to the security agencies to arrest not only herdsmen who are attacking communities anywhere in the country but anyone of them or anyone at all in possession of firearms.”

He added that “there are about 800 of suspected violent herdsmen in the country that are currently in custody.” The Vice President however decried the slow pace of the criminal justice system which is affecting the prompt trial of such suspects.

Prof. Osinbajo reminded the audience however that the issue of killings by such violent herdsmen has been a perennial issue especially as grazing lands continue to disappear over the years and the cattle feed on peoples crops on the farmlands. He clarified that the matter just did not crop up when President Buhari assumed office.

Vice President Osinbajo then urged against the tendency of interpreting the herdsmen issue as a religious issue, stressing that it is important for all Nigerians to refuse such divisive narratives and tendencies.

He reminded his audience that there has always been conflict between herdsmen and communities across the country and that people should disabuse the notion that the problem has just started because President Buhari, a Fulani is currently at the helm of affairs in the country.

Answering question on the need for community policing, the Vice President indicated that community policing via State Police is indeed a cardinal program of the ruling APC. However the party agenda cannot be introduced until there is an amendment to the nation’s constitution.

Giving a scenario where a policeman from Bayelsa State for instance is working in Borno State where he cannot even speak the language or understand the culture of the people he is policing, noting that such is counterproductive.

The current situation where police activities is controlled at the federal level sure has some limitations, he conceded adding that the “the federal government is currently working to introduce community policing that would be in line with the constitution.”

Commenting on the recent arrest of judges in the country, Prof. Osinbajo told his Nigerian audience in Texas that impunity could be very dangerous in any sector and that the federal government is only exercising its executive function in attempting to check excesses.

He pointed out that the important thing is that due process is being followed as the judges were released about 24 hours after their arrest and once they had given their statements.

The Vice President also responded to a question on the state of the nation’s economy and attributed the current recession to the loss of about 60 percent of government revenue due to pipeline vandalisation and endemic corruption in the system.

He however stated that getting back oil production is a sure way to get out of the recession and the federal government is working to sort it out.

Commenting on the declining fortunes of Nigeria in international sporting competitions occasioned by poor funding by the government, the Vice President said that a long-term solution to inadequate funding of sports is private sector involvement.

According to him, looking around countries that have excelled in international sporting competitions, the private sector in those countries are directly involved and that is exactly what should happen in Nigeria.

By the time companies and organizations take up sports sponsorship, he believes that the tide would change for good.

Nigerians from all walks of life in Houston, Texas and from other parts of the US attended the town hall meeting which was preceded by a Nigeria Infrastructure summit which showcased opportunities for foreign investors in Nigeria.

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Lagos , FG move to relocate Ikoyi Prisons over pollution

Babatunde Adejare, Commissioner for the Environment

The Lagos and Federal Governments are in talks over the relocation of the Ikoyi Prisons built in 1955 due to the environmental nuisance it presently constitutes in the state.

Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare revealed this while fielding questions from journalists shortly after monitoring the October edition of the monthly environmental sanitation in Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

Adejare said the 61-year old facility had outlived its usefulness and needed to be relocated.

“We also visited Ikoyi prison to see the challenge there. I can assure you that we will tackle it. We will see how we would work with the Federal Prison Service to ensure that we provide sewage system.

“There is a larger thing coming into play soon; that is relocation of the prison. The facility had passed its usefulness. The most valuable land in Africa is there. We should not have such in that location. We are discussing with the Federal Government to deal with the relocation.

“In the interim, the Lagos State Government will provide the prison with better sewage system. They can also relocate the facility when the prison is relocated. His Excellency will come out with the official statement,” he stated.

Adejare, who harped on the environmental challenges facing Dolphin and Osborne Estates, said the problem in the estates premised on flooding.

“There will be need to deepen some certain part of the roads within the estate. A lot of the Lagoon way flows into the estate whenever there are tidal waves. And that was why we have been sensitizing the public on climate change. The estates had existed over 30 years and the estate had never recorded such flood like this.

“There is an issue and we are saying it is climate change. Larger percent of the world water are kept as ice but they are melting at a high rate. As a government, we will work with the residents to address the issue,” he said.

Sole Administrator of Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area, Felix Ona-Olawale said the government would no-longer tolerate illegal structures in the area.

According to him, “the structures erected on the right of way at the canal on Ribadu Street will not return. We will be working with the garrison commander and other security agencies. We will work to ensure a gate is erected to prevent further encroachment on the facility.”

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Mike Adenuga bags Ghana’s highest award

Dr Mike Adenuga and the Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama

The Republic of Ghana on Saturday conferred its highest civil national award of “The Companion of the Star of Ghana (CSG)” on Globacom Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga, Jr. The event was held at the Accra International Conference Centre.

President of Ghana, Mr. John Dramani Mahama said the Award “is in recognition of your unique and outstanding contribution to business enterprise both in Ghana and the continent of Africa at large”.

The BOSS newspaper reports that President Mahama justified the award further by saying that “through your creative business exertions, you have touched many lives in Ghana. You have provided employment for our teeming youth, artists, footballers and many more. I am particularly proud of you. This award is our way of saying a simple THANK YOU”.

The citation on Dr Adenuga commended his “transformational achievements in the telecommunications industry”, which included the laying of the historic Glo 1 optic fibre cable linking several African countries including Ghana with Europe and America.

President Mahama applauded Dr Adenuga’s association with telecommunications in Ghana since Glo Mobile’s launch and praised the massive capital investment he has injected into the project.

He also noted that Dr Adenuga’s investment forays and strong support for sports have drawn honours from far and near to him. He admitted that such outstanding contributions similarly recommended Dr Adenuga for Ghana’s highest civilian honour.

In his acceptance remarks, Dr Adenuga thanked President Mahama for the honour and noted that the President’s “recognition and support of my modest contributions to the development of Ghana’s economy have come as a great source of pride and encouragement to me.

This is more so as it is coming from Your Excellency, whose sterling qualities of leadership I admire greatly”.

Dr. Michael Adenuga Jr. also holds the highest civilian national award in Nigeria, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) awarded by the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2012.

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JOB VACANCIES: Gov. Ambode To Employ 1000 Graduates As Bus Conductors

The National President of the Bus Conductors Association of Nigeria, BCAN, Comrade Israel Ade Adeshola through the Lagos State ministry of transportation said it would employ 1000 graduates from different Universities as Bus Conductors.

Comrade Adeshola in an interview with Vanguard also disclosed that the new policy of the Lagos state government under the leadership of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is collaborating with the association to give Bus Conducting profession a new look.

According to him, “presently Lagos state government through the Lagos State Drivers Institute, LASDRI is training and accrediting conductors in the state, adding that after the training the graduands would be employed as Bus Conductors and would be on the payroll of the government with a salary worth of N50,000 per month.

“The objective is to make the job of bus conducting attractive, respected and dignified as obtainable globally”, he said.

Adeshola explained that there is a project in the pipeline by the state government to change the face of transportation system to enhance security and also provide employment opportunity in the state.

Speaking on the vision of the association, he said, since the establishment in 2008, it has been working relentlessly with the federal government through the national assembly as well as some state governments to establish its presence.

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