Ambode names Omoigui-Okauru ETF chairman

ITRealms:

The Lagos State Government has named Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru the Chairman of the Employment Trust Fund (ETF), reports ITRealms.

Her appointment comes a day after the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, signed the ETF Bill into Law.

In a statement released on Wednesday by the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the ETF, which is one of the campaign promises of the Governor has been established to create wealth by supporting individuals, especially the youth, small and medium entrepreneurs with access to soft funding and enterprise support centres. 

Lagos State is committing N6.25b annually which will amount to the N25billion Governor Ambode promised in four years.

Omoigui, a celebrated Chartered Accountant, was the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) from 2004 to 2012. 

She started her career at Andersen Consulting, now Accenture, and has been at various times on the Boards of Nigerian Breweries PLC, Central Securities Clearing System, Diamond Bank Plc and Seplat Petroleum Plc.

According to Ayorinde, she will be joined on the board by Mr. Dele Martins, CEO, HFP Engineering Plc. Martins is a lawyer and real estate expert who has overseen the growth of HFP to a major player in the Nigerian real estate and construction industry.

Other members of the board include Mrs. Bilkis Adebiyi-Abiola, a social entrepreneur who has grown a successful business outfit of recycling waste plastic bottles; Mr. Otto Orondaam, the founder of Slum2School, a volunteer-driven organization that has provided access to education and psycho-social support for disadvantaged children in slums and remote communities.

The Trustees also include the Commissioners for Employment and Wealth Creation as well as Finance, Mr. Tunde Durosinmi-Etti and Dr. Mustapha Akinkunmi respectively; while Mr. Michael Popoola Ajayi from the Civil Society sector is also a member. Others include Mr. Tunde Bank-Anthony and Mrs. Olufunmi Olatunde Daudu.

Mr. Akintunde Oyebode who was the Head, SME Banking at Stanbic IBTC, with over 10 years experience in banking, will serve as the Executive Secretary of the Fund.

 

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Lagos State official website restored after hacking

ITRealms:

The Lagos State government official website has been restored for full online services, ITRealms confirms this Saturday.

ITRealms recalls that suspected terrorists hackers had hijacked the official website of the Lagos State government, with a message depicting that Nigerian Government, United States, and Israel among others as sponsors of terrorism.

The suspected message, ITRealms gathered may not be unconnected to the death of members of the Shiite Islamic Sect in Zaria, Kaduna State by soldiers on the convoy of Chief of Army staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai.

Part of the message read: “Boko Haram and ISIS are terrorists, They are killing Muslims and innocent people because of your dirty money, Hey Nigeria Government you killed thousands of Muslims and specially Zakzaky’s family too, You are all terrorists, You are all murderers, GOD damn you! Allahu maulana wala mula lakum.”

Reacting, the Lagos State Government acknowledged the hacking of its official website, but added that it has recovered the site.

The Lagos state Information and Strategy Commissioner, Mr. Steve Ayorinde said that the State Government wish to inform the general public that its website, was in the early hours of Friday, yesterday, December 18, 2015 “hacked by unknown individual or group posting provocative messages on the site.”

He also said the site has since been cleared, and fully restored to continue its updating of citizens, especially Lagosians with relevant information and the activities of Gov. Akin Ambode’s administration, even as the hacking was reported to the State Security Service and the Police.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) +ITRealms DSA 

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Lagos to review payment to deceased family

ITRealms:

The Lagos State Government commenced the review of payment of an additional 20 per cent of accruable rights to the family of a deceased staff apart from the basic entitlements under the State Pension Law 2007, reports ITRealms.

The State Ministry of Finance in a press statement made available to ITRealms, indicated that the proposal is part of effort by the present administration to provide succour and ameliorate the effect in case of death of a staff while in active service on family members and relatives.

“The State Government has extended the Accident Insurance policy for all her employees to cover accidental acts during the active service years of the concerned staff regardless of the period of occurrence including weekends, unlike in the past where the policy was only accessible to staff who were injured during working days and hours,” part of the press read.

Lagos government also emphasised it would continue to play the lead role in prioritizing the welfare of all those in its employ while in active service and will make provision for commensurate financial welfare and succour for them in case of unexpected occurrence while on duty.

ITRealms recalled that the Lagos State Pension Reform Law 2007 stipulates that the life insurance policy will be made mandatory for employees through the appropriate insurance company to pay money that is up to three years basic emoluments of the concerned staff, comprising of basic salary, housing allowance and transport allowance as benefits for the relative in case of an employee’s death while in service.
 

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Lagos warns on Central Business District, starts enforcement

ITRealms:

The Lagos State Government has commenced the enforcement of rules and regulations guiding Central Business District (CBD) as part of measures to curb illegal activities of traders and motorists that impede free flow of human and vehicular movement, ITRealms reports.

Special Adviser to the Governor on CBD, Mr. Agboola Dabiri gave this indication when he led enforcement team to Lagos Island CBD, stressing that, the government would no longer condone street trading, display of goods on the roads, walkways and illegal parking, as well as driving against the traffic.

“The State Government will no longer tolerate any act of impunity by traders and motorists. You have been warned over time to desist from all illegal activities that impede traffic,” he said, adding that, anyone caught will be made to face the full wrath of the law so as to serve as deterrent to others.

Dabiri declared that the inspection would continue ``until we all abide by all CBD rules and regulations which centered mainly on orderliness, conformity and free flow of traffic in line with international standard for CBD in developed countries”.

ITRealms gathered that over 15 vehicles were impounded in the exercise which commenced from Onikan through Broad Street, Apongbon, Elegbeta, Ebute Ero and Idumagbo. Other areas involved are Eyin Eyo, CMS, Eja Lonibu and Tinubu.

A score of recalcitrant traders were also arrested and goods seized in an exercise that caught traders, motorists and other stakeholders unaware.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) +ITRealms DSA +LAGOS +Lagos Chamber 

Jamiu commends Lagos government on emergency response

ITRealms:

The Executive Editor, UpShotReport, Mr. Mojeed Jamiu, has commended the Lagos State government on the emergency response time, reports ITRealms.

Jamiu, was reacting to the response time it took the emergency department to respond to a call on 112 when a friend of his, Mr. Ayo Aminu was involved in a motor accident.

 
According to Jamiu, “Whatever magic the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode put in place to ease the traffic gridlock in Apapa must be sustained.”
 
He explained that it took him less than 35 minutes from Shangisha to Lagoon Hospital, Apapa, stressing that the Lagos State Governor deserves his commendation for saving the life of his bosom friend, who was involved in a fatal accident along Lekki - Epe Expressway last Sunday.
 
“The swift response of the Emergency Team with just a call to 112 and the mobile ambulance (which I now termed Hospital on the wheel) was key to my friend's survival. He was treated free of charge!” he said.
He recalled that those mobile clinics were launched by the Lagos State Governor merely two weeks earlier.
 
“I must also commend the effort of the medical team at the Lagos Trauma (Accident & Emmergency Centre) Ikeja Toll Gate, Near 7-Up, you guys are wonderful and I thank you all,” he said.
 
Emphasising that Lagos is working and Nigeria should learn from this example.
 
“Thank you Mr Governor and your wonderful team in the health care delivery sector,” he declared.

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Skye Bank millionaire scheme: Civil servant emerges winner

ITRealms

A civil servant with Lagos State Government, Kazeem Adewale has been declared winner of the N1million star prize of “The Reach for the Skye" Millionaire Scheme, ITRealms reports.

The draw was held in Lagos amid fanfare, even as ITRealms gathered thatsince its introduction, Skye Bank Millionaire Scheme has changed the lives of many for the better. The scheme, which is a product feature for its flagship savings product, is meant to encourage savings culture amongst the mass market segment.

Kazeem Adewale inappreciation of the life-changing prize said, “I thank Skye Bank for this encouragement, and for putting us—customers—on their mind. This money would be put into something that would also help me to save even more.”

Speaking on the occasion, the Head, Retail Banking, Skye Bank Plc. Nkolika Okoli, said,“the scheme provides a unique opportunity for the bank to stay in touch and reward its SavePlus account holders, who have a unique role to play in the country’s future economy expansion,” she stated.

ITRealms reports that the monthly draw would afford three customers; both old and new, to emerge millionaires, while 10 and 4 others will be rewarded with N100, 000 and N250, 000 respectively as consolation prizes for having at least a minimum of N2,000 with the bank within that month.

The next Millionaire Scheme is set to hold in Anambra State next week. This announcement was made in a press statement issued by the bank, where it was stated that the September draw would hold as activation in Onitsha main market, Onitsha, ITRealms learnt.

The ‘Skye Reach for Millionaire’ reward scheme will see Skye Bank give away the sum of 60 million naira during the course of the scheme to customers who operate the Skye SavePlus account and maintain minimum credit balances of N2,000 on an incremental basis.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

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