1.
Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Monday, signed an executive bill to officially open a register for all sex offenders in the state. The register is expected to complement crime data register, which is already in place in the state to make it easier for law enforcement agents to prosecute sexual offences, such as harassment, defilement of children and rape. Shortly before signing the bill, Fashola said the executive order establishing the register makes it mandatory for such offences to be reported irrespective of the offender and the way the issue is settled.
2. The
economic fortunes of Oke Ogun area in Oyo State are about to change for good as the road leading to Ikere Gorge dam is undergoing reconstruction, while street lights are being provided to give the road a face lift and provide illumination at night. A release by Senator Hosea Agboola’s Chief Publicity Secretary, Mallam Adebayo Muritala, said that the Ikere Dam project which had been abandoned more than 30 years ago would be harnessed for the economic progress of the area.
He said that the water pipes which former President Shagari’s administration laid to boost irrigation farming would be refurbished and activated to enable farmers in Oke Ogun reap bumper harvest once the project came on line.
3.
The Operator of Nigerian Electricity Market (ONEM), also called the Market Operator (MO) has said the integrity of information provided by various participants in the Nigerian electricity supply industry must be credible to avoid imbalances in the settlement statements sent by it to them (participants).
4. The Minister of Science and Technology, Abdu Bulama, said on Monday that Nigeria, in a bid to hasten the pace of socio-economic development, would launch its first “made-in-Nigeria” satellite by 2018.
Mr. Bulama said in Abuja that science and technology would fast track the Federal Government’s transformation agenda and sustain the growth of national economy.
5.
The Nigerian Navy on Monday said it was partnering the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on training of its personnel on international arms laws and conflict resolution. Commodore Atiku Abdulkadir, the Commandant of the Nigerian Navy College (NNC), Onne, said this while declaring open a three-day naval training in Onne, Rivers. According to him, the exercise would also focus on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency.
6.
The newly elected president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has said her one year reign at the helm of affairs of the organisation will be dominated by keen focus on energy security and balance in crude oil market.
7.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bayelsa State Command, has arrested 97 motorists for being in possession of fake driver’s licences and number plates. 55 of the motorists were apprehended for illegally-acquired number plates while 42 were arrested for fake driver’s licences in an operation on Monday in the Yenagoa metropolis.
8. Delta State Governor,
Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan disclosed at the weekend that the state government pays out N1.2 billion monthly as pension to retired civil servants in the state and has contributed over N18 billion since 2007 when it started implementing the contributory pension scheme. Uduaghan, who stated this at a meeting with retirees and other stakeholders in Asaba, cautioned against bringing politics into pension matters, stating that nobody or association could blackmail his administration to abandon the interests of pensioners in the state.
9. Mobile payments system, also known as mobile banking in the country has recorded a total of 15 million transactions since the inception of the scheme in 2012 with 58 million subscribers while the total value of the transactions till date is N430 billion. The Central Bank of Nigeria, Head, Payment System Policy and Oversight Division of Banking and Payments Department,
Musa Itopa-Jimoh, disclosed this on Monday at the 2014 workshop organised by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) for finance correspondents and Business Editors in Katsina.
10.
A passionate appeal has gone to the Lagos and Ogun state governments to collaborate on how to construct pedestrian bridges at Berger bus stop located along Lagos and the boundary with Ogun State. Those who spoke with Daily Independent said so many lives had been lost at the bus stop as many pedestrians trying to cross the ever busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway get knocked down by fast moving buses, especially trailers whose brakes are usually faulty.
