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Lagos Residents Want Better Drainages

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Residents of Iju and Ajuwon in Ifako Ijaye area of Lagos have called on the state government to use the dry season period to solve the problem of erosion in the area.

Our correspondent on Monday in Lagos the canal linking the two communities was blocked with debris and hence emptying itself into the two communities during the rainy season rather than taking water away.

Wasiu Abdul-Rahaman, a trader at Ajuwon told The Tide that residents of the area were worst hit by the problem created from Eliot road in Iju, as most of the water runs through to flood Ajuwon.

“When ever it rains, vehicles cannot even cross the bridge over the canal again because the water level would rise so high that it can almost swallow small vehicles.

“Apart from causing traffic congestion, most of us in Ajuwon would be sitting in water for several days,” he said.

He lamented that residents had had to fill sacks with sand and line them along routes to their houses and shops to act as water breakers, in their bid to check the erosion caused by the blocked canal.

Mrs Ijeoma Nwosu, another resident of Iju said that the problem of erosion had persisted in the community for several years without adequate government intervention.

Nwosu, however, thanked the state government for the ongoing Agege/Iju road and called for the rehabilitation of the Ajuwon /Iju Road, adding that if the problem of drainages was not addressed, the roads would not last.

In his contribution, Mr Dayo Fafunmi, the lawmaker representing the area in the Lagos State House of Assembly, observed that the erosion problem in the area was not one that could be solved easily.

“From Eliot to Ajuwon to have a lasting solution, the road needs to be elevated or a bridge constructed,“ he said.

Fafunmi (ACN, Ifako Ijaye I) said: “the drains in the area are grossly inadequate, but a free-flowing canal will bring some relief.“

He lamented that the problem of canal blockage was replicated in every part of the state and had been a major concern for the state government.

“The drains are expected to discharge into the canal and the canal is not moving. And because of the terrain of Lagos, cleaning the canal without using the waterways would create problems because the silt would find its way back to the canal.

“It is something we have to tackle politically,“ he said.

Fafunmi said that the state government was already doing a network of all drainage channels in all communities in the state and as time goes on, would device ways of cleaning the canals and dredging the lagoons where the canals discharge into, to ensure that silt would not return to canals.

The lawmaker, who is the House Committee Chairman on Works and Infrastructure, said that his committee, as part of its oversight function, would embark on audit of roads and road contracts as well as embark on inspection of drainages this month.

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Mile 2-Jetty Toxic Leakage: SEREC Worries Over Environmental Pollution 

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The Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) has raised alarm over the environmental pollution at Mile 2 Jetty following a sunken barge which cargo is leaking.
SEREC noted that the sunken barge has led to chemical pollution at the Mile 2 Jetty adding that the continued rainfall has worsened toxic leakage into the waterways, threatening marine life and public health.
In a Press Statement, the Head of Research, SEREC, Dr. Eugene Nweke, said the incident calls for immediate institutional reform of Nigeria’s barge operations.
According to him, independent findings showed that industrial chemicals stacked at a “shipping terminal and nearby bridge locations have been seeping into surrounding waters, with minimal visible regulatory response”.
He said the development was a wake-up call to strengthen the governance and administrative architecture of Nigeria’s barge operations adding that they are currently weakly coordinated across multiple agencies.
This, he said, has left gaps in safety enforcement, vessel standards, environmental control as well as emergency response.
In direct response to this and similar recurring incidents, SEREC strongly advocates the creation of a Directorate of Barge Operations and Logistics Services (DBOLS) within the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to be headed by a Director and operationally driven by a Deputy Director of Barge Operations and Logistics Services.
This specialized Directorate would, “Enforce mandatory registration, inspection and certification of all commercial barges and tugs operating along Nigerian inland and coastal routes.
“Institute safety, loading, and environmental standards for barge construction, cargo handling and waste management.
“Develop digital traffic monitoring systems (AIS/GPS) for barge movements to prevent congestion and accidents”, Nweke said
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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“FCCPC Approves Sale Of Chivita|Hollandia To UAC Nigeria PLC 

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UAC of Nigeria PLC (UAC) has announced the completion of it’s in a press release on October 3, 2025, that it has completed the acquisition of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), following approval from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Revealing this in a Press Release, at the Weekend, UAC said the transaction, first disclosed on July 30, 2025, involved the transfer of ownership of CHI Limited, a leading Nigerian food and beverage company best known for its market-dominant Chivita juice and Hollandia dairy brands, to UAC.
Commenting on the development, the Managing Director, CHI Limited, Eelco Weber, expressed optimism in the company’s future under UAC’s ownership.
“We are pleased to have received regulatory approval for this transaction. We look forward to a smooth transition and to seeing Chivita|Hollandia thrive under UAC’s ownership,” he said.
Group Managing Director of UAC, Fola Aiyesimoju, highlighted the strategic importance of the acquisition saying “We are excited to officially welcome the Chivita|Hollandia team and brands into the UAC family, and we are eager to work together to build on their strong legacy and market leadership”.
The acquisition is expected to strengthen UAC’s position in Nigeria’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, expanding its footprint into the growing juice and dairy markets.
UAC further said that the acquisition aligned with its growth agenda by adding two market-leading brands and a well-established distribution network to its por.
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PenCom Reintroduces Gratuity For Federal Civil Servants

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The National Pension Commission has said it has deployed a framework to restore gratuity for Federal Civil Service under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Director-General of PenCom, Omolola Oloworaran, disclosed this at a Stakeholders’ Conference on the Workings of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for Employees and Pensioners of Federal Government Treasury-Funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies, in Abuja, last Thursday.
Represented by the Acting Commissioner, Technical, PenCom, Hon. Hafiz Kawu Ibrahim, Oloworaran said, “Working with the office of the Head of the Civil Service, a framework has been developed to restore gratuity benefits for federal workers under CPS, in line with Section 4(4) of the PRA 2014.”
The PenCom DG added that “PenCom has enhanced pensions for over 241,000 retirees, representing 80% of those under Programmed Withdrawal. Monthly pensions rose from N12.157 billion to N14.837 billion, effective June 2025.
“Also, since July 2025, no retiree waits to access their pensions. Payments are now immediate, aligned with monthly salary releases from the Federal Ministry of Finance”.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, stated that the Commission would partner PenCom to examine the current rate of retirement benefits and recommend appropriate mechanisms for periodic reviews of retirement benefits.
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