Business
Illegal Structures: OBALGA Boss Gives Owners 21-Day Ultimatum …Institutes Awards For Cleanest Communities
The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chief Prince Noble Amadi has issued a 21-day ultimatum to property developers who built on waterways within the local government to remove such structures or risk demolition at the expiration of the order.
Amadi, who dropped the hint while briefing newsmen in his office in Rumuodomaya, headquarters of the local government last Thursday, said the order had become necessary to check incessant flooding in some parts of the local government.
He, therefore, called on property developers building on waterways to desist from the act forthwith to avoid unpleasant consequences, adding that the government would not fold its arms and watch such unwholesome act go on unabated.
The council boss also advised property developers in the local government to come to the council headquarters to obtain building approvals to check the spate of building collapse in the area, stressing that plans were underway for the caretaker committee to set up a building verification committee.
Amadi equally urged the people to take snap shots of persons currently masquerading as building verification officials from the council whom he said were hell bent on exploiting unsuspected members of the public, assuring that his administration was poised to reduce, to the barest minimum, all forms of touting in the local government.
The Chairman used the forum to clarify that the local government council was only mandated by the state government to collect Tenement Rate, and, therefore, called on those doing business in the local government, including property owners, to come to the council and pay the approved rate into the coffers of the local government, hinting that his administration was poised to sanitise the revenue collection mechanism in keeping with its policy of generating revenue for the council with a sense of dignity.
According to him, revenue collection in the local government is no longer business as usual.
He said it was only through a robust revenue generation system that the council would be able to meet its obligation of empowering widows, youths, the needy and physically challenged persons, among others in all the 17 Wards of the local government.
Amadi also promised to set up sanitation and traffic committees to assist in the decongestion of traffic as well as checking street trading in the local government, assuring that the Rumuokoro ultra-modern market and park would soon be opened for business in a bid to decongest traffic around the Rumuokoro junction axis of Port Harcourt metropolis.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Chief Prince Noble Amadi has instituted awards for cleanest communities in the local government.
The council boss, who made the disclosure in an interview said the community which clinches the first position would smile home with N1 million every month while those that emerge second and third positions would get N800,000 and N500,000 respectively.
He charged the various communities to key into the ‘Operation Keep Obio/Akpor Clean” initiative of his administration by ensuring that residents keep their surroundings clean at all times.
Already, massive clearing of drainages is ongoing in several parts of the local government with a view to checking incessant flooding in most communities of the local government.
Donatus Ebi
In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs in the Nigeria’s seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) has trained Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system.
The training was held recently at Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Apapa, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
He noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
According to a freight forwarder, “The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò call-up system through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port.
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves. We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.”
Earlier, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, talked on common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers”.
Towards strengthening small businesses and promoting a more supportive regulatory environment, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says it will hold the 2025 edition of its flagship MSMEs Fair on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
The event, themed, “Galvanising MSMEs for Economic Growth and Stability”, will take place at NECA House in Lagos.
According to NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, the fair seeks to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises with essential tools, resources, and strategic networks to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging business climate.
He emphasised the vital role MSMEs play in national development, describing them as the “lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy.”
Oyerinde noted that the fair is designed to offer entrepreneurs practical solutions to navigate economic uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and business scalability issues.
A major attraction of this year’s event is the keynote address by the CEO of FATE Foundation, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, a prominent advocate for MSME development.
She is expected to share transformative insights on innovative strategies for sustaining and growing small businesses in Nigeria.
A unique feature of the fair will be interactive sessions with key regulatory bodies. Entrepreneurs will engage directly with agencies responsible for licensing, compliance, taxation, and business registration.
NECA said these sessions aim to demystify bureaucratic processes and foster a more enabling business environment.
It also said the fair will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, connect with potential investors, and explore new markets.
It added that participants would gain critical knowledge on digital transformation, access to finance, and strategies for sustainable business growth.
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· NECA stressed that the fair aligns with its broader mission of promoting enterprise development and economic resilience.
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· “By empowering MSMEs with the right support and information, the organisation aims to stimulate job creation, innovation, and long-term economic stability”, NECA said.
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· The 2025 MSMEs Fair is expected to attract a wide range of stakeholders, including financiers, tech experts, regulators, and industry leaders, all united in advancing the growth of Nigeria’s MSME sector.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says over two million passengers have been transported on the Blue Line Rail since its launch, while state-run buses move an average of 42,000 commuters daily.
Osiyemi, who disclosed this during the Year 2025 Ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, noted that the Lagos State Transport Policy, launched in May 2024, was now in its implementation phase, focusing on inclusivity, safety, affordability, and sustainability.
“On rail development, Phase One of the Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2) has served over two million passengers, with Phase Two (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) in progress.
“Phase One of the Red Line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is now operational with eight stations and additional rolling stocks procured, while Phase two (Oyingbo to link Blue Line at National Theatre) is underway”, he said.
The Commissioner said in the state-owned bus operations, over 60 million commuters have been served since 2019, with daily ridership exceeding 40,000.
He also said plans were on to deploy new buses with Quality Bus Corridors under construction, adding that the Abule=Egba Bus Terminal had also been commissioned.
“For water transport, 15 locally-built Omibus Ferries have been launched and are in operation, with the Ijegun Egba Terminal now open.
“The OMI EKO project, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will deliver 25 terminals and 78 electric ferries.
“Over 280,000 passengers have used ferry services in the past year, and 12 boats have been upgraded to meet safety standards”, he said.
On road infrastructure and traffic management, the Commissioner said 49 junction improvement projects had been completed, including ongoing ones at Ikorodu, Iju, as well as Allen-Opebi-Toyin axis.
He added that solar-powered Traffic Signal Lights, road markings covering 67.9km, new medians, laybys, and 3,941 parking lots had also been provided.
Additionally, Osiyemi announced that the deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras had detected over 470,000 traffic violations and that the Vehicle Inspection Service issued over one million roadworthiness certificates.
He also said that the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute trained more than 32,000 drivers in the past 13 months.
The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos