10 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2019 PRESENTATION — Governor Kayode Fayemi (4th left)with the elderly beneficiaries at the re-launching of the Social Security <strong>for</strong> Elderly Citizens of the state in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday. N45BN BUS PURCHASE: We acted on Ambode’s exco approval — Lagos A-G By Ebun Sessou LAGOS — THE Lagos State Accountant-General, Mrs. Shukrat Umar, has disclosed that the State Treasury Office acted on the Akinwunmi Ambode’s exco's approval in the N45 billion bus purchase. She said this be<strong>for</strong>e the House committee probing the activities of the last administration led by Ambode. Her claim was contrary to the allegation by the <strong>for</strong>mer Commissioner <strong>for</strong> Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Olusegun Banjo who also appeared be<strong>for</strong>e the House Committee, on Tuesday, that Mr. Ambode indeed signed the purchase of the 820 mass transit buses worth N45 billion without proper approval. Umar said: “The State Treasury Office acted on Exco’s approval. The buses were in line with Exco’s approval. I would not know whether the Paris Refund Club was discussed or not.” Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly has threatened to issue the warrant of arrest against the <strong>for</strong>mer governor <strong>for</strong> failing to appear be<strong>for</strong>e the House committee probing the activities of the last administration. Addressing a plenary session after the committee submitted its reports, the Speaker, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, said the House would proceed to invite the <strong>for</strong>mer governor through a newspaper publication or face warrant of arrest if he fails to appear again be<strong>for</strong>e the House to defend the controversial purchase of 820 mass transit buses worth N45bn. Also absent were the immediate past Commissioner <strong>for</strong> Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade and a <strong>for</strong>mer Commissioner <strong>for</strong> Special Duties, Oladejo Seye. NAFDAC to shut bakeries over illegal, unhygienic practices By Chioma Obinna, Chinelo Azike & Olaide Jejelola LAGOS—THE National Agency <strong>for</strong> Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, yesterday, threatened a nationwide clampdown on producers of bread and <strong>other</strong> confectioneries over what it described as ‘illegal and unhygienic’ practices against food safety standards. The Agency noted that despite the ban on the use of potassium bromate in baking, many Nigerian bakers have continued the nefarious act at the detriment of the health of Nigerians. Similarly, the agency also issued a three-week ultimatum to bakers to comply with its guidelines or risk being shut down. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Christianah Adeyeye, who handed down the warning in Lagos, announced that the agency has begun an awareness seminar across the six geopolitical zones of the country as a build-up to the nationwide clampdown exercise. The Director-General, who spoke at a One-Day workshop <strong>for</strong> Bread Producers on Bread Quality and Safety Standards, said surveillance activities revealed a lack of commitment by most bakers to good hygiene practices. Represented by the Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Mr. Sherif Olagunju, the NAFDAC boss said most of the bakeries are infested with rats. Adeyeye said: “We know how dangerous these rats can be. Again, some of them now put few tablets of potassium bromate in their pockets even when you come <strong>for</strong> an inspection you will not find them because they hide them in their homes and come with few tablets in their pockets. This has necessitated the need <strong>for</strong> the agency to collaborate with good hygiene practices through frequent workshops and grassroots sensitisation activities. The illegal use of dough improvers like potassium bromate, Access Bank hits over N1bn in digital lending daily By Nkiruka Nnorom L Bank’s AGOS—ACCESS expanded digital lending portfolio, which gives Nigerians quick and 24/7 access to funds <strong>for</strong> emergencies without any collateral, has hit N1 billion daily in loan value. Executive Director, Retail Banking, Access Bank Plc, Victor Etuokwu, said: “We are at the <strong>for</strong>efront of digital lending across the continent. This is a deliberate choice we made when we introduced the first USSD based digital lending product in Nigeria based on our deep understanding of our operating environment. In a potential carcinogen in bread has been of food safety concern. Urging bakers to understand the safety standards and adhere to them, she said: “Bread quality intervention strategy will ensure that all bread producing facilities would produce safe bread <strong>for</strong> the Nigeria populace because the effective protection of over 167 million Nigeria public against cancer requires a preventive management approach.” Also, she said: “An<strong>other</strong> thing we discovered is, if somebody is going to make like four or five batches of bread, he may decide to add potassium bromate to like two or three batches and when supplying he will mix them up." the past two years, we have disbursed over N3.5 million loans to individuals. We acknowledge it is no mean feat when compared to where the market is coming from, but this is still a scratch in the overall potential of this market. “This year alone, we have disbursed over N45 billion in over two million disbursements to individuals and have recently witnessed a spike in our volumes hitting N1billion daily. This achievement and our focus on retail lending reiterate our commitment to democratize access to financial services leveraging digital technology.” Jim Ovia’s school acquires AIS property in Lagos By Adesina Wahab LAGOS—THE James Hope College, Agbor in Delta State, owned by the founder of Zenith Bank, Mr. Jim Ovia, yesterday, acquired the Lagos property of American International School, AIS, <strong>for</strong> an undisclosed amount. The signing ceremony of the deal took place in Lagos where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, promised that his administration would always support the facilitation of business deals that would improve the economy of the state. Speaking on why James Hope College decided to establish a branch of the school in Lagos, Ovia noted that whatever resonates with the people of Lagos is always accepted nationwide. He said: “If you are in Lagos, you are taking care of at least 50 percent of the population of Nigeria one way or the <strong>other</strong>. The population is there and whatever resonates with the people here is regarded as being accepted all over the country. ”Also, within the six years that we have run James Hope College in Agbor, we have made a great impact that I want us to replicate across the country. I have a deep passion <strong>for</strong> education and if you come to my office, the two prominent logos you would see are those of Zenith Bank and James Hope College. ”Education is the main key. Our first set of graduating students got 100 percent in the last WAEC. Moreover, I believe in giving back to society Ex-judge, firm, drag NAFDAC to court over banned chemical By Innocent Anaba L AGOS—JUSTICE Olamide Oloyede, a retired judge in Osun State and Virtues Unlimited Restorative Justice Initiative, VURJI, have dragged the National Agency <strong>for</strong> Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC and eight <strong>other</strong>s be<strong>for</strong>e a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, over alleged importation of a banned chemical, methyl bromide into the country. Other defendants in the suit are: National Environmental Standards and Regulations En<strong>for</strong>cement Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Justice. Justice Oloyede, who retired from the Osun State judiciary and VURJI are asking the court to compel the defendants to investigate, identify and destroy any methyl bromide, an odorless, and the Jim Ovia Foundation gave not less than 40 percent of our students’ scholarships. ”By the grace of God, when the Lagos school starts by September next year, at least 40 percent of the students will be given scholarships as well.” Sanwo-Olu lauds Ovia In his remarks, Governor Sanwo-Olu said Ovia had been a supporter of his administration. He said Lagos has over 1,057 primary schools and over 657 secondary schools and that the state government would soon begin a mass renovation of the schools, starting with about 300. ”In the light of the above, I am calling on <strong>other</strong> public-spirited individuals like Mr. Ovia to support our ef<strong>for</strong>ts at repositioning education in the state,” he said. Also, the <strong>for</strong>mer Vice- Chancellor of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, commended the vision of Ovia in setting up the school and his Foundation through which he assists the needy. The representative of the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Carol Cox, expressed the hope that the agreement would be the beginning of a fruitful relationship between the Embassy and James Hope Schools. The Principal of James Hope School, Mr. Abraham Swart, said the about N9 billion so far committed to the school by Ovia was already yielding fruits. (See photos on page 14) colorless gas used to control pests in agriculture which has a serious negative effect on humans and the environment. They also urged the court to declare that the alleged importation of the banned chemical substance into Nigeria by a Lagos-based company, Toon Consolidated Company Limited according to the license issued by the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services, NAQS and without the permission of NAFDAC is unlawful and illegal. In an affidavit in support of the suit deposed to by the retired judge, she claimed that the agro-chemical had been banned in Nigeria because it was dangerous to human health and caused environmental hazards by depleting the ozone layer. The VURJI coordinator also averred that methyl bromide, when used as a fumigant and pesticide, exposes humans to severe injuries, including lung damage because it is highly toxic.
Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2019 — 11
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