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Single-stick cigarettes sale report reinforces need for Nigeria to enforce ban – ERA

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Single-stick cigarettes sale report reinforces need for Nigeria to enforce ban – ERA

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called on the Federal Government to immediately commence enforcement of the ban on sale of cigarettes in single sticks following a new Africa-wide report which shows that sale in single sticks is a tactic by tobacco corporations to reach kids because of their ready availability and cheapness.

Cigarette-smoking
According to scientists, tobacco smoking is dangerous to health

The report, titled: “Sale of Single Sticks of Cigarettes in Africa”, released in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 by the Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA), identified the British American Tobacco (BAT), Philip Morris International (PMI), and Imperial Brands as the main perpetrators of the practice in 10 African countries surveyed.

The 10 surveyed countries are Nigeria, Togo, Uganda, Niger, Kenya, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad, Cameroun, and Burkina Faso.

According to the ATCA, the data for the new report was collected around locations where young people meet such as malls, shopping centres, movie theatres, and game shops in the capital cities of the countries under study.

Three questionnaires were used for three different target groups to provide different perspectives on single stick availability in the respective countries.

At the public presentation of the report in Cape Town, Deowan Mohee, the Executive Secretary of ATCA, said although many African countries have legislation banning the sale of cigarettes in single sticks, tobacco companies have continued to “openly flout” the laws.

In a statement issued in Lagos, ERA/FoEN said that the mention of Nigeria in the list of countries deliberately targeted by the tobacco corporations has further reaffirmed how desperate the tobacco industry “wants to grab the lungs of kids” in Nigeria and across the continent.

ERA/FoEN Deputy Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said: “Report after report has shown that the tobacco industry is deliberately targeting kids as replacement smokers. The depth of the single sticks survey shows this wicked practice is Africa-wide and urgently requires swift and deliberate actions across the continent to save our kids and the next generation.”

Oluwafemi noted that the report confirmed findings in the “Big Tobacco Tiny Targets Nigeria Report” which ERA/FoEN and the Nigerian Tobacco Control Research Group presented to the public in 2017 after a survey in five states – Nassarawa, Lagos, Oyo, Kaduna and Enugu.

The ERA/FoEN boss said, “The Nigerian government needs no further proof to justify further delay in commencement of the enforcement of the NTC Act. Single stick sale is a proven ploy that gives our kids unfettered access to the lethal products marketed by BAT, PMI and other tobacco entities. Only an immediate ban will save our kids from an imminent epidemic.

“Tobacco consumption is a major public health concern and a serious threat to development in Africa. Since tobacco companies worry more about illicit profits by getting as many people as possible to smoke, it is the duty of our government to safeguard our lives. Banning single sticks is one of the ways of doing this.”

International Women’s Day: WaterAid seeks improved access to water, sanitation in hospitals

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International Women’s Day: WaterAid seeks improved access to water, sanitation in hospitals

In Nigeria, almost a third of hospitals and clinics in the country do not have access to clean water; the same percentage do not have safe toilets and one-in-six do not have anywhere to wash hands with soap. This puts some of the most vulnerable members of society – mothers and their newborns – at unacceptable risk of infection and death.

water sanitation
Gloria Samuel, 37, a cleaner at Bwari town Primary Health Centre, showing the rain water collected that is used to clean the toilets because there is no water supply to the centre. They also buy clean water to use for cleaning more sensitive sanitation and for patients who need clean water to wash. Upkuduru ward Bwari LGA, Abuja, Nigeria

As the world commemorates International Women’s Day, WaterAid Nigeria calls on all stakeholders in the health sector to accelerate progress towards ensuring improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities. The assumption that water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is beyond the remit of the health sector is a costly perception which hinders progress in reducing maternal and child deaths.

It has been shown that a baby’s chances of dying in the first month of life is cut by half if a mother and her birth attendant both wash their hands before handling the baby. Tragically for one in five babies who die in their first month in the developing world, just being washed in clean water and cared for in a clean environment by people who had washed their hands could have prevented their untimely deaths. The ability to keep a hospital or clinic clean is such a fundamental basic requirement of health care that we must question whether a facility without clean running water or basic sanitation can adequately serve its patients.

Women and girls, who make up more than half the world’s population, are often more deeply impacted than men and boys by a lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene.

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, #PressforProgress, calls on people to keep motivated in the now strong global momentum of advocacy, activism and support striving for gender equality. We need to push for the consideration and inclusion of women in all spheres of society and development.

Dr ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, Country Director of WaterAid Nigeria, said: “Dirty water, poor sanitation and poor hygiene including lack of handwashing facilities with soap is primarily a women’s issue, impacting the health and well-being of women and girls more than men. It is causing a crisis of massive proportion in health that simply cannot continue and which needs addressing at the highest levels. Clean, plentiful water, good sanitation and good hygiene including handwashing with soap are absolutely essential to effective health care.

“At WaterAid, our work is all about transforming lives by improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene and women and girls bear the brunt of the burden caused by a lack of access to these basic and life-saving services.

“The world’s leaders promised to eradicate extreme poverty and leave no one behind in the Global Goals on Sustainable Development. We must keep pressing for progress for women. That means ensuring, amongst other things, that women have access to adequate facilities in health care centres. Ensuring we make progress for women and girls in this area will ultimately lead to healthier women and families, who have a better chance of working their way out of extreme poverty.”

A lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene also has implications beyond health. The lack of these essential services creates a massive crisis for developing countries like Nigeria – undermining not just health systems but education, economic development, and progress on gender equality. All sustainable development is made impossible without clean water and access to sanitation and hygiene facilities.

On the International Women’s Day 2018, WaterAid Nigeria is calling for:

  • The Nigerian Government to ensure that healthcare facilities and birthing centres have safe toilets, clean running water and functional handwashing facilities, to reduce maternal, newborn and child deaths
  • Water, sanitation and hygiene to be positioned as a crucial contributor to health and for policy makers and health sector stakeholders to become aware of the link and crucial role that sanitation plays in improving child survival rates and health outcomes
  • The inclusion of water, sanitation and hygiene into health plans, policies and programming
  • Our leaders to fund, implement and account for progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and particularly Goal 6 – to ensure water, sanitation and hygiene for all
  • An improvement in access to water and sanitation with political prioritisation and long-term increases in financing for water, sanitation and hygiene, by Government at all levels.

International Women’s Day: Celebrating gender action for a safer climate

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International Women’s Day: Celebrating gender action for a safer climate

The International Women’s Day 2018 was celebrated on Thursday, March 8, 2018 with the theme: “Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives”. It is regarded as an important opportunity to look at women’s and girls’ rights in the context of climate change, as well as equality and justice with an intention to turn momentum on climate into action.

patricia-espinosa
Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the UNFCCC

Women are said to be powerful agents of change, so integrating their voices into the climate decision making processes is critical to build a low carbon and more climate resilient societies. Including women and men equally in UN climate processes and policy is also imperative at all levels of climate action.

The Paris Climate Change Agreement acknowledges this, saying: “…climate change is a common concern of humankind, Parties should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights, as well as gender equality, empowerment of women and intergenerational equity”.

Governments made important steps towards a “gender-responsive” approach at UN Climate Change Conference COP 23 in Bonn, Germany, in 2017. In Bonn, they adopted the first ever “Gender Action Plan”.

The plan aims to increase the participation of women in all UN Climate Change processes, further strengthening their contribution in all activities to build resilience to climate change, curb greenhouse gas emissions and implement climate-related decisions taken under the UN umbrella.

Women and girls face higher risks and are more vulnerable to the burdens from the impacts of climate change than men. This is particularly true for poor people. Women’s social status in most societies means that they are the predominantly responsible for food production, water supply and energy supply for heating and cooking.  As the impacts of climate change increase, these tasks will become more difficult and time-consuming.

The implementation of the gender-responsive climate policy at regional, national and local levels will allow for women to bring their wealth of knowledge to the table, enhancing the ability of societies to deal with the changing climate.

Women’s involvement in climate action is also important in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which notes: “Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large.”

The head of UN Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa, calls for raised gender and climate ambition: “If we are to make the changes needed, we must have unprecedented cooperation, coordination and confidence. And women must be at the forefront. It’s not opinion. It’s not aspiration. It’s a fact.”

Nigeria battles largest Lassa fever outbreak on record

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Nigeria battles largest Lassa fever outbreak on record

Nigeria’s Lassa fever outbreak has reached record highs with 317 laboratory confirmed cases, according to figures released recently by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Dr.-Wondimagegnehu-Alemu
Dr. Wondimagegnehu Alemu, the WHO Country Representative to Nigeria

Although endemic to the West African nation, Lassa fever has never reached this case count in Nigeria before, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The number of confirmed cases during the past two months exceeds the total number of confirmed cases reported in 2017.

The outbreak has affected 18 states since the first case was detected on January 1, 2018, resulting in 72 deaths caused by the acute viral haemorrhagic fever. A total of 2,845 people who have come into contact with patients have been identified and are being monitored.

The WHO disclosed that it is supporting the NCDC-led response with a focus on strengthening coordination (including through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network), surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, clinical management of patients, and community engagement. State health authorities are said to be mobilising doctors and nurses to work in Lassa fever treatment centres.

“The ability to rapidly detect cases of infection in the community and refer them early for treatment improves patients’ chances of survival and is critical to this response,” said Dr Wondimagegnehu Alemu, WHO Representative to Nigeria.

Health facilities are particularly overstretched in the southern states of Edo, Ondo and Ebonyi. WHO is likewise working with health authorities, national reference hospitals and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) to rapidly expand treatment centres and better equip them to provide patient care while reducing the risks to staff. Among those infected are 14 health workers, four of whom have died.

“Given the large number of states affected, many people will seek treatment in health facilities that are not appropriately prepared to care for Lassa fever patients and the risk of infection to healthcare workers is likely to increase,” said Dr Alemu.

Health workers are being trained in infection, prevention and control measures, such as the importance of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and isolating patients during treatment. WHO has provided an initial supply of PPE, other related materials and is assessing additional needs with a view to addressing them.

WHO is also supporting national response efforts in neighbouring Benin, where more than 20 suspected cases have been reported.

Additionally, the UN health body is supporting coordination for Nigeria’s response to Lassa fever with national and state health actors, and stakeholders and with partners in the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), including the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Afenet, the Alliance for international Medical Action, the Nigeria Red Cross Society, UNICEF, the University of  Maryland, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, the Federal Medical Centre Owo, and the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakiliki.

Court rejects Trump’s attempt to evade constitutional climate trial

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Court rejects Trump’s attempt to evade constitutional climate trial

Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas, writing for a unanimous three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 rejected the Trump administration’s “drastic and extraordinary” petition for writ of mandamus in the landmark climate lawsuit, Juliana v. United States, brought by 21 youth supported by Our Children’s Trust.

donald
Donald Trump, US president

The Court ruled that the Juliana case can proceed toward trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon and that the Trump administration had not satisfied the factors necessary for an extraordinary writ of mandamus.

The three-judge panel consisted of Chief Judge Sidney Thomas, and Circuit Judges Marsha Berzon and Michelle Friedland. Judge Friedland replaced Alex Kozinski on the panel after he resigned on December 18, 2017, one week after oral argument was held on the petition.

Julia Olson​, executive director and chief legal counsel of Our Children’s Trust​ and co-counsel for youth plaintiffs, said: “The Ninth Circuit just gave us the green light for trial. We will ask the District Court for a trial date in 2018 where we will put the federal government’s dangerous energy system and climate policies on trial for infringing the constitutional rights of young people.”

The Trump administration’s mandamus petition sought early review of U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken’s 2016 denial of motions to dismiss the youth’s lawsuit, which seeks a constitutionally compliant national energy system and science-based climate recovery action by the federal government. Rejecting the government’s position in their petition, the Ninth Circuit ruled that the federal government had not established that it was harmed by any discovery order and had not met the factors for issuing an extraordinary writ.

The Court concluded: “There is enduring value in the orderly administration of litigation by the trial courts, free of needless appellate interference. In turn, appellate review is aided by a developed record and full consideration of issues by the trial courts. If appellate review could be invoked whenever a district court denied a motion to dismiss, we would be quickly overwhelmed with such requests, and the resolution of cases would be unnecessarily delayed.”

Like any other defendant who loses their motion to dismiss, the U.S. defendants must participate in discovery and defend themselves at trial, even though it will take time and resources to do so. That is the structure of our legal system.

Victoria Barrett​, 18-year-old plaintiff from White Plains, New York, said: “Today, the Ninth Circuit sided with progress. I’m grateful that my fellow plaintiffs and I can have our voices heard, and that climate science can have its day in court. The Trump administration tried to avoid trial, but they can’t ignore us. Our future is our choice and I believe the courts will stand with our constitutional rights.”

Kiran Oommen​, 21-year-old plaintiff from Seattle, Washington, said: “The question of the last few years has not been ‘do we have a case’ but rather ‘how far will the federal government go to prevent justice.’ We have seen that they are willing to go to many lengths to cover up their crimes and maintain the status quo, but not even the Trump administration can go far enough to escape the inevitable tide of social progress. The Ninth Circuit’s decision affirms that we are on the side of justice, and for justice we are moving forward. We’ll see you in court.”

Tia Hatton​, 20-year-old plaintiff from Bend, Oregon, said: “The Ninth Circuit has denied the U.S. government’s inappropriate writ of mandamus, yet another step that the our federal government took to delay a revealing trial. This favorable decision allows us 21 youth to share expert testimonies of climate dangers in the face of existing fossil fuel energy policies. My greatest hope in addressing climate change lays in a successful trial, where the only acceptable outcome is a court-ordered science-based climate recovery plan.”

Sahara Valentine​, 13-year-old plaintiff from Eugene, Oregon, said: “To our supporters: be ready for the new trial date and plan on being with us at the court house here, in Eugene, where our voices will be heard.”

Philip L. Gregory ​of Gregory Law Group, co-lead counsel for the youth plaintiffs, commented: “The Ninth Circuit clearly recognised the importance of a complete record at trial particularly as to the climate science. We will promptly ask the District Court for a trial date in 2018 so that the urgency of the climate crisis can be addressed through appropriate remedies.”

Juliana v. United States is not about the government’s failure to act on climate. Instead, the 21 young plaintiffs assert that the U.S. government, through its affirmative actions in creating a national energy system that cause climate change, has violated their constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property, and has failed to protect essential public trust resources. The case is one of many related legal actions brought by youth in several states and countries, all supported by Our Children’s Trust, and all seeking science-based action by governments to stabilise the climate system.

Our Children’s Trust​ is a nonprofit organisation, leading a coordinated global human rights and environmental justice campaign to implement enforceable science-based Climate Recovery Plans that will return atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to below 350 ppm by the year 2100.

Earth Guardians​ is a Colorado-based nonprofit organisation with youth chapters on five continents, and multiple groups in the United States with thousands of members working together to protect the Earth, the water, the air, and the atmosphere, creating healthy sustainable communities globally.

International Women’s Day: AfDB to empower African women with $300m

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International Women’s Day: AfDB to empower African women with $300m

The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it will offer $300 million to financial intermediaries to support the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA).

WANEP
A group of women during a food campaign

Mr Ebrima Faal, the Senior Director, Nigeria Country Department, AfDB, said this at the 2018 International Women’s Day (IWD) commemorative event organised by the bank on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 in Abuja.

Faal was represented by Mr Late Lawson-Zankli, the Manager of Operations in the bank.

He said the theme of this year’s event was “Time is now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women`s lives.”

According to him, the objective of AFAWA is to unleash women’s economic potential by enabling more businesses operated by women access available and affordable finance.

“We want to achieve this by mobilising about 300 million dollars to financial intermediaries through a partnership driven approach, by measuring impact and by supporting financial system in Africa,” Faal said.

He said AFAWA had four components which are: AFAWA women financing facility, technical assistance programme, enabling environment and AFAWA women lab.

Faal explained that the financing facility would catalyse debt financial resource to targeted women-owned Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and larger formal MSMEs, while AFAWA technical assistance programme would provide assistance to women financing ecosystem.

Faal added that AFAWA enabling environment would be complemented by technical assistance and grants channeled to AfDB member countries in alignment with budget support operations to influence policy making, and gender mainstreaming among others.

He noted that AFAWA women lab would create a knowledge centre, documenting the first hand challenges, constraints and dynamics facing women in accessing finance.

According to him, the pursuit of gender equality is, therefore, integral to the vision of the bank.

He said addressing gender inequalities and reducing gender disparities would improve economic efficiencies and growth.

“The bank ensures priority is given to women in all its operations. All projects have clear indicators on gender with which progress on gender mainstreaming are monitored and evaluated,” Faal said.

The National Programme Officer, United Nations Women, Mrs Patience Ekeoba, said women needed to be celebrated by institutions, family and the Federal Government due to their contribution to economic growth and development.

In her remarks, the President, Change Mangers International Network, Mrs Felicia Onibon, called for more attention to the needs and development of women in rural communities.

Onibon said it was important for leaders at all levels, regional, national, state and local government to objectively look at women’s issues to improve their livelihood, particularly in rural areas.

By Suzzy Tolofari

AfDB obtains $52.5m GCF facility for Zambia renewable energy schemes

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AfDB obtains $52.5m GCF facility for Zambia renewable energy schemes

At its 19th Board Meeting in Songdo, South Korea, the Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved the first funding proposal of the African Development Bank (AfDB) for Zambia’s Renewable Energy Financing Framework. The GCF will provide a $50 million loan and a $2.5 million grant

Akinwumi Adesina
Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank. Photo credit: res.cloudinary.com

The Framework aims to finance 100 MW of renewable energy projects under the Renewable Energy Feed-in-Tariff (REFiT) policy of Zambia. The primarily solar projects will help diversify Zambia’s energy production which is heavily reliant on Hydro-electricity. Facing a serious electricity supply deficit due to recent droughts, the Government of the Republic of Zambia launched the REFiT policy in 2017 to crowd-in private investments for small-scale renewable projects up to 20MW.

This is the first programme that will be co-financed by the GCF and the AfDB following the signing of the Accreditation Master Agreement on November 8, 2017 between the two institutions, making the bank a credited implementer of GCF-approved projects.

“This is a significant first fruit of our joint commitment for development and growth in Africa that aligns with the Paris Agreement. We look forward to partnering further with the Green Climate Fund to help increase Africa’s share of climate finance” said Akinwumi Adesina, President of the AfDB.

The AfDB has placed climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as powering Africa at the top of its agenda. The bank’s second Climate Action Plan commits to 40% of bank approvals to classified as climate finance annually by 2020 and its New Deal in Energy for Africa, which aims to provide universal access to energy by 2025.

“This innovative project represents an important and fitting milestone in our partnership with GCF. Not only do the projects pave the way for providing clean, sustainable energy to around 300,000 people, through diversifying Zambia’s energy mix.  It will also make the country more resilient to the effects of climate change,” said Amadou Hott, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth at the AfDB.

Set up in 2010 by 194 countries who are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), GCF is a global fund created to support the efforts of developing countries to respond to the challenge of climate change.

Lawyers give Lagos ultimatum to reverse new land charges

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Lawyers give Lagos ultimatum to reverse new land charges

Lawyers, on the platform of the Ikeja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), have fixed Tuesday, March 13, 2018 as protest date against what they term “excessive and arbitrary tax regime” in Lagos State, if after seven days Governor Akinwunmi Ambode failed to reverse new charges under the Land Use Charge Law 2018.

Akinwunmi Ambode
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State

Speaking on the planned protest during a press briefing on Wednesday, March 7, the Chairman of the Branch, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, said the protest march would start from the Branch Secretariat in Ikeja all the way to the Lagos State Secretariat in Alausa. The protest, he added, is tagged: “Hell Tax Must Go”.

Ogunlana said the Branch was set to begin the first phase of critical and constructive response to the “decidedly insensitive, provocative arbitrary and parochial tax agenda programme and meltudily” against the Ambode administration.

His words: “Few weeks ago, Lagosians woke up to learn about the hyper-inflated rate of the so called ‘Land Use Charge’ which the Governor of Lagos has escalated upwards by 400 percent.

“Recently, one of our colleagues who regularly pays the sum of under N140,000 as LUC for office building received a notice of the LUC demand, he is now to pay the amount of N2 million.

“If these tax rates are allowed, Lagos State would be turned into a ‘Toxic Environment and a living hell’ for Lagosians.”

Ogunlana said that the increase in property tax of the LUC would have an adverse effect on all other services and function in Lagos as owners of properties and services will automatically transfer other financial burdens to their customers who will have to bear the burden or crumble.

He opined that it is absurd that the governor is seeking dialogue after its government had “deliberately and selfishly” created the situation in the first instance.

“My view is that the government of Lagos State has lost sync with the difficult and harsh realities of life of the people of Lagos and has taken their support and goodwill for his government for granted.”

Ogunlana demands for a scrapping of the new tax regime.

“Life will become not only too expensive but volatile and dangerous.

“The government cannot hide under ‘Developing Lagos into a Mega Smart City2 to kill Lagosians with pharaoic taxes,” he said.

Lagos flays ‘outrageous’ land use charges in circulation, extends period for discounted payment

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Lagos flays ‘outrageous’ land use charges in circulation, extends period for discounted payment

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 clarified the figures circulating in the media on the rates for the newly reviewed Land Use Charge Law of 2018, saying many of the numbers were based on several years of arrears on the levy not paid by affected property owners.

Land charge
L-R: Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation and Revenue, Mr. Fola Lasisi; Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade; his counterpart for Information & Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan and Special Adviser to the Governor on Information & Strategy, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, during a press conference on Land Use Charge at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Speaking at a news briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, said there were so many misconceptions and misinformation about the new law, adding that the law was a progressive enactment duly made by the House of Assembly and handed over to the Executive for implementation in the overall interest of the people.

He specifically dismissed the figures being bandied about on the social media, describing them as humongous, and saying many of the calculations were based on arrears of many years of non-payment.

“The fact is that this law took a long process to be made. It started as a bill and went through the first reading, second reading, public hearing to which all stakeholders were brought together to debate it and some of the relieves we have seen were part of the debate expressed by the stakeholders about the need to protect the vulnerable segment of the society. Having made the law, the Lagos State House of Assembly has handed it over to the executive to implement.

“The second important part is that a lot of relieves have been built into the law but many people are confusing arrears with the actual figure. If you see those figures, ask whether it is for one year or arrears of several years of non-payment. The humongous figures that are being bandied around particularly in the social media relate to the arrears of many years of non-payment which are computed together,” Bamigbetan said.

Also speaking, Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinyemi Ashade, said the government has extended the period for tax payers to enjoy the 15 per cent discount in the reviewed Land Use Charge Law to April 14, 2018 in order to enable the implementation and enforcement of the new law, as well as allow many property owners to benefit from the discount.

Ashade, who took time to clarify reactions in some section of the public on the new law, said that, under the old law, which had not been reviewed for over 15 years since 2001, the Land Use Charge rate was totally inaccurate and retrogressive and was depriving the state of keeping track of all economic activities that relate to land in Lagos State.

He said the rates, which were reviewed by the Lagos State House of Assembly and signed into law by the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on February 8, 2018, is a merger of all property and land-based rates and charges in the state.

Ashade said: “There was an urgent need for the repeal, as the old law had not been reviewed for over 15 years since 2001. Under the old law, the LUC rate was totally inaccurate and retrogressive which deprived the state of keeping track of all economic activities that relate to land in Lagos State.

“The new law is a consolidation of Ground Rent, Tenement Rate, and Neighbourhood Improvement Levy. This charge is payable annually in respect of all real estate properties in the State, which means owners and occupiers holding a lease to a property for 10 years or more are now liable to pay the annual LUC invoice charged.

“Thus, the Tenement Rates Law, the Land Based Rates Law, the Neighbourhood Improvement Charge and all other similar Property Rates or Charges, Laws or amendments to any such property Laws shall cease to apply to any property in Lagos State as from 2018. Nonetheless, all pending invoices, orders, rules, regulations, etc. under the 2001 repealed Law shall continue to be in effect until such obligations are discharged.”

Explaining the calculation of amount payable, the Commissioner said that property owners can determine the amount by multiplying the Market Value of their property by the Applicable Relief Rate of 40 per cent and Annual Charge rate.

“Upon receiving a notice or not, the new law has made it possible for owners to calculate their charge, and enable prompt payment, which allows them to benefit from a 15% discount for early payment, applicable to payments made within 15 days of receipt of Demand Notice,” he said.

Responding to fears of tenants that the new law might force landlords to increase rent, Ashade said aside the fact that the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011 was still in force, the incidence of payment for Land Use Charge under the new law is on the landlord and not the tenant.

He said the minimum rate was only increased from N1,200 it was in 2001 to N5,000, while there is provision for self-assessment and Assessment Appeal Tribunal under the new law.

On vacant properties, Ashade said such would be treated based on owner-occupier and not as a commercial property, explaining that the target of government is to make commercial property owners to pay a little bit more.

Lagos, waste managers given two weeks to settle out of court

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Lagos, waste managers given two weeks to settle out of court

An Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 gave a two-week ultimatum to the Lagos State Government and the incorporated trustees, Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, otherwise known as Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators, to settle out of court.

Lagos waste
Thomas Forgacs, Chief Operations Officer, Visionscape Sanitation Solutions; Abiodun Bamgboye, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment; Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment; Babatunde Hunpe, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Environment; John Irvine, Chief Executive Officer, Visionscape Sanitation Solutions; Bamidele Garko, Chief Executive Officer, Bamitony and Company, Ikoyi; and Lanre Wilton-Wawdell, Chief Executive Officer, Cleanway Limited at the Waste Collections Operators Participation meeting at the Ministry of Environment office, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PSP operators filed the suit, seeking to stop the Lagos State Government from relieving them of their job of managing domestic waste in the state.

They claimed that the state government had planned to take their job and give it to a foreign company – Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Ltd.

Joined in the suit as respondents are the Commissioner for Environment and the Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice.

Others are Visionscape Group, Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Ltd and ABC Sanitation Solutions Ltd.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday, Counsel to the PSP operators, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, said the parties had been meeting to settle the case, but there were still issues that needed to be resolved.

Adegboruwa said the PSP operators were interested in keeping the state clean, but on certain conditions and terms that were acceptable to its members and the state government.

He said the operators did not want a situation where foreigners would displace them and render them jobless; but at the same time, they would ensure that Lagos was kept clean.

According to him, the parties have opportunities to exchange terms of settlement but the major issue is that of domestic waste.

“The waste of people in the residential areas, because of the volume and the number of the members, is critical to our settlement.

“We have been in discussion with the Attorney-General. We believe that some Fifth Columists are responsible for the delay of this settlement.

“We believe that government will be sincere in addressing the fundamental issues that relate to domestic waste.

“We appeal to our members, especially the PSP, to continue to keep the work of cleaning Lagos, picking waste and disposing them and not allow any sabotage in the Cleaner Lagos Initiative,” he said.

Adegboruwa said  if government had given the PSP operators the same support accorded Visionscape in form of soft loans and trucks, waste would not be seen in Lagos State.

“We felt frustrated that we have been doing the job meritoriously for years and, now, a foreigner has come, with the intention that we are not capable.”

Responding, Justice Taofiquat Oyekan-Abdullahi said substantive progress had been made, but there was need to get every party on the same page for a resolution.

To that extent, Oyekan-Abdullahi gave directive on schedules of meetings to be held between the PSP operators and the Lagos State Government, Visionscape and ABC Solutions.

She directed the parties to meet on March 10, March 14, and March 16 to resolve all pending issues.

The judge said the parties should fill all terms reached on March 20, while the court would adopt the resolution on March 22.

By Florence Onuegbu

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