News
Visionscape: 150 anti-corruption crusaders petition EFCC to unravel real owners
Now worth trillion naira in value
The Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), which is a coalition of over 150 anti-corruption organizations has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to investigate the ownership and terms of contract of a sanitation cleaning company,
Visionscape Sanitation Solutions, with the Lagos State government.
In a petition forwarded to the acting chairman of the anti-graft commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, and signed by CSNAC’s chairman, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, the Network said its demand has become crucial in view of several allegations of economic fraud, incompetence and dubious dealings attributable to the said company in its contract with the Lagos state government on integrated waste management.
The petition reads: “The Lagos state government on the 23rd day of February, 2017 executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) authorizing the creation of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)- the Municipality Waste Management Contractors Limited, for a major multi-year new integrated waste management services contract, with a 10-year initial duration and giving the company the mandate to implement the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) through the provision of vital infrastructure by designing, building and managing the first engineered sanitary landfill in Nigeria, in addition to the provision of waste collection, processing and disposal services for residential properties, roads and highways.
“However, recently there have been allegations from several quarters with respect to the several pertinent issues relating to the contract between the Lagos state government and VisionScape, the said issues are highlighted as follows:
“There are questions and allegations as to the real people behind the company, while a facet of Lagosians believe that the company is a special purpose vehicle by the “Feudal Lords” of Lagos to divert public resources into private holdings. Another allegation bothers on the fact that the said company exists only in Lagos State and does not have any record of waste management work/contract executed before the Ambode led government brought it into Lagos State.
“The allegations further go on to highlight the fact that until 2017, Visionscape as a company never existed and that its only existence in Dubai is as posted on the internet and quoted as “[email protected] Tel: +97143501000 50th Floor, Conrad Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE. The said Conrad House where Visionscape is purportedly located on her 50th floor, is right in front of World Trade Centre Metro Station. So, apart from the high-brow location of Visionscape, nothing in its record shows any evidence of real work/contract executed in any country.”
CSNAC noted further that, “Also, the correspondence address of VisionScape is inconsistent as same is quoted as “Suite E2 2nd Floor, The Octagon, Middlesborough, Colcheste, Essex, United Kingdom, C01 1TG” and obviously Middlesborough, Colcheste, and Essex are all different towns and areas in the United Kingdom.
“On the whole, it is alleged that, using the state’s power, a completely inexperienced, incompetent, untested and dubiously formed company and monopoly was foisted on Lagosians to oversee the onerous tasks of waste collections and processing in a city that is the 5th largest economy in Africa and Nigeria’s commercial hub.
“With the contract given at almost 20 times the amount the Lagos state was spending on waste management and 3 times the grants given to Lagos Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) was approved for Visionscape with trillions of Lagos State physical assets ceded to Visionscape under very shady and dubious arrangements. This action has made several thousand entrepreneurs and employees lose their businesses and jobs respectively with some living under the threat of job loss.
“According to the financial records of the company, Visionscape, a shell company, formable with less than $20,000 (N7Million) became a multi trillionnaire behemoth in the current Lagos government’s dispensation.”
The anti-graft network stressed further that, “It is also apposite to state that inspite of the presence of VisionScape and all the financial and physical resources available to the said Visionscape, Lagos state has more filth and grime overflowing into her open sewers and bigger water channels, resulting in blocked drains which causes massive flooding in the long run during rainy seasons and thus the company can be said to be currently running at less than 30% efficiency.
“The coming on board of Visionscape has coincided with a return of trash heaps and dirt across most roads and streets in Lagos, meanwhile, the Lagos state government is paying N1.5 Billion per month to Visionscape.
“It is also worth noting that several bodies and agencies including civil society organizations have called severally for the termination of the agreement entered into with Visionscape based on its terrible performance in waste management in the city of Lagos and the current crisis it has thrown the waste management sector into.
“This was the opinion of the Environment Rights Action/Friends of the earth Nigeria Initiative. Also, the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAM) popularly known as PSP has denied the purported partnership deal with Visionscape to rid Lagos of solid waste.
“It is in view of the above allegations of fraud, corruption and sharp practices in contracting sensitive projects meant for the benefit of a large population of Nigerians living in the country’s economic hub that we are demanding a thorough investigation into the above issues to avoid the situation wherein an entire agency or project is pocketed by a few to the detriment of the entire state,” the petition reads
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
From Bomb Blast to Praise: Maureen J’s Miracle Song
PDP Crisis: Saraki, Dickson, Dankwambo Storm Enugu, Meet with Gov Mbah
Atiku Abubakar’s Coalition on a Path to Failure after Struggles
LASG Acquires New Outboard Engines For Optimum Boat Performance
Elon Musk builds Hotel in Mars, Sets to launch soon at $5million per night – Photos
