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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday declared that the state has set a new benchmark in workplace safety and public protection with the inauguration of the Safety First Campaign and the Occupational Safety Cadre, the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Speaking at the third Lagos State Occupational Safety and Health Conference (LASOSH), the governor described the initiative as a ‘bold declaration’ that safety in Lagos will no longer be treated as an afterthought but as a structured and professional discipline within the public service.

‘This groundbreaking cadre is not just a bureaucratic innovation; it means safety will now be a recognised career path with structure, expertise, and continuity,’ Sanwo-Olu said.

‘Generations of Lagosians will benefit from a professional corps dedicated solely to occupational safety and health,’ he added.

Sanwo-Olu also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bank of Industry (BOI) to strengthen safety initiatives across the state.

Highlighting Lagos’ technological advances in safety management, the governor disclosed that the state has deployed a safety application that allows citizens to report hazards in real time, drones for aerial surveillance of high-risk zones, and body cameras with thermal sensors for monitoring compliance and emergency response.

‘These tools are deliberate investments in predictive governance,’ he said, adding that ‘They help us identify safety issues as they emerge and act proactively rather than reactively.’

While stressing that safety remains a collective responsibility, Sanwo-Olu called on all stakeholders, from private businesses to civil society, to embrace a culture of compliance.

‘Safety should not be seen as a cost, but as an investment in sustainability and human dignity,’ he said.

He also urged safety officers to balance enforcement with fairness, saying, ‘If a facility doesn’t deserve to be shut down, don’t shut it down. But when the law must take its course, don’t hesitate to act.’

Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC), Lanre Mojola, revealed that compliance levels have significantly improved, leading to fewer enforcement actions.

He added that the commission continues to strengthen regulations in areas such as swimming pool control, construction safety, and the handling of dangerous goods transported through Lagos ports.

Mojola announced the induction of 28 new Occupational Safety Officers, noting that over 20,000 facilities in the state are now registered on the Government Safety Information System (GPIS) with verified pictorial evidence.

He also disclosed that the commission is leveraging Artificial Intelligence to predict and prevent safety risks before they escalate.

Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Olugbenga Oyerinde, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting every resident, saying: ‘Every Lagosian deserves to live, work, and move freely without fear.’

He added that the annual LASOSH conference remains a vital platform for thought leaders, practitioners, and policymakers to exchange ideas and chart pathways for safer workplaces and communities in Lagos.

It was not a surprise that key members of the opposition have quickly latched on the claims that the Minister of Science Innovation, Science and Technology Uche Nnaji forged his academic certificates to hit at the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Perhaps, that has been the whole objective all along – Tinubu, not Nnaji may have been the target of these purveyors of falsehood. Yes, falsehood it is! And the fact that this false claim has been fraudulently given vent to spread far, even adorning front pages of some newspapers does not make it true.

As the Yoruba people say falsehood may take off a thousand years, but truth will overcome it in a single day. Against the deliberate misinformation of the past few days, the truth now in public domain is that the Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology is a distinguished and proud alumnus of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The Minister graduated in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry, with Second Class (Honours) Lower Division.

This was confirmed by the University itself in a letter it issued on 21 December 2023, duly stamped and signed by Mrs. I.A.S. Onyeador for the Registrar, Dr. (Mrs.) Celine Ngozi Nnebedum. The letter, was written in response to inquiry by online news platform, People’s Gazette that had like Premium Times taken upon itself the task of probing the academic credentials of the Minister. ‘Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with registration number 1981/30725, was admitted in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry and graduated in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science, Second Class (Honours) Lower Division,’ the letter issued on the letter head of the university and properly stamped stated emphatically.

Also, UNN’s 1985 Convocation Brochure, which, I gathered, was brought out and circulated by some school mates of the Minister who were not only surprised but were taken aback by the shenanigans and lies of the past few days have been circulating in the past few days.

The Convocation Brochure had the names of the 37 students who successfully completed their course in Microbiology and were duly certified for convocation in 1985. The Minister’s name and picture was clearly reflected in the brochure as a member of the graduating class of the Department for that year.

The brochure is part of the UNN’s archives. But the good news is that the names of the classmates of the Minister are also well reflected and some of them have volunteered to start speaking to further put a lie to this deliberate misinformation in the next few days.

Furthermore, the Minister had submitted the same UNN credentials to the Senate for screening before confirmation of his nomination as a minister. Surely, the credentials were duly screened and confirmed as genuine by the DSS before Nnaji was called for screening by the senate.

Yet, we must put the role of the UNN, especially, its Vice Chancellor, Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya who only assumed office about two months ago in this deliberate disinformation campaign under the searchlight. Said to be a dyed-in- the- wool politician, Ortuanya was a former commissioner of education and Secretary of the State Government under the PDP administrations of Governors Sullivan Chime and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in Enugu State respectively. He was also a former Director General of South East Governor’s Forum. There are speculations that the Vice Chancellor remains a card carrying member of PDP and is planning to contest for the senate in 2027.

His ‘volte face’ on the Minster’s graduation from UNN as reflected in a letter he purportedly issued to Premium Times two years after the institution in a letter duly signed by its registrar said otherwise, seemed a confirmation of these speculations.

The fact that the Vice Chancellor also dabbled into issues related to examination and graduation records instead of the Registrar who is recognized as the custodian of such functions reflected Prof’s Ortuanya mischief in the ugly affair. What’s more, the Minister had after getting information that of attempts to tamper with or alter his academic file had filed a suit against the Vice Chancellor and the management of the UNN.

The court, presided over by by Hon. Justice H. J. Yilwa had on 22 September granted a series of protective orders, including an injunction restraining the Vice Chancellor and management of UN from tampering or continuing to tamper with the Minister’s academic records. The court also issued an order of mandamus compelling the University to release the Minister’s academic transcript as well as a directive to the supervising authorities to ensure compliance through their disciplinary powers.

But rather than obey these certified order of court, the Vice Chancellor, a lawyer decided out of what is believed to be a politically motivated malice to embark on media trial obviously aimed at embarrassing the Minister and indeed, the Tinubu’s administration.

A clear reading of the political climate in Enugu State will reveal a clear case of the Biblical voice of Jacob but the hands of Esau as the nation races towards 2027. Certainly, it was not a coincidence that the falsehood about the Minister’s academic credentials began to circulate days after the same platform behind it had indicated that Enugu’s PDP governor, Peter Mba is plotting to decamp to the ruling APC.

With the Enugu chapter of PDP in shambles as a result of infighting, the Governor had long desired to dump the party for the APC. Unfortunately, the Minister who is rightly the leader of the APC in Enugu State not just because of his present position or the fact that he was the gubernatorial candidate of the party 2023 election, but because of the role he has been playing in solidifying the party as credible platform has constituted his main stumbling block.

This is more so if its realized that the PDP and its leadership had since 1999 hold Enugu by the jugular, despite their failures to meet the yearning of the people by ensuring that the opposition parties can only function as appendages. However, in the 2023 election, the opposition parties demonstrated that the PDP is far from invincible in Enugu State. There is palpable fear in Enugu Government’s House that with his rising profile matched against failure of the Mba’s administration to deliver on its promises to the people, the unending crises in PDP, the Minister now constituted the biggest obstacle to the Governor’s bid to use the APC to return to office in 2027.

It’s very unfortunate that an otherwise noble institution with distinguished alumni who are contribution to the advancement of humanity across the globe has, courtesy of a Vice Chancellor, has become a pawn in Enugu politics. It will seem as if the Vice Chancellor has wittingly lend himself to a coordinated campaign to drag a public servant dutifully serving his country, and a distinguished alumnus on an institution he is presiding over into the mud of partisan politics for obvious political gain.

But what is also clear going by reports in the past few days was that beyond Nnaji, the opposition has seized on this falsehood to his at the President’s Tinubu’s administration as reflected in flurry of press statements by the opposition parties. These opposition political parties and so called public commentators who do not wish the Tinubu’s administration well have taken position, passed judgments and pronounced guilty verdicts despite the fact that the issue is under adjudication at a competent court. They cannot wait for pronouncement of the court on the matter because their aim is to do everything possible to discredit the Tinubu’s administration.

But Nigerians cannot be fooled. And knowing him, President Tinubu will also not be carried away or distracted by such sponsored campaign and neither should Nnaji. The Minister should also not allow the campaign of calumny to take his gaze off the task of advancing innovation, building Nigeria’s science and technology capacity, and restoring the nation’s confidence in research-driven industrial growth as he was mandated by the President.

The Kaduna State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday suspended its State Secretary, Sa’idu Adamu, over alleged gross misconduct and anti-party activities.

The suspension was announced in a statement signed by the Kaduna State PDP Publicity Secretary, Maria Dogo

According to the statement, the decision to suspend the secretary was taken by the State Working Committee and endorsed by the State Executive Committee during a meeting held on Monday at the party’s secretariat in Kaduna.

Dogo said the suspension of the secretary was in line with the provisions of Articles 58(1)(h) and 57(3) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended).

According to the statement, Adamu’s suspension, which takes immediate effect, will last for one month pending the outcome of investigations and subsequent decisions of the party.

Dogo said the suspended secretary was barred from participating in any party activity at all levels during the suspension.

‘The PDP wishes to assure its members and the general public that the party remains resolutely committed to upholding internal discipline, fairness, and justice under the able leadership of the State Chairman, Edward Masha,’ the statement said.

‘The ongoing efforts of the State Working Committee are aimed at strengthening the party’s structures and ensuring accountability across all ranks,’ it added.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan made a return to the Senate on Tuesday, marking the end of her six-month suspension as the National Assembly resumed plenary after a 10-week recess.

The Senator representing Kogi Central, who had been absent from legislative activities since her controversial suspension earlier in the year, was seen in the chamber as lawmakers reconvened.

Although Senate President Godswill Akpabio was notably absent, his deputy Barau Jibrin presided over the session, which saw a turnout from senators across party lines.

In a display of international solidarity, some senators were seen wearing the colours and attire symbolising Palestinian identity, in support of the Free Palestine movement.

The Senate had gone on recess in late July 2025,

A group of market women in Benin metropolis on Tuesday lauded Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin, for rejecting plan by the daughter of the president, Mrs Folasahde Tinubu-Ojo to install one Pastor (Mrs) Josephine Ibhaguezejele as Iyaloja-General, the market leader in Edo state.

Oba of Benin had during a recent visit of Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria to his palace said the Benin culture did not recognise installation of Iyaloja-General in markets in the city.

The traders had turned down plan by Folashade-Ojo to install Pastor (Mrs) Josephine Ibhaguezejele as Edo market leader, prompting the Iyaloja-general to visit the Oba over the matter.

The market women hailed the Oba for explaining Edo market women leadership tradition to Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo.

Madam Florence Ahunwan, who led the women to the palace, hailed the Oba for upholding the rich culture and tradition of the Benin Kingdom.

Ahunwan showered praises on Oba Ewuare for his truth and goodwill to Nigerians in defence of Edo heritage.

The market women sang praises of the Oba and thanked him for being a beacon of support to his subjects.

Responding on behalf of the palace, Chief Osaro Idah, the Obazelu of Benin, joined by other palace chiefs acknowledged the visit by the market women.

Idah assured the group that their goodwill message would be communicated to the Oba .

He cautioned the market women against violence while carrying out their trade at the various markets. (NAN)

Veteran Nigerian Scrabble player Chinedu Okwelogu, fondly known in Scrabble circles as Chinedu Thorpe or Sidespin, is brimming with excitement at the prospect of representing Nigeria at the 2025 World English Scrabble Players Association Championship (WESPAC) in Ghana.

At 60, Okwelogu is defying age barriers and proving that Scrabble is indeed a lifelong sport.

While many of his contemporaries are settling into retirement and grandparenthood, he is preparing to battle it out on the world stage against opponents young enough to be his grandchildren.

He is one of the 15 players selected by the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), to represent the country at the biannual competition holding in Accra, the Ghanaian capital next month.

For Okwelogu, the thrill of competing among the best minds in global Scrabble is not just about personal glory-it is a testament to the longevity and employability that the game offers.

Having first picked up Scrabble tiles in 1973 before a decade-long detour into table tennis, Okwelogu turned professional in 1983.

His love for the game eventually helped him achieve academic success, earning his O-Levels in 1986 after several unsuccessful attempts.

Sidespin’s passion for Scrabble also opened professional doors, leading to his employment within the Scrabble community in Kano State.

Now set to retire from the Federal Civil Service on November 7, Okwelogu remains fully active in the sport as a Tournament Scrabble Consultant, illustrating what he calls the ‘uncommon reality’ of Scrabble as a lifelong profession.

‘Scrabble can employ a human being for life in multiple capacities,’ he said. ‘I’m fulfilled just by being an example of that truth.’

In both Nigerian and international Scrabble circles, it is not unusual to see players well into their 70s still competing-and winning prize money. Okwelogu takes pride in being part of that enduring tradition.

Looking ahead to WESPAC 2025, the veteran aims to break into the Top 10, determined to better his previous outing at the 2009 Championship in Malaysia, where he finished around 68th position.

Before heading to camp with the rest of his teammates, his preparations have been intense, focusing particularly on mastering two- to six-letter words, a key component of elite-level Scrabble success.

Team Nigeria will be camping in Lagos for about two weeks before leaving for Accra.

As Okwelogu counts down to Ghana, his journey stands as an inspiring reminder that passion and persistence can indeed make age just another word on the board.

By virtue of Nigeria’s leading role and state in the World, the country has been given 15 slots for players representation at the global event which runs from the 9th to the 17th of November 2025 in Accra.

As a country, Nigeria is currently ranked second in the World and that’s our lowest ranking in the last ten years.

After a series of National and Continental championships and Qualifiers the most revered and respected NSF Technical Committee has carefully selected 15 players who will represent Nigeria at the World Championship.

The list include, current African Champion, Oluwatimilehin Doko, former African Champion Rex Ogbakpa, PANASA President’s Cup winner Victor Godwin and Africa number two player George Ezinore as well as number three ranked player on the continent and highly rated in the World, Abdulmumin Jimoh.

The rest of Team Nigeria are very experienced serial winners at national and international competitions in the last five years.

TEAM NIGERIA SQUAD

? Oluwatimilehin Doko – Continental Champion

? John Aiyedun – All Africa Championship winner

? George Ezinore – Africa’s No 2 and NSF Green Jacket holder

? Victor Godwin – President Cup winner

? Rex Ogbakpa – Continental Champion

? Abdulmumin Jimoh – Exp

? Tega Okiemute

? Samuel Adebola

? Chinedu Thorpe

? Emmanuel Umujose – EEAST winner

? Larry Etuwa

? Ben Quickpen – 2024 NSF golden medallist

? Tuoyo Mayuku – The most decorated female of all time in Africa

? John Curtis Ebomah

? Peter Ebomah

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage, announcing the signing of an Executive Order that makes health insurance mandatory for all residents of the state.

Speaking at the maiden edition of the Eko Health Convention 2025 held at Jewel Aeida, Lekki, and themed ‘Lagos Health: Driving Innovation, Strengthening Systems, Leading Change,’ the Governor, represented by his deputy, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, said the move aligns with the National Health Insurance Act and aims to ensure that every Lagosian contributes according to their capacity while enjoying protection during medical need.

‘When we launched the Ilera Eko Health Insurance Scheme in February 2021, we made it clear that universal coverage requires a reliable and inclusive system,’ Sanwo-Olu said.

‘Without a shared pool of resources, universal healthcare is impossible. When everyone participates, we protect families from financial hardship, strengthen hospitals, and make healthcare stable and equitable for all,’ he said.

The Governor emphasised that effective insurance must be supported by a robust emergency response system.

Through the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), he noted, the government has strengthened emergency medical operations with rapid-response systems designed to save lives.

‘These measures reaffirm our conviction that emergency care must be a right, not a privilege,’ he said.

‘Lagos now boasts 360 public health facilities and over 3,500 private ones, forming a unified ecosystem where both sectors work together to ensure that every resident has access to quality healthcare.’

Sanwo-Olu also called on health stakeholders to invest more in innovation, technology, and service delivery, urging Lagosians to adopt healthy lifestyles, enrol in health insurance, and take responsibility for their wellbeing.

Since assuming office, the Governor said, his administration has placed Health and Environment at the centre of its THEMES development agenda, recording major milestones such as the commissioning of new Maternal and Child Centres in Eti-Osa, Badagry, and Epe; expansion of General Hospitals; and the construction of key facilities including the New Massey Street Specialist Children’s Hospital, Ojo General Hospital, Lagos State Mental Health Institute in Ketu-Ejirin, and the Cardio-Renal Centre in Gbagada.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, described the new Lagos Health Blueprint as a transformative plan to make the state Africa’s health powerhouse.

He said Lagos currently loses an estimated $1.5 billion annually to outbound medical tourism, a figure higher than the state’s health budget, but the new reforms will reduce such capital flight.

He explained that the blueprint features climate-resilient hospitals, a 500-bed psychiatric and rehabilitation centre, and the establishment of the Lagos State University of Medicine and Health Science.

It also includes the Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP), a digital network linking public hospitals and primary health centres for real-time data sharing and policy decision-making.

‘Our goal is clear,’ Abayomi stated. ‘Lagos must become the health capital of sub-Saharan Africa – not just for Nigerians, but for the continent.’

In her remarks, the Special Adviser on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, stressed that collaboration through Public-Private Partnerships remains vital to achieving the state’s goal of quality, affordable healthcare for all residents.

‘Our vision is to empower citizens to take full control of their health and wellbeing,’ she said. ‘Government cannot do it alone; we must all work together to make healthcare accessible and sustainable for every Lagosian.’

The Cross River Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has warned drivers in the state to repent from committing road traffic infractions or face jail terms.

The Sector Commander, Innocent Etuk gave the warning in Calabar on Monday during a mobile court proceeding to try drivers for various traffic infractions along Calabar-Odukpani road.

Etuk said he had already made it clear that he was ready to send many drivers to jail unless they repented.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a court presided by a Magistrate Mr Eno Iyamba, arraigned 49 traffic offenders, convicted 46, and discharged three.

NAN reports that a total of 114 offences were recorded with Drivers Licence Violation (DLV), Seatbelt Use Violation (SUV), Attempting Corrupt Marshal on duty (ACS) as the most prevalence.

Speaking further, the sector commander said the exercise was the Corps’ strategic intervention to cut down the excesses of the motoring public in terms of traffic infractions.

He said, ‘Today, another mobile court sitting to fulfil our mandate to bring down road crashes; at least once or twice every month, we carryout these intervention patrols to achieve our mandate.

‘It is sad that despite our advocacies through the media and others, traffic infractions are not abating.

‘Last month, many drivers were convicted for attempting to corrupt our men and this month, it is still on the increase.

‘In the month of September, we did not convict any driver for Dangerous Driving (DGD) but this month, we have already convicted one and it took our synergy with sister agencies to get this done,’ he said.

Etuk noted that as the ’ember’ months unfolded, the Corps had identified flash points in the state where it normally encountered challenges.

According to him, the flash points are Odukpani Junction, Okurikang, Ikom Four Corner and Ogoja towards Vandekia.

He said that the command planned to have a camp around Okurikang which would be on and effective till late night to enable the Corps reduce response time in the case of any emergency.

The Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, has said about 98 per cent of Nigerian workers will be exempted from paying Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax under the new tax laws scheduled to take effect from January 2026.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr Taiwo Oyedele said this at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES31) in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that the reforms were designed to protect low-income earners and those living around the poverty line, while ensuring fairness and efficiency in Nigeria’s tax administration.

Oyedele said that the Federal Government generated good revenue from tax in 2024, even as plans were ongoing to reduce the corporate income tax rate from 30 per cent to 25 per cent as part of the broader fiscal reform agenda.

‘The more inequality you create, the more time-bomb you have. These reforms are designed to strengthen governance around revenue generation, improve accountability, and ensure that tax revenues are effectively utilised,’ he said.

Oyedele said that the reforms would help enhance the country’s sovereign credit rating, lower borrowing costs for both government, businesses, and stimulate private-sector investment.

The chairman said that the reform process had been inclusive, with engagements across all sectors of the economy, including persons with disabilities, farmers, and Nigerians in the diaspora.

‘No one was left out. We worked with every state, consulted widely with stakeholders, and co-created solutions to the challenges identified in the fiscal system,’ he said.

Oyedele commended President Bola Tinubu for adopting an implementation-focused approach, which allows the committee not only to design reforms but also to work directly with government institutions to execute them.

‘Our Committee is unique because we are not just submitting a report, we are part of the implementation process.

‘ The goal now is to ensure public understanding, capacity building, and effective rollout of these laws,’ he said.

According to Oyedele, the reforms are expected to broaden Nigeria’s tax base, improve compliance, and make the system more equitable, ensuring that those with the ability to pay contribute fairly, while protecting those most vulnerable.

Winner of Big Brother Naija Season 10, Opeyemi Ayanwale, popularly known as Imisi, has revealed her deep love for award-winning filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele, describing her as her number one mentor and dream collaborator.

The 23-year-old reality TV star made this known during an interview with journalists shortly after receiving her ?150 million grand prize and an SUV at the prize presentation ceremony held in Lagos on Tuesday.

Imisi, who won the hearts of fans nationwide with her lively personality and acting flair during the show, said her time in the Big Brother house reignited her passion for film and storytelling.

‘I think people saw a lot of my acting side while I was in the house. Even my fellow housemates said I’m a natural actress. I’m ready to do more,’ she said.

Speaking further, Imisi expressed her admiration for top Nollywood stars who continue to inspire her.

‘Funke Akindele is my number one mentor. I really hope to work with her one day. I also admire Bimbo Ademoye and Bolaji Ogunmola-they inspire me a lot,’ she added.

Describing her victory as ‘overwhelming,’ Imisi said she is still processing the massive love and support she has received from fans across the country.

When asked about claims that ethnic loyalty influenced her win, she responded candidly:

‘Maybe. Yoruba people are very supportive of their own, so that might’ve played a role. But honestly, I believe people connected with my realness and vulnerability.’

Imisi also thanked her Celestial Church community for their prayers and support throughout the show, adding that she intends to build a lasting career in entertainment.

‘Fame is new to me, but I’m ready to learn and grow. I’ll seek mentorship and be intentional about my next steps,’ she concluded.