By Afolabi Oyekunle. Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has increased the fare for the Bus Rapid Transit better known as BRT. A notice posted by LAMATA on Thursday afternoon said the 18 per cent increment would begin next week. “Please be informed that there will be an 18 percent increase in the bus fare on all Bus Reform Initiative (BRI) schemes,” part of the notice read. “The fare increase is because of the increase in the cost of operations and the need to ensure that buses keep running and guarantee your movement around Lagos”. LAMATA called for the “understanding and cooperation” of passengers amidst the increment. The Lagos Government had in November 2023 cancelled the 50% transport fare discount on all BRT and reverted to the old prices. “The 50% rebate in transport fare in the regulated transport system in Lagos ends on Sunday,” LAMATA said then. “The statement informed commuters that starting “from Monday, November 6, 2023, transport fare will ret...

By Afolabi Oyekunle. The much awaited conferment of the Iconic Maritime Personality of the year 2024 on  Customs CG Adewale Adeniyi takes place on Thursday 13th of February at the Airport Hotels, Ikeja in Lagos. A former National President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and Chairman of Skelas Group, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, will lead maritime industry stakeholders as the Chairman to  the much-anticipated award dinner being organised by Nigerian Maritime Journalists to honour the excellent performance of the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, on Thursday. Customs CG Adewale Adeniyi. MFR.  The event, which will hold at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Awolowo Road, Ikeja, Lagos State, by 6pm, is expected to have the creme de la creme of the maritime industry from CEOs of government agencies to freight forwarding bigwigs, top ship owners, terminal operators, shipping lines, regulators, among others. Nigerian Marit...

By Afolabi Oyekunle. Cargo movement on the railway standard gauge from Apapa APM terminal to Moniya in IBADAN,Oyo State was relaunched in Lagos yesterday with Stake holders describing it as a big step to boost the economy and a seamless transportation. The occasion was attended by key stakeholders in the Maritime industry, transport sector, and railway sector. Flagging off the take-off, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa said this will facilitate import and export of commodities. He assured that the collaboration between the Nigerian Railway Corporation, APMT terminal and the private sector on cargo transportation is in the right direction to ensure that goods and services are transported to all parts of the country. MD NRC Dr Kayode Opeifa flagging off the take-off of the cargo movement at ATPM terminal in Apapa.  According to the Nigerian Railway Corporation Managing Director, each train will carry 35wagons of 35 by 40 feet or...

By Afolabi Oyekunle The  National Pension Commission,(PenCom) has lifted restrictions on Licensed Pension Fund Administrators, LPFAs) towards  investing in commercial papers where capital market operators act as IPAs.  The Commission said this is  to facilitate capital raising and ensure continued market stability.  . The National Pension Commission (PenCom) had through a circular on 23rd October 2024  directed all Licensed Pension Fund Administrators (LPFAs) to suspend further investment in commercial papers where capital market operators (non-banks) are engaged as Issuing and Paying Agents (IPAs) due to the absence of rules governing the issuance. PenCom said its new directive is as a result of Stock Exchange Commission  draft rules and an amendment to rule 8 (Exemptions) to regulate the issuance of Commercial Papers by its regulated entities.               PenCom DG Omolola Oloworaran  "SEC is addr...

By Afolabi Oyekunle. There are immense benefits for youths to develop themselves and build careers by leveraging in the Digital World. This is the key word of advice given to youths in the country at the end of a two weeks training on contents creation, film making and script writing organised by UNESCO led International Labour Organization and four others international bodies for 31 youths at a two weeks training program at the Eko Hotels. Speaking at the closing of the program for the youths aged between 18 and 24years, the Country Director of ILO, Dr Vanessa Phala-Moyo represented by an ILO Technical Expert, Dr Runo Onosade advised the youths to build on the training and prove their mettle by creating contents on matters that are valuable to the society  Dr Runo said the program represents a critical step in empowering the youths. According to her, the program was designed to make the youths self dependent and open them to opportunities open to them in the digital wo...

By Afolabi Oyekunle. Organised Labour under the auspices of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has enjoined the Federal Government to promote more Education Officers in the Federal Ministry of Education  just as it commended the Government for elevating many Senior Civil Servants to the Directorate level in the Ministries, Departments, and  Agencies (MDAs). In a  statement issued in Abuja yesterday (22nd November 2024), the ASCSN National President, Comrade Shehu Mohammed, and the Secretary-General, Comrade Joshua Apebo, stated that an analysis of the recent promotion carried out in the MDAs showed that there might  have been an oversight on the promotion of officers in the Headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education, the 110 Federal Unity Colleges and the Federal Education Quality Assurance  Service (FEQAS) throughout the country. ASCSN National President Comrade Shehu Mohammed.  “We are surprised that in the entire Federal Minis...