#EndSARS: Lagos Supports Businesses With N1bn, Saves Over 50,000 Jobs

#EndSARS: Lagos Supports Businesses With N1bn, Saves Over 50,000 Jobs

…As Ondo, Ekiti Slate N756m, N21m Respectively for Victims Compensation The Lagos State Government says it supported a total of 1,835 businesses affected by the violence that occurred during the EndSARS protest with N939.98 million, saving a total of 10,005 direct and 40,020 indirect jobs in the process. This is coming amid revelations that a

…As Ondo, Ekiti Slate N756m, N21m Respectively for Victims Compensation

The Lagos State Government says it supported a total of 1,835 businesses affected by the violence that occurred during the EndSARS protest with N939.98 million, saving a total of 10,005 direct and 40,020 indirect jobs in the process.

This is coming amid revelations that a total of N756 million and N21 million respectively should be paid by the government of Ondo and Ekiti states as victims compensation, following recommendations of the Judicial Panel Inquiry set up to look into complaints of rights violation against Police officers in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests.

The Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Ms Yetunde Arobieke, made this known during the 2021 Ministerial Press Briefing in commemoration of the second year in office of Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu.

Mrs Arobieke said the ministry set up the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Recovery Fund to support businesses in Lagos State, whose properties and assets were vandalised post EndSARS protest that rocked the nation in October 2020.

She said that with funding from both government, corporate organisations and private individuals, businesses were supported with grant sums ranging from N50,000 to N5 million to beneficiaries to rebuild their businesses.

”With a total of 1,835 beneficiaries and N939.98 million disbursed, 10,005 direct jobs and 40,020 indirect jobs were saved.

”The achievements recorded so far by the ministry have been made possible through the unwavering support of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, in his pursuits to mitigate unemployment in Lagos State,” the commissioner said.

Mrs Arobieke said the Governor had approved the creation of a model and robust online marketplace with a lot of features that make it globally competitive.

She said the informal sector, largely populated by artisans, was faced with challenges in the areas of access to market, inadequate or lack of finance and access to capacity development.

The commissioner said that these challenges were being holistically addressed through the development of the online portal, a marketplace for artisans and consumers.

According to her, the aim is to expose the artisans to global market and scale up their potentials and all government certified artisans are currently being placed on the app.

She said that 2,000 artisans selected from registered trade associations were re-trained in 2020, while the retraining and equipping of another batch of 2,000 artisans would soon commence.

Mrs Arobieke said the tradesmen were exposed to entrepreneurial training, book-keeping, ICT, communication, among other trainings essential in running modern day businesses.

Ekiti State

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Friday received the final report from the State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into allegation of Human Rights Violation Against Police Officers including Officers of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other persons with an assurance that his government would implement the decisions of the panel to the letter.

This came barely two months after the government paid compensation to the first batch of victims as recommended by the panel.

The Governor, while receiving the report from the Chairman of the Panel, Justice C.I. Akintayo, in Ado-Ekiti, noted that the outcome of the report was an opportunity for government to further strengthen its intervention in the promotion and protection of human rights in Ekiti State.

He added that the report would enable government re-assess current measures in place to prevent all forms of extra-judicial conduct by law enforcement agencies and examine whether remedial measures that are currently in place within government structures are adequate, effective and efficient.

The Governor promised to fast track payment of compensation to the 28 victims of Police brutality as recommended by the panel even as he announced the establishment of a Citizens Complaints Centre to allow citizens of the state lodge their complaints and grievances for necessary government intervention.

While acceding to the fact that human rights violations may always occur in law enforcement, the Governor expressed the readiness of his administration to always put machinery in motion to respond speedily to such violations when they occur.

While publicly apologising to all the victims of rights violations in the state, Dr Fayemi expressed the hope that the steps taken so far would ameliorate what they have suffered psychologically and physically.

The Governor also constituted a seven-man implementation committee, headed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Olawale Fapohunda, to oversee the implementation process and ensure that it commences immediately. The committee was given four weeks to submit its report.

“Our prompt payment of compensations to these victims was borne out of our desire to ensure that they are given the opportunity to immediately begin to rebuild their lives. The cases of additional persons recommended for the award of compensation will also be given the same speedy consideration.

“Concerning the need for more visibility in public spaces, I am today pleased to announce the establishment of a Citizens Complaints Centre in the newly completed Oja-Oba facility. This center, when fully functional, will provide an additional place for citizens to report their complaints and grievances that will result in an immediate and appropriate government response.

Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Justice Cornelius Akintayo (rtd), revealed that the panel received 85 petitions out of which awards were given in 50 of the cases involving various allegations ranging from loss of lives to physical injury, trauma and loss of property.

Justice Akintayo commended the state government for the prompt payment of the first tranche of compensation to 24 beneficiaries to the tune of over seven million naira before the panel concluded its assignment and hoped that the remaining recommendations to 28 beneficiaries to the tune of 13.8 million naira would be addressed and paid soon.

Also at the event were the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, the Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi, the Chairman, Ekiti state Council of traditional rulers, the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, the Service Chiefs and other members of the panel.

Ondo State

The Ondo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality and Other Related Matters has recommended the payment of N755,730,897.83 to various petitioners who suffered damage as a result of a breach of their fundamental rights.

The panel, while submitting its report to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Wednesday, said it received 77 petitions from public and private persons, as well as corporate organisations.

The Chairperson of the panel, Justice Adesola Sidiq, (rtd), said in his submission that besides the payment of the N755 million compensation, the panel also recommended the publication of apologies in national dailies, particularly where the reputation of victims had been tarnished.

Mr Sidiq, who led other members of the panel, noted that the assignment also considered human rights violations dating as far back as 2003 and which unfortunately remained unresolved until this panel was set up.

He said the panel heard 14 criminal and 63 civil matters during its sittings.

Mr Sidiq said properties were vandalised in four local council areas of Akure South, Ondo West, Odigbo, and Okitipupa.

He called for a review of Section 84 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, (2004) to enable judgement creditors enjoy the fruit of their litigations.

“Apart from the monetary recommendations which total the sum of N755,730,897. 88, the Panel equally recommended publication of apologies in national dailies particularly where the reputation of victims had been tarnished,” he said.

“Another issue which became thorny was on the cases which had been decided by courts of competent jurisdiction but were brought before the Panel for lack of payment of judgment debts.

“Mr. Governor sir, the Panel, after careful consideration of its limitations in line with extant Supreme Court judgments on the powers of Panels of Inquiry to entertain res-judicata cases, suggests that it is high time a review is carried out on Section 84 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, (2004) to enable judgment creditors enjoy the fruit of their litigations.”

The Panel was set up to look into allegations of police brutality on citizens at the peak of the protests against injustice inflicted by the Police on citizens, tagged #EndSARS.

It was targeted at pacifying angry youth who had taken to destructive acts and criminality.

While receiving the report, Mr Akeredolu said his government would not be paying compensations for damage done as political groups tried to settle scores during the crisis.

The Governor, after receiving the report, thanked the committee for doing a thorough job, assuring that his administration would do justice to the report.

He, however, lamented the worsening security situation in the country since the end of the #ENDSARS agitation, saying that those who used the protest to settle political scores like the burning of both secretariat of the APC and the PDP would bear their cost.

“#ENDSARS was a legitimate protest but it got to a point where hoodlums hijacked it,” he said.

“The destruction of properties was not done by #ENDSARS protesters. #ENDSARS was not about setting buildings ablaze like the Aketi Campaign office. Those are political matters. People wanting to settle scores.

“When we go through your report, we will see how you want us to spend N755m. We will look at it again. Where politicians set each other buildings ablaze, each person will bear the cost.

“At Okitipupa, I told them the state government will not be coming. They are contributing money to carry out repairs at Okitipupa local council. In Owo, the people protected property. Those hoodlums who hijacked #ENDSARS were ready to destroy anything.

“No palliatives were in any stores in Akure. I distributed them without waiting for CACOVID. States were waiting for CACOVID. #ENDSARS would have destroyed palliatives but we have already distributed.

“The recommendation of reviewing Section 84 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, (2004) is a civil process. It is more of a federal legislation. We will get our federal lawmakers to kick-start it.”

Governor Akeredolu also assured that his administration would offer apologies where necessary.

Photo: Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Posts Carousel

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

Latest Posts

Top Authors

Most Commented

Featured Videos