The Labour Party (LP) candidate during the 2023 governorship election in Lagos, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour believes a minimum wage of at least N100,000 is necessary for the state’s workers.

Rhodes-Vivour said this on Thursday evening in a post on his X account after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced a new minimum wage of N85,000 for Lagos State workers.

He said after watching Governor Sanwo-Olu’s full interview on Channels Television a few key points demand closer scrutiny.

“While the recent increase in the minimum wage to N85,000 is a step in the right direction, it’s important to note that this amount falls significantly short of addressing the unique cost-of-living challenges faced by Lagos workers,” Rhodes-Vivour said.

“The city has the highest intra-city public transportation costs in Nigeria, particularly for motorcycle rides, a common mode of transport across several states in the country.

“Lagos also ranks second nationally in the average cost of a healthy diet, making it the second most expensive city in the country to feed.

“Excluding Abuja, Lagos has the highest rental costs in the country, with meagre investments in social housing programs and rent control policies.

Given these factors, a minimum wage of at least N100,000 is necessary for Lagos workers to achieve parity with their counterparts in other states.”

Rhodes-Vivour in his post said Sanwo-Olu boasts of increasing the Lagos State budget from N600 billion to over N1 trillion with a projected N3 trillion before his second term ends.

He said the governor also claims a 94% budget performance rate but Rhodes-Vivour countered, saying these claims seem to be at odds with the reality of Lagos.

“The city still grapples with poor infrastructure, low investment in human capital and education outcomes, a struggling public transportation network, increasing slums and informal communities and very few social welfare programs,” he lamented.

“These are the issues that truly matter to the people of Lagos, not just the size of the budget.”

He stated that it is crucial to note that over 70% of Lagos State’s operating revenue comes from taxes with PAYE (Pay As You Earn) contributing 45%.

According to him, this means the state’s wealth which the governor seems to take all the credit for is primarily generated by citizens’ hard work.

“The critical question is: What tangible benefits do Lagosians receive in return for this significant contribution? Do their children have access to quality public education?,” Rhodes-Vivour asked.

“Is there an efficient and affordable public transportation system? Are the roads well-maintained? Is social housing readily available? Can residents easily access capital for entrepreneurship?

“These are the real measures of a government’s success, not just the size of its budget.”

He said boasting about an aggressive and exploitative tax system without commensurate investment in public goods is more characteristic of a cartel than a supposedly progressive government.

Rhodes-Vivour said: “Finally, while it is fair to commend opening the blue rail, albeit after 16 years, the question is, what kind of city are we building, who are we building for, and what opportunities do we seek to tap into?

“Comparing Lagos State with Bauchi or Ekiti is juvenile and visionless when the city lags far behind its contemporaries around Africa.

“There is much work to be done in Lagos and the All Progressive Congress (APC) has wasted 24 years, barely scratching the surface.”

An autistic man whose murder conviction was based on a questionable diagnosis of “shaken baby syndrome” is to be executed in Texas on Thursday barring a last-minute stay from the US Supreme Court.

Robert Roberson, 57, is scheduled to die by lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville at 6:00 pm Central Time (2300 GMT) for the February 2002 death of his two-year-old daughter, Nikki.

Roberson is one of two death row inmates who are to be executed in the United States on Thursday.

Derrick Dearman, 36, is to be put to death by lethal injection in Alabama for the 2016 murders of five people who were related to his girlfriend.

Dearman confessed to the killings and has abandoned appeals against his death sentence.

Roberson, however, has asked the Supreme Court for a stay of execution.

Gretchen Sween, Roberson’s attorney, said there is “overwhelming new medical and scientific evidence” that shows that the little girl died of “natural and accidental causes, not abuse.”

The diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome, made at the hospital where Roberson’s chronically ill daughter died, was erroneous and the cause of death was in fact pneumonia, which was aggravated when doctors prescribed improper medication, Sween said.

“The notion that Nikki’s death was caused by abuse — in the form of violent shaking and perhaps blunt impact — was presumed based on prevailing medical beliefs at that time that have since proven to be devoid of scientific underpinning,” Sween said in a petition to the Supreme Court.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles declined by a 6-0 vote on Wednesday to recommend that Texas Governor Greg Abbott grant clemency to Roberson and commute his sentence to life in prison.

Abbott is unable to grant clemency without a recommendation from the board, but he can grant a 30-day reprieve of Roberson’s death sentence.

“We pray that Governor Abbott does everything in his power to prevent the tragic, irreversible mistake of executing an innocent man,” Sween said.

Roberson’s case has drawn the attention of the Innocence Project, which works to reverse wrongful convictions, as well as best-selling American novelist John Grisham, Texas lawmakers and medical experts.

• ‘An innocent man’ –

Also among those seeking to halt his execution is the man who put him behind bars — Brian Wharton, the former chief detective in the town of Palestine.

“Knowing everything that I know now, I am firmly convinced that Robert is an innocent man,” Wharton said at a recent press conference organized by Roberson’s supporters.

Grisham, author of the legal thrillers “The Firm” and “A Time to Kill,” also appeared at the event and said: “What’s amazing about Robert’s case is that there was no crime.”

Roberson would be the first person executed in the United States based on a conviction of shaken baby syndrome, according to his lawyers.

Kate Judson of the Center for Integrity in Forensic Sciences said more than 30 parents and caregivers in 18 US states have been exonerated after being wrongfully convicted using “unscientific” shaken baby testimony.

Sween said Roberson’s autism spectrum disorder, which was not diagnosed until 2018, contributed to his arrest and conviction.

“It is quite possible that Mr Roberson would not be on death row today, but for his autism,” she said.

Sween said staff at the hospital where his daughter was admitted did not know he had autism and “judged his flat affect as a sign of guilt.”

A bipartisan group of 86 Texas lawmakers had also urged clemency for Roberson, citing the “voluminous new scientific evidence” that casts doubt on his guilt.

There have been 19 executions in the United States this year.

The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a Point of Sale (POS) operator who collects ransom for kidnappers.

The spokesman of the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe confirmed the arrest of the POS operator on Thursday in a video shared on his official X account.

Edafe in the video also paraded the man simply identified as Timothy who sent the sum of 4 million naira to the POS operator.

“My message to POS operators, transaction above 500k can get you into trouble. Don’t be a tool for kidnappers to collect ransom. It must be traced to you,” he warned.

“She received #4,000,000 ransom from kidnappers and her profit was just #40,000. Can you imagine?

“Be wise, you may argue that you are doing business but before your lawyer will get you out, you may spend sometime cooling off in prison.”

The Federal Government (FG) has announced immediate support for the victims of the tanker explosion which occurred in Jigawa State.

Vice President, Kashim Shettima in a statement signed by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha on Wednesday evening mourned the lives lost in the Jigawa tanker tragedy and pledged the support of the FG.

“In the wake of a catastrophic tanker explosion in Jigawa State that claimed over 100 lives, Vice President Kashim Shettima has announced immediate federal government intervention and called for a comprehensive review of fuel transportation safety protocols across Nigeria,” Nkwocha wrote.

He said Shettima on behalf of President Bola Tinubu expressed particular sorrow for the families who lost their loved ones in this tragic incident and prayed that Almighty Allah grants them the fortitude to bear the loss.

In a condolence message on Wednesday, VP Shettima said “My heart aches for those who have had their families torn apart by this disaster.

“This devastating incident has shaken us all to our core. The Federal Government stands with the people of Jigawa. 

“We are mobilising all necessary resources to support the injured and assist the families affected by this calamity,” he said.

The tragedy, which occurred in Majiya has thrown the entire nation in grief. In response, Shettima has directed the immediate deployment of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) personnel and resources to Jigawa State.

“As we contend with this tragedy, let us also reflect on the importance of safety measures and public awareness to prevent such incidents in the future,” Shettima emphasised.

“Every life is precious and we must do all we can to protect our citizens,” he said on behalf of the FG.

The VP also commended first responders and medical personnel for their tireless efforts, stating their dedication “exemplifies the best of our nation’s spirit.”

VP Shettima had inaugurated the National Road Safety Advisory Council (NaRSAC) last Friday with a charge on members to align with global best practices in reducing traffic crashes.

He tasked the council to set National Road Safety Strategy targets and ensure effective coordination between federal, state, and local governments to achieve shared road safety objectives.

Shettima emphasised the critical nature of road safety, stating, “Road safety is not merely a matter of policy but a critical part of the lifeline that connects the people of this nation.”

NEMA, meanwhile, has announced that no fewer than 147 lives were lost in the tanker explosion which took place in Jigawa State.

NEMA announced this in a statement while providing an update on the tanker explosion in Jigawa State on its official X account on Wednesday evening.

That was after the Emergency Response Team of NEMA Kano Territorial Office (KTO) received a distress call from the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (JISEMA) regarding a fire incident in Majia Town, Taura Local Government Area (LGA) at about 5:00 am on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. 

According to the statement, the fire which occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15 was caused by a tanker carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) losing control and spilling its contents.

“Tragically, 147 lives were lost in the incident. Numerous injured individuals were transported to Ringim, Hadejia, Jahun General Hospitals and the Federal Medical Centre in Birnin Kudu for treatment after the administration of first aid,” the statement read.

NEMA said multiple stakeholders including the Jigawa State Fire Service, Nigeria Civil Defence and Security Corps (NCDSC), Nigerian Red Cross Society, World Health Organization (WHO), Jamaatu Nasrul Islam and others played key roles in the emergency response and casualties evaluation.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has announced that no fewer than 147 lives were lost in the tanker explosion in Jigawa State.

NEMA announced this in a statement while providing an update on the tanker explosion in Jigawa State on its official X account on Wednesday evening.

That was after the Emergency Response Team of NEMA Kano Territorial Office (KTO) received a distress call from the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (JISEMA) regarding a fire incident in Majia Town, Taura Local Government Area (LGA) at about 5:00 am on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.

According to the statement, the fire which occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15 was caused by a tanker carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) losing control and spilling its contents.

“Tragically, 147 lives were lost in the incident. Numerous injured individuals were transported to Ringim, Hadejia, Jahun General Hospitals and the Federal Medical Centre in Birnin Kudu for treatment after the administration of first aid,” the statement read.

NEMA said multiple stakeholders including the Jigawa State Fire Service, Nigeria Civil Defence and Security Corps (NCDSC), Nigerian Red Cross Society, World Health Organization (WHO), Jamaatu Nasrul Islam and others played key roles in the emergency response and casualties evaluation.

A minimum of 105 individuals have been reported deceased due to a petrol tanker explosion in Majiya town, located within the Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

Shiisu Adam, the Public Relations Officer for the state Police Command, verified this number during a phone interview with PUNCH Online on Wednesday.

He mentioned that approximately 55 people suffered injuries of varying severity and were admitted to Ringim General Hospital for treatment.

“As I am talking to you now, the casualty figure is about 105 and the number of injured is 55 as against the 50 earlier confirmed,” he said.

He stated that the event took place around 11:30 PM on Tuesday night in Majia Town, when the tanker driver lost control close to Khadija University.

According to him, the tanker departed from Kano and was heading to Nguru town in Yobe State when the driver lost control of the vehicle, resulting in an explosion.

Reports indicate that following the incident, some individuals arrived at the scene to loot the product, which resulted in numerous fatalities.

ICYMI: Tragic Tanker Explosion in Jigawa Claims 90 Lives

Reports indicate that several injured individuals have been transported to the Federal Medical Centre in Birnin Kudu because of the shortage of available beds at Ringim General Hospital.

Arrangements are underway for a mass burial of the deceased, as most of the bodies were burned beyond recognition.