News
Use Procurement To Chart Course Out Of Economic Depression – Ambode

Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Tuesday said procurement can serve as an instrument to chart the course out of economic depression.
The governor, who spoke while declaring open a two-day training for civil servants, tagged, “Public Procurement in a Depressed Economy: Emerging Issues and Challenges,” in Ikeja, Lagos, South West, Nigeria, said there was the need for civil servants to maintain and pursue quality.
“There is need to examine how procurement decisions cannot only be creatively tailored to fit into available lean resources in a depressed economy, but could also be used as an instrument to chart the course out of economic depression.
“Procurement, as a public service function, must be given exceptional attention, especially when there is paucity of funds and economic depression. Today, however, it is seen as a crucial pillar of services delivery for governments and a strategic tool for achieving key policy objectives, from budget accountability, to spending efficiency, to buying green and improving outcomes in health, and promoting socially responsible suppliers into the global value chain,” said Ambode, represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Benson Oke.
According to Ambode, strategic public procurement could also significantly support a more circular economy and transform supply-chain business models, given the magnitude of its size in government spending and its predominant role in delivering some of the most resource-intensive public services such as infrastructure.
He said this called for an approach that not only enabled efficiency, growth and value for money, but also accomplished strategic goals linked to a broader understanding of sustainability, cutting across both environmental and social objectives.
“Public procurement is subject to many pressures, from cutting costs to meeting the demands of internal users and the public. These and many others are the issues that this training will address and I hope that you all will participate actively and constructively.
“In arguing for the pursuit of quality even in the face of a depressed economy, I proceed on the basis that the delivery of value to citizens is the fundamental objective of any democratically-elected government and that, in contemporary times, the delivered value must be delivered to the highest possible standard because citizens have become sophisticated and exposed to the standards of governance in other climes such that their expectations have been conditioned to demand and insist on compliance with global trends in governance and public administration at all levels of governance.
“Meeting these expectations is the central challenge for governments in contemporary times, even in the face of lean resources. For one, a critical examination will reveal how civil servants can creatively, utilize data to generate ideas and communicate government actions and performances in order to ensure positive perception of government procurement decisions by the citizens,” he explained.
Ambode, therefore, challenged the Lagos State Public Service to come up with data-backed and data-inspired ideas that would ensure and assure the quality of the government’s procurement activities.
Headline
Residents Commend Abiodun as Ogun Intensifies Work on Ijebu-Ode Roads Reconstruction

The residents who bared their minds in a chat with newsmen said critical infrastructure in the ancient town had been in a downward trend for a long time, but the narratives have changed since the inception of the present administration.
A resident of Tam-Balogun, one of the roads under construction in the town, Mr. Oduwole Lawrence, recalled the harrowing experience he and his neighbours went through in the past, especially during the rainy season, adding that with the construction of the road, life would return to normal for those living in the area.
“The government is doing well, and I love everything they are doing about the roads because roads are one of the amenities people need to move forward.
“Before now, each government had its own plan for infrastructure, but this time around, in a year or two, Ijebu-Ode has developed significantly regarding roads,” he said.
Another resident of the area, Miss Dayo Oluwaremilekun, noted that with the reconstruction of the road by the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration, the fear of flooding during the rainy season is over.
“Honestly, to be candid, the construction of this road is a great relief to those of us living in this area because in the past, especially during the rainy season, we could not go out, and this affected our movement. But now we thank God we can walk freely; we want to thank the state government for this,” she said.
At the 12.5-kilometer Obalende-Abeokuta road, a resident, Alhaji Kehinde Moshood Sanni, thanked Governor Abiodun for embarking on the reconstruction of the road, which he said had been in a deplorable condition for a long time, urging the governor to continue with his good works.
Similarly, Ojoye Ademolu, another resident of the Obalende-Abeokuta road, who could not hide his excitement about the ongoing reconstruction of the road, said that the road, when completed, would bring joy to the people of the area.
“We are happy; we have been suffering prior to this particular time. Now, we are glad that the road is being reconstructed. All we ask for is for the contractor to hasten up and complete it on time so that we can be even happier,” he said.
Speaking on the progress of work done so far on the roads, the site engineer for Fort Hermon, the construction company handling the projects, Michael Umeh, said work has been intensified on the 0.85-kilometer Tam-Balogun road, 1.1-kilometer Osinubi road, and the 12.5-kilometer Obalende-Abeokuta road.
He said clearing the project site, excavation, stone base work, and construction of drainage systems have been completed and are ready for asphalting, noting that rain is the major constraint impeding the speed of work
Headline
Man Who Breached Protocol During Tinubu’s Kaduna Visit Has Psychiatric Disorders — Police
The Command’s Spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan, in a statement, said the individual, Umar Mohammed, a native of Anguwan Muazu in Kaduna,
The police admitted that the fellow was screened and admitted into the stadium as an All Progressives Congress (APC) supporter, wearing the standard campaign T-shirt and carrying banners bearing the images of the President and Governor Uba Sani like every other supporter admitted into the stadium.
The police explained that the individual, out of excitement, breached the protocol and jumped into the restricted arena out of curiosity to catch a closer look at the President. The police said the fellow was immediately blocked and arrested by the security team.
The police said the fellow was thoroughly searched and no incriminating item was found in his possession.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, has warned mischief makers and members of the public to refrain from spreading falsehoods or politicising the incident.
The commissioner said the matter would be further investigated.
News
‘Cheaper Fuel At Our Doorposts’, IPMAN Welcomes Dangote’s Distribution Plan

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Friday, IPMAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, praised billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote for seeing a problem in the sector and deciding to tackle it.
“If you look at the Dangote statement, it is a strong policy statement, if you read down that statement you will understand that he foresaw a lot of problems in the oil and gas industry and also decided to tackle it.
“It is something that we welcome with a lot of cheers because it is going to bring fuel cheaper at our doorpost,” Ukadike said.
Aside from fuel easily getting to people’s doorposts across the country, the IPMAN spokesperson said that Dangote’s new plan will relieve marketers of unnecessary costs.
“Our pipelines have gone for years, nobody is talking about the pipelines wired all over the country from all the whole 21 depots. Products are not being moved. We are suffering the brunt of bringing these products from the sea shores of the country where DAPMAN (Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria) members have their tank farms.
“But if you look at Dangote’s statement you will see that a heavy load has been lifted out of the independent marketers,” he said.
On Sunday, the Dangote Refinery announced the free distribution of petrol and diesel to marketers, dealers, and other large users across the country.
It said it has procured 4,000 brand-new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered tankers for the take-off of the initiative on August 15, 2025.
However, the announcement was greeted with complaints by oil marketers under the auspices of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN).
They said it would deprive depot owners, truck operators, and retail outlets who have special deals for the direct delivery of petrol and diesel to large corporations and multinationals.
But the IPMAN spokesperson disagreed with this position, saying that as a refinery, Dangote has the right to find a better way to get his products to the marketers.
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