Her excellency, wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, welcomed the first babies of year 2020 in four government owned health facilities in the state.
Sanwo-Olu presented gifts items to the babies during her visits to Ijede General Hospital, Agbowa General Hospital, Ketu-Ejirin General Hospital and Lagos Island Maternity Hospital.
The first baby of the year, a boy weighing two kilogrammes, was born to the family of Mr and Mrs Agede at 12.01 a.m. at Ijede General Hospital, Ikorodu.
Agede was followed by a girl, born at 12.07 a.m to the family of Mr and Mrs Agbor, at Agbowa General Hospital, weighing 3.1 kg.
The third baby boy, weighing 2.6kg, was born to the Momoh family at 12.09 a.m at Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, while the fourth baby was born to Mr and Mrs Kazeem at 1, 40 a.m weighing 3kg at Ketu-Ejirin.
Sanwo-Olu said the birth of a child was not by chance and required that the mother’s adequate care to ensure that she lived a healthy life whilst pregnant and got skilled care during labour and delivery.
According to the Lagos First Lady, the birth of a child brings good fortune to a society, symbolising the assurance that human heritage and life is preserved to the next generation.
“We are here today not just to celebrate new lives but also to seek opportunities to make a difference in the lives of the people who need our assistance.
“Bearing in mind always that our show of love, kindness and compassion is only an extension of gratitude to our maker for the same grace granted to us,” she said.
According to her, two new Maternal and Child Centres (MCC) at Alimosho and Eti-Osa areas of the state were commissioned to complement the existing ones and strengthen the health sector toward halting the trend of maternal and child mortality in the state.
Sanwo-Olu added that Neonatal Care Units, equipment and resources were also provided at some general hospitals to enhance the quality of maternal and child care services, adding that the state government was poised to doing more this year.
She commended the state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, and his team, for improvements recorded in the state health sector in the last few months.
Sanwo-Olu emphasised that the commissioner’s commitment toward infrastructure upgrade, provision of relevant equipment and human resource development was exemplary.
She disclosed that for the first time since the inception of 1st Baby of the year celebration 18 years ago, the event was marked for the first time at Ijede, Agbowa and Ketu-Ejirin General Hospitals, respectively.
Sanwo-Olu prayed that the babies would grow to become great and responsible citizens that would advance the course of the society.
She advised pregnant women to ensure healthy lifestyle that would guarantee wellbeing and posterity of the society
Earlier, Abayomi said that celebrating the first baby of the year was one of the state’s way of showing its commitment to the total health of the mother and her child after conception, pregnancy and child delivery.
Abayomi noted that the event was symbolic as the first annual activity of the state government, focusing on health.
“Its significance is demonstrated by the priority visit of the wife of the governor and the presence of important dignitaries, who could have been elsewhere on this great day but chose to spend their first few hours of the New Year in our public hospitals.
“They make it a duty to be here to rejoice with our mothers on the birth of their children and that, in itself, speaks volume.
“As such, events like this give our dignitaries the chance to evaluate where we are, as against the year before and recognise opportunities to create partnerships that can further improve health service outcomes,” he said.
Abayomi restated the state’s commitment to reducing maternal and child mortality through the implementation of mother and child survival interventions.
The Medical Director Ijede General Hospital,Dr(Mrs)Odubiyi Adenike ,in her speech commend the Lagos state government for the quality of health care delivery system enjoyed by populace within the state metropolis.
She expressed appreciation to the health service commission for their support throughout the year that make Ijede hospital the best and also impacted to lives positively.
According to her ,we have keyed into Mr Governor’s “Themes” Agenda because only a healthy populace can achieve the other pillars. Our gratitude to him and his amiable wife for the conducive working environment and all efforts to enshrine quality care in the state.
However,”our main challenges is acute space constraints, the hospital is very small for our catchment area which has exploded over the years. We need both vertical and lateral expansion. We also need ICT centre to ensure smooth take off of e-health in the facility”.she said
Mrs Bukola Agede, 31year old mother of the first baby of the year and mother of three,chatting with our correspondent appreciate the governor ,Lagos State government and entire staff of Ijede hospital for their kind gesture . Also return all the glory to God for save delivery.
International tourism has come a long way to returning back to pre-pandemic levels. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reports that international arrivals reached 80% of prior levels during the first quarter of 2023. That’s an estimated 235 million tourists traveling internationally in just three months, more than double the same period in 2022. The recovery has been robust across various regions, including Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East
Why has this happened? In addition to few (if any) restrictions on travel, the popularity of online travel and booking platforms makes it easy for jetsetters to buy flights from their phones. They can compare real-time prices, plan out personalized itineraries, and pay for bookings with a few button clicks.
We’ve also seen a blending of business and personal travel into longer, more flexible trips. Termed “bleisure” by travel fans, the concept gives business travelers an excuse to book a few extra days to see the sites and even bring friends or family along. It’s not surprising to see some of these trips lean toward the more exotic, with luxury accommodations and excursions becoming the norm for trips of all lengths.
So, where are people traveling? The Global Tourism Data of inbound tourists from the UNWTO gives a peek into the most popular destinations across the globe from data collected in 2023.
1. France
100 million visitors ($68.6 billion USD in receipts)
Tourism in France took a big jump in 2023, with Forbes reporting a 12.3% increase in just the first quarter. France currently has around 29,000 tourist accommodations for travelers to stay, with hotels making up 17,600 of those locations. Luxury hotels alone saw a jump in occupancies, an incredible 31.4% increase from the year before.
The region with the most hotels is the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, followed by Île-de-France, where Paris can be found.
2. Spain
85.17 million visitors ($92 billion USD in receipts)
Spain has seen phenomenal growth in its popularity as a tourist spot, with the Spanish Statistical Office reporting 5.2 million international tourists in December. This was an increase of 26.2% from the previous December and represented part of the total 18.7% increase for the entire year.
Where were visitors from? The United Kingdom sent the most tourists (907,752 million), followed by France (819,405 million) and Germany (561,521 million). All three countries had more tourists in 2023, with increases of 18% to 23% over 2022.
Spain is known for its lovely year-round weather, which may be why so many flock to its warm temps when other places turn cold. More visitors came in January than other months, and June was the least popular.
3. United States of America
66.48 million visitors ($175.9 USD in receipts)
While the U.S. is at number three on this list, the post-pandemic recovery it’s seeing lags a bit behind other countries. The U.S. Travel Association reports international travel volumes at 84% of 2019 levels, with a full recovery expected by 2025.
Visitors to the U.S. spend around $4,000 per visit and add $155 billion to the U.S. economy each year.
Of the countries that send the most tourists, many have exceeded pre-pandemic levels. These include the Caribbean and other countries in the Americas, as well as Europe. Visitors from China and Japan have been reluctant to return after COVID. Both send around half of the tourists they used to, leaving the U.S. economy with four million fewer shoppers to spend their vacation dollars.
4. Italy
57.25 million visitors ($55.9 billion USD in receipts)
Reuters reports that Italy broke records in 2023 with more international tourists visiting the country than domestic travelers. This hadn’t happened since the pandemic.
The influx of visitors created a boon for the hospitality industry, and Italy saw a 13.4% increase in hotel stays. The 134 million registered guests was an all-time high, with 10% more total nights booked in 2023 than in 2022.
However, all the buzz about Italy caused the country to rethink its hottest tourist spots, even limiting the number of hours vacationers could visit and charging for the most popular sites. Venice, for example, has instituted a fee system to move about the city during peak hours; Capri, Linosa, and other locales created an outright ban on cars for everyone but the locals.
5. Turkey
55.16 million visitors ($49.5 billion USD in receipts)
Turkey is known for its amazing scenery and year-round popularity, and over 550 of the country’s beaches were awarded blue flag status in 2023. The voluntary award recognizes beaches and marinas based on several “environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility” standards.
Its geographic location helps it attract tourists from Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia. Of all the places people come to see, Istanbul tops the list. In fact, the city was ranked as the most visited city in the world in 2023.
Each visitor spends around $952 per trip to Turkey, a 27% increase over 2019 (the last year tracked at pre-pandemic levels).
Laffmattazz: Lagos 3rd Coming Features Star-Studded Lineup with Dbanj Gandoki, Akpororo, Taooma, Seriki Dariya, others
Legendary comedian Gbenga Adeyinka is set to host the much-anticipated third edition of his comedy show, Laffmattazz: Lagos 3rd Coming on November 17, 2024. The event will take place at the prestigious Balmoral Convention Center, Victoria Island, Lagos, promising an unforgettable night of laughter and entertainment.
The lineup features a mix of iconic comedians and musicians, including Omobaba No.1, Gandoki, Dr. Smile, Bash, Queen Salawa Abeni, Reminisce, and a host of surprise acts, with D’Banj headlining the show.
Gbenga Adeyinka remarked, “Laffmattazz: Lagos 3rd Coming will be the biggest comedy show of the year! We’ve curated an incredible roster of iconic headliners, and I’m excited to bring this level of entertainment to Lagos.”
Laffmattazz has cemented its place as a leading comedy brand, showcasing Nigeria’s finest comedic talent. This year’s event is poised to outdo its predecessors, featuring performances from Akpororo, Forever, Seriki Dariya, Princephelar, Dee One, Taooma, Baba Alariya, Madiba of Comedy, ATM, and more.
The night will also include musical performances by Tee Famous, The Countryman, Dami Cruz, and others, with DJ Wiki spinning on the decks.
Event Details:
– Date: Sunday, November 17, 2024
– Time: Red Carpet (3:00 PM), Show Start (5:00 PM)
– Venue: Balmoral Convention Center, Victoria Island, Lagos
Ticket Information:
– Regular: ₦7,000
– VIP: ₦20,000
– Table of 8 Gold: ₦1.5 million
– Table of 8 Platinum: ₦3 million
Purchase Tickets at:
1. Ile Iyan by PODs, GRA Ikeja
2. Ofada Boy, Surulere
3. Prince Ebeano Supermarket, Lekki
Online Tickets Available at:
1. Ariiyatickets.com
2. Grandtickets.ng
3. Laffmattazz.ng
For ticket purchases, sponsorships, inquiries, and collaboration opportunities, please contact: (+234) 08156111111.
Brought to you by: Maltina, Goldberg, Ace Roots, Goldberg Black
Supported by: Parralex Bank, Enclave Green Homes, FIRS, Lagos State Government
Media Partners: African Magic, Royal Roots Cinema, Hip TV, Views Channel, Vybz FM, Ibrand TV, Rapid Broadcasting Network, City FM, Jordan FM, Rainbow FM, Mainland FM, Boom Radio, TVC, Kennis FM, Beat FM
Outdoor Partners: Nimbus Media, FPL Media, Folham, Media Crush, Elev8 Media
Stay updated by following Laffmattazz on social media @laffmattazz_ga1st for the latest news and behind-the-scenes content.
Don’t miss this epic comedy event! Secure your tickets now and join the conversation online using #LaffmattazzLagos3rdComing #GbengaAdeyinka.
We Must Build A Virile Legislature For The Future, Speaker Obasa Says
Speaker Mudashiru Obasa of the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Sunday, counselled members of the House to strengthen the legislative arm of government ahead of the future.
Dr. Obasa gave the advice in Abeokuta, Ogun State at the opening of a three-day budget retreat for lawmakers and staff of the House with the theme: ‘Optimising the legislature’s power of the Purse’ for effective service delivery in Lagos State’.
The Speaker challenged the lawmakers to be committed in their legislative duties as they must leave lasting legacies for the future, strengthen governance, responsibility and accountability.
He charged the lawmakers on improved and effective legislative oversight functions being one of the responsibilities of the legislature.
“What we do now is really not about us; it is for the totality of the system.
“I appreciate this budget retreat. Each one of us must be responsible in carrying out the assignments we are tasked with. This is very essential.
“We carry out budget scrutiny based on what is presented by the executive. Once we give a go-ahead, it means the executive must comply and treat it accordingly because it has become a law.
“Going forward, all the reports of each committee must be presented at the floor of the House. This will help us decide on how to act for the sake of transparency and accountability,” the Speaker said.
He advised the lawmakers against docility in the task of ensuring that Lagos continues to weather economic storms.
“We all have roles to play and, in doing that, sentiments and self-benefits must be removed. The day you start with self-benefit, you have become a failure.
“If you do your job the way you should do it, you will earn your respect and will be held in high esteem by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“We are here today again to look at how we can improve on the laws we make at the House of Assembly as well as our oversight functions.
‘Let’s continue to be dedicated and loyal and I am sure we will get there. Let’s always straighten the path for Lagosians and those coming behind us,” he urged.
In his opening remark, the Clerk and Head of Service of the House, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko, described the retreat as an avenue to have insights into the state’s budget.
While commending the Speaker, he urged the participants to “be attentive and take home fresh ideas and knowledge.”
Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.