The Lagos State chapter of All Progressives Congress-APC celebrates the state governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu on the occasion of the second year anniversary of his administration. The Lagos State government has turned in an impressive mid-term report in spite of the unusual mammoth challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic recession and the EndSars protest.
However, the unexpected setback
and distractions have not derailed the Sanwo-Olu administration from the
fulfilment of its electoral promises.
The early sign that Lagosians
were in for a blissful four-year term was the well articulated THEMES agenda
which remain the main thrust of the social contract between the people and the
government.
The acronym, THEMES, captures the
whole essence of the expectations of our teeming populace on the delivery of
the proverbial dividend of democracy by the government they wholeheartedly
entrusted with their mandate, secured future and general well-being.
THEMES which is the acronym for Traffic
Management and Transportation, Health and Enviroment, Education and Technology,
Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, Entertainment and Tourism and Governance
and Security has become the marking scheme to access service delivery on the
part of government and the fulfillment of its electoral promises.
Traffic management and
Transportation is a major challenge of mega cities the world over due to
the over 20 million population of citizens whose survival largely depends on
unhindered intra-city transportation that has implications for their economic
activities, health and security.
The state government availed
itself of the three modes of transportation of roads, rail and waterways.
The State Government embarked on
the massive construction and rehabilitation of roads and fulfilled its
commitment to complete inherited projects.
Within the period under review,
completed road projects included Oniru network network of roads, Ojokoro
network of roads- 31 in number- the Pen Cinema fly-over, Agege, Oshodi/Abule-Egbe
BRT corridor, Phases 1 & 2 of Badagry expressway, Lagos-Ogun boundary
roads, 6 major junction improvements at Lekki1 & 2 , Ajah, Maryland, Ikotun
and Allen Avenue. Jide Oki / Ade Adedina/ Olugbani streets in Iru/ Victoria
Island, Ijegun-Egbe road and Ishuti road in Igando. St. Finbarrs road/Diya
street in Yaba Iwaya road etc
216 inner roads in the 20 local
governments and 37 LCDAs were rehabilitated.
On-going projects include the
Lekki Regional Roads, Lekki-Epe expressway, Agric Isawo Road, Ikorodu, Bola
Tinubu-Igbogbo-Imota Road, Ijede road, Oba Sekumade road and construction of
100 bus shelters, 78 of which have been completed.
The intra-city rail projects -the
blue and the red lines- are priorities in the commitment to mass transportation
across the state. The government has given firm promises for the completion of
the rail projects in terms of the on the site
progress report and realistic financial closure to underscore the
optimism.
The completion of the Lagos Rail
Mass (LRMT) Blue Line Project ( Mile 2 - Marina) and the Red Line will no doubt
bring succor to the multitude of commuters across the state. The implications
on the quality of life in terms of saved man hour and economic growth are
unquantifiable.
In the past two years, the state
government commissioned over 600 buses under the Bus Rapid Transport system,
while it recently launched the 500 First
and Last Mile Buses. The plan is to have in place 5000 FLM buses to cater for
inner transportation and replace okada.
The waterways have become a safe
and reliable mode of transportation since the inception of this administration.
LAGFERRY, the agency in charge of
water transportation, has 20 ferries
plying various routes in the state.
The agency has 15 jetties under
construction to boost its operations. They are located in Apaa, Badagry, VIP
chalet, Badagry, Italy, Ajido, Badagry, Ilado, Amuwo- Odofin, Ilashe, Ojo, Ito
Omu, Epe, Offin, Ikorodu, Takwa Bay, Eti-osa, Ijede waterfront, Ikorodu, Marina
waterfront, Badagry, Oke-Ira Nla, Eto-Osa, Liverpool, Apapa, Ebute-ero, Lagos
Island, Mile 2, Ijegun-Egba, Ojo.
The construction of a command and
control center for the waterways and the procurement of search and rescue boats
are geared towards safety on our waterways.
The Lagos State government has over-hauled its health facilities in
response to prevailing and future challenges.
The Covid-19 pandemic threw
spanners into all areas of human endeavor across the globe.
Lagos State as the epicenter of
the pandemic had to respond to the enormous challenge which earned it applause
across the globe.
The pandemic which crept in as
the government was settling down, showcased the governor as a great manager of
human and material resources. He displayed the expected political will to lead
from the front and ensured the provision of the wherewithal to curtail the
pandemic and reduce its impact.
The constant communication with
the people through direct regular briefings went a long way to reassure the
citizens and built the much desired confidence.
It is note-worthy and symbolic
that the governor was also a victim of Covid-19 to under-score his enormous
commitment and sacrifice at a great personal risk for the well-being of the
citizens.
Despite walking an unfamiliar
path of managing a pandemic, hitherto unknown in this century, he excelled to
the admiration of his most uncharitable critic.
His performance has not only
become a reference point but also a manual in top-notch management of a
pandemic.
Most importantly, the good news
is that Lagos State government is now better equipped and prepared to manage
such challenges in future in terms of technical know-how and availability of
requisite infrastructure.
The state government under the
auspices of the Medical Project Implementation Unit (MPIU) has commenced the
upgrade of infrastructure in the state-owned facilities to build resilient
health-care and increase the residents’ access to quality universal health
coverage.
The implementation of the health
projects cut across the primary, secondary and tertiary health-care system.
In the last two years, the
government has completed and equipped 2 Maternal and Childcare Centers (MCC) in
Eti-Osa and Badagry. Another 110-bed MCC
has been recently completed in Epe.
Among others, the government
renovated the Mainland hospital in Yaba with a future plan to converting it to
an Institute of Research for Infectious Diseases.
The general hospitals at Apapa,
Harvey road , Yaba , Isolo, Odan and Ebutte-Metta health Centre were
renovated for accessible health care
delivery.
Presently, a 280 bed general
hospital in Ojo and 150 bed New Massey Street Children’s hospital are under
construction.
The construction of a 1,500 bed
Psychiatric Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre at Ajidun has also been
approved.
The state government in
collaboration with the private sector has completed and handed over an oxygen
plant at the Mainland and Gbagada General Hospitals. In the same vein, Triage
and Oxygen Centres in 10 locations across the state have been delivered.
The welfare of health-care
workers has also received attention with the construction of a 24 unit Doctors
and Staff Quarters at Gbagada General Hospital.
At inception, the issue of the
enviroment was a major challenge to the Sanwo -Olu administration.
In two years, the state
government has been able to re-energize and re- organize the Lagos State Waste
Management Authority (LAWMA) and the Private Sector Participation in Refuse
disposal for cleaner Lagos.
The government launched the LAWMA
Academy and
expanded the Olusosun Dumpsite to
42 acres to accommodate more waste and ensure that trucks can have a quicker
turnaround time.
The state government constructed
collector drains at various locations across the state.
Trapezoidal channels and
collector drains were also constructed to check the menace of incessant
flooding.
Education and Technology take a
prime position in the present administration. The state government is of the
view that quality education is germane to the execution of its various
developmental agenda.
Till date, the Sanwo -olu
administration has completed 1,097 projects in 970 schools across the state.
The government has provided
blocks of classrooms, administrative offices, school furniture , laboratories
and modern toilet facilities across the six Education Districts.
3000 teachers at both primary and
secondary schools, were recruited and trained to join the State teaching
workforce while those already in service were developed through continuous
training to update their skills and knowledge with modern technology.
The state government signed an
agreement with six private investors for the proposed LASU 8,272- units hostel.
The government implemented a
3,000km of metro fibre connection across the state to promote security. It also
provided a fully digital mapping platform and an integrated end to end land
administration system which includes integrated land automation system.
The Lagos State Science Research
and Innovation Council (LASRIC), with start-up funds of $687,000 to drive
investment in research and development of tech-focused solutions across the six
pillars of the administration’s THEMES agenda was set up.
In two years, the Lagos State
government has delivered 14 housing schemes, adding 7,000 affordable housing
units to reduce deficit in the sector.
The projects which are situated
across the state include Lateef Jakande Gardens , Igando, Lagos State
Affordable Public Housing Scheme, Idale Badagry, LagosHoms Lekki Phase 2 and
Babatunde Raji Fashola Estate, Courtland Villas, Igbokushu.
Other recently completed schemes
are located in Odo Onisarutu Ayandelu, Agbosasa, Magodo/Omole, Gbagada and
Ibeshe.
It is note-worthy that the homes
are for both low and high networth individuals. The Lagos Mortgage Board has
strengthened the “Rent to Own” policy to
provide many residents especially first-time home-owners with the desired
opportunity.
There’s no gain- saying the
commitment of the state government to grow the agricultural sector to promote
food security. In line with this, the 5 years Agric road-map was launched.
879 farmers and Small and Medium
Scale Enterprises (SMEs) benefited from the Lagos Agro-Processing, Prodctivity
Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) project.
The government created the Eko
Farmers’ Market to deliberately
provide ready-made off-takers for
farmers to dispose of their products on regular basis.
The Rice mill at Imota created
250,000 employment opportunities.
The government introduced a #1B
Agric Value Chain Fund targeted at businesses that operate within the agric
value chain. The EndSars protest, unfortunately , left in its wake unimaginable
destruction and developmental set-back. The negative inpact of the pandemic on
the economy and livelihood took a prime position of concern in the governance
of the state.
Mr. Governor, rather than brood
on the colossal losses rallied the citizenry to rebuild, regain and restore the
state. The sheer audacity of the leadership naturally attracted support from
all and sundry across the nation. The state is not only on course for
restoration but looks to end up in the fullness of time like the proverbial
palace destroyed by an inferno. The State Government has extended its milk of
kindness to mitigate personal and corporate losses.
The Lagos State government
underscored its humane nature with the various impactful empowerment and
poverty alleviation programs.
3,673 businesses were supported
with #1.156B and a plethora of interventions including grants, mentorship,
business advisory, capacity building and market access opportunities.
1,835 businesses were supported
with #939.97M and saved a total of 10,000 direct jobs and 40,020 indirect jobs
via the MSME Recovery Fund which was an intervention program to cushion the
effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the EndSars protest.
The Lagos Economic Acceleration
Programme (LEAP) to reduce the effects of the pandemic on small
businesses.
A #5B EduFund in partnership with
First Bank Plc and EdFin FMB and a #1B fund targeted at businesses in the
tourism, hospitality, entertainment, arts and culture sectors was set up.
The security of lives and
property of Lagosians remains one of the most important pillars of the THEMES
agenda.
We acknowledge and appreciate the
efforts of the government towards tackling the challenge of insecurity in the
state. It’s noteworthy that the novel Lagos State Security Trust Fund remains
the rallying point for the provision of the
requisite support for the security agencies in the state. The provision
of operational vehicles , communication gadgets and other logistics has no
doubt made Lagos State the safest in the country.
We align with the government
efforts to tackle the menace of okada riders whose mode of operation,
lawlessness, threat to lives and general well-being can no longer be tolerated.
We affirm that true development can only be achieved in a stable , secured and
peaceful environment.
We affirm that security and safety remain the
business of all and sundry especially at a time like this. The commitment to
increase the manpower of the Lagos Neighborhood Safety Watch and equip them
accordingly is a step in the right direction.
The Lagos State government under
Governor Jide Sanwoolu has become the reference point for good, focused,
impactful, inclusive, responsible , responsive , innovative and humane
governance.
We are indeed convinced that
Lagos State is in safe hands.
He is indeed the man for the
season.
As a party, we are proud that you
have kept faith as our flag-bearer and on course to fulfill our progressive
manifestos to the delight of all Lagosians.
As the second half begins, we are
convinced that all projects will be completed and more impactful policies ,
programs and projectswill be implemented as you finish strongly.
We can as well start preparing to
add the appellation “Your Excellency “
to your name which you have earned in words and deed. Without an iota of doubt, your name will go down in history as
the governor who took over at an unusual time in human history , rose and excelled beyond the limitations of the
enormous challenges.
Seye Oladejo
Lagos APC Spokesman
20/05/21.
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