Press Releases

No Relenting On Pace Of Accomplishments, Says Fashola On Democracy Day

May 29, 2009 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Friday took a retrospective look at his achievements in the first half of his first term of stewardship in Lagos State, with a promise that there would be no relenting in the pace and tempo of the dministration’s purposeful governance.

Governor Fashola who spoke at a world press conference held at the Banquet Hall of the Lagos House, Ikeja to commemorate his second year in office said from inception, the administration has made a point to invest every minute of its time in achieving its overall policy thrust of poverty alleviation and sustainable economic growth as well as the sustained transformation of Lagos into Africa’s model Mega City.

“As we resume the second half of the on-going serious and purposeful governance in Lagos, I assure you that there would be no relenting in our pace and tempo till we successfully cross the rubicon”, he said.

Conducting a rapid overview of his administration’s achievements before a spell bound audience comprising senior journalists, party chieftains and representatives of civil society, Governor Fashola affirmed that an efficient transportation network is the pivot around which the economy of any modern Mega city revolves. He declared that the successful implementation of the revolutionary Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Lite System transporting passengers in high capacity buses on dedicated bus lanes between CMS through Mile 12 to Ikorodu has been a major accomplishment of his first two years.

He added that the BRT innovation has introduced a culture of better understanding among social classes on Lagos roads as people of low, medium and high social classes ride on the same faster, safer, predictable, relatively cheaper and more comfortable buses from one destination to the other.

He also said the BRT scheme, which currently creates employment for not less than 2,500 persons, is currently being expanded to cover Yaba, Oyingbo, Iddo, Oshodi to Mile 2, Apapa to CMS and ultimately the Iyana-Ipaja-Igando-Ikotun corridor.

The Governor also revealed the administration has equally taken critical steps to maximise the water transportation potentials of Lagos State to facilitate more efficient movement of goods, people and services, create employment and boost economic growth and had already facilitated the operation of two companies, City Link Limited and Metro Ferry, which are offering Ferry services between Badore to Marina and Ikorodu to Marina respectively through Public-Private-Partnerships.

“Work has been equally completed on the dredging of water transportation routes from Tolu-Ajegunle Canal-Tin can Water Front; Mile 2 – Oke-Afa and Tincan Water Front to Liverpool Bridge while work is on-going on Osborne-Ikorodu; Badore-Osborne and Ikorodu-Ijede-Badore routes”, he added.

Governor Fashola also said: “On rail transportation, we are committed to delivering two of the planned 7-rail road Network designed for the State namely, the Red Line from Agbado to Marina and the Blue Line from Okokomaiko to Marina”.

According to him, the designs for the 27Km Blue Line from Okokomaiko to Eric Moore and the 37Km Red Line from Iddo to Ijoko are ready, with the contract tenders already being reviewed, adding that only two issues stand in the way-‘Financing and People’.

“We were so close about 30 years ago, we must resolve not to lose this opportunity. The international community is responsive and supportive. Concession operators have prepared bids, we need to clear the Right of Way and relocate people, because we cannot build it in the air. It must stand on land”, he said.

The Governor explained that massive construction and modernization of hundreds of roads and bridges including provision of street lights in virtually all local government areas of Lagos State today will not only impact positively on efficiency of transportation and enhance property values but also improve safety and security and better economic productivity.

He said some of the major road projects complete with modern facilities such as street lights, pipe ducts, drainage channels and beautification of medians, which have been delivered to the public include the Ago Palace Way Extension and Okota Link Bridge in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government; the second phase of the Adetokunbo Ademola Road on Victoria Island; the Bourdillion-Alexander-Gerald roads in Ikoyi; the Montgommery road, Aje road and Commercial Avenue all in Yaba.

The Governor revealed that the state has paid the contractor to move to site for the immediate commencement of work on the transformation of the Lagos Badagry Expressway into a 10 lane international highway complete with Bus Rapid Transit Routes, pedestrian Walkways and Light Rail mass transit routes.

He said for the administration, massive infrastructure renewal and expansion across diverse sectors is a key opportunity of virtually constructing our way out of poverty.

He added that just as it is constructing and equipping thousands of new classrooms, libraries and laboratories in public schools, it is also constructing at least 200 new magistrates court rooms, new markets and shopping malls in Oyingbo, Oshodi, Tejuosho and Adeniran Ogunsanya.

“In the health sector, the State has completed work and delivered a pediatrics and health and diagnostic centre at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) while work is on going on a 3 storey Cardiac and Renal Centre as well as Trauma and Burns Centre at the Gbagada General Hospital and a 4 storey 100-bed Maternal and Child Care Centre at Amuwo Odofin, Ifako Ijaiye and Gbaja”, he reiterated.

Governor Fashola noted that the massive infrastructure renewal is also strategic to job creation as thousands of workers are engaged at construction sites in the state at a time when millions of jobs are being lost across the globe, adding that in the health sector, approval has just been given for the employment of over 1400 new medical professionals to further boost public sector health delivery capacity.

“The transformation of Oshodi is undeniably the flagship of our efforts to decongest the state. Not only does traffic now flow smoothly through the former notorious slum and crime zone, the entire area is being renewed into a serene and appealing environment”, Governor Fashola told his audience.

He affirmed that if Oshodi can wear this new look, there is no doubt that every part of Lagos State has the potential for positive transformation which the administration is determined to make a reality.

“The new Simpson Transfer Loading Station is a statement of the quality and standard of solid waste management that will characterize the future of our State at full capacity. It is the first of a series of such stations to be located across the State to compact wastes into smaller volumes for faster and more efficient evacuation to dump sites with fewer trucks”, he disclosed.

Governor Fashola said the administration has established the future character of environment by setting up Climate Change Clubs in schools to get the young ones as future leaders involved early and has also successfully hosted this year the first Lagos State International Climate Change Summit

Governor Fashola said in terms of measures to combat poverty, the state is sustaining the provision of free education in all public nursery, primary and secondary schools in Lagos State and paying internal and external examination fees for all children in the State’s public primary and secondary schools so that no child drops out of school due to inability to pay.

“In the health sector, free health care programmes are being sustained for children under 12, the aged above 60 and free ante-natal care for women and free testing and treatment for diabetes and hypertension, free limb deformity corrective surgery, free cleft lip corrective surgery, free eye screening, testing, treatment, surgery and provision of free eye glasses as well as free open heart surgery for indigent persons”, he said.

Governor Fashola said the skill acquisition programme, combined with the Micro Finance Scheme has created an army of several thousand of self employed young men and women running small and medium businesses of their own and employing others with the most recent being the delivery of 1,255 Taxi Cabs for new transport business enterpreneurs and the cab operators who are their employees.

He recalled that the Lagos State Security Trust Fund with the strong and active support of the private sector, the commitment and passion of men and officers of security agencies has reduced and managed crime to a level unprecedented in the history of any State in this country.

Said he: “As I speak, our Central Command and Control Security Centre is at almost 90% completion stage and the number of CCTV cameras being installed is growing to ensure the utilization of modern technology to effectively monitor and police every inch of Lagos State”.

“We are equally going beyond our constitutional brief to re-equip and motivate the Nigeria Prison Service in Lagos State to ensure more humane treatment of convicts and speedy dispensation of justice in Lagos State”.

He said the state is equally working assiduously to reclaim the lost glory of Lagos State in sports through the upgrading of Teslim Balogun Stadium to a FIFA-rated world class facility and the on-going construction of a 15,000 sitting capacity stadium in Agege as well as the upgrading of Campos Square into a 5000 sitting capacity stadium.

He added that the State also recently hosted the most colourful, globally recognized and successful 81st edition of the unique Eyo Festival also known as The Adamu Orisha Play.

Governor Fashola noted that the widely acknowledged achievement of his administration has been the product of the team work of great men and women who work with him in the public service.

He gave kudos to everyone starting from his colleagues in the Executive Council to the junior officers who have allowed him to be leader.

Governor Fashola also said the partnership of the other two arms that constitute the government namely the legislature and the judiciary has been immensely helpful through the journey so far.

Said he: “Your unprecedented demonstration of appreciation of our modest appreciation of our modest efforts so far will certainly fuel our determination to do more to justify the immense confidence reposed in us”.

He expressed gratitude to all individuals including operators in the informal sector who now voluntarily and willingly pay their taxes, pledging that the administration would continue to judiciously elevate the state to new pedestals of excellence.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Barrister Opeyemi Bamidele described the occasion as another opportunity to participate in the process of governance, interact with the Governor and his team and once again hear how he has successfully managed the State’s resources and mandate to achieve spectacular accomplishments.

He said the state will always explore any opportunity to bring on more allies, especially through its Private Public Partnership Programmes in many areas as well as on-going reforms .

Present at the event which also featured a question and answer session were Deputy Governor, Mrs. Sarah Adebisi Sosan, members of the State Executive Council, National Chairman of the Action Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, State Chairman of the party, Chief Henry Ajomale, Chairmen of some Local Government Councils and Development Areas, the Chief Imam of Lagos, Alhaji Akinola Ibrahim and important dignitaries drawn from different segments of the society.