The
government of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu in Lagos State has
continued to inaugurate massive projects in all sectors for the
betterment of the residents of the state in a manner that has never been
seen before.
The whole
infrastructural developmental plan started shortly after Sanwo-Olu was
sworn into office as Governor on May 29, 2019 and it has been no
stopping for the people's Governor, who has not just finished
uncompleted projects of the immediate past two administrations in the
state, but started and completed new ones for the benefit of the people.
In
the last three years, in spite of the effects of COVID-19, which began
unexpectedly towards the end of 2019 into Year 2020, and its massive
economic and social impact on the entire world, the administration of
Governor Sanwo-Olu embarked on and continued the rehabilitation and
construction of roads, railways, classrooms and good transport networks
and other government facilities more than any other state in Nigeria.
The
government of Lagos State under the able leadership of Mr. Governor,
Babajide Sanwo-Olu has completed several capital projects such as the
Agege Pen Cinema Bridge, upgrading and construction of road
infrastructures in and around Somolu, Mushin, Badagry, Ikeja, Epe,
Lekki, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and several other parts of Lagos.
However,
one of the most recognizable achievements of the Governor is in the
area of infrastructural development. More than 59 major capital projects
including the Agege Pen Cinema fly over, ramp and road networks,
Lagos-Ogun Boundary roads Phase II, Lekki Oniru Traffic Circulation
Projects, network of roads in Ojokoro, Somolu and Ikoyi, among others
have been undertaken by the Governor. Governor Sanwo-Olu’s
administration also constructed and rehabilitated 326 inner roads in the
20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas
(LCDAs) in the state. It also commissioned the Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT
lane, while the Eleko junction to Epe concrete pavement road
construction is ongoing. These road projects were executed to bring
comfort and succor to the people of the state.
For
the records, Lagos State has witnessed the birth of various highly
commendable projects and initiatives; the state government has
rehabilitated and constructed old and new classrooms across all the
local government areas, and improved water and rail transport systems.
All these were achieved through the focused leadership style of Mr.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his team.
Indeed
’Governance is about performance, and the recent infrastructural
transformation in Lagos State is commendable’. To state the least,
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is an achiever and a performer with good and
very commendable track records. Nevertheless, there is nothing stopping
those in the know to give commendations, where necessary after an
objective and critical analysis or assessment of the leadership and
governing styles of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
This
commendation was indeed recognized recently by The Sun Newspapers,
which awarded him as “Governor of the Year.” Our Governor has indeed
excelled in the discharge of his duties as the arrow head in Lagos
State, but he will still do more if given the chance to continue the
good works he started in the state three years ago.
Checks
in the media revealed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in the last
three years, graced the front pages of major national dailies and weekly
magazines for various positive achievements, one of which is his
outstanding performance since his assumption of office as the Executive
Governor of Lagos State.
While
the state is known by its slogan as the "Center of Excellence," it has
indeed shown itself as a state worthy to be emulated as it has
established itself as a leading state in terms of growth, development
and progress. All thanks to the excellent array of Governors the state
has been blessed with in the past that made Lagos the true CENTER OF
EXCELLENCE.Sanwo-Olu is a performer, an actualizer, who took after his
mentor, and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC),
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in thinking outside the box and turning Lagos
State into the envy of others states through creative thinking and
progressive initiatives, projects and programmes that can stand the test
of time. Lagosians and Nigerians generally will not forget in a hurry
the gallant performance of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the management
of the outbreak of COVID-19 in the state.
Governor
Babajide Sanwo-Olu was able to lead a formidable and efficient team,
which saw to the effective management of the situation, thereby
curtailing what could have led to a devastating health issue in the
state.Without any iota of doubt, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has
gainfully used the T.H.E.M.E.S template to transform Lagos State beyond
the expectations of many Lagosians, making Lagos a modern Megacity with a
21st century economy supported by a world class infrastructure and
other social amenities. The acronym T.H.E.M.E.S, which means:
Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos State a 21st Century Economy, Entertainment
and Tourism, Security and Governance have been taken to the level of a
sublime degree of functionality within an extraordinarily short space of
time in Lagos.In the Agricultural sector, through the Agricultural
Value Chains Enterprise Activation Programme, Governor Babajide
Sanwo-Olu has trained many youths in various agricultural endeavours,
which has tremendously given them support and means of livelihood.The
state government has trained over 14,500 women, while thousands of
youths in the state have been empowered across several value chains.
The
Lagos State Government has also continued to ensure the training and
facilitation of more women and youths to become self-reliant.Also adding
to this long list of achievements, are positive activities in the
Environmental sector. In order to secure a clean Lagos, Governor
Sanwo-Olu donated 30 units of 12-cubic meter trucks, 60 units of
24-cubic meter trucks and 12 hook loaders, which are expected to
complement over 850 PSP compactor trucks to enhance service delivery in
underserved communities across the state.In the area of public
transportation, the integrated mass transportation initiative of the
state government has recorded huge progress with the successful
completion of the elevated seas crossing track of the blue line mass
transit project, while the state government has recruited 1,517 LASTMA
officers to ease traffic flow.
The
State Government has availed itself of the three modes of
transportation of roads, rail and waterways to boost public
transportation in the highly populated areas.Under social welfare
programs, the Governor has continued to reach out to the people with
various incentives to boost their standards of living. Notable in this
category is the payment of monthly allowances to 4,000 unemployed
graduates, including some direct gratification to widows.Grants have
also been made available to business owners in the state to provide much
needed financial supports and assistance for their various business
enterprises, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which
negatively impacted many businesses including MSME as well as the
nation’s economy.In the area of sports, Governor Sanwo-Olu supported the
sector and also donated a three-bedroom apartment to sport icon,
Chioma Ajunwa in Lagos as a fulfilment of the house reward promised her
for winning the Long Jump event in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, USA.
This
is apart from several sporting activities being sponsored by the state
government through the relevant sport agencies in the state. It is
encouraging that most of these achievements took place within the first
half of Sanwo-Olu's first term as the Executive Governor of the state.
We will still strongly exhort this simple, humble, but administratively
efficient Governor of Lagos state not to rest on his oars or lower his
standard in the direction he has chosen for himself for the benefit of
the citizens of Lagos state.
We
need not say more but, we will enjoin the Governor to improve on his
unequalled record performances and achievements so that from 2023 Lagos
will continue to be ranked among the very best megacities in the world
and he can continue to take the state to a greater level. Indeed, we
stand on the mandate of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu to lead us
to the Promised Land from Year 2023 and beyond as nobody can do it
better.
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