…affirms gov’s commitment to grassroots devt
LAGOS, Nigeria – Lagos State Government, has, on Monday, reassured Lagos residents of its commitment to grassroots development in line with its Security and Governance pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S. development Plus Agenda.
To this end, the State Government stated that people at the grassroots would continue to be at the centre of its’ development policy, to ensure that the dividend of democracy is taken to the door-step of the common man.
Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development; Mr Bolaji Kayode Robert, made this disclosure, while rolling out the achievements of his Ministry under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration in the last one year.
He stated that Sanwo-Olu intends to actualise the dream of making Lagos a 21st Century Economy and delivering the reality of a greater Lagos.
According to the Commissioner, the State Government has committed huge resources to paying insurance benefits to families of deceased LG and SUBEB Staff, adding that Three Hundred and Ninety-One Million, Two Hundred and Twenty-Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Thirty-Six Naira and Five Kobo (N391,226,636.05) has been disbursed to One Hundred and Sixty-Four (164) beneficiaries of the deceased Staff in the last one year.
Robert affirmed that his Ministry remains undaunted, focused and unrelenting in its drive towards bringing the dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of the citizens of the State and fully actualising the T.H.E.M.E.S. Plus Agenda of this administration.
The Commissioner revealed that in the last one year, the Ministry has continued to engage critical stakeholders in the State and has had direct interface with Local Governments Councils in its efforts to cascade development to the grassroots. This, he said, “has yielded developments at the grassroots, and has culminated into the on-going rural-urban renewal projects which has aided in reducing rural-urban migration”.
“One of these efforts is the two-day capacity building workshop the Ministry recently organised for 376 Councillors across the Councils, being part of the State Government’s roles in improving the law-making capacity of Councillors across the 57 Councils”. He added.
Robert also hinted that the Ministry has continued to monitor and inspect projects and markets across the 57 Councils to ensure proper hygiene, cleanliness, waste management and structural safety of facilities in the markets, which, he said, has led to safety and cleanliness in public markets.
While noting that the involvement of traditional institutions in governance has continued to enhance peaceful co-existence among people of diverse backgrounds in the State, the Commissioner stated that the approval and reconstitution of 84 members into the State Council of Obas and Chiefs by the Governor Sanwo-Olu administration has helped to promote a sense of belonging, equity and unity in the state.
He further disclosed that the present administration has so far installed 50 traditional rulers without any rancor or dispute, attesting to people’s support and belief in the leadership quality of governor.
In the same vein, Special Adviser to Mr Governor on Rural Development; Dr Nurudeen Yekinni Agbaje, while responding to questions at the press briefing, disclosed that the Ministry through the Office of Rural Development has in the last one year committed to strategic and critical infrastructural development in the rural communities, which includes ongoing road constructions in rural communities, which includes a 400-metre road in Ijake Community, Oto-Awori LCDA; a 510-metre road at Ganiyu-Oduntan in Ikorodu with four other road constructions in Iganke Community, Agbowa LCDA; Ayubu-Bashorun Road in Ijede; Erelu-Amikanle Road in Alimosho and Onishon Street in Ibeju-Lekki.
“Also, in our ongoing efforts in ensuring the provision of community-based projects, we have provided 500KVA transformers to communities such as Yologbo Estate 1, Igbe Alagbe Community in Ikorodu, and eight (8) other communities across the State, which includes Odan-Ilogbo-Eremi PH1 in Olorunda; LASU Campus, Ojo; Oral Estate CDA, Mojoda, Eredo in Epe; Owu CDA in Ibeju-Lekki; Gengenla CDA, Agunfoye in Ikorodu; Ama St, Ijede; Agbede Omolaye in Ikorodu and Liberty Estate CDA in Igbogbo-Baiyeku”. He noted.
Dr Agbaje added that the projects and achievements chronicled by the Ministry are noticeable in communities across the State because of Mr Governor’s unalloyed commitment to a greater Lagos project as envisioned in the T.H.E.M.E.S. Plus development agenda.
Whilst assuring that most of these projects would cut-across the State, Dr Nurudeen He also urged Lagosians to take possession of the rural projects executed by Mr Governor and guard them from vandalisation or destruction, considering that the projects are part of the efforts of the State Government in improving the lives of people in Lagos.
Present at the Annual Press Briefing is the Chairman, House Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development; Honourable Sanni Okanlawon; The Commissioner for Information & Strategy; Mr Gbenga Omotosho; the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development; Mrs Kikelomo Bolarinwa, alongside her counterpart, Ministry of Information & Strategy; Mr Olumide Shogunle and directors from the Ministry.
