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Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Tuesday rendered the traditional 100 days account of his stewardship, the 25th in the series since inception of his administration, saying change for the country is no longer on the way but here already.
Addressing the capacity gathering of Lagos residents including former governors of the State, retired and serving Public officials, Party Chieftains and traditional rulers as well as market traders, at the LTV Blue Roof, Ikeja, Governor Fashola said with the record of service rendered by his administration in the last six and a half years, it should be clear to everyone that change is upon the country.
The Governor expressed regrets that the cynical opposition party in the State, the People Democratic Party (PDP), has classified the services being rendered in the State as elitist pointing out that it was a demonstration of how far they have become disconnected from reality and the ordinary people of Nigeria.
Recalling such projects as Isopakodowo Market in Oshodi, Kodesho Street and Simbiat Abiola Road in Ikeja, Maternal and Child Centres in Ikorodu, Ifako-Ijaiye, Isolo, Surulere, Ajegunle, Amuwo Odofin and Igando, Maidan-Agiliti Road and the bridge across the swamp behind Mile 12 in Ketu, new classroom blocks in Iba and Sabo Oniba in Ojo and the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme among others, the Governor declared, “Our disconnected opponents classify ordinary people we give service to as the elite. This is why they do not want things to change”.
“I know how disconnected our cynical opponents are about the realities of our society, and how they cannot see that their amateurish governance at national level is inflicting pain on everybody. I doubt if they know these locations let alone having ever visited them”, the Governor said adding, “I do, because they are my constituents, the people for whom I hold this office in trust, the real employers of public servants”.
According to him, “If our opponents know how challenging the lives of ordinary people are, their conscience must be heavy, if they have one, to allow $20b to disappear. That kind of money will radically alter the lives of these people for the better. But unfortunately, our opponents do not understand. As I have said repeatedly, nothing but the best is good for our people, and we will not give you anything less”.
Reviewing the achievements in the last 100 days, the Governor reported that the 4th quarter of year 2013 budget performed at 125 percent standing alone and brought the cumulative year 2013 budget performance to 85 percent, adding, however, that although the performance is high by many standards, both nationally and internationally, it fell 4 percent short of the achievements of 89 percent in 2012.
The Governor, however, declared, “But it shows to our adversaries, who questioned our 2012 results, that our high over 80 percent budget performance was no fluke; and the reduction by 4 percent is largely attributable to the revenue shortfalls every State has been experiencing under the poor economic management of the Federal Government and the illegal deductions that are now being made for Police and pipeline protection which are their responsibilities”.
“They misplace $20billion, and resort to picking the pockets of States to discharge their own constitutional responsibilities” the Governor said adding that in spite of the unconstitutional acts, the evidence of his administration’s high budget performance is the number of projects completed and services rendered which he and his team have been busy handing over in the last 100 days.
Projects handed over in the last 100 days, the Governor said, include Kodesoh and Simbiat Abiola Roads, handed over on December 27, 2013, Isopakodowo Market in Oshodi to resettle those relocated from the Oshodi Rail line and the Aka Bashorun Memorial Park, which were handed over on January 7, 2014.
They also include 4-storey, 110 Bed Maternal and Child Health Centre at Amuwo and the newly dualized Alaba Cemetery Road in Ajeromi-Ifelodun, which were handed over on January 21, 2014, the January 27 Bridge linking Ajao Estate and Ejigbo together and a network of roads handed over on January 27, 2014, a block of 12 classrooms and another 18-classroom block donated by a public spirited Lagosian, Chief (Mrs.) Folorunsho Alakija, in Iba and Sabo Oniba, Ojo respectively hands over on February 6, 2014.
Other programmes include commencement of the issuance of the Electronic Certificate of Occupancy on January 30, 2014 and the launch of the Lagos HOMS project on February 3, 2014, handing over of two new ferry terminals and support services in the rural and riverine areas of Ojo and Ijegun Egba and another Maternal and Child Centre (the 7th ) in Igando, in Alimosho, on February 13, 2014.
The Governor also reported the opening, on the same day, of a new School of Nursing in Igando, Alimosho, to train young men and women in healthcare delivery and care, commissioning of the new Asphalt Plant in Ikorodu on February 20, 2014, and inspection of the state of work at the Agbowa Housing Estate and relocation site in Agbowa for the Oko-Baba Saw Millers, where, according to him, appreciable progress was being made.
“On March 4, 2014, the first draws for the Lagos HOMS housing initiative were held and 31 new home owners emerged in Lagos for that month and we expect more every month as we remain committed to providing a minimum of 200 new homes every month”, the Governor continued adding that on March 13, the administration was at Olusosun Ikeja, to flag off the expanded eye health programme and the School Vision Corridor to detect and correct eye diseases and defect in school children in order to aid their learning capacity.
Other programmes and projects accomplished during the period, he said, include opening of 6th edition of Lagos Summit on Climate Change on March 18, 2014in Victoria Island, and the opening of the week long Health Mission to deliver healthcare service to citizens at the grassroots for free in Ojodu on the 20th March 2014.
Governor Fashola thanked members of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) for taking retired public servants and elderly private citizens to their retirement villa in Lekki where they arranged for the elderly women to have their hair made, manicured their nails, provided lunch, indoor games and musical entertainment and treating them to a day of fun on Valentine’s Day February 14, 2014
Thanking the people of Lagos for their support, the Governor said his administration has kept faith in the rendering of accounts every 100 days adding, “You did not impose it on us. We undertook to do it as a necessary condition for sustaining our democracy.
We have not failed to do so, because we value your trust and we understand that this is about you and not about us”.
He explained that the format of reporting of the last 100 day was changed by asking the members of the State Executive Council to break into three teams and address the people in the different Senatorial districts adding, “For those who seek an explanation for that format, it is simple. Yes, I am the beneficiary of your very precious mandate, but a lot of men and women do an enormous amount of work to assist in giving effect to our promises to you. It is only fair that from time to time, you should hear from them and also give them credit for their service”.
Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, said the State Government was resolved to ensure accountability and quality service to the people of the State adding that Lagos State remains the only state in the Federation that is rendering accounts of stewardship every 100 days.
Highlight of the occasion was the Award of Milestone Plaques to residents who hold the numbers 100,000, 200,000, 300, 000, 400,000 and 500,000 registration cards of the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) having registered in the on-going residents’ registration exercise in the State.
They include Miss Ololade Onifade of No. 7 Abeokuta Street Egbe, Idimu with No. 100,000, Miss Adenuga Oluwayemisi of 34 Shade Street Epe with No. 200,000, Mrs. Azeezat Dada of 204 Igbosere Road, Lagos Island with No. 300,000, Master Somtochukwu Okolie of 2, Mowonla Street Ikorodu with No. 400,000 and Mrs. Kudirat Oyeyemi of 3 Ishawu Street, Alimosho Local Government Area with No. 500,000
Also present at the occasion were members of the State Executive Council including the Deputy Governor, Hon. (Mrs.) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Sola Oworu, her Health and Physical Planning and Urban Development counterparts, Dr. Jide Idris and Town Planner Olutoyin Ayinde, former Governors and Administrators of the State, Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu and Alhaji Lateef Jakande and his wife, Alhaja Abimbola Jakande, traditional rulers including the Oba Akran of Badagry, Party bigwigs as well as Captains of Industry and other top government functionarie
