In its quest for growth and development in Lagos, as well as making life more comfortable for residents, Lagos State is now competing with countries in Africa and not states in Nigeria.
This was disclosed on Sunday during a live interview on the Breakfast Xtra programme on News Central Television by the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Gboyega Akosile.
Akosile said that is due to the remarkable achievements of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration in many sectors in line with the THEMES+ developmental agenda, Lagos is now being compared with countries like Ethiopia, Morocco,and Egypt, and those are countries. When people compare our rail projects, they compare us with Ethiopia, whereas Ethiopia is a sovereign country and Lagos is a state among 36 states. That shows that Lagos is not here to joke.”
Akosile said the Red and Blue rail lines inaugurated by Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration are a game changer, noting that the administration inherited the Blue line rail project, completed the first phase, and is currently working on the second phase. He said the Red Line Rail was also started and completed during the incumbent administration, making Lagos State the only sub-national to embark on a rail project in the African continent.
He said Governor Sanwo-Olu has also addressed the Apapa gridlock in fulfillment of his campaign promises to address the traffic problem, which has affected businesses for many years in the Apapa corridors, where the two busiest wharfs in Nigeria are located.
Speaking on the achievements of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration in the housing sector and addressing environmental issues in Lagos State, Akosile said the incumbent administration has injected more housing units than any previous administrations in the state and also ensured sanity in the environment sector.
He said, “The Ministry of Environment is doing a lot. I was shocked to discover that people are living under the bridge like a residential apartment. We are doing a lot, and it is work in progress. The Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, has been doing a good job in the area of the environment. He has a background in law; he is a lawyer, and that is why nobody has been able to hold him by the jugular because he ensures that he follows due process.
“We don’t make people homeless. We are here to serve the people of the state. We have done a lot in the area of housing. In fact, without sounding immodest, the current administration has injected more housing units than any previous administration in Lagos State.”
He said the Sanwo-Olu administration is also working towards addressing the issue of streetlights and security challenges in the Church.
Akosile said Lagos has also been adjudged the safest state in Nigeria because of the huge investments of the incumbent administration in ensuring that the lives of Lagos residents and their properties are secured, adding that the Lagos State Neighbourhood Watch is also doing a lot in terms of gathering intelligence to address insecurity in the State.