By Ezra Odogu
Multiple Awards Winning Media Links and Development said the re-election of Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu is task that must be done.
The Group said the exploits and achievements of the Governor in taking Lagos to unprecedented heights of development in his first term has already earned the governor his second term in office.
Editor-In -Chief/CEO, Prince Meshack Idehen, told journalists in Washington DC on Friday, that the re-election of the Lagos state governor is a focus and priority for the group, pointing out that all available indices points to a landslide victory for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the election approaches.
Idehen said Sanwo-Olu has met and surpassed all expectations of governance to Lagosians with his achievements, noting there is no sector or areas of life and life that has not been positively affected by the governor’s magic wand.
The Media Links and Development boss called on Lagosians to reciprocate the good and loving governance gestures of Sanwo-Olu, adding it was important for the good works already being done by the governor to be continued.
HE said the multi-sectoral achievements of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos State was clearly visible.
“in Nigeria, we still have few public officials who are still true and honest to the ideals of good governance and to a commitment to focus on their mandates, irrespective of overriding efforts of praise-singers.
“Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu of Lagos state in the last years has no doubt graced the front pages of many of our nation’s dailies for his outstanding performances 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 also in deed shown itself as a state worthy to be emulated as it has established itself as a leading state in terms of its growth and development. All thanks to the excellent array of Governors the state has been blessed with in the past.”.
The Media Links and Development boss said Lagos State has so far witnessed the birth of various highly commendable projects and initiatives.
“Nigerians will not forget in a hurry the gallant performance of Lagos state Governor on the efforts deployed in managing the outbreak of covid 19 in the State. While many had written off Lagos State due to its high population and also the high death rate recorded even in the European countries who had better medical equipment and medical personnel, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was able to lead a formidable and efficient professional team which saw to the effective management of the situation, thereby curtailing what would have been a devastating pandemic in the state.
Idehen said One of the more recognizable achievements or performance of the Governor is in the area of infrastructural development. More than 151 major infrastructural projects such as the Pent Cinema fly over, ramp and road networks, Lagos-Ogun Boundary roads Phas II, Lekki Oniru Traffic Circulation Projects, network of roads in Ojokoro , Somolu and Ikoyi, among others. His administration also constructed and rehabilitated 301 inner roads in the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). It also commissioned the Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT lane. 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 Lagos.
In the Agricultural sector, through the Agricultural Value Chains Enterprise Activation Programme, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has trained many youths in various agricultural practices which has gone a long way to giving them a means of livelihood and sustenance.
He has seen to the training of over 12,000 women, thousands of youths in the State have been empowered across the several value chains.
In addtion to this , the State witnessed 127% growth in Q1 2021 in revenue inflow. The Lagos State Government has also continued to ensure the training and facilitation of more women, youths and the employed to become employers of labors and to become self dependent.
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 is expected to compliment over 850 PSP compactor trucks to enhance service delivery in under-served communities across the State.
In the area of public transportation, the integrated mass transportation initiative has also recorded huge progress with the successful completion of the elevated seas crossing track of the blue line mass transit project while he has recruited 1,017 LASTMA officers to ease traffic flow. The State Government availed itself of the three modes of transportation of roads, rail and waterways to boost public transportation in Lagos State.
Under social welfare programs, the governor has continued to reach out to the people with various incentives to boost their standard of living, notable in this category is the payment of allowances of N40,000 monthly to 4000 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 to their various business enterprises, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic which negatively impacted on many businesses including MSME as well as the nation’s economy.
Even in sports, Governor Sanwo-Olu still had the positive disposition to give consideration to Chioma Ajunwa by fulfilling the commitment by donating a three-bedroom apartment to her in Lagos as a fulfilment of the House Reward promised her for winning the Long Jump event at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Without any iota of doubt whatsoever Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has gainfully used the THEMES template to transform Lagos State beyond the imagination of many Lagosians, making Lagos a modern Mega City with a 21st century economy supported by a world class infrastructure and other social amenities. This acronym THEMES which means: Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment Education and Technology have been taken to the level of a sublime degree of functionality within an extraordinarily short space of time.
It is encouraging that these achievements are taking pĺace within the first half of his first term, we will still strongly exhort this simple, noiseless but administratively efficient governor of Lagos stare not to rest on his oars or lower his guards in this result oriented direction he has chosen for himself.
