Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, 25th September, 2020 flagged off the execution of 377 state-wide projects across all wards in the State.
The intervention, believed to be the first of its kind in the State, was initiated at the instance of the Governor. It will bring about the construction of over 250 roads and installation of 23 power projects across Lagos.
Flagging off the execution, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the intervention was initiated in response to a series of requests by the various communities across the State to address specific challenges.
He said the execution of the projects would change the narrative about what grassroots development and Government’s responsibilities are all about.
“The implementation of the projects will commence immediately after this official flag-off, as contractors have been fully mobilized to move to site. I urge residents who are the ultimate beneficiaries of these projects to take ownership by monitoring the implementation process and ensure that the job conforms to quality and standard specified in the project design,” Sanwolu said.
He noted that the process of identifying the needs and the design of the projects was in line with the concept of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and participatory governance in which the people were considered as key stakeholders.
The Governor described grassroots as “the bedrock of development”, stressing that the projects were strategic in promoting the wellbeing of the people across communities. He said his Government would continue to give residents a voice on issues that affect them.
He charged all elected and appointed officials in public offices to be responsible in dealing with people, noting that governance would be meaningless without the input of the people on whose mandate public officers derived their powers.
Chairman of the Projects’ Implementation Committee and the Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, said all contractors would mobilise to sites next Monday, noting that the intervention was in demonstration of the Governor’s campaign promise to run an inclusive Government.
He said the projects’ selection followed a meeting between the Governor and all 377 councillors across the State, during which Sanwo-Olu asked them to nominate specific projects that could be executed in their wards.
After identifying the projects, Hamzat said the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget and professionals in public service evaluated the cost of the projects. This effort, the Deputy Governor said, was followed by a re-evaluation exercise by an independent consultant.
Giving the breakdown of the projects, Hamzat said the State Government would be constructing 257 community roads and drainages across the State. He added that 86 public buildings would be rehabilitated, while two jetties, nine water projects and 23 power projects will be installed across the wards.
All the projects, the Deputy Governor said, are distributed across the three senatorial districts in the State, disclosing that wards across the Lagos Central will be having 94 projects, while wards in the Lagos East will have 99 and wards in Lagos West, 184 projects.
