Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has unveiled a 5-point development agenda designed towards realizing his mission of ‘greater Lagos’ over the next four years.
The development framework, described by the acronym ‘THEMES’, consists of six pillars that define the core areas of focus by his administration.
He defined the components of the framework in his inauguration speech in Lagos on Wednesday.
These include traffic management and transportation, health and the environment, education and technology, entertainment and tourism and security and governance.
On traffic management and transportation, Sanwo-Olu itemized measures designed to minimize road traffic congestion and facilitate multi-modal transportation in the state.
These include immediate decongestion of about 60 strategic traffic gridlock areas in Lagos, construction of 5000-capacity trailer park and implementation of call up system for trailers into the sea ports.
A multi-modal transportation programme incorporating road, rail and water facilities is also part of the agenda, the governor said.
A facelift is coming in the area of health and environment, according to the governor.
“We shall ensure the existing 354 primary health centres (PHCs) are adequately staffed around the clock and also provide required consumables for them to function effectively”, he assured.
He also promised to increase the number of PHCs to cover areas presently under served or unattended.
Special emphasis would be placed on maternal care, water borne diseases and malaria treatment and prevention, the governor said.
Under education and technology, Sanwo-Olu said his government will empower teachers and strengthen their capacity to deliver quality education in every classroom.
His government also plans to increase access to technological education in order to prepare children adequately for the challenges of the 21st century.
“To this end, we will work with the private sector to re-develop curriculum for our schools.
“This will better equip our students with the requisite skills to thrive in a fluid and demanding job market and indeed today’s knowledge-based economy”, he said.
The development agenda also includes programmes to make Lagos a 21st century economy.
This involves providing an enabling environment for optimal economic growth and business development.
“We will do this by focusing on those areas of infrastructure that will help business to flourish but which only government can ably provide”, the governor said.
The identified the provision of power and portable water as the primary focus.
The rich cultural heritage of Lagos State will be exploited and enhanced under the government’s focus on entertainment and tourism, according to the new governor of the state.
“We must do a better marketing of our unique heritage and home”, he said.
On security and governance, Sanwo-Olu listed critical initiatives to guarantee peace and safety of inhabitants and businesses in the state.
These include strict enforcement of all traffic laws, clearing roadside beggars and greater surveillance to flush out security threats and expanding community policing initiative.
The government also plans to deploy additional stand-alone and integrated CCTV cameras to cover all strategic areas of activity in the state within four years, according to the governor.
He said the pillars of development represent his government’s commitment to the yearnings of Lagos people.
“They constitute the foundations that must be restored for future generations.
“And should we fulfill our promise and deliver on these pillars of development, we are most confident that we will have succeeded in setting Lagos on a new trajectory of economic growth and development that would be unprecedented in our entire history”, he said.
Sanwo-Olu expressed confidence that the mission of building a greater Lagos would succeed.
“As we gather force and momentum, there will be no mortal power that can stop our movement towards greater prosperity, justice and hope”.
He urged Lagosians to lend themselves to the development cause and join the match to surmount social and economic challenges.
“Do not stand aside and let this good development pass you by”, he said.
