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Tag: Femi Hamzat

  • Sanwo-Olu condemns cases of Lagos collapsed buildings

    The Lagos State Governor-Elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday described the recent collapsed building in the state as unfortunate.

    But he praised the swift actions taken by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to address the problem.

    The Governor-Elect spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari alongside the Deputy Governor-elect, Femi Hafsat.

    He said: “It’s an unfortunate incident. Incidentally, when I was in government before, I used to be the Vice Chairman of the building collapse committee. It was something that happened about 8-10 years ago, which was what led to the creation of an agency which we called Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA)  at that time, which was meant to begin to identify structures way ahead before such incidences occur.

    “But it’s an unfortunate thing, extremely very unfortunate and it is not something that we will like to see it happening again. So the current government has started very quickly, ensuring that they test the integrity of a whole lot of properties we have there.

    Read also: ‘Sanwo-Olu will not disappoint Lagosians’

    “You know Lagos State is part of the old colony of Lagos and it is not unexpected that you see houses that are over a century old and in those numbers so we need to be real and know that Lagos truly really needs regeneration especially Lagos Island.

    “That was one of the things we promised during the campaign trail so it’s to have a conversation around the families and see the kind of re-development that is important as is being done in a lot of other big cities like Lagos,” he said

    According to him, he was in the State House alongside his Deputy-Elect, Femi Hamzat, to pay courtesy on the President and congratulate him for winning the Presidential election.

    On what he is offering the people of Lagos when he assumes office, Sanwo-Olu said he has seen the challenges ahead and will come up with solutions without delay.

    “We are very excited that we have seen all the challenges ahead of us and we will certainly be bringing about solutions that will very quickly solve all of our various challenges in Lagos and we know that with a mega city of our status, it comes with a lot of challenges but we are lucky that we have been part of it before now so we are excited that we are bringing solutions to problems that we identified on the campaign trail.

    “We will very quickly bring about positive development that would improve the quality of lives and ease all of the challenges that we currently see in Lagos,” he said

  • Sanwo-Olu condemns cases of Lagos collapsed buildings

    The Lagos State Governor-Elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday described recent collapse of buildings in the state as most unfortunate.

    But he praised the swift actions taken by the current administration in the state to address the problem.

    The Governor-Elect spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari alongside the Deputy Governor-elect, Femi Hamzat.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun capable, says Oyetola

    He said: “It’s an unfortunate incident. Incidentally when I was in government before, I used to be the Vice Chairman of the building collapse committee. It was something that happened about 8-10 years ago, which was what led to the creation of an agency which we called Lagos State Building Control Agency LASBCA  at that time, which was meant to begin to identify structures way ahead before such incidences occur.

    “But it’s an unfortunate thing, extremely very unfortunate and it is not something that we will like to see it happening again. So the current government has started very quickly, ensuring that they test the integrity of a whole lot of properties we have there.

    “You know Lagos State is part of the old colony of Lagos and it is not unexpected that you see houses that are over a century old and in those numbers so we need to be real and know that Lagos truly really needs regeneration especially Lagos island.

    “That was one of the things we promised during the campaign trail so it’s to have a conversation round the families and see the kind of re-development that is important as is being done in a lot of other big cities like Lagos.” he said

    According to him, he was in the State House alongside his Deputy-Elect, Femi Hamzat, to pay courtesy on the President and congratulate him for winning the Presidential election.

    On what he is offering the people of Lagos when he assumes office, Sanwo-Olu said he has seen the challenges ahead and will come up with solutions without delay.

    “We are very excited that we have seen all the challenges ahead of us and we will certainly be bringing about solutions that will very quickly solve all of our various challenges in Lagos and we know that with a mega city of our status, it comes with a lot of challenges but we are lucky that we have been part of it before now so we are excited that we are bringing solutions to problems that we identified on the campaign trail.

    “We will very quickly bring about positive development that would improve the quality of lives and ease all of the challenges that we currently see in Lagos,” he said

  • Sanwoolu to provide 10 new PHCs for riverine areas

    The Lagos State All Progressive Congress (APC)  Gubernatorial Candidate, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu has said he will provide 10 new Primary Healthcare centers (PHCs) for riverine and other undeserved area.

    He stated this in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

    According to Sanwoolu,  the riverine areas of the state is the most neglected area and he intend to reverse this trend by providing such with necessary health facilities,  among others.

    “Aside this,  I will also ensure that all 37 non-functional primary health care centers in the state are refurbished and adequately equipped, as well as provide a minimum of 3 Doctors, 3 Nurses and 5 community health workers in all 345 primary health care centers (PHCs) by 2021” he said.

    According to Sanwoolu who spoke along with his Deputy, Dr Femi Hamzat,  he revealed that his administration will improve  life expectancy by focusing on a comprehensive preventive health care system through optimal primary health care  system funded  by a mass community based health insurance programmes.

    “The programmes will make healthcare more accessible and affordable right at the door step of every resident” said Sanwoolu.

    His administration also intend  to further expand the Lagos Health Insurance Scheme with a target of 500,000 households (2.5 million enrollment) by the end of 2019; Increase health spending from 6% to 15% of budget  in line with the Abuja Declaration ;

    Strengthen the primary health care  referral system to ease the burden on secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities;  provide adequate funding to ensure healthcare workers at all levels receive required training ; among others.

    In the water sector,  Sanwoolu intends rehabilitating within 6 months the major,  mini and micro water works at Iju, Adiyan 1, Ishashi, Ota Ikosa and all the  existing 48 mini and micro water works  in the State,  thereby encourage water efficiency.

    “In the area of waste management, we will empower LAWMA to effectively drive the elimination of waste accumulation and adoption of recycling state wide as well as commence a massive water clean up programmes working with the local fisherman, manufacturing industry and transporters,  among others.

  • 2019: SDP will accommodate Ambode ,says Chieftain

    Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, Chairman, Strategy and Mobilization, Social Democratic Party (SDP), South-West Zone, on Friday said that the party would accommodate Governor  Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State in 2019 election.

    Pearse, a University teacher, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Ambode would be welcome to fly SDP’s ticket if his (Ambode) party, All Progressives Congress (APC) denied him second term ticket.

    Ambode’s second term ticket has been facing some opposition within his party following speculations that he has fallen out of favour with his political godfather, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    Tinubu is said to be currently rooting for a former commissioner in the state, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu, who has already declared his intention to contest the governorship on the platform of the APC party, where Ambode also belongs.

    Analysts view the development as a trying political season for Ambode, who has since announced his readiness for the party’s direct primary on Sept. 30 to slug it out with his opponents.

    Sanwo-Olu, the Managing Director, Lagos State Development and Property Corporation, and Femi Hamzat, a former Commissioner for Works, are in the race for the APC’s governorship ticket.

    Pearse said: “I have to tell you the truth that our national leaders have asked us in Lagos to reach out to Ambode and to let him know that we will be ready to accommodate him in our party if he so chooses.

    “The reason being that Ambode has not performed excellently but we think, he should have an opportunity for second term to complete some of the works he has started.

    “More importantly, we see Ambode as a man who seems to be standing up to greed. That’s the reason why we feel Ambode should be given an opportunity.

    Read Also: Why Sanwo-Olu should succeed Ambode, by campaign manage

    “They are fighting him because he has not agreed to sell Lagos totally. So, we will welcome him if he comes.”

    The SDP’s chieftain, however, said that whether Ambode came or not, the 2019 general elections were going to be the end of the ruling APC in Lagos.

    He said that the National Leader of APC and former governor of the state, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu had made a big mistake by allegedly bringing somebody that is totally unknown.

    “They can win the primary (against Ambode) but let it come to the general elections, people will show that this state does not belong to them”.

    On SDP’s alliance with some other opposition parties ahead of 2019 elections, Pearse said that the alliance at the national level still subsists and would be used to oust the APC in the state.

    He said: “We understand that it might be difficult to oust the incumbent that has been there for years. We need an alliance and that alliance by the grace of God will come into being.

    “With that alliance we are sure to win 2019 elections for the people and to retire APC in the state.”

    On the outcome of Osun poll, Pearse said that the alleged flaws that characterised the election and runoff had shown that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not prepared for 2019 elections.

    “INEC is not prepared for 2019 general elections with the conduct of Osun gubernatorial election. INEC is not independent at all and cannot conduct a fair, credible and acceptable elections.

    “The reason being that, once the President of the country is the person who appoints the Chairman of INEC, the INEC is already compromised.

    “Looking at the decision of INEC on Osun gubernatorial election, do you think if APC had been the party that won with 353 votes in Osun, they would not have declared the party’s candidate as that winner?

    “So, INEC must be trustworthy, incorruptible and fair. People must stand firm to ensure that INEC is uncompromising.”

  • Femi Hamzat loses mum

    Former Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Obafemi Kadri Hamzat Femi Hamzat, has lost his mother to the cold hands of death. The deceased, Alhaja Amudala Kehinde Hamzat, died at the age of 75.

    According to the family, Alhaja Amdalat was the wife of Oba Mufutau Hamzat. She is survived by her husband, children and grandchildren. Among her children also is Hon. Ganiyu Oladunjoye Hamzat, a three-time member of the House of Representatives.

    The late Alhaja Amdalat has been buried according to Islamic rites.

  • ‘Lagos committed to infrastructure upgrade in LASU’

    ‘Lagos committed to infrastructure upgrade in LASU’

    The Lagos State Government said it is developing infrastructure of the future that would last between 200 to 300 years to meet the challenges of the next century.

    The commissioner of Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Femi Hamzat, said this accounts for the time taken to build the substructure of the current infrastructure upgrade in the state.

    He stated this over the weekend at a tour of duty that took him to the Lagos State University (LASU) where he inspected ongoing projects such as the Senate building, central library, lecture theatre, School of Management Sciences and the Law library theatre.

    The other projects inspected include the Students’ Union building, auditorium, LASU radio, Lagos Homs and the International School.

    The commissioner gave an assurance that the Senate building, which construction began in December 2011 would be handed over in June, while the construction of the Transport and Management Science buildings would be ready by August this year and 2015 respectively.

    On the financing model, Hamzat said the projects are being financed solely by the state government, but however declined to disclose the financial commitment of the government.

    He explained that government is committed to de-flooding the institution’s premises, which he stressed accounted for the massive drainage project currently under construction.