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Tag: Lagos State

  • LSETF: Ambode’s commitment to youth empowerment, job creation

    During the electioneering campaign in 2014 and early 2015, the then governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, promised the people that, if elected, he would come up with an initiative to provide loans and create jobs for the people, especially women and the youth.

    True to his words, few months after assuming office as the 14th governor of the state, Governor Ambode immediately set machinery in motion to walk the talk, and eventually the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) was established on March 1, 2016 after the legal instrument had been put in place through an Executive Bill to that effect duly passed by the Lagos State House of Assembly.

    Three years after, according to official report of the LSETF, over N6.5 billion has so far been disbursed to almost 10,000 beneficiaries, while over 3,500 unemployed residents have been provided with vocational training, with over 1,500 of the trainees placed in jobs.

    Also, the Fund has supported over 80 start-ups through its Lagos Innovates Programme, while in total, LSETF’s interventions have helped create almost 90,000 jobs since it started operations.

    Not done yet with the feats recorded, the LSETF recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth $10 million with the United States African Development Fund (USADF) to support 15,000 youths in Lagos State within the next five years.

    The deal is said to be in line with the mandate of the Fund to provide employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for Lagos residents, while through the MoU, both parties would provide an equal sum of $2 million every year for five years ($10 million in total) to provide skill development and internship opportunities for 3,000 youths between the ages of 18 and 35 totaling 15,000, with women constituting at least 50 per cent of the beneficiaries.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, which recently took place in Washington DC, the United States of America in the presence of executives of both agencies, members of the US Congress, partners and the international media, Chairman of LSETF Board of Trustees, Mrs Ifueko Okauru expressed optimism that the partnership would engender massive positive impact.

    She said: “This USADF-LSETF collaboration will enable the expansion of world-class vocational training centres available in the state, the development of 15,000 skilled youths for employment into targeted sectors, the provision of internship cost subsidies to employers and the tracking of real-time placement of unemployed youths into jobs.”

    Also speaking, the Acting Executive Secretary, LSETF, Mrs. Teju Abisoye, said with the recent Labour Force Report by the National Bureau of Statistics, which showed a 6.7 per cent drop in unemployment rate as Lagos State provided the largest number of 740,146 jobs in the third quarter of last year, it was obvious that the deliberate employment intervention policies of the Lagos State government were finally impacting on job creation.

    She said she was pleased to have the USADF join LSETF to create more jobs for youths while sustainably decreasing the alarming unemployment rate.

    Read Also: Ambode urges quality education for women

    On his part, the President/Chief Executive Officer, USADF, Mr. CD Glin, stated that the foundation was proud to be in partnership with the LSETF as its programmes had been independently verified to be making an impact in the lives of young Nigerians.

    “This USADF-LSETF partnership further expands our existing commitment to investing in high-impact initiatives that are hinged on generating income, providing financial solutions and causing a change in the African economy,” Glin said.

    Basically, the LSETF was set up by Governor Ambode’s administration to tackle unemployment and promote job creation. And in a bid to achieve its mandate, the Fund adopted three core areas of interventions, including entrepreneurship, skills development and innovation.

    While the Loan Programme provides access to finance for Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SME), Micro- Enterprises (ME) and ME Startups (MES) beneficiaries with a maximum value of N5 million, N500,000 and N250,000 respectively, the Employability Programme, in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Lagos State Employability Support Project, aims at increasing the pool of skilled manpower to alleviate the acute shortages of employable labour in key sectors such as manufacturing, health care, construction, entertainment and hospitality.

    Also, the Lagos Innovates Programme is a dedicated platform that refers to a set of programmes that provide support for the exciting and fast-growing startup ecosystem. Lagos Innovates is also designed to assist founders and startups by facilitating access to high quality workspaces/infrastructure, learning, early stage investment capital and investor and peer networks.

    Speaking during one of the presentations of cheques to beneficiaries of the LSETF loan programme, Governor Ambode said it was gratifying that the initiative was meeting the objectives of creating jobs and contributing to the growth of the economy.

    At the event held at LTV Blue Roof, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Governor Ambode expressed fulfilment that the initiative, which is a brain child of his administration, had positively impacted many residents of Lagos State and help to scale up entrepreneurship with many businesses now thriving.

    “Today is a historic day. It is one of those days that we have this fulfilment that we tried our hands on something that was never done before and years after, we are able to see the result. I just want to say thank you to all of you that have accepted to be partners in this programme and to just congratulate ourselves that a day like this can come in Lagos State.

    “I am particularly delighted to be here today to see for myself the manifestation of a small dream we had at the inception of this government and the little seed we have sown in the lives and businesses of residents of Lagos.

    “The Employment Trust Fund was a promise we made to the residents in 2015 and today, I am happy to see the faces of the people whose lives and aspirations have been positively impacted by this programme,” Governor Ambode said.

    The Governor, who noted the positive difference the beneficiaries of the scheme were making, said the wonderful stories about the initiative were the true outcomes of governance, saying the vision was to use it to grow Lagos economy by supporting entrepreneurship, which in turn, would help to create jobs for unemployed residents.

    Ambode said in line with his promise of inclusive governance, the beneficiaries of the LSETF programmes range from the youth to senior citizens in active business across all 20 local government areas (LGAs) and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs), adding that the positive stories emanating from beneficiaries were pleasing to note.

    “A very big validation of this programme we have embarked upon comes from the over 25,000 new direct jobs created directly by these businesses. This does not include the multiplier effect of those businesses on the Lagos economy and the indirect jobs created.

    “Apart from the jobs being created, I am pleased to see testimonials from some of our beneficiaries. I watched the video of Ibrahim Shuaib; a final year student of Dentistry at the Lagos State University Medical School. With a loan of N250, 000, Ibrahim has not only grown his dry-cleaning business, employing over 20 people, but also started another business which his sister runs.

    “I also read about Femi Oyedipe, whose chocolate production business, Loshes Chocolate, can now produce 10 times more than before, employing more Lagosians as members of staff. Apart from employing more people, Loshes Chocolate makes its products from cocoa beans sourced from Ondo State, creating value for farmers outside Lagos. This is a very good example of the inter-state economic partnership Nigeria needs to grow its economy,” Governor Ambode said.

    Commenting on the initiative during one of his visits to Lagos, the Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo hailed the state government for coming up with such brilliant idea, saying that it was particularly laudable that over 12,500 new jobs were created within the first six months of the scheme.

    Osinbajo, who spoke while delivering a keynote address at the Special Parliamentary Session to mark the third anniversary of the 8th Assembly of the Lagos State House of Assembly, said the ETF, which was created in 2016, was an excellent example of how state governments could intervene in creating opportunities for small businesses.

  • Lagos celebrates pupil for topping UTME nationwide

    The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Adebunmi Adekanye, has congratulated Master Ezeunala Ekene Franklin, an SS3 pupil of Meiran Community Secondary School, Meiran, for making the best score in the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    He scored 347 in the examination.

    A breakdown of the result showed that he had 78 in English, 91 in Mathematics, 86 in Physics and 92 in Chemistry.

    In a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Education, Adesegun Ogundeji, Mrs. Adekanye said she was not surprised at Franklin’s performance, adding that he had won many laurels while representing the state in competitions.

    She said the 15-year-old came first in the zonal final of the 2018 NNPC National Quiz competition. He represented the Southwest at the national finals in Abuja.

    Read Also: 2019 UTME: JAMB remits N5bn to FG’s account

    Adekanye noted that Franklin was to lead the Lagos team to the 2018 Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (JETS) competition last December, but when it was rescheduled, he was dropped to enable him concentrate on his West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    She expressed joy that a new team of SS2 pupils eventually won the competition. A feat she ascribed to the qualitative education the state has been providing.

    Mrs. Adekanye said quite a number of public school pupils did very well in the 2019 UTME. She said some of them are Ihejeamatu Anthony of Festac Senior Grammar School, who scored 327; AbdulLateef Adeyemi of Government Senior College, Ajara (295) and Tadese Fafai and AbdulWaheed Adegbite both of Abibat Mogaji Millennium Secondary School, Agege (291 and 271).

    The permanent secretary praised Franklin and others who had made Lagos and Nigeria proud locally and internationally.

    She said their performance would encourage the government to do more in making the school environment conducive for teaching and learning.

  • Chieftaincy family petitions Lagos Attorney General over land

    The Mosene Chieftaicy Family of Ikorodu has petitioned the Lagos State Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, to wade into an act capable of causing a breach of the peace in Ikorodu orchestrated by a prominent family of the town over a parcel of land at Oju-Ogbe in the Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.

    In a petition signed by the solicitor to the Mosene Chieftaicy Family, Mr O. I. Sokunbi of Congnate Solicitors and Zita Agwunobi Chambers dated April 8, 2019, the family called on the Attorney General to prevail on the family to stop harassing members of the family with the police and thugs.

    Sokunbi stated that the land being situated at Oju-Ogbe along Beach Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State is the heritage of his client from their great ancestor being the first Mosene chieftain of Ikorodu from time immemorial to the exclusion of any other person, or family either within Ikorodu or outside Ikorodu and also free from any encumbrances.

    ”It is on record that our client’s ancestor granted some pieces of land to some families. There was never a time our client denies the fact of their ancestral grant of land to the families out of the parcel of land in dispute.”

    The solicitor further said: “One of the families benefiting from the kindness of our client’s ancestor later obtained a possession order from a court against another family which also benefited from the generosity of our client’s ancestor. That order is now being used against our client instead of using it against the family for which it is meant”.

    Consequent upon this development, the Mosene Chieftaicy Family called on the Lagos State Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Mr  Kazeem, to use his “honourable office in the interest of justice to prevail between the two parties to wait for the outcome of the court in suit no IKD/84/14 pending before Hon. Justice Ogungbesan of the Ikorodu High Court instead of harassing “our client here and there with the police and other extra judicial activities which include thugs and forceful entry on the land in dispute wherein our client has been in possession from time immemorial “

  • FG commences cargo service by rail from Kaduna dry port

    The Federal Government has commenced the operation of cargo delivery service from Kaduna Inland Dry Port to Lagos State.

    Compared to cargo delivery by road, the commencement of the cargo service by rail is expected to reduce the cost of delivery by 50 percent.

    According to the federal government, the service will also create 24,000 direct jobs within and around the dry port.

    Speaking during the flag-off ceremony of the commencement of cargo delivery by rail to Kaduna port from Lagos seaports, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi said the dry port project was part of measures introduced by Federal government to decongest the seaports.

    Ameachi, who was represented by the Director of Maritime Services,  Sani Galandanci, explained the service will address loss of cargo in transit, stop carnage and accidents on the roads, reduce transport cost and bring shipping services closer to shippers which would  stimulate economic growth development.

    Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai said the cargo service will boost the state’s internally generated revenue and decongest the seaports.

    Read Also: Kaduna is peaceful, safe, DIG assures

    He also disclosed his intention to send a trade delegation to Niger Republic with the aim of wooing them to utilize the cargo service.

    He said: “The commencement has confirmed that our inland dry port is functioning and you can ship your goods direct from Kaduna to any part of the world and you can also import goods from any part of the world direct to Kaduna without your containers or any of your goods being opened up for inspection in Lagos.

    “Today’s event has opened a new vista of commercial opportunities not only for Northern businessmen but even for our neighbouring countries.”

    On the economic benefit of the port, he said: “The optimal operations of an inland dry port will impact tremendously on agro business, stimulate industrialisation and production, thereby increasing our internally generated revenue.

    “It will create jobs for our young people, it will expand business opportunities and also lower the cost of doing business for our business men here in Nigeria as well as lower the cost of agricultural products in southern Nigeria.”

    Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Hassan Bello said the cargo service will address the challenges faced by the importers and exporters and guarantee seamless movement of cargo from the seaports to Kaduna Inland Dry Port.

    On efforts taken to attract investors to Kaduna, he said: “We are in preliminary discussion with Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council in London and we want to bring them to Kaduna so that they can have a look so that they will know what value they can add to the dry port.

    “It is important that the dry port is not just a transportation center but a hub of economic activities.

    “We need to have so many facilities, like stores, refrigerated warehouses, consolidation centers, factories especially for packaging which is a problem for export.”

  • No more imprisonment for petty offender- Lagos CJ

    Petty offenders will no longer be sentenced to prison terms, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke has said.

    She disclosed this on Monday at the official presentation of the two practice directions, the ACJL Practice Direction and Restorative Justice Practice Direction, held as part of effort to ensure effective justice system.

    The event held at the Lagos Judiciary Conference Room, Ikeja.

    Justice Oke said once the Practice Directions “comes into operation on June 3, minor offences will be diverted to these centres and Restorative Justice outcomes applied to ensure that persons who commit minor offences will no longer end up in jail.

    “So long as they are prepared to take responsibility for their actions and the harm they have caused system,” she said.

    Justice Oke said the Magistrates Courts, which would use the practice directions, would focus on reconciliation with the victim and community at large, rehabilitation, restitution and repair of the harm done and will as much as possible, under the law, impose non- custodial sentences including fines, restitution orders,  community service orders and so on.

    The Chief Judge said the documents mark a history era in the Criminal Justice administration in Lagos State.

    Read Also: Lagos Motor Show begins today

    She listed some of the highlights of the ACJL Practice Direction includes tightening the Pre-Trial Remand procedure to address the challenge of Awaiting Trial inmates, introduction of the Plea Bargain Protocol to encourage Plea deals and decongest the Criminal Division docket and introduction of Case Management Protocol to ensure that the Prosecution and Defence are properly prepared before trial opens.

    “Criminal justice administration in the Country has been beset by a myriad of challenges ranging from ineffective or incomplete investigations, delays in criminal trials, congested court dockets, the awaiting trial syndrome and the attendant congestion of our prisons, to name a few.

    “Today in Nigeria we have seen countless cases where defendants are arrested for minor offences burglary, wandering, two fighting and so on; they are locked up in our prisons for the flimsiest reasons and join the teeming population awaiting trial. “In fact the Awaiting trial inmates account for more than 75% of the inmates in our prisons today.

    “They are in our prisons with hardened criminals and by the time they come out they have been initiated into a life of crime and are ready to spread terror, death and destruction in their post-prison escapades,” she lamented.

  • FRSC goes tough against motorcyclists, tricyclists in Lagos

    The Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Hyginus Omeje has read riot act against all okada and tricycle riders and operators operating in the state.

    At a sensitisation programme organised for all riders and passengers safety in Ifako-ljaiye Local Government, by Community Safety Partnership (CSP) in conjunction with the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) and the council, Omeje said anyone caught driving against traffic would be referred to psychiatric hospital for insanity test, besides having their vehicle impounded.

    Omeje, who was represented by Route Commander Ofure Ihenacho said all road users have a right of way on the road and charged all to use the road responsibly.

    Omeje who described riders as exposed road users charged them to ensure they are properly kitted anytime they are on the road.

    To minimize crashes, he also charged them to dress smart and wear reflective jackets at night, wear safety helmet and provide a spare for their passenger, avoid wearing slippers and use eye protector to shield the eyes from sand particles and dangerous rays.

    He said no rider should flout traffic regulation including stopping by traffic lights and arming themselves with appropriate documents.

    “At all times, you must remember that the road is a common heritage and all users must use it responsibly in order to minimise crashes, deaths and avoidable loss of property,” Omeje added.

    Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Chairman Apostle Oloruntoba Oke charged riders as important stakeholders in the transportation system to have a change of attitude and see their job as critical to other road users.

    He said the programme was organised to sensitise riders to what they need to do to stay alive, adding that since most riders are bread winners of their families, they needed to be armed with what they could do to promote their safety.

    Oke said: “Stop conducting yourselves as unruly and uncouth. Stop looking down on yourselves; stop the inferiority complex that makes you look down on yourselves. See what you are doing as critical to the social and economic development of the state.”

    Read Also: Motorist dies in road crash along Lagos-Ibadan expressway – FRSC

    Oke, who was represented by the Secretary to the Local Government Ayo Jeje, said the roads would be safer if the riders develop good self-esteem and become a good safety ambassador on the road.

    He said the local government will not hesitate to strictly enforce the transportation laws and sued for voluntary compliance to the state’s laws.

    The Local Government Coordinator of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Mrs Ngozi Mbaeri lamented the attitudinal problem, which she said is the bane of Nigeria’s development, and charged all riders to be responsible citizens in the onerous task of making the local government safe of road crashes.

    “As okada riders know that your safety as well as that of your passenger is your responsibility and do everything reasonably and responsibly while on the road,” she said.

    A Psychiatric Doctor Dr Mrs Olajumoke Koyejo said riders must reduce dependence on psychotropic and mind altering drugs which are often responsible for the growing incidence of accidents on the roads.

    Koyejo who works with the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos said more and more young Nigerians are losing their minds and becoming prone to harm as a result of drug abuse, which according to her “rewires the workings of the brains, making them susceptible to losing their mind and or causing fatal accidents on the road.

    “A rider who takes all types of concoctions and drugs before getting on the motorcycle would not be be in full control as his judgments would be altered and his reasoning impaired,” Dr Koyejo said.

    She told rider; “be jealous with your life and guard it jealously. Don’t overwork and don’t over fire yourself. If you are tired, rest and go back to work. Stop chasing money at the detriment of your health.”

    Crime officer Hakeem Rasheed said anyone, including any police officer found plying one way should be treated as criminal a d charged with attempted suicide.

    Among other stakeholders at the eve t are representatives of the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Mr A.I Ali, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), led by Comrade Atanda Idowu, artisans, Community Development Associations (CDA), members of the Motorcycle Operators Association of Nigeria (MOAN) and market men and women.

  • Monarch appeals to LASG to improve surveillance in Epe

    Oba Peter Ogungbesan, the Baale of Ora Kingdom in Eredo Local Council Development Area, near Epe, Lagos, has urged the Lagos State Government to boost surveillance in the area.

    Ogungbesan told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Monday in Epe that such surveillance would also help in curbing kidnapping and other unscrupulous attitudes in the area.

    “I thought that the issue of kidnapping, cultism, violence and other acts had been things of the past in the community; not until recently, a man was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Itokin area.

    “This is not a welcome development. This kind of attitude should stop in Epe division and government should find a lasting solution to it.

    “Although, government is doing its best to sanitise the division from all forms of criminality but government cannot do it alone. It requires people and other stakeholders’ participation and involvement.

    “I urge all relevant stakeholders to support the government to combat criminality in the area.

    “The local vigilance groups should work collectively with government security agencies to fight ungodly acts,’’ he said.

    The monarch urged youths to embrace and uphold their indigenous culture to save the culture from extinction.

    “There is nothing like our own culture. We need to appreciate and embrace it and desist from imbibing Western cultures.

    Read Also: NASS leadership: APC won’t repeat mistakes of 2015, says Oshiomhole

    “Yoruba has interesting culture when compared with other tribes in the world.

    “In Yoruba culture, we learn how to greet and respect our elders. We learn traditions that will make us unique and stand out among other tribes in the world.

    “All tribes have their own cultural values but Yoruba culture is indeed the most respectable one, as its uniqueness is second to none.

    “Therefore, I implore our parents to inculcate the teaching and preaching of our culture into our children to save it from extinction,’’ Ogungbesan said.

    The monarch appreciated all friends, families, visitors, sons and daughters that attended the just-concluded Ora Day.

    “I so much appreciate everybody that was present on Ora Day and I do hope we meet again in large numbers in the next edition,’’ he said.

    He commended Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State for his satisfactory job in the area of infrastructure in Epe and beyond.

    “I do hope the incoming Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu will do better.

    “This is a government of continuity. I believe all the abandoned projects in Epe division shall be completed by this incoming administration,’’ Ogungbesan said.

    NAN

  • Fire guts Lagos market on Easter Sunday

    A market in Dalemo, Alakuko Lagos on Easter Sunday left goods worth of millions destroyed.
    Our photographer, Dayo Adewunmi, captures the dejection and gloom of traders, residents and sympathisers.

  • Lagos to fix potholes in over 87 major roads

    The Lagos State government said it has begun immediate repairs of potholes across the state, with over 87 major roads enlisted for intervention.

    Special Adviser, Lagos State Public Works Corporation and Drainage, Mr. Temidayo Erinle, in a statement yesterday, said the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode had directed the corporation to commence immediate rehabilitation of critical roads across the state.

    He said the roads mapped out for repair were presently in terrible state, and that the situation was impeding free flow of traffic in those areas with its attendant consequences.

    “We have received quite a number of complaints from residents and motorists on the State of the roads and how it was directly affecting travel time which in turn has negative effects on the ease of doing business in the State.

    “The Governor has therefore directed the Public Works Corporation to move immediately and commence repair on those roads to ameliorate the traffic that residents have been going through as a result of the state of the roads,” he said.

    Erinle, however, appealed to residents and motorists to bear with the state government, urging them to drive carefully while the roads are being fixed.

    He assured that in the next few weeks, all the potholes would disappear on Lagos roads.

    Some of the roads captured for immediate repair include Ikotun-Egbe, Ijegun Roads, Alimosho and Dopemu Roads, Aka-Kemberi Road, Amuwo Odofin, Marina Beach Road, Apapa, Olaniyi Road in Ifako Ijaiye, Acme-Oba Akran Road and Ikeja.

    Other roads also listed include Ijede Road, Sabo Market Road in Ikorodu, Costain Road by Brewery, Glover Road, Herbert Macaulay Road in Mainland council area, Itire-Ogunlana drive intersection, Itire-Lawanson, Babs Animashaun Road in Surulere, Alakija/WAEC Road, Somolu, Obalende Road, Eti-Osa, among others.

  • Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat to unveil key Lagos road map

    Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat will on April 27  unveil key road map to adopt in actualising the vision for a greater Lagos at a special dinner to appreciate Lagosians for massively voting for them at the recent governorship election in the State.

    Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled a total of 739,445 votes to defeat their closest challenger and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Jimi Agbaje who got 206,141votes.

    The appreciation dinner, according to its organisers Vision LOUD, is designed for the governor-elect and his deputy to thank residents of the state for the overwhelming support they received at the poll, and to also unveil the strategies to be adopted in achieving the set objectives for the state.

    Vision LOUD, a socio-political group championing the Lagos of higher dreams, in a statement on Wednesday by its National Coordinator, Owoseni Olukotun, said aside Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat, the event, which is billed to hold at Civic Centre, Victoria Island by 6pm prompt, would also be attended by APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who is to serve as father of the day.

    Read Also: Tricycle owners hail Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat

    Other eminent Nigerians that would grace the event, according to Owoseni, include APC chieftain, Chief Pius Akinyelure (Chairman of the day); former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Musiliu Smith (Co-chairman); former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Majority Leader of House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; Elegushi of Ikateland, Oba Saheed Elegushi; renowned finance expert, Mr Wale Edun; former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Dele Alake; and Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Hakeem Fahm.

    Olukotun particularly expressed strong optimism in the ability of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat to place the state on sound footing for upward trajectory across board, saying that it was evident that the state would be in good hands with the duo, adding that they would be speaking more about their plans for the state at the event.

    “The manifesto of the Governor-elect as captured in the five pillars of developmental agenda for the state aptly presents a clear vision and roadmap in critical sectors including Traffic Management and Transportation; Health and Environment; Education and Technology; Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy; as well as Entertainment and Tourism.

    “From a careful appraisal of the manifesto and the eloquent manner with which the Governor-Elect and his deputy presented the agenda to Lagosians at various platforms, we know that Lagos is in for a great time which is in tandem with our vision for the State.

    “So, at this upcoming appreciation dinner, the Governor-elect and the Deputy Governor-elect will be speaking more to their plans and also specially thank the people for the massive support at the poll,” Olukotun said.