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Tag: Lagos State

  • Opadokun hails Ambode’s plans to Phase out yellow buses

    Opadokun hails Ambode’s plans to Phase out yellow buses

    Chief Ayo Opadokun, Convener, Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER) on Tuesday, commended Lagos State Government’s plan to ban yellow commercial buses popularly called Danfo from plying roads in the state.

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s plan, Opadokun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that reckless driving by ’Danfo’ drivers called for concern and government action, adding that they had made life unbearable for everybody on Lagos roads.

    ”They drive without adhering to traffic rules and regulations and they do it so ungodly. The one-chance issue is mainly perpetrated by Danfo drivers. Government has every right to check their excesses, therefore, Ambode should go ahead and ban them on Lagos roads,” he said.

    NAN reports that on February 6, 2017, Ambode revealed plans to ban yellow commercial buses from Lagos roads this year.

    He said this while speaking at the 14th Annual Lecture of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) at Muson Centre, Onikan with the theme: “Living Well, The Challenge of Africa’s Future Cities.”

    Ambode said the present connectivity mode in Lagos was not acceptable and befitting for a mega city and called for well-structured transportation mode to address the challenge.

    “When I wake up in the morning and see all these yellow buses and Okada (commercial motorcyclists) and all kinds of tricycles, the claim that we are a mega city is not true. We must first acknowledge that, that is a faulty connectivity that we are running,” he said.

    Opadokun also commended Ambode’s development initiatives and urged him to sustain them to better the lot of the people.

    ”I must confess that I have attraction for that young man for all he has been doing in the state. The way he has been turning the state around positively is marvelous and he should be commended. I pray that God will grant him greater wisdom to make more and better strides,” he said.

  • Court saves 26-year-old marriage from collapse

    An Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State on Monday reconciled a couple, Alfred Adewunmi and his wife, Comfort, whose 26-year-old marriage was on the brink of collapse.

    Adewunmi, 48, a building contractor, had instituted a divorce suit on Sept. 26, 2016 claiming that his wife was not supportive and was also unfaithful to their marriage.

    “My wife is not faithful to me as she has male friends; she is also too stubborn and monitors my movements.

    “She says provocative words that cause me to be angry, which is hazardous to my health.

    “I am not interested in the marriage anymore: please separate us,” the petitioner who resides at Plot 12, Park View Estate, Bagidan, Ijede in Ikorodu, told the court.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Comfort, a 46- year- old mother of three and a trader, had earlier pleaded with the court for reconciliation, and pledged to mend her ways.

    However, following the intervention of the court, headed by Mrs Omolara Abiola, and the couple’s families, the Adewunmis told the court that they would work to resolve their differences and reconcile themselves.

    Abiola subsequently ordered that his wife should sign an undertaking that she would be a good wife, promise to be faithful and stop attending social gatherings only with her husband’s consent.

    The undertaking would also indicate that she would now be supportive and also help her husband build a bright future for their children.

  • Lagos State to renovate National Stadium Surulere

    Lagos State to renovate National Stadium Surulere

    The Lagos state government has expressed interest in the renovation of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode made the state’s intent known when he paid a condolence and courtesy visit on the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung at his residence in Abuja at the weekend.

    “I will like to bring the national stadium to life. The last time a game was played there was in 2005. There is also the employment aspect of football and hosting of matches at the stadium. That includes the jerseys, branding, mama put, the sign writers, the supporters, merchandising, and so on. We want to bring back the football culture of Lagos State to the National Stadium after its renovation,” Governor Ambode said.

    Dalung thanked the governor for his visit and praised Lagos State for its successful hosting of the 2nd Lagos City Marathon.  He called on the state government to add more entertainment and culture to the event in subsequent editions to get more youths involved in the marathon and to ensure that Nigerians benefit more from the whooping prize money .

    On the renovation of the National Stadium by the Lagos State government, the minister said he will go through their proposal and work on it.

    “It is only fair that we hand over the stadium to Lagos State for renovation since we’ve given to Enugu, Bauchi and Kaduna states.

    “We were trying to drive a concession but Lagos State’s interest in the National Stadium is what we call an overriding interest which is based on equity. If Governor Ambode is interested in the National Stadium then the concession process is already abated,” Dalung said.

    The Minister noted that Nigerian football and its followership started going down when the National Stadium in Surulere ceased to host local and international matches.

    “No matter how strong your home team is, if you don’t have a common ground where your teams play their big games, the environment counts a lot. Football has so many interests and since we lost the National Stadium, Lagos, football started going down.”

    Governor Ambode has since invited the Minister for a joint working visit of the National Stadium with the Lagos State government to ascertain the level of decadence and to hold talks on the the evaluation and the next line of action to take.

  • Motorists groan as contractors abandons work on third mainland bridge

    Motorists groan as contractors abandons work on third mainland bridge

    The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has come under heavy criticism from residents in Lagos over the abandonment of the repair works in the Third Mainland Bridge and other adjoining roads.

    The Agency, last month had begun repairs on both carriage ways of the Bridge, scrapping the asphalt on some section of the bridge, but had vacated site for over two weeks, leaving motorists to contend with the current state of the road.

    Motorists had attributed several accidents which had occurred on the Bridge in recent times to the uncoordinated method by which FERMA was carrying out the repair works.

    But investigations on Friday, however, showed that though the sum of N10billion was voted for FERMA in the 2016 Budget of the Federal Ministry of Works, the contractor engaged for the job was yet to be mobilised.

    With the March 31, 2017 date for the end of the implementation of the 2017 budget fast approaching, FERMA had hurriedly moved the contractor to site, however its failure to mobilize them led to the repair works being stalled.

    Some motorists in the State are however calling on the Minister of Works to rise up to the challenge and ensure that the Agency completes the repair works so as to save motorists the nightmare and the incessant accidents caused by the present state of the Bridge.

    Mr. Babajide Kasali, a motorist who plies the axis on a daily basis, decried the long hours of traffic occasioned by the slow pace of the repair works, saying that it was gradually taking a toll on his health and productivity.

    Another motorist, Mrs. Abidemi Otegbola said FERMA’s inability to carry out its duties was due to lack of proper monitoring by the parent ministry.

  • Ambode to Christians: Shun acts that can breed disunity, crisis

    Ambode to Christians: Shun acts that can breed disunity, crisis

    …CAN Says Lagos Progressing Despite Recession

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Saturday enjoined Christians to continue to make conscious efforts to sustain the peaceful atmosphere across the country, urging them to also refrain from acts capable of breeding division and igniting avoidable crisis.

    The Governor, who spoke at the 2017 Inter-Denominational Divine Service organised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at the Shepherdhill Baptist Church, Obanikoro, Lagos, said he was absolutely convinced that the success stories his administration has recorded so far were made possible by the collective prayers of all Lagosians and more importantly the relatively peaceful atmosphere that has prevailed within the State over time.

    “Every situation whether good or bad requires prayers. For us in Lagos State, we have been truly blessed. Indeed, we have enjoyed His grace which has enabled us as a State, to experience unprecedented breakthroughs inspite of economic recession. For instance, a lot of investments and new businesses have come into our State in the last twenty-one (21) months and there are many more in the process.

    He therefore urged Christians to lead from the front and continue to pray for not just the progress of the State but the nation at large, just as he assured that his government will continue to promote fairness, justice and everything that will make life more comfortable for Lagosians.

    “At this critical period in the history of our nation, the church and indeed everyone who believes in the efficacy of prayer have a responsibility and patriotic duty to pray for the wellbeing and progress of our State and nation. Prayer is the master key and there is no challenge that cannot be surmounted with prayers.

    “We remain committed to the goal of making the Lagos work for all; making all our communities economically viable and liveable as well as creating opportunities for everyone to actualise his/her potentials, without discrimination on the basis of ethnic affiliation, religious beliefs or socio- economic circumstances. By His grace, Lagos State will continue to prosper and our nation will rise again and become a pride to the entire black race and humanity,” Governor Ambode said.

    The Governor, who also expressed his delight to be part of the service, commended the Chairman, Executives and entire membership of CAN in Lagos, for sustaining the initiative which has become a yearly event that brings Christians from different denomination to worship and pray together.

    Earlier, Chairman of CAN, Lagos State Branch, Apostle Alexander Bamgbola thanked Governor Ambode for finding time to grace the occasion, noting that it was the first time in the history of the service that a Governor of Lagos State of the Christian faith would be attending the programme personally.

    Bamgbola also lauded the Governor for the several laudable projects he had initiated since he assumed office, saying that Lagosians were greatly feeling the impact across the State.

    “We wish to let you know here today that we are proud of the wonderful and excellent work that the Lord is using you t do in our dear state of Lagos. In less than two years, God has used you to do great work that every well-meaning Lagosian is commending daily. It is self-evident that truly: ‘Itesiwaju Eko lo jewa l’ogun”, the CAN boss said.

    Corroborating him, Rev. Sunday Matilukuro who gave the sermon, said he was particularly amazed on how Governor Ambode was able to surmount the early challenges his administration faced to deliver life changing projects across the State.

    “When I was in my former station, we were reading about the traffic jam all over Lagos and I was wondering what was happening, but when I came on visit to Lagos, I was wondering what the noise was all about because what I was seeing was different. You are gradually transforming Lagos to the megacity that it is,” Matilukuro said.

    Speaking on the theme, ‘Grace in a Recession’, the cleric urged Christians to seek the face of God and shun sin if they must rise above recession to succeed.

  • Lagos must be clean

    Lagos must be clean

    One striking feature of a capital city in any developed country is cleanliness.

    Most of the capital cities are very clean and this announces to visitors that they are in a capital city. No heap of refuse, no abandoned broken down vehicles, no abandoned bloated dead bodies on the road and no suicide beggars competing with moving vehicles and almost threatening to harm a motorist who fails to give out alms.

    Unfortunately, this could not be said of Lagos which used to be the nation’s capital and which remains the capital of Lagos state that international visitors must see on arrival in Nigeria after landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

    Other International capital cities such as London, Washington, Oslo, Dublin, Paris  etc are a beauty to behold because of their sparkling clean environment. The question then remains, how did these capital cities attain their cleanliness? The answer is simply that governments in those countries pay attention to personal hygiene and have a very effective waste disposal system right from individual households.

    While the efforts of the past and present administrations in Lagos state to keep Lagos clean in accordance with internal best practices in waste disposal should not be lost, much still needed to be done to attain the level of cleanliness as obtained in other developed capital cities across the world.

    There is no gain saying the fact that the Ambode administration in Lagos state has made giant strides in achieving the Lagos of our dream, in terms of a cleaner megacity that is not only environmentally clean, but a commercial hub that offers prosperity to everyone. It is in this sense that the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) was established as an extensive and sustainable waste management system for Lagos.

    This new waste management regime, (CLI) will create about 45,000 new jobs. The new waste management policy apart from creating the enabling environment for the private sector to harness international best practices, will also address the existing challenges in solid waste management in the state. The CLI will engage about 25,000 community sanitation workers who will work as street sweepers and they will reside in their wards so that they won’t have to spend so much money on transport to and from work.

    Besides, they will be well trained with an attractive welfare package. The sanitation workers will be well kitted with decent uniforms, gloves, boots, pickers, brushes, carts as well as mobile phones with which to communicate with the control centre and they will be well remunerated. This is no doubt a mass employment scheme that would take many unemployed youths off the street and with the propensity to generate additional indirect 500,000 jobs from its value chain. This will also be a boost on the economy of Lagos state.

    CLI is well tailored towards maximizing the state’s potential in solid waste management that would provide permanent solution to waste recycling, recovery and waste reduction challenges that have dimmed the shine of the state for decades, and offer innovative approach to liquid waste management, drainage management and waste water treatment in the State.

    It is therefore obvious that this new sanitation policy if properly executed, will most likely achieve in one year, what the cancelled monthly environmental sanitation could not achieve in the last 30 years. The new sanitation workers will take cleaning as a serious business such that residents would only take care of their abodes and surroundings as a complementary service. It is going to be a departure from the cancelled monthly environmental sanitation which many Lagosians saw as forced labour.

    The Cleaner Lagos Initiative scheme was informed by the need to correct the flaws in existing waste management system and to introduce modern technology into the management of solid waste. A new law to back the current waste management regime is in the offing and this will allow big time players in the waste management sector to do business with the government.

    Residents will still pay what they are paying presently to Private Sector Partnership (PSP) on waste management with the new name of (Public Utility Levy) part of which goes into an Environment Trust Fund.  The difference is that they will get more value for their money in terms of effective waste management system that would ensure government’s objective of a cleaner Lagos. The scope of the  Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) shall be expanded to enable it enforce, regulate and generate revenue from the waste management process while the new policy will protect the environment, human health and social living standards of Lagos residents.

    Also, the need for the new initiative is a confirmation that the current waste management system has failed due to many obstacles which goes to show that it is high time the government re-strategised to ensure a cleaner Lagos which make the new environmental sanitation policy a welcome idea.

    The new sanitation policy will address the current problem of irregular waste collection which leads to irregular and poor payments, bin placement, transfer loading stations, and other supporting infrastructure have been ignored and undue attention placed on waste collection only. In addition, LAWMA in its role as regulator/operator is overwhelmed by the responsibilities of having to coordinate the activities of 350 individual companies and still carry out its own collection services. The billing system is unduly complicated due to the differences and inconsistencies in charges and collection routes, therefore leaving the billing system open to manipulation and fraud while many individual operators have failed to fulfil their obligations on the trucks.

    One cheering news is that the current poor waste management situation shall be addressed holistically using modern technology. For example, apart from the transformation of the existing Transfer Loading Station (TLS) and the introduction of no less than 25 Material Revolving Facility (MRF) where wastes will be sorted, 600 new compactor vehicles will be acquired, and waste dumpsites will be closed and replaced with engineered sanitary landfill sites.

    The planned shutdown of dumpsites such as the Ojota and Solus dumpsites which has become an eyesore and a threat to health of residents of those areas is a big relief. Dumpsites are dangerous to health and the environment. The leachate and gas to be recovered from the proposed sanitary landfills will be put to good use.

    In the plan, Olusosun dumpsite will be regenerated and turned  into a park, where intercity buses will end their journey and would no longer be allowed to enter into the city. Passengers will from there take taxis and intra-city buses to their destinations in town. Emphasis will henceforth be on zero-dumping, recycling and generation of power from wastes. To achieve this, government will carry out a re-certification of all the 350 PSP operators, re-license them and audit the state of their compactors and there will be a control room where the tracked compactors shall be monitored.

    It also pertinent at this juncture to allay the fears of the present PSP operators that government has no intention of sending them away, but will only re-certify their vehicles and make them comply with the new rules and regulation towards ensuring cleaner Lagos befitting the status of a mega city. This should be supported by all without prejudice.

    The restructuring will benefit PSPs because the new environmental policies and laws will not only protect the citizens and the environment, but all waste management operators who painstakingly invest their resources into helping with the clean-up of Lagos.

    The investment in the waste management will ensure that all commercial entities have a valid contract with a registered operator; these contracts will prove to be a valuable component for any serious-minded operator with sustainable plans for growth.

    The restructuring will make new provisions that protect the interests of existing investments by requiring all commercial entities to have a valid and enforceable contract with a registered operator.

    It is also heart-warming to know that five new power stations, one in each division in the state, will be built to generate power from wastes, and the numerous dumpsites dotting parts of the state will soon be a thing of the past.

    Going by what the Ambode administration has done so far since its assumption of office over a year ago, Lagosians have confidence in the ability of the government to deliver on promises like it did in a couple of other areas like infrastructure and security. If Lagos must truly attain it’s status of a mega city, it must be as clean as any of the capital cities earlier mentioned and that is why the Clean Lagos Initiative is the appropriate Special Purpose Vehicle towards achieving this. Let all stakeholders support this bold move. Lagos must be clean!

    Akintunde, a policy analyst wrote from Karimu, Surulere,  Lagos

  • Lagos Assembly C’ttee begins tour of PHCs

    Lagos Assembly C’ttee begins tour of PHCs

    The Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Health Services, says its on-the-spot assessment of primary health centres (PHCs) is borne out of the determination to enhance quality healthcare delivery at grassroots.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the House Committee led by its Chairman, Mr Segun Olulade commenced an on-the-spot assessment of primary healthcare centres in the state on Friday.

    “This exercise is targeted at ensuring standard and efficient healthcare delivery at the primary level. This level of healthcare service is very crucial.

    “If we get it wrong at this level, there will be a problem as many lives will be lost carelessly before getting to secondary level.

    “We are passionate about the masses as the representative of the people. This informs our inspection of the facilities at PHCs to see the situation of things and the challenges, with a view to providing solutions to them.”

    According to him, the state government is committed to reducing the number of patients patronising higher healthcare givers by improving facilities at the primary level.

    “We are going to be doing a lot on our primary health centres and I can assure residents that in the next two or three weeks, they will see a lot of facilities at the primary level being renovated and upgraded.

    “Before June, a minimum of over 50 primary health centres will be upgraded. They will be completed in the next six months and equipped,’’ he said.

  • Transformational leadership in Lagos State

    Transformational leadership in Lagos State

    I start this piece with a confession. I have been mentally tortured in the last 72 hours over the turn taken by the greatest democracy on earth, the United States of America. I have watched partisanship go awry and political leaders wallowing in the mud of hateful nationalism.

    The final straw for me was President Trump’s announcement of a new Supreme Court nominee to fill a vacancy that occurred 11 months ago, when President Obama still had a`year to the end of his term. Confirmation of Obama’s nominee was, however, blocked for that length of time by the Republicans in Senate because they wanted a new president to make the nomination.

    Now that Trump has nominated a conservative, happy Republicans have called on Senate Democrats not to block the nomination. I wrestled with this development and was on the verge of mental breakdown. Is this what liberal democracy has come to? I thought of pouring my mind out on this matter in this column. But I eventually decided against starting a new month on such a depressing matter.

    Fortunately, I woke up on Wednesday morning and saw a more heart-warming story about the workings of democracy even in our own corner of the world. Yes, not too long ago, we were a pariah to the world of liberal democracy even though the leadership of that world hardly lifted a finger to help us out. Thankfully, while we still have issues to deal with, especially at the centre, we should beat our chests regarding the pockets of progress which give us reason to keep hope alive.

    I am especially elated about the story of Lagos State and the commitment of its leadership to development and human investment. It is what transformational leadership is about.

    In the last dispensation, we heard a lot about transformational leadership, especially at the federal level. Indeed, we were inundated with a well-orchestrated campaign of transformation agenda. We know now how it all ended in the dustbin of history.

    However, what the centre has not been able to achieve in 17 years of democratic governance, Lagos State has shown how, even in a democracy (as opposed to military dictatorship), transformational leadership at the helm of a people-centred administration can energise and inspire citizens. In the process, the people have a renewed hope in the future and an optimistic sense of what they can accomplish. In short, the people buy into leadership vision and both leadership and people can launch a new era of development. It is a win-win situation.

    The story that motivated this piece appears under the title “Ambode’s Massive Infrastructural Plan” in ThisDay edition of Wednesday, February 1, 2017. Apart from the content of the governor’s message at the meeting, which by itself was uplifting, what impressed me is that it was in the context of the sixth Town Hall meeting that the governor has held with the people on a quarterly basis, and the first in the new year.

    In practice, democracy thrives when the people, as the subject and object of governance, are not abandoned to their fate after elections, but are constantly coopted into government activities through regular interactive sessions. That Governor Ambode has institutionalised such meetings is a credit to his democratic credentials.

    The form is important. But the substance is even more so. What have been the concrete achievements of the administration of Governor Ambode in the last 20 months since he was sworn in to lead the Centre of Excellence?

    I recall the confusion and anxiety that characterised his first couple of months in office. There was traffic gridlock. There was concern for security of lives and property with the increasing menace of traffic robbers and kidnappers. And there was water shortage problem.

    Rather than panic at the time, however, I simply went down memory lane. I recalled Governor Ambode’s challenges were not dissimilar to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s in the first few months of his administration in 1999. Then Asiwaju received an earful from critics who were nostalgic about the administration of Military Governor Marwa. It was like the Israelites attacking Moses who liberated them from the Egyptian oppression! Asiwaju’s assurance that he had a plan for a lasting solution to the challenges did not persuade the critics. But when the turn-around kicked in, they were also the first to applaud. That has also been the experience of Ambode.

    Transformational leadership is thoughtful leadership. It is not a fire-fighter approach to governance. It develops a solid plan to tackle the root cause of problems such that, once applied, the problem does not have a chance of recurring. The continuity of progressive leadership in Lagos State for 17 years has also been a bonus. The governor did not have to reinvent the wheel of planning as he wisely decided to execute and further the achievement of the 2012-2025 development plan.

    It is under the auspices of this plan that Ambode has made enormous progress in the transformation of the state. Think of the impact of the initiative for the construction of 114 roads across the 57 local governments and local council development areas. At the Town Hall meeting, he announced an additional 181 roads projects across the state. Meanwhile, generously supplied street lights have dramatically transformed night life in Lagos.

    In December 2016, Governor Ambode launched the LAKE rice project, a collaboration between Lagos State and Kebbi State, which has brought down considerably the cost of rice in the state, and probably across the Southwest. This is another example of transformational leadership. While I find this highly commendable, and without any prejudice against Kebbi State, I do hope that there will be similar collaborations in future between Lagos and land-rich states in the Southwest. How about LAYO (be joyful) rice?

    One of the campaign promises of Governor Ambode was the creation of an Employment Trust Fund to boost job creation for the benefit of Lagosians. This is an important component of human investment without which there can be no economic or social transformation. The governor delivered on this promise at the inauguration of the Fund in March 2016, with an on-the-spot instruction to the Commissioner for Finance to disburse the yearly payment of N6.25 billion to the Fund. With government lifting the heavy side of the load, it sent a powerful message to the private sector to discharge its social responsibilities.

    Transformational leadership is a function of a vision and a determination to realise it despite the odds. To realise their vision, transformational leaders rely on the best hands to which they give the necessary support to succeed. That has been the story of Lagos State in the Fourth Republic. Governors have not been overly bogged down by political or partisan considerations. Since Asiwaju Tinubu himself had led in this area, his successors enjoyed the freedom to hire and fire their associates without been imposed upon. The state has been the beneficiary.

    Governor Ambode’s vision, as enunciated in his inaugural address on May 29, 2015, afforded us an understanding of his priorities. “No matter your age, sex, tribe or any other status, as long as you reside in Lagos, we will make Lagos work for you.”  In addition, he declared, “I will make your taxes work for you.” This was his full-throated promise.

    It was a simple message that resonated with citizens of the state. And now that they are witnessing the systematic fulfilment of the promise, their sense of citizen obligation to the state is rekindled. Citizen engagement and mobilisation is not activated in a vacuum. Government must lead the charge for citizens to follow. Transformation must begin with leaders.

    Lagos State is a microcosm of Nigeria. Every ethnic nationality is represented in the fabric of the state. The amazing story of Lagos is that while there have been ethnic skirmishes, especially at the beginning of this republic, no group has chosen to check out. This is because everyone is hopeful of making it in Lagos.

    With transformational leadership and good policies, Nigeria can also reassure all citizens that they can make it.

     

    • Follow me on twitter: @segungbadeg2002
  • FG partners Lagos State on National Theatre

    FG partners Lagos State on National Theatre

    There are indications that the National Theatre, which used to be the premium entertainment hub will return to its glory, as the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government have agreed to give the edifice a facelift.
    Minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who is midwiving the process said the partnership between the two governments on the renovation of the National Theatre will breathe life into the national edifice.
    Speaking after an inspection tour of the theatre in Lagos on Saturday, ahead of the renovation, Alhaji Mohammed described the facility as a valuable national asset that cannot be allowed to become derelict.
    ‘’We are here today to take physical stock of what the Lagos State Government has offered to help us with – that is the rehabilitation of the National Theatre.
    ‘’I want to use the opportunity to express my gratitude and that of the Federal Government to the Governor, the Government and the people of Lagos state, who have graciously offered to assist to renovate the main bowl of the National Theatre, two cinema halls, the exhibition lobby and the banquet hall as part of the collaboration between the Federal Government and the State, especially as the state turns 50 this year,’’ he said.
    Alhaji Mohammed said ‘’with the hand of friendship that the Lagos Government has extended to us, we are very hopeful that we are going to get the main bowl, two cinema halls, the exhibition lobby and the banquet hall renovated and ready for the Lagos at 50 celebration.
    ‘’The National Theatre is an asset we can boast of, and what we need to do is to bring it back to a working condition,’’ he said.
    The minister promised that after the renovation, the national edifice will not be allowed to go into a state of disrepair again.
    ‘’I know that the question on the lips of many people is that what happens after the renovation. But I want to assure Nigerians that it cannot be business as usual. The National Theatre now has a new management that is in tune with reality and we will simply not allow the National Theatre to degenerate to the level we met it today,’’ he said.
    Alhaji Mohammed said Lagos State will benefit massively from the renovation of the theatre, ‘’because it is going to give the necessary impetus to the creative industry’’.

  • We’ll explore arts, entertainment sector to overcome recession- Ambode

    …Hosts First Rasheed Gbadamosi Art Exhibition

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Friday evening said that his administration will continue to harness the massive potentials and creativity that abound in the arts and entertainment sector not only to boost the State’s economy but also to lead the drive to get the nation out of recession.

    The Governor, who spoke at the maiden Rasheed Gbadamosi Art Exhibition, held at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Victoria Island, said there was no better time for progressive governments to begin to look towards the arts and entertainment sector to create jobs for the teeming youths, which according to him can go a long way to reflate the economy.

    He said, “If we are going to beat recession, the real future of Lagos and Nigeria is what you have seen tonight and that’s where we are going.

    “In a situation where we have been unable to tap the energy in creative arts, I can tell you for free that the real future of Lagos and the economy generally in Nigeria is in the creative arts, entertainment and in services. Like I have always said, we have an end to white collar jobs, so the future and now is for those who are creative, innovative and those who can use their energy and talent to create employment”.

    Governor Ambode said his administration believes that no nation or state can achieve its full potential without adequate attention to matters of heritage and culture or without due encouragement for the teeming youthful population that sees and seeks opportunities in the creative industries.

    “Creativity is the most valuable asset in any progressive society. Therefore, progressive governments must embrace creativity. We are committed, and we must reward contributors of creative ideas with incentives.

    “This is why we are keenly interested in further development of our creative talents; in providing them with support and opportunities to be engaged; in helping to create platforms such as today’s to excel and compete globally and in showing to the world that Lagos is more than ready to announce its arrival as the continent’s frontline destination of choice that gives arts and culture their due,” the Governor said.

    He said with the Arts Exhibition, aside seeking to immortalise the sterling contributions of the late Co-Chair of the Lagos @ 50 Committee, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, presented a veritable platform for his administration to show its passion for the creative arts especially by encouraging young and budding talents.

    “This is why we are keenly interested in further development of our creative talents; in providing them with support and opportunities to be engaged; in helping to create platforms such as today’s to excel and compete globally and in showing to the world that Lagos is more than ready to announce its arrival as the continent’s frontline destination of choice that gives arts and culture their due,” Governor Ambode said.

    He said aside the six arts theaters and cinemas which would come on board this year, his administration was making several other interventions to engage the arts community for the Lagos @ 50 celebrations, including engaging several artists to decorate various parts of our state with landmark installations.

    “Imagine if you give these young ones six arts theatres and cinemas across Lagos, that means they can display their talents, that means we would create more jobs for people, that means there would be money coming into Lagos and then we would have improved on tourism, that’s what we are doing,” Governor Ambode said.

    On his part, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed commended the efforts of Governor Ambode describing him as one of the most passionate governors keen to give the creative arts industry a face lift.

    Mohammed said Governor Ambode, aside being the first governor in Nigeria building theaters all over the State, his passion to upgrade the National Museum and the National Theatre to world class standard was second to none.

    He added that through massive investment in the security apparatus in the State as well as the Light Up Lagos initiative, the Governor was putting in place lifelong infrastructures, which according to him was reviving a 24-hour economy for Lagos.

    Corroborating him, former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba was full of praise of Governor Ambode, saying that he has succeeded in bringing the old and the new together and restoring Lagos as the modern father of Nigeria.

    Also speaking, arts collector extraordinaire, Omooba Yemisi Shyllon, said if Lagos can sustain the drive to revive the creative arts and entertainment industry, the State is capable of feeding Nigeria with foreign exchange.

    He cited the Opera House in Paris, France, Spain and South Africa as countries who are raking in millions of dollars through arts, culture and tourism, saying Lagos was already taking a cue.

    “Lagos State has blazed the trail. Thank You Governor, you are the Moses we have been waiting for. It takes a lot of insight for someone to identify this great creativity in this state and an industry is being created, joblessness would reduce, people will be busy, we would have less social problems, the image of this state will grow and we would become a great city,” he said.