Last week, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode inaugurated various projects across the state. They ranged from roads, hospitals, law court and more. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports that the projects were designed to make life comfortable for residents and enhance the ease of doing business.
Lagos, the fifth largest economy in Africa, the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria and the economic capital of West Africa, experienced giant leap in provision of critical infrastructure in strategic sectors in two days when Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, on November 8 and 9, unveiled some newly completed projects and policies which were designed to make life comfortable for residents and enhance the ease of doing business.
The two-days, which were a mixture of inspection of ongoing and unveiling of completed projects, also featured the inauguration of a 45-member Community Relations Committee in Badagry that will work to forestall any incidence of environmental degradation, communal disputes and civil disturbances often associated with oil-producing areas.
On Wednesday, Governor Ambode inaugurated a new access road at he premises of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja that will get rid of difficulties associated with accessing medical care faster during emergencies. The road connects the premises of LASUTH from Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way and Medical Road in Ikeja.
Governor Ambode also inspected the progress of work on the LASUTH Maternity Hospital popularly known as Ayinke House which began in January last year.
The 400-metres long road boasts street light, drainage, median and beautification features.
Speaking while inaugurating the road, Governor Ambode expressed delight at the completion of the project, saying it was designed to facilitate faster access to medical care, thereby saving lives. He said it was a thing of joy that after about three to four decades, another access road had been created to LASUTH.
He said: “We are very delighted to be here. We believe strongly that the cornerstone for the growth of the economy of Lagos actually lies in the hands of all because if we don’t have a healthy state, we cannot have a productive economy. That was why we decided to pay greater attention to the health sector.
“We realised that just one entrance into this whole complex is too dangerous. We are happy to inaugurate this project.
“We are also happy that in another five to six months, we will be back here to make the Ayinke House functional. We have received assurances that before May 2018, those ones will be completed also,” he said.
Governor Ambode then moved to Igando where he inspected the ongoing expansion and upgrade of Alimosho General Hospital. There, the Governor ordered additional projects such as lounge for families of patients and canteen, as well as Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department to be included in the project.
The Governor also inspected the ongoing construction of theatre art as well as the general hospital in Badagry town.
While inaugurating members of the oil exploration community relations committee the following day, Governor Ambode said as much as oil is a major source of revenue in the country, its exploration has created serious environmental challenges affecting health, social and economic activities, sustainable development and ecological balance due to land degradation, air pollution, water pollution, deforestation and ecosystem degradation in the oil-producing communities.
“These activities, among others, have led to agitations from communities and youth groups leading to disruption of exploration activities, pipeline vandalisation and, in extreme cases, kidnapping and violence,” he said.
Governor Ambode also said Lagos, being the home of Nigeria’s most critical commercial activities and now an oil-producing state with the discovery of oil in the Badagry area; in the Aje Oil Field, OML 113 being operated by Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Company, cannot afford to have any community unrests or disruption of peace, hence the need for the committee.
“It is imperative that our oil companies and their host communities enjoy a very warm and mutually beneficial relationship.
“Sequel to the aforesaid and the need to create an exploration environment conducive to the oil companies as well as having host communities devoid of rancour to prevent the re-occurrence of the Niger Delta issues in Lagos State, we have constituted a Committee for the Lagos State Oil-Producing Areas Relations, cutting across the oil-producing communities in Badagry,” he said.
Besides, Governor Ambode said the committee would also be expected to ensure peace and harmony between host communities and oil companies in Badagry.
“Our government is committed to creating an environment conducive to all to thrive, especially in our budding oil industry. We will always work to protect our people and ensure their welfare is improved while at the same time providing an investor-friendly environment,” he said.
While thanking members of the committee for accepting to serve and contribute to the development of Lagos State, the Governor urged them to deploy their wealth of knowledge and experience to ensure co-operation and collaboration between the communities and the oil companies operating in Badagry.
“This is a tough assignment because it is not easy to mediate and arbitrate. I look forward to receiving the reports of your activities and the progress being made by our communities and oil companies,” he said.
Speaking while inaugurating Olusola Thomas Court House in Badagry, a new six-room court complex named after a former Chief Judge of the State, Governor Ambode said the development was another strong representation of his commitment to the rule of law and social justice, as well as a testimony of the determination to ensure that distance or geographical location is not a barrier to citizens’ access to justice.
“The ongoing transformation of Badagry through infrastructural renewal and development are meant to open up this part for investors who will take advantage of the multi-million oil exploration activity and Deep Sea Port Project, among others,” he said.
Giving details on the features of the new complex, the Governor said: “The court has been equipped with modern facilities for the comfort of not only judges and magistrates but also everyone, including lawyers and members of the public.
“The court has been designed to ensure the welfare and security of personnel and members of the public who have course to be in the chambers of justice with the installation of close circuit television (CCTV) surveillance cameras and monitors within the various courtrooms and the entire vicinity of this complex.
“There is a well-equipped library, exhibit and conference room facilities for the continued training and retraining of justice personnel assigned to this complex.”
Continuing, he said: “We have already concluded the contract that takes the road from Eric Moore to Okokomaiko which is ongoing. So, we are just looking to close the next transaction that takes that 10-lane road from Okokomaiko to Seme Border.”
To another equally set of projects, Governor Ambode proceeded to Ketu where he inaugurated multiple Layby and Slip Road in Agboyi Ketu Local Council Development Area as part of measures to find a lasting solution to the perennial traffic gridlock along Ikorodu Road.
The Governor also launched the Intelligence Transport System (ITS), the e-ticketing for commuters using the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), the Ojota BRT Depot and the new complex for the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority known as LAMATA Place.
Speaking while inaugurating the slip road and multiple lay-by in Ketu, Governor Ambode said the project was a significant milestone that will drastically reduce the traffic along the corridor, adding that its completion would, no doubt, impact directly on travel time as the targeted reduction of traffic along the length of the Third Mainland Bridge to the entire stretch of the axis, moving towards Old Toll Gate and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would be accomplished.
“This project is one of the major interventions in recent time by this administration. There is the multiple lay-by at Oworonshoki, the car wash Layby, slip road at Olopomeji, the several see through fence and the recently launched lay-by at Alapere bus stop.
“Without doubt, this administration has dedicated considerable resources to the fulfilment of its initiatives of providing basic elements of roads and transport infrastructure. This, obviously, is in tandem with the fact that the importance of transportation to our economy cannot be over- emphasised,” he said.
The Governor said as part of the Bus Reform Initiative (BRI), additional new 800 buses would be provided in the next two months, while a total of 5,000 would be provided within 24 months.
He, however, urged residents to co-operate with government, especially by not plying commercial motorcycles, popularly known as okada in restricted routes, saying such was why the government was providing enough buses.
Speaking at Ojota while launching the e-ticketing, ITS, BRT Depot and LAMATA Place, Governor Ambode said the move was another initiative geared to allow proper transport planning, saying that the technology had been designed to indicate where each bus is; how the driver is behaving; the arrival time of a bus and space inside, among others.
Giving details, the Governor said: “This is a four-in-one package. When you look at the city generally, I get so unhappy when I see people standing at the bus stops not knowing when the next bus will arrive. The ITS is designed to solve such problem and our people can become more productive and then more comfortable in the way they commute across the city.
“There are more Lagosians using buses; there are more Lagosians walking on the road than those of us that have cars. So, we need to take proper care of them and that is the step we are taking here and the reforms we are doing in the transport sector ultimately to create an integrated transport management system in the city combining water, road, rail, air and those walking.”
However, the projects did not go down without commendation from critical stakeholders who viewed them as demonstrable evidence of determination to make life easier and comfortable to the people by the Ambode administration.
Responding on behalf of the community, Oba of Ketu, HRM Isiaka Balogun commended Governor Ambode for the massive infrastructural projects carried out in the axis so far, saying they were unprecedented.
Also, in her remarks at the launch of new courtrooms in Badagry, Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Opeyemi Oke commended Governor Ambode for his commitment to deliver prompt and efficient justice system.
While lauding the new court house, the CJ said it was also gratifying that the governor was in the process of building official quarters for judges and magistrates in Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry judicial divisions, as well as plans to establish commercial court house.
The Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Adewale Oke, at inauguration of the new access, commended Governor Ambode for his commitment to the health sector, saying several projects had been executed in the institution.
“This is a dream come true. For many years, we have had problem with movement of patients into the hospital. Sometimes, they are in the ambulance for 15 or 20 minutes before they can get in but this road has solved that problem.
“It is going to save our patients; it’s going to make access to the hospital very easy even for the workers,” Oke said.
Also speaking, Prof. Babatunde Sholagbero, Provost of Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), said the completion of the road was evidence of promise made and promise kept.
He thanked Governor Ambode for facilitating the accreditation of Dentistry for the institution, thereby making Lagos State University (LASU) the only state university in Nigeria that offer Bachelor of Dentistry degree.
“By the World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, the accepted dentist to patient population in United States is 1 to 2,000, but for Africa it is 1 to 150,000. So, for every dentist we produce, we will now have 150,000 Lagosians being catered for,” Solagbero said.
On his part, President of Lagos State University Medical Students’ Association, Bada Akintayo Akinbobola commended Governor Ambode for his determination to scale up the health sector, saying LASUCOM is now regarded as the Harvard of Africa judging by the massive investment in the institution by the state government.
But the projects inaugurated by Governor Ambode were just a few out of the lot. Several others ranging from Primary Health care Centres (PHCs), blocks of classrooms and schools infrastructure as well as fibre boats to aid water transportation sector were also unveiled by representatives of the Governor across the state.
