…Reschedules summit to October
BENJAMIN OMOIKE
Lagos State has disclosed plans to launch a 30-year Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP) 2022-2052, during the 2022 Ehingbeti summit.
Meanwhile, the Ehingbeti summit earlier scheduled to hold in August has been rescheduled to October 11 and 12, 2022.
Sam Egube, Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning & Budget, disclosed this during pre-summit stakeholders engagement on Thursday in Lagos.
He explained that the Lagos Economic Summit (EHINGBETI), dates back to 2000, borne out of the strong desire by the state government to accelerate economic growth and development of Lagos, and is now firmly established as a credible forum for the stimulation of economic growth in Lagos State.
According to him, from its early stages the Summit has been an avenue for the private sector to evaluate the implementation of key initiatives that were agreed as resolutions at the various summits.
The LSDP is an all-encompassing master plan which clearly articulates initiatives that will drive Lagos’ ambition to become Africa’s Model Mega City, a Global, Economic and Financial Hub that is Safe, Secure, Functional and Productive.
The 2022 summit tends to engage with high-powered speakers and thought leaders on the strategic dimensions and focus areas of the LSDP 2052 and provide opportunities for engagement with the audience to formally launch the LSDP 2052.
According to Egube, who doubles as the co-chairman of the summit said this year’s summit is expected to have the following outcomes reconfirmation of Lagos’ vision to become Africa’s Model Mega City, a global, economic and financial hub that is safe, secure, functional and productive, kick-off of the communication process on the LSDP’s strategic dimensions and objectives including details on the initiatives supporting these objectives.
Other expectations include a clear common roadmap for implementation of the LSDP 2052 including the buy-in from key private sector stakeholders in supporting the plan and its objectives, official launch of the LSDP 2052 by unveiling it to the public and engaging a wide audience on the plan’s vision, strategic dimensions and objectives.
The Lagos State government, he said, has implemented 193 out of 206 resolutions from Ehingbeti since its inception, adding that, over the last 20 years, recommendations from Ehingbeti have helped the Lagos State government to focus on areas that concern the citizens, investors, and businesses with positive results achieved.
Speaking at the event, Solape Hammond, co-chair, technical committee, sought the support of the private sector in various engagements during the summit.
“So we ask you to champion this,support it with your heart, with your intellect, with your finances and with your presence,” she said.
In his good will message, Arie Plieger, acting head of mission/head economic department, Kingdom of the Netherlands, noted there are many challenges in Nigeria but Lagos, a Southwest Nigeria, really has an economic potential.
In the area of medical packs, he promised to invite Akin Abayomi, commissioner for health, Lagos State to go to the Netherlands in October with three companies and a few key decision makers “to see how we can help the health sector not only illegals, but also in Nigeria but predominantly here.”
In his goodwill message, Amarakoon Bandara, senior economic advisor, United Nations Development Programme, said, “we will do whatever we can to support the process “.
Michael Olawale-Cole, president, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the new Lagos State development plan for 2052 is a good one.
“We must make sure it is inclusive of young people. Let us get the young people included because they are the ones that will drive Lagos.”
