BENJAMIN OMOIKE
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will focus on more projects, Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso has said.
“The Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Lagos, endorsed Sanwo-Olu for re-election, but this will not make the Governor shift his focus away from the State’s numerous projects,” Omotoso said.
The Commissioner, who spoke on “Lagos State In Focus”, an MITV programme, averred that the endorsement was based on Sanwo-Olu’s remarkable achievements in projects execution. It was not unexpected, because the Governor “has done well,” he said.
His words: “The GAC must have based their decision to endorse Sanwo-Olu on the future of Lagos, as the Governor has been building on what his predecessors have done. The Governor is a man of vision, good character and a good party man. The decision to let Sanwo-Olu contest for another term is not about personal glorification; the aim is to deliver for the people of Lagos.”
Omotoso, who also described Sanwo-Olu as a man of integrity, stated that the Governor’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic, his infrastructural strides in road construction and transportation management, improvement in schools infrastructure and massive renovation of hospitals, are some of the projects and programmes responsible for the GAC’s decision.
Asked if the push for another term would not cause a shift in focus, the Commissioner said no such thing will happen. He spoke about the projects that Sanwo-Olu needs to complete, such as the Blue Line and Red Line rail projects, Lekki-Epe Expressway, General Hospital, Ojo and the many roads in Ikorodu, such as Oba Sekumade Road, Agric-Ishawo Road, Bola Tinubu-Igbogbo Road, and the Regional Road.
“The Fourth Mainland Bridge is also in the works,” Omotoso said.He reiterated that the religious community, traders, artisans and other stakeholders are all in support of Sanwo-Olu’s endorsement.
Asked for comments on the planned resumption of tolling by the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), at the Ikoyi Link Bridge Toll Gate, Omotoso said consultations with the stakeholders were still ongoing.
“The consultation is to seek the understanding of stakeholders and all those involved. A list of concessions the stakeholders requested for has been tabled. The Company has financial obligations, which must be discharged so that future opportunities for investments in the State, will not be affected,” he said.
He explained why the government set up a Parks Management Committee, saying it was all to ensure peace.
Omotoso was asked to comment on the Chrisland School incident, which he described as “a monumental family and societal tragedy”.
He said it was all emotionally disturbing for parents, the school and the government.The Commissioner said the Government’s swift response to the matter was to stop its escalation, with the warning against spreading the video. He declined further comments “because the matter is still under investigation”.
