September 16, 2022

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso has disclosed that the decision by the former Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, to resign his appointment was personal.

He noted that this was because of the need to protect the dignity of the office and has nothing to do with professional incompetence.

He informed that Mr. Governor has constituted a panel to look into the cases of building collapse in the State to proffer a long-term solution to the menace.

In a statement on Friday, Salako said this while speaking on diverse issues in the state on a television programme ‘Lagos in Focus’ aired on MITV.

On Okada ban, Omotoso said this has ensured the return of sanity and tranquility on some roads while the crime and accident rates have also been drastically reduced in many areas.

He reiterated the determination of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to ensure that the ban on commercial motorcycles, popularly known as ‘Okada’, is fully implemented in the affected Local Governments/Local Council Development Areas of the State.

Imploring Lagosians to always make use of the safe and conducive First and Last Mile (FLM) Buses as alternative means of transportation, Omotoso said the State Government has put in place 19 vocational centres where people can learn different skills at no cost to them, noting that about 6000 people have already graduated from the vocational centres.

In his words: “People should take advantage of these free vocational skill training centres. It is on record that about 6000 people have passed through these vocational centres. The State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment is also providing financial grants to graduands as startup support for their businesses”.

He revealed that the Ministries of Agriculture and Science & Technology also have in place, programmes that the youths can explore to build successful businesses and be financially self-dependent.

While responding to questions on the Governor’s political future and his scorecard in office, Omotoso said Lagosians were applauding Sanwo-Olu for his projects and when the time comes, they will back and give him their full support, noting that there are many ongoing projects embarked upon by the present administration

He said: “Lagos has been described as a massive construction site. We will soon witness the completion of the Blue and Red Line Rail Projects as well as 15 Jetties which would be delivered soon to boost water transportation in the State”.

On Water Transportation, he disclosed that: “No accident has been recorded on our waterways in the past three years because we have Professionals running the transportation system”.

Omotoso disclosed that relevant Ministries and Agencies are on standby to tackle the issue of flooding being experienced as a result of the recent downpour, assuring that the present administration will continue to be responsible and responsive to the needs of the masses.