X
4
E
EL
OF E
L LE N
C
CE
EBRATI
ON
ALAUSA ALERT, January 2014
C
Infrastructural Projects
Newly commissioned Isopakodowo Market, Oshodi
built with tax payers funds. He hoped the
road would not revert to a refuse dump
again.
He called for caution against over
speeding because of the smoothness of
the road and appealed to the people to
continue their voluntarily tax payment, in
addition to partaking in the on – going
residents registration exercise .
Governor Babatunde gave the cheering
news that the housing project being
undertaken in the community which is
nearing completion would be allocated
strictly to residents of Lagos because the
houses were built with their taxes.
Commissioning the Alao Aka Bashorun
park named in honour of the former
President of the Nigeria Bar Association
and a foremost human right campaigner
in his time, Governor Babatunde Fashola
(SAN), explained that the programme
initially condemned is now a success
story. He stated with pride that most of
the critics of the initiatives are today
happy converts who appreciate its impact
in the socio – economic development of
the state.
The Governor disclosed that successes
recorded in government's greening
programme have culminated in the
reclamation of 180 parks, which were
developed from zero level. Private
initiatives account for forty ( 40) of these
parks. He explained that contrary to the
wrong notion developed over time, the
protection of lives and property does not
start and end with hospitals but more
profoundly in prevention, wellbeing,
cleanliness and sanitation. He identified
benefits of the greening initiative to job
creation for several thousands of people,
including those working in the new park,
award of contracts for the construction of
parks and gardens across the state, supply
of seedlings, transportation of manure,
contracts for the manufacture of
interlocking blocks among others.
The Governor enthused that the greening
process aims at ensuring healthier
residents as greening and tree planting
have become the global standard for
mitigating the effects of pollution. He cited
the case of china where government has
embarked on massive tree planting across
the city of Beijing as the only way to protect
the people from the effects of pollution, for
which residents wear face masks.
Fashola harped on the need to immortalize
Debt Obligation
He explained that though the state can
borrow up to 50 percent of its revenue, it
only borrowed 40 per cent based on its
characteristic modest way of handling
issues.
The Commissioner stated that the state's
debt profile is N435b, a net of the N98b
sinking fund, covering four tranches used
between 2009 and 2013, as well as funds
from other internal and external sources.
Throwing more light on the state's bond
programme, Gbeleyi explained that the
state raised four tranches, the first being
N50b for a five year tenure issued in 2009
and expected to mature in 2014. The
second tranche, a seven year tranche
valued at N57.5b was issued in 2010 and
will mature in 2017, the third N80b tranche
was issued in 2012 with maturity date in
2019, while the fourth tranche of N87.5b
was issued in 2013 and billed for maturity
in 2020.
Also speaking at the event which attracted
stakeholders mostly from the economic
and financial sectors, Commissioner for
Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben
Akabueze, whose Ministry has the onerous
responsibility of ensuring faithful
implementation of the budget, stated that
the focus of government this year is on
power, agriculture, transportation, housing,
security (law &order), education/vocational
training.
Other areas which the government intends to
invest on are: health, environment, egovernance, rural development, water and
skills acquisition/microfinance.
Akabueze disclosed that government
intends to complete ongoing infrastructural
development projects this year with the sum
of N255.025b, as against its planned
recurrent expenditure of N234.665 on
salaries and allowances.
The Governor recently signed the 2014
Appropriation Bill of N489.69b into law,
which is the last full budget of his
administration, with a pledge to complete as
many ongoing projects as possible.
the memory of illustrious sons and
daughters who sacrificed themselves for
people like him to stand before them with
pride and said this necessitated the
dedication of the various parks to the
memory of such celebrated figures. He
said it was important stories of such
people are written, so that posterity will
ask much later in future who they are and
they would be informed of their great
works. He disclosed that the Gani
Fawehinmi Park has gone into the
International Hall of Fame, just as he
eulogized the Ministry of the Environment
as personified by both past and serving
officers, including Mr. Tunji Bello, the
serving Commissioner, his immediate
predecessor, Dr. Muiz Banire, as well as
the Special Adviser and all those who have
served in that Ministry and those currently
serving.
He said he had heard a lot of talks about
rights, human rights and all sorts of rights
but heard very little about responsibility.
He therefore called on the people to
respect the Nigerian flag, anthem, declare
income honestly and pay our taxes
voluntarily and regularly.
In his Goodwill message on behalf of the
residents, Sir Remi Omotosho,
commended the Governor and his
administration for the greening of the
Lagos environment and by implication
prolonging the lives of residents, adding
that the location where the park is located
was once a dumpsite for toxi