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LASRRA
Government had in recognition of the
need to carry the people along in the
project for which it is very passionate
about, invested handsomely in public
enlightenment of the citizenry on
accrued benefits of the exercise.
Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), the
principal campaigner, has used every
public forum to appeal to the people to
effectively partake in the exercise, listing
benefits of the exercise to both the state
and the residents themselves.
General Manager, Lagos State Residents
Registration Agency (LASRRA), Ms.
Yinka Fashola, has equally continued to
explain that the exercise will among
others strengthen e – government
strategies and implementation , by
authenticating the users of government's
services, boost government's ability to
allocate resources to meet the needs of its
residents, aid the simplicity of
government's service delivery and
facilitate transactions by linking existing
data sources with a unique personal
identifier , in addition to improving the
overall economic growth of the state.
The LARRA boss also threw light on
benefits of the project which she said
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would allow government determine the
overall resources required to formulate
and implement policies, projects and
programmes, when the number of people
to cater for is known.
Ms Fashola stated that through the
exercise, government would be better
placed for market allocation and proper
allocation of available resources to meet
the yearnings of residents of the state,
help analyse and identify areas for urban
regeneration and assist in poverty
eradication.
On a sectoral basis, the project would
enable government classify
neighbourhoods and determine
population thresholds for provision of
facilities, help in the identification of
teachers, doctors and nurses required to
meet the people's needs, enhance
government's ability to plan for sports
and recreational centres, ensure
agricultural strategies of government
meet the needs and demands of residents ,
improve healthcare through the
determination of appropriate number of
health facilities required, their localities,
staff requirement, in addition to ensuring
the most appropriate location of motor
parks, bus – stops, jetties and terminus in
the state.
Mr Femi Jacobs, a legal practitioner in
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Festac Town Gets MCC
in Epe, he stated, are still under
construction but latest next year would be
ready for deployment.
The Governor emphasized that his
administration was putting special
hospitals for mothers and children
because it believes it is its responsibility to
protect lives and property. He said the
duty would not be discharged properly
unless the citizens, including women and
children are adequately secured from
unscrupulous elements in society, hence
the installation of security cameras. He
disclosed that government will sustain its
investment in ensuring continuous safety
for the mother and child .he noted that
personnel have been trained to improve
on their capacity to care and not just to
treat.
Fashola said the next line of security
would be preventive healthcare. He
explained that facilities in the six
functional MCCs places have drastically
reduced the distance between th e
pregnant mother and the unborn baby and
healthcare, noting that healthcare was
being brought right to their
neighbourhood and their doorsteps.
The Governor commended the
collaboration between the State the local
governments through the 24-hour
dedicated primary healthcare facilities
which, according to him, have been opened
at Adeniji-Adele, Mosan-Okunola, Ajara in
Badagry, Epe, Onigbongbo, Itire. He told
the residents that five more primary
healthcare centres are in the pipeline,
saying that in all antenatal care services
and uncomplicated child birth can now
take place at the primary healthcare level
while the MCCs become their secondary
level and difficult cases referred to Ayinke
House which is under construction.
Describing the MCCs as the strongest
evidence of the commitment of a
government focused on its responsibility of
ensuring that the protection of life and
property remains its core obligation and
duty, Governor Fashola explained that
while the MCC is located in AmuwoOdofin, it is not owned by Amuwo-Odofin
and Oriade alone. He said the residents are
trustees of the asset for any woman or any
child who may pass through this area and
Iganmu area spoke on the registration
exercise. “I am pleased with the exercise.
For long, governments across the country
had provided facilities and social
amenities without actually knowing the
actual number of those benefitting.
Furthermore, they provided the facilities
obviously for short term basis, as they had
no figures to plan for medium and long
term needs of these residents. This is a
laudable exercise by this administration
to correct this anomaly". Mrs. Chioma
Obasi, a business woman said, “I think
this is a well conceived idea. In my house,
I know how many people I cook and cater
for monthly, I know how much my
husband gives me for house keeping and
how much I add and I know how to
manage this monthly and throughout the
year. For government to start doing this
same thing can only be applauded. Well
done Lagos State Government”. Chinedu
Ogbualan, a transporter, “ Truly, when
government started this publicity, I told
people say na lie, government wan use
style to send people away from Lagos. But
when somebody came to our garage and
told us what government wants to do and
why and linked it to how we plan the
money we make daily, how much we
deliver, how much we use to buy fuel,
settle security agencies and still take
something home every day, every month
and year, we understood and have been
encouraging our families and friends to
register”.
be in need of healthcare service.
He promised the computerization and
centralization of records, which will make
it easy for anyone registered in Ikorodu to
have a check up in Amuwo-Odofin
because the record can be sent
electronically and the doctor can look after
such a patient.
Fashola called on the people to participate
fully in the on-going residents registration
exercise, saying the ability of government
to take care of the health of the residents
would be dependent on the residents
making available all their records. “So it is
not just enough to register as a pregnant
woman, it is now a duty that you owe to
yourself and this State to go and register as
a resident of Lagos under the Lagos State
Residents Registration exercise. It is in
your own best interest to do so”.
Noting that the projects, including those in
the health sector were put in place with the
peoples taxes, he urged them benefit from
them by making good use of them and
registering at the on going registration
exercise, as government can only ensure
they benefit most if it has the data that they
reside there. “We are building houses with
your taxes, only taxpayers will benefit
from it. If you don't have your records you
can't benefit from it. If we built houses and
people from other states come to take the
houses that we built with your taxes how
will you feel? So in your own best interest,
go and register. It is not about
indigeneship, it is not about ethnic tribe, it
is about residency”.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris,
said the Amuwo-Odofin MCC, like others
across the state was built to address
problems associated with maternal and
child mortality , adding that since the
facility became operational two months
ago, 24 babies have been delivered safely
while 133 women with various
gynaecological issues have been attended
to. He urged the residents to take
ownership of the facility, noting that its
handing over was a symbolic way of
asking the community to take full
responsibility of the centre.
Infrastructural Projects
At the handing over the Ejigbo-Ajao
Link road and bridges, Governor
Babatunde Fahola
recounted the
commitment of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu
which led to the construction of the
roads and bridges. He described the
effort as rebuilding the state's
commonwealth. “We have undertaken
these two bridges and four roads as
part of our inner road commitment we
made to you. From community to
community, the network grows. They
are merely transport solutions
happening in communities where the
ordinary citizens live”.
While describing the events of year
2002 which led to the death of
numerous Nigerians as a
demonstration of the failings of the
Federal authorities, he noted that the
Federal Government had carried on as
if nothing had happened.
He noted that NNPC which operates
in Ejigbo had failed as a socially
responsible entity to improve the road
network which services the depot and
other roads used by tankers lifting
fuel. He said his administration is
reconstructing the Ejigbo road and
needs to put in place major drainage
solution which will take time and
effort.
The Governor further stated that being
a responsible government, his
administration has fulfilled the
promise made 12 years ago by his
predecessor, Asiwaju Tinubu to
construct a link bridge, noting that his
administration further extended its
gestures to the victims of the bomb
blast by reconstructing the damaged
schools and hospital within the Ikeja
Military Cantonment.
He said the choice of the two bridges
was to avoid demolition of properties
along the right of way.
Fashola whil e commending corporate
organizations for their contributions to
infrastructural development of the
area, urged others to emulate such
gestures as this will go a long way in
bringing the needed change.
The Governor while commending tax
payers noted that their money has
been the cornerstone of infrastructural
development and urged those not
paying their taxes to have a change of
their attitude.
Earlier in his address, Commissioner
for Works and Infrastructure, Dr.
Kadri Obafemi Hamzat stated that the
provision of the link road and bridge to
link up communities and make it
easier for people to move, is another
promise fulfilled by the administration
.He noted further the link road is
aimed at creating a link that will
eliminate traffic congestion. He
alluded to the Businessday newspaper
report that by the construction of the
link road traffic has been reduced by 75
minutes.
Dr. Hamzat
reiterated the
commitment of the State government
in solving people's traffic hardship by
constructing more roads along the
corridors such as Kolawole Shonibare
and Akin Okoye Streets. He called on
the people to desist from dumping
garbage in the canal and enjoined them
to refrain from cutting the road for any
reason, as service ducts have been
provided.