Kunle Adelabu
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ikorodu Local Government has rated the performance of Gov. Babajide Sanwo – Olu’s administration in the last one year very low.
But in a swift response, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) countered the opposition party’s rating by stating that the government has performed very well and rated it 70%.
The PDP’s position was made known by its Publicity Secretary in Ikorodu, Mr Femi Adinlewa, while responding to a call by THE IMPACT on it’s WhatsApp platform on the request that people should examine the administration’s performance in the last one year, especially as it relates to Ikorodu.
Residents were asked to examine the performance of the government in infrastructure, health, education, security, emergency management, youth, transportation, agriculture and political appointments.
The leading opposition party, while examining the administration’s performance on infrastructure, stated that Governor Sanwo-Olu is yet to make any significant stride in the area of road construction, especially as it regards the road abandoned by his predecessor.
“PDP in Ikorodu LGA is really concerned about the performance of the Sanwo – Olu/Hamzat led APC administration in Lagos State, particularly as it concerns Ikorodu LGA.
“Having observed critically the achievements of this administration in the areas of Infrastructure, Health, Education, Security, Emergency Management, Agriculture, Youth, Transportation and Appointments in Ikorodu LGA, our observations are as follows:
“Infrastructures: We noticed that in the area of infrastructural development, the administration started poorly, Oba Omolaja road in Igbogbo, Itamaga to Ijede road and Agric to Ori-Okuta road that were abandoned by the failed Ambode administration, further experienced neglect by the Sanwo-Olu administration and inflicted hardship on motorists in these axis while world class traffic were also experienced on the roads”, he stated.
“These roads were re-awarded but the contractors complained of lack of fund and had since disappeared from these sites. AP junction to Gberigbe to Agura road is a no go area while some other popular roads across Ikorodu division also need urgent attention”.
In the area of health, PDP also passed a failure verdict on the administration for alleged poor funding of the sector.
“In the health sector, Sanwo-Olu administration performed woefully in Ikorodu to the extent that the member of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. SOB Agunbiade, representing Ikorodu Constituency l, went for a medical treatment abroad and was stranded there, a situation which revealed the poor state of our hospitals in Ikorodu.The General Hospitals in Ikorodu division are poorly funded and under equipped”.
The opposition party also alleged that pupils and students are still sitting on the floor during in their classrooms to receive lessons while many classrooms are overcrowded.
“The Sanwo-Olu led APC administration has also failed in the area of Education in our local Government as pupils still sit on the floor in our schools while classrooms are also crowded classrooms here”.
Examining the current state of security in Ikorodu where cult members are constantly on rampage, killing one another and disturbing the social and economic lives of the community in the process, the opposition party, in rating the administration’s performance on Security, stated:
“Security in Ikorodu division is no go area, we can’t sleep with our two eyes closed in Ikorodu division, cultism is now a culture of our youths, this administration has failed to protect our lives and properties in Ikorodu division.
“The Sanwo-Olu administration has also failed in the area of emergency management in Ikorodu LGA, particularly when boat capsized on Ijede and Ibeshe waterways. The Lagos State emergency team failed to rescue the passengers on board despite spending some hours on the sea, some people are still missing till now “.
On Agriculture, the main opposition party claimed that the prices of food items have soared since the inception of the Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat administration.
“Sanwo-Olu administration is rated low in agriculture in Ikorodu Division PDP Ikorodu and the good people here have noticed that since the inception of this administration, the prices of Agricultural products skyrocketed to about 40% increment due to poor Agric policies and programs of the administration”, PDP stated.
“This administration has also failed in the area of youth development as no progressive program has been organised by this administration for the youths in the last one year.They also failed to address the vices that the youths are indulging in”.
The party described the BRT transport system in the state as a scam, adding that the increase in the BRT fare and the delay which passengers face on daily basis at its terminals are unjustifiable.
“You will all agree with my party PDP that Sanwo-Olu led APC government has failed woefully in the area of transport, particularly as it regards the BRT operations in Ikorodu. The BRT system in Ikorodu is a scam and a mess. the BRT fare was increased despite the reduction in the pump prices of petrol and diesel products while passengers would be on the queue for about 45 minutess to one hour before boarding. The waterways transportation is not safe and too expensive as well” , the party alleged.
The opposition party also stated that the political appointments allocated to Ikorodu division does not commensurate the votes that the administration garnered from the division in the last general elections.
“PDP Ikorodu and the good people here are highly disappointed in the political appointments allocated to our division especially when compare to the mass votes that the ruling party garnered in the division in the last general elections No commissionership position was giving to a whole division like Ikorodu, it’s really shameful and disgraceful.
“Overall, we rate the Sanwo – Olu/Hamzat’s administration very low in its first year in office”, the opposition party stated while passing its verdict on Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat administration.
Meanwhile, in a swift response, a member of the ruling party and a lecturer in Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Mr Hassan, countered the rating of the opposition party and rated the performance of the Sanwo-Olu led administration very high with an impressive score of 70%.
Examining the issues raised by the main opposition party one after the other, Mr Hassan stated that the present administration has brought about improvement in the areas highlighted in the last one year compare to where the state was when Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat emerged.
He stated that construction works are actually on-going on the roads that the opposition party claimed to have been abandoned.
“Your observation might not be correct. Construction works on the said roads have been going on, but was slowed down due to Covid-19 lockdown. Meanwhile, work has resumed on the said roads after the lockdown has been eased”, Hassan stated.
He added that Lagos State, under Governor Sanwo-Olu, has improve the health sector, adding that the government’s response to the COVlD – 19 case has been applauded.
He also added that the state government has provided free health care services to its citizenry.
“It is better you criticize objectively. Calling names in your write up is very irresponsible. Lagos State government has done wonderfully well in health sector in recent time. Response to Covid-19 has been applauded. Lagos state has been providing free health care services at all state owned hospitals as palliative during the COVID-19 period”.
In the area of education, the ruling party member stated that schools in Ikorodu benefitted from the 1,000 teachers that were recently recruited, feeding programmes for pupils and provision of chairs and benches.
“Lagos State government has recruited over 1,000 teachers in our schools in Lagos State, schools in Ikorodu benefitted from the recruitment as well as the feeding programme for pupils and provision of chairs and tables for conducive learning.
To Hassan, security of a community should be a collaborative effort of the government and the community. To this end, he stated that the State government has been engaging all stakeholders in this regard to ensure the security of lives and property.
In his response to the administration’s performance in emergency management where the PDP has scored the APC government very low, Hassan stated:
“Lagos State government is rated A+ in emergency management. Accident happens most times due to carelessness of people. Lagos State government, through the Lagos State Waterways Agency and Lagos State Safety Commission, has been educating operators of waterways on the need to keep to precautions of water transportation”.
While arguing in contrary to the PDP’s positon that the state government has failed to address agricultural challenges which the party alleged has caused hike in food item’ prices, Hassan listed trainings of many youths in different areas of farming and the ongoing construction of rice factory in Imota among others as parts of the government’s efforts in turning around the sector and providing food sufficiency in the State.
“Recently, Lagos State Government, through its skill acquisition programmes, trained youths and women in Agriculture at Araga, Epe. Ikorodu youths and women were beneficiaries of the programme. Rice mill is almost near completion at Imota. If completed, it will increase Agricultural output from Ikorodu and also generate employment within and outside the host community”.
He stated that youths, through agriculture, have been empowered and supported, while describing BRT operations as private business which the government cannot control.
While stating that PDP should not meddle in the political appointments made by the ruling party, adding that over 10 different key political appointments have so far been given to Ikorodu in the current dispensation.
