Kunle Adelabu
-Upgrading of general hospital, Ikorodu, to teaching hospital, focus on roads, stadium, VIP Chalet, others top agenda
It was another opportunity to remind the government of its absence in some areas and demand for its attention in terms of development in Ikorodu Division, when the Division’s phase of the 2025 Budget Consultative Forum took place.
The forum, which was the 6th edition since the emergence of Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu as the Governor of Lagos State, took place at the lkorodu Town hall on Thursday, July 25, 2024, and attracted traditional rulers, youths, religious groups, community development associations, organised private sector, professionals, trade groups, NGOs, youth groups and organizations, People Living With Disability (PLWD), and the civil society.
Requests/demands of projects presented by the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Shotobi, the Ranodu of Imota, Oba Ajibade Bakare Agoro and the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Oba Semiudeen Kasali, were signed and received by Mr. Ope George, the Honourable Commissioner for Economic Planning & Budget, during the forum.
Aside the traditional rulers and representatives of the youths that presented their requests, stakeholders who were formed into groups during the forum, also submitted outcomes of their deliberations.
Among the demands made on behalf of the Division, were: the completion of roads across the Division, construction of State VIP Chalet, Cinema Theatre, Upgrading of General Hospital, lkorodu, to a Teaching Hospital, quick rehabilitation and reopening of the Ikorodu library, completion of the High Court Complex in Imota and development of the coastal areas in the Division among others.
The Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Shotobi, charged the state government to address issues concerning youths, to prevent them from engaging in violence. He also urged the government on the need to make adequate provisions for agitations.
“What Mr President has promised – the loan for the students, I want the Lagos State Government to assist the students in the state to get access to this loan so that they can benefit and not that after they have finished it, that we will continue to cry. Let us encourage our children and let Lagos State help our students to have access”, Oba Shotobi urged.
“Why am I telling you all these stories? When the #EndSars happened in 2020, we were caught unaware. Did we make provisions for protest the which might come any time? We may never know the way it wiil come. It is a general request that you must make provisions for the audience; there must be allocation for Ikorodu, that will be controlled by the local government.
“We must plan ahead and not that when it happens, we will be running around to take money from education and other ministries. There must be budget for insurgency”, the royal father added.
While assessing the performance of the state government since the last consultative forum, Ayangbure commended the state government for its efforts, but stated that it did not deliver on its promises, a situation he said necessitated the need to make same demands this year.
“Yes, we have been friendly and we have been discussing year – in and year – out on budgets, except for those that are lying that will say that the government is not doing anything. Government is actually doing a lot and we appreciate them.
“But where it concerns us is what we will continue to repeat to them. You should be ready to repeat any examination that you did not pass. To grade you, you have not pass concerning Ikorodu. The Ishawo road construction is still on. The same with the Igbogbo roads and the Igbogbo stadium that is still there unattended to”, Oba Shotobi said.
Oba Shotobi announced that he has received several letters in respect of many projects that the government is yet to execute in Ikorodu, and others that have dragged on for many years uncompleted. He mentioned and discussed the projects one after the other.
The monarch called the attention of the government to the failure to construct the VIP Chalet and convert the General Hospital, lkorodu, to a teaching hospital.
“One, Ikorodu VIP Chalet. This has gone to the stage where publication has been done and investors have expressed their intentions over it and the ministry of works and infrastructure is also into it but lately, Mr Governor has handed it over to IBILE Holdings to handle.
“The Lagos State Government, through Mr Governor, has approved 12 hectares of land for the VIP Chalet and IBILE is handling that. I want to thank Mr Governor for that.
“The proposed stadium at LASUSTECH is yet to take off as promised, so also is the upgrading of the General Hospital, Ikorodu, to a Teaching Hospital. There is one of our sons that is building a renal centre at the General Hospital worth between N80million and N1bilion naira.
“The foundation laying was performed by all the traditional Obas in Ikorodu division. The project is ongoing. You can see that our people are assisting the government in this area.
“The Lagos State Polytechnic has been upgraded to a university. We can merge the two together (LASUSTECH and General Hospital) to achieve the teaching hospital that we have been clamouring for.
“We also have another medical centre built by the federal government in Imota and another General Hospital in Ijede. We can combine them for the teaching hospital project. All that we are looking for is another teaching hospital in Ikorodu”, the royal father demanded.
On road networks across the Division, and the government’s promise to provide cinema/theatre for lkorodu people, Oba Shotobi said:
“The road project at Itamaga – Ijede, is really disturbing. I went through that road and it was an eyesore. We need expansion in Ikorodu, to accommodate people because Lagos Island cannot accommodate the 29million people.
“People are coming into Ikorodu to settle down and in Ikorodu, you don’t need any sand filling or raft foundation to build your house. It is incumbent on the government to extend infrastructures to Ikorodu. All that we are looking for are good roads from Gberigbe to Agura and other places.
“On the construction of the Third Mainland bridge, we were told that the foundation laying ceremony will be in Ikorodu and Abraham Adesanya area and that the turning of the sod will hold very soon. But I don’t know how soon but we are eager to see the construction of the bridge, because I have been telling my people not to sell their lands until the bridge is completed.
“The promised construction of cinema and theatre in Ikorodu, has been on for a while since the administration of Govenor Ambode. We are yet to hear anything regarding that despite the fact that a Commissioner in the present administration said that money has been made available for it.
“We also want speedy completion of the Imota International market, because the construction of the market has attained certain level before it was abandoned. It is money that we have abandoned. Let us look into it and not think that we have to abandon it because the administration that initiated it has gone.
“Please, we are begging, let us make that market a reality. As it is now, it is creating an haven for criminals to hide. what is left to complete the place is little compared to what has been done there”, the Kabiyesi said.
Another area that the Ayangbure also called the attention of the Lagos State Government to, is the construction of a flyover from Ogolonto to Ipakodo, rehabilitation of the Odogunyan Industrial Estate road, Agric – Isawo and the abandoned Igbogbo-Bola Tinubu – Ginti and Igbogbo – Bayeku roads.
“There is also the construction of a flyover from Ogolonto. You have done wonderfully well by constructing the Sekumade road, but the flyover is necessary. The government should do that for us.
“There is also the reconstruction of the Odogunyan Industrial road. Odogunyan Industrial Estate is the biggest in the whole of the West Africa. For us to get revenue from the companies there, we need to do the access road for them.
“This is part of the reason Kimberly Clark wants to withdraw from Nigeria. They have more than 100milion dollars investment in the Odogunyan Industrial Estate. We need to do this. If this is done, others disturbing you at Alaba, will move to Ikorodu, and development will spread.
“This will allow us to get revenue at the place.
“They have mobilized the contractor back to Agric – Isawo road, and they have started working and they can still improve on that. I want to thank Mr Governor, for sending them back there but it is yet to be completed.
“Also, there is Igbogbo-Oreyo-Igbe- Gintin road connecting Ijede and the Igbogbo – Bayeku roads. This is another eyesore for us in Ikorodu. Many houses were demolished along that axis with some compensated and others still crying, because they are yet to get their compensation. Please, let us look into that.
“I submitted the design for the proposed Ajina remodeling which was designed by some of our architects in Ikorodu. I also want the government to look into this since I have submitted the design to them”, Ayangbure charged.
In his own remarks, Oba Kasali charged the state government to always consider the Ikorodu Division, for developmental projects like other parts of the state, while also calling for the development of coastal areas in the division.
“I must emphasise that Ikorodu Division should always be considered in terms of developmental projecst by the state executive council, because the traditional rulers have been taking it upon themselves to douse tension whenever the political leaders cannot handle the situation.
“People always come to the palace with their protests that they ae voting for the party, but they are not seeing the development and they will be asking us that how many votes are those in the government got from the areas that they are concentrating developments at. These are questions that we could not answer whenever they approach us.
“I want us to note the economic and tourism potentials of our area from Ibeshe to Egbin, there are great potentials. We want you to look at these and see how it can benefit our people”, Adeboruwa said.
In his own royal remarks, Ranodu of Imota, Oba Ajibade Agoro, asked the Lagos State Government to expand the Imota Hospital, and also consider constructing the link to the food market which he said that he has written severally to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, about but to no avail.
“The Lagos State High Court and Magistrate Court Complex in lmota, has reached the roofing stage since 2022. The state government should include its completion in the year 2025 budget”, Oba Agoro added.
Senator Comfort Olafare, the Deputy State Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Lagos State chapter, led other leaders of the youth group across the six councils in Ikorodu, to present their own requests/demands to the government.
She called for the completion of the Igbogbo stadium and establishment of mini – stadiums in other parts of Ikorodu Division.
In his own, Comrade Abubakri Asoro, the Vice Chairman, NYCN, Lagos East Senatorial District, requested that the state government should hasten up work on the Ikorodu Library which he said has been under key and lock for over a year in the name of rehabilitation.
The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Economic Planning & Budget, Mr Ope George, said that the forum affords the ministry the opportunity to review the performance of inputs from Ikorodu, at the last year’s forum and see what the government has been able to do.
“For us, this is another day to give account of what we have been able to do since the last time that we were here when we were here for your presentations.
“On my way, I have been asking myself if we have been able to finish what we promised to do last year when we were here. Three of four things came to mind. One of the projects that came to my mind was the stadium construction in Igbogbo.
“The other one was the (Igbogbo) – Bola Ahmed Tinubu (- Igbe Gintin) road.
“I think that the most important thing for us is to come back to those projects and that is the one of the benefits of having this kind of forum. This afford us the opportunity to get advice from you and for us, we will be able to hold the ministry responsible for those projects.
“We will be able to ask them what are the issues and after this, we are still going to organize another forum where we will ask specific ministry about their projects like the Sports Commission”, he said.
He emphasized that the forum is part of efforts by the state government, ,to bring governance closer to the people.
“The Lagos State Government is about to commence another Budget cycle with a view to producing the Y2025 Budget.
“To bring governance closer to the citizens and as part of an all-inclusive agenda of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, LASG is organizing this Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum (“the Forum”)”, he said.
He listed the objectives of the forum to include: Update Stakeholders on the Half-Year Performance of the Y2024 Budget; Inform the public of Government’s plan for the rest of Y2024 and the focus areas for Y2025; Obtain inputs/contributions/suggestions on the Y2025 Budget process and Overall, and Promote citizens’ participation in budget preparation.
Mr Olalekan Afeez Balogun, Special Adviser to the Governor on Economic Planning & Budget, explained that the importance of the forum is to provide an avenue for people to have inputs into the plans of the government.
He charged that stakeholders should requests projects and programmes that are beneficial to the people and of utmost importance towards improving the socio-economic wellbeing, wealth and critical development of each division.
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the sixth Budget Consultative Forum of this Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu led-administration. This august gathering is in preparation for the Year 2025 Budget. Suffice to say at this juncture that divisions will be expected to present programmes and projects that are beneficial to the people and of utmost importance towards improving the socio-economic wellbeing, wealth and critical development of each division. The forum is hosted by the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget”, he said.
“This forum has always charged itself to reach out to the five divisions in Lagos State, so that inputs of all stakeholders are taking into consideration in the State’s Budget preparation process to further ensure transparency, accountability, inclusion, effective representation and acceptability of the Budget.
“As a Government, our commitment to the wellbeing of citizens and residents of Lagos, as well as the growth of our state, is resolute and unwavering. We shall remain dedicated to the successful completion of on-going projects, implementation of pivotal and iconic ones that will make our infrastructure robust and resilient, thereby, creating economic opportunities for all residents.
“Above all, we shall continue to ensure that Lagos State remains a beacon of cultural vibrancy, intellectual prowess, and humanistic values; a Lagos that not only drives the economic engine of Nigeria, but also enriches the soul of the West African corridor”.
He said that citizens engagement, which has been the hallmark of the administration, has made all – inclusive government possible.
“While strengthening our resolve on ‘All-lnclusive Governance’, and reinforcing it with the ‘No One Must Be Left Behind’ maxim, either on account of their social status, gender or age; this administration will focus on policies and programmes that will ensure that everyone is carried along and catered for”, he said.
“Thus, the main reason why the State has always adhered to proper consultation and due diligence, especially in decision making processes, while also creating an avenue to update stakeholders on the half year performance of the budget, the resources available for the annual budget, taking into cognizance all economic variables such as the global and local inflation and much more.
“Most importantly, this forum provides us with an ample opportunity to share ideas geared towards a ‘Greater Lagos’, while rubbing minds with you, the citizens, to ensure that your desired interests are captured in the budget as resources available permit”.
