Lagos Cabinet Members Recount Experience

As the Lagos State Executive Council winds up for the first term of the administration, members of the Council, Monday recounted their experiences while working under the team leadership of Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) in the last four years describing them as rewarding.

Speaking to newsmen after a valedictory session chaired by the Governor at the Executive Council Chambers in Lagos House, Ikeja, Special Adviser to the Governor on Political and Legislative Matters, Hon. Abdullateef AbdulHakeem said being in the State Executive Council under Governor Fashola “has been like undertaking a postgraduate course with the Unique Selling Point (USP) being the ability to take opportunism beyond the level that people ordinarily use the term.”

AbdulHakeem said that those who served under Governor Fashola have learnt that “if you are given an opportunity to govern a state like this, you should ensure that opportunism does not take the place of pragmatism”. “Another Unique Selling Proposition of his is that he is a team player who talks about us, us, us and not me. He has also developed the capacity of members of Exco and he is someone who believes in hard work and integrity. Serving under this man for six months is sufficient for a life time lesson. We give God the glory that we were part of that team that began well and is ending well,” he added. Hon AbdulHakeem reiterated that the governor in the next dispensation will need a House of Assembly that speaks the same language with him and one that gives the same attention that the governor has given to governance.

“They are doing well but can improve by ensuring that with this kind of governor, the best must be given in terms of proactive legislations to the people of Lagos State”, the Special Adviser said adding that whoever is coming back on board should be ready to learn “because the governor is someone who also learns from others. For him, coming back is not what matters because everyone can always contribute from whatever angle he is.”

The Commissioner for the Establishments, Pensions and Training, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu described the Babatunde Fashola administration as a brand that everybody now wants to identify with.

“The Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions has become the reference point for other states when it comes to pensions administration and welfare for its workers and pensioners.”

According to the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr Kadiri Hamzat, it has been a period of service to the people at different levels, adding that it has also been a difficult and challenging job.

“To serve a population of 18 million is exciting and challenging but one must thank God Almighty for that opportunity, enormous experience. The debate within the EXCO has been extremely rewarding, it has broadened one’s knowledge and understanding of the world, to enable one see the challenges that the state has,” Dr Hamzat added.

While giving an account of his experience, Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris said it has been a period of hard work, shared vision and a period that this government showed the commitment it has for the people of Lagos in the health sector by facing the health challenges, raising the health indices of the state and improving the health status of the people.

“It has been wonderful, full of hard work and it has not been easy. Fulfilled?… I will say yes but I will also tell you there is still plenty of work to do. I did say the challenges are enormous, we have 18 million to provide health services for, we have challenges of resources to compete with and we are not there yet.

“If I do not come back into government next time, I will still be in the health sector. I am a doctor by profession. if given another opportunity to serve…as I told you there are a lot of things to do, many people to take care of health wise, as changing the health sector in any country is not an easy matter and not something you can do overnight, but we set a vision for ourselves that whosoever comes back just like the government itself, a path has been charted, what remains is for those coming back to follow the path,” Dr Idris explained

The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru thanked God that things are coming to an end and a new beginning and continuity is happening to Lagos.

He said in the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, the biggest thrust in the first four years of the brand new ministry is the challenge of creating the Eko Atlantic City Project by turning water into land and then turning the land into real estate.

“Only God knows who will come back and who would not remain, but whatever happens at the end of the day, the major challenge was the Eko Atlantic City Project but aside from that, I would have loved to continue to enhance the development of the water front of Lagos.

“What do I mean by that, Lagos is blessed by water and surrounded by water. In some parts of the world, people survive on that alone- water activities like tourism and developing it. So, I would have loved to do more in putting more infrastructures along our water fronts in Lagos state,” Prince Oniru added.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Rotimi Agunsoye, waxed philosophical in his remarks, saying: “there is time for everything under the sun, there is time to be born and time to die, the time to be happy and time for sober reflection”. This is actually the time to look back in the last four years to see what we have done and achieved so far as a government.”

“I will tell you simply that I have been able as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to improve on what I met on the ground, we have been able to move round and see how the jobs were being done by the chairmen of various local governments and local council development areas to ensure that we have that standard of the State at the local level also to serve the people better than before.

“I thank God that I have worked with a leader that is, the Governor of Lagos who is very energetic, who listens to the yearnings of the people. We have been able to work together as a team and this is actually the time to thank God that none of us in the cabinet of Lagos is late (deceased) till date.”

“Certainly if I am given another opportunity to serve, I would work harder to achieve more than before, definitely I would like to do that and improve on what I have done. And you should not forget that governance is a continuum, if not given the opportunity I would continue to serve the people wherever I found myself to the best of my capability,” he emphasised.

The Secretary to the State Government, (SSG), Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya also volunteered her remarks on the valedictory session saying she is grateful to Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for giving her higher responsibilities that entails challenges.

She added that there are no regrets whatsoever because it has been a wonderful experience for her to serve, adding that serving ones country is not necessarily by being in government. “I would continue to serve the people in any capacity I find myself as I have no other state than Lagos.”

The members later had a group photograph with the governor and his deputy, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan.

 

How TheyFared

In the last four years, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, South West Nigeria has been able to transform the state and made it the toast of other state governors. Several accolades have been heaped on the governor from within and outside the country for transforming the state into a mega-city.

But there are those who assisted him to realise this dream. They are the commissioners. They are the foot soldiers in the implementation of the various policies of the Fashola administration.

Kudos must be given to these commissioners who worked tirelessly in the actualization of Fashola’s dream of a new Lagos. Following the disbandment of the team yesterday by Governor Fashola, P.M.NEWS assessed the performance of some of the commissioners in the past four years.

 

Dr. Muiz Banire

Dr. Muiz Banire, Commissioner for the Environment will forever be remembered as a key figure in the success of the Fashola administration in the last four years. Banire helped in championing a befitting environment for Lagos. He supervised the beautification of and greening of the state. In every nook and cranny of the state, flowers have been planted, making the state beautiful. Most of the under bridges inhabited by street urchins, known as area boys have been beautified with flowers and ornamental plants. In this way, thousands of the area boys were employed through the beautification projects of the state government.

One of the biggest achievements of Banire was the dislodgement of traders selling along the rail and the expressway in Oshodi. The old Oshodi Motor Park, notorious for its disorderliness, degradation of the environment, street trading and traffic gridlock was transformed into a beautiful area with structured motor parks while plants and flowers were planted in areas hitherto occupied by illegal traders dislodged by Banire. Sanity was restored to Oshodi by a combined operation carried out by officials of the taskforce on the environment and Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI. Flowers and other ornamental plants now adorn both sides of the rail lines used by the dislodged traders.

Drainages in the area were also cleared and rehabilitated while new ones were constructed to put an end to the perrenial flooding of the area.

Apart from these, Banire’s ministry also converted most of the open spaces in the state to relaxation spots with beautiful flowers and plants.

His ministry was also saddled with deflooding the state and he acquited himself well in this regard with the rehabilitation and construction of many drainages and canals to achieve this.

His performance score is 9/10.

 

Ganiyu Johnson

Engr. Ganiyu Johnson is the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure. Though a special adviser, he played the role of a commissioner in the ministry in the last four years. He constructed more than 150 roads and rehabilitated 159 others.

Realising that good road networks are critical to the emergence of a new mega city, Johnson embarked on the rehabilitation of roads on Lagos Island, Mainland, including Bourdillion, Alexander and Gerrard roads, all in Ikoyi; Montgomery Road, Aje Road and Commercial Avenue in Yaba and Ago Palace Way, Okota and Isolo. Apart from all these, a lot of road projects he initiated are going on across the state. Some of them include the Lekki-Epe Highway, Lagos -Badagry Expressway, Ikotun-Ipaja Road, Orisunbare-Sasha Road, Ijegun-Jakande Estate Road, Bola Ahmed Tinubu Drive and Ipaja-Ayobo Road.

Despite all these, many roads are still in deplorable conditions. It is expected that in the next dispensation, emphasis will be placed on road construction and rehabilitation.

His performance score is 6/10.

Prince Lanre Balogun

Prince Lanre Balogun, Commissioner for Rural Development has been very instrumental in championing the development of rural areas in the state. In last four years, his ministry provided some amenities in rural communities in Lagos .

Concerned with the conditions of Lagos rural dwellers, Balogun once said the state had adopted Integrated Rural Development Strategy to ensure effective provision of social infrastructure to “impact positively on the quality of life of teeming communities through the provision of community heath centres, rural water jetties, road construction, community centres and halls, schools, water and sanitation.”

In 2009, his ministry executed more than 713 projects for rural dwellers in the state. Statistics from the Ministry of Rural Development puts the total number of rural water and sanitation projects at 227, about 374 rural electrification projects, 29 agricultural schemes, 61 community development projects and 22 rural civil works, among others, across the three senatorial districts in the state.

His performance score is 5/10.

Prof. Bamidele Badejo

He was the Commissioner for Transportation. He ensured the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT scheme, which had so far conveyed millions of people across the length and breath of the state. The appointment of Prof. Badejo as transportation commissioner was one of the greatest things that happened during the first term of the Fashola administration..

His reform in the transportation sector yielded impressive results starting with the provision of over 500 air-conditioned buses to ply about 29 BRT routes, 2,000 modern vehicles provided to members of the Lagos State Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA); more than 30 new trucks and two companies have been registered to operate ferry services in the state. His ministry was also in charge of the light rail project, which has started, to ease traffic gridlock in the state.

The focus of the reform in the transportation sector primarily centres on the institutional building, attitudinal change through public enlightenment and transport education as well as massive infrastructure development. Though set up by the previous administration, such transport institutions as Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), Lagos State Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI) and Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) were effectively supervised to address traffic challenges from all fronts.

His performance score is 8/10.

Jide Idris

He was Commissioner for Health. Dr. Jide Idris led the crusade in the transformation of the health sector. The ministry, during his tenure, was able to build maternal and childcare centres, MCC. Several health missions were undertaken which benefitted millions of Lagosians.

Millions of children in the state were also immunized against polio and the six child killer diseases. Several innovations, such as the health insurance scheme were also introduced in the health sector.

However, despite the achievements of the commissioner in transforming the health sector, strikes embarked upon by doctors and other health workers in the state were a source of worry to most Lagosians who believed that the strikes were not well managed by the state government.

His performance score is 6/10

Adesegun Oniru

Prince Adesegun Oniru, Commissioner for Waterfront and Infrastructural Development played a major role in the Fashola administration. He contributed towards finding a permanent solution to the perennial flooding of the Bar Beach at Victoria Island, after the federal government had wasted over N30 billion in trying to find a permanent solution to the problem. As at now, the Lagos Bar Beach no longer overflow its bank.

He was instrumental to the building of the new city, Eko Atlantic City which has begun to emerge from the ocean. Over one million hectares of land was reclaimed from the beach for the development of the city, expected to be bigger than Victoria Island and house 250,000 thousand people. The city, when established, will boost the tourism potentials of the state. Also, physical development of structures on the city is expected to commence before the end of this year. It is expected to be a dream city.

His perfomance score is 6/10

Prince Adeniyi Oyemade

He was the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry. He supervised the construction of the Lekki Free Trade Zone, LFTZ, a key achievement of the Fashola administration. Work is curently going on the over 200 billion LFTZ, expected to play host to world trade and commerce. The zone will have an international airport and will attract arrays of foreign investors to the state.

However, Oyemade, is riding on the success of the Special Adviser on Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Sola Oworu, who is actually the brain behind the LFTZ project.

His performance score is 5/10.

Mrs. Victoria Orelope-Adefulire

She was the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and now the deputy governor. She performed very well in the last administration. This led to her being chosen to become Fashola’s running mate in the last election. Orelope-Adefulire was able to build 18 skills acquisition centres across the state where thousands of Lagosians are being trained free of charge in vocational areas such as tailoring, braiding, tie and dye, hairdressing, among others, in a bid to eradicate poverty.

The Lagos Micro-Finance Institution, LASMI came into being through the doggedness of Orelope-Adefulire. The agency is charged with giving loans to indigent Lagosians to carry out small scale ventures. Over N1.5 billion was earmarked for this project.

Her performance score is 7/10.

Ben Akabueze

He was the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget and the only Igbo commissioner in Fashola’s cabinet. He presided over successful budget implementation of the Fashola administration in the last four years. Under him, the state government recorded over 80 percent budget performance last year, the best so far in the country.

He was instrumental to the holding of the Lagos Economic Summit, tagged: Ehingbeti. Akabueze was able to draw world business moguls to Lagos and convinced them to invest in the Lagos economy. This has in no small measure attracted investments to the state.

His performance score is 6/10

Dr. Kadri Hamzat

No doubt, Dr. Kadri Hamzat, Commissioner for Science and Technology brought scientific innovations into the administration of Fashola in the last four years. The best among the innovations is the launching of the Geographic Information System, GIS. Through GIS, all houses and streets in Lagos State were captured. The depth of all rivers, lagoons and water in the state were also captured. With GIS, it becomes easy to locate any house in Lagos.

His performance score is 6/10.

 

Opeyemi Bamidele

He was the Commissioner for Information and Strategy who resigned to contest the National Assembly elections in Ekiti State.

During his tenure, he was able to highlight all the activities of the Fashola administration and contributed immensely in the favourable image of the administration in the eyes of the media.

His ministry published books, journals and magazines to highlight every activities of the Fashola administration and the state to such an extent that anybody, group or organisation seeking information about the government will readily find such information on the website of the state.

His performance score is 7/10.

 

Adeniji Adele.

He was the Commissioner for Sports. He succeeded in revitalising some of the moribund sports in the state. Adeniji-Adele brought Street Soccer tournament to the state. The youth soccer competition is sponsored by MTN. The moribund Principal’s Cup was revived and it’s now a yearly tourney contested by secondary school students in the state. Manchester United of England’s star, Rio Ferdinand was a guest of Governor Raji Fashola and indeed the state government during Adeniji-Adele’s tenure in the sports ministry. The commissioner also provided sports infrastructure in the state.

However, Adeniji-Adele failed to develop other sports at the grassroots. Most of the sports associations were inactive during his time. The record of the state at the National Sports Festival at Kada 2009 fiesta was nothing to write home about, while the late preparations for the Port Harcourt 2011 Sports Festival has shown that the state may not fair well at the national stage once again.

His performance’s score is 6/10.

 

Other commissioners like Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu, Establishment and Training; Supo Sasore, Justice; Rotimi Oyekan, Finance; Dr. Tola Kasali, Special Duties; Babatunde Balogun, Home Affairs and Culture and others also contributed immensely to the transformation of Lagos.

They scored 5/10 in their respective ministries.

—Kazeem Ugbodaga