18th June, 2022
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat on Friday said the state is leveraging on the solid foundation laid by the Sen. Bola Tinubu administration.
Hamzat said this at the Lagos State Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Alausa, during the Special Jumat Service to mark the 3rd Year Anniversary of the Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
He said that when Tinubu assumed office in 1999, there was no money in the state’s coffers, hence, he had to take loan.
According to him, Tinubu was accused of mortgaging the future of the state, but the loan was actually utilised for the development of the state, hence, the solid foundation that subsequent administrations are leveraging on.
Reeling out some of the achievements, he explained that Lagos State had made enormous progress in development, had been able to pay pensions and gratuities of retirees, and that staff salaries are up to date.
”So we should not forget that things were not this good, but it can also be better. So I am saying that in 1999, we did not have one single public ambulance, in 1999, we could not afford to pay salary. But today, we are where we are.
”In 2007, when the budget of Lagos State rose to about N400 billion, the Executive Council were saying it is audacious, but today it is N1.7, N1.8 trillion. So something has moved, our GDP has moved.
”The GDP of Lagos is bigger than Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire put together, those are two countries. So things have really moved and that’s why you have this influx of people coming to Lagos,” Hamzat said.
According to Deputy Gov., 2023 would give Nigerians another opportunity to pick the right leaders and “we should not miss it, hence the choice of Tinubu.
”A good leader must have the capacity, vision and ability to take decisions that are right for the majority of the people.
”Asiwaju Tinubu has the trait, he is ready to take tough decisions, he has the intellect to interrogate ideas and the ability to pick brains of people who can do the jobs and deliver without being monitored.
”Our problems are not insurmountable, that humans cannot solve, therefore l believe Tinubu has the quality of a great leader,” he said.
Special prayers were offered for divine intervention, unity, love and peace to reign in the state and country ahead of the 2023 general elections.
An Islamic scholar, Sheikh Saudi Ahmad said that the upcoming general elections was an opportunity for the Nigerians to choice the right president.
Ahmad said that the citizens had to be united to make the right decision of electing the right leaders.