… Commissions classrooms, health centres, roads, others
By Moshood Adebayo,
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday said his administration would continue to utilise tax payers’ money to the benefit of residents of the state, irrespective of tribe or religion.
Ambode said this when he commissioned several local and state government projects in Epe, Ibeju Lekki, Eti-Osa and Shomolu Local Government Areas of the state.
The governor, who was represented at the different projects by members of the state Executive Council said ongoing projects in the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas were in fulfillment of his campaign promise to make life more comfortable for the people.
He urged residents to take ownership of the projects being executed by the government in their domain and added that it was their civic responsibility to ensure that the projects serve the interest of the people for which they were built for.
In Epe, Ambode, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Community and Communications, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, said he would not renege on his promise to run a government of inclusion that would make all and sundry enjoy the dividends of democracy, while urging them to continue to pay their taxes and rates promptly.
“In my inaugural speech, I told you I was going to run an open government of inclusion, where everyone would be involved in this administration and would continue to utilise tax payers’ money judiciously to the benefit of all residents.
In Eti-Osa Local Government, Governor Ambode who was represented by Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, commissioned the 1.9km Unity/First Avenue Osapa London Road in Eti-Osa Local Government and block of 16 classrooms with modern facilities at Kuramo Primary School in Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area (LCDA). The Unity/First Avenue Osapa London Road was designed with standard walkways, drainage system and street light.
The governor also inaugurated the Job Registration and Labour Exchange Centre for the Lagos Division in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the State as part of the employment creation and wealth generation initiative of his administration.
He said the project was another step forward in providing dividends of democracy to the citizenry.
In Shomolu Local Government, Ambode commissioned a Primary Health Centre and Diagnostic Centre named after him and a 400 metre road in Bariga Local Council Development Area.
Meanwhile, the state government also disclosed, yesterday, that it has 8,511 pensioners on its payroll with N2, 033,015,780.25 paid as pensions in the last one year.
Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson Oke, made the disclosure at a briefing in Ikeja. Of the figure, Oke said 3,281 retirees benefitted from 142 percent, 6 percent and 15 percent totalling N127,894,012.77, while 307 benefitted from 6 percent and 15 percent totalling N2,976,677.80.
Oke, also said the government outstanding pension liabilities of local government/local government development areas of N1,771,039,135.39 would be paid along with the balance of 142 percent pension arrears after the completion of an ongoing verification exercise. This, he said, was made possible following the approval and the release of N1.5 billion intervention fund by Ambode.