An interview with the Executive Chairman of Itire/Ikate Local Council Development Area, Hon. Hakeem Adisa Bamgbola.
Q: Is the global economic recession affecting governance at the grassroots?
A: Definitely. Times are hard and the present economic meltdown has a multidimensional effect on all aspects of the economy and has led to the collapse of companies and the loss of jobs across the world.
However, the foresight and focus of His Excellency, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola has helped to cushion the impact of the economic crisis in Lagos, and as we have been instructed as government at the grassroots, we have commenced aggressive policy oriented programmes, aimed at putting money in the pockets of our people through massive job creation initiatives and we are also determined to maintain our poverty alleviation programmes and our on going mass construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures, grading and tarring of roads, provision of qualitative health care, as well as the empowerment of indigenes in the council area through provision of equipment such as motorcycles, computers, hair dryers for hairdressers, loan facilities and scholarships.
All these I believe, will go a long way to cushion the effects of the meltdown on our people, create the basis for sustainable prosperity and stimulate economic recovery and growth.
Q: In your opinion, what can be done about the present high rate of unemployment in the country?
A: Recently, the World Bank classified Nigeria as being among the nations prone to widening poverty and socioeconomic crisis, arising from the effects of the economic-meltdown, it also put the country’s unemployed figure at over 40 million.
This is quite worrisome, and the truth is that in the eight years of Obasanjo’s government, the country witnessed unprecedented increase in national earnings, but unfortunately, this did not translate into job creation and economic empowerment for the people.
This shortcoming was due to insensitivity on the part of the government which failed to address the needs of the people. As a result, there has been a steady decline in growth while the rate of joblessness among Nigerians has been on the increase.
Q: What the country needs now is to expand the industrial sector and show more interest in mechanized agricultural produce.
A: We also need to improve and upgrade our present educational system, by making it functional and geared towards equipping our graduates with the much needed competence that will take them away from being job seekers, and make them not only job creators, but also wealth generators.
Also, most of the factories that have closed down for one reason or another, should be encouraged to reopen, while new ones should also be built.
The federal government should also borrow a leaf or two from the present administration in Lagos State which against all odds, is creating job opportunities for the people of the state.
One can see that Fashola, within his short time in office, has done so much in that direction, a development which has been attributed to his leadership qualities.
Q: Which areas occupy top priority in your developmental drive?
A: They are Education, Health, the environment, as well as special programmes for women.
As I said earlier, the growing unemployment problems in the country is as a result of our faulty educational system, and to this end, we have embarked on establishing vocational centres where practical subjects like computer engineering, welding, bookkeeping, electronics and so many other professions are taught. We have also rehabilitated all the primary schools, and provided them with desks and chairs, as well with exercise book, and school uniforms. I also pay visit to the school, to ascertain that all is well.
We also provide JAMB examination forms to indigent students and a committee has also been set up to award scholarships to deserving indigent students.
In the health sector, we are working in conjunction with the Lagos State Government’s free health mission.
To protect our social fabric, we must respond positively to all threats to life. Some of these threats are malaria and water borne diseases. Another one is the spread of HIV/AIDS. If this threat is not checked properly, it may undermine our society within a decade.
To this end, we intend to provide qualitative health services irrespective of whether cases of diseases are reported or not.
In the free health mission which was flagged off by Fashola, some of the ailments people were screened for include Malaria, HIV/AIDS, diarrhoea diabetes, eye test, hypertension and creating awareness about Family Planning.
We also provided free services and free anti-malaria packs and treatments, diarrhoea packs, geratic packs, delivery packs and other services like drug revolving scheme and laboratory services.
The council has also acquired ultra sound scan, incubators and oxygen for our Primary Health Care Centres in Baruwa and Anjorin. The people only have to go to these centres and make use of them.
We also run a special programme that addresses female unemployment. Women make up about 35 per cent of the nation’s labour force and about 61 per cent of them are unemployed.
To address this issue, we have started programmes aimed at offering training on skill acquisition to women, and the programme will encourage entrepreneurship among the women.
Q: What about empowerment programmes?
A: Economic empowerment lies at the heart of all our projects, and this is to galvanise the economy by broadening the circle of opportunities to each person.
We are taking the bull by the horn with a very ambitious programme which is geared towards attaining so many objectives. The programme has a life span of five years to see us through the transition.
To this end, we have created an item in the capital budget for the empowerment programme with a project value of over N40 million, and to show our commitment and determination, we have allocated N20 million to kick start the programme.
The programme is expected to accommodate seven critical activities which include, land for social housing, land for small scale entrepreneurs, a work-fare programme emphasizing training and skill acquisition, special programmes for unemployed women tourist villages, assistance for outsourcing and support for development of new entrepreneurs, small and medium entrepreneurs, (SMEs).
Q: How have all these reflected in your 2009 budget?
A: Our 2009 budget, christened Budget of laying solid foundation and securing our future, has taken care of the very basic concerns, and it has ushered in reforms that have swept away all the nonfunctional systems that are very complicated and open to abuse and corruption.
Our guiding objectives have been to make things simple, transparent and rule based.
For example, the budget has encouraged employment by creating avenues and incentives for businesses, it has also launched the changes needed for a new era of growth, wealth and employment creation.
The first of these incentives is basic education, in terms of infrastructures, building of new classrooms and provision of equipment.
Then there is the training and retraining of teachers, purchase of books text/exercise and the management of the school in terms of what we have now, which is that the schools are well maintained.
Then there is the issue of health, routine vaccines, immunization and intensive health control are part of our policy.
There is also the issue of the environment, to this end, there are plans to control waste by improving the efficiency of the sector in charge of controlling wastes.
The budget also provides for us to beautify our environment through restoring our road networks and other related areas, because with good roads the people will be able to go about their businesses, to this end, a lot of our roads have either been graded to be tarred, or have been tarred.
There is also the issue of provision of water through sinking of new boreholes in all the wards, while the old ones would be rehabilitated.
All these take up the budget because, unless people are very healthy, educated and productive, there is no way you can say you are successful in what you do.
All these of course, are in line with the activities and policies of the administration of our amiable governor, Babatunde Fashola.
Q: What is your assessment of the present administration in Lagos State?
A: The present administration of Babatunde Fashola is excellent and worthy of emulation, and the governor can be described as a hard-working, action packed and honest leader, who is determined to make a positive impact in the lives of the people.
The present administration has embarked on numerous meaningful developmental projects and has been able to record success in practically all the areas it has touched.
Infact, Governor Fashola should be regarded as the man with the Midas touch, because of his foresight and because anything he embarked on, had been duly implemented to a formidable conclusion.
His administration has not only been delivering dividends of democracy to Lagosians, but has shown to the larger Nigeria, that Nigerians can deliver.
Q: What about the administration’s demolition policy which has rendered several people homeless?
A: Without mincing words, I would say it anytime and anywhere that we have never had it so good in Lagos State. In the beginning, the Fashola-led administration was faced with the choice of allowing the rot and decay in the state to continue or arresting the situation by subjecting few people to hardships.
His government has philosophically proved the theory of utilitarians right, where the greatest happiness for the greatest number is the proper goal that every individual should pursue.
I symphatize genuinely with those affected by the demolition going on. We have to realise, however, that it is good that the government chose to work for the greater good and the greatest happiness of Lagosians.
The message is that we must all conform to legal ethics or ship out. Fashola, so far is legally guided in all his actions, and one would discover that all those buildings demolished are either illegal shanties, houses built under high tension wires, built on drainages or on canals, while some were even built on the edges of roads.
Lagos is really being transformed into a Mega City, and that translates to when you put the right person in the right position, things are bound to work well.
But I also want to assure, that the state government is not insensitive to the plight of those who have genuine cases, alternatives were provided for them.
Q: Your last word?
A: I want to assure the good people of Itire/Ikate that my administration will not shirk in its responsibility of ensuring that the people live a healthy, happy and prosperous life.
I also want to appeal to the private sector and all stakeholders to cooperate with the local government by working with us, so that together, we can ensure that development gets to the area.
I am also appealing to the residents to cooperate with us by paying their taxes and rates, so that we can continue to churn out developmental programmes that would uplift their status.
Lastly, I want to thank all members of my management team, the legislative arm of the council, and all those that have been working with me to ensure that we deliver the dividends of democracy. I am very grateful to all of them, while a big thank you goes to Governor Fashola, for all he has done for Lagos State and indeed Nigeria. I know all Nigerians are proud of you.
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