Deputy Govs Not Govs’ Handbags —Fashola

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday denounced the age-long impression that deputy governors are merely governor’s handbags without responsibilities.

Speaking while signing into law a bill law establishing the Lagos State Boundary Committee, Fashola disagreed with the proponents of the notion that deputy governors do not have responsibilities.

“Contrary to the often held impression that there is no responsibility allocated to deputy governors, in the management of the boundary committee, as chairman, is a constitutional responsibility vested in all state deputy governors across the country,” he stated.

On the bill, the governor stated that it would in effect, enable the state  set a road map for the implementation of the responsibility which the constitution vested in the office of the deputy governor.

“It will enable us deal with intra-boundary dispute within our Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). It will also enable us set up relationship and interaction between other boundary committees of other states.

“This is for the purposes of addressing boundary issues and resolving them in amicable manner, rather than in adversarial manner,” he stated.

According to the governor, “it is a bill that is well timed in delivery as we are resolving other aspects of human capital asset issues like the census, that have challenged us. It will help us to identify the full extent of the land assets that Lagos State Government, LGs and LCDAs have.”

Special Adviser to the Governor on Political and Legislative Powers Bureau, Alhaji Abdulateef Abdulhakeem, said the law provides for the establishment of Lagos State Boundary Committee whose responsibility is to ensure peace and unity among communities in dispute over boundaries in the state.

“The committee also has the power to liaise with the State Boundary Committee of neighbouring states with the view of taking joint measures that will promote good inter-community relationship.

“The law also provides that the committee monitors the Local Government Boundary Committees within the state and deal with disputes which cannot be settled by the Local Government Boundary Committee,” he stated.

He added that the committee was also authorised to carry out awareness and enlightenment campaigns among the people in the state on the essence of boundaries in order to foster peace and harmony among the people living along boundary lines.

Fashola also signed the bill which provides for the establishment of the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Board and other connected matters into law.