Press Releases

Ehingbeti Summit Ends, Dev. Partners Stress Need To Envision A Safe, Secure And Functional City

Apr 25, 2008 - Development partners of Lagos State who participated at the fourth State Economic Summit tagged Ehingbeti 2008 on Friday stressed the need to envision a city that is functional safe and secure”.

In a communiqué on the resolutions of the summit read at the Eko Hotels, Victoria Island venue and presented by Hon. Abike Dabiri and Alhaji Zak Mamodu, the stakeholders agreed that the Lagos mega city must be a “beautiful and people friendly city with parks, gardens, waterfronts ,walkways”.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola while declaring the summit closed, expressed his resolve to remain focused to do what is right while demonstrating compassion to mitigate some of the discomfort that initially come with change.

The communiqué noted the need for a re-branding of the vision of the Lagos megacity, which is sold to the citizens and investors alike if it is to lead to a successful outcome, adding that the vision alone will determine the extent of its accomplishment.

The presentation, which covered all the 7 point thematic areas of the summit applaud the State for threading the path it has taken while seeking the deepening of such policies of Revenue Administration reform and the adoption of a new public finance model of “Debt Issuance”.

It further called for the “articulation of comprehensive and bankable investment projects” just as the issue of fiscal federalism and a special status were considered critical to the realization of the megacity plans.

Urging that a holistic view must be taken of the issues in the theme areas, the summit agreed that the abundant human capital available to the State must be harnessed through value driven skill acquisition and adequate investment in Health care and education.

It agreed that such development must also ensure the enactment of laws and policies specifically targeted at the physically challenge to ensure their contributions to the GDP.

Another major area of concern was in the area of actualization of the coastal roads and fourth mainland bridges as critical in the emergence of a model mega-city.

The Governor affirmed that he will work and toil for the 18 million people of Lagos whose hopes and aspiration depend on the present administration.

He added that this resolve informed the planning of 2008 summit to have a curative rather than diagnostic bias.

Governor Fashola charged that as the 21 century beckons with possibilities, everyone concerned should take solace in the famous quote of former American President, Theodore Roosevelt that: “let us therefore boldly face the life of strife, resolute to uphold righteousness by deed and by word: resolute to be both honest and brave, to serve high ideals, yet to use practical methods.

Above all, let us shrink from no strife, moral or physical, within or without the nation, provided we are certain that the strife is justified, for it is only through strife, through hard and dangerous endeavour, that we shall ultimately win the goal of true national greatness.”.

The Lagos State Governor expressed the belief that the objectives of the 2008 summit have been achieved because it has helped to reinforce government’s methods.

He expressed the delight that the various exit impressions he had from the various sessions showed that the Government was on the right track with its various developmental projects.

The 3day summit tagged “Transforming Lagos into Africa’s model Mega City ” was attended by personalities and resource persons drawn from very reputable institutions and bodies worldwide.