Press Releases

Lagos Has Responded Positively To Economic Meltdown - LASG

May 28, 2009 - Even as the world today reels under a global economic meltdown, Lagos State sees the challenge as a window of opportunities for economic growth, the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Barrister Opeyemi Bamidele has said.

Bamidele, who briefed Government House Correspondents, Thursday, as part of the events to commemorate the second year in office of the State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), said the impact of the economic meltdown on the State has cushioned by the success of the administration in reducing dependence on the monthly Federal Allocation.

“Yes, the global economic recession has affected us, but we have responded in a most positive manner. The recession has affected the 36 states of the Federation as a result of the drop in the prices of crude oil which has resulted in the drop in Federal Allocation going to the states including Lagos. But as if we knew, we have in the last 10 years, developed a high capacity to increase our internally generated revenue”, the Commissioner said.

According to the Commissioner, “In terms of revenue, we took a proactive step to increase our revenue through tax; because all that is coming to the State from the Federal Government which is about N3 billion, goes into settling our wage bill. Lagos State comes second to the Federal Government as the largest employer of labour in the country”.

Attributing this feat to the foresight of Governor Fashola, the Commissioner recalled that when the time came for the preparation of the 2009 budget, the initial budget proposal was over N700 billion, “But the Governor stood in the midst of us all and said, ‘ladies and gentlemen, as principal functionaries of Government, let us be mindful of a global economic recession’.

No recession had been announced at that time but the Governor knew that the prices of crude oil have begun to fluctuate and prepared himself for the worst”.

The Commissioner, however, acknowledged that the Government had to introduce some belt-tightening measures such as suspending further approvals of foreign scholarships and employment among others but added, “If this is the way the recession has affected us, so be it, it is in the overall public interest”.

But, according to the Commissioner, “In spite of all this, the Governor is still approving employments in exceptional circumstances like in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development because the issue of urban renewal and urban development is critical and germane to this administration”.

Bamidele said the State Government has committed itself in the spirit of continuity, to its 10-point Agenda, but most especially in employment and security, pointing out that from what the administration is doing in its Beautification Programme, it has been able to generate thousands of jobs for hitherto unemployed youths while also reducing to the barest minimum, the activities of “Area Boys”.

Saying that about 1400 medical staff and 1,000 teachers had also been employed in recent times, the Commissioner added, “We will intensify our efforts towards the creation of employment opportunities in order to accommodate the thousands of youths who continue to stream into the State on daily bases in search of jobs”.

On Security, Bamidele said the Government has not left any stone unturned to ensure adequate security in the State, pointing out that the Security Trust Fund initiative was borne out of the commitment of the administration to the security of life and properties in the State.

“In the area of security, you will also appreciate the fact that this administration has not left any stone unturned. We established a security committee headed by Alhaji Smith, a former Inspector-General of Police, to come up with an additional blue-print of how to further address the security question. And following that committee’s recommendation and Government’s White Paper, we also set up what we called a Security Trust Fund, headed by a retired Permanent Secretary and former Commissioner in the State, Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey”, the Commissioner said

Recalling that the Governor invited the Organized Private Sector into the initiative, the Commissioner added, “The governor brought on board captains of industries all of whom bought into this mission and contributed most immensely. We have expended over three billion Naira on security issues, providing arms and ammunition as well as other security equipment including patrol vehicles to the police especially the Rapid Response Squad”.

Appealing to proprietors of unregistered newspapers, periodical and magazines being published or circulated in the State to come forward and register with the State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Bamidele declared, “This will strengthen the mutually beneficial relationship which already exists between our government and the media”.

On the achievements of the Ministry in the last two years, Bamidele said the Ministry has played a very active role in the eradication of communication gap between the Government and the governed, pointing out that the role is played effectively by the Public Enlightenment Department of the Ministry through the education of the citizenry on the various programmes, policies and plans of Government.

According to him, “The Ministry has recently procured a specialized Public Enlightenment Van - AV Drum 21 – Land Rover to boost the public enlightenment efforts of the State Government”, adding that during the period under review, public enlightenment campaigns were carried out in the three Senatorial Districts of the State on various issues including Bird Flu, oil pipeline vandalism in collaboration with some international agencies.

Also, according to the Commissioner, “In line with the State’s Policy of building partnerships for development, the Ministry collaborated with international donor agencies including UNICEF, World Bank etc., on advocacy activities focusing on Child Survival, Procurement and Development, HIV/AIDS and Avian Influenza through the frameworks of State Social Mobilization Technical Committee,(SSOMTEC), Ministerial Action Committee on HIV/AIDS (MACA) and Public Enlightenment Committee on Avian Influenza (PEC).

Other achievements during the period under review, the Commissioner said, include, acquisition of high-tech equipments by the Lagos State Television (LTV), the introduction of an innovative programme, “AYEDAADE” by the Lagos State Radio Service which addresses contemporary issues on daily basis, development of the Lagos Printing Corporation warehouse into an Ultra-Modern Multi-purpose Hall on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis and the establishment of the State’s Records and Archives Bureau, among others.

Also present at the event which was broadcast live by LTV 8, were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Mr. Segun Ayobolu, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Tayo Odutola, Permanent Secretary, LTV, Mr. Lekan Ogunbanwo, Senior Special Assistant (Media) to the Governor, Mr. Hakeem Bello, General Managers and Directors in the State’s Information Team as well as other top government functionaries.