AMBODE PRESENTS N813 BILLION YEAR 2017 BUDGET PROPOSAL TO LAHA

Lagos State Governor - Akinwunmi Ambode

…Earmarks 63% to Capital Expenditure, 37% for Recurrent

… Infrastructure, Education, Health sectors get lion share

…Budget to accommodate 4th Mainland Bridge, Lagos Airport Road

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday presented the Year 2017 Budget proposal of N813billion (eight Hundred and Thirteen Billion Naira) to the House of Assembly, assuring that the budget would be judiciously implemented to continue the massive infrastructural renewal and the enhancement of Lagos as one of the foremost tourism and investment destination in Africa.

The Governor, who christened the 2017 budget as “The Golden Jubilee Budget” as it coincides with the State’s 50th Anniversary, said it would focus on physical infrastructure, while social sectors especially health, education, youth and social development would get adequate attention.

Giving the key components of budget, Governor Ambode said recurrent expenditure would gulp N300.535billion while N512.464billion would be dedicated to capital expenditure, representing a Capital/Recurrent ratio of 63 percent to 37 percent.

According to the Governor, road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance would be one of the key focuses of the budget, adding that efforts would be geared towards roads that will open up the hinterlands, improve connectivity in the State and reduce travel time.

He listed some of the road projects to include Murtala Mohammed International Airport Road from Oshodi, Agric-Isawo-Owotu-Arepo Road in Ikorodu, Igbe-Igbogbo Phase II- Bola Tinubu Way in Ikorodu, Ijegun Imore Phase II Amuwo in Ojo axis, Oke-Oso-Araga-Poka in Epe, Epe-Poka-Mojoda in the Epe axis and the completion of the Abule-Egba, Ajah and Pen Cinema flyovers.

The Governor also said that within the course of the budget implementation, his administration would enter into a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to execute some road projects including Oke Oso-Itoikin dualisation Project in the Epe axis, Okokomaiko-Seme Road Project in Badagry axis and Ikorodu-Agbowa-Itoikin-Ijebu Ode Road Project in Ikorodu axis, just as he disclosed that the Phase II of the 114 Local Government Roads project as well as the construction of the Fourth Mainland Bridge would also kick off in 2017.

“In the course of the 2017 Financial Year, we shall carry out fundamental reforms on all our modes of transportation – Roads, Water and the Walkways. In this wise, a Public Transport Infrastructure Bond will be issued in the course of the year".

“The State Government will embark on the Urbanisation of the Marina axis, Waterways Channelization, establishment of more Parks and Gardens as well as the Community Sports Centres and Stadiums in different locations across the State".

“We will fully implement the Medical Health Insurance Scheme and deploy e-Health/ e-insurance Health Service solutions; and complete the on-going upgrading and extension work in the State General Hospitals and Ayinke House in Ikeja. Work will commence on our Medical Park in the 2017 fiscal year,” Governor Ambode said".

On the revenue expected from federal Allocation, the Governor said a conservative approach was taken owing to the falling oil prices, which according to him, was about $41.98per barrel at the time of finalising the budget.

He however expressed optimism that the State would get an increase in Federal allocation through the 13 percent derivation from Oil & Gas in 2017.

“In view of our financing gap, we shall continue to sustain deficit financing in the short-to-medium term; enhance revenue growth throughout the year on several initiatives including automation and efficient revenue administration".

Giving a sectoral breakdown of the 2017 Budget Estimates, Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade said the Governor earmarked N205.85billion for General Public Services representing 25.32 percent of the budget, N36.43billion to Public Order and Safety, representing 4.48 percent, while Economic Affairs received a lion share of N295.84billion representing 36.39 percent.

In other sectors, Ashade told journalists at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa Secretariat that Environment got 56.31billion, representing 6.93 percent, Health got 57.29billion representing 7.05 percent, while Education got N92.4billion representing 11.37 percent of the budget.

The Commissioner said the Budget would be funded from a total revenue estimate of N642.849billion while the balance of N170.150billion would be funded through a N100bn Bond Issuance program and a combination of internal and external loans.

Receiving the Budget, Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, commended the Governor for keeping faith with the 2016 budget in the area of implementation, adding that Lagos has witnessed a quantum leap in the last one year.

Obasa, while assuring the Governor that members of the House would give the 2017 fiscal document due diligence for the benefit of Lagosians, called on the Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to furnish the House with all the necessary documents to enable it fast-track the budget approval process.

The Lagos Speaker also seized the occasion to call on the Senate to reconsider the Special Status Bill for Lagos State, saying there was no better time to accord the State such recognition.

Dignitaries present at the event include former speakers of the House of Assembly including party chieftains, members of the State Executive Council, traditional rulers, religious leaders, among others.

LASG TO GIVE CASH RATHER THAN FOOD STUFF DURING YULETIDE

In a bid to put a smile on the faces of Lagos State workers this Yuletide, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has said he would increase their salaries rather than distributing bags of rice which has been a tradition prior to this time.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has said his government will not be giving out christmas rice and other items that are usually distributed by the State Government during the yuletide season.

According to a circular numbered 153 and signed by the Head of Service, Mrs. Olabowale Ademola, the Governor will instead increase workers basic salaries by 25 percent. Sources who chose to be anonymous said the Governor decided to cancel the giving out of Christmas rice because not every worker usually get it.

They said the Governor knows it has not been a transparent process in the past and so he will be cancelling the exercise this year and increase workers’ salaries instead, to ensure every worker gets a Christmas gift.

Congratulations Lagos State Workers. 

Special Announcement To The Newly Admitted LASU Students (2016/2017 Session)

Akinwunmi Lewis - Registrar LASU

Special Announcement To The Newly Admitted Students (2016/2017 Session)

This is to inform all newly admitted students into Lagos State University's various undergraduate (Full Time) programmes who have their courses changed from the one originally applied for at JAMB, to immediately visit JAMB website to apply for a change of course.

This directive, which must be carried out within 48 hours (on/before Wednesday 30, 2016), is compulsory so as to enable JAMB process and release the admission letters of affected candidates, a precondition for clearance and registration.

This exercise is at a cost of Two Thousand, Five Hundred (N2,500:00) Naira Only, which must be paid online directly to JAMB.

This directive is compulsory and should be strictly adhered to, failure which, the candidate(s) admission shall be withdrawn.

LEWIS, Akinwunmi Oladapo 

Registrar & Secretary

LAGOS STATE - CRITICAL TO GETTING NIGERIA OUT OF RECESSION - AMBODE

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday said the State has a critical role to play in taking Nigeria out of the current economic doldrums, just as he harped on the need for partnership between government and the private sector to address strategic challenges confronting the nation.

Governor Ambode, who spoke at the Lagos House in Ikeja when he received on courtesy visit members of the Governing Council of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), who came to notify the Governor of the hosting right of the 22nd World Conference of Banking Institute to be held in Lagos in April 2017 and other activities of the Institute,  said Lagos, as the economic hub of Nigeria and the West African region, contributes about 70 percent of the financial services in the country, and as such the State was in a good stead to lead the nation out of recession.

The Governor said the visit by the CIBN Council led by its President, Professor Segun Ajibola was apt as it came at a time that Nigeria was undergoing recession, but the cheering news was that the country was abundantly blessed with a group of people that can actually help the country out of recession, to which many of them are members of the Institute.

He, therefore, harped on the need for partnership between the government and the private sector, saying: “This is like a clearing call, we need this partnership to  take us out of the doldrums. Irrespective of the fact that Lagos contributes like 70 percent of the financial services in this country and if there is anything that can take us out of recession, it has to start from us and from Lagos.”

Besides, Governor Ambode said the story of the growth and development of Lagos could not have been completed without the huge contribution of the financial service industry, adding that the sector remained a veritable vehicle that has been able to drive professionals to contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State.

According to the Governor, “The financial service industry stands out in terms of creating employment for our people, and in terms of contributing to the taxes, and as well creating capacity, and as such it will be unfair not to appreciate and commend everything that the CIBN has actually done to the growth and development of Lagos.”

Speaking on the hosting right of the World Conference, Governor Ambode expressed excitement at the development, and assured that the State Government will partner with CIBN to use the platform to promote investment potentials in the State, as well as celebrate the 50 years anniversary of the creation of Lagos.

“Lagos is going to be 50 next year and President of the Council has talked so much about the hosting right of the conference. As a government, we are also trying to brand Lagos as a world class city to live in, and so we will partner and support the conference and list it as part of the events to celebrate Lagos at 50 and use it as a platform to promote financial tourism for the State.

“Lagos is the financial hub of Nigeria and by extension maybe the West African coast, and the good thing is that the infrastructure we have been able to provide are aimed at allowing businesses to thrive. We are trying our best but the fundamentals remained the fact that the city has to be safe so that businesses can thrive.

The Governor also expressed readiness to partner with CIBN to create a structured capacity building for State officials with the view to getting a stream of hardworking professionals.

Earlier, Ajibola commended Governor Ambode for the massive infrastructure development ongoing in the State, especially the improvement on security, the Light Up Lagos Project, ingenious traffic management strategy in strategic locations across the State such as the Iyana Oworo Lay-by, Ketu-Alapere Slip Road, multifaceted Berger expansion projects, Ojota Pedestrian Bridge; road rehabilitation, Light Rail Project, among others.

“As at today, the banking community is more than happy with the State of security in Lagos State. Our banks are now safer; our ATM locations are safer; we see secured human and properties more than ever before within Lagos and its environs,” Ajibola said.

credits: akinwunmiambode.com

LAGOSIANS TO OWN HOUSES AS LASG PLANS TO DELIVER 1000 HOUSING UNITS

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday said his administration has so far injected over 1,000 additional housing units into the State and the schemes are now ready for occupation by interested residents.

Governor Ambode, who stated this during an extensive inspection tour of ongoing projects in the Eastern axis of the State, said the official flag off of the allocation of the housing units would commence on December 9, 2016, while interested residents of the State need not know anybody before applying.

At the Sir Micheal Otedeola Housing Estate in Odoragunshin, Epe, Governor Ambode was briefed by the State’s Commissioner for Housing, Mr Gbolahan Lawal, who said the estate was part of the schemes earmarked for the rent-to-own policy of the State Government.

Lawal said the 336 Housing units comprised of 180 units of room and parlour; 90 units of one bedroom apartment and 80 units of two bedroom apartment.

He said 20 percent of the entire units had equally been earmarked for rental housing, adding that the social welfarism policy of the present administration in the face of the current economic downturn necessitated the need for the rent-to-own policy.

He added that as part of the people-friendly gesture of the Akinwunmi Ambode administration, the prices of the units have been reduced thus the two bedroom which was hitherto N7.2million has been reduced to N3.5 million, while the one bedroom which was N4.3 million has been reduced to N2.3 million. The room and parlour unit has also been reduced to N1.5 million.

Responding, Governor Ambode said due to the economic recession and as a responsive government, his administration felt the great need to review the housing policies which have always existed in the State, saying that such was what brought about the new policies to make housing affordable to Lagosians.

He said: “When you consider the economic recession and then the inability of our people to actually process mortgage, we think it is time for government to be more responsive and that is why we are adjusting the mortgage scheme to rent-to-own policy.

“We think it is better that people can just come in and pay one month rent and continue to pay their rent on a monthly basis. These housing units are for the people and we want the people to have access to them.

“If Lagosians are interested in owning, they don’t need to pay any down payment of mortgage, they should just approach us and apply. They don’t need to know anybody also. It will be open to everybody. This is more about the people. As we speak now, we have over a thousand units that are going up for rentage and as we proceed, we will add additional units some in partnership with the private sector.

“We are going to have new schemes coming up in Ajegunle, Badagry, Alimosho and other areas. The whole essence is to increase the purchasing power of Lagosians,” Governor Ambode said.

At the inspection of the expansion of network of roads in Epe, the State’s Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr Ganiyu Johnson briefed the Governor on the various road projects, saying that they were aimed at developing the Eastern axis of the State.

He said the network of roads in Epe consist of three segments. Segment one is Lagos Road which starts from Oke Osho to Femi Agbalajobi Junction. Segment two is from Femi Agbalajobi to Oloja Estate, while the third segment is the network of roads within Oloja Estate.

Johnson added that the Phase two of the project started from Femi Agbalajobi to Majoda, the boundary of Lagos and Ogun State and from Oke Osho to Poka Road.

While responding, Governor Ambode expressed satisfaction with the level of work done so far, saying there had been improvement from the last time he inspected the projects.

He said: “We decided to open up this axis of the State to complement what we are doing at the Export Free Trade Zone and also all the things that are coming up at the Ibeju Lekki axis. We believe strongly that by opening up this road to the boundary of Ogun State, we would have brought accelerated development to the Eastern axis of Lagos. We want to ensure that even as we plan to put an Airport in the East axis, it is also important that we add a road network that can complement all the efforts we are trying to put up at the Lekki Free Trade Zone,” he said.

Besides, Governor Ambode directed the contractor handling the projects to work 24/7 to ensure the completion of Phase one before May 2017, and ordered that the second phase of the road network to Mojada should commence in January, as well as the connecting roads between Oke Osho and Poka axis.

The Governor also inspected the 20 Units Government Chalet in Epe which is currently being upgraded to 70 units with modern lawn tennis court, swimming pool, a five-aside football field, among others.

Credits: akinwunmiambode.com