The Lagos State Government has issued a clarion call to Media Practitioners, urging them to provide more comprehensive coverage of its activities.
The call was made recently at a Breakfast Chat with the Media organised by the Office of Political, Legislative, and Civic Engagement and held at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Delivering his keynote address, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat said that the State is turning out policies, programmes and initiatives that will be beneficial to the residents of Lagos State and thus there is a need for increased media attention about such programmes which is intended to shape a positive discourse among Lagosians.
“This kind of meeting is very important because Media play a pivotal role in shaping public perception and holding leaders accountable. We believe that increased media attention will not only showcase our achievements but also show us the areas we need to work on”, he added.
He lamented that discussions often deviated away from critical matters, emphasising the need to focus on developmental issues to move the State forward.
Revealing the ongoing infrastructure efforts, Hamzat disclosed that Lagos currently has 198 ongoing road projects underway that span all Local Government Areas and include major roads that are considered access roads to critical economic hubs, noting that the cost of constructing the roads has significantly increased due to the ongoing economic challenges in the country.
“Some of the roads that are under construction include St. Finbarrs Road, Iwaya Road, Abiola-Onijemo Link Road and so on, However, we cannot do all the roads at once, because the cost of constructing and maintaining all these roads have gone up, what we awarded three years ago, has tripled in price, so we are trying to spread the resources across the State”, the Deputy Governor added.
The Deputy Governor concluded by urging the media as stakeholders, to amplify messages that inspire progress and unity, fostering a better understanding of the state’s efforts to address challenges and build a prosperous future.
Rendering an account of the activities of the Office, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, Dr. Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen said that the Lagos State Government, through the Office, has disbursed over N700,000,000 to 2,344 vulnerable residents in Lagos State to assist them to ameliorate their Health, Accommodation, Business and School fees challenges, through the “Sanwo-Olu Listens” social Intervention programme.
Reiterating the need for all-inclusive governance, Afolabi added that the CitizensGate Mobile App is designed to improve citizen-government engagement and enhance transparency to build a more responsive society and a peaceful environment for all residents to thrive.
The Special Adviser emphasised that the Lagos State CitizensGate Platform is expected to navigate all Ministries, Departments and Agencies and serve as a road map for Lagos State, enabling all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to identify areas of improvement and make necessary changes to enhance service delivery while attending to the yearnings of Lagosians and also providing opportunities to receive positive feedback from the citizens.
Appreciating the doggedness of the Media, Afolabi said that the breakfast media chat marks a significant step towards strengthening the partnership between the Lagos State Government and the media, calling for continued collaboration to achieve the vision of a “Greater Lagos Rising”.
In her appreciation to the media, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, Engr. Sholabomi Shasore noted that the professionalism and dedication of the press, raising public awareness and holding the Government accountable is invaluable, adding that the Office is looking forward to a continued partnership with the media as they strive to build a more transparent, accountable, and engaged society.
Also present at the event were the Office of Political Legislative & Civic Engagement Directors, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Civic Engagement, Hon. Ruth Ayomide Lijirin, and members of Staff.
