For Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, it has been a dream start to his tenure in office. With the speed of light, Governor Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat have hit the ground running at the nation’s ‘Center of Excellence’.
The Governor’s First Day in office started with an interactive visit to major Ministries, Departments and Agencies at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja where he interacted freely with Civil Servants, majority of whom were amazed to see him in such a down to earth posture.
The governor was also at the Staff Bus Terminus where he Civil Servants to connect with the noble cause of bequeathing good governance to the people of the State, adding that everyone must contribute positively to the new drive to reform the society and take it to a higher pedestal.
A major highlight of the governor’s visit to the terminus was his pledge to inject between 30 and 40 new busses into the fleet, a declaration that generated wild jubilation from the crowd. Exactly 3 days after, the governor made good his promise as he handed over the 35 new buses to the Civil Servants.
Still on his First Day in office, the governor signed his first Executive Order to address the issue of traffic control and management, fixing of potholes on the roads, sanitation as well as cleaning of drainages in the State.
While signing the Executive Order in the presence of Security Chiefs and Heads of relevant agencies, the governor stressed that the support and cooperation of military personnel cannot be overemphasized especially in the implementation of the Order.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also charged the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, to effectively carry out their functions by ensuring strict compliance with all extant traffic rules and regulations as prescribed in the enabling law, adding that LASTMA officers would, henceforth, be working till 11pm.
Governor Sanwo-Olu equally directed the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) to be more communicative and advisory on issues of bad vehicle wipers, spare tyres and non-provision of jacks in vehicles, among others.
On that same day, Sanwo-Olu visited Apapa where he assured that there are plans to find a lasting solution to the gridlock in the area. The governor stated that Apapa’s gridlock is multi-faceted, and would be tackled appropriately.
On his way back to Lagos House, Ikeja, the governor apprehended and directed that a driver who drove against traffic on Eko Bridge be prosecuted in line with the provisions of the Traffic Laws.
On his second day in office, Governor Sanwo-Olu visited the Olusosun dump site in furtherance of his pledge to improve the environmental situation as contained in the first Executive Order on Environmental and Sanitation Matters. He disclosed plan to expand the dumpsite to accommodate more waste, saying: “We want to expand the facility to 42 acres so that trucks can have a quicker turn -around time”.
On his fourth day in office, immediately after leaving the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Ikeja, where a thanksgiving service was organized for him and his deputy, governor Sanwo-Olu headed to Badagry Expressway where he pledged that contractors would be back to commence work on the road by the end of June.
On Eid-el-Fitri day, when he hosted Muslim faithful in Lagos House, Ikeja, the governor disclosed that his government will soon release emergency hotlines to the public to call the Lagos State Public Works for immediate fixing of potholes and roads that need urgent repairs.
“Our Public Works Corporation would soon start fixing all the potholes on our roads” he stated.
Going by his action packed one week in office, Lagosians are, no doubt, poised to witness renewed vibrancy and dynamism in the governance of the state. Certainly, this governor is prepared for the task of governing at the ‘Center of Excellence’.
Considering his pedigree in governance, Babajide Sanwo- Olu, no doubt, has all it takes to guide the State to the path of greatness. The experience he has garnered both in the private sector Public Service should be sufficient to give him clear-cut direction and the needed analytical mind to steer the ship of the state afloat. Mr. Sanwo-Olu is not new to the dynamics of governance in the state as he has worked in various capacities as Special Adviser, Deputy Governor’s office, Honourable Commissioner for Budget & Economic Planning, Honourable Commissioner for Commerce & Industry and Honourable Commissioner for Establishment & Training among others.
One thing that is surely going to work well for him would be his resolve not to allow the allure and authority his office wields transforms him into a different personality. In his inaugural speech, the governor promised never to change and become something else. He said: “The Babajide Sanwo-Olu you see today shall not change and try and become something I am not”.
Ogunbiyi is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja
