Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has presented a total budget of N1.17 trillion for human and material resources needed to build a “Greater Lagos” by the year 2020.
Sanwo-Olu on Friday made the declaration while presenting the 2020 Budget to the State House of Assembly.
He said that the budget would attract private sector investments to the state economy by creating an enabling environment.
According to him, one of the objectives of the budget 2020 is to aggressively develop, upgrade and maintain the state’s infrastructure.
He said that through the budget, the state would invest in human capital development such as education and healthcare.
The governor said that the budget would help to facilitate sustainable social investment and enterprise and improve capacity to collect due revenues as efficiently as possible.
”The objective of our 2020 budget proposal is to improve civic participation in governance and automate public services and engagement.
”The budget is expected to build impactful partnerships with the Federal Government, other states, development partners and civil society,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said that it would improve the quality of the environment and the public spaces generally.
”In my Inauguration Speech on May 29, 2019, I declared to the good people of Lagos State that: ”While Lagos glimmers as a beacon of progressive and quality governance, our nation now undergoes a historic battle to establish progressive and just governance.
”Lagos must again rise and help lead this nation to fuller progress and to a closer realisation of the greatness that exists within all Nigerians. This inauguration symbolises such an awakening,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said that his administration came into office with a clear and indisputable mandate to govern the people diligently and conscientiously; to serve them to the best of their ability.
Sanwo-Olu said that Lagos faced an “existential threats”, arising from the interplay of demographic and climate change.
According to him, Lagos is and will continue to be a magnet for multitudes within and outside Nigeria in search of jobs and economic prosperity.
He said that these levels of migration put phenomenal strain on the physical and fiscal resources of the state.
”The choice before us is simple – we can either allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the challenges, or boldly confront them.
”I am energised because, all through the course of history, communities have faced existential threats at some point or the other.
”What has made the difference time and again is an acknowledgement of the threats, and the collective will-power to take decisive action, however seemingly difficult it may be in the short term.
”It is, therefore, time to imagine a new Lagos – A ”Greater Lagos”. It is time to create and realise new and audacious dreams, targets and goals.
”We have seen societies transform, within the course of two generations, from being trapped in a cycle of wars, mindless plunder, high rates of poverty, illiteracy and crime, into livable, high performing and world-dominating economies. Lagos will do it too.
”But like all great things, this will come at a cost. We have to make sacrifices for it. We have to reinvent and rethink Lagos,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said that with Lagos’ very small landmass and very dense population, there should be a rethink of the land use.
The governor said that there was the need to rethink inter-communal relationships, infrastructural development and the transport systems.
”We have to rethink our well-being. We have to move from glib statements about Lagos as a centre of excellence, Lagos has to be truly excellent in something. Something positive, remarkable and admirable. In other words, a Greater Lagos.
”It is on this plank that the ”2020 Budget of Awakening to a Greater Lagos” is premised,” he said
