PRESS RELEASE
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reiterated his administration’s willingness to continuously collaborate with relevant key players to address climate, environment and waste management challenges in the State.
He assured the House of Representatives Committee on Ecological Funds that the Lagos State Government will put into good use and be accountable with the Ecological Funds and other support and interventions from the Federal Government.
Governor Sanwo-Olu spoke at the weekend while receiving members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Ecological Funds, led by its Chairman, Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, at the Lagos House, Marina.
Sanwo-olu, while seeking more support in mitigating environmental issues in the state, stressed the benefits of timely completion of the proposed intervention to avert additional costs.
He said, “You are coming at a time we really need help. But we don’t just want help; we want partnership. We want people that appreciate and understand the need for us to solve problems, and by solving the problems, you are not solving the Lagos problems; you are solving the Nigeria’s problems because Lagos is a place that every ethnic national has a representative.
“We want to plead that whatever you are supporting us with, let us see it to completion because a job that is 80 percent done is not still done. It is only when it is 100 percent that we can say it is done.
“I want to assure the committee of our willingness to work with you and seek the support that you are willing to extend to us. We assure you that whatever support is given to us, we will put it to good and accountable use and show the benefits of the intervention.”
Speaking earlier, Hon. Jaji said his Committee will ensure that substantial intervention comes to Lagos to address ecological and environmental challenges.
He said, “We have visited several places in Lagos, and we have seen the challenges, and all the challenges we saw are real challenges, and the challenges must be addressed permanently with the intervention fund from the Federal Government.
“We will ensure that the Ecological Fund is utilised properly. We will ensure that Lagos State gets significant intervention. All the committee members were so impressed with the Lagos State Government capacity and the way it is addressing issues. So, the Committee will ensure that substantial intervention comes to Lagos.”
SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
SPECIAL ADVISER – MEDIA AND PUBLICITY
04 NOVEMBER 2024
PRESS RELEASE
‘LAGOS IS OUR OLD TIME FRIEND’ — UK FOREIGN SECRETARY TELLS SANWO-OLU
- British MP visits Lagos in first diplomatic mission to Africa
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, received the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary, Mr. David Lammy, in a courtesy call at the State House in Marina, hours after the British envoy arrived Nigeria in his first trip to Africa to discuss UK’s new approach to the continent.
Lammy, accompanied by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, and his deputy, Jonny Baxter, said Lagos became his first port of call in his Africa tour, given the centuries-old relationships between the two countries.
The Foreign Secretary said the socio-cultural and economic relationship between the United Kingdom and Nigeria was second to none, pointing out that Lagos had a huge number of families with relatives in London and other parts of the UK. The mutual dealings, the envoy said, had been further strengthened in business, remittances and finance cooperation.
Lammy said his visit was to further enhance the bilateral ties between the two countries, creating mutual understanding that would unlock more opportunities for both sides in thriving trade relations.
He said: “My first port of call in my visit to the continent of Africa is Lagos, which is naturally a bustling economic hub not just for Nigeria but also West Africa. What I have been experiencing since my arrival in Lagos is dynamism, vibrancy and huge opportunities that exist in this great city. These values befit our approach to the continent, which rests on mutual growth of our economies.
“We have seen how the Red Line is increasing transportation options in Lagos and it is pleasing to see UK manufacturers as being part of this transportation growth in Lagos. We want to see more of mutual cooperation in this sector. There is more we can do in several other areas. I am here to say the UK is very much open for more business with our old friends, and I dare say Lagos represents the old friendship. There is a win-win for our businesses and our societies.”
Lammy said the UK looked forward to a new partnership with Lagos in expansion of clean energy consumption, which would help the city to bolster its adaptation to climate change.
The Foreign Secretary mulled a potential deal with two UK companies willing to invest in clean and renewable energy in Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu told the visiting British envoy that the new UK’s trade approach aligned with the State’s growth plan, noting that Lagos possessed a huge population of creative and dynamic young people yearning for new opportunities across sectors.
He said the State Government had sustained an investment in knowledge-based training opportunities for young people to develop their talents and make their skills lucrative in modern economic order.
This agenda, the Governor said, is to make Lagos a human development capital of the continent, where investors would find competent professionals with right skills in any sector of the economy.
Sanwo-Olu shared business opportunities waiting to be harnessed in waste management, stressing that Lagos grappled with over 10,000 metric tons of waste daily, which could serve as raw materials for companies converting waste to clean energy.
He said: “We want you to go back home with the level of confidence that Lagos is a place to put investment and we will continue to make this environment a lot more attractive to businesses that are looking forward to more growth and opportunities.”
SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
SPECIAL ADVISER – MEDIA AND PUBLICITY
04 NOVEMBER 2024
