Lagos budgets N50b to support vulnerable, businesses in 2024’
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, said that by March or April 2024, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Fourth Mainland Bridge willhold,for the bridge construction to be begin in phases.
Sanwo-Olu, who disclosed this during the Lagos West Senatorial District Town Hall meeting, said he and the deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, would want to be remembered for all the interventions implemented when they leave office.
The governor said that the state government had done extensive work on the bridge, saying that the government has reached the final stage of the construction of the bridge.
Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance that only few buildings would be touched during the construction of the bridge and the affected landlords and tenants would be compensated.
“We want to start and do not want to give excuses again,” he said. Meanwhile, the governor also disclosed said that N50 billion had been budgeted and would be distributed to support vulnerable residents of the state to cushion the effect of the harsh economy and take people out of poverty. He added that they would be committed to building the state bigger and better, stating that they have been distracted by court cases.
The governor, however, implored all those who challenged its election to come forward to join him in taking the state to the next level if the issues were about Lagos progress.
Sanwo-Olu further said that his second term in office would be a season of doubling up, working faster and harder to achieve more for the residents of the state. He noted that though the infrastructure gap in Lagos is huge,it is surmountable. Sanwo-Olu, who further said that 12 ferries would be commissioned soon to complement the already 20 ferries being in used, said that before the end of the year, the Federal Government will handover 150 electric buses and the state hopes to procure additional 1,000 electric buses.
He said the state government would work with some investors to achieve the procurement of the electric buses, saying that it is part of achieving zero emissions by 2050.
The governor also said that conversation on the airport being planned for Ibeju-lekki area of the state had reached an advanced stage, and that work would start soon.
In his welcome address, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said that the town hall meeting is part of the open door policy of Sanwo-Olu’s administration and his passion to deliver good governance to the residents.
