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Tag: Babajide Sanwo-Olu

  • Why we are establishing Lagos medical university – Gov Sanwo-Olu

    Why we are establishing Lagos medical university – Gov Sanwo-Olu

    The Lagos State Government will soon establish a medical university to boost the training of health professionals and address the problem of brain drain in the health sector.

    Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this at the inauguration of the Femi Gbajabiamila General Hospital on Tuesday in Surulere, Lagos.

    The 80-bed hospital facility was facilitated by  the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.

    The governor said the medical university would be established before the end of 2024, in collaboration with the Federal Government.

    “This is an opportunity to announce another bold initiative that we would be pursuing in the course of this year.

    “This is strategic for us. This is a strategic intervention for us. Why are we setting up a health or a medical university? It is to solve two problems .

    “We found out that working with the Federal Ministry of Health, we need to scale up very aggressively all of our training and all of the youths to be trained in everything within our health space.

    “We cannot sit back and fold our arms as a government that cannot intervene. And so we will, as a state, hoping that other states will take this initiative and set up similar universities to be able to scale up and have between 1,000 and 1,500 doctors graduating every year.

    “And this will also stem, in our view, the trend of medical personnel leaving our country.

    “We are not going to stop at ensuring that we provide the best facilities to be able to retain our best talents here,” he said.

    The governor commended Gbajabiamila for facilitating and handing over the secondary heath facility to the state government, saying the hospital would improve access to healthcare.

    Speaking at the inauguration, Gbajabiamila said the hospital was one of the many projects he had facilitated in Surulere and other parts of the state.

    “The Femi Gbajabiamila General Hospital was conceived from the knowledge that a populous and growing metropolis such as Lagos cannot afford to be found wanting as far as access to quality health care is concerned.

    “This structure is an addition to the support the tremendous work the Lagos State Government is doing in the area of healthcare,” he said.

    He said the facility, which was formerly a Primary Health Centre, was equipped with a dialysis centre, CT scan, alternative power and many more for the benefit of the people of Surulere.

    He thanked the people of Surulere for their consistent support, promising to continue to do his best to impact lives in the area.

    “I thank you for the support you have given me for over 25 years. I do not take it for granted and I will continue to do my best to impact lives,” he said.

    Speaking, Dr Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health, thanked Gbajabiamila for delivering the project .

    He said he had no doubt that the facility would bring healthcare closer to the people .

    Sen. Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC-Lagos Central), also thanked the Chief of Staff for facilitating the project .

    He said he was not surprised at the scale of the project as the Chief of Staff had executed several other ambitious  projects for the benefit of the people of Surulere.

    Sanwo-olu also inaugurated the Sam Shonibare Community Development Centre, Dualised Babs Animashaun Road and the Census Bridge, all facilitated by Gbajabiamila.

  • Sanwo-Olu doles out end of year bonus to Lagos workers

    Sanwo-Olu doles out end of year bonus to Lagos workers

    Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, has approved an end of the year bonus for street sweepers of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

    The Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos, said it is in appreciation of their critical role of keeping Lagos clean.

    Gbadegesin said that the hard-working heroes and heroines of Lagos waste management system appreciated the gesture by the governor.

    “Gov. Sanwo-Olu acknowledges the tireless efforts of our street sweepers and waste handlers in maintaining a clean and healthy environment for Lagosians.

    “This bonus is a gesture of gratitude for their dedication and commitment, especially during this festive season,” he said.

    Gbadegesin said that the bonus would impact the lives of the recipients and their families, bringing joy and relief during the season.

    He said that the news was met with jubilation among sanitation workforce, as they expressed appreciation for the governor’s gesture.

    The LAWMA boss, who wished residents a happy new year celebration,  assured that the Authority would continue to consolidate on its efforts to make all parts of the state clean in 2024.

    Sanwo-Olu also approved an end of the year bonus for all public servants in the State for their contributions to the advancement of the State.

  • Greater accomplishments will happen in 2024 – Sanwo-Olu

    Greater accomplishments will happen in 2024 – Sanwo-Olu

    Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has assured Nigerians, particularly Lagos residents of bigger and greater accomplishments in year 2024.

    Sanwo-Olu, in his New Year message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gboyega Akosile, on Sunday urged residents to be hopeful and continue to live in peace and harmony throughout the coming years.

    He said his administration was committed to making life better and more prosperous for all residents in the New Year.

    The governor charged Lagos residents to remain hopeful of greater prosperity that would be recorded in the country and Lagos in particular.

    According to him, the current administration at the federal and state levels will continue to tackle myriad challenges facing the state and the nation.

    ”Bigger and greater accomplishments will happen across different sectors in line with the THEMES+ agenda in Year 2024.

    ”I wish every Lagosian a Happy and Prosperous New Year. We are thankful to God for the grace to see the New Year and we welcome 2024 with hope and faith,” he said.

    Sanwo-Olu said 2023 was a year of great strides for Lagos State and was indeed, a significant year for the present administration.

    ”We are happy and grateful to Lagos residents for coming out in large numbers to re-elect us for another four years. We will not disappoint you.

    ”I want to assure millions of Lagos residents that 2024 is the year we will act with speed to deliver more good governance and dividends of democracy that you voted us in for.

    ”As your governor, I promise to continue to provide leadership that will usher in greater opportunities and more prosperous life for Lagosians.

    ”We will work for Lagos better and faster this year and the remaining years of our second term in office to accelerate developments across the identified areas in our THEMES+ agenda.

    ”My New Year message to all Lagosians is not to despair and remain hopeful of greater prosperity for Lagos. I want to assure you that better times are ahead of us.

    ”We are committed to ensuring that we can give hope to the hopeless. This was our solemn promise and we are committed to achieving it. We wish all Lagosians the very best this New Year,” he said.

  • States should invest in people-oriented projects, programmes- Sanwo-Olu

    States should invest in people-oriented projects, programmes- Sanwo-Olu

    Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has urged state governments to invest more on people-oriented projects and programmes in order to benefit from the bold economic initiatives of the federal government.

    In an interview with newsmen on Saturday in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said this would complement the dividends of democracy which these initiatives are coming up with by next year.

    ”Lets continue to investment in areas where the lives of the people will be impacted. Let’s continue to support the poorest of the poor in our system.

    ”Lets use technology to help us situate some of these challenges so that we are not giving what is not supposed to be given to the wrong sets of people.

    The governor said that the resilience of Nigerians must be sustained in order to reap the rewards of the administration’s policies, adding that, ”there is light at the end of the tunnel”.

    Sanwo-olu said that states should collaborate with federal government ministries and agencies to turn the fortunes of their people for good.

    He said the infrastructural developments on-going in the states was a result of the readiness of the government to allow people to benefit from some of the fruits of its bold initiatives.

    ”It’s part of the benefits of these initiatives by the federal government that led to the granting of 50 per cent subsidy to Nigerians travelling by road as well as the free train rides where they already exist.

    ”This is the first in the country. It directly impacted the people and their socio-economic wellbeing,” he said.

    Sanwo-olu said that the fortunes of the country would see a positive development in 2024 with the ratings of the economy by the global financial houses.

  • JUST IN: Sanwo-Olu presents N2.2tr ‘budget of renewal’ for 2024

    JUST IN: Sanwo-Olu presents N2.2tr ‘budget of renewal’ for 2024

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday presented a budget estimate of N2.2 trillion for the 2024 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly.

    The state has once again burst the budget chart, way beyond what other state governors are projecting for the 2024 fiscal year.

    The Appropriation Bill, titled, ‘Budget of Renewal’ comprises recurrent expenditure of N1.02 trillion (45 percent) and capital expenditure of N1.224 trillion (55 percent).

    The Economic Affairs takes a chunk of the budget proposal with N539 billion.

    The governor noted that the 2024 budget proposal will further cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal and other economic hardships on the people.

    He added that the budget, in building on the 2023 ‘Budget of Continuity’, will focus on the provision of very important infrastructure such as Fourth Mainland Bridge, Food and Logistics Hub, Lagos/Epe International Airport, among others, for the people’s benefit.

     

     

     

     

  • There could have been mistakes in some records – Sanwo-Olu makes clarifications on Lagos Spending

    There could have been mistakes in some records – Sanwo-Olu makes clarifications on Lagos Spending

    Babajide Sanwo-Olu the Lagos State Governor, on Tuesday said officers in the state have come out to explain that there could have been mistakes on some records released by the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (PPA).

    The governor made this claims while commissioning a newly built operational headquarters of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) in Ikeja, the state capital.

    Recently, the Sanwo-Olu administration has faced criticisms over the spending of the government with the Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, refuting online reports that his office got over N2 billion for the supply of rechargeable fans and lights as well as fridges.

    The governor, in a statement by his spokesman, Gboyega Akosile, noted that the controversy was unnecessary, stressing that the state had nothing to hide in its public expenditure.

    Sanwo-Olu said, “Over the weekend, we saw on social media how some people can politically turn around all of our attempts to be responsible, transparent, and committed to good governance. We don’t have a problem with any individual. We, indeed, acknowledged that this is the way it should be. We appreciate the fact that people can look at us in the face and say you need to do well in this area.

    “We don’t have a problem with the originator of the open letter; in short, we like him and we thank him. Indeed, if we are seen as a government that is transparent and responsible, we should not be shy of criticism. But, it is only when criticism is malicious and is misrepresenting the truth, that is when there will be a problem.

    “Officers in Lagos State have come out to show that there could be mistakes on some lines of items. There was a particular issue where an item was meant to be N2 million but was written as N2 billion. There are many discrepancies that have been corrected by PPA. We are not going to join issues with anyone on social media. All we are committed to is continuous service to the people of Lagos.”

    Sanwo-Olu said Lagos had maintained open books for checks and balances, pointing out that the state had judiciously appropriated funds for projects and services that benefited the residents.

  • Gov Sanwo-Olu breaks silence on procurement controversy

    Gov Sanwo-Olu breaks silence on procurement controversy

    Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State says controversy surrounding the procurement process in the state is misrepresented truth.

    Sanwo-Olu said this on Tuesday, while onaugurating the newly built operational headquarters of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) in Ikeja.

    He said the controversy generated by the letter written by an opposition politician was unnecessary, as the state had nothing to hide in its public expenditure.

    According to him, his administration will continue to value objective criticism.

    The governor said some critics hid their malicious intentions under the guise of playing political opposition to misrepresent the truth.

    ”Over the weekend, we saw on social media how some people can politically turn around all of our attempts to be responsible, transparent and committed to good governance.

    ”We don’t have a problem with any individual. We, indeed, acknowledged that this is the way it should be. We appreciate the fact that people can look at us in the face and say you need to do well in this area.

    ”We don’t have a problem with the originator of the open letter; in short, we like him and we thank him. Indeed, if we are seen as the government that is transparent and responsible, we should not be shy of criticism.

    ”But, it is only when criticism is malicious and is misrepresenting the truth, that is when there will be a problem.

    ”Officers in Lagos State have come out to show that there could be mistakes on some lines of items. There was a particular issue where an item was meant to be N2 million, but was written as N2 billion.

    ”There are many discrepancies which have been corrected by PPA. We are not going to join issues with anyone on social media. All we are committed to is continuous service to the people of Lagos,” he said.

    Sanwo-Olu said Lagos had maintained open books for check and balances, adding that the state had judiciously appropriated funds to projects and services that benefited the residents.

    ”I lead a team of dedicated public officers, civil servants and a self-motivated team of officials that will always stand tall with anyone across the world.

    ”The building we are opening today is a testament to our commitment to responsible public service.

    ”This is a building that has been built on time within the budget and judicious expenditure. This is what we stand for in Lagos,” he said.

  • What Gov Sanwo-Olu said after Appeal Court victory

    What Gov Sanwo-Olu said after Appeal Court victory

    Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has hailed the ruling of the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos that affirmed his victory in the last governorship election.

    The appellate court on Wednesday,  dismissed the appeals brought against the re-election of  Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP).

    In a unanimous judgment, the three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Yargata Nimpar dismissed the appeals and affirmed Sanwo-Olu as the duly elected governor of Lagos state.

    Reacting to the judgment, Sanwo-Olu in a statement said that he accepted the Court of Appeal’s verdict with a sense of responsibility.

    The governor said that he accepted the verdict with a desire to continue with the giant strides of his administration to leave a great legacy for the people of Lagos state.

    ”With a sense of humility, I welcome the decision of the Court of Appeal, which ruled today in our favour, thereby validating the position of people of Lagos,  who freely cast their ballots to return my deputy and I. We do not take it for granted.

    ”Today’s judicial pronouncements, like those of the Lagos State Elections Petition Tribunal, have buoyed my confidence in our country’s judicial system.

    ”The court examined all the issues and did justice to them, without leaving anyone in doubt as to who was the rightful winner of the election.

    ”Our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will continue to maintain its firm belief in the judicial process.

    ”My deputy and I have satisfied all the constitutional requirements and are now more focused on delivering the democratic dividends to our people.

    ”With deep gratitude to the Almighty God, I humbly accept today’s Appeal Court verdict, with a sense of responsibility and a desire to continue with the giant strides of our administration to leave a great legacy for our people,” he said.

    According to him, the judicial victory has further strengthened his resolve to impact the lives of Lagos residents positively, regardless of their political persuasion, in line with the state’s THEMES+ development agenda.

    ”We urge our opponents to embrace the olive branch and join our sure march to the Greater Lagos that keeps rising by the day.

    ”May God bless Lagos state and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

  • You came empty-handed, left empty-handed – Appeal Court tells Jandor

    You came empty-handed, left empty-handed – Appeal Court tells Jandor

    The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, on Wednesday told candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 governorship election in Lagos State, Mr Abdulazeez Adediran that he came empty-handed to prosecute his case against the elected Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Appeal Court told Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, while ruling in the appeal, that his case against the re-election of Gov Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat lacked merit.

    The Court subsequently dismissed the appeal by the PDP and its governorship candidate and then upheld the September 25th decision of the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which affirmed the victory of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat in the March 18 governorship poll.

    It held that the appellants failed to prove their allegations of forgery and non-qualification against Sanwo-Olu and his deputy.

    “Though they were all pre-election matters, the appellants, PDP and its candidate, Adeniran, still failed to prove them.

    “The appellants came empty-handed and left empty-handed. Their petition lacked merit and is dismissed,” the court ruled.

    As at the time of this report, the court was delivering judgment in a similar appeal by Labour Party and its candidate for the election.

  • BREAKING: Babajide Sanwo-Olu affirmed as Lagos Governor

    BREAKING: Babajide Sanwo-Olu affirmed as Lagos Governor

    The  court of Appeal in Lagos, on Wednesday, affirmed the judgment of the tribunal confirming the election of the Governor and the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Obafemi Hamzat.

    The suit filed by Olajide Adediran, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against the election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was dismissed by the court.

    The Yargata Nimpa led Panel of judges dismissed Jandor’s appeal on the grounds that it lacks merit.

    The judgement was delivered by three panel of judges; Justice Yargata Nimpa, Justice Samuel Bola and Justice Paul Bassey.

    Recall that the tribunal had earlier upheld the victory of Sanwo-Olu as the elected governor of Lagos, in the March 11 election.

    The justices held: “Even though they were all pre-election matters, the appellants (PDP and Adeniran) still failed to prove them. The appellants came empty-handed and left empty-handed. They merely enjoyed their day in court. Their petition is dismissed.”