Governor Fashola seek the indulgence of all Lagosian to support tranformation is going on

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Sunday solicited support from all Lagos residents to enable his administration continue the work of transformation which it began in the last dispensation.

Governor Fashola, who spoke at the Tafawa Balewa Square venue of this year’s Ramadan Lectures of the Ansar – Ud – Deen Society of Nigeria, said in order to continue to improve drainage, housing, security, law and order and quality of education, among others, the support of the people was needed by way of paying their taxes and fulfilling other obligations within the terms of the ‘Social Contract’.

He told the capacity crowd of Muslim faithful, “Improved drainage, Housing, Security Law and Order, quality Education and others require not just human effort and intelligence which we offer; in energy you will not find us wanting, but we also require money and this is why we require your cooperation to pay your taxes to give us the tool to do the work that you sent us”.

“The few of us you elected did not elect ourselves. It took 1.5 million votes to put us there. If that is the minimum we get to tackle these problems; if all the 1.5 million voters or indeed the six million registered voters, or better still the 18 million residents of Lagos become our ambassadors over these problems, I am sure that in the shortest possible time, not only will we overcome them, they will become history in our State and in our nation”, the Governor said.

Governor Fashola, who noted that the aforementioned aspirations would remain only dreams without the support of the people, declared, “We have the formula, we have the work plan, we have the energy, we have the cabinet, we have the lawmakers, we have the judicial arm of Government all ready to serve you”.

“I have the belief that if you come with us in this journey that we intend to address the burning issues such as to improve the quality of education, improve quality of our inner city roads, deliver social housing that is affordable and payable through mortgages, improve the quality of our drainages, we will record outstanding success”, the Governor said.

Speaking specifically on the Lagos drainage network, Governor Fashola paid glowing tributes to the founding fathers and subsequent administrations in the State since 1967 for their works in terms of Lagos drainages saying, “But for the work they have done and which we are improving upon, we would have been totally submerged by the flood of July 10, 2011″.

“What is happening across the world today is not going to spare Nigeria. You have noticed the unusual weather patterns, and you have seen what is happening in Korea, in China and other parts of the world. We need to continue to improve on the drainage, we need to improve our level of security and law and order and it cannot be done by these people in Government alone. It requires a community of action by all of you”, the Governor said.

On the need for peace and security in the country, Governor Fashola said the opportunities for prosperity for Nigeria could not be brighter at this time when, according to him, “the economies of the West are heading South and investment is looking for places of comfort and high returns”.

“Africa, and indeed Nigeria, is one of the pre-eminent investment exiles and oasis to pitch. But, if we do not address those very nagging issues of insecurity, those issues of ethnic and religious divide, investment will not come here”, the Governor said and urged all Muslims in the country to pray for peace and security in the country at this period of Ramadan.

He added, “It is in our hands now and in this very special month, one of the prayers I would urge us to engage in is to pray that those who are angered and who resort to violence would sheath their swords. When we have peace, when we have security, this economy will prosper beyond our imagination”.

“Let me say publicly here that barely three years ago, European economies were issuing travel guides to their citizens; ‘don’t go to Lagos, don’t go to Nigeria’. But today, the leaders of those countries are coming here. There is a sense here that we can take the benefit of this opportunity”, the Governor said.

Speaking at the LTV 8 Blue Roof Multipurpose Hall, venue of the 3rd Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu Memorial Lecture later, Governor Fashola also thanked the people of Lagos for their support in ensuring the election of Action Congress of Nigeria candidates, including himself, both at the State and National levels during the last General Elections pledging that his administration would not fail the people.

Governor Fashola also poured encomiums on the late Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu whom he described as a father figure to everybody but particularly his (Governor’s) family and all those who came in contact with him.

On the two lectures titled Islam: “The Media and National Interest”, delivered by Imam Abdul Mojeed and “Democracy, Corruption and Public Office holders: Islamic Perspective”, delivered by Barrister Abdullah Adam Abdullah, Governor Fashola said leadership should be selfless while the Media has a role to play in the enhancement of good and sustainable democracy for all.

In his lecture at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, the National Missioner of Ansar – Ud – Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Ahmad, urged Nigerians, Muslims and non-Muslims, to embrace God who never changes, saying that only God knows what will happen tomorrow.

The National Missioner, who condemned pride and corruption, lamented that some people live today as if they know tomorrow adding, “Tomorrow seniors everybody including kings. It is only God that knows tomorrow”.

Speaking at the 3rd Alhaji Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu Memorial Lecture, Chairman of the occasion and Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, praised the late Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu for providing opportunities for all that came in contact with him to achieve their goals in life. The Governor also commended the widow of Alhaji K.O. Tinubu for her steadfastness and charged Muslims to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Quran.

Also in his vote of thanks, National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, commended all those elected into public office on the platform of the party saying they have displayed good governance. “People entrusted us with good governance because we have done it in Lagos. ACN has shown that it is a party of choice” the National Leader of the Party said.

In his lecture titled “Islam: The Media and National Interest”, Imam Abdul Mojeed said the agenda setting role of the Media was greatly echoed in the Holy Quran pointing out that Allah detests mischief-making urging that the Media should play more advocacy role.

Advising that Muslims should appreciate the importance of the Media in nation building Imam Mojeed lamented that Muslims have not sufficiently embraced the Media enough as a tool for the enhancement of the ideals of Islam expressing regrets that less than five percent of media proprietors are Muslims. “The Media is a change agent”, he said.

Also present at the Ansar-Ud–Deen of Nigeria Society’s Ramadan Lecture were National President of the Association, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, House of Representatives member for Ikorodu, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Lagos State Council of the Association, Alhaji Nurudeen Okuleye, past chairmen of the Association, top Lagos State Government functionaries including the Special Adviser on Education, Otunba Fatai Olukoga and other Muslim dignitaries.

At the 3rd Alhaji Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu Memorial Lecture, those present included Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Remi Ibirogba, Head of Service, Prince Adesegun Ogunlewe, Tinubu Family members including Chief Executive Officer of Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu, representative of Alhaji Azeez Alao Arisekola Alao, Chief Imam of Lagos, Alhaji Garba Akinola and representatives of the Oba of Lagos as well as other top government functionaries.

Let us join hand to make the good work God has been using a dynamic, vibrant, indispensible govenor of Lagos state to do.

Jostexola nig, limited is solidly in support of the Governor. 

culled from tundefashola.com