The Lagos state government, on Monday, reassured residents of its commitment to grassroots development.

It said this was in line with its security and governance pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S. Development Plus Agenda.

The commissioner for chieftaincy affairs and rural development, Bolaji Robert, gave the government’s position while reeling out some of the achievements of his ministry in the last year.

He was giving a scorecard of the ministry in the first year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa Ikeja.

The commissioner said that people at the grassroots would continue to be at the centre of development policy in the state.

He said this was to ensure that the dividends of democracy were taken to the doorsteps of the common man.

“Mr Governor intends to actualise the dream of making Lagos a 21st-century economy and delivering the reality of a greater Lagos,” he said.

According to the commissioner, the state government has committed huge resources to paying insurance benefits to the families of deceased local government and State Universal Basic Education Board staff members.

“Three hundred and ninety-one million, two hundred and twenty-six thousand, six hundred and thirty-xix naira and five kobo (N391,226,636.05) have been disbursed to 164 beneficiaries of deceased staff in the last one year.

” This ministry remains undaunted, focused and unrelenting in its drive towards bringing the dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of the citizens of the state and fully actualising the T.H.E.M.E.S. Plus Agenda of this administration,” he said.

The commissioner revealed that in the last one year, the ministry had continued to engage critical stakeholders in the state and had direct interface with local government councils in its efforts to cascade development to the grassroots.

“This has yielded developments at the grassroots and has culminated in the on-going rural-urban renewal projects, which has aided in reducing rural-urban migration.

“One of these efforts is the two-day capacity building workshop the ministry recently organised for 376 councillors across the councils, being part of the state government’s role in improving the law-making capacity of councillors across the 57 councils,” the commissioner said.

Mr Robert also said that the ministry would continue to monitor and inspect projects and markets across the 57 councils.

He said this was to ensure proper hygiene, cleanliness, waste management and structural safety of facilities in the markets.

The commissioner said that the present administration has so far installed 50 traditional rulers without any rancour or dispute, attesting to the people’s support and belief in the leadership qualities of the governor.

The special adviser to the governor on rural development, Dr Nurudeen Agbaje, responded to some questions at the event.

He said that the ministry, through the Office of Rural Development, had, in the last year, committed to strategic and critical infrastructure development in rural communities.

Mr Agbaje cited ongoing road constructions in rural communities, including a 400-metre road in Ijake Community, Oto-Awori LCDA; a 510-metre road at Ganiyu-Oduntan in Ikorodu, with four other road constructions in Iganke Community, Agbowa LCDA; Ayubu-Bashorun Road in Ijede; Erelu-Amikanle Road in Alimosho; and Onishon Street in Ibeju-Lekki.

“Also, in our ongoing efforts to ensure the provision of community-based projects, we have provided 500KVA transformers to communities such as Yologbo Estate 1, Igbe Alagbe Community in Ikorodu,” he said.

He listed eight other communities impacted across the state, which include Odan-Ilogbo-Eremi PH1 in Olorunda; LASU Campus, Ojo; Oral Estate CDA, Mojoda, and Eredo in Epe; Owu CDA in Ibeju-Lekki; Gengenla CDA, Agunfoye in Ikorodu; Ama Street, Ijede; Agbede Omolaye in Ikorodu; and Liberty Estate CDA in Igbogbo-Baiyeku.

Mr Agbaje said that the projects and achievements of the ministry were noticeable in communities across the state.

” While we keep providing residents with various social amenities, as the community, we should guard them from vandalism or destruction, considering that the projects are part of the efforts of the LASG in improving the lives of people in Lagos,” he said.

The chairman, House committee on local government, chieftaincy affairs and rural development, Sanni Okanlawon, was among those present at the event.

Others include the commissioner for information and strategy, Gbenga Omotosho; the permanent secretary, ministry of local government, chieftaincy affairs and rural development, Kikelomo Bolarinwa; alongside her counterpart, ministry of information and strategy, Olumide Sogunle; and directors from the ministry.

(NAN)