Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Saturday lauded his predecessor in office and Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, for his achievements during the eight years he spent as governor of the state.
Governor Ambode, who spoke when he received Fashola and some top officials of the ministry on a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Ikeja, described the visit as historic.
He added that it was gratifying to receive the minister for the first time at the Lagos House, Ikeja, since he left office on May 29, 2015.
He said, “On behalf of the people of Lagos State, I would like to wholeheartedly welcome Mr. Babatunde Fashola, my predecessor, and now Minister of Works, Power and Housing, and especially back to the Alausa office where he left about 22 months ago.
“I want to say that this is a historic moment for us, notwithstanding that the honourable minister lives in Lagos, this is the first time he is stepping his feet into the Alausa premises and we need to honour him for that and say a big thank you for coming back home.”
Ambode also lauded Fashola for serving the state meritoriously, saying that his administration improved on the template already laid down by the previous administration.
“We want to say that whatever it is that we have done in the last 22 months is just more or less a fallout of the great achievements the former governor had already put in place.
“We are happy that the sense of collaboration that we have expressed here is what we believe can carry whatever it is that Lagos stands for, moving forward. As you may be aware, Lagos is celebrating its 50 years of existence this year.
“The last 18 years has been so dramatic and historic in terms of the growth and development that we have seen in Lagos, commencing from 1999 when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu came into office and the eight good years spent by you and the two years we have done. So, obviously, there is a remarkable change between 1999 and now,” Governor Ambode said.
He gave the assurance that the requests made by the minister regarding housing projects of the Federal Government and other road construction would be accelerated, while also expressing optimism that the debts owed Lagos would be paid.
Earlier, Fashola, who described his visit as a homecoming, said he had come with his team to Lagos as part of a nationwide project monitoring exercise to inspect the job done so far on Federal Government projects.
He said that the ministry had made representations to the Federal Executive Council on modalities to pay debts owed state governments, including Lagos State, for rehabilitation of federal roads over the years, saying the debts would be paid through bond instrument.
The minister also expressed readiness to assist the state’s power initiative, especially in rural areas.
