LAGOS STILL WORKING!

As he drove through some parts of Lagos State a couple of months back (obviously on his way out of town), the Governor of Rivers State, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, despite orchestrated distractions by agents of destabilisation, was awed by the sudden construction site that Lagos has become. Amaechi, who drove himself, had gone through some back routes, in an attempt to beat the traffic that the ongoing construction had brought about. He then retorted, unconsciously though: “Fashola is really doing well…wow!”

By virtue of his training as an administrator, Governor Babatunde Fashola’s idea of governance transcends brick and mortal. For him, he would rather the building of institutions and the enhancement of human capital development since as change agents, they will help sustain the physical infrastructure that often appear the yard stick for assessing a performing administration in a society where infrastructure deficit is annoyingly on the high side.

Yet, this mindset has not stifled the governor from elevating the aesthetics of the state through visible infrastructure developments that are unmatched, both in the relative and absolute sense.
Today, across the state are different road works that are ongoing, simultaneously and in spite of the challenge of the season (rain). Fashola is not oblivious of the fact that he could not win the challenge of development on all fronts. While those whose areas are being given attention through the different works that are ongoing would reckon a performing administration, some, of course are grumbling, alleging neglect, somewhat.

But Fashola is driven by a fixed notion: for as long as the territorial size of the state is not going to increase, development will certainly catch up with every part of the state. And since development is hinged on priority, timing, resources and the logic of proper and scientific planning, the government has a justification for the preferential and differential development strategy as it varies from area-to-area. That it will go round is no more a subject of debate.

Ponder this: As a resident of Lagos, if the roads to your home and office are bad at the same time and government has a choice to start with one, a rational government would help fix the one to your office first because it not only helps your productivity, it helps the office and in the end, government can have a reason for its taxes. This, however, does not rule out the fact that government is coming back to the road leading to your home. It’s a question of time. It sure will, if focused and determined.

Therefore, the initially swirling impression that Fashola had slowed down in his second term is obviously incorrect. It’s an erroneous perception that the prevailing indices have disproved and dismissed against the backdrop of thorough planning for effective delivery.
In all of this, however, government too must not be seen as taking the trust and confidence of the people for granted. The contractual understanding of votes in exchange for service delivery and improved living standard is sacrosanct and must remain binding. Therefore, the fact that Lagos is still working is evident even as Fashola and his visionary team are not resting. 

Courtesy: Thisday