Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, has pledged to clear the gridlock in Apapa in six months if elected governor, saying he had identified solution to the current gridlock across the state.
Sanwo-Olu spoke at private-sector interactive forum organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI) for the governorship candidates of the two leading political parties in the country, which also featured the candidate of the People’s Democratic (PDP) in the state, Jimi Agbaje.
Agbaje, who is contesting for the Lagos governorship for the third time on PDP platform, said his administration would give priority to the educational sector and human capital development. This was needed to make the youth competitive and self-reliant in a modern society, he said.
Sanwo-Olu said he had identified the solution to the current traffic gridlock across the state promised that that his administration would work with traffic experts to check the perennial traffic gridlock in the state and install street light across Lagos.
Apapa, which hosts Nigeria’s busiest seaports, has experienced extensive disruption in business, commercial and transportation activities following the collapse of one of the link bridges to the seaport.
“One of the things I would do within the first six months in office is to solve the Apapa gridlock, I have identified traffic managers who would help us solve the gridlock across the state if elected governor and we would make street lights across the state also work,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He promised to reform the education sector in the state by carrying out capacity training for public schools teachers, while equipping the primary and secondary health centres with seasoned health personnel.
“We have about 320 primary health centres across the state. That means physical infrastructures are there, what we need to do is to get manpower, nurses and doctors into the hospitals; so that we can have a fully reformed and functional system in primary and secondary health system,” Sanwo-Olu said. “We would initiate health insurance scheme with several of the private hospitals joining us.”
Explaining on his decision to focus on education, Agbaje said: “We cannot be talking about the future in a knowledge-driven economy in a global world that believes in knowledge. So we will give high percentage of our budget far above the UNESCO percentage to education. Every school would have internet connectivity, those things that are required for learning. It is our priority,” Agbaje said.
Like Sanwo-Olu, Agbaje also stressed that his administration would reform the health sector in the state, and initiate a health insurance scheme in partnership with the private sector to provide health care, which would be affordable and accessible to residents of the state.
The PDP candidate further promised to partner with the private sector in the provision of social infrastructure and welfare programmes, while championing a new wave of attitude toward governance among residents.
Earlier in his welcome address, President of the LCCI, Babatunde Paul Runwase, said the private sector interaction with the governorship candidates was imperative due to the strategic role the private sector plays in the economy and general advancement of the state.
Runwase said the interaction with the gubernatorial candidates was crucial because the quality of political leadership in the state could have adverse effect on investment and business environment in Lagos State.
“This exercise is crucial because the quality of political governance has profound implication for the quality of investment environment. Without a conducive environment for business there cannot be meaning economic progress,” Runwase said.
