Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the state has recovered from the psychological trauma that followed the massive destruction of public assets during the EndSARS protests.
Governor Sanwo-Olu made this known during a Channels Television programme: “Sunday Politics,” even as he listed his administration’s efforts to achieve A Greater Lagos.
It would be recalled that many landmark buildings, including the iconic City Hall, Lagos High Court, shopping malls, forensic laboratory and Oba’s Palace were destroyed in Lagos by hoodlums who hijacked the protest.
Besides, about 200 new high-capacity buses were burnt in unprecedented carnage.
The governor stated that the state had recovered psychologically from the destruction but was still working on infrastructure recovery as such takes time and huge resources to achieve, noting that his administration was currently building an imposing multi-court structure to replace the burnt Lagos High Court in Igbosere.
“We have recovered psychologically from the destruction but we are still working on infrastructure recovery, knowing fully well that such takes time and huge resources to achieve. For instance, we are building an imposing multi-court structure to replace the burnt Lagos High Court, Igbosere,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, while describing the loss suffered during the #EndSARS protests as “huge,” however, said lessons had been learnt from the destruction.
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He further described the destruction recorded during the period as “collateral damage,” noting that the state had no part in the events that led to the protests.
On the Blue and Red Lines rail projects, Governor Sanwo-Olu assured residents that operations on the Blue Line would commence by the end of the year 2022, saying that the Red Line would start operation in the first quarter of next year.
“We can assure you that we won’t exceed the promise that the operations will start in the first quarter of 2023. We want to ensure that physical infrastructure is completed by December, latest; all stations, bridges, walkways and pedestrian bridges, so that they can start testing.
“Operationally, it will take two to three months. We need to check signalling and all the signalisation. So, we hope that operations will start within the first quarter of 2023. They will start carrying the first passengers from January,” he stated.
The governor, in his response to a question, said his administration had earned the trust of Lagosians to stand him a good chance in the 2023 elections, emphasising that the audiences in the state were discerning as conversations centred around what the administration had done to make living better for residents.
This was just as he argued that in an emergency situation, it was in the interest of the people to go for an experienced person to handle the situation rather than choose someone who was not familiar or had not handled the issue concerned.
Sanwo-Olu, who submitted having the greatest respect for all the candidates in the governorship race in Lagos, pointedly said this was real governance of the state and, therefore, not for trial and error, but the need to hit the ground running.
“In an emergency, it is in the interest of the people to go for an experienced person to handle the situation rather than choose someone who is not familiar or has not handled the issue concerned.
“This is real governance. I have the greatest respect for all the candidates but the governance of Lagos is not for trial and error; you have to hit the ground running.
“If you have an emergency at 3a.m, who would you call? What are your chances? Do you call a man that has the experience, that has gone through the trenches before, that has lived with it and understands what the issues are and appreciates the challenges you have at that 3a.m? Or will you leave your chances to someone that does not know where the dial is or that does not know what the issues of governance are? On all of these, I believe I have earned the trust and confidence of Lagosians,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu, while further reeling out his achievements, disclosed that his administration had trained no fewer than 400,000 people in new skills since he assumed office in 2019, adding that his administration was also dealing with security issues in Lagos, and currently building a new Command and Control Centre for the waterways and data centre for security.
“We’re building a new Command and Control Centre for the waterways and data centre for security. We’re dealing with security issues in Lagos.
“We are working with the entire security architecture in the State to ensure that the citizens are safe and secured,” the governor said.
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