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Lagos keeps an open book, Sanwo-Olu reacts to procurement controversy

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has responded to the concerns raised in a letter by an opposition politician, Mr. Funsho Doherty of Action Democratic Congress (ADC), regarding the state’s procurement process.

Sanwo-Olu emphasised that the state had no hidden agenda in its public expenditure and deemed the controversy surrounding the letter as unnecessary.

Sanwo-Olu made this clarification on Tuesday while commissioning the newly built operational headquarters of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) in Ikeja.

The governor, while assuring that his administration would continue to value objective criticism, however, noted that some critics hid what he described as “malicious intentions” under the guise of playing political opposition to misrepresent the truth.

Governor Sanwo-Olu explained that discrepancies in figures on the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (PPA) website led to misunderstandings, causing public concern.

He emphasised his administration’s dedication to serving the people of Lagos continually and stated a refusal to engage in debates or disputes on social media platforms.

“Over the weekend, we saw on social media how some people can politically turn around all of our attempts to be responsible, transparent and committed to good governance. We don’t have a problem with any individual. We, indeed, acknowledged that this is the way it should be. We appreciate the fact that people can look at us in the face and say you need to do well in this area.

“We don’t have a problem with the originator of the open letter; in short, we like him and we thank him. Indeed, if we are seen as a government that is transparent and responsible, we should not be shy of criticism. But, it is only when criticism is malicious and is misrepresenting the truth, that is when there will be a problem,” he said.

“Officers in Lagos State have come out to show that there could be mistakes on some lines of items. There was a particular issue where an item was meant to be N2 million but was written as N2 billion. There are many discrepancies which have been corrected by PPA. We are not going to join issues with anyone on social media. All we are committed to is continuous service to the people of Lagos,” he added.

Sanwo-Olu said Lagos had maintained open books for checks and balances, pointing out that the state had judiciously appropriated funds for projects and services that benefited the residents.

“I lead a team of dedicated public officers, civil servants and a self-motivated team of officials that will always stand tall with anyone across the world.

“The building we are opening today is a testament to our commitment to responsible public service. This is a building that has been built on time within the budget and judicious expenditure. This is what we stand for in Lagos,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.

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