Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state, asserting that the activities of the Lagos Central Business Districts (CBDs) were focused on improving the life of Lagosians within the CBDs, in line with the THEMES agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on CBDs, Mr Olugbenga Oyerinde, reaffirmed this at the Year 2021 Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Secretariat, Alausa, to mark the 2nd Anniversary of Governor Sanwo-Olu-led administration.
According to Oyerinde, the activities of the agency were focused on ensuring tremendous transformation especially in the area of traffic management, removal of series of impediments and obstructions, improved environmental sanitation, drastic reduction in the illegal activities of street traders, non-stop renovation and rebranding.
Others, he said, include Beautification and reconstruction as well as impactful consultation with stakeholders through series of fora that became the solid platform to share vital information and knowledge.
Oyerinde, therefore, sought the cooperation of stakeholders operating within the Lagos Island business district to curb environmental and traffic issues on the Island, pointing out that CBD was very germane and critical in achieving the T.H.E.M.E.S. Development Agenda of the state government in the areas of traffic, clean and sustainable environment as well as providing intelligence information gathering to combat crime in the business districts.
The Special Adviser disclosed that the aim of the present administration was to enshrine the best global standards of business transactions in the State’s Central Business Districts (CBDs) through strategic partnerships with stakeholders.
“The state government has expended enormous resources and wherewithal on beautification, painting, rebranding, reconstruction and general uplifting of Lagos Island CBD axis to ensure that a serene and conducive environment is in place for businesses to thrive. We, therefore, call on stakeholders to cooperate with the state government and see CBDs as partners in progress,” Oyerinde said.
This was just as he recalled that the creation of the CBDs by the former Governor Bola Tinubu, in 2017, underscored the veritable business and investment potentials inherent in the agency and the need to address the challenges of maintenance of infrastructure within the business districts.
“Since the creation of CBD, the travel time within the Lagos Island Business District has drastically reduced through the removal of unnecessary impediments to free human and vehicular movement, security has been beefed-up as activities of hoodlums and miscreants have been reasonably curtailed and the aesthetic value of the environment has greatly improved,” he asserted.
Oyerinde further disclosed that the agency was collaborating with other agencies of government in ensuring proper harmonisation and synergy of all enforcement agencies operating within the Central Business Districts for effective management of the business activities in line with acceptable international standards.
“In line with the present administration to regenerate and redevelop the city to a greater Lagos, the agency embarked on the beautification and reconstruction of water fountains in some major junctions within the Lagos Island Business District as well as the reconstruction and rebranding of Ago Tower in Idumota which has been abandon for long to boost tourism and enhance the aesthetic value of the area,” he said.
The governor’s aide, while noting that iron barriers had been erected on some streets within the Lagos Island Business District to curtail the influx of traders into the walkways and roads which usually obstruct the free flow of traffic in the axis, appealed to traders to display their wares within the confine of their shops and business premises.
He enjoined visitors, residents and business owners operating within the business districts to obey rules and regulations in order to ensure that the set goals and objectives of the state government were achieved.
The special adviser said the agency had already commenced operations in the Ikeja Business District with the deployment of enforcement officers to control traffic at strategic traffic points and hold consultations with stakeholders within the area.
“As part of the program to introduce and sensitize the Ikeja environs of the commencement of full operation within the Ikeja CBD, the office recently engage in public enlightenment and sensitization within the Ikeja CBD and we are already holding series of consultative meeting with stakeholders to make the office operations within the axis seamless,” Oyerinde said.
While appealing for the return of Corporate Organizations/ Companies to the Lagos Island CBD, Oyerinde called on stakeholders especially different transports unions, market associations and CDAs to obey all traffic, environmental and physical planning laws of the state in order to reduce the frequent friction between the enforcement team of the agency.
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