Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday sworn-in 35 members of his cabinet that will assist him in piloting the affairs of the state in the net four years, urging them to embrace transparency and accountability.
The event held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, was witnessed by thousands of well wishers and dignitaries.
Speaking at the event, Sanwo-Olu said in his inaugural address on 29th May, he declared that his ultimate goal would be to ensure that Lagos State remained one of the top destinations on the African continent to live, work and invest in, saying that this was not just his goal, it was what the people expected from his government and “we cannot afford to disappoint them.”
“Fortunately for us, we have a foundation from which to build from. The Blueprint for a new Lagos and the Development Plan (2012 to 2025) are still relevant as strategic reference materials for a systematic implementation of medium and long-term policies in line with the overall vision for our State.
“However, in this administration, our task must be to accelerate the trajectory of growth and development of Lagos State embarked upon by the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and built upon by successive administrations. Today, providence has entrusted us with the great responsibility of ensuring that the vision of the blueprint and the Development Plan comes to pass wholly and completely.
“Upon the foundations laid by administrations past, we shall erect our six pillars of state development, encapsulated in the acronym “T.H.E.M.E.S.” T standing for Traffic Management and Transportation; H for Health and Environment; E for Education and Technology; M for Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy; E for Entertainment and Tourism and lastly S for Security and Governance.
“These pillars form the backbone of this administration’s grand objective and represent the framework that ensures our efforts and allocation of resources are solely devoted to building a Lagos we can be proud to call home,” he stated.
Sanwo-Olu said as they prepared for the challenges ahead, they should be reminded that their appointment was a unique privilege and a call to service, saying that it must not be seen as opportunity for self-service.
“Whilst discharging the responsibility that will be assigned to you, you must imbibe our culture of transparency, accountability, fairness and value for money. I therefore Implore you to earnestly commit yourselves to the agenda and vision of this administration.
“Be prepared to pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, and support or oppose whomever you must, in order to accomplish our grand ambition of building one of the great cities of the 21st Century, a beacon of social, commercial and political excellence for the rest of our dear nation,” he added.
According to him, the challenges
“we face as a mega city whether in the areas of security, waste management, transportation, or environmental sustainability are not peculiar to us. But they are the undesired consequences of an ambitious and growing economy providing opportunities for people to realize their dreams. But they must surely be addressed before they undermine our achievements and hinder our progress.
“Great opportunities for employment and wealth creation can only be realized sustainably if we are able to enhance governance with creativity, innovation and technology while embracing collaboration with the private sector and continual dialogue and partnership with all relevant stakeholders.
“This is the task we have been called upon to undertake in the next four years on behalf of our people who are relying on us to support their dreams and aspirations. I charge you to show commitment, diligence and exemplary leadership as the necessary virtues needed to achieve the greatness we desire for our State and to deliver the prosperity our people deserve.”
