As Nigerians celebrate the 60th Independence anniversary of Nigeria, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has described Lagos State as the business and financial engine-room of Nigeria, saying the State could become the world’s largest metropolis and home to 85m or 100million people if the current growth and migration rates are maintained.
Sanwo-Olu in his Independence Day speech said that the state’s population of over 21million residents is evidence of the unprecedented rate at which Africa’s largest city is growing.
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He said: “Our urban footprints in the last 60 years provide a window into the urbanization of Lagos, illustrating a story of the social, economic, environmental and political factors that have reciprocally shaped our city.
“Research suggests that these changes may be nothing compared to what we will witness in the next 60 years.
“To further steer Nigeria through the next decades of her independence, we must look to the foundational pillars which define good governance in any democracy.
“Our administration condensed this to six cardinal indices of development particular to Lagos State, yet adaptable to any city of the world, namely:
“Traffic Management and Transportation; Health and Environment; Education and Technology; Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy; Entertainment and Tourism; Security and Governance.
“These are encapsulated in the acronym T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda for a Greater Lagos.”
In its quest for a semblance of what a Utopian African society would look like, the governor disclosed that Lagos State is making monumental strides in the transport and housing sectors, which according to him are the two behemoths which pose great challenges to a city with a sprawling population such as Lagos.
He stated that some of the priorities of his administration are solutions which accommodate people and move them efficiently from one place to another, significantly reducing lost productivity time associated with current commute challenges.
“To Lagosians, I cannot overstate the crucial roles we all have to play as individuals in the achievement of the Lagos of our dream.
“We rely on you, because you are our greatest resource, the demographic dividend which is only payable when our young, vibrant workforce exert their full capacities to driving economic growth.
“I see a Lagos that becomes a net exporter of talents with ambassadors whose names reverberate from all corners of the world,” he stressed.
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