Why Lagos State Must Be Rescued From APC in 2023-Wale Gomez

Desperate times require desperate measures.

Only very few see beyond the facade of overrated, over-publicised & substandard infrastructural development in Lagos state under the current administration since 1999. Many would say Lagos is working in view of pockets of phony but hyped programmes and achievements daily advertised in the media. One can not blame this lot anyway, they are only exhibiting their stereotypical tendencies as programmed by the rulers of the state.

Performances and achievements by government should be assessed by benchmarking programmes & projects against the economic viability and income of the governed state. Lagos state unequivocally comes first among equals in economy and income but it’s rate of development has continuously fallen short of expectations. Many of the celebrated projects are those already earmarked for execution from the days of Alhaji Lateef Jakande in government and it has taken the current administration close to twenty years to execute. The delay or rather neglect could not have been attributed to lack of resources because the Lagos state income has ever been on an arithmetic progression.

The value of a project can be measured in terms of economic essense and making life more meaningful to the masses but then at what cost? The unchecked monumental fraud on going in the over twenty years old current administration of Lagos state in spite of the secretly guarded income profile that is well known to be only second to that of the Federal Government is perilous! All the mirage of overdue projects that is usually over celebrated by the Lagos state government come at an unimaginable astronomical cost.

The budget padding and over inflation of project cost are very evident in the rising debt profile of the state which is equally second to that of the Federal Government. Lagos state as it stands had 2021 budget increased by +19.58% to N971.03bn from N812bn for 2020 budget. The state generates the country’s largest value-added tax (VAT) revenue with a total revenue of N96.26bn between January and October 2020. The state’s total internally generated revenue (IGR) was N204.51bn as of H1 (i.e., January to June) 2020. One can not help but query what is happening to the agonising over taxation and it’s proceeds? What Sleeve and Wanton Impunity?

*It appears the Lagos state government perpetually borrows to fund the budget year in, year out or how does one justify an indebtedness of over a trillion naira in the face of actual monthly income in hundreds of billions? The worsening debt portfolio of the state which stood at about ?507 billion in March this year not minding the External Loan is a direct consequence of the mindless personal aggradisement and penchant for corruption by the leaders and other political office holders in the Lagos state administration and the continuous looting of the state treasury and reckless borrowing for consumption are highways to perdition as the state is helplessly bleeding.*

We can do more than mere criticism and campaign of calumny! A more critical stance accompanied by strategic mass actions must be initiated as soon as possible to put a stop to this threat to our collective future and that of our children.

2023 is another year for general elections and it affords us all the opportunity to effect the needed changes in government. All hands must be on deck to salvage the Lagos we all know as home from doom.

The new government must be a total departure from this current charade and drain pipes by putting in place measures to guarantee equity, accountability, fairness and justice:

1. Instituting revenue generation and control mechanism;

2. I.T. infrastructure to protect spending without control;

3. Monthly display of all income generated and how it was spent;

4. Due diligence platform to make sure funds are judiciously utilised;

5. Local Govt spending control;

6. Budget monitoring system;

7. Variance analyses tool to be deployed in every department for proper adjustment;

8. Plugging all internal funding unit for funds deployment control among others.

*It’s Yi To L’eko’…*
*G4G 100