Encomium
…Underscores virtues of voluntary tax payment, residents’ registration exercise
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Thursday presided at the Free Medical Mission held in Badagry where over 10,000 residents benefitted and the handing over of the constructed Market Road with street light fittings, urging residents to remain law abiding and pay their taxes as an acceptance of the responsibility that the constitution imposes on them as citizens.
The State Governor, who spoke with newsmen after the Medical Mission programme held at the Ajara Vetho Primary Health Care Centre, the handing over of Market Road and inspection of the Marina Shoreline, said clearly the peaceful nature of the environment makes it conducive for developmental work to take place in the area.
He explained that 2,006 people have been examined for various diseases while dental care has been given to 800 people who have had their teeth cleaned up and polished adding that the Medical health mission which is the 29th to be held in the State and the second to be held in Badagry.
The Governor said over 1000 people have been provided with eye glasses while surgical operations have been performed on over 800 people.
He also said out of those screened for HIV only seven people have tested positive while noting that from medical reports he received signs of goitre prevalence is being noticed in the town with over 30 people having been identified to have the disease.
Governor Fashola said a list of all those with such infection would be compiled so that the State Government can make arrangement to treat them, explaining that detailed check would also be made on the immediate environment where such people live as well as the kind of water they drink to establish the connection with the prevalence of the disease.
The Governor said one of the benefits of the medical mission is that the actual beneficiaries could be verified as observed from their testimonies at the event adding that part of the credit for the successful hosting of the mission should go to tax payers in the state.
He also used the occasion to reiterate the message of the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA), imploring all residents of the State to endeavour to participate in the exercise.
The Governor explained that with participation of every adult above 18 years residing for a period not less than six months in the exercise, the State Government would be in good stead to plan adequately for all residents.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA), Ms. Yinka Fashola who also addressed the gathering on the activities of the agency enjoined everyone to play their part in the quest of the State Government to serve the people better.
She explained that the State Government must know the exact number of people resident in the State, adding that everyone should make it a point of duty to register and also ensure that his neighbours get registered as well.
While speaking at the brief but impressive handing over of the newly constructed Market Road with installed street lights, the Governor appealed to the residents to allow the road serve its purpose so that vehicles can move freely and the pedestrian walkways can be free of the display of wares.
The Governor said the successful completion of the project is a manifestation of a promise made and a promise kept by the present administration, adding that when work was about to start, Joseph Dosu which is now a delight was impassable just as the Cemetery Road was a swamp.
He stated that work is ongoing on the Marina seaside which will when completed be a tourist haven in addition to work that is still on going on the Ajara- Iragan Road and informed that the proposed Port in Badagry would also be coming on board.
Governor Fashola said the road and the medical health mission are all provided free but have been funded through the contribution of some people to the commonwealth through the payment of taxes adding that all those who are not paying should join the tax net so that more infrastructure facilities can be provided.
On the clamour for a new Palace for the Akran of Badagry who was also present at the handover, the Governor said what is delaying the project is the non provision of land by the Badagry community on which to build the Palace adding that all the other Obas like Alara of Ilara who have provided the land have had their new Palaces constructed.
Earlier in his welcome address at the Medical Health Mission, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris said the 29th Medical Mission which is coming to Badagry for the second time is an outreach service aimed at bringing healthcare back to the people.
“It is our own way of reaching out to the people and over the years, we have expanded the programmes we carry out in the ministry including medical consultation, eye care, dental care H.I.V Counseling, nutritional counseling and surgeries but interestingly in the last four days we have seen over 10,000 cases in this place and many more are still coming”, he added.
Testimonies were also taken from some of the beneficiaries of the Medical Health Mission including Mr Bashir Lawal who had a free eye surgery performed on him and a 10 year old boy who was operated for Hernia, Abosede Babatunde. One of the volunteer doctors from the United States of America, Mr. Atser also commended the State Government for the initiative noting that the Badagry Medical Mission is the largest and most organized he has ever been a part of.
Also speaking at the Market Road commissioning, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Obafemi Hamzat said the new road has been provided with cable ducts to avoid the need to cut any part while trying to lay cables.
Dr Hamzat said the residents should keep the new road clean and not turn it into a mechanic workshop just as the people should not sell on the road so that it can be kept for a very long time.
The Governor also inspected the on- going work on the Marina Shoreline while being accompanied by members of the State Executive Council including the Commissioners for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr Disun Holloway, Establishment and Training, Mrs Florence Oguntuashe, Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru, Commerce, Mrs Sola Oworu, Special Adviser on Health, Dr (Mrs) Yewande Adeshina, Hon Suru Avoseh representing Badagry 1, Hon Ibrahim Layode representing Badagry II and the Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Mr Husitode Moses who were also present at the Medical Health Mission and Road handover ceremony.
During an interview with newsmen after the inspection, the Governor urged the residents of Badagry to remain law abiding, remain their brothers’ keepers and also pay their taxes by accepting the responsibility that the constitution imposes on citizens.
“Clearly the peaceful nature of the environment makes it conducive for developmental work to take place, because it is peaceful we run a health mission here where over 10,000 people have benefitted from dental repairs, scaling and polishing of their teeth, dental surgeries and hernia surgeries, eye screening, HIV screening, nutritional advice.
The remarkable thing from what the expert tell me is that the nutritional level here is quite commendable. The elders should be commended, “he said.
He explained that from there he led the team to handover over a road project, Market Road with street light and also inspected the heritage site at the Badagry Shoreline expansion project which when completed would provide a boost to the tourism potentials of the place where visitors can come and see the old slave settlements and the originals of the slave chains and relics.
The Governor explained that the driver of all the projects is the Badagry road expansion and the Blue Line light Rail project which makes all of the things interconnected and progressive.
“Some of our colleagues came from Lagos through the water ways, so we have dredged the waterways; it is a 40 minutes boat ride from Central Lagos into Badagry. So the plan is taking shape and some parts have reached maturity and have been completed and we are moving on to the part of the plans that are work in progress”, the Governor explained.
He also informed that the housing project in Ajara with 450 units of houses in the first phase that is under construction is doing well, adding that the Lagos State government is a work in progress.
“So tax payers’ money is being put to very good use. Free health care would not have been possible without the tax payers’ money. It is free to those who benefitted. The payment of services for the doctors and medical personnel apart from the volunteers are not free, kudos to those tax payers and to those who are yet to start paying who would rise up and join the commonwealth. If it’s a Commonwealth, it must be built by a common effort”, he said.
SIGNED
HAKEEM BELLO
SPECIAL ADVISER TO H.E ON MEDIA
DECEMBER 14, 2013
