Lagos dissolves cabinet, recounting experiences  

Lagos State Council members 2007-2011

Lagos dissolves cabinet, recounting experiences  
Qasim Akinreti, Lagos

The Lagos state council has been dissolved by Governor Babatunde Fashola after a valedictory session at the council chamber, Ikeja the state capital.

This is coming few days to the inauguration of the fifth republic on May 29 both at the states and federal levels.

At the valedictory cabinet session on Monday, commissioners and special advisers told Journalists about their fulfilments while serving the Lagos state in the last four years.

They expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve the people of Lagos and Nigeria in general.

Recounting rewarding experiences

Special Adviser to the Governor on Political and Legislative Matters, Hon. Abdullateef Abdul Hakeem in his remarks said:  “being in the State Executive Council under Governor Fashola has been like undertaking a postgraduate course with the Unique Selling Point (USP) being the ability to take opportunism beyond the level that people ordinarily use the term”.

Abdul Hakeem said that those who served under Governor Fashola had learnt that; “if you are given an opportunity to govern a state like this, you should ensure that opportunism does not take the place of pragmatism”.

As the Lagos State Executive Council winds up for the first term of the administration, members of the Council, Monday recounted their experiences while working under the team leadership of Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) in the last four years describing them as rewarding. 
While giving an account of his experience, Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris said it has been a period of hard work, shared vision and a period that the government showed the commitment it had for the people of Lagos in the health sector by facing the health challenges, raising the health indices of the state and improving the health status of the people.

He said there was still plenty of work to do. “I did say the challenges are enormous, we have 18 million to provide health services for, we have challenges of resources to compete with and we are not there yet.”

Dr Idris noted that changing the health sector in any country was not something that could be done overnight.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Rotimi Agunsoye, said: “it is a time to look back in the last four years to see what we have done and achieved so far as a government.”

A team player

The team spirit under Fashola’s administration was described as a tonic for successes recorded by the administration. In the words of Abdul Hakeem, “another Unique Selling Proposition of the governor is that he is a team player who talks about us, and not me.”

“He has also developed the capacity of members of Executive and he is someone who believes in hard work and integrity. Serving under this man for six months is sufficient for a life time lesson. We give God the glory that we were part of that team that began well and is ending well,” he added.

Clarion call

The former special adviser on legislative and political matters reiterated that the Governor in the next dispensation would need a House of Assembly that would speak the same language with him and give the same attention that the Governor had given to governance.

“The best must be given in terms of proactive legislations to the people of Lagos State,” Hakeem said.

A good brand  

The Commissioner for the Establishments, Pensions and Training, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu¸ described Babatunde Fashola’s administration as a brand that everybody now wants to identify with.

“The Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions have become the reference point for other states when it comes to pension’s administration and welfare for its workers and pensioners,” Sanwo-Olu said.

According to the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr Qadri Babafemi Hamzat, it has been a period of service to the people at different levels, adding that it has also been a difficult and challenging job.

“To serve a population of 18 million is exciting and challenging but one must thank God Almighty for that opportunity and enormous experience. The debate within the EXCO has been extremely rewarding, it has broadened one’s knowledge and understanding of the world to enable one see the challenges that the state has”. Dr Hamzat added.

A unique way to serve

The Secretary to the State Government, (SSG), Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya expressed her gratitude to Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for giving her higher responsibilities that were challenging.

 She added that there are no regrets whatsoever because it has been a wonderful experience for her to serve, adding that serving ones country was not necessarily by being in government. 

She said: “I would continue to serve the people in any capacity I find myself as I have no other state than Lagos”.