The out-going governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday, in sober mood expressed unreserved apology to those he may have offended during his eight years of governing the state.
Fashola tendered the apology while marking his 2,900 days in office in Ikeja.
He said: “This is the time to prepare for the change of barton. Without the support of the residents of Lagos, your taxes, understanding and perseverance, honest criticism and prayers we may not have come this far. Our new governor, Akinwunmi Ambode will need more of the support that you gave to me. I urge you to stand very firmly with his team.
“On a daily basis for 2,900 days I was saddled with the responsibility of taking decisions on a lot of files both in the afternoon, morning and night and there is no way I could have gotten all of them right. It is impossible. I took those decisions in the best interest of Lagosians based on the facts presented to me.
“To those that we haven’t reached, please bear with us, the work will never finish. And I am sure that our new governor will continue from where I stopped.”
Speaking on the gains of his office, the governor said he had delivered on the promises he made to residents on a$$umption of office on May 29, 2007.
He said, “I make bold to say that there is no area of human endeavour that we have not touched. We have built modern hospitals across the state, constructed and upgrade roads, built affordable housing scheme LagosHoms, create a new face of environment, provide employment and a new face of economy, new face of transportation and perhaps providing an avenue for business to thrive through the introduction of the security trust fund to secure the environment.”
On severance package
Fashola, reacting to the issue of severance package for political office holders in the state, said; “That should not be a problem because the money from which the fund is paid isn’t my personal money. And the process that pays the severance package is under the existing law and established procedures.
On Oshodi-Apapa expressway gridlock
The governor lamented the intractable traffic gridlock along Apapa-Oshodi expressway and environs, saying, the state government was overwhelmed by the situation.
Reacting to a question on the Apapa gridlock, Fashola said; “It is a sad story of our nation. I apologise for the inconveniences that the residents of Apapa go through daily due to the traffic caused by the tankers who come to that axis to lift fuel and by extension the traffic has spread to other parts of the state especially on Ikorodu road.
Fashola continued: “If you can really avoid going to that axis, please do so. I urge you to use listen to the traffic radio and get an update as you plan your journey. For me, if you can do that business on the phone rather than going to such place, please do so.
“Specifically, Apapa is one of the many reasons people voted for change at the last elections. This was because it was an inappropriate way to transport petroleum products by road. They must move by rail and the state government doesn’t control the importation and distribution of petrol in the country.
On LASU
Speaking on Lagos State University, LASU, crisis, Fashola stated: “Let us connect problem with their causes. When either the union or the students go on strike and the university is shut, the regular work is not done that day.
“When the school is reopened, everyone is running to cover the lost time. Then the students graduate. But the time lost due to the strikes lost forever. That was the time the preparation of certificates, verification, printing and others should have been done.”
“But when we shutdown the system, what it creates is some of these backlogs. Let us be clear that many years of shutdown are part of the reasons the school had backlogs of certificates. The current administration is working hard to address this issue.
“There are other reasons causing the crisis in the institution. There were people who I was told either couldn’t complete their courses or course work claiming to have graduated themselves. And there are other administrative issues.”
Source: vanguard
8 Years As Gov!! To those I might have offended, I apologise — Fashola
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