WHY LAGOS IS WORKING

Coalition of Oodua Self Determination Group (COSEG) has stated that the rapid development in Lagos state was as a result of judicious utilisation of resources and allocations from the federation account.

Speaking in Lagos through its General Secretary, Razaq Olokooba, the group dismissed as baseless claims that the socio-economic and infrastructural development in Lagos and across South-Western states was a product of the petrodollar accruable from the Niger Delta.

According to Olokooba, Lagos State as well as most South-Western states had developed their superior infrastructure largely from money generated during the cocoa boom under the Obafemi Awolowo-led Western Region government in the 1950's when Nigeria practised regionalism and parliamentary democracy.

The COSEG scribe, therefore attributed the ongoing developmental efforts in Lagos State to the ingenuity of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), in making good use of resources, describing him as 'Awo incarnate,' whose best was yet to come.

The clarification was a faint reference to the claims credited to the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, that Lagos bridges, superior road networks and other social infrastructure were all products of the oil money from the Niger Delta.

'If Lagos is spending its money judiciously we don't think that should be subject of blackmail from anybody. What is expected of others is to emulate good governance as obtainable in Lagos. While it may be correct to say Abuja was a product of collective sweat, especially oil money from the Niger Delta, the same cannot be said of Lagos or other South Western states,' the COSEG chieftain submitted.

While enthusing that 'Fashola's second term in office would raise Lagos development level far from the reach of other states in the country, Olokooba expressed delight in what he described as 'raw determination and commitment to serve humanity,' just as he urged the Action Congress and the people of Lagos State to oblige him a second term in office.

He then urged the Federal Government to grant Lagos State a special status as the economic hyb of the country, reminding that cities like Lagos in other countries of the world like the United States of America, South Africa and Egypt among others were enjoying special privileges and Lagos should not be an exemption.