Lagos — The administration of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State clocked 900 days last Saturday. Fashola maximised the opportunity to give account of his stewardship at a ceremony. Omololu Ogunmade, who was present at the occasion, reports

Nine hundred days after his ascension to the exalted office of the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, mounted the podium at the Blue Roof Ground of the Lagos State Television at the weekend, to give account of his stewardship in the last 100 days. The exercise aimed at keeping faith with the promise of the state government to intimate the people of Lagos State with what it has done in every 100 days.

With the theme: "Increasing the Efficiency of the Informal Sector for a Vibrant Economy," last Saturday's event focused on what the government had done in the informal sector in the last 100 days. The government said a huge volume of its efforts since it marked its 800 days in office, had been concentrated on improving the efficiency of the informal sector.

This informal sector comprises mainly the artisans and self employed low income earners who render services on a small scale basis. Operators in this sector include barbers, mechanics, commercial drivers, tailors, hairdressers, vulcanizers, market men and women and the like.

The governor was accompanied to the venue of the event by his Deputy, Mrs. Sarah Adebisi Sosan, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, members of the state executive council as well as the leaders of the Action Congress (AC), in Lagos State.

Coming to the business of the day, Fashola who remarked that the last 900 days of his government was equivalent to the past 21,600 hours, argued that the event was in fulfillment of the promise made to the people of the state that he would return to them every 100 days to acquaint them with what the government had done.

According to him, the Lagos State has been running a race which he described as fantastic, explaining that despite the prevalent economic meltdown across the globe, Lagos State has stood with its shoulder high not only in Nigeria, but among other cities of Africa and the world over.

He placed the aggregate performance of the budget in the last 100 days of his administration on 70 per cent, which he boasted to be "the highest in the country if not the highest on the continent."

He disclosed that the period witnessed the conclusion of the budget preparation for the year 2010, which he noted would be presented to the Lagos State House of Assembly for consideration and eventual approval in the next few days. Fashola argued that the issue of budget preparation did not centre on figures, but rather people-focused, because it is measured by people.

He also disclosed that in the course of the events which took place in the last 100 days, the operations of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), were extended to Maryland and Iyana - Ipaja route with the provision of 100 buses to bring reliefs to residents of these areas. He also said no fewer than 148 vehicles were presented to teachers as well as directors in the civil service.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria added that this presentation was a turning point in the history of the state, noting that it was the first time that school principals had the privilege of having their own personal cars through the magnanimity of the state government.

He also stated that 125 new jobs had been created in the health sector, with pharmacists, doctors, nurses and accountants, among others, as beneficiaries adding that Ikorodu Acquisition Centre, Lagos Diving Institute, Oshodi Driving Institute as well as Agricultural Youth Empowerment Scheme, had been created, while new parks were dedicated in honour of three notable Nigerians who had passed to the great beyond. He listed such men to include Professor Ayodele Awojobi, Muri Okunola and Samuel Okwaraji.The parks were situated at Onike in Yaba, Surulere and Lagos Island respectively.

He also revealed that the third Annual Security Trust Fund was created with a reported drop of nine per cent in crime rate. Fashola also reported the partnership of Lagos and Egypt for transformer production, saying the partnership will be formally commissioned sooner than later.The aim of this partnership, according to him, is to guarantee the independence of Lagos in the production of its own transformers without any course to wait for the Federal Government.

He also said three of the ongoing nine maternal bed hospitals as well as the new Lagos Campus Square Mini Stadium had been duly completed.He also said remarkable progress had been made in the construction of Oyingbo Market as well as the Eko Atlantic City Project, which he said was a subject of commendation in New York, the United States, when he visited the US last month adding that there was no record of job loss, but rather the sustenance of existing jobs at the time many others lose theirs in other states.

He also disclosed the execution of 15 new micro-mini water projects in different parts of the state adding that adequate plans had been put in place to issue title documents to owners of flats at the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) Estates that were constructed by the administrations of Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande and Bola Ahmed Tinubu respectively. He added that shop owners have also been slated to benefit from this initiative.

He said with the issuance of such documents, owners would secure the collateral to obtain loans from banks which according to him, would enable them to secure loans at the banks for their own personal usage.

He advised artisans to constitute themselves into associations as the government puts machinery in place to develop what he termed as industrial clusters. The governor explained that constituting an association would facilitate the chances of the operators of the informal sector to receive assistance from the state government, which he said might either be difficult or absolutely impossible by an individual.

He added that the industrial clusters under consideration would guarantee business opportunities for Nigerians to create new jobs within the economy and advised the rural dwellers to pursue agricultural business with vigour.

Disclosing that he had yet 560 days to complete his first term, Fashola expressed optimism that he and his team would overcome lots of emerging difficulties through the backing of God and the people of Lagos State, during which he said the fullness of his administration's dream would have been achieved.

There was however, a major disagreement between Fashola and artisans, when the artisans accused politicians of obstructing financial aids from microfinance institutions.But Fashola took exception to this allegation, describing it as misplaced.

Earlier, Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation, Mr. Ade Ipaye, who spoke on the concern of the state government for the informal sector, boasted that the government had changed the face of the sector in the state, when compared with what it used to be.

He described the sector as invisible, irregular, unstructured and residual in outlook, which, according to him, involves a wide range of traditional occupations and modes of production, insisting that the policy of this government is geared towards maximizing the potentials of the sector. He noted that as a result of this policy, the sector could no longer be described as irregular or unstructured.

He added that government policy aimed at enhancing the operations of this sector by giving proper recognition to it. He therefore emphasized the necessity for operators to register trade associations with the Minsitry of Commerce and Industry through which he said they could make demands from the government.

Ipaye reiterated government's intolerance to street trading, saying such attitude is not allowed in any economy all over the world. According to him, trading on the street to the extent of obstructing traffic flow, is a misnomer which he said should by no means be encouraged.

He also disclosed that in its bid to put paid to street trading, the state government would create designated places for trading and recounted government's commitment to create access to good modern markets with lasting quality, as exemplified in the recently concluded Tejuosho and Oyingbo markets.

Ipaye later arrived at the central idea of his presentation, when he urged the operatives of the informal sector to pay their taxes, with a threat that no tax defaulter would be spared, when the government opens the book of its records.

In his welcome address, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, thanked the leaders of the Action Congress (AC) in the state who have always been available to encourage the governor every 100 days when such an event is held.