Buhari, Fashola Hailed over Improvements in Power Supply, Infrastructure
President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, have both been hailed over the improvement in the power generation and electricity supply, and provision of infrastructure around the country; as signs of positive development under the current administration.
The improved power scenario, premised on the electricity supply system in Lagos State, was tipped to be widely replicated around the country, which will eventually translate to positive changes in other sectors and areas, with resultant positive impact on the services sector and both the industrial and informal sectors of the economy.
The commendation was made by Lagosbased former President, Catholic Young Men Association (CYMA) now known as Catholic Brothers United (CBU), Mr. Vincent Uba, in a statement he issued and sent to THISDAY, titled ‘Nigeria o ni Baje’.
The above title, when translated into English means ‘Nigeria must not spoil’; a title coined from the ‘Eko o ni Baje’ slogan which was the catchphrase for the Lagos State Government during the tenure of Fashola, while he was building on the legacy of his predecessor, Senator Bola Tinubu.
Uba, who extolled the virtues of the former Lagos governor for his activities in the transformation of the state in the areas of power supply, road networks, water provision and physical infrastructure, asserted that Fashola has brought the same drive for development into the sectors under his portfolio.
According to him, “In 2006/2007, Alhaji Babatunde Fashola came out to contest the governorship election of Lagos State with the slogan ‘Eko o nibaje’, which means ‘Lagos must not spoil’. The slogan didn’t sound captivating as a campaign slogan.
“However, in May 2007, he won election and took over from his former boss, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. No sooner did he take over than that slogan started to make sense to me. While his immediate predecessor left a visible legacy of transformation of Lagos, Fashola quickly showed that he is a man who has come to work and to serve, by keying into the transformation agenda of Tinubu and assiduously working to improve on it.
“He began to show that Lagos must not only remain the centre of excellence in the real sense of the word but also ‘must not spoil’. He started to make the impossible possible. Recall the dreaded traffic situation of some parts of Lagos before he took over as governor; Oshodi, Mushin, Ojuelegba, CMS bus stop, Iyana Oba, Mile 2, Agric after Trade Fair, to mention only a few.
“Fashola initiated action plans that eventually made these areas notorious for horrible traffic congestions, have free flow of traffic. Yes, the traffic jams in these areas magically disappeared and decency and discipline returned to these roads. Testimonies upon testimonies continued to mount on how traffic situations at other locations equally drastically improved.
“Recall that refuse dumps dotted almost every corner of Lagos, thus making Lagos to be rated among one of the dirtiest cities in Nigeria. Lagosians complained bitterly. When Fashola took over, those refuse dumps and heaps started to disappear. Today ‘filthy Lagos’ has given way to beautiful scenes and sceneries.
“Just two months ago, for the first time since the BRT came into operation, I boarded one of the buses. From the time I boarded to the time I reached my destination, I had an exciting experience. I saw a replica of European buses-neat and air conditioned interior. In fact I have had to abandon my car and started patronising the BRT bus since then.
“This man transformed Lagos roads. You cannot count the beautiful dual carriage roads at every part of Lagos. From Bank Anthony way (reconstructed and converted by Fashola), Iba, Iyana Oba to Idimu, Ogba, Surulere, Mushin, Ijesha, Cele, Orile Coker, Mile 12 to Ikorodu, I can only mention these few areas.
“Then the big one, the Lagos Badagry tenlane road which he started and was still under construction before he left office, will be another interesting landmark achievement he (Fashola) initiated”, Uba added.