20th June, 2015
Lagos state governor, Akinwumi Ambode on Friday said the state would consider adopting a ‘rent and own’ policy in resolving its housing deficiency.
In a chat with media executives at his office in Alausa, Ikeja, Ambode acknowledged that it was not easy for a winner of a three-bedroom flat, under the state government’s housing scheme, to make an initial payment of about N5 million– half the cost– before spreading out the balance through monthly payments.
He noted that it was unnecessary for a bachelor or spinster to own a three-bedroom flat, stressing that it was better for those in this category to get studio apartments and upgrade to more spacious accommodations when they get married and started having children.
He appreciated the solid foundation already laid by his predecessors in office in the state, and called for suggestions and constructive criticism by all residents, including the media, so as to build on what was on ground.
NAN quotes Ambode as noting that the multi-modal approach already in place to tackle transportation problems in the state would be improved upon.
Stressing that his mantra would be ‘continuity with improvement’, the governor said that the involvement of the private sector in solving Lagos State’s transportation problems would be intensified.
He said that though about 230 private boat operators were transporting about a million people daily through the waterways, more were welcome.
The governor said that as more means of mass transportation came on board, the more than 600,000 private car owners and 120,000 motorcycles that were being put on the road in the state on daily basis would reduce in number.
On dwindling federal allocation, Ambode said that the state would enlarge its internally generated revenue drive, without bringing hardship to residents.
According to the governor, less than half of the taxable adults in the state currently meet their civic obligations and it was time more were made to key in without increasing taxation.
Ambode also said that more effort would be put in place to promote tourism in the state and use this to provide jobs for the teeming unemployed, adding that a summit would soon be convened to address the critical issues in the sector.
The governor also said that with a view to making the state the hub of investments in the West African sub-region, modalities were being put in place to woo more genuine investors from far and near.
Reiterating that his focus would be to shift development to the rural areas and thereby arrest urban drift, Ambode noted that the provision of electricity, potable water and other social amenities would receive priority attention.