With one month over a year in office, The Alimosho Mail visited the Sole Administrator of Alimosho Local Government Area, Honourable Olatunji Ganiu Quadri aka Obama to get a firsthand assessment of his administration that took off at the time when the country’s economy had plunged into recession. In this interview with Abel Lazarus, he narrated his achievements and of course his challenges and also pointing out other achievements that are of long term benefit to Alimosho.
Excerpts:
Honourable, your administration came into power when Nigeria economy had plunged into recession; how would you say this has affected your one year in office and what would you say is your major achievement so far?
OGQ: It’s been quite challenging though, but as a leader you have to prioritise your deliverables to suit the yearnings of the people, leadership is all about service and without it one is bound to fail. The current administration from the federal, State and local government came into power at a very critical time of our economy and this obviously has its effects; ranging from paucity of funds and the demand to meet with expectations. When we got to office the first thing we did was to identify all the existing leakages within the local government and reduced them to the barest minimum if not total and the testimony is the rapid growth in our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). These leakages have been in existence of many years of the local government but by blocking them we have been able to channel all the revenue directly into the coffers of the LG and by so doing; we have been able to adjudicate these funds for its development.
When we came in some of the building here had been marked for demolition, we called the council Engineer to see what can be done, though challenges were enormous owing to the perennial flooding nature of the entire secretariat, we started by sand filling the entire place and today the usual flooding is now in the history, we started resuscitating, refurbishing and renovating the entire structures which had been marked for demolition and today we have a befitting Secretariat unlike the glorified poultry. The Secretariat in her history never had toilets as our personnel go to offices and banks around to ease themselves but today we have constructed befitting toilets. The renovation of the structures was embarked upon to create a befitting 21st century office aimed at appealing to guest and investors alike who will want to do one or two other things with us. Today to the glory of God and to the benefits of mankind we are proud to say we have good offices with chairs and office equipment in Alimosho LGA.
On health, before we came to office the three health centres in Alimosho were doing only seven hours a day but we felt that to eradicate or reduce mortality rate we must have health Centres that will function at an optimal capacity for 24 hours and this we achieved, as I speak today, two out of the three are doing 24 hours services while the other increased from seven hours to 12 hours and we are not resting until we get all of them to function at 24 hours. All these involves fund as we were compelled to employ more health officers and we are striving to sustain these challenges and today I make bold to say that mortality rate has drastically reduced within Alimosho LGA.
TAM: We had expected you to say something on the Olugbede Model Market?
OGQ: Good, when we came in, the number of litigation between the Local government and the Olugbede Model Market Shop owners were countless. One of the cases was to stop the local government from embarking on any further development within the market and they were supported by the baba l’oja and iya l’oja there by creating a tripartite enemy with the purpose of curbing what they see as excesses of the local government. When we came in, having identified all these problems we created a means of dialogue with them which is paying off today as they are now witnessing development which include a bore hole project that is on-going at the moment and the structural development which they request from me and the first of its kind since 2003 when the market was commissioned by governor emeritus Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu . They are now realising the importance of development which will mean more patronage to them. We have also promised them power via solar which will be completed before the end of this administration. Now they see me as a virtuous person. As I speak with you, we have perfected arrangement with companies from Lebanon that is in interested in taking the whole floors of the market with the purpose of producing phones, we are happy as this will create job opportunity for many of our youths, we are also considering the fact that when eventually the *Computer Village is closed that Alimosho LG will be at advantage* considering the location of the new market and our population. Like I said earlier, the Alimosho Economic Summit has brought so many advantages.
TAM: Recently The Alimosho Economic Summit was held; what would you say has been the effect of this event or anticipation of its aftermath?
OGQ: The Alimosho Economic Summit could not have come at a better time than it did, it has created avenues for us to identify those that are willing to partner with us in various ways, more so I would say the Alimosho Economic Summit has taken Alimosho to another pedestal from her rural to urban status and if the pace is sustained by the incoming elected chairman in the next one year or two Alimosho will be ranked as a super-urban area. We have been receiving calls both locally and internationally asking for availability of land for construction and space to build infrastructures which will automatically transcend to jobs for the youth and by so doing eradicates the restiveness among them and other vices such as internet frauds popularly called yahoo yahoo.
Investors have identified that with the population of over six million and daily in flock of people into Lagos State with 70% of them usually settles in Alimosho thereby creating classes of various divergent people which investors are beginning to see as market and money; they are now willing to come. The Alimosho Economic Summit has done what has never been done in the history of Alimosho and we are waiting for its dividends.
TAM: What have been the Challenges?
OGQ: The challenges remain that Alimosho and Lagos at large has been grossly marginalised on the Federal Allocation it gets despite her population which ought to be the index of allocations but it has not been so because of political interests. State like Kano during the National Population Census of 1996 had similar population size with Lagos State; yet after the creation of Jigawa State from Kano its allocation has remained same while Lagos which has remained indivisible still get the same old allocation which has grossly affected Alimosho being the most populated LGA in Lagos State and Nigeria at large.
TAM: Recently you took the press to witness presentation on equipment that will fill portholes in Alimosho; today those portholes are back and what is the position of that PPP?
OGQ: The challenges with the portholes presently has to do with the rain, which is peculiar with all Lagos road from dates back but we assure Lagosians and Alimosho residents that once the rains are over or reduced we will move to work to get those roads fixed, also the State government proposed 181 roads am sure it will commence once the rain subsides as its usually difficult to get the best of construction during rainy seasons.
TAM: Yesterday you were honoured with the award of Grand Commander of Education in Nigeria Students (GCONS) by NANS what would say stimulated the award?
OGQ: I was equally surprised at the award when they came yesterday to present me with it but when enquired they made a remark that aside from what they perceived us doing as Sole Administrators they referred me to the counselling I gave them some time ago they visited my office encouraging them to make sure they have their ventures for some of them interested in joining politics. I used myself as an example; I have a personal business that enables me to meet with my daily family expectation without solely depending on what comes from my political office. If all politicians have what they are doing personally the zeal to steal will be drastically reduced.
TAM: What is your next plan per politics?
OGQ: I am leaving everything in the hands of God
