Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat has said that Nigerians have cause to give thanks to God for sustaining the country as there are many countries that no longer exist.
The Deputy Governor made this statement today at a special prayer organized to commemorate the first one hundred days in office of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, held at the Lagos Central Mosque, Lagos Island, Lagos.
According to him, Nigerians have enormous reasons to thank God. “First of all, our country is peaceful, though we are encountering challenges which are not unusual with human beings and we are to solve problems, so every nation has challenges and that is the essence of the government to face those challenges and to tackle them”.
He cited examples of Sweden, Libya, Iraq and many other countries that are currently undergoing different challenges, adding that Somalia used to be a beautiful country before, but today, the country is having its own challenges.
While speaking on the achievements of the Federal Government in the last hundred days, Dr. Hamzat noted that the first hundred days are more about laws, than infrastructure, saying “We can see judiciary reform, tax reform, education upgrade, which are part of the many things this administration has done”.
He noted that the past hundred days of the government have been very encouraging as different achievements and various initiatives put in place by the federal government can be seen.
Justifying the subsidy removal, Dr. Hamzat said 93 per cent of the nation’s revenue was used for debt payment on fuel subsidy and the country was almost bankrupt. “As we all know, fuel subsidy consume more money than the Ministry of Works and Education put together. So what the government is saying is that it is not sustainable as a nation, let’s find another means and that’s what they are doing”.
While speaking on the achievements made in the state, he noted that a lot of initiatives have been put in place, particularly the Blue Line Rail. He reiterated that the project took a lot of time because the state undertook the total expenditure. “Lagos State Government is the only sub-sovereign that is funding rail from its balance sheet, no other sub-sovereign has done it anywhere in the world, it took a lot of financial engineering for us to build it”. He however disclosed that the red line will soon commence service “It is more massive and will convey from Agege all the way to Ejigbo and Yaba with ten-minute intervals”, he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Baba Adinni of Lagos, Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou who was represented by the Bashorun of Lagos, Alhaji Sikiru Alabi-Macfoy stated that the purpose of the event was to give thanks to the Almighty Allah for the first 100 days of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said the country had witnessed a lot of transformation and policy reviews in the last 100 days of the administration, which he said, will yield positive results for the citizens and country in due course.
“If God blesses you, one needs to be grateful to God. We have seen what the government has done within these 100 hundred days and we are here to thank Him and offer prayers for this administration”, Hafeez Abou said.
Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou however charged Nigerians to continue to pray for the President and that he comes up with policies and reforms that will be in the best interest of Nigerians and bring comfort to them.
He also commended the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu for the successes recorded so far in the state in the last 100days, citing the recent commencement of the commercial Blue Rail Line which will reduce traffic in the state and the sharing of palliative to the most vulnerable in the state to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
