Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, says the state needs a much larger budget to meet rising demands for infrastructure, housing, healthcare and education. Speaking on Fresh FM Lagos in Oregun on Monday, he said government investments remain insufficient for a population that keeps growing rapidly.
Hamzat noted that road rehabilitation costs alone were estimated at over N700 billion as far back as 2011, and that flagship projects like the Fourth Mainland Bridge still require huge funding. The Lagos State Public Works Corporation has scaled up from 14 to 34 maintenance teams to manage 9,911 roads, but he stressed that construction must also tackle drainage and flooding.
“We are not just moving vehicles, we are moving water,” he said, calling for integrated road and drainage planning to prevent overflow. He rejected claims that development is skewed to Lekki and Ajah, saying every local government has received projects, though resources remain stretched.
On housing, the Deputy Governor said Lagos must get its mortgage system right to make home ownership accessible, noting that population growth and limited land have made housing harder than in the Jakande era. He cited the Fashola Estate in Iponri, built on waterlogged land, as proof of the challenge.
Hamzat also defended public education standards and, ahead of the 2027 governorship race, pledged to prioritize health, infrastructure and housing. He cited ongoing hospital and doctors’ quarters projects at General Hospital Ojo as part of efforts to improve medical services. “There is plenty to do, and knowledge is about experience. We are going to try our best in doing what will better the majority of Lagosians,” he said.
