… Says “Ile Pako”, Soon To Be Completed
To scale down the incidental costs of premises rentals and accommodate all Parastatals of the State within the Secretariat vicinity the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration has promised the completion of the Multi-Story Office Complex, and the Lagos Revenue House (formerly Elephant House) as well as the reconstruction of Ile-Pako (wooden block) by the main entrance of the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja by September.
Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works, Dr. Adekunle Olayinka, stated this on Monday while reeling out the achievements of the Office of Works in the past year at the ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing organised as part of activities commemorating the Second Year of the Second Term in Office of the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu and the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, in Lagos State.
Olayinka said in the period under review, the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration has kept track of fulfilling its promise to complete projects inherited from past administrations in the State.
He added that the Revenue House, which is now over 70% complete and has so far generated employment for about 250 people in the State, would offer a one-stop shop for revenue services. The building is proposed to accommodate all revenue and tax collecting agencies of the State under one roof in the Central Business District, Ikeja, close to the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
The Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) and other revenue Agencies will be housed in the complex. Keeping the revenue agencies under a roof, Olayinka said, is designed to improve the individual capacity for overall efficiency, synergy, and collective delivery of their mandates, ensuring improved Revenue Generation through a conducive office environment.
To further create office spaces for Lagos State Government Staff and provide a conducive working environment, the present administration embarked upon the reconstruction of Ile-Pako (Wooden Block) by the main entrance of the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
The Special Adviser averred that the Project comprises 53 offices on five floors (four suspended floors), noting that, although the completion of these buildings took a bit longer than anticipated, the Office of Works has focused and remained responsive to the State Government’s vision based on the THEMES Plus Agenda to continue bridging the gap between the required infrastructure and the current infrastructure projects in a way that generates economic growth and enables the people to function.
While promising to complete all ongoing building infrastructure projects that will become the bedrock of the legacy of the Sanwo-Olu Administration, Olayinka said the government, through the Office of Works, has continued to deliberately invest in building infrastructure as one of the platforms used for discharging the social contract signed with Lagosians.
According to him, one of the strategies adopted to bridge the infrastructure gap in the State is to deliberately improve on the maintenance and management of existing infrastructure assets in a way that would preserve the quality of approach to sustainability by ensuring routine maintenance of existing assets to ensure that infrastructure assets operate as initially intended in a long-lasting manner and the continuous rehabilitation and upgrade of new iconic infrastructure.
The Special Adviser said that based on this strategic thrust, the Office of Works serves as a consultant to all MDAs, and many projects have been successfully delivered, with many others still in active progress. Eight new building infrastructure projects have been delivered, while works are steadily progressing on 28 others. “The Sanwo-Olu administration has, no doubt, demonstrated that the restoration of public infrastructure facilities remains vital, citing extensive renovations on many office buildings that are ongoing in several Ministries within the Secretariat”.
According to the Special Adviser, the Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA) has also implemented several projects “to improve and maintain public infrastructure assets, creating employment and opportunities for small/medium-scale businesses to thrive.”
He, however, called for the strategic participation of the private sector, noting that infrastructure is testament to result-driven administration. “We are convinced that the future of any meaningful infrastructure delivery should be private-sector driven, with the Government strengthening the operational environment and legal framework for Private Sector Participation.”
While charging the Organised Private Sector to leverage the endless opportunities of the strategic position of Lagos as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world to be solution providers, Olayinka noted that Lagos State is open to collaboration with interested investors to support the ongoing efforts of the administration to effect key reforms in transportation, environment, public infrastructure, and tourism sectors to further put the State on a sound footing for economic growth and development.
He assured that the Government will continue to maintain the available infrastructure and provide a conducive environment to accommodate the growing and shifting population in Lagos State.
SO/TMS/KO
