As part of efforts towards ensuring inclusiveness and evenly spread of the dividends of democracy across the populace, the Lagos State government, yesterday, began a consultative forum on the creation of its 2022 appropriation bill across the five divisions of the state to seek the input of different stakeholders on the incoming year budget.
The state’s Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Sam Egube, who spoke at the event, which commenced with the Ikeja division of the state, said the government needed the input of the citizens for the preparation of the 2022 budget to ensure inclusiveness, transparency and accelerated development in all parts of the state.
The five-day consultative forum, organised by the state Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, attracted audience from traditional and community leaders, religious leaders, professionals, trade groups, NGOs, youth organisations, People Living With Disability (PLWD), and the organised private sector.
In his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Budget, Bayo Sodade, said the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu had always prioritised inclusive governance for proper decision making to enhance economic deliverables and performance.
In another development, ahead of the planned national congresses of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled to start on Saturday, the acclaimed factional Chairman of Lagos State Chapter, Mr. Fouad Oki, has called the attention of the Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala-Buni, to the shenanigans in Lagos, where he alleged that the caretaker committee in the state was carrying out its assignment in flagrant disregard to the law and extant regulations.
He accused the state’s caretaker committee of not acting in compliance with the laws of the parry by its continued act of impunity and refusal to recognise the diversity and tendencies in the state.
In another allegation, Oki accused the Chairman, Lagos Caretaker Committee, Mr. Tunde Balogun, of having doctored the list of members of the Local Ward Congress Committee (LWCC) ahead of the congress.
He, therefore, warned the national body that should it acquiesce to the charade by Balogun having doctored the caretaker committee, “the conduct of congresses in Lagos would be another exercise in futility.”
Oki also kicked against consensus arrangement in Lagos, saying: “As things are, there cannot be the conduct of any consensus process in Lagos forward congresses, hence our resolve to inform you that in Lagos State, without prejudice, the overwhelming majority of our members have opted for an elective congress on Saturday or any date that the congress is organised. Our resolve is hinged on Article 20 (a)(iv)(a)(d).”
He also urged the national secretariat to investigate the travesty of justice being perpetuated against members of the faction in the state. Oki, therefore, prated the party to ensure that the Ward Congress Committee (WCC) operate out of the privately-owned property currently used as the State Secretariat on Acme Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja and use a neutral location, to ensure the committee acknowledges that there are tendencies/factions in Lagos and therefore provide a level playing ground by requesting from the various tendencies to nominate at least one person into the 245 Local Ward Congress Committee (LWCC) and to ensure that collection and submission of nomination forms should be done outside of the current secretariat.
