The Lagos State House of Assembly has called on the Federal Government to grant the state 13 per cent derivation in view of the state’s special contribution to the national treasury and to care for the grave adverse effects of those economic activities on the state and residents as well as the huge cost on social infrastructure that bring relief to victims of these economic activities.
In pursuit of this, both the state governor and the leadership of the state House of Assembly had forwarded several letters to the presidency and the National Assembly.
Chairman of the House Committee on Works and Infrastructures, Mr. Abiodun Tobin who disclosed this to The Guardian in an interview at the assembly complex yesterday, noted that the state housed the port which is the second highest income earner for the country after oil. Apart from the port, the lawmaker said the state remained the highest source of steady and reliable taxes to the federal government, just as it is the highest contributor to the Education Trust Fund of the central government.
“We have been talking to the Federal Government to give the state a special status and 13 percent derivation from the resources they get from the state. The Federal Government has not constructed any road in the state in many years. The state government repaired parts of Oshodi/Apapa Expressway and the Public Works Corporation, owned by the state, is working on about 10 points on Mile 2/Badagry Expressway. So, the Lagos State Government has been repairing federal roads in the state on a regular basis”, he said.
Tobun lamented that what the state and residents got in return for the contributions and sacrifice, is neglect and reneging on commitment made many years ago when the capital was being moved to Abuja, that the state would be accorded a special status.
The lawmaker who said it could be incredible to many people noted with sadness that the federal government had not done any road construction in the state since the advent of the current democratic dispensation.
He however commended the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode for his efforts in road construction and rehabilitations in the state. “So far, so good, the state government has been able to fix infrastructures in the state vis a vis construction of new roads, building of fly over bridges across the state and completing on-going projects to ensure that life is more meaningful for our people. If you go round the state, you would see that within one year, with the power of appropriation by the state house of assembly, the Governor has been able to fix abandoned projects, for example, the Ajasa-Command Road has been completed, the Ejigbo-Idimu Road was completed, the Jakande-Isheri Oshun, and Ijegun Road were completed, Okota Road and most other roads across the state have also been completed. The road in Oshodi has been completed, the Governor is building new roads in Epe, flyover bridges in Ajah and Abule Egba areas of the state, pedestrian bridges in are being done all over the state and the Governor has been working tirelessly to give the state a facelift in one year”, he noted.
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