Fashola Commissions More Waterworks, Maternal Child Care Centre
…Says No School Child Will Sit On The Floor In Lagos By End Of 2010

Feb 9, 2010 -
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Tuesday handed over the 100-Bed capacity Maternal and Child Care Centre, Isolo, the two million gallons per day Mini Water Works at Isheri -Osun and inspected the first batch of procured desks and chairs for public schools in the State.

According to Governor Fashola who spoke during an inspection of newly procured desks and chairs for public secondary schools at the Millennium Secondary School, Ojodu, the state has already handed over 4000 of such desks and chairs out of the expected 99,057 for primary schools and 67, 572 for secondary schools. He declared that before the end of year 2010 no child in any public school in Lagos State will sit on the floor.

Governor Fashola who also addressed the teaching staff of the school said the state would ensure that it fixes all the classrooms across the state and that the environment in which the teachers work is improved.

The Governor said the teachers are the mirrors through which the young ones see life, adding that the investment in education is life long and not immediate, explaining that the investment made 50 years ago in education are the ones being benefitted from today.

“We must renew that investment today tenfold so that in future there would be people who would understand why we made the investment we are making today”, he added.

Governor Fashola who also handed over the 100 bed capacity Maternal Child Care Centre in Isolo told the audience which included the Chairman of the Action Congress in Lagos, Chief Henry Ajomale that expectant mothers do not need to go abroad anymore as all facilities needed for safe delivery are present at the new hospital.

He said health personnel in different sectors have been undergoing training in the last six months to prepare them for handling the various ultra modern facilities at the Maternal Child Care Centre.

Governor Fashola asserted that the time has come for all Lagosians to demonstrate that the state has a capable team in place starting from its ruling party, the Action Congress, to the members of the cabinet, the health professionals and all others.

Said he: “We should be able to say we will not accept certain things. We do not accept that children should die while being given birth to and likewise we do not accept that our mothers and women should die while giving life”.

[size=16pt]The Governor said though fears are being expressed that Nigeria may not meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as far as education, women, their mortality and environmental sustainability is concerned, Lagos will meet it. [/size]

He reiterated that the Maternal Child Care Centre being handed over is an asset of progressive governance which constitute a part of the commitment to the manifesto of the Action Congress about sustainability of life and an upliftment of the quality of life.

He said the hospitals would also help to bring medical care to the doorsteps of the people as they do not have to travel very long distances to seek medical attention for their children when they fall sick adding that the woman at Isolo does not need to travel to Ikeja for medical attention for her kid who is sick.

Governor Fashola said out of the eight Maternal Child Care Centres earmarked across the state, work have been concluded on three with the ones at Ikorodu and Isolo already handed over while the one built at Ifako Ijaiye has also been completed just as the remaining five are in various stages of completion.

Governor Fashola while handing over the two million gallons per day Mini Water Works at Isheri- Osun, said the latest one represents the fourth to be handed over in the last two weeks out of the nine on which work have been completed across the state.

He said altogether, 15 Mini Water Works with a capacity for 30 million gallons would be added to the stock of water supply in Lagos before the end of the year as a short term measure.

The Governor added that by June this year, the state would have successfully added another 130 million gallons of water by when the 11.5KVA Independent Power Project for Iju and Adiyan Water Works is fully functional.

While underscoring the importance of water, Governor Fashola said water is life and also promotes good health and cleanliness.

Governor Fashola commended the contractor who handled the construction of the Mini Water Works for upgrading the toilet facility in a nearby school as well as rehabilitation of a block of four classrooms in a school nearby without any prompting from the Government.

While urging the people to take adequate care of the facility which were provided with their contributions as tax payers, Governor Fashola told the residents that a 5kilometre reticulation pipeline to service at least 500 buildings have been provided, with prospect for future expansion.

Governor Fashola also stopped over at the Ejigbo Local Council Development Area to inspect level of work on the drainage at Falana/ Kolawole Sebili Interceptor and the on-going work at Ikotun- Idimu road in Alimosho Local Government area.

Among those who attended the various handing over and inspection events were Deputy Governor, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, members of the State Executive Council, Action Congress party chieftains, Chairmen of Isolo Local Council Development Area, Mrs Mary Fafowora Oseghale and Ejigbo LCDA, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, traditional rulers and the Managing Director of the Lagos State Water Corporation, Engineer Shayo Holloway among other dignitaries.

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