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Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has enjoined all mosques and churches in the state to organise special prayers for peace and harmony, as well as accelerated socio-economic development, while marking golden jubilee of the state.
He said mosques should carry out special sermons and prayer sessions during the Jumat Services on May 19, 2017, while churches should do same on Sunday, May 21, 2017.
While expressing his determination to always pay attention to the spiritual content of his developmental initiatives, Ambode expressed his resolve to upscale public participatory initiative in state’s policies and programmes.
He, thus, informed that, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, more collaboration for mutually rewarding relationship, between the state and the faith- based organisations, were in the pipeline.
Besides, Ambode said his administration had begun enumeration of worship centres in the state, and that, so far, more than 10,000 data of mosques and churches had been captured in the website. Moreover, Nigerian Inter-Religious Council, Lagos Chapter (NIREC), whose contributions to the  harmonious relationship and peaceful co-existence in the state have been quite impressive, would soon have bigger scope, more depth, wider reach than is presently the case, for brighter performance, when the body is decentralised to the 57 local governments areas and local council development areas (LCDAs), and  its activities further extended to all wards in the state.
The governor was of the view that through commitment to excellence, greater public involvement and support, perseverance for merit, faith in the possibility of greater Lagos as SMART city of the collective dreams of Lagosians, “which is achievable through constant prayers and supplications to Almighty God, Lagosians will continue to thrive from the prevailing peace, security and state of accelerated socio-economic and infrastructural development.â€
