Lagos Vows to Operationalise LASIMRA Law

Ugo Aliogo

The General Manager, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA), Engr. Funsho Elulade, has said the state will full operationalise the LASIMRA law, in line with efforts to re-organise and regulate utility infrastructure in the state.

Elulade, who disclosed this during a media briefing, in Lagos, recently, said there was no double or taxation in the state.

He also stated that the onus was on all the operators in the utility infrastructure business to study LASIMRA law to help them understand why they were doing business in Lagos and their responsibilities to the state government.

“The only broadcast stations that will be given exceptions are the security formations such as Nigeria Army, Police and others and they are being regulated by Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC). The NCC law allows Lagos State to generate revenue under its jurisdiction. It is enshrined. There is nothing like double agency or taxation. The law is clear,” he stated.

He further noted that presently, the agency is undertaking a lot of processes such as increasing all the tariffs in line with what is obtainable in other states.

According to Elulade, “In line with Governor Babajide Sanwolu’s vision, you will realise that we should be able to generate more funds to realise all that vision, this is what led us to undertake a stakeholders’ conference.

“We found out that changing the processes, increasing or reviewing the tariffs, we need to carry people along and get the public and stakeholders’ buy-in. So, the first thing we thought what will be necessary is to carry out a stakeholders’ conference and that is where we will would lay down the new rules and regulations in line with Lagos State government’s agenda.

“It will interest you to note that Lagos is one of the states that doesn’t undertake sight assessment report and we will introduce that and most importantly, we will automate all our processes, and our stakeholders can do whatever it is to obtain a permit and right of way issuance.

“So, they don’t need to come to the office. Forms will be filled online and payments will be made online and they will be able to track the progress of their submission. The new management will undertake full operationalisation of LASMIRA Law. Everything will be used to regulate utility infrastructure.”

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