Oluwabunmi Fache
The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Femi Hamzat has said strategic plans are being put in place that will guide the operations and transformation of Apapa in the next three years.
Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting held at Apapa, Hamzat, who was represented by Director, Local Government Administration, Mr. Amodu Razack, said the goal of the meeting was to discuss strategies that would help to reposition Apapa to become a 21st Century Modern Port City.
In her speech, Chairman, Apapa Local Government Area, Mrs. Idowu Adejumoke Senbanjo, said Apapa has suffered gross reputation loss due to many challenges, chiefly the incessant traffic menace and its perpetual poor environmental measures. According to her, this has led to exodus of people and massive vacation of both homes and businesses in Apapa.
She added that the local government is grossly lacking in critical areas of modern development with dwindling opportunities for innovation between the port and the community.
“The council needs the input of stakeholders in the community and every ward will be encouraged to highlight the major challenges facing them and to proffer the necessary solutions to ameliorate these problems, which is why our theme for today’s event has been tagged: ‘Building Together.’
In this renewed efforts to transform Apapa, Mrs. Senbanjo said, the cardinal focal points would be: security, traffic management and transport; comprehensive healthcare delivery, education, entrepreneurship, skills acquisition, technology and environment.
“Our administration has successfully and visibly overcome a number of challenges, including but not limited to: procurement of sanitary tools, procurement of diesel trucks for evacuation, renovation of some of some offices at the local government council, delisting of canals and drainages, purchase and distribution of GCE forms, distribution of schools kits and exercise books to public schools’ pupils, rehabilitation of some roads within Apapa, welfare/health insurance package to the aged and widows,” she said.
According to her, in today’s word, port administrators (as we have just observed during our visit to south Korea at the invitation of NIMASA), needs to be more strategic in their thinking to overcome present and future challenges; building internal operational efficiencies, and ensuring that the development extends to every nooks and crannies of the port’s neighboring communities.
“Therefore, this administration strategic focus is geared towards the transition and transformation from a golden city to a modern port city that everyone will be proud of. To help us facilitate and guide this entire process and chart the journey to our achievements via a strategic blueprint, the council has appointed a few consultants to facilitate the process of communicating our brand imperative.
She stressed that the council is very serious not only about the meeting, but also about the execution of the outcomes and decisions to be arrived at.
‘‘It is my duty as the Chairman of Apapa Local Government Area with council executives and legislative team to ensure that the strategic plan developed at this strategy meeting is swiftly and clinically executed. For this to happen, dedicated commitment and active participation of all strategic stakeholders present today are key,” she declared.
