By Emmanuel Udom
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, on Thursday disclosed that the state accounts for 20 per cent of Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP).
He made this disclosure during the Citizens Accountability and Rights Forum organised by the Committee for the Defence Of Human Rights (CHDR) in collaboration with the Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership at the Right House in Ikeja.
The Commissioner stressed that despite criticisms from some people and groups, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has delivered appreciably on the promises he made to the people of the state.
He further said with a population of 25 million people and still counting, Lagos has an annual budget that can conveniently run the government of 15 countries in Africa, including Togo. Benin Republic, and Cameroon.
However, he claimed that due to the daily influx of people into the state, the budget of the state has been stretched beyond the elastic limits.
Backing his point with an example, he said Lagos spends N600 million every month to power street lights for security and must make provisions for about 360 public health centres to cater to the health needs of residents at various communities across the local government areas and local council development areas of the state.
Mr Omotosho, a veteran journalist, also disclosed that there are 6.5 million taxpayers with only 4.6 of them active payers.
The moderator of the programme, Mr Debo Adeniran, who doubles as the president of CDHR and chairman of CACOL, thanked the Commissioner for personally coming to face the media, CSOs, and others to shed more light on how governance in Lagos has impacted on the people in rural and urban areas in the state.
