from right: Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; his wife, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat; Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa and the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba during the Lagos State government new year Annual Thanksgiving Service at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, on Sunday, 05 January 2025.
Sanwo-Olu assures Lagos residents more developmental projects in 2025
…Says administration will redouble efforts, key into Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday assured Lagos residents more developmental projects in 2025 in transportation, agriculture, health, energy, environment and other critical sectors.
He said his administration will redouble its efforts in all sectors, keying into the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administration and working with the Federal Government to bring prosperity to Lagosians.
Governor Sanwo-Olu charged leaders at the subnational and all levels to support the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government in ensuring that the dividends of democracy touch many Nigerians.
He said the Lagos State Government is mindful of the shared responsibility between the federal and state governments; therefore, his administration will redouble its efforts in every sector, setting the pace for the rest of the country.
Governor Sanwo-Olu spoke on Sunday during the 2025 Lagos Annual Thanksgiving Service tagged “Harvest of Thanksgiving” held at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos Island.
The event was attended by Lagos First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and his wife, Oluremi; Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa; Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba; former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his wife, Bolanle; members of the Lagos State Executive Council, as well as legislative and judiciary arms of government; heads of security agencies; political, religious, and traditional leaders; among others.
Speaking at the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu also commended Lagos residents for their resilience, even in the face of the current economic realities, which he said were needed to put the nation on the right pedestal for growth.
He said: “We have Mr. President’s assurance that inflation will come down significantly in 2025, that the cost-of-living challenges will be tackled with vigour, that there will be more money available for our people to spend through programmes aimed at reducing the cost of transportation and healthcare and increasing access to student loans, consumer credit, mortgages, and so on. A lot of work is going into agriculture and food security around the country, with the goal of affordability and self-sufficiency in the shortest possible time.
“We must continue to make it clear that this work is not for the President and the Federal Government alone. At the subnational level we have a lot of work and responsibilities as well, to ensure that the dividends of democracy touch as many of our people as possible.
“In Lagos State we are very mindful of this shared responsibility, and we will redouble our efforts in every sector, setting the pace for the rest of the country. We are keying into the President’s Renewed Hope agenda, and by synergising our own efforts with it, we will ensure that peace, progress and socio-economic prosperity are guaranteed for the good people of Lagos State.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu stressed further that: “This new year, in addition to everything else we are already doing in the area of access to quality education and healthcare, security, environmental protection, wealth creation, social investment, women and youth development, and others, we will vigorously push ahead with efforts to mobilise the needed financing for ambitious projects like the new International Airport, the expansion of our municipal rail system, and construction of our food logistics hub.
“We will also scale up our work on the implementation of the new Lagos State Electricity Law of 2024, which is all about unbundling the electricity value chain and developing a sustainable electricity market for Lagos State that will deliver reliable and affordable power to our homes, offices, and industries.
“Also, this year, 2025, our Local Government elections will further strengthen the delivery of good governance at the grassroots and affirm our commitment to ensuring the autonomy of local government in Nigeria, a core plank of the President’s vision for a truly federal Nigeria.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu also expressed special gratitude to President Tinubu for “all the support and attention that Lagos State has been receiving and will continue to receive in this new year on very critical projects, like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Expressway, the planned 3rd metro rail network, the 7th Axial Road, and the 58 km Green Line that will run from Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone.”
In his exhortation, the Intercontinental Overseer (Evangelism) of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor J.T. Kalejaiye, urged people to continuously give thanks to God.
During the service, the Governor’s wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, read the first Bible reading from the book of Psalm 98: 1-9, while Obasa and Alogba read the second and third lessons from 1 Samuel 2:1-10 and Romans 8:31-39, respectively.
Prayers were offered by different clerics for President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians in general, the Lagos Governor and family, the Deputy Governor and family, Lagos residents, as well as the executive, legislative, and judiciary, among others.
