Following Lagos State Government adopted measure to curb unnecessary spending and waste of resources as being witness in past, the state has released hint of how it was able to saved N2.4 billion within two years of the government in office after stoping funding pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem.
According to the state government, a sum of N2.4 billion was saved between 2015 and 2016 from non-sponsorship of pilgrims to hajj and Jerusalem which use to be the state’s culture, a privilege enjoyed by 1000 people both at state local governments.
The Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs, Dr Abdul-Hakeem Abdul-Lateef, hinted that the state was able to have the disclosed figure saved within two years after the present administration came into power in 2015.
Briefing journalists ahead of the state governor, Akinwumi Ambode, May 29 (democracy day) which marks his two years in office, Abdul-Laeef added that in 2015 the government was able save N1.2 billion after it dropped regular culture of sponsoring 1,000 people, at both the local and the state government, to Saudi or Jerusalem, while same figure was also recovered in 2016.
He said the gesture of the state government, which formerly used to had privileged people sponsored to countries including Saudi and Jerusalem, was put to end after the present administration came in to power and and that since then, Lagos has continue judiciously utilise tax payers money.
Besides, the commissioner also hinted that ministry was presently imputing data of of worship located in the state on a centralized database and that the measure was to enable identify churches, mosques and religious organizations operating in Lagos.
“This is to allow the State Government has a reliable data of churches, mosques and their locations, with a view to carrying them along with state Government policies. It is expected that the policy, because of effective resource allocation and efficient management inherent in it, will bring and extend benefits to many more churches and mosques in the State. At present, the website has over 10,000 data of both Muslim and Christian Religious Organisations across the State,” he said.
To ensure the sustenance of peaceful co-existence among residents irrespective of their ethnic and religious persuasion, the Commissioner said that the government has continued to operate citizens participatory, strategic communication approach, a creative and complementary mix of public enlightenment campaign, sensitization, mobilization, advocacy and media/publicity campaign, with in-built feed-back mechanism, which have had, and are still having, desired effective impacts sand outcomes, The Guild reports.
