Lagos Constitutes Economic Committee, Names Agusto Chairman

• Opens bids for 181 inner-city road contracts
Gboyega Akinsanmi
The Lagos State Government yesterday set up an Economic Advisory Committee to spearhead its drive to improve the state’s business environment and promote economic development.

The state government also opened bids for the award of 181 inner-city road contracts, which the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, announced to construct in all local councils in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, unveiled the 12-man committee in a statement, naming a renowned chartered accountant, Dr. Bode Agusto, as the chairman.

In the statement, Bello named other members of the committee to include Mr. Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti, Mr. Kenneth Igbokwe, Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe, Mrs. Adenike Ogunlana, Dr Laolu Mudashiru, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Mr Moruf Oseni and Mrs. Yetunde Akinluyi who would serve as the secretary.

He added that the state government would be represented on the economic advisory committee by the Commissioners for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Olawale Oluwo, and Commerce and Industry and Cooperatives, Mr. Rotimi Ogunleye.

He noted that the economic team “is expected to bring an independent perspective to economic and business issues with the primary role of offering advice to the state government for the purposes of fostering and advancing economic and business opportunities.

“The committee will also provide an effective mechanism for engaging the private sector on matters relating to economic development of the State as well as provide advice and strategic direction along the lines of the Lagos State Development Plan,” Bello explained.

He added that the economic team “is saddled with the responsibility of specifically advising on the overall finance strategy to bridge the massive infrastructure gap in the state; analysing any issue, economic or otherwise, referred to it by the governor and to act as champions for certain initiatives.”

Bello noted that it had become imperative, especially in this period of strong economic ‘head winds’ for the state government “to better engage the private sector to get independent views on economic and business issues in delivering the government’s mandate to the people.

“The private sector members of the committee were carefully selected based on their known track record of integrity, independence of thought and outlook as well as diverse industry experience.”
On the inner-city road contract, Ambode unveiled the initiative to rehabilitate the 181 roads in all local councils to fast-track development simultaneously with other major road projects across the state.

In its invitation for bids (IFBs), the state government announced the list of the roads and specification for the construction which include drainages, street lights and walkways.
The IFB also include the length, average width, number of roads, pavement and the duration for the project which is six months, while all bids must be submitted on or before February 17.