Lagos Seeks Closer Economic Ties with London

LAGOS State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has canvassed closer economic integration between Lagos and  London as  this is the most viable means to grow the economies of both Nigeria and Britain.

Fashola who spoke on Tuesday  at Lagos House, Marina, while playing host to the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Mr. Alderman Michael Bear, who led a trade delegation to the state, said the challenge now facing the leadership of the two cities was how to close the cracks in the already existing integration and how to put that opportunity to economic use for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
He noted  the  cooperation  between the peoples of both countries especially as demonstrated in the trade delegation from  London which included more than two London-based Nigerians, saying the development was making it “increasingly difficult to discern who are truly the indigenous people.”
According to  Fashola , “This is, perhaps, the biggest objective that we can set as an agenda for meeting today; how to use that opportunity to create jobs for people who seek legitimate employment, to reduce crime, to enforce the law and make democracy meaningful for the people.”
“It is a challenge of leadership but I can see that your delegation and my team can deliver on the challenge. We have come to see challenges as harbingers of intrinsic opportunities for doing greater things; things that are driven by imagination and commitment”, the governor said, expressing confidence that the meeting would provide opportunities that would be beneficial to both parties.
Fashola said that he had set up a template where businesses, locally and internationally, could partner now in building some of the needed infrastructure, adding that one of the topical issues on its agenda today was housing delivery in the state.
Meanwhile,  Fashola  has called on the state civil servants to avoid incurring unnecessary liabilities and judgment debt against the state government while performing their statutory duties.
Fashola made the call yesterday at a one-day workshop on administration of justice with the  theme, “Attaining Excellent Disciplinary Standard and Avoiding Government Liability in Employer-Employee Dispute.”
Represented by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye,  Fashola expressed worries about public officers’ failure to give essential information to litigation officers of the justice ministry leading to government having to expend unnecessary money for paying compensation.
Ipaye said Fashola had directed his admonition to officers who defaulted in giving information to aid the defence of the state.
Also speaking at the workshop organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice for the civil servants, the Solicitor-General of Lagos State and Permanent Secretary, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), affirmed government’s resolve to avoid unnecessary liabilities.
Pedro warned that any public officer who failed to supply necessary information resulting in judgment against the state would be held responsible.

SOURCE: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61129:lagos-seeks-closer-economic-ties-with-london-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559