Lagos citizens set agenda for 10th Assembly

As the 10th Lagos House of Assembly’s inauguration is scheduled to hold in June, some stakeholders have pushed forward their expectations from the legislators for the next four years.

Some of the areas they said the Assembly should focus on include security, technology, traffic, and building industry among others.

While they admonished ranking lawmakers to come up with bills that will not only aid the executive arm of government to accelerate development across their constituencies and the state, the new entrants were enjoined to carry along their constituents.

Speaking with The Guardian, a senior software engineer, Mr. Yusuf Jimoh Aweda, said that it is imperative of the 10th Lagos Assembly to shape the future of modern ICT policies through appropriate legislation.

To bridge the digital divide, he urged policymakers to prioritise initiatives that enhance digital literacy among citizens through laws that will encourage investment in educational programmes and training.

According to him: “Government must prioritise expanding internet access and improving digital infrastructure by investing in reliable and affordable broadband connections, particularly in rural and marginalised areas.”

He also said the Assembly should enact stringent cyber security laws. He noted: “Collaboration between governments, industry experts, and academia is essential to developing comprehensive strategies that can combat cyber threats effectively.”

According to him, “To foster technological innovation and economic growth, the lawmakers should make laws that will create an enabling environment for start-ups and entrepreneurs. This includes streamlining regulations, providing access to funding and resources, and promoting research and development activities.”

Commenting, an Associate Professor of Journalism and Director of Digital Media Research Centre at Lagos State University (LASU), Dr Tunde Akanni, said that the 10th Assembly should enact laws that will protect vulnerable students across the state from shylock landlords, pushing the executive arm of government to provide more hostels in the various tertiary institutions across the state.

While commending Lagos State government for converting Lagos State Polytechnic and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) to universities, he noted that the state government has never paid attention to the only university that it has.

“The Lateef Jakande administration that established Lagos State University (LASU) deserves all our commendations, but don’t forget that the university at that time was established as a non-residential university. So, how long do you want to run a university in this part of the world without residential provision for students?

“Today students are at the mercy of shylock landlords. Landlords who don’t believe in compassion now surround LASU. Our lawmakers should think of making laws to address these anomalies. It should provide hostel accommodation for students in LASU, LASUTECH, LASUED.”

Convener, Coalition for a Better Nigeria, Comrade Awa Bamiji, commended the outgoing 9th Lagos Assembly, saying the incoming Assembly can improve on it.

He, therefore, urged the new lawmakers to make laws that will transform the transport sector in Lagos State. “They should also prioritise the security and health of citizens by restructuring the health insurance scheme to benefit the underprivileged people in the society.”