Lagos urges support for LASU, approves 6,000 bed-space hostel for institution

Lagos State Government has urged wealthy Lagosians to donate to Lagos State University (LASU) to improve its infrastructure to make it a first class institution.

The governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, who stated this during the official opening of Aderemi Makanjuola Lecture Theatre, said the state had spent over N15 billion on education in the last three and half years and would continue to be committed to education.

The governor, who commended the donor of the lecture theatre, Mr. Aderemi Makanjuola, gave the assurance that the projects he had started would be completed by the All Progressives Congress candidate, Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu, as government is of continuity.

Meanwhile, former Vice Chancellor of University of Ado-Ekiti now Ekiti State University, Prof. Akin Oyebode, has urged Nigerian universities to make concerted efforts to rediscover themselves to be solution providers to the nation’s problems.

Oyebode, who spoke yesterday while delivering a lecture to commemorate the official opening of the lecture theatre, said that there must be improved funding for universities, especially in the area of research and development.

In another development, the state government has said that it will double its efforts by recruiting 1,000 Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) officials who will be on duty between midnight and 5.00 a.m. to ensure that residents enjoy free flow of traffic during the Yuletide.

Rising from a closed-door strategic session chaired by the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and attended by top officials of the Ministry of Transportation, LASTMA, Commissioner of Police, Mr. Imohimi Edgal and Chairman of the State Task Force on Environmental Offences, Yinka Egbeyemi, among others, the government said it had resolved to immediately implement the solutions to ensure Lagosians can commute across the state with ease going forward.

The state Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Ladi Lawanson, who spoke with Government House Correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, said the governor had called for the session to fine-tune strategies for all agencies and stakeholders involved to implement so as to ameliorate the traffic situation and also ensure safety.

Also, Chief Executive Officer of LASTMA, Chris Olakpe, a retired Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police, frowned at the spate of destruction of public facilities, especially wire barriers and signal lights meant to make life easier for motorists and residents.

He, therefore, appealed to those in the habit of doing such to desist or risk facing the full consequences of the law if caught in the act.

He also warned against harassment and assault of LASTMA officials by recalcitrant motorists, saying that such act attracts a jail-term of two and half years without any option of fine.