Sanwo-Olu commissions 150-bed COVID-19 isolation centre

Lagos govt targets a reduction in illegal construction

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday commissioned a 150-bed COVID-19 isolation and treatment centre in Yaba.

Sanwo-Olu said the facility would provide additional capacity to support the already existing isolation facilities, adding that the birth of the facility signifies a working and fruitful collaboration between the government and the private sector.

According to him, the launch of the isolation centre would strengthen the state’s COVID19 response and help minimise the spread of the virus.

The governor, who stated that the state is currently faced with the challenge of identifying critical and severe cases, however, assured that the state government would work tirelessly to detect and monitor those cases.

While the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, said the new isolation centre would boost the capacity of the healthcare system, President and Chief Executive of Dangote group and Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), Aliko Dangote, who was represented by the Chief Executive Officer of ADF, Zouera Youssoufou, said: “We are very proud because this centre is a model of what we are going to be doing in the remaining states.”

Meanwhile, the state government has extended its special enforcement operations to Lekki to herald its zero tolerance for illegal building construction.

The state’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, who led the operation at the weekend, disclosed the determination of the state government to make the menace of illegal buildings a thing of the past.

According to him, it had become necessary to stem the tide of building collapse and also protect the environment for posterity through enforcing adherence to planning.

“This explains why we must stop those who are bent on jeopardising the Operative Development Plans of Lagos State by not tolerating any form of illegal physical development in the state,” he said.

He said that the government would continue to seal erring property, enforce compliance and even go-ahead to prosecute where necessary.