Fashola tasks Enugu govt on devt

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has called on the Enugu State government to take issue of security, healthcare, sanitation, justice, education and land administration seriously in its quest to attract investors.

Fashola gave the advice at the Enugu State Investment Summit titled: “Public-Private People Partnership for a vibrant and inclusive economy” that looks beyond oil, at this forum tagged “Oganiru”, meaning progress.

Fashola, who was represented at the summit by Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi, using Lagos as a case study, said at the inception of his administration as Governor of Lagos State, there was only a day economy.

“Many businesses, especially small businesses like petrol stations, pharmacies, nightclubs, local vendors like sellers of suya, beancake (akara), close around 6pm once darkness approaches” he said.

According to him, the reasons was largely due to insecurity, “Imagine the hundreds of thousands of people who lost income-earning opportunities and jobs.

“The success of our Security Trust Fund which equipped the police, our street lighting policies, fueled then by diesel generators (they cost a lot) and later by our Independent Power Projects made our streets safer, better lit, and reduced fear.

“The result was a night economy that gradually emerged more nightclubs, restaurants, long hours of trading into the night in places like Obalende, Somolu, Ipaja, Lawanson to mention a few.

“On the back of this lack of fear, many international hotel brands made unsolicited entries into our state; Protea, Intercontinental, Radisson, Sheraton to mention a few, and without more than the creation of the night environment, hotel room availability which was once a problem gradually improved because of investor confidence.”