Lagos Holds Tourism Stakeholders Engagement Summit For Greater Lagos

 Yomi Durojaye 

 The Lagos State Government  Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture , on Thursday, held Stakeholders Summit  to strengthen collaboration, parnertship and unlock the state’s tourism potential for Greater Lagos.

The stakeholders were drawn from both the public and private sectors, including the Lagos State Transportation and Monitoring Authority, Lagos State Waterways Authority, and hospitality and tourism practitioners.

The event, was organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MTAC) at Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, in her welcome address, said the gathering was evident of the state’s commitment to positioning Lagos as a leading, globally competitive tourism destination.

Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka

According to the commissioner, “Today’s conversations are designed to generate practical insights that will assist in enhancing our infrastructure, safety, strengthening regulatory frameworks, elevating service standards, and improving promotional strategies.

“These insights are critical as Lagos continues to attract growing local and international interest. We must ensure that our systems are efficient, inclusive, and responsive to the evolving needs of a dynamic global tourism industry.”

The continued positioning of Lagos as a top destination for leisure, business and cultural experience is a collective effort, and your roles are indispensable,” she said.

She urged participants to see their roles as part of a long-term strategic plan, not just for the December festivities.

In his presentation, the General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki assured that his agency would deploy over 2,000 officers on Lagos road to take care of major routes on the Island, Lekki-Epe, Victoria Island and Ajah.

“I am giving the assurance that those who are coming from the diaspora have seamless mobility during the December period,” he said.

Panelists took turns to dissect issues around traffic management, waterfront and beach tourism, hospitality and the business of tourism in Lagos among others and they all agreed that concerted effort must be made to synergise operations during the December period in order to optimally unlock the potentials and opportunities therein.

In another presentation,  the Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC), Mr Lanre Mojola, said the agency’s mandate to regulate hospitality and entertainment facilities extended far beyond the festive season.

He said the commission’s role was to oversee and enforce safety standards for recreational spaces, including hotels, bars, lounges, beach resorts and event centres.

He said LSSC ensured safety in the facilities through inspections, emergency preparedness checks and compliance certification.

Highlighting the commission’s Four Es of Safety, which are: Engineering, Education, Enforcement and Evaluation, Mojola said LSSC was intensifying facility registration, audits and event permit requirements.

“All hospitality establishments operating in Lagos State –such as hotels, restaurants, bars, lounges, nightclubs, shortlets, beach resorts, event centres and other recreational facilities – are required to register with LSSC,” he said

Other agencies including the Lagos Ferry Service, LAGFERRY, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, (LASEPA), Lagos State Waterways Authority, (LASWA) among others called for compliance at all levels to achieve the state’s vision for a seamless and memorable December

BREAKING: Xenophobia: Nigeria recalls Ambassador to South Africa, shuns WES

AgegePulse Magazine

Nigeria has recalled its Ambassador to South Africa.

The nation has also pulled out of the World Economic Summit.

It also demanded full compensation, the News Agency of Nigeria has reported, quoting a “presidential source.”

Details coming…

Punch

Ambode canvasses patronage of made in NIgeria products for MSME growth

AgegePulse Magazine

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has underscored the need to increase patronage of locally made products and also expand the capacity of Micro, Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the State, assuring that his administration will continue to pay greater attention to the sector.

 The Governor who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Dr. Olajide Bashorun, made this known during the Lagos Small Business Summit held at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.

 He described the theme of the summit "Creating exponential institutions: how government and small businesses can keep up with the market" as very apt considering the need for effective partnership between government institutions and the organized stakeholders in Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs.

 Governor Ambode explained that the summit throws a challenge to all players, both public and private, to look inwards and develop the internal and external capacities of other sectors for steady growth and global competitiveness.

 While making case for the informal sector, Ambode said "we must significantly reduce our taste for foreign-made goods because it is detrimental to the survival and growth of SMEs and their capacity to create wealth and generate employment for our teeming unemployed youths.

 He listed several incentives provided to operators of SMEs under the present administration, saying that tradesmen and artisans in different vocations recently completed a training programme organized by the State Government to further enhance their capacity.

 "During the celebration of the 2017 Day for artisans and tradesmen few weeks back, I directed the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the State Government to henceforth, accord greater recognition to members of the informal sector in terms of increasing patronage for the products of SMEs in line with the State's 'Buy Made in Nigeria Campaign' ‘’the Governor stated.

 He added that the State government had also resolved to engage the services of small and medium scale artisans in the execution of government contracts.

 According to him, the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment was established by the current administration to implement policies aimed at enhancing the capacity of SMEs to harness their contribution to economic growth and development.

 He also said that the Employment Trust Fund was set up to address the challenge of lack of access to funding, stressing that the responses from applicants of the initiative show that young people are willing to take advantage of opportunities when given.

 "As we speak, over N3.5billion Naira has been disbursed to over 6,000 beneficiaries who are at different stages of executing their businesses plan” he stated.

 He assured participants at the summit that government will continue to promote opportunities for MSMEs to thrive by focusing on the development of infrastructure and its processes to improve and enhance the competitiveness and productivity of MSMEs in the State.

 Also speaking at the event, the Chairman, Planning Committee of the 2017 SME 100 Nigeria, Lagos Small Business Summit, Mr. Tope Adekoya commended the Governor for prioritizing the development of small businesses and for his willingness to help these businesses thrive.

 He explained that the idea of bringing all relevant stakeholders together at the Summit is basically to foster discussions on how to build a more successful, industrious and entrepreneurial State.

Governor Ambode to commence 181 new roads soon

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...To bridge infrastructure gap between the divisions, districts to make every part livable 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday pledged his readiness to make every part of the State livable by bridging the infrastructure gap between the divisions and senatorial districts.

The Governor who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tunji Bello, at the opening ceremony of the 4th summit of the Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries with the theme "IBILE ECHOES" added that the present administration will make every part of the State economic centres.

“Making every part of the State economic centres is a key strategy to address the challenge of rural-urban migration which has a negative impact on urban infrastructures and other social and economic challenges”, the Governor stated.

He noted that part of what had been done by the Government in this regard is the connection of communities in Ibeju- Lekki and Badagry to the national grid after several years without electric power supply.

“Part of what we have done in this regard is the connection of communities in Ibeju Lekki and Badagry to the national grid after several years without electric power supply. In addition, the 114 roads initiative has been delivered while the 181 new roads will commence very soon”, he said.

Governor Ambode expressed the belief that every division of the State has something to contribute to its collective prosperity if properly harnessed, adding that one of the key policy objectives of the administration is to ensure even development among the five divisions or three Senatorial districts.

He cited the example of the Badagry and Epe axis with its great tourism potentials, stressing that it is one sector with limitless opportunities in terms of wealth and employment creation.

In his words: “We are therefore committed to opening up these two axes through massive investment in infrastructure development and renewal to attract both local and foreign investors. When fully developed, our State will join other cities and countries whose major chunk of foreign exchange comes from tourism”.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Head of Service, Mrs. Olabowale Ademola said members of ALARHOSPS are at a critical turn in the history of the State because its 50th anniversary has been celebrated and this gave them the opportunity to reflect on history and the reasons that Lagos
State is a Centre of Excellence.

She added that the forum will leverage on lessons learnt to chart the course for a brighter and rewarding future.

She, therefore, urged ALARHOSPS members to focus deliberations on the impact of Government’s policies, programmes and projects on communities with a view to developing strategies to improve the effectiveness of Government’s interventions in the areas of socio-economic development, inclusive governance and environmental sustainability.

Also speaking, the President of the Association of Lagos State Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries, Alhaji Omokayode Anjorin who was represented by the 1st Vice-President, Alhaji Mohammed Olagbaye, said in the almost three years of its existence, ALARHOPS has been waxing stronger, expressing appreciation to the Governor for his support at all times.