Omotoso said: “As you are well aware, this will be Mr. President’s first official visit to Lagos State since assumption of office by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat. To this end, we have tagged the president’s visit ‘A Festival of Project Commissioning.’’
By Emma Ogbuehi
Lagos State government, on Friday, announced that there will be traffic restriction in some designated areas of the country’s commercial hub on Monday and Tuesday next week as a result of presidential visit.
President Muhammadu Buhari will be in the State next week on a two-day working visit to inaugurate projects executed by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
Buhari, who will arrive on Monday, January 23, will commission five projects between his arrival and departure on Tuesday, January 24.
Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, who announced this on Friday, said the projects to be commissioned include the Lekki Deep Sea Port; the 32-metric tons per hour Lagos Rice Mill; the 18.75-kilometer six-lane rigid-pavement Eleko Junction to Epe Expressway; the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History and the iconic Lagos Blue Line rail project.
Buhari is also expected to open a private sector project, the MRS Lubricant factory, in Apapa.
Omotoso, who addressed reporters on the government’s plans for the President’s visit, was supported by Commissioner for Transport, Frederic Oladeinde; Special Advisers to the governor, Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye (Works and Infrastructure) and Femi Martins (Tourism, Arts and Culture); General Manager of the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA), Abimbola Akinajo, Permanent Secretaries, Mrs. Oyinade Nathan-Mash (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture) and Femi Osayintolu (LASEMA).
Omotoso said: “As you are well aware, this will be Mr. President’s first official visit to Lagos State since assumption of office by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat. To this end, we have tagged the president’s visit ‘A Festival of Project Commissioning.’’
“We all know that Lagos is known for its remarkable hospitality and conviviality. These attributes will be on display in the evening of Monday 23rd during the state banquet to be organised in honour of our guest. Mr. Governor and his spouse, Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, will lead other dignitaries to give President Muhammadu Buhari a befitting Lagos welcome.
“There will be musical performances and other forms of entertainment to make the evening a very memorable one for Mr. President and all the invited guests.”
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To ensure Lagosians are not prevented from attending their businesses, Omotosho said there will be traffic restriction on the first day, between 6am and 3pm while some roads will be closed on the second day and alternative routes provided for motorists.
Below is the full statement:
TEXT OF A STATEMENT DELIVERED BY MR. GBENGA OMOTOSO, HON. COMMISSIONER FOR INFORMATION AND STRATEGY, LAGOS STATE AHEAD OF THE STATE VISIT BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ON THE 23RD AND 24TH JANUARY, 2023 AT THE BAGAUDA KALTHO PRESS CENTRE, ALAUSA, LAGOS STATE
Gentlemen of the press, good morning to you all.
I bring you greetings from Mr Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who has asked us to be here this morning for one purpose – to inform you that President Muhammadu Buahri will be on a two-day working visit to our dear State. As you are well aware, this will be Mr. President’s first official visit to Lagos State since assumption of office by Governor Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat in May, 2019.
Although Mr. Governor has hosted the President during some of his visits to Lagos, next week’s visit by President Muhammadu Buhari will be one with a difference. It is a visit where Mr. President will again see the beauty of Lagos and take the opportunity to see first-hand and commission the life changing and people-oriented projects undertaken by the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu administration.
The projects are the Lekki Deep Sea Port, a symbol of a good working relationship between the public and private sectors; the 32-metric tons per hour Lagos Rice Mill, one of the largest in the world; the 18.75-kilometer 6-lane rigid-pavement Eleko Junction to Epe Expressway; the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History and the iconic Lagos Blue Line rail project.
Mr. President will be commissioning also a private sector project, MRS Lubricant factory in Apapa.
To this end, we have tagged President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Lagos ‘’A Festival of Project Commissioning’’. .
Mr. President is scheduled to arrive in Lagos on Monday, 23rd of January via the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, where he will be received by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu some top government officials and dignitaries. There will be a short ceremony, which will include a cultural display, presentation of a bouquet and inspection of a guard of honour by the special guest.
Thereafter, Mr. Governor will lead the guest to the Lekki Deep Sea Port for the official commissioning of the largest Sea Port in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mr. President and his host will be received at the Lekki Deep Sea Port by top Government functionaries and board members of the Lekki Deep Sea Port. The chief host, Governor Sanwo-Olu is expected to deliver a speech to formally welcome our guest to Lagos. There will be a tour of the Lekki Deep Sea Port facility by the President, Mr. Governor and other guests.
The President is expected to drive through and commission the newly constructed Eleko Junction to Epe road project before departing for the Lagos Rice Mill in Imota. Mr. President will take a tour of the Rice Mill – a solid testimony to the Lagos State Government’s readiness to bridge the deficit in local rice production.
We all know that Lagos is known for its remarkable hospitality and conviviality. These attributes will be on display in the evening of Monday 23rd during the State banquet being organized in honour of our guest. Mr. Governor and his spouse, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu will lead other dignitaries to give President Muhammadu Buhari a befitting Lagos welcome. There will be musical performances and other forms of entertainment to make the evening a very memorable one for Mr. President and all the invited guests.
DAY 2
Mr. President will commission the MRS Lubricant factory, a private sector project in Apapa on Tuesday 24th January. He will depart Apapa for the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History for its commissioning. He will take a tour of the Museum. The John Randle Museum, a bold attempt to curate our history and culture, will afford the President an opportunity to interact with art enthusiasts, curators, historians and academia, and students who have been invited to the programme.
After that, Mr. President will move to the Lagos Blue Line Rail Project in Marina, where different activities have been lined up for him. At the Blue Line Terminal, Mr. President will witness the signing of the second phase of the rail project, from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko. He will also commission the Phase I and take a train ride from Marina to Mile 2 and back, and depart. Lagos.
MEDIA ACCREDITATION AND EVENTS COVERAGE
A presidential visit is, no doubt, a big media event. We require your support for a successful event. As we know, a presidential visit of this nature requires the highest level of coordination. Consequently, there will be accreditation for journalists and photographers.
The media accreditation will be handled by the Media and Communication team from today.
Also, all events will be broadcast live across several television and radio stations. All activities will be streamed live on different social media platforms..
Arrangements are in top gear to give the visit a maximum media coverage even beyond Nigeria. We count on you to make this event a great success.
There are plans for transportation and safety issues during this visit. My colleagues will speak on such plans and take questions.
Thank you and God bless.
Gbenga Omotoso
HC, Information and Strategy
20th January, 2023.