INTERVIEW: We are Touching Lives to Bring Governance Closer to the People of Apapa-Iganmu LCDA – Honourable Jimoh

The Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) is one of the communities at the heart of Lagos’ commercial and industrial activities. With the presence of the Apapa Port and several businesses within its jurisdiction, the council plays an important role in the state’s economic ecosystem.

 

In this interview, the Executive Chairman of Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, Honourable Olawale Jimoh speaks to Hannah Tedunjaye and Elizabeth Toyon on his administration’s efforts to bring governance closer to residents, improve security, education and healthcare, tackle flooding, increase internally generated revenue (IGR), empower youths and deepen collaboration with the private sector.

 

Q: Give us an overview of the efforts by your leadership to bring governance closer to the people of Apapa-Iganmu LCDA.

When I assumed office, security was one of the major challenges confronting the LCDA. Before my administration, this LCDA was almost a war zone for youths and cult groups, with violent incidents occurring frequently. I thank God that today, we have been able to restore peace and improve security in the area. We have worked hard on youth emancipation and engagement.

 

In education, we are also bringing educational opportunities closer to the people. This administration is working to bring a secondary school to communities such as Badia, Marine Bridge and Sari, which are part of the LCDA.

 

In healthcare, we have also done a lot. We have facilitated surgeries and provided medical attention to residents. We have paid the surgical expenses of some members of the local government who required such assistance. We have also renovated our health centres and upgraded them to provide 24-hour services.

On the environment, we have introduced a waste-to-wealth programme. We are partnering with 7UP to purchase waste plastics from residents, while we are also creating a hub for waste-to-wealth in partnership with relevant agencies. We are working with other private-sector organisations and stakeholders that are friends of the local government to improve the welfare of our people.

 

Q: The rains between June and July brought flooding to parts of Lagos. What preventive measures did your administration put in place to mitigate the effects of flooding in Apapa-Iganmu?

 

Flooding is a disaster and a national challenge.The state government has taken proactive steps to address the situation. Before the heavy rains began, we held a stakeholders’ meeting to sensitise residents about the expected rainfall and the need to stop dumping refuse into gutters and canals.Unfortunately, some residents did not heed the warning.

When the flooding started, parts of the local government were affected. To the glory of God, the Ministry of Environment and the Lagos State Government responded by providing equipment to clear the affected areas. We have not only cleared the canals, we have also dredged them in preparation for further rainfall. We were informed that more rain was expected, so we prepared accordingly.

 

Today, you can go around the LCDA and see that many of the gutters have been cleared. We are also working on the smaller street gutters, not just the major canals. We are taking the work street by street to ensure that water can flow freely.

 

 

Q: On your watch, how is the council performing in terms of internally generated revenue (IGR)?

 

 

IGR is one of the areas where we are facing challenges. Apapa-Iganmu is unique because there are limited commercial activities that can generate revenue for the council. For instance, we do not have any commercial bank located within the local government. Most financial transactions are carried out through Point-of-Sale (POS) operators.We are working with banks to establish proper banking services within the local government.

Another challenge is tax compliance. Many taxpayers are not paying their taxes and levies properly. There are a lot of defaulters. Some people believe that because we are local government officials, they do not have an obligation to pay. We are therefore working on ways to improve compliance and strengthen our revenue base.

 

 

Q: Unemployment is often associated with rising crime and social vices. What measures have you put in place to attract government and private-sector employment opportunities for youths in the LCDA?

 

 

Since I assumed office as the Executive Chairman, I have continued to seek employment opportunities from the state government for our people. I have also encouraged our youths to acquire technical and vocational skills. My recent visit to Yaba College of Technology created an avenue for youths from the LCDA to access technical training and acquire skills that can make them self-reliant.

However, the response from the youths has not been encouraging. Despite the number of unemployed young people in the area, many have not shown sufficient interest in acquiring these skills. We continue to encourage them to take advantage of the opportunities available to them because acquiring practical skills can improve their chances of getting employment or becoming self-employed.

 

 

Q: Beyond employment, what has your administration done to improve education, healthcare, security and other basic infrastructure in the LCDA?

 

 

As I mentioned earlier, security has been one of our major areas of focus. We inherited an environment where youth restiveness and cult-related activities were major concerns. We have worked to restore peace and create a safer environment for residents.

In education, we are bringing educational infrastructure closer to the people, including plans to establish a secondary school that will serve communities within the LCDA.

 

In healthcare, we have renovated our health centres and made efforts to provide 24-hour services. We have also supported residents who needed medical procedures, including surgeries. We have also strengthened our health workforce. When I assumed office, there was only one doctor serving the local government. I approached the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) office in Abuja and was able to secure five doctors.

 

Although those corps members have since completed their service, we currently have pharmacists and medical students serving as corps members and supporting our healthcare facilities. We are open to receiving more professionals because we take responsibility for their welfare while they serve in the LCDA.

Q: Has there been any private-sector collaboration with your council in recent times, and how precisely has such collaboration benefited the LCDA?

 

 

Yes, there have been several collaborations, and they have been beneficial to the local government and its residents. For instance, 7UP has partnered with us on a waste-to-wealth initiative. Residents can bring empty plastic bottles and receive food items in exchange. The initiative has helped to encourage residents to remove plastic waste from the environment while also providing some form of support to households.

 

APM Terminals has also supported our healthcare facilities. They have renovated and equipped one of our health centres and provided machinery and other equipment. The facility was commissioned earlier this year. They are also partnering with us on scholarship opportunities for indigenous students studying in higher institutions, particularly students in their first and second years. These partnerships show the value of collaboration between the local government and private-sector organisations.

 

Q: Apapa is home to one of West Africa’s major ports. How has this huge commercial infrastructure contributed to economic sustainability in Apapa-Iganmu LCDA?

 

 

The port should have been a major source of economic opportunities for the local government, but youth unrest and insecurity have affected the extent to which our people can benefit from the activities around the port. I remember that years ago, workers at Apapa used to live within the area. However, because of insecurity and youth unrest, many of them have moved away.We are now trying to bring them back.

 

One of the initiatives we are exploring is housing. We are engaging relevant stakeholders on the possibility of developing a housing estate in partnership with the Lagos State Government and stakeholders in the port community.If workers can live within our LCDA, it will boost economic activities and contribute significantly to the local economy.

Q: What has your administration done to promote girl-child education and create awareness against drug abuse?

 

 

On drug abuse, we have held stakeholder meetings and carried out sensitisation programmes across the local government. We also engaged a popular musician from Ajegunle to support our campaign against drug abuse. Flyers were distributed throughout the local government to sensitise residents, particularly youths, on the dangers of drug abuse.

 

We also worked with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). We had NDLEA officials move around the local government in an open van while creating awareness about the dangers of drug use and trafficking.The message was clear: whether you sell or use drugs, the law will eventually catch up with you.

 

On girl-child education, an NGO also organised a programme for young girls in the area. Sanitary pads were distributed to the girls, and the organisation visited schools as part of the intervention. We will continue to support initiatives that promote the education, health and welfare of the girl child.

Q: What do you consider the greatest challenge in grassroots leadership?

 

There are many challenges.Politically, there are challenges from the opposition, which is normal. There are also challenges from community stakeholders who believe they could do better if given the opportunity.

 

However, one of the major challenges is youth restiveness. Even as I speak with you, there are still disagreements between the administration and some youths, and we are trying to explain to them why certain decisions have been taken.

For instance, the restriction on night parties has generated complaints from some youths. They believe the restriction is affecting their social lives, but from our perspective, we introduced the measure because some of these night activities have been associated with fights, harassment, theft and other forms of disorder.

 

The youths may see it as an attempt to prevent them from enjoying their nightlife, but our intention is to bring sanity and maintain peace within the local government. Our responsibility is to balance the interests of the youths with the need to protect lives and property and ensure that Apapa-Iganmu remains a peaceful place for everyone.