Stakeholders including the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the international community have promised to offer necessary and technical support to the Lagos State Government towards the realisation of its 30-year economic development plan, tagged Lagos State Development Plan 2022-2052.
The development plan is meant to be officially launched at the upcoming 2022 Ehingbeti Summit which has now rescheduled to hold on October 11 and 12, 2022, in Lagos.
Speaking at the 2022 Ehingbetti Pre-Summit Stakeholders’ Engagement held in Lagos, the LCCI outlined how the state government could achieve the plan while also pledging technical support to enhance the state’s enabling business environment.
Others stakeholders including members of the international community, Kingdom of the Netherlands, the United Nations Development Programme, among others spoke on the areas they could support the state in order to realise the economic plan of becoming a mega city.
The President, LCCI, Asiwaju Michael Olawale-Cole, lauded efforts made by the past and present administrations of Lagos State towards the development of the state.
While describing the 30-year development agenda as a good concept, he said he and the chamber would offer necessary support to ensure that the right business operating environment is created for businesses to thrive.
The LCCI boss noted that he had previously participated actively in the economic master plan of the state and, as such, would not hesitate to continue to offer necessary assistance.
According to him, it is only when the operating environment is good and conducive that businesses can thrive, hence, the need to offer moral and technical support to the government to ensure the vision is realised .
Olawale-Cole emphasised the need to involve young men in the development of the state, noting that the youths have prominent roles to play towards the realisation of the projected mega city.
He said, “We must make sure it is inclusive of young people. Let us get the young people included because they are the ones that will drive Lagos of the future.”
The Acting Head of Mission/Head Economic Department, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Arie Plieger, described Lagos as the economic nerve centre of the country and promised the support of her country, especially in the area of health, which according to her, is critical to the future of Lagos State.
She said, “We will invite Akin Abayomi, the commissioner for Health, Lagos State, to go to the Netherlands in October with three companies and a few key decision makers to see how we can help the health sector, by replicating the facilities oversea in Lagos to reduce medical trips abroad.”
Also, Senior Economic Advisor, United Nations Development Programme, Amarakoon Bandara, said the organisation would support the state in every aspects required to make the development plan a reality.
According to the Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning & Budget, Sam Egube, the Ehingbeti 2022 has three main objectives, one of which is the introduction of the Lagos State Development Plan 2022-2052.
Egube, who is also the chairman of the Lagos Economic Summit Group, said the plan, due to be unveiled at the upcoming Lagos Economic summit, is an all-encompassing master plan which clearly articulates initiatives that will drive Lagos’ ambition to become Africa’s model mega city, a global, economic and financial hub that is safe, secure, functional and productive.
While the summit, according to him, will engage high-powered speakers and thought leaders on the strategic dimensions and focus areas of the LSDP 2052, he added that the platform would also provide opportunities for engagement with the audience, even as the LSDP 2052 will be formally launched at the event.
