Sanwo-Olu: Jobs, healthcare, public services vital to peace

By Adebola Muili

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said sustainable peace goes beyond treaties and security measures, stressing that jobs, access to healthcare, reliable public services and opportunities for a better future are equally important.

Sanwo-Olu stated this in his address at the 8th ECAM Council High-Level Session in New York, where he linked development with security and highlighted Lagos’ experience in building institutions and infrastructure to support its growing population.

The governor, in a statement posted on his verified X account on Friday, said Lagos, with more than 20 million residents, most of them under the age of 30, had demonstrated the close relationship between development and peace.

“When people have opportunities, reliable public services and confidence in their institutions, we strengthen the foundations of peace,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said his administration’s THEMES agenda, which has guided governance in Lagos since 2019, had focused on transportation, health, education, technology, the economy, entertainment, tourism, security and governance.

He cited the Blue and Red Lines, the Lekki Deep Sea Port and reforms in the healthcare sector among the initiatives undertaken by his administration, saying the focus had been on projects capable of outliving any administration.

The governor also called for a new approach to Africa’s partnerships with the rest of the world, saying development should be built “with Africa, not for Africa.”

He welcomed the ECAM Charter for Africa and its call for a new approach to partnerships with the continent, arguing that Africa should not be viewed merely as a source of resources.

According to him, African countries must create more value locally, develop stronger industries, generate employment and ensure that their people and institutions have a leading role in shaping the continent’s future.

“Our engineers, doctors, lawyers, financiers and other professionals must have a seat at the table. We must be equal partners in building the future of our continent,” he said.

As he prepares to hand over the reins of Lagos next year, Sanwo-Olu said he remained convinced that one of the strongest foundations for peace was giving people the opportunity to build a future in their own communities.

“That is the future we must continue to build together,” the governor said.