Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday restated his commitment to collaborate with residents and people of the state for successful implementation of his administration’s policies and programmes.
A statement by his Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, said the governor, while hosting Muslim faithful in Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja to mark 2019 Eid-el-Fitri. informed the gathering that his government will soon release emergency hotlines to the public to call the Lagos State Public Works for immediate fixing of potholes and roads that need urgent repairs.
“Let us have continuous collaborative engagements. We will continue to ask you to work with us. We would be calling on you at different times.
“Our Public Works Corporation would come out and start fixing all the potholes on our roads. We would soon publish the numbers that people would be calling to notify us of wherever there are potholes in the state,” Governor Sanwo-Olu stated.
He expressed happiness as he joined Muslim brothers and sisters to celebrate the end of Ramadan after a long period of spiritual cleansing and self-discipline, urging them to pray for the success of his administration.
According to him, “I am happy and pleased to join our Muslim brothers and sisters in this glorious celebration of Eid-el-fitri. A long stretch of fasting like this is not the easiest thing. It takes special grace and personal discipline, to go through the religious obligation.
“Continue to pray for the success of our administration and our prayers is that we all witness next year in good health and progress”.
Earlier in her welcome address, wife of the Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu urged Muslim faithful to continue with the lofty virtues of Ramadan which include self-discipline, love for others, selflessness, piety and generousity among others.
She said these were the sterling qualities for which the Holy Prophet lived, charging all to adhere and emulate them to access the full blessings of the special season.
According to her: “The important lessons for us to learn from this special season have to do with the virtues of sacrifice, self-denial, piety, love and generousity among others.
“Through Ramadan, we are taught to seek spiritual advancement and closeness to God, by stepping away from our comfort zone, where we indulge in various acts that please us as human beings but which are not acceptable to Allah.
“There is no doubt that we have tried so hard to stay away from many things in the last thirty days. What is by far more important however, is to keep our new form, by not returning to those old things and our old ways. This is the greatest lesson of Ramadan. When we have achieved this, then we have achieved the objectives of the season.”
Speaking further, she appealed to Muslim faithful, to allow the great principles reflect in all their actions, public conduct and inter-personal relations with neighbours, in their offices and with people of different ethnic groups, for enduring peace and harmony in the state.
The Chief Imam of Lagos Central Mosque, Sheikh Sulaiman Abou-Nolla expressed appreciation to the Governor for receiving the Muslim community, prayed for the guidance and protection of Almighty Allah on the governor, his family and Lagosians, while also seeking for the mercy of Allah on everyone.
“We pray that Allah guide and protect the first family and Lagosians and showers his mercy on them,” Chief Imam said.