Infrastructure development, security intelligence sharing, enhanced internally generated revenue (IGR) among others are in focus, as Lagos and Ogun States have signed an agreement to establish Lagos-Ogun Development Commission.
The goal, according to governments of the neighbouring states, is also to build sustainable urban cities, where residents of Lagos and Ogun have a sense of belonging, embrace participatory governance and recognise their roles in achieving solid urban economies in both states.
“In light of current global practices in managing megacities, it has become obvious that the best way to accelerate socio-economic development in Lagos and Ogun states is by embracing a more collaborative approach for growth, development, and urban sustainability,” said Sanwo-Olu at the signing of the MoU in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Monday.
According to him, the emergence of Lagos as a megacity has reaffirmed the need for greater synergy with other states, especially immediate neighbours, for sustainable socio-economic development.
Such collaboration, Sanwo-Olu believed, would harness the growth of the cities and the co-creation of value encompassing good governance and urban regeneration.
“We are driven by the desire to stimulate socio-economic growth, bridge development gaps and ensure that Lagos State megacity status is complemented by pervasive infrastructure development even in boundary towns.
He said the joint development commission would tackle issues in key economic sectors such as transportation, environment, housing, health, infrastructure and security.
“Regardless of the challenges, we are determined to build more livable and stable cities,” he stated, adding that both states have nothing to lose but a lot to gain through this synergising.
The two states would collaborate in the areas of infrastructure development (development of boundary town roads, waterworks, mass transportation) as well as revenue and taxation (including PAYE remittances and boundary town revenue management and collection), trade and investment, resolution of boundary disputes, and security (including intelligence sharing and gathering).
The commission would also touch on environmental and physical planning activities (including urban renewal, emergency and disaster management, inland waterways management and traffic management) and agriculture/food security.
Governor Abiodun described the establishment of the commission as a deliberate effort of two forward-thinking governors. Abiodun said that the collaboration was a success story because it was the first time that there would be a formal, structured framework of bilateral engagement by the two states, that would have legislative backing.
“It is undeniable that we share historical and cultural affinities, and long before now, successive administrations have mouthed and attempted to have some omnibus or spatial arrangement to have Lagos and Ogun States work together.
But, again, never had there been a time that this was encoded or a law-backed structure, institutional arrangement; human and funding resource requirements formalised to actualise what and what remain the right way to uplift our people and improve their prosperity.
Abiodun said before now, he and Sanwo-Olu had jointly formally written to President Muhammadu Buhari to release the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta and the Ikorodu-Sagamu roads for Lagos and Ogun States to jointly reconstruct.
“If we jointly do this, there will be development which will continue to increase employment generation, poverty alleviation and food security,” he added.
