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Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos, on Monday, reassured residents of the state that the dialogue with stakeholders on the new Land Use Charge Law would bring about “a positive outcome in the overall interest of the people going forward.”
He said the state government would come out with a positive position to ameliorate the issues raised by stakeholders on the new Land Use Charge Law in the next one week.
Ambode told journalists,in Alausa, after leading an advocacy walk against sexual and domestic violence,that the increment was all in a bid to protect the future and create permanent prosperity for the state.
According to him, his administration was very sensitive and responsive to the yearnings of the people, and had met with various stakeholders in the last one week to explain the rationale behind the new law.
He said: “Just the way that you would have observed, we held a session with the business community last week on ‘Lagos Means Business’, and one of the topical issues that was raised was about the Land Use Charge and during that session, I did say that the state government was opened to dialogue. Ever since that Tuesday, we have been consulting people and we have also been trying to explain the basis of this Land Use Charge Law.”
The governor said out of the 300 tax items in the state, only the Land Use Charge and one other law was reviewed upward, and that the development was targeted at fast-tracking development and protecting the future of the state.
“I want Lagosians to understand one particular issue. We have over 300 tax items for which nothing has been touched apart from this Land Use Charge and maybe one other. But again, we are a very responsive government; we are very sensitive because at the end of the day, governance is about the people; it is about what they want.
“Yes, people might like that infrastructural development is on the progressive chart in Lagos but also it comes with a price. But notwithstanding in the middle of all that, a responsive government will listen to the yearnings of her people.
“So, obviously when I say I want dialogue, I really mean it and I am ready to respond to that,”Ambode said.
