I have just given assent to two very important bills;

• THE LAGOS STATE NEIGHBOURHOOD SAFETY CORPS LAW and
• THE LAGOS STATE PROPERTIES PROTECTION LAW

These two bills are very central to our administration’s focus of safe guarding the lives of all residents, attracting and growing investments and improving the ease of doing business in our State.

In addition to equipping our security agencies, we have now created a legal framework to put some form of communal protection in place to boost and support the great job the Nigeria Police is presently doing.

The Neighbourhood Safety Corps will assist the police and other security agencies within the State to maintain Law and Order across our communities. It will also be charged with the responsibility of registering all private home security and any other person employed for private home security amongst other things.

One of the issues that discourages investors and hinders the ease of doing business in Lagos is the issue of Land Grabbing. A lot of our would-be property owners encounter untold harassment from exploitative land grabbers. This Law marks the end of the road for such land grabbers.

The Lagos State Properties Protection Law will give legal backing to the operations of our law enforcement officers. The main objective of this Law, is to ensure that our investors, businessmen and the general populace carry on their legitimate land/property transactions without any hinderance or intimidation henceforth.

The Properties Law will eliminate the activities of persons or corporate entities who use force and intimidation to dispossess or prevent any person or entity from acquiring legitimate interest and possession of property, ensure that the Special Task Force on Land-Grabbers work with all Security agencies to ensure enforcement of State Government and Private property rights in the State, and ensure proper coordination of the efforts of the various agencies of Government charged with enforcing the State Government’s rights over land in Lagos.

At this juncture, let me commend the efforts of all the members of our State House of Assembly, especially the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa for his determination to move Lagos forward. We recognise their partnership with the executive arm which has in no small measure supported the development of Good Governance. Their intellectualism in sponsoring the bills and the pro-activeness of the members for considering the passage of these laws as priority is admirable.

I also commend our Judiciary, headed by the Chief Judge, Mrs Olufunmilayo Atilade. The Judiciary has continuously served as a pillar for upholding our Laws.

The presence of all today is a clear signal to the public that the government is unified and committed in its primary assignment to safeguard the lives and properties of Lagosians. The life of every Lagosian matters! This can never be emphasised enough.

Let me use this opportunity to urge the Chief Judge of the State to consider setting up Special Courts to try offenders of the Properties Protection Law in order to quickly put an end to the menace of land grabbers.

Finally, we advice all Lagosians to obey the laws of the land and join hands with the government in ensuring that the Rule of Law is enthroned always in Lagos State.

Itesiwaju Ipinle  Eko. Lo je wa l’ogun.