Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has canvassed for multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve accelerated sustainable development.
Governor Sanwo-Olu made the call at the Grand Finale of the celebration of the International Day of Cooperatives held at Ogba, Ikeja recently with the theme: “Cooperatives: Building A Better Future For All”.
Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment, Dr. Olugbemiga Aina, stated that through multi-stakeholder partnerships, the State can leverage the strength and resources of all actors and facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building, as each stakeholder brings his or her unique experience, skill and perspective to the table.
His words: “With multi-stakeholder partnerships, we can enhance better coordination and coherence among different actors working towards sustainable development. This will help to align policies, strategies and actions across sectors and levels of governance of the Cooperative Movement. In addition, coordination will be crucial to avoiding duplication of efforts and ensuring that resources are used efficiently.
“Cooperative Societies are major stakeholders in Lagos State and their services are at the core of our administration’s focus, as highlighted in our T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Development Agenda, which focuses on transforming our dear State into a modern economic powerhouse. The 4th Pillar of the Agenda particularly strives to Make Lagos A 21st Century Economy. We firmly believe that the Cooperative Movement will play a vital role in achieving this vision”, he said.
The Governor emphasised that the State is actively working to create an enabling environment for Cooperatives to thrive, as they can be a strong driver of poverty alleviation, job creation, economic growth, and community empowerment by stimulating investments, harnessing local talents, and developing a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
His words, “One of the very key reasons why our administration is interested and will advocate for partnerships as means of accelerated sustainable development is the ability to mobilise people and financial resources, both of which are central to any development. Cooperative Societies will always be relevant as a medium for bringing Government development programmes closer to the larger society.
“This is crucial when we understand that the Government alone cannot provide all that is required to address the challenges associated with sustainable development. By strengthening the Cooperative Movement through multi-stakeholder partnerships, our administration can facilitate additional financial resources and expertise to empower a greater number of people and boost development”, he stated.
Chairman, House Committee on Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment, Hon. Abiodun Tobun commended cooperators for their immense contributions to the development of Lagos economy and charged the Trustees to dedicate themselves more to the principles of integrity, honesty and service, which will further strengthen cooperative practice and expand the grassroots economic base of the State.
Zulikha Ibraheem, representative of the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment/Director, Cooperatives Services, stated that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has acknowledged the over 3000 Cooperative Societies in the State as significant associations and enterprises through which citizens can effectively improve their lives while contributing to the economic, social, and cultural advancement of their communities within the State.
“The Cooperative Movement in Lagos has been partnering with the Government by executing Concern for Community Projects on an annual basis. These prove that achieving sustainable development requires collaboration and partnership among various stakeholders.
“The Cooperative Movement is more relevant than ever in overcoming the developmental challenges of today and the coming decades. Cooperatives offer the chance of ending extreme poverty and deprivation, securing social inclusion, and reconciling economic and social objectives. Thus, the Movement can create wealth for the poor, generate jobs for millions of unemployed the world over, check poverty and hunger, and above all, achieve global prosperity”, she said.
The Grand Finale also featured a Fair, Lecture, Merit Award, Raffle Draw and other activities.
