By EBUN SESSOU

The Lagos State House of Assembly has called on the Ministry of Rural Development to ensure adequate distribution of transformers to the public without fear  or favour.

A member of the House, Mr. Ibrahim Layode, made the call on the floor of the House while reviewing the Year 2013 budget.

Layode noted that there were several complaints and petitions from the public of inadequate transformers to their communities, adding that the State government is determined to provide adequate transformers for its citizens.

According to him, “I want to appeal to the Director in-charge of transformers in the Ministry to ensure that transformers are available to Lagosians because our people who voted us into power are expected to benefit from the dividends of democracy.”

Improving standards
Layode also challenged the Ministry to fashion out ways of improving standards among neigbourhood watchers in the State, and disclosed that the sum of N10million has been approved by the State Government to refurbish their patrol van.

He stated that the Lagos State House of Assembly has concluded plans to partner with the Ministry to amend the law that established the neighborhood watch. He added that the outfit needs to be improved upon including uniform quality and the standard of the community policing in the State.

Responding, the Commissioner for Rural Development Mr. Cornelius Ojelabi, said that the State Government had approved the purchase of 2,000 uniforms for the neigbhourhood watchers.

Ojelabi said efforts had been made by the Ministry to ensure that training of neigbhourhood watchers is a continuous one, to facilitate the realisation of their aims and objectives.