By Olasunkanmi Akoni   & Monsur Olowoopejo
LAGOS—Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday sent a passionate appeal to striking doctors in the state to call off its two-month old strike  in the interest of the suffering masses.

Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu I, had earlier this week also called on the striking doctors to get back to work in the interest of the masses.

Fashola made the call at a stakeholders’ forum organised by Women in Management and Business, WIMBIZ, which featured operators in the banking and financial sector. He said the doctors’ grievances could be addressed without embarking on industrial action.

The governor, who expressed dismay at the development, added that his administration had engaged the leadership of the doctors in dialogue to find amicable resolution and was optimistic that a lasting solution to the doctors’ grievances would soon be reached.

He said: “We are talking to the doctors and they are talking to us. I am using this forum again to renew my appeal to them that the issues that stand between us can be resolved without a strike.

“Therefore, in the interest of those we serve, I want to use this opportunity again to implore them to put an end to this strike so that we can talk and resolve this matter.”

Faults multiple taxes accusation

Fashola faulted claims that the state government was involved in collecting multiple taxes from corporate organisations.

He said: “The Federal, state and local governments collect taxes as stipulated in the constitution and that is what is applicable in the state.” He urged residents to raise alarm where they feel that levies and taxes required by officials of the state government were not among the published rates and fees for levies.

On power generation, the governor disclosed that the Island Power Project (IPP) would be in operation by 2011 to generate 15 megawatts of electricity to power the General Hospital, Lagos Island Maternity, Lagos, the State High Court, Lagos House- Marina, the Lagos City hall and 30 streets on the Island.