Prince Hakeem Onikoyi-Dickson, a candidate for governor of Lagos State on the Accord Party, stated on Wednesday that if elected, he would choose retired and active professional engineers to oversee projects in order to prevent building collapse in the state.
Onikoyi-Dickson was speaking at an interactive session with newsmen organised by Dr. Chinyere Amaechi, Director of the Media Centre for the Promotion of Safety Awareness,
Amaechi also serves as the magazine’s director, Safety and Security Watch.
All engineers in the state would be employed, according to Onikoyi-Dickson, a former director general of the Lagos State Safety Commission, to physically oversee and monitor construction projects.
In order to fully eliminate building collapse and construction failures, he declared that engineers would work on the ground rather than from offices.
The candidate pledged that infrastructure and facilities management would be a priority to create a good maintenance culture and that all state roads will be paved within three years to eradicate dust.
Insisting that “there must be safety in designs,” he declared that his government will demand the inclusion of all safety measures at the design stage of any project.
In order to police health and safety compliance in both public and government buildings and establishments, he stressed, he will establish a new ministry.
Former Surulere council chairman Onikoyi-Dickson claimed that despite serving as a government advisor for a long time, he chose to enter the race to determine an appropriate course after realising that some crucial recommendations had not been carried out.
“Now I want to be part of the solution,” the candidate said.
He gave an explanation of his seven-point programme for reforming and modernising all sectors and expressed his frustration with the current trend of imposition that is to blame for picking the wrong leaders.
He listed his accomplishments and pledged to build on them if elected council chairman.
Onikoyi-Dickson also pledged to use technology to promote equal development throughout the state while drawing on his US citizenship and professional experience.
He committed to making sure service providers provide value and putting an end to the exploitation of Lagos citizens through arbitrary deductions.
The candidate also discussed how leaks would be stopped and unused resources would be utilised to increase revenue and promote citizen development.
He said that, based on his acquired international experience, he was the driving force behind the Lagos blueprint.
“People are tired of money politics,” he stated in reference to the subject of vote buying.
