Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has declared that under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, no state governor or local government chairman can genuinely complain of a lack of funds.

He said the Tinubu administration has significantly increased allocations to subnational governments, ensuring that states and local councils have more resources to meet their developmental obligations.

Sanwo-Olu stated this on Tuesday, November 11, while delivering the keynote address at a one-day public lecture organized by the Arewa Think Tank (ATT) to commemorate Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary at the Arewa House, Kaduna.

The lecture, themed “65 Years of Nigeria’s Independence: The Journey So Far with the Renewed Hope Agenda in View,” brought together political leaders, academics, youth groups, and other stakeholders to reflect on Nigeria’s national progress and future under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Lagos Governor praised the resilience and ingenuity of Nigerians since independence, noting that despite the country’s challenges, its capacity for growth, reform, and unity remains unmatched.

“Today, that story has changed. Ask any State Governor or Local Government Chairman, and they will tell you just how much revenue has surged under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There is now more money to do more that benefits the people of Nigeria,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He attributed the improved fiscal outlook to deliberate policy reforms by the Tinubu administration, particularly those designed to strengthen federalism and empower the states and local governments.

According to him, between 2023 and 2024, federal allocations to state governments rose by about 62 percent, while allocations to local governments increased by 47 percent. He said the recently enacted tax reforms, which reduced the Federal Government’s share of Value Added Tax (VAT) from 15 percent to 10 percent, further underscored the President’s commitment to fiscal decentralization and grassroots development.

“With the new tax laws, states now get 55 percent of VAT, while local governments receive 35 percent. This is another bold step by the President to ensure that governance is closer to the people,” he noted.

Sanwo-Olu also lauded the President’s insistence on local government financial autonomy, recalling the administration’s Supreme Court victory, which secured historic legal backing for that autonomy.

He disclosed that President Tinubu’s next major reform focus is restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture through the creation of State Police, an initiative he described as “long overdue and fundamental.”

Citing Tinubu’s recent remarks during a meeting with Katsina leaders, Sanwo-Olu quoted: “I am reviewing all aspects of security. I have to create a State Police. We are looking at that holistically. We will defeat insecurity.”

He described the Renewed Hope Agenda as a bridge-building framework aimed at uniting Nigeria’s diverse regions through equity, reform, and inclusive development.

“President Tinubu is a veteran unifier and a bridge-builder. His Renewed Hope Agenda is about connecting Nigeria, bridges of reform, prosperity, and national unity,” he said.

Drawing inspiration from Nigeria’s founding fathers, especially the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sanwo-Olu emphasized that true national development must be homegrown and context-specific.

“More than six decades later, Sardauna’s words still ring true. Our duty is to build on those legacies, planting trees we may not sit under, but ensuring a better Nigeria for future generations,” he said.

He reaffirmed that Nigeria’s diversity remains its greatest strength, saying: “We will continue to affirm that Nigeria is a proudly multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multicultural country. What binds us together is far stronger than what divides us. We shall overcome every challenge, poverty, hunger, and terrorism.”

Sanwo-Olu pledged Lagos State’s continued partnership with the Federal Government in actualizing the Renewed Hope Agenda and building a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient nation.

“The task ahead is immense, but together, guided by unity and purpose, we will achieve it,” he assured. (The Nation)