By Eric Elezuo

The General Manager, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA), Engr, Funsho Elulade, has said that henceforth all operations and processes of the agency will be automated, and activities carried out more online than across the counter.

Elulade made the remarks when he addressed the press at the agency’s complex in Ikeja on the agenda of his administration and the direction of the forthcoming stakeholders conference billed to take place on January 14, 2020 at the Muson Centre, Lagos Island.

In his speech, the General Manager, who was flanked by the Deputy General Manager, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, and the Head, Administration and Human Resources, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Oladeji, said his mandate is in line with the vision of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who in his wisdom realised that LASIMRA has the capacity to generate revenue to the tune of what is obtainable with the Lagos Internal Revenue Service to create a Lagos of everyone’s dreams. And as a result, he ‘deemed it fit to put a formidable team together to realise that agenda’.

Appointed in November 2019 to propel LASIMRA to another level of achievement, Elulade, who has performed creditably in his previous assignments, is calling a stakeholders conference to among other things, carry the people along in all his endeavours.

He said: “This is the major reason for holding the stakeholders conference. We found out that changing our processes, increasing or upgrading and decreasing tariffs, we need to carry people along; we need to get the public buying and we need to get our stakeholders’ buying. So the first thing we believe is necessary is to undertake a stakeholders conference and of course that is where we will lay down the new rules and regulations in line with Lagos State government agenda.”

He noted as well that his mission will include correcting all the anomalies in carrying out the activities of the agencies as regards the rules and regulations guiding LASIMRA.

“It will interest you to know that LASIMRA was established in 2004, and its establishment was in line with what existed during that time. So some of the regulations were not really captured. I’ve undertaken all the processes,” he said.

Mr. Elulade itemised some of his visions in the coming days as follows:

“Firstly, we are increasing all the tariffs in line with what is obtainable in all the other states. Lagos is interestingly one of the states in Nigeria that doesn’t undertake site assessment report. We will introduce that, Again, we will automate all our processes as stakeholders can do whatever it takes to obtain permits without coming to the office. Everything will be done online. And they will be able to track the books of their submission. In addition to that, the only way they will have their contract renewed is when they submit their technical report. It is imperative that our in house engineers do site inspections to ensure everything is in order.

“Again, I will sensitise our stakeholders that LASIMRA’s law covers everything in comparison to others. We need to further inform that this new management will undertake full operationalistion of LASIMRA law. Everything will be used to regulate utility infrastructure.”

For those who believe that LASIMRA is just all about regulating telecommunication companies and internet services providers, Elulade informed.

“A lot of people think LASIMRA only regulate telecom companies and internet service providers, no. It involves anything infrastructure; telecommunication, IPS, power, water, gas, roads – anything underground, on ground and in the air, according to the law,” he said.

He further stated that the safety of Lagosians was of paramount importance to the agency, even much more than revenue generation, and so will ensure maximum compliance from operators and owners of Telecom companies using the instrumentality of the law.

“We will use the law to make sure Lagosians are safe. The operators and owners of telecom will no longer be permitted to indiscriminately cause congestion on the roads by digging to mount their equipment. We will come up with comprehensive traffic management that will not further prolong congestion in Lagos. We will scrutinise their designs of towers to prevent collapsing and killing Lagosians.

In his conclusion, Elulade exposed that going forward, the agency will operate three satelite offices in Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry to achieve LASIMRA’s goal and in turn achieve Lagos State’s goal.