On Thursday, October 24, the Onikan Health Centre in Obalende, Lagos, received an unusual visitor as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, knocked at the gate of the facility in a surprise visit few minutes past 10 am.

The governor, who was at the facility to assess the operations of the health centre caught the staff of the clinic unawares.

Received by the hospital’s Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Dr. Oreose Imosemi, Sanwo-Olu engaged patients, randomly, in conversation, to ascertain the quality of care they received; he also footed medical bills of patients, who could not afford the cost of care.

In a brief meeting with all the employees after the inspection, the governor expressed satisfaction with the centre’s operations, but encouraged them to address certain lapses. He used the occasion to share details of his administration’s healthcare roadmap with the hospital’s employees, pleading for more commitment from the health workers in order to realise the objectives of the programme.

Sanwo-Olu left the hospital for another unscheduled stopover at St. Peter’s Anglican Nursery and Primary School in Ikeja, where he spent ample time educating the pupils on the importance of hygiene and clean environment.

While engaging Primary 5 pupils, Sanwo-Olu advised them not to litter their school premises and surroundings with refuse, urging them to make use of the waste bins.

He said: “When you get back home today, tell your parents I was in your school today to say hello to you. Tell them that I care for your future and I will provide all that is required for you to get quality education and become leaders as you grow up. I also need you to remind your parents that the government does not want them to dump refuse indiscriminately.”

The governor thereafter inspected classrooms and teaching facilities in the school, pledging that some of the noticed challenges would be addressed.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State government has directed that structurally defective storey buildings, bungalows or suspended floors be subjected to integrity test by the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL).

The intent is to safeguard the lives and property of the citizenry. Acting General Manager, LSMTL, Olalekan Ajani, said this when he visited a distressed and water soaked building on Owoseni Street, Ikate, Surulere with his technical team.

He said a bungalow in front, shielded the distressed two-floor storey building and if necessary steps are not taken, it might collapse.

Ajani said all distressed buildings should be served notices and tests should be carried out to ascertain the level of their structural integrity.

He advised occupants of the buildings to vacate their premises because of the effect of the rains on such buildings.

According to him, consistent rainfall has exposed some buildings built with inferior materials thus imploring developers and property owners to insist on using quality and standard materials.

Ajani advised Lagosians to be their brother’s keeper and not wait for disaster to happen before calling the relevant agencies on impending danger. (The Nation)

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