Lagos State Labour Party governorship candidate Rotimi Odunnaike says the state’s rising government revenue does not necessarily mean residents are experiencing improved household prosperity.
Odunnaike said the distinction between government revenue and household income was important in assessing whether Lagos residents were benefiting from the state’s economic growth.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE News on Tuesday, the Labour Party governorship candidate said increasing government revenue should provide the government with resources to deliver projects and public services, rather than being treated as a direct measure of household prosperity.
“So, I think we always confuse two things: government revenue and household income are two different things. Government revenue doesn’t turn into household prosperity.”
Odunnaike said government revenue gives the state the capacity to fund projects that can improve conditions for residents, while household income depends on the broader economy.
“What government revenue does is it allows the government to have enough money, or have enough to even go and borrow, to do projects that can help the citizens.”
He stated that the increase in Lagos’ government revenue had not been matched by a corresponding increase in household income.
“So, the fact that our revenue is going up doesn’t mean that household income is going up, and that’s what we’re seeing in Lagos. So, government revenue is going up, household income is not going up.”
Odunnaike also criticised what he described as inadequate public service delivery despite the increase in government revenue.
“Apart from that, public services are not being delivered against that revenue that is going up. And that is what we’re looking to change.”
He said his campaign’s “A New Lagos for All” agenda was focused on ensuring public services reached residents while improving governance across the state.
“‘A New Lagos for All’ is basically talking about not leaving anyone behind, bringing public services where it needs to be, bringing excellence into governance.”
Odunnaike said the broader objective was to ensure that economic resources were translated into tangible improvements in residents’ quality of life.
Ojo Triumph
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