By Tayo Aderinola
Managing Director Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY), Hon Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun displaying the Lagos Panorama Sustainable Development Goals Distinguished Water Transportation Award 2020
The Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY) has bagged the Lagos Panorama Sustainable Development Goals Distinguished Water Transportation Award 2020 on Sunday.
The award was presented to the agency’s Managing Director, Hon Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun at the Mile 2 Terminal of the state agency venue of the just concluded capacity building for the management staff of LAGFERRY.
The Publisher/Editor of Lagos Panorama, ‘Tayo Aderinola who presented the award stated that the Editorial Board of the widely read sociopolitical magazine and online news platform in their effort to promote the universal Sustainable Development Goals decided to recognize and award dedication and zeal by outstanding individuals and organizations in a series of awards to celebrate excellence by trailblazers in aspects of grass-root sustainable development.
Managing Director Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY), Hon Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun displaying the Lagos Panorama Sustainable Development Goals Distinguished Water Transportation Award 2020 and a copy of Lagos Panorama Magazine
Aderinola averred that “this presentation to the Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY) is to kick start series of award presentation to trailblazers in aspects of grass-root sustainable development”.
“LAGFERRY under the leadership of Hon Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun has performed excellently in the outgone year 2020, they were able to safely sailed over 200,000 passengers across the Lagos waterways without any casualty recorded, despite the challenges occasioned from the lockdown which was precipitated by the COVID-19 outbreak in the first quarter of the year”.
“This performance worth commendation, hence the recognition and presentation of the prestigious Lagos Panorama SDG Distinguished Transportation Award to the Managing Director LAGFERRY at this auspicious time coinciding with the capacity building workshop for the management staff of the agency”.
“We hope this will spur greater performance amongst the staff who have witnessed this epoch presentation knowing that their efforts are being recognize and also rewarded”.
Aderinola who is also the President of the Community Media Practitioner Association of Nigeria (COMPASS) noted that “though we ought to have presented this award since December 2020 but we had to postponed due to the second wave of the COVID-19”.
“No doubt, the pandemic has really affected all sphere of life across the world. In compliance to the government protocols curbing the dreaded virus, the main event where other winners are to be announced will take place via an online virtual event at the end of January 2021 so as to adhered to government protocols of social distancing ” he asserted.
Aderinola stated that the essence of the award is to promote the Sustainable Development Goals in the grassroots, kick starting with Lagos State.
The Managing Director LAGFERRY, Hon Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun in his appreciation remark said, “it’s not in our character to blow our trumpet, we thank God this is coming our way, and we are not taking it for granted, we appreciate this and as they use to say, the reward for hard work is more work. We will continue to safely sail Lagosians on until we get to that desired destination.
Balogun emphasized that “this award is particularly dedicated to the effort and commitment of Mr. Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, we say thank you Mr. Governor for enabling LAGFERRY and for ensuring the transformation of the Lagos inland waterways with innovations, we are going to continue to sail Lagosians safely”.
“Thank you Lagos Panorama. I urged everyone to continue to read Lagos Panorama for sociopolitical news about Lagos”.
The Lagos Panorama Sustainable Development Goals Grassroots Awards is to identify truly meaningful grass-root developmental efforts by persons, State ministries, agencies, Local governments, non-profit organizations and corporate organizations. The categorization of these awards is in accordance with development indices of universal acceptance”.
The Editorial Board of Lagos Panorama in acknowledgment of the multi-faceted achievements of the 20 local governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of Lagos State created in the year 2003 by the visionary leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.
Aderinola asserted that “We resolved to spotlight 15 categories for the Local Governments/LCDA with outstanding performances in achieving Sustainable Development Goals after over 3years of local government administration in Lagos State”.
“These awards are intended to motivate and spur grass-root development through contribution from all spheres. The local governments category nominees will be voted for via an online platform, the 15 categories which include education, primary health, sports, LG COVID-19 Responder, Information Technology, market development, youth and women empowerment and a host of others”.
“Voting shall be done by the Community Development Associations across the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas”.
Other categories include corporate/agency distinguished awards and exemplary achievement awards for individuals who have excel and contributed to respective field.
