Obafemi Hamzat, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State and the All Progressives Congress candidate for the 2027 governorship election, has upheld the state’s financial openness, stating that government accounts, audit findings, procurement details, and project expenses are made available for public review.
Hamzat stated that his suggested administration would maintain transparency via the Lagos Treasury and the Hamzat Compact, which he claimed would guarantee that residents could access information regarding government revenue, spending, loans, and initiatives.
He addressed a town hall meeting hosted by BusinessDay, where he answered questions regarding transparency and accountability in the handling of public finances.
The deputy governor mentioned that the state government releases its financial data every quarter and submits its accounts to yearly external audits.
He urged residents who doubted the government’s transparency to review the information accessible on the Lagos State Government’s website.
He mentioned, “Someone on this floor stated, I noticed the publication, and I evaluate it.” It’s simply because it exists. It’s due to its presence. It is released every three months. This state undergoes an audit. This administration issues it every three months.
“Annually, external auditors examine the Lagos State Government; annually, the report is made public.” What you decide to perceive, perhaps you should let it go, but we will provide it. In summary, it can be said that everything is published today.
Hamzat noted that details regarding government procurement and public-private partnership agreements were available via specific websites.
He clarified that the state operated a public-private partnership office to offer details on initiatives that involve cooperation between the government and private investors.
Regarding government borrowing, the APC candidate indicated that the Debt Management Office needed to record loans and projects, mentioning that pertinent details were also provided to the Securities and Exchange Commission and the National Assembly.
He stated, “However, for us, what matters is ensuring that every dollar spent is accounted for by having a DMO office.”
“That office needs to document every project we undertake, every loan we secure, and everything we are required to accomplish.” It needs to be sent to the SEC and delivered to the Senate. Therefore, it’s information accessible to the public. It’s clear, it’s accessible, and you can observe what the state government is up to.”
Hamzat additionally mentioned the Lagos Blue and Red rail lines as instances of projects with publicly available contract amounts, contending that the government revealed the costs associated with its infrastructure investments.
He stated that the presence of this information was a component of the transparency system he aimed to uphold within his suggested administration.
