Our quest is for LASU to be among 10 World Best Universities — Sanwo-Olu

…moves to create 6,000 jobs, as Lagos adopts waste conversion

Lagos State Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reiterated his government’s commitment to quality and affordable education in the State, declaring that education occupies a prominent place in the six-pillar development agenda of this administration, tagged T.H.E.M.E.S.

He said his administration is cognisant of the fact that the Greater Lagos Dream can only be achieved through substantial investment in human capital development, innovation and creativity, entrepreneurship skills development, and public finance management.

Speaking on Thursday during the launch of the collaboration between Lagos State University and Cornell University, New York, United States for Post Graduate Professional Certificate Programmes, Governor Sanwo-Olu said his administration will do everything possible to uphold the outstanding reputation of the State-owned Lagos State University (LASU) to make it one of the 10 best universities in the world.

He said the establishment of the LASU/ Cornell University Post Graduate Professional Certificate Programmes will give students from the State the opportunity to gain global skills that will make them relevant, employable, and globally competitive.

Governor Sanwo-Olu assured the partners from Cornell University that this administration will respect all agreements under the partnership between the university and LASU, adding that Lagos State Government will do everything possible to uphold the outstanding reputation of both institutions.

He said: “It is an exciting day for us in Lagos State and in LASU because today marks the beginning of an extraordinary partnership that will lead to the transformation of lives, the positive redirection of professional trajectories and the birth of innovative entrepreneurs who will fulfill their potential and make a mark on the global scene.

“Our collaboration with Cornell University further reflects our commitment to the provision of quality and sustainable education that meets the educational needs of the citizenry and also acts as a catalyst for individual growth and rapid socio-economic development.

“Education occupies a prominent place in the Six-Pillar Development Agenda of this administration (T.H.E.M.E.S), and our educational policies are greatly influenced by the National Policy on Education for sustainable growth and individual development. We are cognizant of the fact that our Greater Lagos Dream can only be achieved through substantial investment in human capital development, innovation and creativity, entrepreneurship skills development, and public finance management.

“As we build a 21st Century Economy, we must continue to ensure that our schools produce students who are truly prepared for the future. The establishment of the LASU/ Cornell University Post Graduate Professional Certificate Programmes will give our students the opportunity to gain global skills that will make them relevant, employable, and globally competitive.”

Stressing the need for the partnership between the two institutions for Post Graduate Professional Certificate Programmes, Governor Sanwo-Olu said: “We made the decision to collaborate with Cornell University, a private Ivy League Institution because it is renowned for innovative excellence, entrepreneurship skills development, exceptional research practice and human resource development: key attributes that are required to sustain LASU’s pedigree and high academic profile as the second best university in Nigeria and one of the best 600 Universities in the world (Times Higher Education Impact Ranking Year 2020 and Year 2021 Emerging Economies University Ranking).

“I am confident that our reputable partners and visitors to this great University will continue to play the leadership role needed to reposition LASU, increase its present rating, and make it a University of Choice in the whole of Africa.

“Through this collaboration with Cornell University, we will, in record time, produce professionals needed to develop our State and Nation in different areas of human endeavors such as leadership, management, human resources development, data science and statistics, financial management, and entrepreneurship skills development.

“I assure our partners from Cornell University that this Administration will respect all agreements under this partnership, and we will do everything possible to uphold the outstanding reputation of both institutions. Our goal is to make LASU one of the 10 best universities in the world by the next ranking.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the LASU /CORNELL University Post Graduate Professional Certificate Programmes will offer admission to students in diverse courses that will lead to the award of the LASU/ CORNELL Executive Professional Certificate in Entrepreneurship Skills Development, Human Resources Training and Development, Innovation and Creativity, Management Studies, Marketing, Data Science and Statistics, Leadership skills, Management, among others.

“Most of the courses being offered on this collaborative platform are online, which means prospective students do not have to expend resources on travelling to the United States for the same certificate they will be issued once they have successfully completed any course of their choice,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also commended the Special Adviser on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab and his team for their creativity, passion, and commitment to moral and academic excellence in all the Lagos State owned-higher institutions.

The Governor, who also appreciated the Acting Vice Chancellor and Members of LASU Academic Community for keeping the flag flying, charged them to treat the partnership with Cornell University like a new baby that must be well nurtured and protected against any harm.

Lagos State is transiting from traditional waste management to conversion of waste materials – an innovation that is projected to generate 6,000 jobs. The recycling is also expected to promote a cleaner environment, which will promote good health and boost aesthetics.

Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources Mr. Tunji Bello spoke of the development on Thursday at the on-going inter-ministerial press briefing organised to mark the second anniversary of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.

Waste conversion, the Commissioner said, is necessitated by the limitation of the State to set up new dumpsites. He said the existing dumpsites had overreached their holding capacities, prompting the switch to waste conversion to reduce the volume of waste being taken to the dumpsites.

Already, the pilot scheme for recycling has been rolled out by the Ministry in organised housing estates, employing a mobile application known as PAKAM, which enables users to request for pick up of recyclable materials from their homes by registered aggregators on the mobile application.

Bello said the mobile app’s usage had been growing organically, stressing that there were over 2,000 kilograms of waste transactions being conducted on the app, which registered 41 recyclers and over 120 aggregators.

He said: “Waste sorting and conversion are very crucial in this period, whether we like it or not.  We have begun our waste recycling exercise and the process is activated already. But we are currently focusing on plastic waste because of its non-degradable nature. Waste conversion is our top agenda now and one of the strategies being employed is to start from organised residential areas across the State, such as gated estates where we have residents’ associations.

”We want to see how far we can get the conversation process right from these organised residential places before we start replicating the idea in markets where large tons of waste materials are generated daily. The recycling process has commenced in a number of estates and we have distributed plastic separators to sort waste materials at sources in order to make the recycling process easier.”

Bello explained that circular waste recycling would reduce the amount of waste generated and transported to landfills. He said the Ministry had manufactured a recycling bank in its premises to aid waste conversion, adding that efforts were being made to establish recycling banks in Government-owned estates across the State.

The Commissioner revealed that Lagos had recorded 85 per cent progress towards the completion of 70 Million Gallons per day Adiyan Phase II Waterworks being revived by the Sanwo-Olu administration. The waterworks, Bello said, is expected to serve over three million residents in Lagos communities, including Ikotun, Idimu, Isolo, Agege, Ajegunle, and Amuwo Odofin, amongst others.

He disclosed that the State Government had reached an agreement with its Ogun State counterpart on the right-of-way for reticulation and laying of pipes for the network of Adiyan Phase II Water project. The process, he said, has paved the way for the commencement of laying of pipes for the project.