The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday asked other state governors to cut spending in order to increase revenue to meet the basic needs of citizens.

While saying that governors did not need to buy brand new cars, he noted that since he assumed office on May 29, 2019, he had not bought an official car for himself.

Sanwo-Olu said better utilisation of taxpayers’ money by public office holders would build the trust of the people.

The governor stated these at the 22nd Annual Tax Conference of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

He said, “We need to look at our expenditure profile as chief executive of our state and ask ourselves, where can I cut the red tape; what can I do away with so as to increase the revenue of my state or even make available more money for my state?

“What I have done till date is that I have not purchased any single official vehicle for myself, for any of my personal staff or any of my family members from the government purse. If you see me have a convoy of 10 vehicles, these are all vehicles I was using during my campaigns.

“Governor Nasir el-Rufai joined me in one of my cars this morning and I can tell you that vehicle was one of the vehicles I used for my campaign; it is not brand new.

“So, I said to my people that, it is not a fanciful thing that every governor must begin to buy brand new vehicles when you do not need to. So, all of those millions have gone back into the treasury of the state and we are using it to develop the state very well.”