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Tag: Akinwumi Ambode

  • Ambode seeks FG partnership to relocate Ikoyi Prisons

    Ambode seeks FG partnership to relocate Ikoyi Prisons

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday sought the support of the Federal Government to facilitate the relocation of the Ikoyi Prisons.

    The Governor who spoke when the Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd.) paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Ikeja, urged the minister to revisit the agreement on the relocation of Ikoyi Prisons, assuring that the State Government was willing to provide land for construction of a modern day structure for the facility.

    He also urged the minister to revisit the partnership between the Federal Government and Lagos State especially in combating the frequent fire disasters in the state and reducing the influx of illegal immigrants in the state.

    According to the governor, the incessant fire disasters witnessed in the state in recent times has necessitated a need for the Federal Fire Service to collaborate with the State Fire Service to jointly combat fire disasters.

    Governor Ambode, who said the partnership between the State Government and Federal Government was more about development of the country because Lagos mirrors Nigeria, further sought collaboration of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as well as the Nigerian Legion in protecting public utilities in the state.

    He said, “We believe strongly that if we have a secured state, we will be able to create a platform for job opportunities for the people and where we are able to do that, we are inviting local and foreign investors to the state. We will also be able to use the taxes we get on those jobs to improve on the infrastructure in the state. So, that is the tripod that the administration is built upon.

    “I want to say that the real cornerstone is more about the internal safety and security of lives and property in the state and we have not minced any word in sending that message across on a daily basis. We are committed to the security of lives and property in the state and we will do everything to ensure that we support all the agencies that are under your ministry because that is what is going to assist us in developing the state and actually create jobs for our people,” Governor Ambode said.

    On his part, Dambazau lauded the state government for the equipment purchased for the Police last year to the tune of N4.7billion, saying such gesture was unprecedented in the history of Nigeria and a sign of seriousness about the security of lives and property of residents.

    Dambazau, said with his years of experience as a military officer, he had never seen that kind of massive investment in security by a State Government, and as such the present administration deserves to be commended for taking the bold initiative to give priority to the safety of the people.

    The Minister, who is in Lagos on a three-day tour of facilities and infrastructure of security agencies in the state, said Lagos State is the vanguard of support for the Ministry of Interior, adding that the gesture of the State Government was very well noted and appreciated.

    He said: “I’m here with all my service heads. We are here on tour of the facilities of the Ministry of Interior. The Ministry, as you know, is the hub of public safety and security in this country. Everything that has to do with public internal security and public safety is our responsibility.

    “We know that Lagos State is the vanguard in support of the Ministry of Interior. I was here few months back when the State Government donated security equipment to the police. I have never seen that done before and so we really want to urge the government and the good people of Lagos State to continue to support us and we assure that we would carry out our mandate in a way that the people will be happy,” Dambazau said.

  • Ambode, Wigwe, others for RCCG 2016 economic outlook

    Ambode, Wigwe, others for RCCG 2016 economic outlook

    The Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David parish has concluded plans to host the third edition of the Nigerian Economic Outlook on Friday at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The annual event which brings together business leaders from various sectors of the Nigerian economy is put together by The Networks Business Club, promoted by The Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David parish and sponsored by Access Bank Group.

    Lagos State governor, Akinwumi Ambode who is the chief host will deliver the keynote speaker while Dr. Herbert Wigwe, Group Managing Director, Access Bank Group will give the welcome address.

    Other speakers include Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, former Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) who will lead discussion on business opportunities in the nation’s telecoms IT industry and Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, former Country Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC) will speak on the business opportunities within the oil and gas sub-sector while the duo of Mr. Bismarck Rewane, Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited and Mr. Tosin Adewuyi, Managing Director, JP Morgan Chase Nigeria will give expert opinion on the microeconomic outlook for 2016.

  • Out-of-school girls in Lagos: Stakeholders meet

    Out-of-school girls in Lagos: Stakeholders meet

    Action Health Incorporated, a non-profit organization, key stakeholders comprising policy makers, private sector, donors, community members, media, civil society and young people recently held a dialogue on out-of-school adolescent girls.

    The discussion is meant to analyse the scale and magnitude of the challenges faced by out-of-school adolescent girls who dwell around slums with a view to mobilising support and investments for a harmonized approach to addressing these challenges through policy, programming and investments by all stakeholders in Lagos state.

    According to a press release signed by Funso Bukoye, Media contact, the Lagos State Development Plan (2012-2025) puts the number of slums in Lagos at over 100.

    The release claimed that many of the residents in the slums lack basic amenities, access to services and opportunities, with a vicious cycle of poverty and deprivation.

    “Findings from a 2010 research carried out by Action Health Incorporated (AHI) among 480 adolescent girls in Iwaya – a densely populated slum in Lagos, showed that almost half (45.2 percent) of girls aged 10 -14 had never attended school while none of the girls surveyed reached beyond secondary school level.

    “This finding reveals the rising demographic of out-of-school adolescent girls and this should be a concern for all.

    “Despite an increase in the number of programmes supporting girl-child education and empowerment in Lagos state, out-of-school adolescent girls living in slum communities remain marginalized. These girls lack opportunity, safe spaces and other services necessary for their healthy development,” it stated.

    It further observed that such adolescences  need formal and/or non-formal education, sexual and reproductive health information and services, vocational skills and business-related training, as well as protection from sexual abuse and violence as these will help reduce their vulnerability while protecting and improving their well-being and that of their communities.

    The meeting which coincides with the commemoration of International Literacy Day with the theme Literacy and Sustainable Society, and coming ahead of the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by Heads of Sates and Governments later in the month in New York, is timely and critical towards ensuring the vision of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Governor of Lagos State.

    According to Governor Ambode, his vision is “making Lagos work for all” especially towards accomplishing many of the SDGs, particularly Goal 5 – achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

    Effective investment in out-of-school adolescent girls is not only the right thing to do but the smart thing to do. When girls are empowered with age-appropriate information, skills and resources it creates a multiplier effect of sustainable change that benefits families, communities, and nations.

  • Ambode for media games

    Lagos State governor Akinwumi Ambode will tomorrow declare the 2015 NUJ/Med-View media games open.

    Also expected to grace the opening ceremony, which holds at the National Stadium Surulere, is the CEO of Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Alade Bankole

    Med-View Airline is the major sponsor of the 10th edition of the Media Games.

    The opening event, a football match (11 a-side), will be between defending champions Vanguard newspaper and Complete Sports newspaper.

    Scheduled for 12noon at the Legacy Pitch, the match will formally kick-start the week-long sports fiesta for practicing journalists of the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    Other sports at the games include Athletics (100m, 200m, and 4x100m), Marathon, Ayo, Scrabble, Chess, Draught, Table Tennis, Tennis and Tug of War.

    According to Deji Elumoye, chairman of NUJ, Lagos State Chapter, the games is an avenue to de-stress and encourage oneness through sportsmanship.

    While football matches will be played daily from 9am, other sports will be played on selected days.

     

  • Ambode seeks disbandment of presidential task force

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to disband the Presidential Task force Implementation Committee on the alienation of Federal Government Landed Properties.

    In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, the Governor said members of the Task Force are carrying out duties inimical to the interest of the State and Federal Government in Lagos.

    The Governor’s call is coming on the heels of several petitions lamenting the nefarious and reprehensible activities of the Presidential Task Force on the alienation of Federal Government Landed Properties in Lagos.

    According to him, the Task Force, whose existence and legality was still in doubt have unlawfully embarked on a brazen seizure, take over and appropriation of state and federal government properties.

    He said the activities of the Task Force has left in its wake a near total destruction, displacement, stoppage including unprovoked mass harassment, intimidation, molestation and denial of the original owners of the land and properties.

    Governor Ambode expressed concern that the activities of the Task Force is coming despite their knowledge of an existence of a consent judgment duly entered into by the same committee and some of the petitioners on one hand and an order of Interlocutory Injunction granted by the High Court of Lagos State, with the restraining orders widely published in newspapers.

    The Governor therefore called on President Buhari to immediately disband the Task Force, so as to forestall a breakdown of law and order, stressing that their activities presently constitutes a security risk in the state.

    It would be recalled that the committee began its operations during the era of the Jonathan administration.

  • Nigerians nominate Buhari’s Cabinet

    Nigerians nominate Buhari’s Cabinet

    There is no denial of the fact that the 2015 general elections marks the first time Nigerian when citizens can boldly claim that they participated in the process of choosing a President for the country.

    There may be slight disagreements, but the general definition of ‘Democracy’ has always been the government of the people, by the people and for the people, which means citizens can choose who govern them.

    However, the result of the last general elections, of course produced the desired leaders for the people despite some itches at different points.

    To this extent, Nigerians are most likely tired of being backseat drivers in the affairs of the country especially when the same set of old folks stir the anchor of the county’s ship.

    Nigerians do not even know if it is the country’s ship that is growing rickety or the sea that is turbulent, what has been glaring is that the ship is not sailing stably.

    Thus, TheNation recently asked a question from members of the Nigerian social media community to represent the view of the people on
    Kindly find the question below:

    Below are the responses we found most publishable:

     

  • Nollywood stakeholders drum support for Ambode

    Nollywood stakeholders drum support for Ambode

    The governorship bid of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode, received a boost on Monday, when a cross-section of Nigerian movie practitioners under the aegis of the Nollywood Stakeholders Forum (NSF) declared their support for him.

    At a press conference held in Ikeja, coordinator of the group, Harrris Chuma, described the victory of the APC at the presidential polls as a welcome development which will positively bring the much-desired change in the nation’s creative industry.

    Nollywood, he said, cannot be said to occupy a strategic position in the Nigerian economic sphere without the continued presence of the government.

    “We therefore call on the incoming administration to address the myriad of issues militating against our practice, guarantee the protection of Intellectual Property, support and empower Nollywood practitioners to enable them compete favourably in the comity of international movie practitioners,” he said According to him; “We at Nollywood Stakeholders Forum will continue to work with everything at our disposal to ensure the victory of APC governorship candidate in Lagos State and other states. We therefore use this medium to reemphasize our support for the election of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode as the next governor of Lagos State, the entertainment capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We urge all our members and colleagues to unite and work in mobilization for the victory of APC in Lagos State. Let us do it again, we did it for GMB, we can do it for Ambode,” he added.

  • Ikeja ‘ll be world-class state capital, says Ambode

    Ikeja ‘ll be world-class state capital, says Ambode

    Lagos State All  Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Akinwumi Ambode has promised to give  Ikeja, the state capital, a facelift,  if elected as governor in next year’s election.

    He said: Okeja will become  the symbol of a true megacity in every sense of the word, with world-class infrastructure, social amenities and an environment conducive for citizens and visitors.”

    The former Accountant-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, spoke at Ikeja, shortly after meeting with stakeholders. He was in the state capital in continuation of his consultations and “thank-you” tour of local government areas.

    Stakeholders endorsed his candidature at the Excellence Hotel, Ogba, where he met with leaders and party members from Ikeja, Onigbongbo and Ojodu local governments, who joined members of the Akin Ambode Campaign Organisation to express support for the chartered accountant. Hailing his composure, many party leaders described him as a humble and pleasant technocrat bubbling with the passion for creative service to the Centre of Excellence.

    The aspirant spoke on the status of Ikeja as the administrative headquarter and commercial hub, promising to intensify its beautification, if he gets the APC ticket and wins the election.

    He said: “We can see the evidence of rapid developments in Ikeja like every other part of Lagos. But, many people either forget so easily or are not aware that, not only is Ikeja a first-class city, it is actually the capital of this prosperous and very important state of ours.

    “We need to let the glory of Ikeja show and blossom to every eye. And there is no better way to do this by doing a lot more for the city, in terms of physical developments and rapid infrastructural developments. We must make the city attractive to businesses and business owners, while ensuring the safety of every residential and commercial area in the capital city. Ikeja should be the envy world-class capital cities of the world and I am committed to ensuring that this happens by the grace of God when the time comes.”

    Ambode, who is not strange to many of the leaders, unfolded his agenda for a better and more prosperous Lagos. He also highlighted his qualifications as a thorough-bred professional and a grassroots mobiliser, who spent the first 13 years of his career as an accountant/auditor in various local government areas. He said he would submit himself totally to the manifesto of the APC and the direction of the party leadership.

    The aspirant also reflected on the import of party discipline and loyalty, stressing that the wisdom of party leaders and elders are needed for party guidance.

    He said: “We cannot be tired of saying this. No individual is bigger than or more popular than the party. It is the party that chooses a candidate and equips him for the onerous job of governance. A good candidate cannot therefore, get to position of power and starts to implement his own vision. It must be the vision of the party and our great party, the APC, has the perfect manifesto that addresses every need of the citizens, from free education and health to rapid infrastructural development.”

    Southwest APC Women Leader Chief Kemi Nelson, a former commissioner, applauded Ambode for his maturity, candour and sense of honour. “Morning shows the day,” she said, urging the aspirant to forge ahead in his bid to succeed Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN). She added: “ More than any other person who has been here, you is exceptional because you have spoken as a loyal party member and expressed the desire to let party elders have a say in how elected candidates implement the programmes of the party.”

    Ambode, whose formal declaration at Onikan stadium last month has continued to elicit positive reactions stakeholders, started touring the local governments last week. He has visited Ikorodu, Alimoso, Badagry, Ajeromi Ifelodun, Oshodi and Ojo councils.

  • Group drums support for Ambode

    Group drums support for Ambode

    A group, ‘Our Lagos, Your Lagos,’ is canvassing support for the  All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode.  Its Coordinator, Mr. Aregbe Idris, described him as a man of strength and character, urging party members to vote for him at the primaries.

    He said: “We require a capable governor, who will address the core issues. He will build on the legacies of the Fashola Administration.”

    Idris urged Lagosians to vote wisely in next year’s elections so that progressives programmes can be implemented by the next governor.

    He said: “For 2015, we are ready to vote. We have unanimously decided to give all our best to Akin Ambode mandate whom some of our leaders in the state have deemed fit. APC is our party but it is also pertinent to factor out the people’s choice.”

    The group thanked the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for laying the foundation of modern Lagos.