Senate President Bukola Saraki and Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode are among the guests of honour expected at the launch of Western Post.
The event will feature a national conversation on the topic: ‘The dwindling oil revenue: A case for regional integration’.
It will hold next Tuesday at the Bashorun Hall, Civic Centre, Agodi GRA, Ibadan, by 11am.
Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola will be the special guest of honour, while the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, will be the royal father.
Other guests are Governors Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Lasun Suleiman Yussuff.
Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday said his administration will provide all incentives required to hasten the development of the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) that parades multi billion dollars investments.
Ambode spoke while fielding questions from reporters after an inspection tour of LFTZ situated on 16, 000 hectares of land at Ibeju-Lekki axis of the state.
LFTZ habours $11 billion Dangote Refinery and other multi billion dollar investments driven by consortium of Chinese companies. Ambode said inputs from the zone is needed to boost economic prosperity of the country.
He said: “I came here to see the level of development that is going on. The Free Trade Zone is a major catalyst for the development of Lagos State. It was started during the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and continued by my predecessor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola.
“I have come here to give my commitment that we would follow up with this project because it is going to be a major catalyst to the economy of this particular zone as well as the economy of Nigeria.
“Whatever it is that we need to do together alongside with the community, we have got their commitment that we would join hands together to move this project forward,” Ambode said.
The governor said his administration will also look at the Lekki Seaports which has been idle for about nine years and ensure that it is revamped.
He said: “There is no way we would have this Free Trade Zone if the port is not activated. It needs to be reviewed. My administration will look at it and make sure the port is activated and construction starts immediately.
“I also want to assure the people here that the issue of electricity will be looked at; its surprising that some communities here do not have electricity in the last five years. In the next four weeks something must happen. It is totally unacceptable and we would make sure that we bring succor to our people.
“That is why we are in government and that is what they have told us that we should do and that is what we will do everyday in this administration.”
The governor lauded the community and the consortium of Chinese companies for supporting the state in the project.
As against fears of infiltration of armed groups especially members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect in Lagos the state government has assured that the security agencies have put strategies in place to prevent such infiltration.
This assurance was given by the Lagos state Police Commissioner, Mr. Fatai Owoseni while briefing correspondents at the end of the state monthly security meeting on Tuesday at Alausa.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode presided over the meeting.
Owoseni enumerated strategies being put in place to prevent armed groups from infiltrating the state.
He said; “It is important that we do not allow any form of armed groups to come into the state before reacting. This is why we have put in place proactive measures such as constant raids on dark spots and criminal hide outs as well as random checks at entry points into the state.”
He however urged all law abiding citizens to continue to go about their legitimate business without fear of molestation.
The CP also assured that the law enforcement agencies in the state will intensify its enforcement against street trading as well as ensure the Road Traffic Law is enforced to the letter.
Owoseni, said the meeting discussed various issues bothering on street trading, robbery in the traffic, influx of elements suspected to be members of Boko Haram and some other issues, with a way of finding lasting solution to them.
According to him, “The meeting looked holistically at what transpired in the state in the past one month with a view to finding lasting solution. For instance, we discussed about issues on street trading, robbery in traffic, influx of elements being taken as Boko Haram noticed in the metropolis in the past few days,” Owoseni said.
The CP also assured that the section of the Traffic Law as it relates to restriction of movement of trailers and articulated vehicles between the hours of 6am to 9pm will be enforced in a manner that will not impede commercial activities in the state.
He however said that Section 2(1) of the law exempts trucks conveying petroleum products and passenger vehicles.
“We shall ensure we enforce the law, most especially with the truck drivers complying with the extant laws and also ensure that extant laws on street trading is enforced, with regards to that we shall look at human element in enforcing the law,” he said.
He said aside from enforcements, the council has also decided to embark upon sensitization and public enlightenment as a strategy to dissuade members of the public from patronizing street traders.
“We shall do a lot of enlightenment with regards to that. With enforcement, we combine it with enlightenment and synergise with stakeholders to make sure that the laws that have been enacted are obeyed and we enforce them strictly.
“We’ve also stepped up efforts on where okada are prohibited and we keep up the effort on that. In the course of enforcement we won’t add to the gridlock. We appeal to members of the public to beware of fake security operatives coming to them,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode yesterday signed and approved the release of 2,500 Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to property owners.
The Executive Secretary in the Lands Bureau, Mr. Olukayode Ogunnubi, said the development was in line with the governor’s effort to clear the backlog of C of O carried over from the last administration.
He said: “A distinction must be made that this government wants Lagosians to maximise the economic benefits derivable from ownership of property as evidenced by obtaining their legal titles.
“This is what we are trying to achieve and this is why the governor cleared the backlog. Now we do not have pending C of O on our table.”
Ogunnubi said the action would enable property owners to leverage on the C of O as collateral to obtain loans from financial institutions for business activities.
“This will also contribute to the growth of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the development of the economy,” he added.
The executive secretary said the governor intended to ensure that the process of applying and getting C of O was not only less cumbersome, but treated within the stipulated time.
He said: “Once we have any new applicant for C of O, the governor’s mandate is to ensure that he signs it within the 90 days tenure. Once you make your payment, we start the processing. Let me also report that we are going on the Electronic C of O fully (E-C of O). The ones he signed are E-C of O.
“In a nutshell, the idea is to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks. This is what the governor intends to achieve in line with his commitment to make life simple and easy for the people.
“This is a standard milestone, as the last time such was witnessed was during the era of the first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.”
Ogunnubi said the list of the 2,500 C of O’s would be published in the national newspapers from today.
In the last 100 days, Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has given a new lease of life to two families and cash for retirees. He has re-energised the civil service and given a boost to health care, among other things. These indicate that better days are ahead, writes OLUKOREDE YISHAU.
Ruth Uche could see nothing but darkness. A teacher with a take-home pay that could take her nowhere, three set of twins and a husband on the run, she thought she was doomed. At a point, she decided to seek help. And to Alausa, the seat of power in Lagos, where Akinwunmi Ambode, was just settling in as governor she headed. Mrs Uche, 34, did not see Ambode. But she saw reporters and photo journalists who asked her questions.
The Nation took special interest in the story. It made its front page the next day. Ambode read it. His aides said he was visibly touched. He noted
Adebule with the twins
that as a responsible government, the well-being of the people, irrespective of their ethnic, religious or political affiliations, is paramount to his administration. He directed his deputy, Oluranti Adebule, to liaise with Mrs Uche. The Deputy Governor visited the family in their run-down home in Agege and relayed the government’s plan to give them new lease of life. She gave Mrs Uche some money, thus setting off the rehabilitation process.
Many other Nigerians, including a newspaper editor, politicians and religious bodies, took interest too and today, abject poverty has been consigned to the trashcan of history in the family. The run-away husband, Emeka Uche, is also back at home. They now live happily after the governor set in motion a miracle they never thought was possible.
Baby Oluwajomiloju
Before the Uches, Ambode had had to intervene for another family. This time, the person who needed help was Baby of the Year 2015, stuck with a grand-mother after the death of her mother. Baby Oluwajomiloju Goodness Ogundimu’s heart defect problem was brought to Ambode’s knowledge on his second working day in office. He funded the surgery in India and Baby Ogundimu is hale and hearty. The grand-mother was all tears and prayers when she visited the governor after returning from India.
Ambode’s human face has also shown in the way he has handled the few disasters the state has witnessed in the last 100 days. Not long after he assumed office, there were tanker accidents in Idimu and Iyana-Ipaja; two Lagos suburbs.
When the first incident occurred, he was away from the state but he quickly took the next flight back to Lagos and straight to the scene of the tanker explosion. He commiserated with the residents on their losses and promised to restore them to their normal lives.
The Idimu and Iyana-Ipaja incidents made him summon a meeting with petrol marketers. He also set up a committee to ascertain the causes of the incidents.
Retirees, violence victims smile.
It is not only Oluwajomiloju, the Uches and victims of tanker explosions that have felt the governor’s soft side. Retirees have also had cause to smile in the last 100 days. Last month, Ambode approved N11 billion to offset arrears owed them since 2010. The beneficiaries are not only Lagos State government’s mainstream retirees but also retirees in local governments and parastatals.
Ambode said he took the decision to find a holistic solution to the challenge of payment of pension entitlements to retirees under the Pay-as-You-Go Pension Scheme and the Contributory Pension Scheme. The pay-as-you-go scheme was discontinued in April, 2007.
Victims of domestic violence and other gender-related crimes have also had cause to smile as a result of Ambode’s interventions. He met with the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), urging them to intensify sensitisation against the dastardly act.
Recently, 190 officials of the State Emergency Command and Control Centre were trained on how to receive reports of sexual and gender-based violence incidents. The governor also approved the use of the 112 toll free line to report cases of rape, defilement, domestic violence, child abuse, neglect, maltreatment and other sexual assaults.
The DSVRT has since increased its awareness campaign and recently took the message to the palaces of traditional rulers.
Health is wealth
The health sector is already getting serious attention from the Ambode administration. On Monday, August 31, Ambode inaugurated 20 Mobile Care Units Ambulances and 26 Transport Ambulances expected to be deployed across the various general hospitals and primary health care centres.
• Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode addressing the state officials, traditional rulers and other stakeholders during the inauguration of 20 Mobile Care Unit and 26 Number Transport Ambulances at Lagos House, Ikeja
He approved the purchase of power generating sets and X-ray machines to all general hospitals to ensure that 24-hour power supply is not compromised. He also reduced the cost incurred by patients in carrying out X-ray services.
The governor has also given approval for the recruitment of more paramedic staff and special medical coordinators to ensure 24-hour service to the citizens as well as embark on the construction of a Medical Park.
He said: “In my inaugural address, I pledged my total commitment to run a government that will leave no one behind; a government that will implement programmes that make life simpler, easier and happier for our people. Today, we are launching the free ambulance service as a demonstration to that pledge.”
He further said the acquisition of the new ambulances was also in consonance with his administration’s mantra to run a government of continuity with improvement.
“I recall with much satisfaction, the great strides we have witnessed in the health sector in the last 16 years; commencing from the foundational leaps of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the significant landmarks of Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN).
“We have restructured the State Emergency Ambulance Services and increased the fleet of new Mobile Intensive Care Units by 20; bringing the total number to 33 MICUs. This will widen the coverage of our services beyond the metropolis to the hinterland. In total, we are launching 46 new ambulances today.
“Our medical directors have renewed their commitment to ensure that their services are available 24 hours every week to ensure a good linkage with the new ambulance services. Drugs are to be made available more effectively at all our general hospitals than before.
“All our general hospitals will now have new mobile X-ray machines to reduce the cost of patients doing X-ray outside the hospitals.”
Treasury Single Account
To ensure accountability and availability of cash to pay retirees and meet its other needs, the state, from September 1, began the operation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA). This means that all monies due to the state are paid into one single account.
Ambode said the move would enable the government to address the challenges which it previously experienced in the operation of the multiple account system. To the governor, the TSA, aside from providing transparency and accountability, will also encourage tax payers to request for a single account before making their payments. The adoption of the TSA is in line with the objective of the move by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that all government revenues are paid into one consolidated account.
Let the investors come
For the state to have enough to cater for its needs, investors must come. This has been a major focus of the administration since May 29. In his inaugural speech, Ambode gave an insight of his mission. His decision to set up an Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment (Lagos Global), domiciled in his office spells out where his administration is headed.
When he received the Namibian President, Dr. Hage Geingoband on May 30, he sold the investment opportunities in the state to the visitor. He has also met several local and foreign investors, including the President of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, investors from Dubai, United States of America and envoys from European and Middle East countries. At each meeting, Ambode promised an enabling environment for willing investors.
Civil service, better performance
For the investors to come, for the TSA to be well-operated and for things to work well, Ambode needs the civil service. It was thus not surprising that one of the first meetings he held after assuming office was with the Body of Permanent Secretaries.
At the parley, Ambode intimated them of his plan to reposition the civil service for more efficiency and service.
The repositioning, Ambode said, will involve the streamlining of some ministries, departments and agencies to cut cost of governance. He also spoke of the need to create new offices to cater for the emerging needs of the people.
He urged the Permanent Secretaries to rise up to the challenges as they would be front runners in driving the state’s wheel of progress in the next four years.
Three weeks after his assumption of office, he announced his decision to realign the Ministry of Rural Development, Parastatals Monitoring Office as well as Political and Legislative Powers Bureau.
He scrapped the Office of the Special Adviser on Taxation and Revenue and the Debt Management Office. The governor merged the office of Works and Office of Infrastructure; Office of Drainage Services and Office of Environmental Service with the aim of creating opportunities for global competitiveness.
On August 5, Ambode also appointed 19 Permanent Secretaries. Merit and track record, said the governor, recommended the beneficiaries. The Permanent Secretaries have adequately held forth, in the absence of commissioners.
Security of lives and property
As a cosmopolitan state, Lagos has its security challenges. In the last 100 days, there have been complaints about upsurge of robbery in traffic and other forms of crimes.
Worried by these complaints, the governor has put the security agencies on their toes. The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Tunji Disu, has arrested hundreds of hoodlums and suspected armed robbers. Some have been prosecuted and convicted.
The Ikorodu bank robbery was one incident that occurred in the early days of the administration. Ambode, disturbed by the incident, urged the police to fish out the culprits.
•Cross section of the 10 patrol vehicles and 15 motorcycles handed over by the Lagos State Government to the State Police Command, at the Lagos House, Ikeja
The governor is also worried about the spate of cultism and land grabbing and is not leaving any stone unturned to put the trends to a stop.
At a dinner organised by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Ambode unveiled plans to strengthen the RRS as well as establish an integrated security and emergency control platform. The event attracted members of the corporate world and respected members of the society. Over N1 billion was donated in support of Ambode’s drive to strengthen the state’s security apparatus. 100 new power bikes, 10 armoured tanks and a helicopter have been bought to take the battle of policing Lagos to the next level.
The acquisition of 100 new cars for a soon-to-be introduced Special Operation Service (SOS), expected to co-ordinate community policing in RRS and other outfits, said sources, shows Ambode’s desire to ensure a crime-free state.
Towards making Lagos traffic-free
The Oshodi-Apapa Expressway almost has no rival when it comes to traffic gridlock in Lagos. This leads to waste of man-hours daily. On his second working week on assumption of office, Ambode visited Apapa and some other traffic-prone areas.
He had received several calls and text messages from residents complaining of the perennial traffic in the Apapa caused by the activities of petrol tankers queuing to load the products from the 57 tank farms in the area. Ambode and his team were not spared the traffic as his entourage had to look for alternative routes to navigate the area when it visited it on June 25.
He urged the Federal Government to mobilise the contractor handling the re-construction of the road back to site. He lamented that the Tin Can Bridge, which has been under construction for about six years was abandoned, thus encouraging tankers to park indiscriminately on the road. While the Federal Government’s action was being awaited, Ambode set up a task force to ensure 24-hour surveillance of traffic flow. This has eased up the traffic in the area. He also met with tanker drivers and stakeholders to fashion out ways to end the Apapa traffic gridlock.
Motorable roads
At the time he assumed office, it was not in doubt that the road infrastructure in the state could do with some help. So, the first few weeks of his administration saw the governor embarking on inspections to several areas of the state. Some of the areas he toured included Lagos suburbs such as Ipaja, Mosan-Okunola, Oshodi-Isolo, Ikotun-Ejigbo and Somolu. He promised to rehabilitate the roads which were in deplorable state.
The Ejigbo-Ikotun-IsoloRoad, which was a nightmare for motorists, is under rehabilitation, as the Governor, during his visit on July 14, announced that work would commence on the road in seven days. The Lagos State Public Works Corporation has since moved to site. The rehabilitation work is expected to stretch from Ikotun to Isolo Road.
The popular Brown Road in Oshodi is the latest road to be visited by Ambode. He walked the over 1km road with his entourage and later announced that work would commence in a week’s time on the road, which serves as a link road to other roads in the area. The governor also directed some officials of the state government to inspect the Ladipo and Mushin roads. Both roads are expected to get a facelift soon.
Catching them young
Ambode firmly believes in catching them young. This was why he approved that 1,300 qualified teachers be recruited to teach in the public primary schools across the state. The shortage in primary school teachers led to a situation where pupils were not properly instructed. One of the side effects of this was parents withdrawing their kids to private schools where they have to pay through their noses. Only those who could not afford to pay the private schools’ fees had to leave their children in public primary schools.
Now, with the teachers being employed and the plan to give schools major facelifts, the state will be in a better position to catch them young.
LASTMA with human face
In its bid to ensure free flow of traffic across the metropolis, officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have been directed to adopt the system of booking traffic offenders, rather than apprehending their vehicles.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Oluseyi Whenu handed over the directive to the officials while briefing top echelon of LASTMA on government’s new policy thrust in the transportation sector.
He said while government appreciates the invaluable contributions of the traffic managers to the current traffic situation, more emphasis should be placed on flawless flow of traffic.
“That is the minimum we owe the people of the state,” he said, adding that LASTMA should synergise with other security agencies to ensure that the Lagos Road Traffic Law 2012 is enforced.
“Since LASTMA officials are a reflection of the state government, they should ensure that their activities add value to government’s covenant with Lagos residents to make life easier for them,” he said.
He implored the residents to reciprocate government’s humane gesture by obeying all traffic laws and regulations.
Whenu also called on all motorists, whose vehicles have been apprehended by LASTMA in the past, to visit the appropriate LASTMA depot for claim of their vehicles after proper documentation, assuring them of a more flexible process for prompt service delivery.
What is next?
If the morning shows what follows, then tomorrow for residents of Lagos may be better. Ambode has promised that his administration will get better with time like wine. As more funds are generated internally and otherwise, he said they will be spent for the good of Lagos and nothing else. Residents of Lagos, Nigerians and others are watching this Epe-born son of a teacher who is at the helm of affairs in Nigeria’s second-to-none state.
A civil society organisation has described the first 100 days in office of Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as richly rewarding. It said the governor has exemplified excellence in governance.
A statement by the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) chairman, Nelson Ekujumi, said Ambode like his predecessors, is “following the tradition of responsibility, responsiveness and focused administration in setting the pace for delivering on his campaign promises”.
“Ever since he assumed office, Mr Ambode has left no one in doubt about his capability and competence as a tested and trusted administrator and technocrat in discharging his constitutional responsibility to the admiration of the good people of Lagos State who are delighted that they made the right choice at the polls on April 11,” the group said.
CPPM said the governor has succeeded in repositioning the civil service by streamlining some ministries, departments and agencies, ensuring financial transparency and accountability through the operation of a Single Treasury Account (STA).
The group said: “We are quite aware of how Mr Governor put smiles on the faces of state and local government retirees from ministries, parastatals and agencies early in August when he approved N11billion to offset arrears owed since 2010. This was a commendable development by a responsible government and this is a radical departure from our history of shabby treatment of retirees in the public service.
“Also, the prompt responsiveness of Ambode’s government to disasters and emergencies is worthy of commendation. Worthy of note is the commitment of Ambode to security of life and property by unveiling plans to strengthen internal security of the state through the establishment of an integrated security and emergency control platform as well as strengthening the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
“Also commendable, is the acquisition by the government in the last 100 days, of modern security equipment, gadgets and vehicles to ensure a crime free state.”
A civil society organization, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) has described the first 100 days in office of Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode as richly rewarding, saying the governor has exemplified excellence inn governance since assumption of office.
The group in a congratulatory message to the governor which was made available to newsmen on Tuesday and signed by its Chairman, Nelson Ekujumi said Ambode just like his predecessors has “followed in the tradition of responsibility, responsiveness and focused administration like his predecessors in setting the pace for delivering on his campaign promises and democratic dividends to the people”.
“Ever since he assumed office, Mr. Ambode has left no one in doubt about his capability and competence as a tested and trusted administrator and technocrat of repute in discharging his constitutional responsibility, creditably to the admiration of the good people of Lagos State who are delighted that they made the right choice at the polls on April 11th, 2015,” the group said.
Listing some of the governor’s landmark achievements, CPPM said the governor has succeeded in restructuring and repositioning the state’s civil service by streamlining some ministries, departments and agencies, ensuring financial transparency and accountability through the operation of a Single Treasury Account (STA).
Going further, the group said “We are quite aware of how Mr. Governor put smiles on the faces of state and local government retirees from ministries, parastatals and agencies early in August when he approved N11billion to offset arrears owed since 2010. This was a commendable development by a responsible government and this is a radical departure from our history of shabby treatment of retirees in the public service.
“Also, the prompt responsiveness and humaneness of the Akinwunmi Ambode government to disasters and emergencies is worthy of commendation, if we recollect his empathy visit to scenes of petroleum tanker ignited fire disasters in Idimu and Iyana Ipaja where he not only commiserated with the victims, but also promised them government succour which has since been fulfilled.
“Worthy of note is the commitment of governor Ambode to security of life and property by unveiling plans to strengthen internal security of the state through the establishment of an integrated security and emergency control platform as well as strengthening the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
“Also commendable, is the acquisition by the government in the last 100 days, of modern security equipments, gadgets and vehicles to ensure a crime free state. All these endearing security strides by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, received tremendous corporate organizations and individual support in cash and kind.
“Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s resoluteness in consolidating on birthing a Lagos of our dreams has manifested in his commitment to the health of the citizenry through a stress free traffic plan that involved personally visiting traffic gridlock zones to have a firsthand experience as well as setting up a task force to ensure 24 hours surveillance of traffic flow and ensuring strict implementation of the state traffic law.
“It is common knowledge that he has also touched the health sector for good within his 100 days, by commissioning health equipments such as 20 Mobile Care Units Ambulances and 26 Transport Ambulances to be deployed to the various General Hospitals and Primary Health Centers across the state. He has also approved the purchase of generators and x-ray machines to ensure uninterrupted power supply to health institutions. This is in addition to ordering the recruitment of medical personnel to improve service delivery,” the statement said.
Governor of Lagos state, Akinwumi Ambode Tuesday signed and approved the immediate release of 2,500 Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to property owners across the state.
Executive Secretary in the Lands Bureau, Mr Olukayode Ogunnubi who disclosed this, said the development was in line with Ambode’s effort to clear the backlog of C of O that was carried over from the previous administration.
According to him, “A clear distinction must be made that this present government wants Lagosians to maximise the economic benefits derivable from ownership of properties as evidenced by obtaining their legal titles.
“That is what we are trying to achieve and that is the reason why the Governor decided to clear all the back log, everything. Now we do not have pending C of O on our table,” he said.
Ogunnubi said the advantage of the recent development will enable owners to leverage on the C of O as collateral to obtain loans from financial institutions for business activities.
“This will also contribute to the growth of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and ultimately the development of the economy of the state,” he said.
He disclosed that the Governor intends to ensure that the process of applying and getting the copy of the C of O is not only less cumbersome but treated within the stipulated time.
“So once we have any new applicant for C of O, the Governor’s mandate is to ensure that he signs it within the 90 days tenure. Once you make your payment, we start the processing. Let me also report that we are going on the Electronic C of O fully (E-C of O). All the ones he signed are also E-C of O.
“In a nutshell, the idea is to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and this is what the Governor intends to achieve in line with his commitment to make life simple and easy for the people.
“This is a standard milestone as the last time such was witnessed was during the era of the first civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande,” he said.
Ogunnubi said the list of all the 2,500 C of O’s signed by Ambode will be published in the national dailies from Wednesday.
Nigeria’s civic technology organization, BudgIT Nigeria, has called on Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, to repair the bad roads in the state.
BudgIT, in a statement endorsed by its Team Lead/ Co-Founder, Oluseun Onigbinde, appealed to the government to look into the deplorable states of roads in other to ease the lives of Lagos citizens.
While commending the state government on the work done on the Omobola Road, Itire, Onigbinde urged the governor to do more work on other roads in the state.
The statement reads: “Now while we understand that traffic congestion is a common feature in major cities around the world, it is definitely obvious that a majority of the traffic jam faced within the Lagos Metropolis can be completely avoidable if certain measures are put in place.
“An example of such measures will be the fixing of bad roads as well as the consistent maintenance of these roads.
“As the Center of Excellence, the Commercial Capital of Nigeria, it is quite embarrassing to say the least, to have major roads in such deplorable state.
“Major roads like the popular Ikorodu Road (Fadeyi) and the Herbert Macaulay Way (Along Yaba Tech. Bus-stop) are two major roads we want to bring to your attention today as we believe that the fixing of these roads will go a long way to ease the tension we face daily.
“We must however, not cease to appreciate the present administration on the job that has done so far since assuming office. The job that has been done on the Omobola Road, Itire is commendable, but we need more work done.
“We currently have a project tagged ‘My Lagos Road’ that tracks the status of road within the state and invariably reports to the government. The next phase of the project will focus on the extension of road tracking to other areas within the state.
“The reports gathered will be documented in the database and few major roads tracked will be printed and presented to the State Government.
“This therefore serves as a Notification for urgent action on the above mentioned roads. We hope something will be done as soon as possible.”
I am happy to report that after more than three months of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode as the Governor of Lagos, Nigeria’s foremost state, the conspicuous point that has served as the identity of the government is compassion for the masses of the deprived citizens. He has peeped into history and discovered that a government is bereft of an abiding relationship with reality and posterity if it does not go the extra mile to empathise with the needy.
He made this clear on Day One of his coming. After he had acknowledged the sacrifices of the generality of the residents of Lagos, including the political class and the elite in ensuring his election, Ambode made a solemn statement to announce his commitment to what has since entered the record book as his philosophy, as it were. He spoke of an unbreakable bond with the common man. It was the landfall of what has thereafter been known as compassionate governance.
Ambode declared: “The challenges you face today as a state, are good enough ingredients to bring out the best of all of us…we shall implement creative ideas and concepts… I therefore invite you all to join hands with me, to offer new ideas that will pull more resources to cater for the poor and needy among us. This will be a compassionate government.”
I have seen this at work both in the most abstract aspects of administration and in the most ordinary areas of government under Ambode.
Observers have taken note of the display of a sympathetic tone in the governor’s move to bring investors to Lagos. He has done it with panache by first setting up an Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment (Lagos Global) domiciled in his office. He kick-started the mission on the second day in office by meeting the President of Namibia, Dr Hage Geingoband. He unveiled the opportunities that abound in the State of Excellence. Since then, the governor has met several local and foreign investors, including the richest African, President of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and businessmen from Dubai, United States of America, Europe and Middle-East countries.
It is a demonstration of affinity with the governed when a governor thinks outside the box to personally supervise a mission that would bring business to the state so that there would be plenty of jobs for the citizens.
A practical show of compassion for the governed translates into evolving a government with human face. In only 100 days, Ambode’s administration has revealed many times over that his is indeed flowing with a milk of human kindness.
Let me take you on a journey of a few but memorable and outstanding ones.
Ambode wasn’t in Lagos when there were fatal petrol tanker blasts in parts of the state. But if there is a crisis and you are a man of your word, and a sincere feeling for the masses is your watchword, you’d abandon what you are doing wherever you are to share in the grief of your people when there is a crisis. And so Ambode, a man of steely integrity, took the next flight from Abuja to Lagos and rushed to the scenes of inferno at Iyana Ipaja inside the rain. The other incident took place at Idimu, where he expressed deep sympathies with the victims and promised generous donations to comfort them and help them get back on their feet.
That wasn’t all. The Lagos State Chief Executive set up a meeting with petrol marketers and tank farm owners and instituted a fact-finding committee to look into cases of fuel infernos with a view to putting a stop to them.
In some of these cases, we have seen Ambode intervening on occasions of fatalities. But he has also done it to stop death. Consider the case of Mrs. Ruth Uche, a mother of three sets of twins. Ambode stepped in to avert death which would have come through neglect and lack.
Before Mrs. Uche’s plight, Ambode had on his second working day in office intervened to save the life of the 2015 baby of the year, Miss. Oluwajomiloju Goodness Ogundimu who was diagnosed with a heart defect that required surgery. Today, baby Ogundimu is hale and hearty after a successful surgery in India.
I am not through with this governor who has a burden of compassion to bear. Once, Ambode was coming from Ikoyi heading for his office when he sighted an accident scene. Rescue work was going on to save the life of a woman whose car had overturned. Not for Ambode the routine excuse that state duties in the office demanded priority attention over a dying citizen. He stopped his convoy and promptly joined in the operation to help one of the residents whose sacred vote and tax are sustaining him and his government in power. Talk of a compassionate leader!
A most touching demarche of Governor Ambode has been the N11 billion to settle what the state had been owing elderly retirees. This large sum was approved at a most critical period when most of these superannuated citizens felt used, abandoned and neglected after meritoriously serving their fatherland.
His government has also addressed a critical area of the population, namely the youth, who are the embryo of tomorrow. Realizing that it portends danger to have the society’s youth roaming the streets when they should be in school or productive enterprise, the governor last week issued a policy declaration that his administration will work out strategies to take away youngsters from the street. He intends to put them into productive use. In his words, he will unleash them to develop their potentials in all areas of human endeavors. Why should a nation’s strength as represented by the youth waste?
I believe that when an administrator is this passionate about the foremost roles of the youth; he is only a few steps away from bringing down the crime level in the society. He is also on the verge of meeting the food security objective of the society because these virile young men and women are the foot soldiers for the agrarian and economic revolution of their fatherland.
Looking at the future has not taken the governor away from today’s security challenges these past months. His sincere mien as a trustworthy governor has made corporate bodies and individuals to raise more than N1billion to support government’s war on crime. An on its own, the government has acquired 100 new power bikes, 10 armored tanks and, wait for this, helicopters to police Lagos from the air!
Ambode desires a compassionate watch on Lagos and so he has made provision for 100 new squad cars for the Special Operation Service (SOS) which will be unveiled soon.
Linked to this is Ambode’s push for congestion-free Oshodi-Apapa Expressway. After receiving hundreds of calls and text messages on the pains experienced by motorists and commuters as a result of the activities of the petrol tanker drivers on that route, Ambode moved to the scene by road. He painstakingly tasted the trauma of the citizens, staying long hours in the gridlock. It has paid off as the palliative measures he came up with have eased the congestion to some extent.
Having studied Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at close range in the past three months of his administration, I can safely submit that he believes he can’t achieve his lofty goals without erecting compassion as the substructure of whatever he hopes to erect as the superstructural architecture of performance. Government without compassion is barren rule!
For a governor that has consistently shown through his actions that he was elected to serve the people in the way he moves around traffic- no siren and there is no tainted vehicle in his convoy- and the security aides have been told from day one not to harass the citizens, it is only logical to say that the state is on a sound footing for growth and development.
–Aruna is the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ambode
