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Tag: Ambode

  • Ambode targets food security for Lagosians

    Ambode targets food security for Lagosians

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday said the state was looking towards partnership in agro business in an effort geared towards ensuring food security in the state.

    The Governor who spoke when he received the Irish Ambassador Sean Hoy, at the Lagos House, Alausa, said his administration was looking to expand the agricultural sector and increase the production capacity of its farmers in the nearest future.

    “One area that Lagos is really interested in is in the agro business, I am very interested in the food security of this state. We have a population that is over 20 million and we should be able to plan properly the food security of the state.

    “We cannot claim that we are self sufficient right now, but we have a plan to be able to let us feed ourselves at some point in time. It’s quite unfortunate right now that the state consumes almost like N300billion worth of rice annually and what we have in terms of production is maybe like five percent.

     

    “We are looking for a situation where we would expand the potentials of our farmers and cross into other states and be able to produce staple products for the people of Lagos. So if we have any partnership that can assist us in securing the future of our people in terms of agro business will be highly welcomed,” the Governor said.

     

    Governor Ambode who also met with a team of investors from the United Arab Emirates, led by Professor Pat Utomi, restated the commitment of his administration to evolve policies and initiatives that would transform the city state into a destination for investors across the globe.

     

    He said in less than 100 days of his administration, efforts have been made to create an atmosphere for investors to look towards the direction of the state and for existing businesses to thrive.

     

    “We’ve already created an Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment to directly deal with issues that relate to investors coming into Lagos.

     

    “We are committed to a situation where we would create a new city where Africans and especially Nigerians in diaspora can be proud of and then we also can be proud of,” he said.

     

    He said that the state’s commercial strength with a population predominantly youths, makes it unarguably the home of the future of investment in Nigeria.

     

    He assured the investors of his administration’s support in the areas they intend to partner with the government.

     

    “We are happy to be associated with you. I want to give you our government’s commitment today that we are committed to the project that is being done by Smart City Dubai and other investors. We are also committed to giving government support in areas that would make investments easy”.

     

    “I want to let you know Professor Pat Utomi is somebody that has had endless passion to make this kind of investment happen in Lagos state, he’s been a major promoter of investment in Lagos and one is so excited. I want to commend you for being part of this initiative”, he said.

     

    Governor Ambode also restated his commitment to the rule of law as well as judicial and security sector reforms, saying the efforts are geared towards ensuring that business transactions are done transparently.

     

    “We would give credence to integrity of this government to make sure that whatever is being done will protect Lagos as well as investors. That’s what we are committed to. Wherever it is that we can be of help to accelerate the delivery of the project. We would do it.

     

    “I have no doubt that wherever Professor Utomi is involved, it comes with a huge sense of integrity and that’s why we would ensure that every aspect of making sure that this project is expanded, because I am made to understand is that whatever it is that you have done, you need government commitment also,” the Governor said.

     

    Professor Utomi, in his remarks said the group of investors from the UAE is aspiring to play a role that will significantly change the business climate in the state revealing that they are looking to invest as much as $10billion in the state within a period of time.

     

    “Smart City Dubai which has a track record of transforming a desert village in one generation to the world’s business hub, my hope and my expectation is that this initiative will make that happen for Lagos and be part of the inspiration along with other projects that you are driving, Eko Atlantic and a host of others, to make this a hub for which the economic emancipation of the black man,” he said.

  • Ambode increases RBBRF funding rate to 12.41%

    Ambode increases RBBRF funding rate to 12.41%

    Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has directed that funding rate for Retirement Benefit Bond Redemption Fund Accounts (RBBRF) of retirees be increased to 12.41 per cent from five per cent.

    Director-General, Lagos State Pension Commission, Mrs Folashade Onanuga made this known in Lagos.

    According to her, actuarial consultants appointed by the  state government to value pension liabilities owed retirees of the state had stated that the funding rate should be 12.41 per cent.

    She said with this development, the problem of inadequate funding  has been addressed.

    According to her, this will ensure that there will always be funds to use to pay the terminal entitlements of the retirees.

    She explained that the state has consistently  funded the RBBRF with an amount equal to five per cent of the total monthly personnel cost of the stste’s active workers.

    According to her,  this is the funding rate stated in the Pension Reform Law.

    She stressed that this is aside the mandatory monthly contributory pension scheme contributions remitted directly into RSAs account.

    She added that parastatals have been directed to henceforth ensure that contributions of their employees are credited into their RSA.

    She said: “LASPEC will give reports to the governor on quarterly basis on the performance of parastatals of government. The position of the governor is that retirees from ministries, local governments, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), TEPO or parastatals have served in the state and as such must be given the same treatment.

    “The governor has also promised that budgetary provisions to systematically clear outstanding pension shortfall.”

    The National Pension Commission has said Contributory Pension Scheme was aimed at putting smiles on the faces of those who had laboured to serve the country.

    Mrs Grace Uzoro of PenCom who made this known in Lagos, said the commission is happy with the Lagos State government for being at the forefront of championing the scheme.

    She said Lagos State has made Nigeria proud as the government is a government of action in terms of retirees’ welfare.

    Uzoro urged other state governments to emulate Lagos State to ensure their employees retire with peace of mind.

    She said: “The desire of the Contributory Pension Scheme is to ensure that people who laboured to serve their country are happy and financially empowered after retirement.

    “Lagos State has worked very closely with PenCom. The government has always been consultative and listening to advice.

    “The state has made Nigeria proud and we call on other state governors to take a cue from what the Lagos State has done.”

  • Maritime safety: Ambode seeks partnership among West African countries

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday added his voice to the call for regional integration among countries within the Gulf of Guinea to protect the coastal areas and ensure adequate safety of lives and facilities.

    The governor, who spoke at the opening session of the Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) Africa in Lagos, stressed that the maritime sector remained a critical factor in achieving economic prosperity for the region.

    He said unless there is a regional collaboration in the region, the full benefit and opportunities that abound in the sector would not be achieved.

    Ambode said Lagos, being the host city of the busiest port within the region, was concerned about the activities of criminal elements and the threats their activities pose to the region.

    He added that the state government, as a responsible government, was ready to partner with relevant government agencies and other concerned stakeholders to put an end to the challenge.

    “Nigeria as a country with the largest economy in Africa must take the lead and launch a proactive measure to put a stop to these criminal activities as it is germane to our socio economic growth.

    “We are aware of the strategic role Lagos State plays as harboring the largest port and maritime activities in the West African sub region.  As a government, we are ready to partner and offer necessary support to put an end to this menace”, he said.

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule, enjoined participants and other resource persons at the conference to come up with useful suggestions and enduring measures that will put a stop to the illicit activities of criminals in the maritime sub-sector.

    The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, in his welcome address, said the Offshore Patrol Vessel conference for Africa, the second in the series, “is another platform created by stakeholders in the maritime industry to address the challenges and threats confronting the sector.

    Ibas said that Africa’s maritime domain is a strategic economic platform with enormous potentials.

    He noted that these potentials have some threats, ranging from piracy, sea robbery, drug and human trafficking as well as worrisome pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft that have continued to challenge the smooth operation of lawful business operations in the sector.

     

  • Ambode warns parastatals against non-remittance of pension

    Ambode warns parastatals against non-remittance of pension

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, has warned parastatals  against withholding pension remittances of their employees, saying government would not tolerate the practice.

    He said such practice will be at variance with the provisions of the state’s pension reform law, adding that the resultant effect of the non-conformity by agencies is that many employees of the state would retire without any provision made for the payment of their terminal entitlements.

    Ambode, who spoke while presenting retirement bond certificate of N2.27 billion to 658 retirees, said the retirement bond certificate indicates the accrued pension rights, made up of gratuity and pension entitlement for active service rendered before the commencement of the contributory pension scheme in April 2007.

    He said the state is aware of the fact that despite government’s commitment to setting aside funds to meet accrued pension rights obligations, there is a backlog of retirees, especially in the local governments and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), who have retired but have not been able to receive their terminal entitlements.

    He said government is looking into why some parastatals have outstanding liabilities ‘’but in the immediate term, we will bring smiles to the faces of the retirees’’.

    Giving a breakdown of the pension liabilities paid, he said: “Today, we have a total number of 230 retirees from 12 state government parastatals whose pension rights we have already credited into their retirement savings account.

    “A total liability of N761.8 million is now being absorbed by the state government on behalf of these retirees.

    “For retirees in the state, local government and SUBEB, have a total of 428 retirees already have accrued rights for a N.5 billion credited into their RSAs.

    “In essence, for the 18th batch retirement bond presentation ceremony, on a total 658 retirees, we have expended the sum of N2.27 billion.”

    Ambode said the state’s employees  are the greatest assets; hence, the state’s commitment to not only ensuring that they enjoy good conditions of service, but to also ensure that their entitlements are paid promptly after their exit from service.

    He noted with satisfaction that since the inception of the contributory pension scheme in the country, Lagos has continued to be in the forefront of ensuring efficient and effective pension scheme administration.

    “This administration is a people oriented government. We understand that you have spent the better part of your lives in service of this state and you deserve to live in peace and comfort in retirement.

    “This is why we took a decision to address outstanding pension matters in the whole of Lagos state public service. We are looking into why some parastatals have outstanding liabilities but in the immediate term, we will bring smiles to the faces of the retirees.

    “We are very resolute in forging ahead with the contributory pension scheme. With the mechanism for guaranteeing the safety of fund contributed in place by the regulatory agencies, the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) remains one of the finest things democracy has bequeathed on Nigerian workers,”Governor Ambode said, assuring that the scheme is sustainable as it meets the challenges of past pension scheme administration which, being non-contributory, relied totally on budgetary allocations of government.

    Ambode revealed that the state has also taken a holistic view of issues that concern all retirees in the its public service and gave assurances that all retirees in the state that are yet to have their entitlements paid will, very soon, live a life of financial empowerment because they have a right to live in comfort at retirement having utilised the better part of their active lives serving the state government.

    Since April, 2007, the Lagos State government has consistently on a monthly basis, funded the retirement bond redemption fund account with an amount equal to five percent of the total monthly personnel cost of the active workers.

     

  • Ambode: Compassionate governance is the watchword

    Ambode: Compassionate governance is the watchword

    We shall practice gover-nment by incentives and not government by enforcement. We shall implement creative ideas and concepts that reduce cost of running government; ideas that make life simpler and happier for our people… Join hands with me, to offer new ideas that will pool more resources to cater for the poor and needy amongst us. This will be a compassionate government – Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in his inaugural address on May 29 2015.

    For a society whose citizens have been identified as being among the poorest in the world despite their nation’s enormous wealth, it is the evidence of ultimate responsive governance when an administration hoists compassion and integrity as its watchword. Not doing so amounts to breaching the sacred covenant between you and the governed. It is a treasonable crime, for which the government should cede space to another!

    I believe Governor Akinwunmi Ambode clearly understood the solemn enterprise of governance when he made the pronouncement above to herald his administration as one to be judged according to how it shows compassion to the people. In less than 100 days in office, his walk in consonance with his talk has proved that he can be taken at his word.

    Let’s consider some unforgettable developments and how he responded to them. Within a fortnight of Ambode’s assumption of office, the state witnessed a series of fatal petrol tanker explosions at Iyana Ipaja, Idimu and Ikorodu. The governor abandoned scheduled state duties to visit the scenes of these tragedies in order to commiserate with the victims and the bereaved. He promptly followed it up with a meeting of oil industry stakeholders and set up a committee to work out how to end the excesses of fuel tanker drivers.

    I readily recall how Ambode mingled with the people in the rain at one of the points of the explosions. Soaked in the downpour, the governor’s message was clear: I am with the common man every step of the way, come rain, come shine. He made a pledge to assist the people cushion the heavy losses they incurred. He has since honoured his word!

    How about the case of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway gridlock? The governor undertook the nightmarish trip on that stretch. He punished himself by spending long hours on the highway, experiencing the pains and frustration of motorists and commuters, the better to appreciate the sufferings of those who voted him into power, so he could learn to serve them and formulate strategies to make life easier for them. It’s part of his take on the principle and practice of compassionate governance.

    Now if that was a collective perspective, how about instances of the governor’s direct reach to the woman with multiple births whose husband fled home? He couldn’t stand the responsibility of catering for his family with several mouths to feed. Ambode got in touch with the family and provided a generosity that has since seen the hapless man return home. After all, they are part of the “poor and needy amongst us” the governor referred to as he took the oath of office.

    Another such personal intervention by the governor was when he left Ikoyi on his way to work. A car with a female at the wheels had overturned and Ambode halted his motorcade and joined in the operation to save life. Does that not remind one of the compassion of the Good Samaritan in the Bible whom the Lord Jesus Christ commended for setting aside his own personal convenience and time to attend to a dying victim of robbery?

    Well, this allusion to empathy for the weak and the vulnerable in our midst leads me to the trending issue of the whopping eleven billion naira Governor Ambode is now paying out to our long-suffering senior citizens whose pensions and gratuities had remained unremitted for years, for nearly 20 years in some instances. It is sad that some of their colleagues died while waiting for the money. Others cannot even fully enjoy the money because of health concerns. These elderly men and women served the state to the best of their abilities while they were still active only to be rewarded with apathy in their old age. Nothing proves a government’s genuine compassion for these old people but to give them their dues when they need it most after service to their father land.

    It’s been praises and prayers galore for the governor from the thousands of citizens whose relatives and friends are benefiting from his gesture. Of course, there are still more pensioners to be redeemed. And Ambode has assured them that it would soon be their turn to smile and dance. They have cause to believe him because of his track record. He didn’t fail the people when he handled the finances of Lagos State as its Accountant General during a most difficult period.

    At the heart of every successful administration is that component of government called compassion for the people. No matter what accolades you accumulate on account of your grandiose political philosophies or ideologies, if you fail to connect to the people on their ordinary needs, you are a failure. Since representative democracy starts with the election of government by the people, it follows that the success of a ruler should be judged by how his actions address the plight of the people who constitute the driving force of government.

    Indeed, politicians ought to be assessed by their answers to these questions: Do I possess the milk of human kindness that would enable me put the people first before my personal and friendship considerations? Can I be a Good Samaritan, using my personal resources to relieve their pain? Can I drop my agbada and move into the rain to sympathize with grieving citizens away from the comfort of my home? Can I go the extra mile to show compassion to the people who braved the hostile elements on Election Day to vote for me?

    If the politician says yes to all these, please note that the matter isn’t settled yet until he walks the talk as Governor Ambode has done these few weeks he has been in the saddle.

    –Anibaba, an educationist wrote in from Surulere

  • Ambode’s wife seeks end of child trafficking

    Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode has ‎urged the Association of Orphanage and Homes Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON) to assist in regulating home operations according to best practices.

    She also called for the strengthening of collaboration with government and other NGOs to eradicate the social evils of child trafficking, child labour, child abuse, fake orphanage homes and the violation of child right laws.

    She spoke at the maiden National Conference of ASOHON, held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday.

    Mrs. Ambode commended the initiatives of orphanage homes and other care-givers in the country, however, urging them to promote awareness and respect for laws relating to rights of children.

    She said that care giving for orphans and other challenged children, was a humanitarian task that comes with pain and personal sacrifice.

    “You took it upon yourselves within limited available resources, to keep and protect these vulnerable ones, wiping their tears when they cry; feeding them when they are hungry; offering them a shoulder upon which to rest their tired heads, putting smiles on their forlorn faces; and above all reassuring them that life is worth living after all”.

    “Your contributions to society can neither be measured nor quantified. It is my prayer that the good Lord, who delights in service to the less privileged, richly rewards you all”.

    Earlier in her welcome address, National President of the association, Rev. (Mrs.) Dele George said that ASOHON can and will assist the federal, state and local governments to add value, effectiveness and excellence to the social welfare system, as it pertains to the well-being of all vulnerable children.

    According to her, “ASOHON is not in existence to truncate the efforts of government, we are here to collaborate and corporate as well as consolidate on the efforts of government. Our goal is to chart a cause for our industry and brainstorm on actionable solutions to challenges confronting our orphanages and our vulnerable children”.

  • Ambode assures retirees on prompt payment of pensions

    Ambode assures retirees on prompt payment of pensions

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State says his administration will be in the forefront of ensuring efficient and effective pension scheme administration to make life comfortable for retirees.

    Ambode, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, made the pledge at the 18th Retirement Benefit Bond Certificate Presentation Ceremony in Lagos on Thursday.

    He said that Lagos was the only state government that was up-to-date in pension contribution remittances.

    ”Our employees are our greatest assets and this is why we are not only committed to ensuring that they enjoy good conditions of service, but to also ensuring that their entitlements are paid promptly when they retire.

    ”We are aware that some parastatals have not fully complied with the provisions of the State Pension Reform Laws in terms of regular remittances of contributions into employees’ Retirement Savings Account.

    ”This will not be tolerated by this administration as the resultant effect of non-conformity is that many will retire without any provision made for the payment of their terminal entitlements.

    ”We are also aware that we still have backlog of retirees who are yet to receive their entitlements, especially at Local Governments and SUBEB.

    ”This administration is a people-oriented government. We understand that you have spent the better part of your lives in service of this state and you deserve to live in peace and comfort in retirement, ” he said.

    Ambode said that the government would ensure that retirees get paid their terminal entitlements as and when due.

    Also speaking, Mrs Folashade Onanuga, Director-General, Lagos State Pension Board, said that the gesture was a continued testimony of the successful administration by the state government.

    Onanuga said that the government had taken the bull by the horn by first releasing the sum of N11 billion to immediately bring succour to those retirees on the waiting list.

    ”It is your right to live in comfort at retirement, having utilised the better part of your active lives serving the state government.

    ”Today, a total sum of N2.2 billion has been paid into the Retirement Savings Account of 658 retirees. The rest of the fund will be paid accordingly to systematically clear the outstanding pension shortfall.

    ”This, in essence, brings the total number of retirees under the Lagos State Government Pension Scheme to 7, 099, ” she said.

    Onanuga also urged retirees and beneficiaries to spend their money wisely.

    In her remarks, Mrs Grace Uzoro of the National Pension Commission said that pension scheme was aimed at putting smiles on the faces of those who had laboured to serve the country.

    Uzoro commended the Lagos State Government for being at the forefront of championing the scheme.

    According to her, Lagos State has made Nigeria proud as the government is a government of action in terms of retirees’ welfare.

    Uzoro urged other state governments to emulate Lagos State to ensure their employees retire with peace of mind.

    Mr. Leo Onayemi, who spoke on behalf of the retirees, said that the gesture was unexpected as most of them thought they would never get their entitlements.

    ”It is a great day for all of us. Gov. Ambode has not spent up to four months in office and he has been able to achieve this.

    ”We will continue to support him in every way for making us reap the fruit of our labour, ” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 658 retirees were presented with the Retirement Benefit Bond Certificates.

    It would be recalled that on Aug. 5, Governor Ambode directed that pension cash assets in the sum of N11billion be immediately deployed to offset pension liabilities in arrears since year 2010.

     

  • Ambode warns contractors on road projects

    Ambode warns contractors on road projects

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday warned contractors handling various state projects that the state would not accept anything that would make life difficult for the residents.

    The governor frowned at the slow pace of work on the reconstruction of some of the road projects.

    Speaking during a project inspection tour in Bariga, Alimosho and Oshodi, Ambode reiterated his determination to make life comfortable for the people.

    At Somolu/Bariga, he said the reconstruction of the road is so important due to its strategic location and link to other areas.

    He mandated the contractor to deliver the work before Christmas, adding that while the work is going on, the contractors should provide palliative measures for the residents so that they can live their normal lives.

    At Alimosho, the Governor, who described Alimosho as the most populous Local Government in Lagos, empathised with the people on the untold hardship being experienced daily by commuters and promised to ensure completion of on-going works on the road within the next three months.

    “In the course of my campaign, I came to this neighbourhood three times asking you to vote for me, I am back here to let you know that this road that is so important to the economy of this area, we would complete it within the next three months” he said.

    Ambode hailed the residents for their perseverance, assuring them that the deplorable condition of the road would soon be a thing of the past.

    “I want to appeal to all our people living here. The contractor is going to work day and night and also create palliative for you to be able to use the road while he is working,” he said.

    At Oshodi, Ambode, ordered immediate reconstruction of Brown Street, just as he told traders to immediately vacate the right of way to ease free flow of vehicular movement in the area.

    The Governor, who walked through the stretch of Brown Street, Oshodi, said the road is germane to economy of the area.

    “Nobody should trade on this road henceforth and stop spreading your market on the road. I have seen what you experience on daily basis, that is why I took it upon myself to walk through Brown Street and I can assure you that work would commence within the next seven days,”, Ambode said.

    The council’s Executive Secretary, Dawood Adeola Olajobi appealed to the governor to help work on some major roads that needs urgent attention.

    Olajobi thanked Ambode for coming to have a firsthand information about the condition of roads in Oshodi, saying that the gesture will go a long way to show that he is a listening Governor.

    He pledged the council’s cooperation towards sustainable economic growth of Oshodi.

  • Ambode’s quest for foreign direct investment laudable

    The quest for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode is part of the larger plan to make the Lagos megacity a functional one. Lagos State, with a projected population of over 21million people, is a destination of choice to majority of Nigerians.

    It is seen as a state of unlimited opportunities and as such movement of young adults to the state in search of greener pastures is a daily occurrence. The collapse of the economy, especially the closure of manufacturing industries over time due largely to the absence of power and unfavourable investment climate, has had adverse effects on the security of lives and property of the people.

    The first responsibility of the government, as we all know, is to ensure the security of its people and their welfare. The most paramount need of man is food and nothing is too much a sacrifice to put food on the table of the people. After that, secondary issues that are likely to arise from the decision taken or being contemplated can be addressed.

    The reception which Governor Ambode accorded the Walmart delegation and a promise to create enabling environment for their business was borne out of the zeal to seek job opportunities for our young men and women, literates and illiterates. There is no gainsaying that our youth have become vulnerable to being lured into various types of anti-social activities hitherto alien to our culture.

    From high-degree human and drug trafficking, prostitution both at home and abroad, kidnapping, armed robbery, cyber fraud and drug addiction to mention but a few, our country has become a fertile recruitment ground for terrorist organisations. As the popular saying goes, “an idle mind is a devil’s workshop”. This is a frontline problem that must be tackled headlong and a multifarious approach must be employed to achieve desired result.

    I hold this position against the background of the piece titled “As Ambode lusts after Wal-Mart” authored by Abimbola Adelakun and published in the Punch of Thursday August 13, 2015. The writer, to my mind, sought to advise the governor to “err on the side of caution”.

    Yes, good advice, we need to be circumspect and weigh all options properly so that we don’t further impoverish the people we sought to lift from poverty. However, some of the assertions or reasons adduced to buttress the seeming disadvantages are not the same with the conditions in the United States used as the country of comparison.

    To begin with, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Nigeria, Enrique FernandoArundell, might have told the late Mrs. Dora Akinyuli the home truth by saying that we should look inward and build our country rather than wait for others to do it for us. Statement of fact, but a Yoruba adage says “you can’t in face of starvation continue to say you won’t eat from the pot of your enemy when your friends have no food to offer you”.

    True, we have many stupendously rich Nigerians who stack their billions in foreign accounts or prefer to invest outside Nigeria for God knows why. But can we reasonably close our eyes to foreigners who have resources to invest in the country to create the much needed job opportunities and grow the economy just because some of our people refuse to invest in her? I don’t think so.

    Walmart may be a retail outfit like Shoprite but its investment in Nigeria can only be a blessing to the nation and the particular location at this crucial time. There are not many retail outlets in the format of these giants in Nigeria that may go under in the face of competition. Our trading activities still largely take place in the various local markets where the traders ply their trade in one or two commodities.  The patronage of supermarkets as we know them is largely by the elites and the middle class that form a minute sector of the population. The larger majority still prefer the local haggling system.

    The population of Lagos State stands it in good stead to host the world-renowned retail outlet as its population is well stratified such that all contending forces will consistently find their share of the market without posing threat to others. After all, with all the boutiques in the state, big and small, the Okrika (fairly used clothes) vendors still smile to the banks; the Gutter Ariyofabric market still booms despite the fact that large a group of the elite wear English dresses during the week.

    Those of us who know what StrabagYard, the place where Ikeja Mall is located today used to be will not agree that Walmart will be a disservice to Lagos. The Ikeja Mall is of world standard, the jobs created in the course of construction and those in the employment of the various organisations operating therein and the multiplier effect on the economy cannot be overemphasised. To have the likes of Walmart to compete with Shoprite can only make it more efficient and people- friendly.

    Of major interest is the fact that Walmart is just one of the many investors being wooed. Manufacturing industries that will return Lagos to the position of industrial hub of the nation, employ large number of people, boost creation and development of many Small and Medium Scale industries are the prime targets and will berth in good time to reverse the trend of our unemployment and the attendant negative consequences.

    • Ogundeji wrote in from Alausa-Ikeja, Lagos
  • Ambode terminates Falomo Shopping Centre contract

    Ambode terminates Falomo Shopping Centre contract

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday approved the termination of the concession granted by the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) to Afriland Properties for the redevelopment of the Falomo Shopping Centre, Ikoyi.

    In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, the Governor said that the decision was carried out based on a recent discovery that the concession was grossly detrimental to the interests of the people of the state.

    According to him, only N50million was paid by the concessionaire, Afriland Properties, for a 50-year lease of the property belonging to the government.

    He said the State Government as custodian of the interests of Lagosians is committed to the restructuring of the LSDPC to ensure it begins to provide positive capital returns to the State Government for the ultimate benefit of the people.

    It would be recalled that Governor Ambode two months ago, relieved former Managing Director of the LSDPC, Mr. Biodun Oki of his appointment, just as he appointed Mr. Jacob Agosu as Acting CEO of the Corporation, in a bid, according to the statement, to stem the tide of negative capital returns of the corporation.