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Tag: Ambode

  • Ambode, Ayokunle, Chief Judge, others for IDDS

    Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode will next Saturday lead others Christians to the annual Inter-Denominational Divine Service (IDDS) of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Lagos chapter.

    The service, which holds at Shepherdhill Baptist Obanikoro by 10am, has as its theme humility in service.

    Lagos CAN chairman Apostle Alexander Bamgbola told reporters last Wednesday that the service will also attract CAN National President, Rev Dr Supo Ayokunle.

    Ayokunle, he said, will be the special guest preacher during the service where prayers would be offered for peace and progress of the state.

    Also expected at the service, according to Bamgbola are Wife of Lagos Governor, Bolanle and Chief Judge of the state Mrs. Opeyemi Oke.

    The CAN helmsman pointed out prayers have been sustaining Lagos State, saying the state even needs more prayers to remain on top.

    He appealed to Christians in the state to register and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to enable them vote for candidates of the choice in the 2019 general elections.

  • Ambode targets IAAF gold label award for Lagos city marathon

    Ambode targets IAAF gold label award for Lagos city marathon

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday said his administration has set a target to get the Lagos city marathon listed in the annual calendar of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) that would make the Marathon earn a Gold Label award within the next two years.    Governor Ambode, who spoke during an interview with Kwese TV, said it was gratifying that the Lagos City Marathon had, within three years, earned a Bronze Label rating, saying that the past two editions have put Lagos on the international map as the hub for sports development in Africa and that efforts are in top gear to make this year’s edition bigger and better.

    “For Lagos, this is an exciting moment for us. We believe strongly that we are the capital of sports in Nigeria and we need to showcase all the infrastructure and facilities that we have in Lagos and that’s why we have supported the Access Lagos City Marathon in the last three years and it is getting bigger and we are happy to be the host of this marathon.

    “For us, three years and we are able to get this bronze medal rating, that’s a remarkable achievement. The main goal is to have the Marathon in the main calendar for the gold award and in the next two years, I believe strongly that with the support of Lagos State and all the sponsors, we’ll get to where we ought to be. This year, we have over 100 elite athletes coming and we have almost over 20,000 people running. So in the next two to three years, I believe with that support, we would get to where we want to be,” the Governor said.

    The governor said his administration in the last two years has continued to invest heavily in sports, entertainment and hospitality, adding that this year’s edition of the Marathon was unique as it was the first 10km race that would put Nigerian athletes on the forefront and afford them to showcase their talents.

    “We are tired of foreigners, most especially Kenyans coming to win this Marathon. So, we need to develop our own part of this sport and allow Nigerians win it and it’s a veritable platform for Nigerians to showcase their talents and that’s why everybody is getting more interested in the Marathon.

    ”In the last two and half years, Lagos has actually progressed in terms of landscape and the aesthetics in the city we believe strongly that sports is part of that social facility that we can bring to bear to let people see what it is that is going on in Lagos. I’ve always said that I was going to do sports, entertainment and hospitality to create excellence in Lagos and also allow the youths to be able to see that there is a future for them and through this marathon we believe that we are achieving our vision to making sports that instrument for development in Nigeria and Nigerians have come to love what is happening in the City Marathon,” the Governor said.

    Dignitaries expected to grace the Lagos Access City Marathon include the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Minister of Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung; President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick; top diplomats, a-list artistes and celebrities, among others.

    Besides, Governor Ambode lauded the Nigeria’s bobsled team comprising the trio of Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere, Akuoma Omeoga and Simidele Adeagbo who would be making history to become the nation’s first women’s bobsled team at the 2018 Winter Olympics, saying it was a proud moment for all Nigerians.

    He also commended the performance of the home based Eagles in the recently concluded football tournament in Morocco, saying that they braced all odds to play in the finals.

  • Ambode signs seven ‘critical’ bills into Law

    Ambode signs seven ‘critical’ bills into Law

    THE Bill to guarantee 24-hour power supply in line with the vision to attain a non-stop economy and make the Lagos globally competitive was one of the seven bills signed into Law yesterday by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    It is the Lagos State Electric Power Reform Law.

    Also signed were: Amended Land Use Charge Law, School of Nursing Law, Cooperative College Law, Cancer Research Institute Law, Amended Customary Court Law and the Yoruba Language Preservation and Promotion Law.

    Speaking on the import of the new laws, the Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, said the laws would further take the dividends of democracy to the people.

    He said: “This is a great day; the governor has just signed these bills into law and this shows that the House of Assembly is working in tandem with the executive. It also shows that Lagos is working. These laws are going to benefit the people of Lagos State and this is what the people are looking for in terms of the dividends of democracy.”

    Giving details on the benefits of the Power Sector Reform Law, the Commissioner for Energy & Mineral Resources, Olawale Oluwo, said the law would allow the government to intervene in major areas of the power value chain to the overall benefit of Lagosians.

    Oluwo said: “One, the law puts the government in a position to be able to extend our guarantee to private sector participants who will come and generate power for us and by this guarantee, we are putting the balance sheet of our State on the table and assuring investors that as they generate power, they will get paid.

    “Second, it is to help the distribution companies to upgrade their infrastructure because if they generate the power and their infrastructure is still where it is today, clearly, they will not have the capacity to carry the incremental power.

    “The third area of intervention is that it empowers us to be able to open up the gas market in Lagos so that we can have gas on a consistent basis and that is how we can attain the 24-hour power supply.”

    The commissioner further said that the law would also enable the government to collaborate with the distribution companies to collect tariff from customers efficiently in a way that the said guarantee would not crystallize, while in the area of enforcement, the law will prevent power theft.

    He said: “What has happened today is that the first power theft law in Nigeria has been signed today by Governor Ambode and this is the first time any government in Nigeria will institutionalise the power theft law.

    “It criminalises power infraction. What we have seen before is that people tamper with and bypass meters and at the end of the day they are arrested and nothing happens but the new law provides for jail terms as well as fines and all sorts of forbearance such that if you tamper with electrical installations, if you import fake electrical materials into this State, you are liable to be prosecuted.”

    Also speaking on the other laws, Commissioner for Information & Strategy Kehinde Bamigbetan said the signing of the laws confirmed the governor’s commitment to institutionalise and enshrine good governance.

    Bangbetan said: “Among the bills is the Amended Customary Law which is very important because for a long time, the Customary Court system in the local government has been shut down because of the bill and with this revision.

    “The Customary Court in local government will spring back to life and that means that many of the activities in the council areas which require arbitration and dispute resolution which had been in abeyance so far will now come back in full stream.

    “Another one is the Yoruba Language Preservation & Promotion Law and for the first time it will become normal for you to be admitted into any of our tertiary institutions with a credit in Yoruba language and Yoruba will now become a major requirement for you to engage in normal business communication in Lagos State.

    “This is a clear and conscious commitment to the position which Lagos State prides Yoruba language as the cultural vehicle for us to be able to articulate our position and it also shows that Lagos has furthered recognised the importance of language as a vehicle for development.”

  • Ambode hailed over road

    Ambode hailed over road

    The Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Olusegun Onilude, has hailed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the people of Badagry, on the successful completion of Ajara-Agelasho-Poka-Erekiti road and bridge.

    Onilude the people of Badagry are pleased with the governor that their long awaited expectation has been met.

    He said: “We know that the work has been in stages so far. First, we had the initial stage and then this second phase was approved and finally, it has now been completed. We are happy and we are also pleased that we have lived to see this happening at our own time. As you can see during our site inspection, the two bridges have been done along with some roads. We hope the remaining uncompleted part of the road which extends into some of the communities, will be done by the state government.

    “We are happy that progress is being made and we look forward to the governor for the approval of work on the Third phase which will be the last.”

    He said the road many advantages for the people of Badagry.

    “It links our communities in Ajara, Agelasho, Itoun, Agbovipe, Erekiti, Iragon, Iragbo and Ikoga together. If I want to go Ikoga now, I can drive down there in minutes instead of merry-go-round journey through the expressway, which will take hours. As it is now, we save time and fuel especially at this trying economic period. The road also boosts our businesses as the farmers are now able to easily take their produce to various markets,” he said.

    Baale of Erekiti Chief Wahab Ashade said prior to the road project, the wooden bridge constructed was shaky.

  • Ambode receptive to tourism innovation, says Commissioner

    Ambode receptive to tourism innovation, says Commissioner

    Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has said the state is set to put together a 15-year tourism master plan alongside other innovations in the creative industry, hospitality management and the entire tourism value-chain development as well as drive up revenue.

    This was disclosed on Tuesday by Mr Steve Ayorinde, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture when the promoters of Tourism Innovation Development Advantage (TIDA) paid a courtesy call to his office to seek the support of the ministry for its forthcoming conference on virtual tourism marketing.

    The Commissioner affirmed the support of the Lagos State Government for the hosting of the 2018 ‘tida’ conference and the launch of virtual tourism device for tourism promotion in the State. The endorsement according to Mr Ayorinde is purely hinged on the fact that the innovation aligns with the administration of Governor Ambode in the use of technology to drive business and leisure visitors to Lagos State and further expand the market for the consumption of made in Lagos creative ideas, products and services.

    Speaking through its leader, Mr. Femi Lawson, the ‘tida team said the  choice of Lagos State for the launch of the device was borne out of recognition for the position Lagos State occupy as the emerging tourism hub of the nation and the large tourism market available for exploration in the State. He says ‘tida’ is set for development of ideas that will add value to tourism promotion through Tourism Insurance,   Infrastructural tourism and the virtual tourism device that will help to market Nigeria  tourism potentials domestically and help to increase traffic of international tourists into the country.

    In his welcome remark, Mr. Ayorinde said that the 2016 hospitality income index reflect a gross increase as a result of the various entertainment events and show especially the eight day One Lagos Fiesta (OLF) of which the economic benefits cut across institutions in the creative and entertainment sector. He said the State is aligning with the virtual tourism technology to communicate to Lagosians the experience and the fun available locally rather than go overseas.

    On the proposed release of Lagos Tourism Event Calendar, Mr. Ayorinde said the idea is to help tourists plan their movement around the major tourism events that will happen in Lagos in 2018. Business and leisure travelers with the aid of the event calendar can explore the beauty of Lagos and take away something memorable during their visits.

    He said prior to the release of the Lagos State Tourism Master Plan, the ministry will convey a tourism summit for operators in   the tourism space to share ideas and collaborate to achieve a private driven Lagos master plan which will provide the template for any government to work with. As part of the reengineering to be introduced in the new plan the State government is looking at the possibility of setting up a Tourism Promotion Council to regulate and drive tourism affairs in the State.

    Present at the meeting are the Special Adviser to the Governor on Arts and Culture, Mrs. Aramide Giwanson, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Fola Adeyemi and the Director, Tourism Promotion, Mrs. Oni Adama.

  • Ambode praised over elevation of 3 obas

    The member representing Badagry 11 State Constituency at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Setonji David has described the elevation of three Baales to the status of Obas in Ajara, Badagry Central as unprecedented in the history of Badagry traditional institution. He also said the action has redressed 50 years injustice in the communities.

    David, who was reacting to the elevation of the three Obas in a chat with reporters in his office at the Assembly Complex on Thurrsday, pointed out that the three Obas fall within his constituency.

    The lawmaker said the struggle to elevate the traditional rulers has been on for over 50 years, adding that he is overjoyed because “this is happening in my time as their representative in the Assembly.”

    The three traditional rulers who were elevated to the status of oba recently by the state government are Aholu Tha-zunnoh Toyon 1 of Ajara Vetho Kingdom, Aholu Whento 1 of Ajara Topa Kingdom and Aholu Agano Toniyon Jeyin 1 of Ajara Agamathen Kingdom.

    David assured that this recognition by the Lagos State government was of great social significance to his people.

    “The obas and other traditional rulers embody the fundamental values of the people; they are the custodians of the mores, customs, belief systems, and values of the people. Consequently, the people look up to them for direction in virtually all matters that affect their society,” David said, adding that “such honour done to the rulers is honour done to all the people of the communities”.

    While noting that the people of Ajara Vetho, especially, had appeared before various chieftaincy tribunals over their agitation for an Oba dating back to the 1970s, David said the new titles would go a long way to further assure the people of government’s commitment to ensuring equity and justice for all.

    “I am short of words to describe the fullness of joy I experienced when I heard the good news,” adding that the same goes for his people.

    “On behalf of Ajara in particular and Badagry in general, our heartfelt appreciation goes to Governor Ambode and all who supported our aspiration through the long tortuous journey,” David said.

    He enjoined the obas to live up to the expectation of the people, even as he said they should be role models to ensure the people look up to them always.

    According to him, the whole of Ajara group did not have an oba before this development.

    “Of all the administrative groups that make up Old Egun-Awori District Council, which includes Badagry, only Ajara was left behind in this regard; thus the elevation represents a major redress of chieftaincy matters in Ajara’s interest,” he said.

  • ‘Ambode has surpassed expectations of Lagosians’

    ‘Ambode has surpassed expectations of Lagosians’

    Adeniyi Adekunle is a public affairs analyst. He is also the President of Achievers Archive, a non-governmental organisation involved in youth empowerment, training and entrepreneurship. Adekunle fielded questions from reporters recently on the sidelines of a conference in Lagos. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI was there.

    How would you assess Lagos State in the last two and half years?

    Lagos State is evolving into a wonderful state, because of the rate it is being transformed under Governor Akinwumi Ambode. In fact, it would soon become the Dubai of Africa. I’m not a politician and I’m apolitical, but I’m an advocate of good governance. Sincerely speaking, Ambode’s performance in the last two and half years has been stellar. He has surprised everybody. You know there were initial doubts by some people, as to whether Ambode would be able to step or fit into the shoes of his predecessor. But, see how God works, Ambode has been performing brilliantly and the positive touch of his administration is being felt in every sector in Lagos State. Those initial doubting Thomases and other skeptics have now been forced to eat their words. Many of them are now showering encomiums on him.

    Why were people initially skeptical about Ambode?

    Ambode is not your archetypal politician and his name did not ring a bell then. But all along, he has been an accomplished professional – a chartered accountant who has distinguished himself in public service. Ambode rose to become the Lagos State Accountant-General before he retired from public service, but many people did not know him then, because he was not in active politics. But, what many people don’t know is that even while in public service, Ambode excelled. It was the period when he was the Accountant-General of Lagos State that former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was in office then withheld monthly statutory allocation to the state, following the creation of 37 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) by the Bola Tinubu administration. When that action was taken by Obasanjo, the belief by many was that Lagos State would be starved of funds and the Tinubu administration would be brought to its knees. During this critical period it was Ambode that God used to rescue Lagos State; as he was able to use his wealth of experience to increase the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR). This enabled the Tinubu administration to remain on course and for three years or more that Obasanjo refused to release the allocation, it was the IGR that the government depended on to survive. I believe that a man that deserves credit should not be denied his due; the success of the Tinubu administration cannot be divorced from Ambode’s ingenuity. This is why it didn’t come as a surprise to me when Ambode was announced as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). I knew that he would transform Lagos State beyond expectations. Truly, since he became governor of the state, he has proved his mettle. He hit the ground running and Lagos State has been better for it. It is only those who didn’t know about Ambode’s pedigree that initially doubted his ability to deliver. Today, Lagos State has been a success story under Ambode. But, I also believe that kudos should be given to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for discovering Ambode.

    It is believed that other state governors and even the Federal Government have one or two to learn from Ambode’s governance style…

    I believe they have a lot to learn from his style of administration, because Ambode has clearly shown that you do not have to be a politician of 30, 40 years experience before you can get it right. Look at how the man has been doing a lot of things at the same time. New roads with fly-over bridges have been constructed in Abule-Egba and other places. A lot of projects are ongoing: look at the new BRT lanes from Abule-Egba to Oshodi. If you get to Ikeja, especially at night, you will think you are in New York City. Also take a trip to Oshodi; a lot of construction works ongoing there. Soon, Oshodi will be transformed into Disneyworld of Nigeria. However, one thing I admire in all these is that projects that are being currently undertaken by Lagos State government are of high standard, because they are being handled by reputable foreign and local contractors. You know there was a time that some of our leaders believe and trust only foreign firms for any construction work. Ambode is not one of such; his administration has been giving jobs to local contractors and they too in turn have been living up to expectation. With new projects and contracts going on in different parts of the state, Ambode has been creating job opportunities for the unemployed. He has been helping to tackle the problem of unemployment. I believe other state governors and even the Federal Government should emulate him.

    Which areas would you like the administration to accord top priority this year?

    Power is the key to everything. Efforts should be made to ensure that there is stable and steady supply of electricity. There was a time Lagos State government was even talking about Independent Power Projects (IPP). It is a good idea which I will want Governor Ambode to pursue to a logical conclusion. I will also like the Federal Government to make efforts to increase power generation. Look at a country like South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia where stable and electricity is being generated, all their industries are working, and their economy is vibrant. If there is steady power supply in Nigeria today a lot of things that have been moribund will come back to life. If there is steady power supply, industries will function optimally and in the process job opportunities will be created. Not only that, small-scale entrepreneurs like hairdressers, welders and barbers will have work to do. Steady power supply will engineer rapid socio-economic transformation of the country. I implore all stakeholders to do everything possible to ensure that in the coming year 2018 that steady power supply would become a reality.

  • Ambode allays Ojo community’s fear on demolition of houses

    Ambode allays Ojo community’s fear on demolition of houses

    THE Lagos State Government will not demolish the houses of trespassers on its university’s land, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said yesterday.

    Ambode gave the assurance during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the government between the Lagos State University (LASU)  and the affected communities.

    Represented by his deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, the governor said his administration would continue to protect the public interest.

    The governor noted that though it was painful that the  landlords were deceived by the omo onile,  his administration would resolve the matter amicably in the interest of both parties.

    “Despite that available document on the land clearly indicated that it belongs to the government, many landlords have encroached on it through the deceit of omo oniles, government will not demolish your houses, rather we will go for amicable resolution,’’ Ambode said.

    He said the White Paper on the matter would soon be released by the  land bureau.

    The community’s demands, he said,  would be taken into consideration before decision is taken on the matter.

    Baale of Igbo Elerin,  Alhaji Aina Taofeek, who spoke on behalf of the landlords, urged the government to consider their economic condition in determining what to pay for the land.

    He also requested:

    that every discussion should be between them and the government not LASU; and that they would abide only by the government’s policy on the matter.

    LASU Vice Chancellor Prof Olanrewaju Fagbohun said the meeting was  scheduled to find amicable solution to the problem.

  • Ambode to new Exco members: give Lagos your best

    Ambode to new Exco members: give Lagos your best

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday urged five new members of the State Executive Council (Exco) to give their best in serving the residents.

    The new Exco members are: Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Hakeem Fahm; Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Ladi Lawanson; Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Segun Banjo; Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives and Industry, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye and the Special Adviser on Communities and Communications, Mr. Hakeem Sulaiman.

    The governor, who spoke at the swearing-in of the new Exco members at Alausa in Ikeja, the state capital, said they were appointed for their track records, expertise and experience.

    He urged them to inject new ideas into reinvigorating and re-energising government machinery for the overall benefit of the people.

    Ambode noted that one of the immediate tasks of the new Exco members is to key into his administration’s mandate to complete ongoing projects and activate new ones to make life better and comfortable for Lagos residents.

    He said: “As you settle down to your new assignments, I demand nothing but the best from you. Your immediate task, as you hit the ground running, is to quickly bring yourselves up to speed with the mandate of your Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and key into the immediate priority for this year, which is the completion of all ongoing projects.

    “This, however, does not preclude the initiation of new projects that are considered highly essential and critical to the general well-being of our people.”

    The governor urged the new appointees to note that his administration had enjoyed the goodwill of the people, adding that everything must be done to sustain the goodwill by upholding the policy of inclusion and implementing programmes and projects which would positively and directly impact on the livelihood of the residents.

    According to him, making Lagos work for all is a 24-hour job which requires selfless service, hard work, dedication and an uncompromising focus on the improvement of lives of the residents.

    This, he said, necessitated the vision of his administration from inception to build a clean, safe and prosperous state guided by the rule of law as well as a globally competitive smart City.

    Ambode said: “As simple as it sounds, this is a tough task. But I am happy to state here that the job has been made uncomplicated because we have the best team working together to achieve this vision.

    “Today, we are delighted to welcome on board the newly sworn-in members of the State Executive Council.

    “You are joining a winning team of committed professionals and politicians who have been working round the clock for the past 32 months to make Lagos functional, efficient and a haven for business, tourism, entertainment and sports.”

    The governor thanked former Exco members for their service and contribution to the achievements his administration had recorded.

    He expressed appreciation to the House of Assembly for ensuring due diligence and speedy confirmation of the new appointees.

    On behalf of the appointees, Oladunjoye thanked the governor for finding them worthy to serve his administration.

    The commissioner assured the governor that the new Exco members would key into the vision and mission of the government and contribute their quota to move Lagos forward.

  • ‘Ambode is God-sent’

    ‘Ambode is God-sent’

    Hon. Mustain Tobun is a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly. He represents Epe Constituency 1 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He is the Chairman, House Committee on Works and Infrastructure. In this interview with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE, he speaks on the various projects being executed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and why the governor deserves a second term. 

    How will you assess Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s performance in the area of infrastructural developments?

    Let me begin by saying Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is a God-sent leader. God indeed sent him to Lagos State to come and serve as a public officer and bail us out of infrastructural deficiencies that we have been witnessing over a period of time. He is somebody who has a mission, vision and a set target to deliver on everything he has promised Lagosians during his electioneering campaign. Ambode is a leader who is interested in doing projects that will impact positively and add value to the lives of the people wherever they may be. Whether you are in the village or city, as long as you are residing in Lagos, you will feel the impact of Ambode’s government. One of the success story of this government is prompt, quality and optimal service delivery where projects are concerned. The governor will always ensure that any contractor given a job must not only do a satisfactory job, but must also deliver on time. Also, he runs a government of inclusion whereby the opinion of the people and their leaders are sought before any project is embarked upon. So, as the  Chairman of the House Committee on Works and Infrastructure, I make bold to say that the governor has done excellently well in the area of infrastructure. In the last two and half years, he has touched every nook and cranny of Lagos State. If you visit all the 57 local governments and LCDAs today, you will see the presence of Ambode there. In him, I see a governor who is hungry for development and ready to do  a lot even with the little resources at his disposal. I believe by the time he completes his tenure, there is no area in Lagos that will be considered as being backward in terms of infrastructural developments.

    You are from Epe where the governor also comes from. Some critics have argued that though the governor has really done a lot in terms of infrastructural developments, most of his projects are concentrated in Epe. What is your take on that?

    That is not true! Those saying that are being economical with the truth. First and foremost, Epe has been neglected since independence. Since 1967 when Lagos became a colony, it’s like Epe has been abandoned. As one of the divisional headquarters, it is expected that what Governor Ambode is currently doing should have been done long ago.  Just imagine a situation where we are just having a trunk A road.  I think what Governor Ambode is doing is to ensure that there is even developments across the state. He doesn’t want a situation where one area is relegated while others enjoy government’s presence. The governor has done well for us in Epe and we are eternally grateful to him. He has opened up our community, making it to become a centre of attraction and at the same time allowing the residents to enjoy dividends of democracy. He has taken us from an agrarian community to a modern city. As the Chairman of the Committee on Works and Infrastructure, I can authoritatively tell you that the governor is doing wonders in other parts of the state. If you go to Alimosho axis, look at Aboru Link Bridge, about eight adjoining roads were developed. If you talk of Abule Egba, you will definitely see the flyover which everyone is commending the governor for. That is not Epe and there is no flyover in Epe as we speak. If you go to Ajah, you will see the beautification, expansion of roads and so on from Abraham Adesanya to Eleko junction. That is not Epe.  See what is going on in Kosofe today. There is no BRT in Epe today. Look at the bus terminals everywhere. He has developed one in Ikeja which is a beautiful edifice. There is also another one in Oshodi. There is no bus terminal in Epe.  Abule- Egba to Oshodi BRT lane is ongoing, Pen Cinema Flyover Bridge is also ongoing. He constructed pedestrian bridges across the state, especially in Ojota, Ojodu  Berger, Fadeyi, even in Alimosho axis, we have four in that axis alone.  We have not gotten one pedestrian bridge in Epe. Go to Ikorodu in Isawo and Igbogbo roads, monumental projects are going on there. He gave two roads each to the 57 local governments and LCDAs.

    How will you rate him in terms of security?

    You can see that crime rate has greatly reduced.  There is no part of the world that is crime-free, not even in Western countries with their advanced and sophisticated technologies. Here in Lagos, the governor has come up with different initiatives which have turned the minds of youths away from crime. Look at the One Lagos Fiesta. Many youths had the opportunity to  showcase their talents. Also, a lot of petty traders made money. Highway robbery has reduced reasonably and people can now move about freely. The governor has invested a lot in security. He has judiciously maximised the Security Trust Fund, equipped the Police, Task Force  and Rapid Response Squad (RRS). Look at the way the Badoo menace in Ikorodu was swiftly curbed.

    There is no hiding place for criminals in Lagos again under the Ambode government.

    Does he deserve a second term?

    Second term in office for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is sacrosanct. There is no question about that. If you go to the streets of Lagos now, what you will hear is ‘Ambo Leekan si’ (Ambo one more time). You see it is unusual. We have less than a year to the submission of the party’s flagbearer for governorship election, nobody has been bold enough to come out both within and outside of APC and say I want to contest as the governor of Lagos.