Editor’s note: In tandem with the traditional
account for the first 100 days spent in office, the governors who were
sworn in on May 29, had marked this milestone in various ways. The
governor of Lagos state is one of those who are openly criticised
for not having been able to make any tangible achievements so far.
However, Akeem Soboyede, a public affairs commentator, who wrote on The
Punch, has in this opinion article enumerated what he feels are some of
the accomplishments of Akinwunmi Ambode, the Lagos boss.
Ambode literally hit the ground running on the issue of protecting
lives and property in the state that is unarguably Nigeria’s economic
nerve-centre and the most populous. The latter certainly make the
protection of lives and infrastructure a policy imperative in Lagos.
Barely weeks after his inauguration as governor, Ambode during a dinner organised by the Lagos state Security Trust Fund unveiled plans to strengthen the existing state anti-robbery squad, the rapid response squad, as well as create an integrated security and emergency control platform. Donations totaling over N1bn were received or pledged at this event, by corporate organisations in the state as well as security-conscious individuals.
One of such has been directed at resolving the near-perpetual traffic gridlock that has made the Apapa area of the state a dreaded destination for motorists. The main culprits in this regard are the petrol tanker drivers who swarm the area’s 57 tank farms at all periods of the day to load their products. Perpetual traffic quagmires have been the long-running legacy of this “loading” activity.
Soon after taking office, Ambode took efforts to ameliorate the scourge by establishing a task force to ensure drivers waiting to load petrol did not park their vehicles indiscriminately along the roads to the tank farms, thus impeding traffic. He also emphasised that the Lagos Road Traffic Law that prohibited such activity on the part of the drivers in the first place would be enforced to the letter.
Governor Ambode has not restricted his transportation initiatives only to the Apapa axis of the state. Within the first few weeks of being sworn into office, the governor embarked on inspection visits to many parts of the state, primarily to ascertain the state of the roads in those locations. Areas toured include those in the Ipaja, Mosan-Okunola, Oshodi-Isolo, Ikotun-Ejigbo and Somolu axis of the state. During his tour, the government also announced plans to rehabilitate roads that were in a deplorable state in those areas.
Ambode subsequently announced his decision to realign the ministry of rural development, parastatals monitoring office as well as political and legislative powers bureau. He also scrapped the office of the special adviser on taxation and revenue in the debt management office, while merging the office of works with the office of infrastructure, among other significant policy initiatives.
They cite his alleged move to obtain a N3.94bn loan from the World Bank. Beyond the vagueness of such claims, such critics clearly underrate Ambode’s capacity for fiscal discipline and management of resources. They are clearly not aware that while Ambode served as a senior civil servant in Lagos managing the state treasury office, he revolutionised how the state’s finances were raised, budgeted, managed and planned, all of which led to immense increases in the state’s receipts profile.
The critics, certainly, cannot deplore the humanitarian face and demeanor already deployed by the Ambode government in Lagos. The governor has used the instrumentality of his office to bring smiles of joy to individuals across the state. From the victims of horrific petrol tanker explosions to state residents in dire need of medical interventions, especially outside the shores of the country, Governor Ambode has not only brought succour to the masses, he has established the necessary machinery through the deft deployment of resources to ensure long term solutions to similar problems when they occur in the future.
Ambode has equally brought long-sought relief to retirees of various parastatals and agencies of the state; this past August, the governor approved the release of N11bn to offset arrears owed to these former civil servants since 2010, not only for those employed directly by the state government, but those employed by local governments and parastatals within the state.
Read the rest on The Punch.
TAGGED WITH:-
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode
Barely weeks after his inauguration as governor, Ambode during a dinner organised by the Lagos state Security Trust Fund unveiled plans to strengthen the existing state anti-robbery squad, the rapid response squad, as well as create an integrated security and emergency control platform. Donations totaling over N1bn were received or pledged at this event, by corporate organisations in the state as well as security-conscious individuals.
The move to stop Lagos traffic-jam
Ambode has equally focused on dispelling the myth of Lagos as a metropolis perpetually choked by slow-moving traffic, or the ubiquitous “go-slows”. Since coming into office, he has visited many areas of Lagos prone to traffic congestion, and announced initiatives aimed at reversing the trend.One of such has been directed at resolving the near-perpetual traffic gridlock that has made the Apapa area of the state a dreaded destination for motorists. The main culprits in this regard are the petrol tanker drivers who swarm the area’s 57 tank farms at all periods of the day to load their products. Perpetual traffic quagmires have been the long-running legacy of this “loading” activity.
Soon after taking office, Ambode took efforts to ameliorate the scourge by establishing a task force to ensure drivers waiting to load petrol did not park their vehicles indiscriminately along the roads to the tank farms, thus impeding traffic. He also emphasised that the Lagos Road Traffic Law that prohibited such activity on the part of the drivers in the first place would be enforced to the letter.
Governor Ambode has not restricted his transportation initiatives only to the Apapa axis of the state. Within the first few weeks of being sworn into office, the governor embarked on inspection visits to many parts of the state, primarily to ascertain the state of the roads in those locations. Areas toured include those in the Ipaja, Mosan-Okunola, Oshodi-Isolo, Ikotun-Ejigbo and Somolu axis of the state. During his tour, the government also announced plans to rehabilitate roads that were in a deplorable state in those areas.
Re-positioning the Lagos government
Shortly on assumption of office last May 29, the governor met with permanent secretaries in the state, wherein he revealed his plan to re-position the civil service, in order to make it more efficient and service-driven. Such a vision, according to Ambode, would involve the streamlining of some ministries, departments and agencies to cut the cost of governance in the state.Ambode subsequently announced his decision to realign the ministry of rural development, parastatals monitoring office as well as political and legislative powers bureau. He also scrapped the office of the special adviser on taxation and revenue in the debt management office, while merging the office of works with the office of infrastructure, among other significant policy initiatives.
Ambode and the critics
Not everyone in Lagos has exactly lauded Governor Ambode’s policies in these first 100 days of his administration. Certain critics, particularly those in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, have criticised what they see as the governor’s desire to borrow his way through the fiscal challenges of a vast metropolis like Lagos.They cite his alleged move to obtain a N3.94bn loan from the World Bank. Beyond the vagueness of such claims, such critics clearly underrate Ambode’s capacity for fiscal discipline and management of resources. They are clearly not aware that while Ambode served as a senior civil servant in Lagos managing the state treasury office, he revolutionised how the state’s finances were raised, budgeted, managed and planned, all of which led to immense increases in the state’s receipts profile.
The critics, certainly, cannot deplore the humanitarian face and demeanor already deployed by the Ambode government in Lagos. The governor has used the instrumentality of his office to bring smiles of joy to individuals across the state. From the victims of horrific petrol tanker explosions to state residents in dire need of medical interventions, especially outside the shores of the country, Governor Ambode has not only brought succour to the masses, he has established the necessary machinery through the deft deployment of resources to ensure long term solutions to similar problems when they occur in the future.
Ambode has equally brought long-sought relief to retirees of various parastatals and agencies of the state; this past August, the governor approved the release of N11bn to offset arrears owed to these former civil servants since 2010, not only for those employed directly by the state government, but those employed by local governments and parastatals within the state.
Read the rest on The Punch.
TAGGED WITH:-
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