Can Ambode surpass Fashola’s feat in Lagos?
Two of Lagos’ most respected socio-cultural associations, the Yoruba Tennis Club and Island Club, played host to former governor Babatunde Fashola on Christmas Eve last year (2014). While at these two events, he canvassed votes for his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), most importantly, the Lagos State governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.
During his address at different times at the club houses at Onikan, Lagos Island, Fashola took time to explain that APC controlled Lagos State had done well in many areas of development, including environment cleaning and beautification, education, transportation, power, finance and security in spite of the precarious economic and security situation in the country.
In the area of education, for instance, Fashola expressed pride that citizens’ confidence in Lagos public schools had improved, noting that a poll conducted by the state government revealed that 53% of Lagosians preferred to have their children in state-owned primary schools as against 47%, while at the secondary school level, it was 69% for public schools against 31% for private schools. He added that in spite of widespread failure in the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Lagos had moved from 7% pass for students who obtained five credits at a sitting in 2007 to 45% in 2014.
Similarly, he explained that his administration succeeded in taming commercial bus drivers of the popular yellow buses that were fond of picking passengers anywhere on the road. He said the commercial bus drivers, including private car owners were now afraid of being caught if they drove on the segregated BRT lane on the highway.
Fashola also highlighted his achievement toward ensuring a safe and secure Lagos State. He explained the way Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) tackled insecurity head-on, noting that as at December 2014, a poll result on security showed that 77% of residents in the state attested to the fact that Lagos was secure, while 89% stated that crime and criminal activities had reduced drastically.
He attributed the success recorded in security to LSSTF that provided institutional capacity to keep the state controlled Rapid Response Squad (RRS) working.
Feeling elated as he addressed members of the two social clubs on what his administration was able to achieve on all sectors of Lagos economy between 2007 and 2015, Fashola said: “You’re all living witnesses of what we have built here. You’re the one who chose the change that you now experience in Lagos. Some people told you then that we are over-taxing you. But you have all seen the results of the taxes you paid.” As he marshalled his points of achievements, the audience was clapping for him repeatedly.
Fashola, therefore, reminded his audience of the need to ensure that the good work continued in Lagos after he might have left office. Thus, he urged Lagosians to vote for Akinwunmi Ambode.
He spoke glowingly about Ambode: “He comes to the table with a lot of experiences because he was part of the process that built what we have achieved. He understands how government works. He would not be learning on the job. You should elect him as my successor because he has the experience.”
Chairmen of one of the clubs, Prince Ademola Dada of Island Club described Fashola’s eight years of leadership in Lagos as very glorious and purposeful. He prayed and wished that Fashola’s successor should share his philosophy.
Meanwhile, Lagosians have voted Fashola’s successor, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. The general belief among Lagosians is that Ambode’s administration will be an off-shoot of Tinubu and Fashola’s administrations. So, the expectation is so high that people of Lagos believe that Ambode will hit the ground running on assuming office.
However, barely four months in office, many residents have started complaining about Governor Ambode’s administration. Pundits attribute the cause of the complaints to the serious traffic gridlock in Lagos metropolis as workers, businessmen and women, traders and job seekers spend hours on the road for a journey that should be less than 30 minutes.
Commercial bus drivers have thrown caution to the wind as they now drive against traffic (One Way) wherever there is gridlock on Lagos roads. Private car owners have joined the bandwagon.
Men of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) appear to have lost interest in doing their job due to Ambode’s policy of booking erring drivers instead of impounding their vehicles. Commercial bus drivers don’t fear LASTMA men any longer.
As it stands today in Lagos, traders have little respect for the officials of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) as insecurity is fast growing by the day. A case of bank robbery has been recorded. Land disputes have also resurfaced. One of the victims of this was the Managing Director of Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited, Alhaji Tajudeen Disu. Similar cases of land disputes that led to attacks on residents are rampant in Ikorodu, AmuwoOdofin and Badagry axis of the state.
Speaking on the current traffic situation in the metropolis and the recent armed robberies in the state, Mr Ajayi Dada, a resident of Ikorodu, said Governor Ambode should not be held responsible for all the challenges confronting the state at present.
“Don’t forget that the situation was even worse than what we are experiencing under Ambode as at when Fashola spent four months in office. The problem is, our people forget facts easily. Ambode will overcome these challenges by the time he would have spent a year in office,” Mr Dada noted.
However, the Lagos Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani said Lagosians should not expect any change from Governor Ambode.
“Under this government, it will be business as usual in the governance of the state. Resources and affairs of the state will continue to be guided by the former governor, their godfather,” he claimed.
However, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Ambode, Mr Habib Aruna, speaking in defence of his boss, said the Ambode administration has the will to tackle any challenge that confronts the state. He noted that the government had been working on many critical issues in the past for months.
“Lagos has over 3,000 roads, including the inner roads. In the past four months, he has spent N1.38 billion on road rehabilitation across the state. Work has started on Ejigbo-Ikotun road, Okota-Ago Palace Way, AyoboIpaja road to mention but a few. The governor has toured the metropolis to know where the bad roads are and we are working to ensure all roads in the state are taken care of and made motorable in not too distant time,” Mr Aruna explained.
The CPS added that Governor Ambode had laid the foundation for civil service reforms, re-engineered the finances of the state by saving about N3 billion and paid N11 billion pension arrears, including those of workers of the defunct Eko Today newspaper owned by the state government.
Mr Aruna stated that the Ambode administration was committed to prompt payment of workers’ salaries.
Reacting to people’s complaints regarding traffic congestion and robberies in some areas of the state in recent times, Governor Ambode clarified the directive to LASTMA officials not to impound vehicles, saying the order was aimed at bringing about civility in their operations. The governor added that the government was working to continue from where the previous administration stopped.
On the efforts to tackle criminal activities, he said government had concluded plans to procure three helicopters next month to enable security agencies stop criminal activities from the air and monitor gridlock to ease movement across the metropolis.
He also said that the government would also boost the operation of Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy on the waterways.
He also said out of the foreign direct investment in the country this year, 99.1 per cent came to Lagos, stressing that there was need for the people to appreciate the growing population in the state.
He added that the government gave out N1 billion for the provision of tables and chairs in schools.
He however, pleaded with Lagosians to work with his administration by supporting him to take Lagos to the next level. “I appeal that Lagosians should join hands with me; tolerate whatever it is that you are seeing and make sure that you also carry out your own civic obligations. Pay your taxes because it is the only way that Lagos can grow. We all need to work together to achieve a safer Lagos, a cleaner Lagos,and a more prosperous Lagos and that is what all of us are going to do,” he said.
Governor Ambode, who explained that his administration was being limited by the Appropriation Law of 2015, promised that more roads and projects would be accommodated in the 2016 budget. He pleaded for people’s understanding.