AMBODE’S QUIET REVOLUTION (1)

The Lagos State Government is delivering on its promise, writes Taiwo Ogundipe

Politicians are generally known to make hyperbolic promises while on the campaign trail. And while in office and are not meeting the expectations of the electorate, they explain their failures away in effusions of platitude. Some state governors have been known to react with impunity to the protestations of their workers in the civil service or in government agencies who are owed many months of salaries. That remarkably has not been the lot of the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode. The consensus has been that he is largely delivering on all he promised during the electioneering campaign.

He set that tone right from the day of his inauguration as governor. The governor, after inspecting the parade of guard mounted by members of the Nigeria Police Force, said, “As we collectively face the challenge to make Lagos a better place to live in, we must recognise our strength in diversity. A common national identity where everybody counts. I shall run an open government of inclusion that will not leave anyone behind. No matter your age, sex, tribe or any other status, as long as you reside in Lagos, we will make Lagos work for you”, adding: “I want to assure all of us that I will make your taxes work for you. You will surely get a transparent and incorruptible government that will give you good value for your taxes paid. We shall embark on continuous reforms in the public service. I am determined to demonstrate that the government belongs to the citizens. You have put us here as servants to serve you and not you serving us. Today we are committed to that creed. Moving forward, the civil service will be strengthened and made to respond to the needs of all citizens in the same manner, quality services are rendered in the private sector.”

The highpoint of the inaugural speech which reportedly attracted ovation from the crowd was the announcement of the creation of a new ministry and two offices. According to Ambode, “I want to assure the business community and corporate Lagos that the ease of doing business in Lagos will be improved upon earnestly. Lagos is open for greater business. To this end, a new Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment (LAGOS GLOBAL) shall be created under the Governor’s Office.

“We want you to fly into Lagos, start your business, find your way, live, work and enjoy in Lagos. As part of our reforms, a new Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment shall be established. This will specifically address the promise I made during the campaign on employment trust fund, labour exchange and entrepreneurship. This goal, we shall pursue vigorously.” Living up to the fulfilment of this promise, the governor created the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment vide an executive order dated June 17, 2015 as part of the creation, abolition and re-alignment of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the state government. The vision statement of the new ministry reads: “To be an enabling institution that creates sustainable wealth for Lagos citizens.” The mission statement declares: “To promote and sustain entrepreneurship and employment through effective use of wealth creation strategies and resources by collaborating with all stakeholders.” The core values fashioned for the ministry includes integrity, responsiveness, accountability, strong leadership, and innovation.

During his inaugural address, Governor Ambode had also said that he would fulfil his campaign promise of establishing an Employment Trust

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FUND WILL NOT BE MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES BUT BY THE NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES CREATED, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED AND THE OVERALL MULTIPLIER EFFECTS ON THE STATE ECONOMY WITHIN A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME

Fund. On Tuesday, January 5, 2016, he assented to the Employment Trust Fund Law. Thereafter, in line with the provisions of the law, the chairman and the executive secretary were duly cleared by the State House of Assembly.

During the ceremony of assenting to the law, the governor said, “This Fund is a turning point in the responsiveness of government to the yearnings of our youth and unemployed people. Beyond the fact that this was a campaign promise, it is a paradigm shift in engaging our youths. We must realise that the era of white collar jobs is gone forever.” He added: “The Employment Trust Fund is an instrument to galvanise the creative and innovative energies of all Lagosians. For clarity, the Employment Trust Fund will only be available to Lagosians and residents of Lagos State. I urge all Lagosians especially our young entrepreneurs and artisans to embrace this opportunity. The process of accessing the fund must be transparent, and beneficiaries will be chosen only on the strength and quality of their applications. The management of this fund will be guided by global best practices and strict adherence to the rules and procedures spelt out in the law.”

The governor then disclosed that his government would commit N6.25 billion every year within the four years of this administration to a total of N25 billion. He said, “Realising that the first year of this administration is just three months away, precisely on May 29, 2016, the Commissioner for Finance is hereby directed to transfer the sum of N6.25 billion to the Employment Trust Fund immediately, today.”

Governor Ambode, however, noted, “The effectiveness of this initiative will not be measured by the number of beneficiaries but by the number of successful businesses created, the number of employment opportunities offered and the overall multiplier effects on the state economy within a reasonable period of time. Lagos deserves nothing short of this.”

He concluded, “I charge the chairman and members of the Employment Trust Fund to hit the ground running and ensure that Lagosians feel their presence immediately. Every senatorial zone of the state must feel the positive impact of the fund. The board must ensure that the distribution of the fund is evenly spread across the state. I urge individuals, corporate organisations and multi-lateral agencies to join our efforts in turning around the fortunes of our youths and thereby energise the state economy and by our actions, the Nigerian economy as a whole.” The governor gave assurance that the fund will be distributed through a credible and transparent process. Ambode, who stressed that the ETF Board had credible and experienced Nigerians, gave the assurance that the entire process of accessing the fund had been designed to be “credible, transparent, accountable and not discriminate on account of gender, religion, physical ability or disability, political affiliation and socio-economic background.” The Chairperson of the ETF Board, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru, said the country must create about 1.5 million jobs quarterly to keep the number of unemployed people flat. To achieve the goal, she said there was the need for effective collaboration between government and the private sector to come up with solutions. Okaru, who lamented that many Nigerians were spending time to acquire certificates of no value, said people must be encouraged to come up with innovative solutions to problems. Ogundipe wrote from Lagos