Governor Ambode’s Reform Promise

In line with his promise to carry out all-inclusive reforms for efficient public service and sustainable development, the Lagos State governor realigned some ministries and agencies last week in order to cut the cost of governance and curtail the effect o

About a fortnight after he resumed office, the Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, dissolved all boards of the state government’s agencies and parastatals. The decision was conveyed in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello. It also signalled the beginning of comprehensive reforms, which the governor promised just after he took the oath of office on May 29. The dissolution took immediate effect.

Setting the Record Straight

Contrary to what was reported in the news media, the state government did not dismiss the administrative heads of the agencies and parastatals, whose boards were dissolved. Rather, the administrative heads, who were not affected, were to continue the day-to-day running of the affected establishments.

However, the boards of four strategic institutions were utterly exempted from the dissolution, which according to reports, affected about 76 parastatals and agencies. The institutions, whose boards were not affected, include Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Lagos State Judicial Service Commission, and Lagos State House of Assembly Commission.

Before the boards were finally dissolved, their administrative heads – the directors-general, executive secretaries, general managers, and the managing directors – gave status reports of their activities and functions one after the other, starting from June 1, the day the governor officially resumed duty with his deputy, Dr. Oluranti Adebule

Apparently, the reports covered the period the administrative heads had been serving at the helms of the different agencies and parastatals and provided Ambode and his team the true status of the agencies and parastatals, which some officials said would give basic critical information on the direction the reform programme would take.

Reform

Besides the dissolution of the boards, Ambode kicked off the process of his reform programme a day after his inauguration. He started with a meeting with the body of permanent secretaries in the state, sharing his vision for a greater Lagos with them. Subsequently, he had a meeting with all the law enforcement agencies in the state, thereby setting the tone for people-driven governance.

Expectedly, the decision to reform the state public sector for optimal performance had stoked criticism in some quarters. Some critics of the dissolution argued that the decision obviously contravened Ambode’s commitment to ensure continuity in government. Others argued that no administration ever dissolved all boards of agencies at a time.

However, Ambode has, perhaps, seen some indices of stark socio-economic realities, which his critics have not really taken into consideration or objectively analysed. These realities might, apparently, have explained why Ambode’s reform programme “has earned the support of public servants in the state” and justified why the service “need be repositioned for common goods.”

For some public servants in particular, Ambode’s decision to decision to dissolve the board was welcome due to what many of them described as the impelling need to reform and restructure the public service for effective service delivery. Aside, it elicited a high degree of public approval, which some civil rights activists said was essential if Ambode “must realise his vision for greater Lagos.”

But findings obviously showed that the realities in government functionaries and structures “have necessitated the need for the Ambode administration to embark on public sector reforms and dissolve the boards of parastatals and agencies,” which they believed, should be restructured and streamlined to meet the need of a new Lagos.

From the findings, three critical trends in the state public service informed Ambode’s decision to embark on the on-going reforms and restructuring. First, there are permanent secretaries, directors and heads of parastatals and agencies, who have been at the helms for over one decade. A principal officer in the State Public Service said the trend contravened a circular by the Federal Civil Service that no officer “should serve more than eight years in such strategic offices.”

Second, the state public service is over-bloated already, thus, creating a culture of redundancy and impinging on the productivity of the public servants generally. Another principal officer confirmed that there “are a lot of permanent secretaries, directors and heads, who have spent long time on the same position. This trend is clogging the wheel of effective service delivery because it has rendered so many people redundant.”

Third, the new administration came at a critical time in the history of Nigeria, which Ambode himself acknowledged at his inauguration, called for the need to cut the cost of government meaningfully. The principal officer said although the state still generated almost 60 per cent of its revenue internally, its federal allocation had dropped by at least 40 per cent, which creates a significant shortfall that might undermine public service.

He, therefore, said it was imperative “to cut the cost of governance because it is a stark reality for a peopleoriented government. It is even more imperative now that allocations from the Federation Account have dropped significantly and about 18 states of the federation owe salaries ranging from three to nine months.”

At this instance, the principal officer argued that the federating units “are becoming unduly vulnerable by the day. But reversing the trend requires workable measures,” which the new administration has started in order to forestall all forms of socio-economic eventualities and protect the state from facing grimmer future.”

Support

Ambode’s reform programme has already earned the support of civil rights and civil society communities across the state. A civil rights activist, Mr. Nelson Ekujimi, dismissed the criticisms of Ambode’s reform programme from a section of the state. Ekujimi argued that reforming the public sector “is indeed critical at this time for different reasons.” He said Ambode had approached it the right way.

Ekujimi’s first grounds for supporting the public sector reforms relates to the economic downturn all the states of the federation are currently facing. He observed that Lagos “is perhaps the only state that is not really affected now due to how the administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has expanded the state’s tax net.”

Ekujimi said the fact that the past administrations revolutionised the state’s internally generated revenue “does not mean the state is utterly immune from the future economic adversity if proactive measures are not taken. But the good news is that the new administration has recognised this need and started working to protect the state against any form of future eventualities.”

Second, Ekujimi cited the imperatives of building a team, which he said, would believe in and perfectly fit into Ambode’s vision for a megacity status of Lagos State. He observed that what “is important is how the new helmsman will fulfil at least 80 per cent of his electoral promises.”

Ekujimi also believes the reform would facilitate a culture of rendering public service different from the approach the administration of former Governor Babatunde Fashola adopted. He said Fashola’s administration enacted and enforced legislations with little or no human face. Ekujimi, however, admitted that effective law enforcement “is key to achieving good governance, but must be approached with a human face.”

Ekujimi acknowledged the centrality of human face in law enforcement, which he said, should “form the priority of Ambode’s administration. This requires bringing in those who share Ambode’s vision. It also requires bringing those who breathe fresh air in the state public service. It is necessary because fresh inputs and ideas are critical to making a difference in governance or in government. And the new administration has started right.”

The argument of Programme Officer of Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Mr. Segun Balogun, attested to the imperatives of Ambode’s reform programme. He argued that every act “stipulates the tenure of office for board members, which is usually four years. Though this is renewable subject to governor’s prerogative.”

He said the reforms should be seen as a welcome development, as part of Ambode’s effort “to rejig the

Ambode

public service. It will allow Ambode the bird’s eye assessment of all the agencies without any bureaucratic obstruction. It will also allow the governor to infuse the corporate attitude that he expects into the system before appointing new board members or reappointing suitable previous members.”

He explained that the dissolution of the boards should not be seen in isolation, but rather part of a bigger plan to refocus and reform the public service. He added that the governor had met with all law enforcement agencies in the state, which he said, was much needed since previous administrations focussed on infrastructure renewal.

Balogun justified Ambode’s drive to develop public service capacity on the grounds that the public sector “is central to service delivery. Now is the time for public service to take its rightful place in the scheme of administration of Lagos State and visionary public servants should strategically key into Ambode’s reforms programme.”

Ambode’s Pronouncements

An examination of Ambode’s inaugural speech revealed a lot of reforms he had put in place to carry out immediately he assumed office. He made some cogent pronouncements, which he said, were a clear expression of his administration’s strong political will to carry out major reforms required to build a virile public service, promote inclusive governance, and ensure sustainable development.

Ambode declared that the best practices of yesterday “may not be good enough for the products of today.” This pronouncement does not suggest that Fashola did not pursue critical reforms during his term. However, Ambode only defined his interest “to embark on continuous reforms in the state’s public service.”

Evidently, Ambode pointed out three key elements of the reforms he planned in the next four years. First, he said his plan to carry out reforms “is not to make life difficult for people. Rather, it is designed to make public service effective and efficient.” Second, his reforms were built on the exigency of cutting the cost of governance, which he said, would be pursued given the country’s prevailing realities. Lastly, he said it was to bring the public service to the centre of service delivery in governance.

He, thus, said his administration “shall embark on continuous reforms in the public service. I am determined to demonstrate that the government belongs to the citizens.” He assured that his administration “is committed to that creed.” Aside, the governor said the civil service “will be strengthened to respond to the needs of all citizens in the same manner, quality services are rendered in the private sector. My administration is prepared to take the decisions needed to promote merit and professionalism.”

Ambode said his administration would restructure where required; eliminate poor human resource practices, and accelerate the pace of reforms in the spirit of good governance just “to meet the needs and aspiration of Lagos publics.”