New Ideas Birth at Lagos Exco Retreat
Driven by the need to fast-track the development of Lagos State, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode recently unfolded new ideas at a four-day retreat for members of his cabinet held at Golden Tulip Hotel to address the challenges of the state. Femi Ogbonnikan repo
Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre is virtually home to all. On a daily basis, massive migration into the state from across Nigeria and some neighbouring countries is recorded. While some of these migrants come in for the purpose of business, others come in search of the Golden Fleece. Despite the 2006 National Population Census, which put the population of Lagos to about nine million, recent statistics has shown that the state is currently home to over 20 million persons, citizens and foreigners, inclusive and is likely to increase in the coming months. This trend of migration into the city state has on the one hand, put pressure on the infrastructure and on the other hand, poses some form of security and development concerns, especially with no unified data base of those who reside in the state.
For the government of the day, this is one major challenge before it. In the last five months, when the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode came on board, especially from the ‘Ember’ months, the state has witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly. From two bank robberies, to series of reported traffic robberies to cult clashes and pockets of civil unrest, the state government has its work cut out.
But Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is not oblivious of the growing concern of the people of the state on the increase in traffic gridlock and the gradual return of street urchins, popularly called area boys, who are gradually taking to harassing motorists in traffic and robbing unsuspecting citizens of their possession.
Hence, one week after the governor swore in his 37-man cabinet, he put together a 4-day retreat, with them as well was the body of permanent secretaries and heads of some parastatals and agencies to share his vision for the next three and a half years and the need for them to key into the master plan to take Lagos one step forward.
At the opening session of the retreat held at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Festac Town, Governor Ambode’s opening remarks set the tone for what eventually turned out to be a rich session of cross-pollination of ideas, solutions and strategies. The Governor took time to acknowledge the concerns of residents as regards the security and traffic situations in recent times and steps currently being taken to address the issues.
“I’m deeply concerned about the issues that Lagosians are sending back to me and the issues range from security, traffic gridlock and the environment itself. But again just as we are looking at the immediate solutions to them, there are medium term solutions that Lagosians will see in the next few weeks that we will roll out.
“We have declared zero tolerance on potholes and we are deploying more men to ensure free flow of traffic. As we are now in the ‘Ember’ months, I just want to appeal to Lagosians to be more vigilant, and
cooperate with us in all the measures we will be carrying out,” Ambode said.
However, the current challenges, according to Ambode, would not in any way limit the government from forging ahead with the Lagos State Development Plan 2012-2025. He took time to highlight key components of the Development Plan. The first pillar of the plan hinges on economic development, and that it is fundamentally about wealth creation through employment for the people.
The second pillar, he said, harps on infrastructure development. By this, the government is expected to make money available for long term investment in transportation, power, housing and water.
“We will work with the private sector to achieve these and set out to
complete the Blue Line light rail, improve our bus network and make better use of our water assets for transport purposes.”
The third pillar, according to Ambode is social development, promising that his administration would invest in the people by ensuring that their health, education and security are not compromised.
The fourth pillar, Ambode said is sustainable development. “We must always bear in mind the future, such that our children can live and prosper here despite the growth in population that we can expect in the future. Our planning must take into account the generation of pollution that comes with economic growth and the vulnerability of a low-lying coastal region like Lagos to changes in climate and flooding.
“There is always a need to balance the short term solutions to our problems with creating solutions that will stand the test of time. So, when you go into smaller groups to think in more detail about the way ahead – please ensure you bear in mind that all our problems are moving targets.
“We have come a long way already but have a long journey ahead. We will in these next three and a half years take many great steps together towards the creation of that model mega city – a leader not just in this continent but one that competes with the best in the world.”
The first presentation after Ambode’s remarks was by a former Minister of Economic Development in the Bahamas, Hon. Zhivargo Laing, who in drawing examples with his experience as a former minster in the Bahamas, said it is the responsibility of the Executive to promote peace, justice and make citizens know that they have a say in the government.
Speaking on the theme: “Leading For Change,” he urged the participants to be accountable, responsible, make quality decisions and work in unity to make Lagos work for all.
“If Lagos can achieve its dream, not just Africa will see it, the world will know. You must size up this moment and seize it because you cannot do anything later about this moment. You must explain your decisions. Any leader, who wants to be liked by everyone may soon be unliked by everyone. The best you can do is to make the best decision you can make,” Laing counseled.
At the various breakout and brainstorm sessions, several issues were discussed particularly relating to road infrastructure and traffic gridlock, transportation and insecurity. Participants took time to examine the challenges and then proceeded to rub minds on the way forward as well as the best possible steps to address them. If the opening session was thought provoking, the closing session was reassuring.
The presentation of the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who took time to present a situation report of policing the state in the last five months and pockets of criminal activities, also answered some questions bothering the minds of participants as it relates to security of lives and property.
He said the Police was becoming the victims in attempting to implement the Road Traffic Law with civility. This he said will be difficult as recalcitrant drivers and motorcycle operators will continue to remain defiant. Owoseni, however, thanked Ambode for his support to the police in the last five months, expressing optimism that more collaborative efforts between the government and the police will help outrun the competition of armed robberies and other nefarious activities that threaten the peace and security of the citizenry.
Ambode, while responding, urged the State Police Command to step up their surveillance in the state and come up with new strategies to tackle the wave of criminal activities in the state. He pledged the support of the state government towards effective policing of the state, saying the resources ploughed into securing the state must reflect in the reduction of criminal activities.
“We’re not yet where we want to be. We have only just 33,000 policemen in Lagos for a population of over 20 million. Again, we don’t have control over these police officers. We need to let the Commissioner of Police leave this retreat believing that the Police need to own their own business just the way we have told ourselves that we want to own the business of governance. We need to see some things change, there has to be some form of paradigm shift, we want to see our police officers patrol in convoy between 12 midnight and 4am.
“There should be presence. We want to show presence, security agencies must also show presence. We need to enforce, we want to see patrol vehicles moving; we don’t want to see stationery police men. They don’t have to stay in the vehicle; we want to see something different from what it used to be in the past.
“It’s still the same style, but people must see improvement on it. That’s why we on our own part have gone out of our budget limits, using our resources from the Security Trust Fund, to say, yes, it might not be within our budget, but we would spend money to support the Police because if the state is safe, the economy will thrive,” he said.
Ambode also charged his team to take the lessons learnt from the retreat and make a commitment to implement them in their various ministries, departments and agencies so as to better the lot of the people of the state. He said the resolutions reached at the retreat will be brought before the weekly State Executive Council meeting to ensure that they are implemented to the letter.
“Let us see ourselves as a team. Let us own our business, show presence, speak out, go out there and win for Lagos State,” he said.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, who was saddled with the responsibility of briefing newsmen on the resolutions reached at the retreat, said the participants agreed that the Police in conjunction with the state government would come up with a holistic and joint approach to tackle traffic, robberies, cultism, street-trading and menace of area boys in the state.
“Participants agreed to proffer immediate, short and long term solutions towards unlocking traffic gridlock on major roads, highways and streets in Lagos. They also agreed on the need to deploy appropriate cutting edge technologies to improve revenue generation.
“Participants urged the citizenry to embrace voluntary compliance to Government Policies, Laws and Regulations, i.e payment of taxes, environmental and traffic regulations. Participants pledged to support the commitment of government to humane and civilised approach to public service delivery and enforcement of laws in the state,” Ayorinde said.
Without any doubt, expectations of Lagosians are at an all-time high. But with the swearing-in and retreats done and dusted, what is left is for Ambode and his team to roll up their sleeves, hit the streets and implement the resolutions that is primed to take the state a notch up.
But Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is not oblivious of the growing concern of the people of the state on the increase in traffic gridlock and the gradual return of street urchins, popularly called area boys, who are gradually taking to harassing motorists in traffic and robbing unsuspecting citizens of their possession