IN the heat of the campaigns for the gubernatorial primaries of the APC, Lagos State, in 2015, I had no doubt that Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, who was endorsed by Senator Tinubu, would emerge and this came to pass.
I voted for Ambode during the April gubernatorial general elections for the simple reason that, when Tinubu preferred his then Chief of Staff, little known Babatunde Fashola, to other candidates in 2007, there was disquiet from many quarters because the ability of Fashola to perform was in doubt, but we later discovered that Senator Tinubu saw what the rest of us did not see in Fashola. The rest is history today. Fashola performed beyond the imagination of many Lagosians including cynics. In fact, Lagos State became a reference point of what good governance should be. So, when Akinwumi Ambode got the endorsement of Tinubu, I got a de javu feeling and I remembered that just like Fashola, another performer might have emerged.
Like many Lagos residents, I was a bit apprehensive in the first few months of Ambode in the saddle as everything seemed to be turning upside down in the state. In less than two weeks in office, about four major fire outbreaks caused by fuel tankers were recorded in different parts of Lagos State; there was upsurge in armed robbery, kidnapping and other sundry crimes. As if these were not enough, there was water shortage in the state for about one month due to a major fault in the equipment of the Lagos State Water Corporation and as the government was battling this, the gridlock in the state became horrific while traffic robbers had a field day. There were complaints in almost all sectors and Ambode received bashing left and right while he was accused of ineptitude and incompetence.
Like a workman ready with his tools, Ambode set to work and instead of being disillusioned with the myriad of problems and bashing, they became the tonic he needed to confront the problems head on. He gave succour to the victims of tanker fire incidents and took steps to prevent re-occurrence. He tackled the security problem of the state by purchasing and handing over security equipment worth N4.8 billion to the security agencies. These include, 100 4-Door Salon Cars, 55 Ford Ranger Pick-Ups, 10 Toyota Land Cruiser Pick-Ups, 15 BMW Power Bikes, 100 Power Bikes, Isuzu Trucks, three (3) Helicopters, two (2) Gun Boats, 15 Armoured Personnel Carriers, Revolving Lights, Siren and Public Address System, Vehicular Radio Communicators, Security Gadgets including Bullet Proof Vests, Helmets, Handcuffs, etc, Uniforms, Kits and Improved Insurance and Death Benefit Schemes for officers.
Ambode’s effort yielded immediate result as crime was reduced to the barest minimum. One robbery incident that Lagosian will never forget in a hurry is the Ikorodu bank robbery where the robbers escaped through the waterways with a speedboat but were apprehended few weeks after the incident. Similarly, the prompt and professional rescue of the abducted Ikorodu school girls six days after was unprecedented. The kidnappers were apprehended and the girls were unhurt. This drew a lot of applause from Nigerians home and abroad. He also adequately tackled the problem of cultism and land grabbing which had become menace to Lagos residents.
The traffic gridlock in the state was tackled with all seriousness with the governor himself apprehending traffic offenders. The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASMA) was overhauled and the officers re- orientated with a view to making the agency have a human face and at the same time, ensure free flow of traffic. Major stakeholders such as members of various transport unions were incorporated as members of the task force. Recently, mobile courts were inaugurated in the state to summarily try recalcitrant drivers and this has made the traffic situation in the state better.
Tackling the Apapa traffic bottleneck holistically, a task force was set up to ensure free flow of traffic while he personally monitored this. He called on the Federal government to mobilise the contractor awarded the Apapa road network to return to site.
Ambode, a civil servant of 27 years wasted no time in re-organising the civil service for more effective service delivery by realigning some ministries and scrapping others while appointing 19 new Permanent Secretaries.
In the area of Infrastructure, about 600 kilometres network of roads have either been rehabilitated or reconstructed across the 57 Local Council Development Areas including two new roads per LCDA under the Ambode road revolution. Under his “Operation Light Up Lagos State”, Ambode had rehabilitated and erected streetlights in 366 locations across the state while 37 rural communities around Seme border are to be electrified immediately.
In his bid to attract investors to the state and make it the foremost investors’ destination, he received the President of Namibia, Dr Hage Geingob the second day he was sworn in, whom he had fruitful discussions with about the desirability of Lagos State as investors’ destination. Since then, the Governor had met several groups of local and foreign investors including President of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, investors from Dubai, United States of America, as well as envoys from several European and Middle East countries. The government has received approximately $43 billion investment proposition in the last one year.
Lagosians should expect more stellar performance from the Ambode administration in the remaining three years more so, that Lagos has now joined the enviable league of Nigeria’s oil producing states.
• Akintude, a Public Affairs Analyst writes from Iyana Ipaja, Lagos.