RE-AMBODE, LAGOS IS ‘SPOILING’ AGAIN

Tayo Ogunbiyi

In a democracy, the government is accountable to the people, to whom it owes its existence. It is on this ground that the Ambode administration renders quarterly account of its stewardship to the people. Since democracy is primarily about the people, it is imperative that the people be consistently informed about how their mandate is being utilized. However, no matter how transparent, accessible and well intentioned a government is, for various reasons and interests, it still has to contend with opposing views from time to time. This, of course, is the beauty of democracy.

It is from this perspective that one views a recent piece titled: ‘Re-Ambode, Lagos is ‘spoiling’ again’, written by Ms. Ajekigbe and published in The Punch newspaper of Tuesday, October 13, 2015. It is important to shed some light on some of the issues raised in the piece in order to set the records straight and further enlighten as well as educate both the author and other members of the public.

To start with, it is observable that Ms Ajekigbe isn’t really abreast with the steady strides of the Ambode administration within such a short time. This, perhaps, explains why she incorrectly affirms that “while the average Nigerian can be said to be upbeat about definite strides at the federal level especially in areas such as power generation, in the oil sector, and the fight against corruption, the same cannot be said of developments in Lagos State under the leadership of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode”. In order to properly educate Ajekigbe and, indeed, the larger public about the steady strides of the Ambode administration, it is pertinent to highlight some of the recent activities of the administration.
In the health sector, for instance, within its first 100 days in office, the administration procured and commissioned 20 Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) Ambulances and 26 Transport Ambulances. Similarly, the administration has begun homegrown cochlear implant surgery, under a special programme dedicated to restoring the hearing ability of those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Cochlear implantation is a hearing device implanted into a deaf patient’s ear through surgery, thus helping to convert sounds into impulses which enable the patient to hear. A 64-year-old man has already undergone the surgery successfully.
Part of the vision of the Ambode administration is to make Lagos State operate a 24-hour economy. This could only be properly realised in a secured and safer environment. Consequently, the governor is working with other key stakeholders to improve security in the state. In his first 100 days in office, Governor Ambode met with individuals and corporate organisations that made commitments in cash and kind towards advancing a safer Lagos. At the event, over one billion naira was realised as cash donations from various corporate organisations and individuals while others made commitments to provide other vital technical support.
Consequently, 10 brand new Hilux vehicles and 15 motorbikes were handed over to the Lagos State Police Command as part of the state government’s commitment to ensure a secure and investor-friendly state. Likewise, 100 new power bikes, 10 armoured tanks and a helicopter have been acquired by the state government to reinforce the security of the state. This is in addition to the purchase of 100 new squad cars for a new initiative tagged Special Operation Service (SOS), which will harmonize community policing in partnership with the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
Traffic situation in the state is likewise receiving vital attention. In his first week in office, Ambode embarked on an on-the-spot assessment of major traffic spots across the state. It is the belief of the governor that several man hours being lost to traffic gridlock, if properly tackled, could translate into economic boost for the state. Indeed, during his visit to Berger Bus Stop, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, he reiterated his administration’s commitment to providing solutions to the traffic jam in the state just as he approved the construction of a Pedestrian Bridge at Berger Bus Stop. He has equally set up a task force to ensure 24-hour surveillance of traffic flow in the state.
In furtherance of efforts to ease traffic in the state, the Ambode administration has improved the condition of 128 roads across the state. These include Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Mangoro-Cement-Dopemu under bridge axis, Epe-Ijebu-Ode road, Odumola-Poka/College road junction axis, Ado road, Ajah, Obalende bridge descent inward NIPOST, Lekki-Epe expressway, Elemoro-Abijo axis, Billings Way, Oregun, Ashabi Cole street, Alausa, Abdul Quadri Adebiyi street, Magodo Ph II among others. This is in addition to on-going efforts to restore the Ejigbo-Ikotun road as well as Brown road in Oshodi.
The education sector is also receiving commensurate attention from the state government. In a bid to improve primary education in the state, Governor Ambode has approved the recruitment of 1300 teachers into all public primary schools across the state. Being the foundation of education at all levels, the Ambode administration is poised to strengthen the quality of the Universal Basic Education UBE) programme in Lagos State to give pupils a solid and sound academic foundation. The exercise is equally expected to achieve a balanced workforce of teachers in public primary schools in the state.
Retirees of the state government are not exempt from the Ambode touch. Recently, on the order of Ambode, the sum of N11bn was released to pay off pension liabilities owed the mainstream retirees and the retirees in Local Government Areas since 2010. The development is part of efforts to find a holistic solution to the issue of payment of pension entitlements to retirees under the pay-as-you-go pension scheme which was discontinued in April 2007, as well as outstanding accrued pension rights due to retirees under the contributory pension scheme. Additionally, pension funds are now being disbursed to ministries, departments, agencies and parastatals, including local government areas and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), on a monthly basis. The process commenced about two months ago. This intervention is going a long way in ameliorating the suffering of retirees in the state.
As part of the effort to build a solid economy and ensure proper accountability and transparency in all government accrued revenues, Ambode has approved the operation of Treasury Single Account (TSA) effective from September 1, 2015. The decision was taken to address the challenges posed by the operation of multiple account system. The operation of a single account also encourages tax payers to request for a single account before making their payments.

Similarly, the civil service, which oils the machinery of government, has been restructured for tactical re-positioning. Some MDAs have been re-aligned while new ones have been created to align with the vision of the administration. Similarly, government agencies with rented office accommodation are back in the secretariat. The goal is to cut the cost of governance as almost a billion naira is to be saved annually through this initiative. Currently, the state government saves N3 billion monthly through this process.
It is important to stress that, in as much as it is good to always put the government on its toes, it, however, smacks of hypocrisy for Ajekigbe to submit that Lagos is speedily retrogressing in the last four months. It is a submission that has no empirical basis. In spite of Ajekigbe’s illogical presupposition, Lagosians can be assured of continued prompt response to their needs by the Ambode administration, with creativity and vigour. That is what the people voted for. And that is what the administration is poised to accomplish.

—Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.