Election year won’t slow down governance in Lagos – Ambode

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, on Thursday allayed the fears in some quarters that the electioneering activities in 2018 might slow down the tempo of infrastructural development being witnessed across the State, assuring that his administration will complete all ongoing projects and implement new ones.   


Speaking at the opening session of a three-day retreat for members of the State Executive Council, Body of Permanent Secretaries and heads of government agencies and parastatals held at Jubilee Chalet, Epe, Governor Ambode said rather than allow campaign activities to relegate governance, the State Government would stay focused on plans and programmes for the people and ensure that steady progress was achieved.

The Governor said though a lot had been achieved with the active support and collaboration of the participants at the retreat since his assumption of office, a lot more still needed to be done to ensure continuous prosperity of the State and residents. 

He said, “Clearly, we have recorded some modest successes and consolidated on the status of our State as one of the foremost commercial and social hubs in sub Saharan Africa. We are gradually changing the face of Lagos through our aggressive infrastructural development, urban regeneration and sectoral reforms.

“All the development indices, both local and international, reflect the fact that we are making steady progress with very bright outlook for the foreseeable future. This progress is not the result of only one person’s efforts. It was not achieved by only Akinwunmi Ambode. It was achieved by all of us in this room with the cooperation of many others outside. And for this, I commend each and every one of you for your diligence and contribution to the progress made thus far.

“However, there is still a lot more to be done. I hear people saying that this is an election year and that governance will slow down but let me assure you that in this State, we will stay focused on our plans and programmes and ensure steady progress is achieved,” Governor Ambode said.

Alluding to the fact that the theme of the retreat – “Effective Strategic Planning For An Emerging Smart City,” was carefully selected, Governor Ambode charged participants to start thinking of the next level even as his administration was making efforts to complete all on-going projects, just as he said that the retreat was designed to take stock of past achievements and brainstorm on the challenges ahead.