Akinwunmi Ambode, the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, has promised to hinge his plans for the continuation of rapid economic development in Lagos State on four pillars. According to the University of Lagos trained former accountant general of Lagos, the blueprint of his economic agenda will be anchored on economic development, infrastructural development; social development and security as well as sustainable development and environment.
In a statement signed by his director of media and communications, Steve Ayorinde, Ambode’s four-pronged approach to sustainable economic development was unveiled to a rich array of captains of industry, entrepreneurs and corporate players at an event tagged ‘An Evening with Akinwunmi Ambode’, which held on Friday at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos. The statement quoted Ambode as saying that under his economic development pillar, “We will create jobs, provide skill-based trainings, pursue investment relentlessly, embark on innovations and new technologies, broaden the economy, and pursue the Project T.H.ESE.” Project THESE is Ambode’s innovative approach to harnessing the potential in tourism, hospitality, entertainment/arts and sports to achieve excellence in job creation and social development.
Under his infrastructural development pillar, Ambode, a Fulbright scholar with specialty in public finance management, said: “We will seek to provide reliable power and energy, integrated transportation system, including tapping into the potentials inherent in our waterways.” He added that his social development and security pillar will ensure the provision of good and quality education as well as to improve on provision of technical and vocational skills to shore up the labour gaps in the market.
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“We shall deliver a first- class health system, as well as secure the lives and property of all Lagosians,” he stated. On his sustainability and environment pillar, Ambode said he plans to combat erosion and flooding and undertake effective and efficient solid waste management across the state.
At the occasion which had several bank managers, retired chief justices, serving commissioners in Lagos State as well as a number of former governorship aspirants under APC in Lagos State, Ambode reiterated his reasons for seeking to be the next governor of Lagos State, adding that if Lagos is the business centre of Nigeria, the guests at the event, without any doubt, are the major players in its economy.
Ambode said it was important for the corporate sector and the public to understand his career trajectory in order to appreciate the reason why he is more than qualified and better prepared to succeed Governor Babatunde Fashola come May 29 this year.
“I started my career at the Lagos State Waste Disposal Board, an important agency of government. I also worked as treasurer in several local governments where I developed a deep understanding of how government works at the grass- roots level.”
