Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, monday disclosed that his administration was waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute his cabinet to enable him take decision on his policy direction.
The governor added that the state received 99.1 per cent of the foreign
direct investments (FDIs) that came into the country between January
and October, which he said, catalysed the state’s growing population.
He disclosed this in a statement his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib
Aruna, signed monday, while explaining the government’s multi-pronged
approach to curbing the menace of gridlocks and insecurity in the state.
Aruna issued the statement from an Inspiration FM programme, Soni
Irabor Live (SIL), on which the governor featured, providing answers to a
wide range of questions coming through different social media
platforms.
As indicated in the statement, Ambode expressed concerns over the
challenges of electricity supply confronting the state, lamenting that
the capacity of independent power plants (IPPs) the state could bridge
the gap.
He also pointed out that the state government was waiting for President
Buhari to constitute the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to enable his
administration get the policy direction on power and other sectors.
He explained that the policies relating to power sector “are actually
in the hand of federal government. While the federal government is
trying to form its cabinet, we are at the state preparing for policy
direction in respect of power, tariff and everything in a way we will be
able to bring our investors to invest in power supply.
“The truth is that while trying to combine the issue that relates to
power supply from the federal government, Lagos State is waiting and
planning to see how we can solve power issues in the state together with
the central government. The policy direction will allow our investors
to be able to go into that area.”
The governor, thus, said the state government “is awaiting Buhari’s
cabinet, especially on the policy direction of the government on power
so as to know how to bring in investors,” though said his administration
“is looking at new ways of creating clusters of IPPs, where we can face
industrial zones.”
He cited the example of the Alaba International Market, noting that
the state government had developed a plan “to provide 50 megawatts for
the market. That is the kind of cluster what we are thinking of.”
He dwelt on what his administration had been doing to solve security
challenges in the state, revealing that his administration would procure
three helicopters next month “to enable security agencies tackle
criminal activities from the air as well assist in monitoring traffic
gridlock to ease movement across the metropolis.”
He said the police “are not directly reporting to us. We are only
complementing and supporting the state police command. As we speak
today, there are only 33,000 police officers in the state to watch over
20 million Lagos residents. Obviously, we will continue to support them
in terms of equipment.”
However, Ambode said his administration was committed “to using
technology to support security agencies. In three or four weeks, you
will some of those things we are talking about. I am happy private
sector is supporting use heavily.”
He explained the challenge of managing the state’s growing population,
which he said, was associated to the fact that Lagos “is the only state
that is actually working in the country now. Because from other states,
people are shifting towards Lagos State, believing that is where they
can be prosperous.”
Aside, the governor said his administration found out that more
foreigners “are in Lagos than ever before and the time is ripe for
Nigeria to thrive. When you look at commercial activities in Nigeria, it
is Lagos that drives. So, it is Lagos you have look into Lagos.
“Out of the foreign direct investments (FDIs) that came the country in the last few months, Lagos alone received over 95 percent. It is actually a plus. But for every opportunity, there are other challenges coming with it.
“We are believing we will create a very good balance to make sure that
Lagos becomes more thriving; that there is more commerce coming into
Lagos at the end of the day and that there are more job opportunities
for the younger ones who we have sworn into oath to protect,” the
governor said.
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