Expect new Lagos in four years, says Ambode

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode
| credits: rc1023.fm

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has promised to transform the state, saying within the four years of his administration, there will be remarkable change.

The governor spoke on Wednesday after a meeting with some local and foreign investors at the Lagos House, Ikeja, where the investors expressed readiness to partner with the state government on infrastructural development.

The meeting had directors and team leaders of top multinationals in attendance, including Julius Berger, JP Morgan, Wested Group and Contraco Nigeria, among others.

Ambode said the meeting was in line with his campaign promise to open the state for greater business, as well as create an enabling environment for investments to thrive.

He said, “These investors have actually taken keen interest in what has been happening in Lagos in the last six weeks.

“We have businessmen and investors who are interested in our infrastructure – water, health facilities and also power. Lagos is going to greater heights. These investors have shown commitment and they have promised that in the next four years, Lagos will be something totally different from what it used to be.

“We have looked at areas where we can partner together and areas where they can actually invest freely.”

The governor said the government had shown that Lagos had the capacity to become the hub of investment in Nigeria.

He assured investors of his commitment to ensure that they get return on their investments in the state.

“We want to grow the GDP of Lagos and create more jobs for our people and that is the step we have taken today,” the governor added.

The Director of Julius Berger, Mutiu Sunmonu, said the meeting would go a long way in defining the way the state government would boost the economy.

He said, “This interactive session has opened the way for further discussions such that we can actualise some of the projects that we have discussed today.”

The Senior Country Officer for JP Morgan in Nigeria, Oluwatosin Adewuyi, said the governor had bold and creative ideas, which would help the state.

Leader of the team of investors, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, said the state government and the investors would work to build a long term partnership that would be beneficial to the growth of the state.