ambode’s inaugural address

5/29/2015 AmbodesInauguralAddressPoliticsNigeria

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BEINGTHEINAUGURALADDRESSBYHISEXCELLENCY,MR.AKINWUNMIAMBODE,GOVERNOROFLAGOSSTATEONFRIDAY,MAY29,2015ATTAFAWABALEWASQUARE,LAGOS

PROTOCOL:

Today,IhavejustperformedthesacreddutyofoathtakingastheGovernorofLagosState.IthaspleasedGODthroughthegoodpeopleofLagosState,thatmydestinyasalittleboy,bornfromahumblebackground,onthe14thdayofJUNEtobecomethe14thGovernorofourgreatState,Lagosisbeingrealised.

2Iameternallygratefultoallofyou.ToallLagosians,theyoungandelderly,widows,physicallychallengedgirlsandboys,andespecially,thechildrenwhofollowedourmusicalcampaignwithvigourGodblessyouall.

3Permitmetoacknowledgeandappreciatespeciallyallthevotersthatvotedformeequallyappreciatethosethatdidnotandalsothepeoplethatdidnotexercisetheirfranchisetovoteatall.Weareallwinners.Oneoftheinstructivelessonsfromthislastpoliticalcampaignandelectionisforallpoliticiansnevertotakeourpeopleforgrantedagain.Iwould,morethaneverbeforetakeyou,thegoodpeopleofLagos,alongwithme,inthisjourneyofrenewedhopeandprosperityatalltimes.

4Myappreciationgoestoallourelderstatesmenandwomenincludingallourseniorcitizens.Toallourreligiousleaders,Isaythankyou.AllourMuslimleaders,ChristiansleadersandotherfaithsyourprayersforLagosStatedidnotgounanswered.

5Imustnotfailtoacknowledgeallourcivilsocietyorganisations.Thestudents,civilservants,labourunions,artisans,professionals,corporateLagos,thebusinesscommunity,thankyouverymuch.ToallLagosiansindiaspora,foreignresidentsandallotherstakeholdersthankyouforkeepingfaithinthepotentialgreatnessofourState.

6Fromthebottomofmyheart,Igreetallourtraditionalrulers,ourRoyalFathers,Kings,Chiefsandtheirwives.Ithankyouall,mostespecially,theChairmantheStateCouncilofObasandChiefs,HisRoyalMajesty,ObaRilwanAkiolu,ObaofLagos.Wepromisetocontinuetonurtureourtraditionalinstitutionsaspartofourheritage.

7ToourPartyLeadersandallmembersofourgreatparty,TheAllProgressivesCongress(APC)todaybelongstoyouall.OurelectedOfficers,thethreeDistinguishedSenators,HonourableMembersoftheHouseofRepresentativesandMembersoftheHouseofAssemblycongratulationsandthankyou.

8AndmyDeputyDr.IdiatOlurantiAdebule,thankyou.

9Tomyfamily,wordsarenotenoughMymother,whoisheretoday,thankyouforbeingaverycaringmothertome.Allmyuncles,brothersandsistersIappreciateyou.Tomylovelywife,Bolanle,thankyousomuchforyoursacrificesandperseverance.Godblessyoualways.My

5/29/2015 AmbodesInauguralAddressPoliticsNigeria

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children,friendsandlovedonesandsupportersIreallyappreciatetheenormityofsacrifices,pain,prayersandefforts.Iremaineternallygrateful.

10Lastly,IspeaktothetwopeoplethathaveshapedthehistoryofthisStateinthelastsixteen(16)years.

11Youarefocused,doggedandhardworking,youareavisionerparexcellence.Youareabridgebuilder.ToourleaderAsiwajuBolaAhmedTinubuyouhavelaidanenduringfoundationforwhatweareallbuildingontoday.WhenthehistoryofthepoliticaleconomyofNigeriaisbeingwritten,surelyitwouldbekindtoyou.Thankyousomuch.ToourDistinguishedSenator,(Mrs.)OluremiTinubuyoursupportandcommitmenttoourStateandtomepersonallyduringtheelectioniswellappreciated.

12TotheoutgoingGovernor,Mr.BabatundeRajiFashola(SAN),youhavefoughtthegoodfight.Youcame,yousaw,youconquered.Ihavebeenatclosequartersasastudent,youasmyteacherandmentor.OnbehalfofmyfamilyandothergoodpeopleofLagoswesaythankyou.Weappreciateyouandyourfamily.

13EVERYBODYCOUNTSAswecollectivelyfacethechallengetomakeLagosabetterplacetolivein,wemustrecognizeourstrengthindiversity.Acommonnationalidentitywhereeverybodycounts.Ishallrunanopengovernmentofinclusionthatwillnotleaveanyonebehind.Nomatteryourage,sex,tribeoranyotherStatus,aslongasyouresideinLagos,wewillmakeLagosworkforyou.

14THENIGERIANDREAMLagosiansarehardworkingpeople.Lagosisstrivingbecauseofitsundyingentrepreneurialspirit.Howeverwemustrealisethattherearenoshortcutstosuccess.Toouryouths,wemustnurturegoodfamilyvaluestosucceedinanyendeavour.Iwantouryoungeronesandchildrentodrawsomelessonsfrommystory.Anyoneofyoucanriseuptobethebestyouwanttobe.Yourbackgroundandcircumstancescannotbeanobstacletoyourdreams.Inourcountry,particularlyinLagos,youcanalwayssucceed.ThisistheNigeriandreamwherehardwork,courage,perseverance,persistence,meritandrewardspay.Wemustthereforeembracenewthinkingandbedeterminedtosucceedatalltimes.Iamreadytoencourageandnurturethatdreaminourchildren,youthsandeveryhardworkingLagosian.Wewouldrewardmerit,hardworkandloyaltytotheState.Thefutureisforthosewhodaretodreamandfindcouragetopursuetheirdreams.

15THEFUTUREISNOWWeareallwitnessestotheeconomicdownturnanddwindlingrevenuesatthenationalandstatelevels.Thepresenteconomicsituationhasaffectedthefinancialprofileofmoststatesinthecountry.Thestateisblessedthatthefoundationofitsfinancialautonomywasdesignedandimplementedbythatvisionerandourleader,AsiwajuBolaAhmedTinubu.Thus,thestatehasbeenpartiallyshieldedfromthenegativetrendflowingfromthefederallevel.Forustosustaintheprogressiveandradicaltransformationongoinginthestate,wehavetoredoubleoureffortsonallfrontsforourcommitmenttoexcellence.Whilewemustbecreativeand

5/29/2015 AmbodesInauguralAddressPoliticsNigeria

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innovativewearenotcitizensuntilwebecomeresponsibletaxpayers.IwanttoassureallofusthatIwillmakeyourtaxesworkforyou.Youwillsurelygetatransparentandincorruptiblegovernmentthatwillgiveyougoodvalueforyourtaxespaid.Creativityisthemostvaluableassetinanypublicinstitution.Progressivegovernmentsmustrewardcontributorsofgoodideas.Therefore,whereverpracticable,weshallpractisegovernmentbyincentivesandnotgovernmentbyenforcement.Weshallimplementcreativeideasandconceptsthatreducethecostofrunninggovernmentideasthatmakelifesimplerandhappierforourpeople.I,therefore,inviteyouall,tojoinhandswithme,tooffernewideasthatwillpullmoreresourcestocaterforthepoorandneedyamongstus.Thiswillbeacompassionategovernment.

16DEVELOPMENTPLAN(20122025)Inthespiritofcontinuity,IamcommittedtotheStateDevelopmentPlan(20122025).Theplanisstructuredunderfourpillars(1)SocialDevelopmentandSecurity(2)InfrastructuralDevelopment(3)EconomicDevelopmentand(4)SustainableEnvironment.ThechallengeswefacetodayasaState,aregoodenoughingredientstobringoutthebestofallofus.Together,weshallpushforwardandnotlookback,withourhandsfirmlyontheplough.Wewouldworkhardtotacklepoverty,ignoranceandsocialdecadenceinourState.

17PUBLICSECTORREFORMSAsweallknow,thebestpracticesofyesterdaymaynotbegoodenoughfortheproductsoftoday.Inthissense,weshallembarkoncontinuousreformsinthepublicservice.Iamdeterminedtodemonstratethatthegovernmentbelongstothecitizens.Youhaveputushereasservantstoserveyouandnotyouservingus.Todaywearecommittedtothatcreed.Movingforward,theCivilServicewillbestrengthenedandmadetorespondtotheneedsofallcitizensinthesamemanner,qualityservicesarerenderedintheprivatesector.Myadministrationispreparedtotakethedecisionsneededtopromotemeritandprofessionalism.Torestructurewhererequired,eliminatepoorHumanResourcepracticesandacceleratethepaceofreformsinthespiritofgoodgovernance.IwanttoassurethebusinesscommunityandcorporateLagosthattheeaseofdoingbusinessinLagoswillbeimproveduponearnestly.LagosisopenforgreaterbusinessTothisend,anewofficeofOverseasAffairsandInvestment(LAGOSGLOBAL)shallbecreatedundertheGovernorsOffice.WewantyoutoflyintoLagos,startyourbusiness,findyourwaylive,workandenjoyinLagos.Aspartofourreforms,anewMinistryofWealthCreationandEmploymentshallbeestablished.ThiswouldspecificallyaddressthepromiseImadeduringthecampaignonemploymenttrustfund,labourexchangeandentrepreneurship.Thisgoal,weshallpursuevigorously.Also,theOfficeofCivicEngagementshallbecreatedundertheDeputyGovernorsOfficetostrengthenandenhanceourpromiseongovernmentofinclusion.Everyonemusthaveavoiceinmyadministration.

18CONCLUSIONIhavethepoliticalwilltoengageinvestorsandstakeholdersincreatingtheenablingenvironmentfortourism,entertainmentandartsandiconicinfrastructureforthebenefitofall.Onceagain,IthankthegoodpeopleofLagosfortheconfidencereposedinourpartybothatthe

5/29/2015 AmbodesInauguralAddressPoliticsNigeria

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nationalandStatelevels.Weshallnotdisappointyou.Godblessyouall.20GodblessLagosStateGodblessNigeriaItesiwajuIpinleEkoOjemilogunOjewalogunEkoonibajeIpromise.Thankyou.