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Last week, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State inaugurated the Neighborhood Safety Corps and also commissioned roads and bridges in a move to improve security in the state and ease the pains of commuters. Samuel Ajayi writes
Accolades without Barriers…
Nathaniel Ajayi, a resident of Abesan, a sleepy community in northern part of Lagos, did not mince words in going down memory lane:
“I was born in 1993 here in Abesan, I had always dreamt that one day the kind of development I see in Victoria Island, Lekki and Ikeja will take place here. Today our governor has made my dream come true.”
Nathaniel was speaking at the inauguration of the link bridge at Abesan to ease transportation headaches in that area. Young Nathaniel can now feel that those infrastructures that he thought were hitherto exclusive preserves of Victoria Island and Ikoyi are now in his neighbourhood.
Before him, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s political leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, had praised his protégé. His words:
“Akinwunmi Ambode has reflected that he is clearly a thinker and doer. I want to say thank you because experience is a great teacher and I am experienced. I am on the spot and I have watched things in Lagos since my tenure ended. I was worried hell when you (Ambode) took over, not about your credibility, character or capacity, but because however wise or smart a man is, if there is no resources to back the ideas, production would be zero, progress would be zero. When you (Ambode) took over, I know you inherited a burden of debt. The debt profile of Lagos was high, I was wondering how you will re-engineer and face the challenges to make progress. Today, I can see your report card, you have scored well, and you have shown prudency especially in the judicious use of resources of the state. You didn’t disappoint us. Ambode is silently achieving, meticulously planning, religiously executing and brilliantly giving results for Lagos State.
The difference in the statuses of Nathaniel and Tinubu shows that the impact of Ambode as a governor cuts across social and economic boundaries. And that was why these adulations came in a week when Ambode was busy commissioning projects and inaugurating some bodies. On March 27 this year, Ambode launched the rebranded Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps to ensure security of lives and property in all the communities in the state and two days later, on 29th March to be precise, he inaugurated various road projects and bridges in the hitherto forgotten Aboru and Abesan communities.
At the official launch of the rebranding of Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps held at Agege Stadium, a total of 177 Salon cars and vehicles equipped with necessary communication gadgets, 377 motorcycles, 377 helmets, 4,000 bicycles, metal detectors for ensuring that illegal weapons are not smuggled into public places, among other operational equipment were handed over to the Corps by Ambode.
Ambode said the move was another giant step towards enhancing security all over the State and a vital part of the ongoing efforts of his administration to reform the security and justice sector.
The governor who had on August 15, last year, assented to the law that created the Neighbourhood Safety Corps said the Corps had been designed to provide a second layer of policing in order to ensure that the State and communities are more secure.
He acknowledged the fact that the Nigerian Police had been very supportive to the state government especially in fighting crime, but that the need for the Neighbourhood Corps arose from the identified security challenges confronting the state due to huge population, adding that the members of the Corps would complement police especially in areas of community policing.
“Let me, however, make it abundantly clear that the Neighbourhood Safety Corps is not in any way in competition with the regular Police Force. In actual fact, they are expected to assist and complement the Police by providing useful intelligence for crime prevention and to facilitate the arrest of perpetrators of criminal activities in our communities,” Ambode said.
He said special hotlines have also been created direct to the Executive Secretary and senior management of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency for easy communication with communities in the event of any crime.
“Any valuable information given to the Corps will attract handsome rewards from the state government. I therefore call on all Lagosians to join hands with us to say a final NO to crime in our state. All these equipment have been made possible through the judicious use of tax payers’ money and funds from the State Lottery Fund for good causes. Please continue to pay your taxes for a better Lagos,” Ambode admonished.
The governor, however, charged the Corps not to indulge in brutalising citizens, but that they should exercise lot of restraint, patience, understanding and maturity while carrying out their duties.
Ambode said in order to further strengthen security, a new executive bill to regulate employment of domestic workers and security guards would soon be forwarded to the state House of Assembly, explaining that the bill, among others, will prescribe regulations for the set of workers and other details to monitor their activities.
The governor also handed over four vans fitted with Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTVs) to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the State Police Command.
A Lease of Life for Abesan and Aboru…
Just two days after this event, Ambode moved to Aboru and Abesan communities in Alimosho Local Government. Here, he commissioned brand new roads and bridge built by the administration.
Popularly referred to as Tinubu’s country, Alimosho was further electrified on the fateful day as they received the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to commission the projects to mark his 65th birthday.
It was a political carnival-like atmosphere as Tinubu, alongside other eminent Nigerians, graced the occasion. These include Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; former governor of the state, Senator Isiaka Adeleke; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Idiat Adebule; former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Chief Femi Pedro; Senator representing Lagos West at the upper legislative chamber, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola; Senator Ibrahim Kazaure from Jigawa State; Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Mudashiru Obasa; members of the Lagos State Executive Council, lawmakers and other political big wigs.
Ambode recalled his visit to the Aboru area in March 2016, saying that aside the state of the road which was totally unacceptable, there were reports of series of deaths and fatal accidents caused by the presence of a valley, adding that he immediately directed that work should commence in the area.
“Exactly one year after, we are here to keep our promise to the good people of Aboru, Abesan and other communities and reaffirm our commitment that no community or area will be left behind. Every Lagosian counts. We are a government of inclusion.”
He said the 480 metres bridge linking Aboru to Abesan, both in the Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council of Alimosho Local Government Area would significantly ease the burden of travel between the two communities by reducing travel time and eliminating the risks associated with its non-existence.
Ambode said aside the bridge, additional adjoining inner roads to create an efficient road network that will aid connectivity permanently were also constructed.
He listed the roads to include Church Street, Giwa Street, Victor Fagbemi Road, Ogunfayo Road, Ogundare Street, Salami Kazeem, all totalling 5.5km with drainage, walkways and street lights, adding that the road network would ease the pressure on the Abeokuta Expressway and links residents with Iyana Ipaja, LASU-Iba Expressway.
Another Round of Road Projects…
Ambode also flagged off the turning of sod for the construction of a network of roads within the boundaries of Lagos and Ogun States, saying that it was in honour of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he described as the brain behind the 21st century Lagos.
These roads include Ikola Road with Odo Obasanjo Bridge: 6.4km (from Ipaja/Command to Ilo River); Ogunseye Road which is1.75km (from Ajasa/Command to Ikola Road);Oko Filling Road which is1.5km (from AIT to Ilo River); Osenatu Ilo road which is 620m (from Ibari Road to Ilo River); Amikanle road which is 3.1km (from AIT to Ogunseye Road); Aina Aladi road which is1.9km (from AIT to Ilo River) and Aiyetoro Road with a bridge which is 1.4km (from New Market/Ishefun Road intersection to Ilo River).
He, however, appealed to the residents of the communities to cooperate with the contractors so as to enable them deliver the network of roads not later than the scheduled completion date.
A ‘Birthday Present’ for the Leader…
And since the occasion fell on a day after the 65th birthday of the National Leader of the APC, Tinubu said Ambode had given him a good birthday present with these feats.
“You have given me a birthday present. This is a great opportunity for me to be very proud again. Therefore, if we can continue in this direction of infrastructural development in the manner Governor Ambode is moving, Lagos will soon match international states or country anywhere in the world,” Tinubu said.
For 24 year-old Nathaniel, Ambode must have made his day just as he gave a birthday present for Tinubu.
