Says LASG received 99.1% of FDIs this year
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.
This Day.
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