•Lagos economy among strongest in Africa, says cleric
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday attributed the achievements of his administration in the last three years to God’s helping hand.
He said the feats attained across the state were divinely inspired.
Ambode, who spoke at a special thanksgiving service at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, the capital, on the third anniversary of his administration, said it was obvious God was involved in the thinking, planning and execution of policies and programmes for Lagos State.The governor said this resulted in wonderful accomplishments for the state.
He said: “In two days, we will be three years in the saddle of this major task. There is no other way to celebrate. That is why we are doing this service because we believe strongly that there is no way we would have made the level of progress without some supernatural hand. We want to give God all the thanks.
“No matter how much strategy you have read in school or how much work you have done in the public service, it is not possible for you to put a plan up, strategise and try to implement it and make it work. If it is working back-to-back and consistently, there has to be some other source that is making it work because you are just one out of several others.
“Why it works for Lagos is the more reason one has to be very sober and humble to actually know that there is something that is making that to happen. That has to be God.”Ambode noted that notwithstanding the complexity of managing the massive population of the state, it was evident Lagos had been hugely prosperous.The governor thanked those who helped in managing the state to success in the last three years.
He said: “I just want to say a big thank you to everyone that has actually been a co-traveller in this journey that we have had in the last three years. It has not been easy, but somehow, to the glory of God, it is evident that there is huge prosperity in Lagos.
“In all these, in the complexity of managing 24 million people, there has to be something else driving it. In all situations, we give glory to God; in all situations, we are grateful that He has given us the opportunity to become a source of joy to the rest of Nigeria because Lagos is like the last hope for the country.”
Justifying the need for the service, the governor said it was important to show appreciation to God and the residents for their support, who facilitated the achievements.
Ambode assured the people that more infrastructural projects would be implemented in the next one year.
He said: “We are doing this church service to celebrate three years of our administration in office. Just last Friday, we had the same service across all our mosques in Lagos State. We are very grateful for the support Lagosians have given us in the last three years. Coincidentally, today is Children’s Day. So, it is more or less double-celebration. Most people must have forgotten also that today is marking the 51st anniversary of Lagos State. This same time last year, we marked the Golden Jubilee of Lagos.
“So, for me, the last three years have been very eventful and very fruitful. You can see remarkable progress going on across the length and breadth of Lagos. So, we can only do better and render more services to Lagosians in the next one year.”
The Senior Pastor of House on the Rock Church, Paul Adefarasin, hailed Ambode for the infrastructural success and progressive development of the state’s economy.
The cleric noted that it is laudable Lagos economy remains one of the strongest in Africa.
He said: “I want to appreciate Governor Ambode for the tremendous work he has led and inspired across Lagos State – in the public and private sectors – and especially with the infrastructural development and the progressive development of our economy that it remains one of the strongest economies in Africa. For that, we are truly grateful.”
