Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has described the state as the engine room for the growth and development of Nigeria.
Ambode said this on Sunday when he led lawmakers and leaders of the All Progressives Congress to receive a delegation of US Congress, led by Congressman Darelle Issa.
The state team, which received the US delegation at the Lagos House, Marina, discussed issues on deepening democracy, trade relations and tackling Boko Haram insurgency.
The governor informed his visitors that Lagos State leveraged on its population, cosmopolitan nature and perhaps the most buoyant economy in West Africa to grow the state’s economy.
He said, “I want to let you know that you are in the commercial capital of Nigeria, Lagos, which represents the future citadel of entrepreneurship in this country. As we speak, the population is nearing 21 million of which four million are actually middle class.
“We’re the fifth largest economy in Africa and our GDP has hit $131bn, more than 42 African countries put together.”
He said the thrust of his administration was to be able to touch as many lives as possible and make life easier for residents, adding that the state government was committed to pursuing this ideal in the next four years.
To achieve this, Ambode stressed his administration was ready to entrench moral leadership, saying that it would latch on to the experience of the US to better the lot of its people.
The governor stated, “As we proceed, the party (APC) is committed to learning the best ideals of democracy and that’s where I want to take this advantage to learn from you. We want to be transparent, we want to be credible, we want to bring a leadership to the table that is open; we want a government of inclusion, we don’t want to leave the people behind.
“Lagos is more like New York because it is a cosmopolitan state, where the largest concentration of foreigners lives. So it’s important that everyone is carried along, we’re committed to that.”
He noted that the US democratic experience was one that would be beneficial not only to Lagos, but also to Nigeria.
Ambode commended the US government for its role in ensuring the peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections, saying the country had benefitted from their democratic credentials.
“The parliamentary structure that we have is synonymous with what is obtainable in the US. APC, as a party, is the first in the history of Nigeria to unseat an incumbent government and we want to imbibe the tenets of democratic values,” he said.
Congressman Darelle, a Republican, explained that though America could be viewed as possessing high democratic values, it was also striving towards perfection of democracy, urging that rather than emulate the American democracy, Nigeria should strive to outpace the America experience.
He urged Lagos State to, as a matter of urgency, collaborate with the Federal Government in tackling issues of insecurity in the country, especially the Boko Haram menace, adding that the fight could not be left alone for the government at the centre to handle.
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