Ambode gathers aides for three-day brainstorming on way forward

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and members of his cabinet comprising deputy governor, secretary to the government, chief of staff and the 23 commissioners, and 14 special advisers are taking three days off for a ‘retreat’ that will see them brainstorm on the way forward for Nigeria’s biggest economy state.

The young administration has received much bashing from the public in recent weeks over a couple of issues including devastating traffic gridlock, dilapidated roads as well as rising insecurity.

Expected to join the executive members at the retreat, which commences today till Saturday, are the permanent secretaries who worked in double capacities as commissioners for more than four months.

The permanent secretaries, BusinessDay was told, are being brought in to rub minds with the cabinet members and share their experiences in governance with the new entrants, most of who are coming from the private sector.

A member of the state executive council told BusinessDay that the retreat was designed to deepen the understanding of the new appointees with regard to governance. The retreat, it was gathered, would examine areas where the administration had been seriously criticised for either its action or inaction.

The retreat would be holding at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin, a few kilometres away from Festac Town, where heavily armed bandits stormed two commercial banks in broad day light and carted away an undisclosed sum of money after overwhelming the police in a gun duel that fell two innocent persons, a mother and child.