We’ll make Lagos investors’ delight, Ambode assures

The new governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has said his administration was working out strategies that will not only improve the investment climate in the state, but make it the delight of investors.

The governor said everything was being done to assist existing and po- tential investors in Nigeria’s commer- cial city.

He spoke when Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote conglomer- ate, called at the State House, Ikeja, saying “I want to assure other inves- tors that wherever it is that we can as- sist, we are willing and ready to make sure that investors have comfortable life and comfortable business profile in Lagos State”.

Ambode who described the visit of the billionaire tycoon as very signifi- cant, promised that his administration was also interested in attracting for- eign investors, which explains the cre- ation of the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment.

“This visit is highly significant. It is also symbolic in the sense that the bot- tom line is creating jobs for our youths and Dangote has shown full commit- ment as a great Nigerian that he is interested in investing in any part of this country. But most significantly in Lagos State and we are ready to sup- port him and support all his businesses because he is adding value”.

The governor commended the Af- rican richest man for donating N400 million through the Dangote Founda- tion to 2,000 women in each of the 20 local governments in the state to their businesses.

Dangote when cornered said he was at the State House to congratu- late Ambode on his victory in April 11 elections and subsequent swearing in as governor.

He added that the visit also afforded him the opportunity to assure the gov- ernor of his commitment to finish proj- ects being embarked upon by his com- pany as well as his continued support to initiatives geared towards securing lives and properties in Lagos.

“I’ve assured him that we really love doing business here, it’s a friend- ly state for doing business and also to assure him of all the projects that we are doing that we are on course; that is building the largest ever single refin- ery of 650,000 barrels per day, which is by far more than the consumption of Nigeria and that would satisfy our consumption at least for the next sev- en to ten years by the time we finish,” Dangote said.

JOSHUA BASSEY