Hamzat Launches 100-Point Plan, Promises Child Protection Agency and Wealth Fund

The Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, has released a 100-point plan. He promised to set up a child protection and nutrition agency, create a state wealth fund, and start a public service delivery office within his first 100 days if he becomes governor.

Mr Hamzat made these announcements on Friday during the launch of his manifesto and campaign theme, Lagos, Forward Together. The event was organized by the Lagos State APC PBAT-KOH Campaign Council 2027 at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Iganmu, Lagos.

He called his manifesto ‘The Lagos Promise’ and referred to it as the Hamzat Compact. It includes seven areas focusing on people, infrastructure, economic opportunities, government operations, inclusion, security, and citizenship.

Mr Hamzat said that 87 of the 100 pledges are solid commitments that the state government can handle. The remaining 13 depend on discussions with the federal government and other bodies, including the courts.

He promised to share a scorecard for residents to see how well his administration performs. “If one of them is not delivered, it will be noted, and I must own it,” he stated.

In his first 100 days, Mr Hamzat plans to send a bill to the Lagos State House of Assembly to create the Child Protection and Nutrition Agency. He explained that this agency would ensure every child under 18 is either in school or learning a trade and has enough food.

Another promise is to set up a Lagos State Service Delivery Office through an executive order. The office will be led by the governor and will publish baseline figures to measure the administration’s commitments.

The third promise is the creation of a state wealth fund. He said this fund would have an independent board and would publish its accounts to secure resources for future generations.

Mr Hamzat also wants to introduce service charters in government offices. These charters will outline the services residents should expect and the standards to be met. He assured that complaints would be acknowledged within 48 hours, answered within seven days, and resolved within 30 days.

“Accountability will not wait for the end of my term. It begins in my first 100 days. My manifesto is a promise to Lagosians. The promise, as we all know, has seven letters, seven pillars, and 100 pledges. Inside there are 100 pledges. So as we know, P stands for People First. R stands for Renewal. O stands for Opportunity. M stands for Machinery of Government. I for inclusion. S for security and resilience. And E for every citizen. So seven letters, seven pillars, one word,” he explained.

On healthcare, Mr Hamzat promised to boost the number of maternal and child centres from six to 15. He also plans to finish ongoing hospital projects and build two new general hospitals in Ogombo and Ibeju-Lekki.

He said he would upgrade 100 primary healthcare centres to flagship status and hire more doctors, nurses, and midwives. He mentioned projects like the new Massey Children’s Hospital with 150 beds and another general hospital with 280 beds. He also highlighted the Shomolu General Hospital project, which will provide 150 beds.

“Our promise is that we will deliver two new general hospitals at Ogombo and Ibeju Lekki, expand the capacity of existing general hospitals, and upgrade 100 primary healthcare centres to flagship status. We will strengthen the health workforce. We will hire more doctors, more nurses, and more midwives,” he promised.

On education, he wants to strengthen the EkoEXCEL programme in public primary schools. He aims to improve teaching and learning outcomes and expand opportunities for technical and vocational training. Mr Hamzat also mentioned plans for a University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Lagos and ensuring children stay in school. He promised to review teachers’ pay.

“We will review your compensation package so that your pay matches the work we demand from you,” he stated.

For employment, he believes that businesses will create most of the needed jobs in Lagos. He said the government should focus on removing barriers to business growth. He proposed a single schedule of local government charges, easier business permits, better access to credit, and a defined share of state procurement for qualifying small businesses.

He also plans to introduce a vocational placement scheme where students in technical schools would work with employers for six to 12 months, with the state covering 40 percent of their stipends.

For artisans, he proposed free skills certification at their workplaces, in languages they understand. Mr Hamzat mentioned that the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund had given over N15 billion to over 21,000 businesses. These businesses created more than 300,000 jobs, which he highlighted as part of his administration’s achievements.

On transportation, he said his administration would extend the Blue Line rail service to Okokomaiko. He also plans to work with the federal government to advance the Green Line from Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

He promised to connect the Blue and Red rail lines at the National Theatre station, expand ferry services, and introduce integrated ticketing across road, rail, and water transport. “Lagos, we must know, is a water state. The lagoon must therefore be our third highway,” he stated.

He pledged to dredge an additional 140-kilometre water corridor, optimize ferry routes, and acquire 75 riverine vessels. On roads, he promised to focus on inner roads with local governments and speed up work on major projects, including the coastal road along the Lekki-Epe axis.

The candidate also vowed to finish ongoing housing projects and build more homes with private sector partnerships. He proposed mortgages with a 10 percent deposit, single-digit interest rates, and longer repayment periods.

On security, he plans to strengthen the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency and increase its presence across all 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas. He also wants to improve street lighting and CCTV coverage.

For the environment, Mr Hamzat aims for 95 percent waste collection coverage. He promised to improve operations by private sector participants and complete waste transfer facilities. He also wants to develop a waste recovery facility and finish a waste-to-energy project at Agbowa.

“On waste, we will strengthen community collections, reach 95% coverage by optimizing the PSP, that is the private sector participant deliveries, and make Lagos cleaner. We will complete the transfer loading stations at Olusosun and Solous III in Alimosho.

“We will deliver a recovery facility and complete the waste-to-energy facility at Agbowa. 30,000 Lagosians already collect and sort this state’s waste, and we will bring them into the system, and we train them, equip them, and pay them properly. Essential work deserves recognition,” he said.

This pledge comes as Lagos continues to face challenges with waste collection and disposal. Many communities struggle with irregular collection and poor disposal services.

Earlier, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu urged Lagos residents to support Mr Hamzat. He described him as a skilled public servant who has participated in major decisions and projects during their seven years of working together.

The governor recalled that Mr Hamzat had aimed for the governorship in 2018 but stepped aside after party leaders asked him to allow Governor Sanwo-Olu to be the candidate.

He said Mr Hamzat accepted to serve as his running mate and has shown loyalty throughout their time in office. “In seven years, there has not been one day, not one, when I had to wonder whose side my deputy was on,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.

He mentioned the COVID-19 response, development of the Blue and Red rail lines, and the arrival of the first ship at the Lekki Deep Sea Port as major events where Mr Hamzat played a role.

The governor framed Mr Hamzat’s candidacy as a continuation of the APC’s past administrations in Lagos, from Bola Tinubu to Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode, and himself.

“There has been one government. There has been one direction. There has been one voice. This is not the time to experiment with Lagos. This is the time to consolidate,” he said.

The Lagos APC chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, called the manifesto a promise between the party, its candidate, and the people. He said the APC administrations in Lagos have made strides in infrastructure, transportation, education, healthcare, housing, and economic development.

He urged for continuity while emphasizing that this should not stop the government from fixing issues. “Continuity must not mean complacency. It must mean building on proven achievements, correcting identified shortcomings, and pursuing greater progress with renewed determination,” he said.

He described Mr Hamzat as a candidate with experience in both public service and the private sector. He added that his time as deputy governor has prepared him for the top job in the state.

Former Lagos Deputy Governor Sarah Sosan endorsed Mr Hamzat on behalf of the state’s Governors’ Advisory Council. She called him a dedicated public servant with experience as a commissioner and deputy governor.

Mrs Sosan said Lagos should continue to build on its development record instead of abandoning successful policies and projects. “Lagos is not for experiment,” she said.

She said the manifesto should address the needs of residents in areas like roads, transportation, education, healthcare, security, housing, and the environment. The APC leaders encouraged party members to rally support for Mr Hamzat ahead of the governorship election.