By Olasunkanmi Akoni
As All Progressives Congress, APC, holds it’s governorship primary in Lagos today to choose its standard bearer for the 2015 elections, one of the party’s aspirants, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, who also the state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure has promised to focus on the development of vocational and skill training for residents of the state, among other developmental programmes, if he emerges winner.

Hamzat made this known yesterday in an interactive forum with the media and other stakeholders in the political arena in Lagos, where he also insisted that the various infrastructural achievements recorded by the Lagos State government over the past 16 years needed not only to be sustained, but also to be improved on where necessary.

He stressed that his antecedents in the public sector, especially most recently as the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, separated him from other aspirants from both within the APC and elsewhere.

Popularly known as KOH, Hamzat, unveiled his vision for Lagos State and his campaign animation ‘the journey.”

He gave an interactive presentation entitled, ‘Building a State to Last,’ which outlined the key elements of his manifesto for Lagos, should he be nominated as the APC candidate for Governor at today’s primaries.

According to him, “My vision is built on four key pillars: Health and well-being; knowledge and skills, job creation and service delivery.”

Hamzat stated: “I was born into a civil service family, my father served as a Member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, as well as Commissioner for Transportation in the early 80s. It was therefore ingrained in me to be of service from an early age.

“Too often, we ask what we can get from Nigeria; we make demands from our government rather than seeking to understand how we can add value to our society. I have asked myself what can I do for Nigeria?

More importantly, what can I do for my State? I have asked myself whether I can captain a team that will deepen the achievements of the past 15 years and build a lasting legacy in a State that our children and grandchildren will be proud to call home.

“I have one clear goal-sustain the development of Lagos so as to transform Lagos into Africa’s undisputed commercial capital; a State that is safe and secure, that will serve as home, workplace and a source of inspiration and enrichment for all of our residents.

“Lagos can be in the 2000’s what New York City represented in the 1900’s, London was in the 1800’s and Constantinople was in the 1500’s. These are cities that have withstood the test of time. We must build a state to last,” he said.

Hamzat continued: “My vision is ensuring that our people have access to basic health services and can live in a safe environment, reassured by a security system that works; have a workforce and an economy that will enable Lagos to compete in an increasingly competitive international marketplace; to fast track the creation of jobs for all levels of workers and support for our brightest entrepreneurs and freeing up more money for services and maintaining the biggest infrastructure investment programme in West Africa, with continuing focus on rail, roads and water transportation to link our suburbs and decongest our streets.”