Lagos—Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday called on the academic community to come up with quality research work that would create a platform for good governance and set the country on the path of economic growth and development.

Ambode, who spoke at Lagos House in Ikeja when he received management team of University of Lagos, UNILAG, on courtesy visit led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Rahmon Bello, said the time had come for practical collaboration between the government and the academic community for the overall benefit of the country.

Governor Ambode of Lagos State

The governor, while expressing excitement at a new office created by UNILAG on Innovation and Enterprise, also called for concerted efforts from key players to grow the informal sector, saying that the sector remained critical to the growth of the economy.

Earlier, Professor Bello said the visit was to associate with Governor Ambode who is the first alumnus of UNILAG to govern the State, as well as to scale up partnership with the state government for development.

He congratulated the governor for his sterling performance in office in the last two years in all the sectors and sections of the State, saying that the projects had positively impacted the people.

The VC specifically noted the numerous roads and flyover projects, traffic de-congestion activities through lay-bys and bus stops, housing development, education and tourism projects, as well as huge investment on security apparatus, saying tax payers’ money spent on security was now making the people to sleep with their two eyes closed.

He, however, called for involvement of UNILAG on the move by the governor to create technology hub in Yaba, and other parts of the state.