AMBODE : THE MAN WITH THE MANDATE

AMBODE : THE MAN WITH THE MANDATE

I was born on the 14th of June,1963 at Epe General Hospital, Epe, Lagos State.

•  I had my Primary School at St. Jude's Primary School, Ebute Meta, and Lagos. Passed the National Common Entrance in Primary 5 and gained admission into Federal Government College, Warri.

•    Recorded the second best  result in  the entire West  Africa in the  Higher School

Certificate Examinations in the Social Sciences in 1981.

•    Graduated with honours in Accounting from the University of Lagos at 21.

•  I started my public service career at Lagos State Waste Disposal Board (now LAWMA)as Accountant Grade II in November 1985.

• At  24,  qualified  as  a  Chartered  Accountant  and  completed  my Masters  Degree programme in Accounting from University of Lagos, specializing in Financial Management.

•    Worked  in  the  Local  Government  Service  for  10years  and  was  at  various  times council   Treasurer   in   Alimosho, Shomolu, Mushin   and   Ajeromi-Ifelodun   Local Government Councils.

• In 1998, my commitment to public service earned me the award of the US Fullbright Scholarship for the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship program, in Boston University, Massachusetts, USA on Public Leadership with emphasis on Finance and Accounting.

• I was appointed acting Auditor-General for Local Government in 2000 and became the youngest ever Auditor-General for Local Government in Lagos State.

•    I was appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance in January 2005 and in February, 2006,  was given the additional responsibility of Accountant-General of Lagos State.

• I was the youngest Permanent Secretary in service and only the second person to hold both positions of Permanent Secretary and Accountant-General at the same time.

• Under  my watch,  the  State  Treasury  Office  revolutionized  the  way  Lagos  State finances  were  raised,  budgeted,  managed  and  planned  resulting  in  the  state's budget performing at an average of 85% annually.

• I ensured payment of civil service staff salaries before the end of the month, payment of running cost by 1st week of each month and introduced end of the year

package and special/specific welfare for staff.

•    I launched the e-payment platform for the monthly staff salaries

•  I renovated the State Treasury Office, created a conducive working environment, introduced a corporate dress code and provided laptops for all Directors

•    I Introduced prompt payment of gratuity and pension arrears of the State Universal

Basic Education Board and Local Government old pensioners. 

• I introduced regular technical meetings with the Directors of Accounts in all MDAs, facilitated the sponsorship, by the State Governor, of over 1000 accountants to the Annual accountants' Conference in Abuja and initiated the annual retreat for Heads of Accountants as well as Local and International training for staff.

•    I co-organised the first ever National Tax Retreat in association with the Joint Tax

Board/Federal Inland Revenue Service in 2005.

•    I chaired   the   Technical   Committee   that   produced   the   Lagos   State   Economic

Empowerment Development Strategy (SEEDS) document.

• I led the audit teams as the Auditor-General in the office of Auditor-General for Local Government to clear and publish the arrears of statutory audits of 1995 to 2004 within 12months.

• I am a  scholar,  accountant,  administrator,  an  astute  leader  with  strong  emotional intelligence, i am an alumnus of Wharton Business School and also attended courses at Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, England; the Institute of Management

Development, Lausanne, Switzerland; INSEAD, Singapore and the Harvard Kennedy

School of Government, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

• I retired voluntarily from public service in August, 2012; the first ever recorded voluntary retirement by a Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Public Service.

• I established Brandsmiths Consulting Limited in 2012 and the company is today consulting for Federal, State and Local Governments on the transition to the new International Public Service Accounting System and other financial advisory services.

• I am a stickler for high performance and my decisions are never based on race, gender or religion.