How to Track Hamzat’s Promises: The Performance Council and Public Scorecard

How will Lagos residents know whether Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat is keeping his promises if elected governor in 2027? It is a fair question. A manifesto should do more than list what a candidate hopes to achieve. Residents should be able to check what was promised, monitor progress and know who is responsible for delivery. That is the accountability approach Hamzat presented when he unveiled The Lagos Promise (Ìlérí Èkó) on 30 October 2026. The document, also described as the Hamzat Compact, contains 100 pledges across seven pillars. But one of its important features is the proposed system for tracking those pledges and reporting progress to the public. How will Hamzat’s 100 promises be tracked? At the manifesto launch, Hamzat classified the 100 pledges into two categories: 87 firm commitments and 13 aspirations. He explained that the 87 commitments fall within the powers of the Lagos State Government and would each be measured against a published performance scorecard. In his words: “Eighty-seven are firm commitments. They are within the Lagos State Government’s power, and each will be measured against a published scorecard. If one of them is not delivered, it will be noted, and I must own it.” The remaining 13 were described as aspirations whose timing or implementation could depend on wider consultations, Federal Government partnerships or judicial decisions. This distinction matters. It recognises that a state governor has responsibilities within the powers of the office, while some wider ambitions require cooperation with other institutions. For residents, the proposed scorecard offers a way to move beyond campaign promises and assess performance against stated commitments. What is the proposed Performance Council? Hamzat also announced plans for an independent Performance Council to review the performance of his proposed administration. The council would provide an additional layer of assessment, examining whether government programmes are delivering the results promised. This is important because accountability should not depend only on what government officials say about their own performance. An independent review can help residents understand what has been achieved, what remains outstanding and where implementation has fallen behind. The council is a proposed institution, not an existing body. Its eventual independence, membership, reporting arrangements and operating procedures will be important details to watch if the proposal is implemented. Will Lagos residents see regular performance reports? Yes. At the launch, Hamzat said his proposed administration would publish an annual performance report comparing its promises with actual achievements. The report would identify commitments delivered, outstanding targets and reasons for delays or missed targets. It would also provide residents with information they could use to assess the administration's progress. The idea is straightforward: if a government makes a promise, the public should be able to return to that promise and see what has happened. A public scorecard and regular reports can make it easier for residents, journalists, civil society organisations and community groups to follow projects across different parts of Lagos. How soon would accountability begin? Hamzat said accountability would begin within his first 100 days in office, rather than waiting until the end of a four-year term. He outlined three early steps in his launch speech: Child Protection and Nutrition Agency: He said his first bill to the Lagos State House of Assembly would seek to establish an agency focused on child protection, education, vocational learning and nutrition. Lagos State Service Delivery Office: He proposed establishing the office through an executive order. It would publish baseline figures for government commitments so residents could measure progress from the beginning. State Wealth Fund: He said he would advance the fund with an independent board and published accounts, with the aim of safeguarding resources for future generations. These are proposals announced at the launch. Their implementation would depend on the relevant legislative and executive processes after an election. The proposed Service Delivery Office is particularly relevant to the accountability framework because baseline figures give the public a starting point. Without knowing the situation at the beginning, it is difficult to measure how much progress has been made. What can residents do to hold the government accountable? Public accountability works best when residents know what to look for and where to find the information. Under the framework Hamzat described, Lagosians would be able to: - Check the published scorecard against the commitments. - Compare annual performance reports with the original pledges. - Follow the progress of projects and services in their communities. - Raise concerns when delivery falls short of the stated targets. - Use town halls and public engagement channels to ask questions about implementation. Hamzat also outlined a proposed complaints system for public offices. He said complaints would be acknowledged within 48 hours, answered within seven days and resolved within 30 days. That would give residents a clearer expectation of how government offices should respond when they report a problem. One important detail: the scorecard must be clear and accessible. For the system to work, residents need more than a list of 100 promises. Each commitment should have a clear starting point, a measurable target, a responsible agency, a timeline and regular updates. Where a project depends on funding, approvals or cooperation with another level of government, that should also be explained. There is also a detail worth clarifying in the public presentation of the manifesto. Hamzat's 30 October launch speech described the breakdown as 87 commitments and 13 aspirations. A subsequent comparison by Lagos Metropolitan reported that the published Version 2.0 document classified the pledges as 86 commitments and 14 aspirations. The campaign should clarify the difference and identify the definitive classification residents should use when tracking the Compact. This is a practical step towards the consistency and transparency the accountability framework is intended to promote. Why does this matter to Lagos residents? For a city as large and complex as Lagos, the success of a development plan cannot be measured only by announcements or the number of projects launched. Residents want to know whether roads are completed, public transport improves, healthcare becomes more accessible, schools deliver better outcomes and public services respond when people need them. Hamzat's proposed Performance Council, public scorecards and annual reports are designed to provide a framework for answering those questions. The important test will be how openly and consistently the system operates if he is elected. Residents should be able to see the targets, follow the progress and understand the reasons when a commitment is delayed or not delivered. That is the central idea behind the accountability section of The Lagos Promise: promises should be made in terms that people can check, and the person making them should be prepared to answer for the results. The question for Lagosians is not only what a candidate promises to do. It is also how the public will know whether those promises have been kept.

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