A civil society organization, Save Lagos Group has lauded members of the Lagos State House of Assembly over their call on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to halt further demolition of slums across riverine areas of the state.
In a statement issued by the Convener, Comrade Adeniyi A. Sulaiman and the Director, Media, Comrade Olaolu Oladipo, Save Lagos Group urged the Assembly members to expand the resolution to cover other areas of the state.
Reacting to the call the duo specifically lauded the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Mudasiru Obasa, chairman of the ad hoc committee set up to look into the matters, Hon.
Adefunmilayo Tejuosho and other members for taking the decision they consider as populist.
According to the Save Lagos Group, “We welcome the call, which is in line with the desire of our organization considering the prevailing economic reality in the country that prevents the vast majority of Nigerians from accessing decent shelter in their country.
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It added that the Assembly has lived up to its billing as the safeguard of the common man by taking the decision, saying it (the state House of Assembly) has rekindled the confidence of the people of the state that democracy has come to stay not only in the state but across the country.
“Our group had in a statement recently called for caution on the part of the state government on the issue as we felt that it would not be in the best interest of the people who are supposed to be the primary responsibilities of those in government.”
While restating its believe that though, the state government owes it a duty to enforcement its laws relating to ensuring sanity in the town planning activities, the Save Lagos Group also used the opportunity to urge the state government to provide alternative arrangements for those to be affected by the planned mass demolition.
“It is at this juncture that we appeal the Assembly to expand its resolution to cover all parts of the state and not to restrict its call to riverine areas of the state alone, since poverty knows no geographical boundary. To us, all Lagosians who are the lowest rung of the social ladder must and should benefit from this gesture.”
