A civil rights organization, the Save Lagos Group has expressed its
resolve to picket the secretariat of the Lagos State Government in
Alausa, Ikeja over deplorable state of infrastructure across the
state.
The group stated that the action would be carried out if the state
government fails to act by rectifying the deficit, which it described
as very huge by the end of January, 2023.
In a statement issued by the Convener of the Save Lagos Group, Comrade
Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, it also accused the Governor Babajide Sanwoolu
led government of turning deaf ears to repeated calls to properly put
in place quality and functional infrastructure for the use of
residents of the state.
To this end, the group in the statement signed on Wednesday expressed
its resolve to occupy the state secretariat by January ending to last
till the second anniversary date of his administration in May 29, 2023
should the government fails in its responsibility to the people who
voted them into office.
“We will deplore all the necessary machinery to ensure that the state
government performs its responsibility to the people whom it has
failed in all ramifications to serve.” Sulaiman stated in the
statement.
According to the group, the state of roads, drainages and other
infrastructure has become so deplorable that the state is fast
becoming an urban slum for the over 25 million residents who live in
the state.
The group carpeted the state government for its failure to justify the
huge amount it collects as revenue in the state, saying the funds are
not being judiciously utilized for the benefit of the people.
“A trip around all the nooks and crannies of the state will reveal
that the state government has not spent the huge amount it collects
for the benefit of the people who are daily being made to pay taxes
through their noses.” ,he said.
Sulaiman said Governor Sanwoolu has been constantly turning deaf ears
to series of letters the group has written to it to draw its attention
to the problem, saying “this is a clear departure from what we had in
the past when government used to write back to us to intimate us of
their work schedule regarding these projects.”
According to him, a petition was written to him on Monday, 8th, July,
2019 on the plight of students of UAMC, Eleja Primary, Igbogbo and
another on the need of Igbogbo, Awesu, Ore-Abosan, Offin, Oreta,
Baiyeku, Ebute, Adamo, Araro.
He also stated that the group wrote another latter dated Thursday,
14th May, 2020 on the report of injustice of the Executive Secretary,
Land Use Allocation Committee, under the Ministry of Land Bureau and
disobedient to High Court judgment in Suit number ID/726/2010 by Lagos
State Government over allocation of 1, 000 square metres at Block 52A,
Plot 22 to Dr. Adekunle Akinsanya.
He added that should this trend (the tradition of snubbing
correspondence) continues, “We will be left with no other choice than
to picket the state secretariat with our members as well as leaders of
the various communities that are worst hit by this government
neglect.”
The group made specific reference to some communities in Ikorodu
Division of the state which it alleges are littered with so many
abandoned projects, which have left the people of the area in an
untold hardship especially when it rains as commuting in and out would
be difficult for them.
He listed areas in the division to include Ebute, Igbogbo, Offin,
Oreta, Baiyeku, Adamo, Araromi, Awesu, Orere-Abosan and others are
those who are bearing the brunt of deficit in infrastructure.
“I have had to visit these areas whenever it rained to witness a
situation whereby the people become helpless owing to manifest
government neglect,” he said, adding that government has also
prevented those communities from undertaking communal self-help on the
pretext that it (the government) was going to put the infrastructures
in place.
“Unfortunately, the promise by the government in this regard doesn’t
usually materialize leaving the people very helpless and sad.” he
state.
The group specifically accused the leadership of Igbogbo-Baiyeku Local
Council Development Area led by Hon. Sesan Daini of gross negligence
with regards to some projects that ought to be within its purview.
“The only thing the council has succeeded in doing is to demolish and
rebuild the council’s secretariat from time to time basis while
neglecting other infrastructures that would benefit the people.” ,the
group noted.