STAKEHOLDERS SENSITIZATION/ INTERACTIVE FORUM ON STATE OF THE NATION
By PLANNED NATIONWIDE PROTEST: OJOKORO COUNCIL BOSS APPEALS TO RESIDENTS TO SHUN PROTEST
Following concerns from different quarters on the need for safety during the planned nationwide protest, the Executive Chairman of Ojokoro LCDA, Lagos, Hon Hammid Idowu D. Tijani (HID) has appealed to residents to shun the protest judging from possible outcomes if hijacked by hoodlums.
The Council Boss made this appeal Friday, 26th July 2024 at a stakeholders meeting on the ‘State of the Nation’ organized by the LCDA at the Council Secretariat.
HID Tijani acknowledged that it is the right of every citizen to protest but cautioned that it must be done within the permits of the law while he made reference to the consequences of ‘EndSARS’ protest.
“While we acknowledge the constitutional right to protest, we must emphasize the importance of exercising this right within the ambit of the law, respecting our democratic principles and rule of law which Nigeria operates.
“We must not forget the devastating consequences of the EndSARS demonstration in Lagos State and Nigeria in October 2020 where our dear and ever proactive states treasured and important infrastructures worth billions of naira were destroyed by overzealous individuals who took the law into their hands.”
The Council Mayor explained that while it could be presumed that the faceless sponsors of the protests may be protesting against the increasing price of goods and services, he stressed that it is a global phenomenon peculiar to Nigeria alone.
“The organizers of the upcoming nationwide protest are presumed to be advocating for good governance at all levels and improved economic management in view of the increasing prices of goods and services after the removal of subsidy on petrol. Ladies and gentlemen, you will all agree with me that apart from the issue of fuel subsidy removal, the skyrocketing increases in prices of goods is not peculiar to Nigeria alone but a global phenomenon exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war and sanctions. Russian and Ukraine are top importers of grains and other food items into Nigeria and African as whole and the war between them has largely affected this.
“Coming back home, for sometimes now our farmers in the Northern and Southern region has not been having access to their respective farms because of the activities of bandits, cattle rustlers and kidnappers. The activities of these dangerous groups have been having dangerous effect on our farmers and the production of food for our huge populations.” He explained.
“At our local government level, this administration is not lagging behind in making efforts to reduce the effect of the harsh economic on the people. We have given out food palliatives to thousands of households and cash awards at the same time. We are ensuring that all ongoing projects that spanned across the length and breadth of local council are completed on time to aid economic activities and bring relief to our people. In coming weeks we will be empowering 500 residents with #50,000 each to boost their trade” he added.
The Chairman however called on traditional & religious leaders, parents and guardians to prevail upon their wards not to be an agent of destruction.
Other key stakeholders of the LCDA who spoke shared similar views with the Chairman.
The Oba of Ojokoro Land HRM Oba Oluwalanbe Taiwo called for calm and admonished the youth to give peace a chance by shunning the protest.
A civil rights campaigner and President of CDHR Comrade Debo Adeniran noted that where one person’s right ends is where another begins, stressing that the sponsors of the planned protests are faceless and have no identified leaders and has not carried the civil societies along as such he disassociated himself and organisation from the protest, stressing that the government has started working on some of the issues civil society groups are clamouring for.
The forum was attended by personalities from different walks of life, cutting across tribes, trade and religion.
The security agencies present, – Department of State Security (DSS), Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) from the police stations within the LCDA, Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps (LNSC) all spoke in one voice appealing to the people to give peace a chance as the protest can degenerate into destruction of properties and lost of lives while noting that the security of a community is the collective responsibility of everyone and counselled that the people should give useful information to the appropriate security quarters on time.