The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has commended the recent step by the Lagos State Government to stop the violation of the fundamental rights of people to movement during THE monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise.
“This move is reflective of a signal that portray a ‘change’ in Lagos State, this is against the background of the fact that the immediate past government in the state appealed against a court ruling which logically quashed the obnoxious and unlawful restriction of people’s movement during sanitation exercise, contrary to what their fundamental human rights guarantee anywhere in the world.’’
Speaking through their Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, the Coalition said, “a lot of government policies infringe on the fundamental rights of people as enshrined and guaranteed in the Nigerian Constitution; the African Charter, the United Nations Charter of human rights and several other internationally binding treaties and instruments. We must move towards governing and developing without increasing the sufferings of the people and giving due regards for what constitute their fundamental human rights, including the socio-economic rights.’’
Mr. Adeniran, however hastened to add that, “this move should not translate into a dirtier Lagos but rather into a cleaner one because government must not fail in its’ obligation to keep the state, especially public places clean, inasmuch as people pay taxes, rates and levies as demanded. The government must not lose its capacity to implement its own laws without unwarranted coercion while citizenry must also be willing to play their role so that Lagos is kept clean.’’ He concluded.
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
080141121208
cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.org
April 1, 2016.