Daily Independent

Posted on Monday, August 19th, 2013

Lagos State government has been accused of selective and anti-poor policies that further impoverish the people under the pretext of providing democracy dividends.

Executive chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Debo Adeniran, told newsmen that the administration had failed in its promises to provide good roads, affordable housing, transport, education and in other sectors.

According to Adeniran, “Since assuming office as Governor, Fashola has demolished Oshodi, Mushin, Tejuosho markets in Yaba, also Makoko and Ajah mechanic village, took over the markets and places the masses eke out a living and replaced with structures that are beyond the reach of the common man, to profit from the rent.

“He introduced the urban mass transit buses supplied at exorbitant rate. Now, many of these are in a state of disrepair.”

The activist also lamented the increase in tuition fees in Lagos State University, noting, “Had education been commercialised in (Fashola’s) day, maybe he would not be where he is today.”

He decried the ban on commercial motorcyclists from 475 major roads in the state through passage of the Lagos Traffic Law, which has further thrown more people into the labour market.

According to Adeniran, the selectiveness and brunt of the law were “high act of high handedness, reckless brutalisation of the poor and sheer barbarism” by the administration, thus “trampling on the people’s rights with sheer impunity.”

He advised the citizenry to stand up for their rights, saying, “They want us and our children to be hewers of wood and fetchers of water. And we say no. We must struggle/fight for our freedom.”

Adeniran added that the coalition would continue to monitor the government until it complied with its laws, and fulfill its promises to the people.