Mr Ibrahim Owolabi, a member, Lagos State House of Assembly, has urged the Federal Government to strengthen the governors power to enable them control security agencies which would invariably lead to protection of lives and property.
Owolabi, representing Lagos Mainland Constituency, made the disclosure during the constituency stakeholders’ meeting in Mainland, Lagos State.
The meeting has the theme “Post Convid-19 Pandemic The Challenges and Prospects.”
“If the Governor of Lagos State was the Chief Security of the state, he would have protected lives and properties of Lagos residents.How can governor protect lives and properties when he does not have apparatus to do so.
“The Lagos State Constitution, Section 2, Sub Section 2 gives the governor rights to protect lives and properties.
“If there is distribution of power, that Lekki incident would not have come to pass.
“The state government has strives in bringing security into the state and there are Lagos State Security Trust Fund being supported by the Governments,” he said.
Owolabi pleaded with the youths to use their power responsibly, adding that the protest was well organised and coordinated before it was hijacked by hoodlums.
He said there was no leader among the protesters to differentiate from those among them, adding that thugs took advantage of the situation and vandalised properties in the state.
He said that the since the outbreak of COVID-19, the World had recorded 1 million deaths with total cases of infected persons put at 37 million while the total number recovered persons was 26 million.
Ibrahim said that the virus had not only spread across the world but ravaged virtually, every facet of the social-economic and political lives of nations.
“Normal life has become a mirage, many businesses close or collapse with the attendant loss of jobs and food storage.
“These have compounded the already dire unemployment and poverty situation, particularly among youths in developing and under developed countries like Nigeria.
“In Feb. 27, 2020, the first case of Coronavirus wad detected in the Lagos State and subsequently, on 2, March, the House passed a resolution commending Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his team for their prompt response in addressing the outbreak in the state,”Ibrahim added.
The Chairman of Mainland Local Government, Mrs Omolola Essien, urged youths in the area to desist from vandalism in the event of crisis.
Essien regretted that for thugs to overtake the protest and tuned it to robbery and vandalism showed the gap of parental advice on children.
She advised the youths to remain peaceful and ensure they contribute their quota to the development of the society.
The former Chairman of Mainland Local Government, Mr Tayo Oyemakin, urged government to introduce social insurance scheme for all workers in the state.
Oyemakin said the level of vandalism was on high side.
Ibrahim Isa, from Ward C, pleaded with the House of Assembly to assist them in rehabilitating some streets in the area and consider their ward them for positioning.
Mrs Mopelola Usman, a resident, pleaded with his representative to use his office to inform government to reconstruct Otto pedestrian bridge.
Mr Adetunji Adegoke, pleaded with the youths in the area to participate in the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), to improve protections of lives and properties.
Mr Wahab Hakeem, said the 40 Premero’s buses burnt by the thugs at Oyingbo Bus-Stop had made 80 drivers jobless as a result of the vandalism.
Hakeem pleaded with the government representatives to create more jobs and commended the support he had rendered to members of the communities in Mainland.
The Secretary of the Committee Development Committee (CDC), Lagos Mainland, Mrs Prudence Abass, called for more synergy from the leaders and urged youths to stop destroying properties in the area.
Caption
From left-The Chairman of Mainland Local Government, Mrs Omolola Essien, The former Chairman of Mainland Local Government, Otunba Tayo Oyemakin and Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Owolabi Ibrahim during the Constituency Stakeholders Meeting held in Lagos Mainland Local Government with the Theme :Post Covid-19 Pandemic The Challenges and Prospects.
