LASG vs Makoko residents: Civil rights group urges amicable settlement as it calls for sincerity by stakeholders 

LASG vs Makoko residents: Civil rights group urges amicable settlement as it calls for sincerity by stakeholders

A civil rights group, Coalition for Good Governance, has stepped in to douse tension  generated by the demolition of Makoko, a  waterfront settlement in Lagos by the state government which has become controversial.

The demolition which has been put on hold on the order of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has turned into a subject of discourse in the state.

However,  setting the record straight during a press briefing held on Wednesday, 25th February, the  Coalition for God Governance confirmed that settlement is not habitable as there are  features that make it dangerous for human existence and  public safety.

According to CGG, the unhabitable nature of Makoko had in 2005 and 2012 made the government carried out some demolition at the settlement to discourage habitation of human beings there.

“For decades, Makoko stands as one of Lagos most controversial urban spaces. To city planners and urban development advocates, it is an eyesore, a floating slum that highlights the city’s planning failures, which needs to be addressed to save lives and guarantee public safety.”, said CGG.

The Coalition justifying the action of Lagos State government to carry out a demolition at the slum said “As a result of the need to preserve lives and ensure public safety that have been endangered by the residents serial violations of the officially approved distance of structures from under high tension power lines and others, the Lagos State government entered into series of discussions and dialogue with the community leaders and residents by reaching an agreement to address the anomalies, with the residents willingly submitting to comply, and the state as observer to the compliance with the terms of the agreement..”

While the Coalition commiserates with inhabitants of Makoko for loosing their habitation and source of livelihood to the demolition that is aimed at preserving lives and public safety, it also commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for stepping in to claim fray nerves by ordering suspension of the demolition.

However, the Coalition listed its demands which includes  further intervention on the matter and immediate action to ensure the implementation of government urban development programme for Makoko to avert any clear and avoidable disaster. C Calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu not to rescind from ensuring the place is cleared immediately as it will be of great advantage to the people of Makoko, Lagos State and Nigerians as a whole, and lastly demanded utmost sincerity from all parties in the new arrangements going forward because past engagements seem to have exposed the lack of sincerity, trust and communication lacuna, which has been exploited for interests other than the good of the people of Makoko in particular and Lagos State in general.

Below is the statement as made available to JustNews:

MAKOKO AND THE NEED FOR SINCERITY BY STAKEHOLDERS

Comrades, members of the press, ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you all to this press conference which is our own contribution at the Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) on the issue of governance and the people in our dear Lagos State as we have always done on issues of public importance.

We have watched with baited breath, but not amused by the blame game between the Lagos State government and the residents of Makoko, a waterfront settlement that has become a recurring decimal for demolitions by successive administrations in the state over the arbitrary springing up of residential and other structures under high tension power lines and in uninhabitable conditions for human living.

For the records, we are all living witnesses to the fact that parts of the Makoko community were demolished by the Lagos State government in 2005 and 2012 as part of it’s efforts to clean up the community because of it’s threat to human and public safety.

For decades, Makoko stands as one of Lagos’ most controversial urban spaces. To city planners and urban development advocates, it is an eyesore, a floating slum that highlights the city’s planning failures, which needs to be addressed to save lives and guarantee public safety.

Makoko’s challenges are undeniable, as it is estimated to have a population between 80,000 and 250,000 residents, many living in stilted wooden homes over the Lagos Lagoon, with limited access to sanitation, clean water, electricity and waste management. It’s residents rely heavily on artisanal fishing and informal trade, making them economically vulnerable.

It’s a fact that successive governments in Lagos State have long labelled Makoko an environmental and security hazard, citing living under high tension power lines, flooding, fire risks and unplanned structures as justification for it’s action. From a regulatory standpoint, these concerns are valid, in order and something ought to be done to correct the observed anomalies.

As a result of the need to preserve lives and ensure public safety that have been endangered by the residents serial violations of the officially approved distance of structures from under high tension power lines and others, the Lagos State government entered into series of discussions and dialogue with the community leaders and residents by reaching an agreement to address the anomalies, with the residents willingly submitting to comply, and the state as observer to the compliance with the terms of the agreement.

But unfortunately, from our findings and facts on ground, the residents of Makoko reneged on the agreement reached by not willingly removing structures as promised that violate the distance from the high tension power lines and constituted threat to life and environmental nuisance, hence forced the government to move in, in fulfillment of it’s primary responsibility which is to save lives and guarantee public safety.

Unfortunately, the government recent demolitions of the illegal structures under the high tension power lines has generated anger, and allegations of insincerity by the residents, who alleged that the government demolitions is in violations of the agreed distance from the high tension power lines after they failed to fulfil their own part of the agreement.

The point of our concern now is, who is saying the truth about the demolitions, is it the residents who failed to fulfil what they willingly promised to do to save their own lives and preserve public safety, or the government that was forced to move in to remove structures in violations of the law, in fulfillment of it’s constitutional responsibility?

As human beings, we commiserate with families who have lost their habitations and means of livelihood as a result of the demolitions to save lives and preserve public safety, but we must not lose sight of the fact, that the government has a responsibility to ensure that it’s citizens do not engage in actions that amounts to attempts to commit suicide and endanger public safety, as doing otherwise, will be tantamount to the abdication of it’s primary responsibility which is condemnable.

However, we must commend the Lagos State House of assembly for it’s proactiveness in stepping into the fray to calm frayed nerves by constituting a committee of all parties involved and and ordering an immediate suspension of the demolitions in Makoko.

We are also delighted to note that the state government has promised the enumeration of affected properties and reiterated commitment to handling the situation with a human face for the collective benefit of the society.

OUR DEMANDS:

As we await further intervention on the matter, we are hereby demanding an immediate action to ensure the implementation of government urban development programme for Makoko to avert any clear and avoidable disaster.

We are also calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu not to rescind from ensuring the place is cleared immediately as it will be of great advantage to the people of Makoko, Lagos State and Nigerians as a whole if people are evacuated alive than moving thousands of dead bodies if a single string of that high tension power line drops inside the lagoon, God forbid

We are also demanding utmost sincerity from all parties in the new arrangements going forward because past engagements seem to have exposed the lack of sincerity, trust and communication lacuna, which has been exploited for interests other than the good of the people of Makoko in particular and Lagos State in general.

God bless Makoko,

God bless Lagos State,

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Yours Sincerely,

E-signed.

Nelson Ekujumi

Razaq Oladosu

Peter Oparah

Rotimi Falola

Uche Nnadozie

Elijah Ajanu

Shola Omolola

Biola Ogunsanya

Shafiu Mohammed