Nigeria: Lagos Assembly calls for urgent stakeholders’ meeting to tackle hardship crisis

In response to the prevailing hardship experienced by residents of Lagos State, the Lagos State House of Assembly has called upon Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to promptly convene a stakeholders’ meeting. 

The aim, according to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, is to address the current challenges and explore sustainable solutions beyond temporary measures.

During a session held on Tuesday, lawmakers expressed concern over the widespread suffering among residents, emphasising the need for proactive measures to alleviate the situation. 

They acknowledged the broader economic difficulties faced nationwide but stressed that Lagos State must take additional steps to mitigate the impact on its citizens.

Speaker Obasa underscored the urgency of collective action, urging leaders and statesmen to collaborate with the government instead of resorting to divisive rhetoric. 

He highlighted the importance of inclusivity, advocating for input from various stakeholders, including members of the National and State Assembly, as well as local government officials.

No doubt, there is a challenge before us as representatives of the people and it is the duty of all of us to proffer solutions.

“This is a situation that started long ago in Nigeria and was graduating. It is unfortunate that we are facing this now. The dollar issue did not start now. The prices of food and how farmers had been prevented from going to farms as a result of insecurity did not start now.

“The most unfortunate thing about it has to do with the comments coming from some leaders of the country. Instead of using their wisdom to appeal to the people, they use their words to incite people against the government as if they have not been in the country before now.

“We cannot leave the Federal Government alone to proffer solutions to our problems. There is no ‘abracadabra’ about it.

“The immediate concern is to appeal to our people. Protests and violence will not solve anything but take us backwards. Nobody prayed for the current situation but we must work hand-in-hand to take us away from this mess.

“It is not the president’s fault, neither is it the governor’s fault,” Dr. Obasa said while commending Governor Sanwo-Olu for recently starting the Trader Money programme through which 15,000 traders have benefitted.

The Speaker directed that the commissioners for agriculture and transportation, Ms. Ruth Abisola Olusanya and Oluwaseun Osiyemi, respectively as well as related parastatals and agencies be invited to brief the House on their plans to make life more comfortable for the people just as he urged serious sanctions against those who hoard dollars in the country.

“All this while, we have been talking about sports to take our youth off the streets as we have seen in other countries. Let us inject money into it and make it attractive so that they would be engaged. Our system of education must also be adjusted to emphasise what students can become on their own without seeking or applying for jobs.

“There is a need for orientation and sensitisation. There are a lot of complaints and negatives out there. The government should also embark on campaigns and orientation to make the people know the real situation and what is being done. 

“The government’s voice must be louder than those who are hell-bent on destroying the country,” Dr. Obasa said while lamenting the current prices of cement and iron even when most of the materials are locally sourced.

Earlier speaking under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’, Hon. Segun Adebisi Ege representing Ojo Constituency 1 lamented the hardship rocking the state.

Ege also urged that Governor Sanwo-Olu be called upon to subsidise transportation and prices of food items in the state.

In his contribution, Deputy Majority Leader, Richard Adedamola Kasunmu, said there was a need for the government to bring out actionable plans to solve the economic problem in the country.

On his part, Hon. Adewale Temitope said the entire economic situation must be looked at holistically for a solution while Hon. Femi Saheed noted that other countries are facing the same situation with the price of a bag of rice over N120,000 in Cameroon and in Ghana, it is approximately N97,000. He emphasised the need to improve agriculture.

Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu stressed the need for the Lagos government to prioritise power while Nureni Akinsanya of Mushin Constituency 1 advocated for food banks in Lagos State to make residents buy at cheaper rates.