Amidst the current wave of building demolitions in Lagos State and various parts of the country, former Anambra State governor and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has called on governments at all levels to exercise compassion and avoid compounding the challenges faced by the poor.
In a statement posted on social media on Thursday, Peter Obi appealed to both state and federal governments to demonstrate a human-centric approach to governance, considering the prevailing economic hardships faced by Nigerians.
The recent demolitions in Lagos targeted structures in Ikota, Lekki, Alaba, Ajao Estate, Abule Ado, Ladipo Market, and other areas, with the rationale being that these buildings violated the city’s master plan and were constructed on drainage channels.
Expressing his concern, Peter Obi emphasized that the demolition exercise added additional burdens to Nigerians already grappling with multidimensional poverty.
RoyalTimes reported that Obi acknowledged that while there may be violations as claimed by the governments involved, the challenging economic circumstances make this an inopportune time for such exercises.
He urged authorities to consider the severe financial stress experienced by the poor and stressed that the actions of the government should demonstrate compassion.
“What a responsive government should be doing under the current harsh economic conditions in the country is to come up with measures aimed at alleviating the people’s hardships and to carry out measures that will take more people out of poverty,” he said.
“Even if there are some violations as the governments are claiming, this critical time is not auspicious for such an exercise knowing the hardship in the land and the consequences it will have on the poor who are struggling to make ends meet with their little resources.
“The poor in our midst who are putting their meager resources are going through very severe financial stress that should not be multiplied further. In some cases, the properties being demolished are the lifetime savings and retirement abodes of the aged and incapacitated.
“My appeal therefore is for the respective governments involved in this act to consider the hardship in the country and try and put a human face to their actions. While we should enforce sensible regulations, all actions of government must show compassion.”
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