Demolitions: Don’t Multiply Poor People’s Pain, Obi Tells Govt

As the wave of building demolitions continues in Lagos State and other parts of the country, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has called on governments at all levels to show mercy and not add to the suffering of the poor.

The former Anambra State governor made this plea in a statement he posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday. He asked state governments and the Federal Government to put a human face to governance as Nigerians are dealing with various economic problems already.

For weeks, demolition of buildings started again in Lagos, with the state government and the Federal Housing Authority bringing down structures in Ikota, Lekki, Alaba, Ajao Estate, Abule Ado, Ladipo Market, and other areas of the state.

The buildings that were brought down were said to have gone against the master plan of the city and built on drainage channels, with the exercise making hundreds of families lose their homes.

Obi said the exercise piled up more hardship on Nigerians, who are already struggling with multi-dimensional poverty.

He said, “What a responsible government should be doing under the current tough economic conditions in the country is to come up with measures aimed at easing the people’s difficulties and to carry out measures that will lift more people out of poverty.”

He added, “Even if there are some infractions, as the governments are alleging, this crucial time is not suitable for such an exercise, knowing the hardship in the land and the impact it will have on the poor, who are trying to make ends meet with their little resources.

“The poor among us who are investing their meagre resources are facing very intense financial pressure that should not be increased further. In some cases, the properties being demolished are the lifetime savings and retirement homes of the elderly and disabled.

“My appeal therefore is for the respective governments involved in this act to think of the hardship in the country and try to put a human face to their actions. While we should enforce reasonable regulations, all actions of the government must show mercy.