Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola, and the founder of Oodua Peoples Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, have criticised the Senate’s rejection of call to intervene in
the problem of flooding in Lagos State. The duo, who described the disaster that followed the rain that lasted over 14 hours in the commercial city of Lagos, last Sunday, as monumental, expressed shock about the disposition of the Senate to the issue.
According to them, the lawmakers’ action is embarrassing.
The lawmakers had reportedly suggested that the affected states should apply to the Ecological Fund for help.
Ajibola and Fasehun, who said the flood that ravaged Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Kano states recently was a national disaster, noted that the situation, if not urgently addressed, might have a more severe repercussion.
Ajibola said, “I read about the situation in Kano where about 22 people were said to have been killed by thunder lightening. These are natural disasters and it is a terrible situation. I wonder why such a sensitive issue as flooding should be politicised.
“The earlier the lawmakers realised that Nigeria is a nation and that ethnicity should not be emphasised above the common good of the people, the better.
“It is frightening that the rains just started and we have already recorded so much disaster. The tragedy is affecting other states and the lawmakers seem to be down playing the whole matter.”
Ajibola, who recalled that the tsunami tragedies that happened in the United States of America and Japan were given serious prominence and deserved attention, advised that the Nigerian authorities should cultivate the habit of attending promptly to emergencies before they escalate.
Fasehun said politicians should eschew sentiment and embrace the challenges of governance in the interest of the masses.
He said the fact that some of the affected states like Lagos, Ogun and Oyo were under the control of the opposition party should not suggest that the people should be neglected.
Fasehun said, “Government should exist for the convenience or welfare of the people. There should be no discrimination whether the citizens are for the opposition or not.
“We want to put it straight to them (the lawmakers) that they should stand to their responsibility and not politicise the issue. If they behave funny we can also politicise the whole thing.”-The punch
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