Demolitions: Govt should refrain from compounding the hardships faced by those in poverty – Obi

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party for 2023, has called on governments at all levels to exercise compassion and refrain from exacerbating the plight of the impoverished in light of the current wave of building demolitions occurring in Lagos State and other parts of the nation.

The former governor of Anambra State urged state and federal governments to humanise administration in a message published on X (previously Twitter) on Thursday, noting that Nigerians are already dealing with a multitude of economic difficulties.

Building destruction in Lagos has been going on for weeks. Buildings in Ikota, Lekki, Alaba, Ajao Estate, Abule Ado, Ladipo Market, and other parts of the state are being demolished by the state government and the Federal Housing Authority.

Hundreds of households were left homeless as a result of the demolition of structures that were allegedly constructed on drainage channels and against the city’s master plan.

Speaking on the event, Obi claimed that Nigerians, who already struggle with multifaceted poverty, were subjected to additional hardship as a result of the activity.

In light of the nation’s current dire economic circumstances, he said, “what a responsive government should be doing is coming up with measures aimed at alleviating the people’s hardships and carrying out measures that will take more people out of poverty.”

“This crucial moment is not favourable for such an exercise, given the difficulty in the land and the implications it will have on the poor who are fighting to make ends meet with their meagre resources, even if there are some violations as the governments are saying.

“Those who are impoverished and using their limited resources are under extreme financial strain, which shouldn’t be exacerbated further. Some of the properties being razed are retirement homes and lifetime savings of the elderly and disabled.

Therefore, I’m making a request to the various governments involved in this act to take into account the difficulties facing the nation and make an effort to humanise their activities. While reasonable restrictions should be upheld, compassion must be shown in all government acts.