The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has urged motorists across the state not to regard officials of the federal task force who have been deployed in major roads in the state.
The governor said this even as officials of the task force and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority clashed on Monday.
Fashola said the task force officials, who are part of the Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme of the Presidency, had no right to control traffic on Lagos roads.
He therefore urged Lagosians to resist them.
The governor said this during the fifth anniversary of Uniformed Voluntary Clubs held at the Ikeja Police College on Tuesday.
He described the task force as an illegal agency set up by the Federal Government few months to the 2015 elections in wanton desperation to win elections.
He said, “The SURE-P task force has no right to manage traffic on Lagos roads. The only agency authorised to manage traffic in Lagos on the federal roads are LASTMA and the Federal Road Safety Corps. Citizens should just resist them and refuse to cooperate with them.”
According to Fashola, money recouped from the removal of subsidy and channelled into SURE-P ought to have been invested on dilapidated federal roads in Lagos especially the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
Fashola added that investment in the task force was a negation of the promise made by President Goodluck Jonathan that the subsidy would be used to improve the lives of Nigerians.
He said, “So you see how it has been improving our lives. The money should have been spent on roads; Apapa-Oshodi Expressway is one of them, that is where SURE-P money should have been invested not to dissipate it into political organisation in a very wanton desperation to win elections.
“This is the method that has been tried before, it was tried in 2006 and it did not produce any result. The result it produced was that they were roundly defeated. So, if you go into what does not work, we will not be provoked, we expect that in time, reasons will prevail.”
Also, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said it was unfortunate that the Peoples Democratic Party was toying with the lives of the youth through the SURE-P, which he described as fraudulent.
He said the task force official were only doing the bidding of PDP politicians as they were often seen at the homes of PDP officials, doing chores. He, however, noted that they would fail again “as the former Minister of Works, Adeseye Ogunlewe, failed in 2006.”
However, the task force had said they were not political but were only out to provide employment for jobless youths.
The task force coordinator, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Rafiu, said the officials had the right to be on federal roads and accused the state government of politicising the issue. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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This a horrible coming from the Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola, so after all you not what I thought you were. For you to make this comment is quite disgraceful. Thousands of families are rejoicing that their children at least have something to do and contribute to the State and Country and you are here making this kind of statement. Am completely ashamed of you. my respect for you has just disappeared in a twinkling of a eye. These boys are more efficient than your useless and illiterate LATSMA. I was stuck in a traffic two days and the way and manner these group of young boys and girl behaved and efficiently manage the road baffled me. There is no way you can compare them with the area boys you called LATSMA. If there is any group the masses should disobey it should be the area boys called LATSMA. It is a worrying situation to see a Governor of a State challenging and disobeying the Federal Government authority simply for a political gain when it is for the benefit of the populace.
ReplyDeleteAlhaj Rafiu, why now? Was PDP sleeping before? Has FG renovated the so-called Federal Roads before creating fake employment?
ReplyDeleteThey will all disappear after losing to APC in 2015. Its fake. LASTMA is doing a great job in Lagos State, the federal government should be creative . Its a shame. They should fix the road leading to the port. Useless People.
DeleteHmmmm Fashola, did you think before you spoke? How can someone like you, a national figure ask people to disobey the federal government, the fire you are igniting will not consume your so called enemies but it will consume the person that ignite it and his own people. Amen
ReplyDeleteBabatunde....Am totally disappointed in you....I gave you full respect before i dont know you were like this.Better not allow anybody to push you into disgrace because you are still young.....Think twice before your talk again......
ReplyDeleteI like what Anonymous 7:36 am commented and anonymous 7:55 am should google and understand the history of Sure-P. This was a noble program by the administration. Am ashamed of Fashola for making this comment concerning Sure-P. Almost 180,000 graduates have benefited from this program. I thought that Fashola was in a wrong party (APC) but I now see he is like all the APC's that are desperate for power. the Sure-P otherwise called Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, have started for a long time now, and it should not politicized like all other national issues. Please allow the youths to have a sense of belonging and contribute to the nations building.
ReplyDeleteHonestly am so happy with all dis comments,must we politicized every single issues?what has SURE-P has to do with PDP,so many of my street pipu are enjoying d programme of wis I didn't even no how dey got it,Fashola shouldn't have made dis statement at all or he should have rephrase his comments.Nigerians should pls appreciate what is gud and criticize d bad ones and not everything.pls let us keep watching all d bad leaders who pretends as if dey are d best among all.
DeleteSURE P my foot. Graduates are being paid 10k per month and you think the government is adding value to you. Able bodied men and women with bright future turned to miscreants overnight in the name of unSURE P, lined up near the toll gate under harsh conditions, do you call this stupidity job creation? Its a shame. Shame on GEJ.
ReplyDeleteWhy are you peoples supporting this crappy stunt by the Jonathan administration? What is the business of the federal government controlling local traffic? Please stop this insanity. This is not a way to provide employment for unemployed graduates. Make the country safe from BH, improve road network to encourage free movement of goods and services. Curb corrupting at all levels, empower local govt and stop this ethnic and religious biase.
ReplyDeleteSharap, you kneaker puhhhhh
DeleteAnonymous 2:41. You should not be allowed to participate in a civil discourse like this if name calling is all you have to offer. You seem to be a stunt supporter of GEJ. It's fine however you should be open to others criticism of the govt. Don't be blind to facts as it relates to Jonathan administration. Of course it is very wrong for Fashola to be encouraging people to disobey authority even if you disagree with it. There are better ways for him to display his grievances with Federal govt.
DeleteAre we still a nation? A Governor despicing federal authority all because you are not in the same party and want to make the nation ungovernable as promised. The earlier the politicians come to their senses, the better for all of us. Otherwise we have no business being a nation. The president they are fighting never had a day of peace through out his tenure because he comes from a minority tribe. The same people will come out and question his performance. Unfortunately, the president has never attempted to apply the full weight of the law. The statement credited to the governor is simply treason
ReplyDelete