Demolitions: Don’t multiply poor people’s pain – Peter Obi tells govt

Peter Obi, presidential candidate for the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, has called on governments across the country to demonstrate compassion and spare the poor more suffering in light of the current wave of building demolitions in Lagos State and elsewhere.

Nigerians are already dealing with a lot of economic problems, thus the former governor of Anambra State made a plea on X (previously Twitter) today for the federal government and state governments to show some humanity in their leadership.

The Federal Housing Authority and the Lagos state government have been tearing down buildings in several parts of the state, including Ikota, Lekki, Alaba, Ajao Estate, Abule Ado, and Ladipo Market, for the past few weeks.

Hundreds of residents were forced to leave their homes after structures were torn down for allegedly going against the city’s master plan and being constructed on drainage channels.

Obi, who was commenting on the news, stated that the exercise made things worse for Nigerians who are struggling with multiple forms of poverty.

“In light of the present challenging economic circumstances in the nation, it is imperative that the government undertakes actions to alleviate the suffering of the people and to lift more individuals out of poverty,” he remarked.

It is not a good moment to conduct such an experiment, considering the current state of affairs and the impact on the poor who are already trying to make ends meet with the resources they have, even if there are some violations, as the governments are asserting.

We should not add to the financial burden on the underprivileged among us who are already struggling to make ends meet. The homes and savings of the elderly and the disabled are sometimes being torn down for development.

So, I beg the governments that are complicit in this act to think about the suffering their citizens are through and attempt to show some humanity. Government acts must demonstrate compassion, even as we work to impose reasonable laws.