‘Engage In Activities That Alleviate Poverty’, Mr Peter Obi Tells Federal Government

‘Engage In Activities That Alleviate Poverty’, Mr Peter Obi Tells Federal Government

The presidential candidate for the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has expressed his concern regarding the recent demolitions of buildings in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.

In a statement shared on X, previously known as Twitter, on Thursday, Obi called upon governments at all levels to display compassion and refrain from further exacerbating the existing hardships faced by the poor.

Obi acknowledged that Nigerians are already grappling with various economic challenges and urged the authorities to prioritize the well-being of their constituents.

Over the past weeks, Lagos has witnessed a series of demolitions, with both the Lagos State Government and the Federal Housing Authority targeting buildings reportedly violating the city’s master plan.

These demolitions have significantly affected several neighborhoods, including Ikota, Lekki, Alaba, Ajao Estate, and Abule Ado, resulting in the displacement and homelessness of numerous individuals.

Obi remarked on these developments, emphasizing that the demolitions have only added to the burdens faced by Nigerians who are already grappling with multidimensional poverty.

“What a responsive government should be doing under the current harsh economic conditions in the country is to come up with measures aimed at alleviating the people’s hardships and to carry out measures that will take more people out of poverty,” he said.

“Even if there are some violations as the governments are claiming, this critical time is not auspicious for such an exercise knowing the hardship in the land and the consequences it will have on the poor who are struggling to make ends meet with their little resources.

“The poor in our midst who are putting their meager resources are going through very severe financial stress that should not be multiplied further. In some cases, the properties being demolished are the lifetime savings and retirement abodes of the aged and incapacitated.

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