Some
lawmakers yesterday defended the demolition of Owonifari Market within
the notorious loop of Oshodi by the state government, describing the
development as a necessary step towards the actualisation of Oshodi
transformation plan.
The government had relocated traders
plying their trade in the market to a newly built ultra-modern
Isopakodowo Market in nearby Bolade before the demolition exercise.
A lawmaker representing Agege federal
constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Taofiq Adaranijo, in
reaction to the development, said contrary to the criticisms trailing
the action, what Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration has done was
a wonderful development aimed at bringing sanity to the area.
He said: “When you go round other parts
of the world, you will hardly see a market in such a place and
constructing a bus terminal there will beautify the place and change
that environment for good. It will add colour to the megacity that will
are dreaming for Lagos and this is a bold step towards achieving the
transformation plan.
“Those are the things we want the
governor to continue to do. Although it is going to be hard and it will
be a difficult decision to take, at the end of the day, people will
appreciate it. They may not see it at the beginning but at the end of
the day, they will appreciate it and that is a good step in the right
direction,” Adaranijo said.
Also speaking in an interview with
journalists, a member representing Epe Constituency 2 in Lagos State
House of Assembly, Segun Olulade, said the demolition was not done with
any bad intention, but that it was in the best interest of all residents
of the state.
According to the lawmaker, Oshodi is
gradually becoming a haven for criminals and what the government has
done will no doubt check crime, enhance security around the area and aid
free flow of traffic.
He said: “Some people are claiming that
the traders were not given enough notice to quit the market before the
demolition exercise took place as required by law, but when situations
like this arise, nobody will say they were adequately notified. There is
no reason for anyone to be mischievous about the demolition. The
governor means well for the state and that was why the leadership of the
market was severally engaged before the government went on to demolish
the market.
“Once again, the people should
understand that the administration of Governor Ambode has good
intentions. I believe that once government comes on board with its plans
for the market, we will all commend government for a job well done and
appreciate the action taken”, Ololade said.
Olulade’s colleague representing
Ifako/Ijaiye Constituency 1, Dayo Fafunmi, said the plan of the state
government was to make Oshodi a place everyone will be proud of.
He said: “I am very much aware that the
government gave the traders enough notice. The duty of regulating and
maintaining the environment for the overriding public interest is
paramount in the state.
“I just want to implore our people to
cooperate with the government because the administration of Ambode has
good plans for the people,” Fafunmi said.
Source: THENATION
