Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has laid the blame of the perennial clashes by street urchins in Lagos Island on the doorsteps of Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Two persons were killed last week when rival gangsters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) clashed in the Idumota area of Lagos State. The was between hoodlums from Idumota, Balogun, Martins, Kosoko and Oluwole areas of Lagos Island.

The clash affected trading and other commercial activities while the Lagos state government also placed a ban on NURTW activities.

Speaking in an interview with DAILY INDEPENDENT, George who was born in Lagos Island said many youths have taken to thuggery and are joining the NURTW because of lack jobs and failure of the state government to create skill acquisition programmes for them.
He said “Lagos Island is where I was born and I also grew up there. The difference between my time and now is like day and night. What has the government of Lagos done to assuage the pains of these young people?”.

“ There was a programme under former President Goodluck Jonathan that they call skill acquisition programme. It was specifically targeted at and designed for youths”.

“Whatever skills you want to learn, maybe tailoring, hairdressing, carpentry, shoemaking and so on, the government will advertise, people apply and the government trained them at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Oshodi. After they have successfully completed the training, the government now hook them into cooperatives and give them interest-free loans”.

“With all the resources at the disposal of the Lagos state government, what are they doing in that direction? Like the Europeans will say ‘a man who has no job is a ready tool for thuggery’. We also have a popular saying here that ‘an idle hand is a devil’s workshop’. When the youths wake up in the morning with no job, they are in a state of helplessness and hopelessness. Yet, somebody is getting N30 billion every month”.

“My advice to the Lagos state government is, go and create jobs for these young people. Even graduates are now staying at home in Lagos Island with no job. It is unemployment that is driving these youths into becoming members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW)”.

“I grew up in Lagos Island and it was the envy of everybody in West Africa. But today, it has become an eyesore where thugs are having a field day. Yet, the government is not concerned, they keep breeding thugs because they have no plans for the youths”.

Speaking further, the Atona Oodua of the Source said unlike Governor Babatunde Fashola who developed his area in Surulere and his successor, Akinwunmi Ambode who transformed Epe, Sanwo-Olu has completely anbandoned Lagos Island where he hails from and the place is now a squalour.

“Fashola grew up in Surulere, see what he has done in Surulere to the roads there. Ambode grew up in Epe, look at what he has done in Epe. Even if that is all they can do, at least, their people are happy. The current governor, Sanwo-Olu grew up in Lagos Island but nothing has been done in that area”.

“Lagos Island is now a squalor, an absolutely filthy area and overpopulated. When I go to my father’s house, I find it difficult to drive through because of congestion. Bola Tinubu is there. His wife is a senator for Lagos Central. What has she contributed? Nothing. The governor has to wake up to his responsibilities”.

“I don’t think he knows what is governance. Governance is defined as the management of the resources of the area for the benefit of the people. The governor must treat this issue with utmost urgency by creating jobs for the people. He has to modernize the road networks there”.

“Marina which is the commercial centre of Lagos state is in Lagos Island. We can’t continue to watch and allow business activities to be paralysed and innocent people who are looking for their daily bread injured by these rampaging youths”.

“Now, he wants to increase transportation levy by N800 daily. If he does that, it will immediately impact on the cost of food items and other things. I am appealing to the governor to be alive to his responsibilities”.

Source:- Independent Ng