Eko Atlantic Project Brouhaha! PDP Dares Fashola over N27bn Request…Says ‘You’re on Propaganda, Deceit & Blames Shifting’
*PDP Scribe, Taofik Gani: “Lagos State Gov. be held accountable for loss of life and property”
* Tunji Bello, Lagos Comm. Environment: “Lagosians in some parts of the state must relocate”
* Lambasts LASG: “Provide alternate housing for Lagos residents”
BY OMOWUNMI OYELOLA/REPORTER, LAGOS
SURE, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), an Action Congress of Nigeria (AC N) party man is a deep thinker, a technocrat who really wants fast industrialization for the people of his state. But his intention this time to have requested for the sum of a whooping N27bn to allegedly fight ocean surge in the next three years under a theme titled ‘Lagos Ocean for the Eko Atlantic Project’ has been challenged and called to public scrutiny by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
PDP Position
In an electronic letter sent to Naija Standard by Taofik Gani, Publicity Secretary of PDP, he said the Lagos State Chapter of the PDP has counseled the ACN led Lagos State Government not to cause unnecessary panic in the State, but to admit responsibilities for the consequences of their ineptitude and misgovernance in the State.
PDP Lagos Scribe argued that the position of the PDP is a reaction to the Lagos State Government’s declaration that it needs at least N27bn to control flooding in the state and that residents in some parts of the State must vacate their homes as their will be unavoidable flooding in the state this year.
His words: “Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on April 10, 2013 said that the state will need N27 billion to fight ocean surge in the next three years while the Commissioner for
Environment, Tunji Bello had declared that Lagosians in some parts of the State must relocate to avoid flood after expected rains.
For PDP: “This is really pathetic and unfortunate of a government that ought to be honest to its citizens but has rather chosen the path of propaganda, deceit and avoiding blames. Similar rains fall around the West Coast, but only Lagos State is usually, massively flooded. This is as a result of the Lagos State Government’s indiscriminate sand filling of the Lagos Ocean for the Eko Atlantic Project. They must admit this fact and review the project.
PDP feels Vindicated
PDP thumbs its chest by emphasizing that “Plans by the LASG to search for N27bn this year alone to fight the expected flooding has now vindicated our position that unless the Eko Atlantic project is halted, Lagos will experience perennial ocean Surge and flooding. Canals must also be cleared immediately.”
The party added that “Relocation is capital intensive. The state must provide alternative housing for residents it intends to relocate. The party thus opines that the State Governor should be held accountable for any further loss of life and property due to any flooding in the State.”
- EDITOR’S NOTE: We await the reaction of Lagos State Government on this allegation.
