….Says It Is Illegal
A human rights group, the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has threatened to file a lawsuit against the Lagos state government over the constitution of Park Management Committee (PMC).
The group accused the Governor of the state, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu of contravening section 12 of the Lagos State Park Authority Law 2011, saying that the park management Committee was illegally constituted by the governor.
CHSR made this known at a press conference held in Ikeja on Thursday, to call on the state government to stop the anarchy in the transportation sector in Lagos.
NewsBeatng reports that the state government inaugurated a 26-man park management committee in March 2022 headed by the sacked Lagos Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo), after suspending the activities of the Union in the state.
The operation of the park management committee had caused chaos in some parts of the state as members of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) accused MC Oluomo of violently taking over the running of their parks.
Addressing journalists, the President of CHSR, Comrade Alex Omotehinse said the group gives the state government a 7-day ultimatum to reconstitute the Committee to accommodate other members of the factions including major stakeholders in the transport sectors.
” However, the operation of Park management committee has turned the state to slaughtering abattoir where Lagos residents and road users are now being harassed, assaulted, harmed and killed on daily basis through the mode of operation of this Committee alleged to be protected by men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) under the Lagos state command.
” Lagosians have started witnessing pockets of violence activities within Lagos State metropolis in areas where park management committee have encroached and forcefully taking over which ought not to have arisen. The selective encroachment are consumable, if truly Transport unions activities are banned, why TOOAN parks are the ones subjected to attack? Why Okada riders union, RTEAN and tricycle operators union that are affiliated to RTEAN are still operating? This is a pure show of injustice on the part of the state government “, said Omotehinse.
” Between 19th-23rd April 2022, over 1000 transport vechicles were vandalised and a Rainoil filing station was attacked based on their relationship with TOOAN State Chairman”, Omotehinse lamented.
The rights group accused Sanwo-Olu and the Lagos state House of Assembly members of complacency, charging the lawmakers as a matter of urgency reconvene an emergency plenary session that would comprises all stakeholders to debate reasonable solutions before the situation degenerates beyond control.
” We demand that the Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Mr Abiodun Alabi should direct his men to always maintain neutrality in approaching the issue anywhere in the state. They should not take side by protecting one against the other”, said Omotehinse.
