‘Deportation’ saga: Civil society coalition blames FG By MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO Coalition of Civil Society Group, CCSG, has blamed the Federal Government for the alleged “deportation’ of 14 destitute from Lagos to Anambra State, saying rather, “the central government is lacking in the provision of social care for the vulnerable.” The group also described the action of Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State as an abdication of its responsibility to the citizens of the state. Briefing at the International Press Centre, Ogba, Ikeja, on ‘Security Challenges and the Raging Controversy,’ the group said rather than condemn Lagos State Government, citizens of Igbo extraction should blame the Presidency for not providing the necessary support for the vulnerable persons in the country. Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr. Abiodun Sowunmi lamented that the “central government hardly intervenes in the provision of mass housing and there is no record of any intervention in the provision of social care for the destitute in the country. “Rather than care for them, the Federal Government embarked on a zero policy on the presence of destitute in the Federal Capital territory, FCT, Abuja and is currently demolishing villages belonging to the Gwari people (the indigenes of Abuja) and driving them out of the vicinity of the seat of power. “Therefore, it is beyond belief that any governor of a state in Nigeria, specifically Governor Obi, with the knowledge of above-mentioned intolerance of the poor, will invite the Presidency to caution a state government that was implementing the law of its state. “For instance the Lagos State Environmental law 2012, allows the state to clear beggars and destitute off the streets and then rehabilitate them. So what the state government did was absolutely right.” Speaking against the action of the Anambra State Government, Mr. Nelson Ekujumi said “the government whose citizens have migrated en masse to other states as destitute are themselves indicted and Anambra State ought to take measures to rehabilitate them instead of accusing another state government of ‘deportation.’”
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 10:39:35 +0000
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