Only some weeks ago following the Federal Government announcement by Boss Mustafa that Nigeria will easedown the lockdown and allow certain economic activities, Lagos State is one of the states that followed suit and reviewed its policies or conditions, a step which led to the reopening of the polity for certain economic activities and the movement of citizens from place to place with certain proviso. Days into the easedown, the Lagos State Government lamented the flagrant abuse of the easedown opportunity by citizens who have pursued livelihood almost unconscious of the dreaded Covid-19 presently ravaging the world.
During the lockdown, Lagosians wailed and lamented the degree of suffering that confronted them. The major, being the absence of palliative measures from the authorities. In the aftermath of the easedown, citizens who are more concerned with pursuing means of survival, seized the opportunity with total disregard for the safety laid down laws. The LASG thereafter threatened that it would effect a total lockdown policy and curfew if the citizens continue to disregard the easedown and curfew laws.
The Big Question to ask however is;
Has the federal government, and Lagos State government fixed the problems that led to the easedown?
Is the government now ready to do what they didn’t do which led to public outcry prior to the easedown, curfew?
It is often said that ‘when injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty’.
Against this background, it must be realised that attempts to lockdown the state without adequate plans to provide for the poorest of the poor, might lead to a revolt from a people who will not tolerate being lockdown or curfew again without any palliatives or provisions.
It must be noted that the easedown came without putting the poor masses into consideration. For instance, market men and women, office workers, business men and women etc.
The transport unions have maintained the same levies thereby forcing commutters to pay more, even after coming from a lockdown. This is happening while no additional/increase in salaries or income came to the purses of the citizens. This shows that the government has no consideration for the citizens, who even before the Covid-19 pandemic were already going through a lot.
Many citizens are bitter that the tricycles (keke) for instance are mandated to carry only two (2) on a trip without consideration for the hiking of the fares. No doubt government did not consider the citizens in this present development.
It has therefore become expedient for the LASG to regulate the transport unions and the sector to be able to control what happens there, with a view to ensuring that passengers are not shortchanged anyhow. Also creating avenues for the full economy to be re-opened.
Long live Nigeria
Long live Lagos State
By: Prince Chukwudi Timothy Samuel
CEO Micmirasteph Communication Ltd. Publisher of Apexreporters
