Lagos – The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday urged Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode and residents to ensure protection of public infrastructure in the state.
The call followed a motion raised by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Sanai Agunbiade and seconded by Mr Rotimi Olowo, the Chairman, House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, under matter of urgent public importance.
The House called on Ambode to apprehend and prosecute anyone that vandalised government infrastructure in the state.
The lawmakers also urged the governor to provide Close Circuit Television (CCTV) to monitor vehicular activities in the state.
The Assembly called on the state government to direct the state Ministry of Information to embark on enlightenment campaign to educate the people on how to protect government infrastructure in the state.
Explaining the motion, Agunbiade had said the street lights provided by the state government under the ‘Light Up Lagos Projects’ and other government infrastructure in the state must be protected.
According to him, Lagos residents should take ownership of government infrastructure by assisting the police and reporting anyone found tampering with them.
He said it was disheartening that motorists, especially commercial bus drivers, hit the street lights recklessly.
In his contribution, Olowo said that apart from the electric poles, the barricades on the roads were being destroyed by some people.
Also speaking, Mr Yinka Ogundimu, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance said that electric cables were being vandalised.
The Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Mr Olumuyiwa Jimoh said that officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) should join the Police to stop the menace.
In his ruling, the Speaker of the House Mr Mudashiru Obasa said, “The way motorists knock off infrastructure in the state shows that nobody is safe.
“The people should know that the properties belong to the public. They have a role to play in ensuring that the items are protected. They should show more interest in the properties.
“The contractors of the projects should ensure that they are protected and the Ministry of Information should embark a rigorous campaign to educate the people on how to protect government infrastructure.”
Obasa also announced at the sitting that Mr Azeez Sanni had been appointed as the acting Clerk of the House following the pre-retirement leave embarked upon the outgoing Clerk, Mr Ganiyu Abiru.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abiru will be retiring in August, when he will clock the mandatory retirement age of 60 in the Lagos State Civil Service.(NAN)