…says Wike should get ready to meet us on the streets of Abuja
By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero has given reason why Nigerian workers will resist the planned demolition of houses by the federal government.
This is also as he has asked the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Barr. Nyesom Wike to be warming up to meet them at the streets of Abuja over his threat about demolishing some areas. I think they should legalise those areas workers are operating rather than demolish them.
All those places they called slums where people make provisions for themselves, where they want to stay, Wike is seeing as illegal, he should legalise it for those people there until such a time they are able to provide alternative for them because it is part of their responsibility. Not when people suffer, spent their retirement money to build, when they finish building, they demolish it.
The NLC President stated this while fielding questions from our correspondent at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between A.G Mortgage Bank Plc and the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI).
Ajaero condemned a situation where government agencies will watch these houses being erected for five to ten years and they allow them only to suddenly wake up and decide to demolish them.
He urged government to put certain infrastructure to such places if they are not blocking probably a rail-line, access to electricity or all other vital things.
Reacting to the planned demolition of government despite the huge housing deficit in the country, Ajaero said that it goes to show you whether the government is a welfarist or not. According to him, the contradictory aspect of it is that some of them got approval by some of the government agencies, directly or indirectly. Some of these government agencies equally watched these houses when they are bring erected. I won’t be against them if they stop people from even escavating from foundation but I don’t agree that you watch them, some it will take them five to ten years before you finish building and you demolish it. It is better if that area is not supposed to be for housing to tell them, rather than allow them when they finish, you demolish it. It is very unfair and I think presently we should start resisting it. It doesn’t show that it is a government that cares for the people.
