Lagos – The Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Lagos State Chapter, has appealed to the Lagos State Government to allocate lands for the development of modern mechanic villages in the state.
Mr Jacob Fayeun, the State Chairman of the association, made the plea in Lagos on Wednesday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said that his members were tired of incessant demolition of their auto-workshops across the state by government.
“We are tired of the regular demolition of our workshops in various parts of the state. Government is driving us away from the streets, the roadsides and under the bridges, without providing alternative spaces for us.
“Our members are suffering in silence and with moves to transform the state into a mega city, the state government should allocate lands to NATA for its members to build their workshops,’’ he said.
Fayeun added that the state government could also generate a lot of revenue from the NATA members through taxes, if modern workshops were developed in various parts of the state, for their use.
He urged the state governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, to remember the association’s efforts during his electioneering campaigns to ensure the victory of his party at the polls.
“This is the time to compensate our association and our members with their modern mechanic villages, as a dividend of democracy,’’ he said.
“NATA is the largest body of artisans and craftsmen in the federation, with a large percentage of its membership based in Lagos State.
“We are law abiding and well organised and our elections are not in any way characterised by violence and that may even be the reason why we are not usually recognised by the relevant authorities.
“So, we are appealing to the state government to save us from these embarrassing demolitions,’’ Fayeun said.
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The chairman noted that over four approved mechanic villages have been demolished in Mushin, while two were recently demolished in the Gbagada area by the state government, without providing any alternative space for the displaces technicians.
Fayeun, therefore, pleaded with Gov. Ambode to intervene in the planned demolition of the Owutu mechanic village in Ikorodu by the Local Council Development Area (LCDA).
According to him, the workshop is the biggest in Lagos state, which was approved during the Gov. Lateef Jakande administration, and it houses over 500 auto-technicians. (NAN)
