Residents of informal waterfront communities in Lagos State have sent a Save our Soul message to the Executive Governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode not to evict them from their communities where they are living now.
The communities made this known in a four-page letter that was jointly signed by head of each community and sent to the governor, office of the Senior Special Adviser on Civic Engagement in Lagos State, World Bank Country Director in Nigeria, Nigeria Country Director of UN Habitat, Nigeria Office of Amnesty International, and UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing.
The residents maintained that the communities have had a meeting with Adebimpe Akinsola, the Senior Special Adviser on Civic Engagement in Lagos State where issues concerning persons living in the informal settlements, persons working in the informal economy and persons living with disabilities in the communities were addressed before the Special Adviser.
At the end of the meeting, there was a consensus between the government officials and the communities to present policy proposal on core issue of housing, security of tenure, and protection of livelihoods to help the state become an inclusive mega city.
The communities said they were surprised and shocked by the governor’s immediate 7-days’ notice of demolition to all informal waterfront communities in Lagos State.
“We are deeply concerned that this announcement seems to be a continuation of the anti-poor policies of Lagos State against which they protested a week before, and how do they want them to dialogue with an eviction threat hanging over their heads”, they said.
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