Fashola flays FG’s housing policy

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, said the continuous operation of the Federal Housing Authority, FHA, as the country’s national housing programme anchor, was a curse on the 1999 Constitution.

Similarly, Fashola barred skating on the state highways, saying, “Anyone caught skating on the highways will be arrested and prosecuted.”

He spoke at a meeting with Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, personnel and induction of 250  special Traffic Mayors including the Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dr. Oluranti Adebule in Ikeja.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state

Fashola while responding to a question on why the roads in Festac Town were left in terrible state, said: “We have unresolved issues with Federal Housing Authority, FHA,  concerning Festac Town. Some of the taxes and land charges are collected by the Federal Government without  giving the state any share. That was why I said that FHA is an anathema to the 1999 Constitution.

“I don’t see the reason the central government that doesn’t own land in Lagos State, should manage a housing estate in the same state.

“I know that FHA was created during the military administration. Now in the civilian administration, this is one of the laws that the National Assembly needs to urgently amend or repeal to bring them to conformity with the current dispensation.

“I don’t know why the central government gets itself involved in the provision of housing when it doesn’t have land.”

…declares LASTMA officer wanted over bribe

The governor also declared one Mr. Micheal Ekundayo,a LASTMA officer allegedly caught on video “wanted.”

The governor said: “I want first to salute the citizen that got the video of the LASTMA officer who was caught negotiating bribe inside a citizen’s car.

“We must all use that kind of medium to fish out all the bad eggs in the society and bring them to justice.

“That LASTMA officer is still on the run and we have declared him wanted. I can assure you today that we will get him. As soon as we do, we will give him all his rights and he will have his day in court.”

Speaking on the ban on skating, Fashola noted that “our  children have also taken to skating because the road is safe.

“We aren’t discouraging them from doing so. But they should do that in designated places like recreation centres, stadia and others.”