Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to give Igbos affected by the demolition of structures at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex the opportunity to regularise their property documents instead of losing their buildings.
Kalu made the appeal on Friday during President Tinubu’s visit to Abia State for the commissioning of projects executed by the Alex Otti administration.
The president was represented at the event by the Minister of Works, David Umahi.
“Mr President, I also want to say that the destruction, demolition of the houses and offices of our brothers in Lagos makes our hearts bleed,” Kalu said.
The Deputy Speaker described the demolitions as “heartbreaking,” urging the Federal Government to show compassion to affected traders and property owners, most of whom are of Igbo origin.
“For some of them who have not gotten the right document, my plea is to appeal to the governor of Lagos State (Babajide Sanwo-Olu) to keep accommodating our brothers. Let them come into the room and find a way of regularising some of these documents. It bleeds our hearts that in this hard time, houses are being destroyed. But I know Mr President, who cares for the Igbos, will listen to the yearnings of the Igbos,” he said.
Kalu also called on the Federal Government to prioritise the development of ports in the South East to strengthen trade and economic activity in the region, which heavily depends on commerce and importation.
His comments followed the ongoing demolition of illegal and unsafe structures at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex, which began on September 25 and was carried out by the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning, the Building Control Agency, the Urban Renewal Agency, and the Physical Planning Permit Authority.
