…Cautions National Assembly against granting requests of agitation for state police
A civil rights organisation, the Save Lagos Group (SLG) has written to the upper legislative chambers, Senate with a call on members to commence the processes for the withdrawal of the operational certificate of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company.
This is coming just as the group urged members of the National Assembly not to grant the request of those agitating for the establishment of state police structure in the country, saying though the suggestion appears good on the surface, it will be subjected to abuse in the hands of politicians in the 36 states of the federation.
The position of the Save Lagos Group is contained in a statement issued in its Ikeja, Lagos office on Tuesday signed by its Convener, Comrade Adeniyi, Sulaiman who in a letter dated Monday, 7th August 2017 argued that the electricity distribution firm has not lived up to the expectations of the customers whom it is billed to serve.
According to the group, relevant authorities copied in the petition include, President Muhammadu Buhari, Chairmen of both Senate and House Committees on Interior, Ethics, Privilege and Public Petition, the Ministers of Interior and Power, Works and Housing.
Others the Inspector-General of Police, Chairman of Board of Nigeria Electric Regulatory Commission (NERC), General Manager, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company and the Commissioner of Police in charge of Lagos State Command.
Sulaiman stated that petition prompted series of meetings between the group and the management of the distribution firm, which has not yielded the right dividends in terms of service delivery to the consumers whom he stated have been paying so much for little or no service rendered to them.
“We have exhausted all avenues to make the electricity distribution firm upgrade its performance. We have held series of meetings with their management after our earlier petition to the General Manager (GM), the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the IKEDC and Director-General of the National Electric Regulatory Commission (NERC) with assurances of improved performance that have never materialized.” He stated.
According to Sulaiman, two separate letters dated October 24th, 2016 and 2nd November, 2016 have been, saying “from the looks of things, the company seems not too concerned with giving quality and affordable services.
“In view of this, we are calling on members of the Senate not to waste time before putting in place processes that would lead to the revocation of the operating certificate of the firm.”
On the way forward, Sulaiman argued that the company reverts back to government ownership in view of the manifest ineptitude of the current managers of the company.
The group also urged the National Assembly not to grant the requests of some state governors under the auspices of the Governors Forum and the Vice President for the setting up state police commands structures.
The group is of the opinion that the request if granted would not yield positive results for the country, saying most of the governors have not demonstrated the required maturity to handle the arrangement when operational.
“We are not really opposed to the call but that the state governors have not demonstrated enough maturity to be saddled with the responsibilities of managing the scheme when operational. We are all witnesses to the excesses of some of the quasi-police arrangements that have been put in place by some of the governors.
“In Lagos, we continue to witness the excesses of personnel of the LASTMA and Neighbourhood Watch, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps Agency as well as vigilance groups such as ‘Onyabo’ and the likes across the state.
“When viewed against the fact that some of these governors are wont to manipulating the various States Electoral Commissions to the advantage of the ruling parties in their respective states, what do you think the situation would be like if the state governors are put in direct control of the police? Your guess is as good as mine. Opposition would be muzzled.” He said.
He concluded that “These two issues are very germane to the wellbeing of our people and we are calling on the National Assembly to do the needful by listening to the popular view of Lagosians and Nigerians who are looking up to their representatives to do things that would bring succor to them.”
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