E.F.C.C:PROBE SHAYO HOLLOWAY NOW

E.F.C.C:PROBE SHAYO HOLLOWAY NOW

WARN PROTESTERS

BY ABDULMUMINI ADEKU.

PEOPLE STILL QUE FOR WATER IN LAGOS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Rising from its one day road walk and peaceful protests in Lagos,civil society groups working in consonance with the Nigerian Labor  Congress, The Environmental Rights Action,Corporate Accountability International ,AUPCTRE,African Women WASH Net among others have called on anti-graft agency,the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to expect a notice very soon from the Lagos State House of Assembly as efforts were being made to ensure the probe of erstwhile helmsman of the state Water Corporation ,Mr Shayo Holloway for mismanagement of funds given to his agency in 16 years.

The civil society groups insisted that after wasting 16 years of tax payers money and donor agencies like the World Bank Group working with the International Finance Corporation they were stunned to say in the least that the state government under whatever guise could come out publicly to say that they wanted to privatize water.

After the long hour walk from the popular Ikeja under the bridge bus stop in Lagos ,Nigeria ,the protesters continued to chant unfriendly songs as they matched towards Alausa Secretariat where the Lagos State House of Assembly was located as the group continued to chant “no”to the expected policy by the state on water.

At the House of Assembly ,it was discovered by the team of protesters that the compound was under lock and key and so they continued to protest until ,the Minority Leader of the Assembly and another member of the fold,Honourable Hakeem Bello and Segun Olulade came into join the group as they helped to calm frayed nerves..

Mr Olulade while speaking on behalf of the legislators who were said to be on recess ,thanked the group of protesters for the orderly manner they conducted themselves despite their grievances while promising to see to all aspect of their complaints regarding the water saga..

He assured that in taking any form of decision they as a group will remain in line with the people as this was why they were elected in the first place adding that this was the beauty of democracy.

He also added that they will stand against every efforts being made by authorities’ to punish all for taking part in the street protest as he learned on good authority that the water corporation leadership were bent on punishing workers that took part in the protests.

A woman leader,Mrs Bisi Fasasi alias Bisi Olobe while lamenting on the decay of infrastructures and general breakdown in the nation’s economy pleaded with the state government to tamper justice with mercy on the matter as it was an ill wind that bore no one any form of good in the polity.

The Director of Corporate Accountability ,Environmental Rights Action,Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi in his address lamented the water situation in lagos as at today and wondered why Mr Holloway has not been arrested by now for questioning by the leadership.

His words:”we are saying that they should probe Shayo Holloway’s regime at the water corporation as we are saying “no”,to the so called Public private partnership  as we know that water has being returned to the people in several places around the world”

Miss Betty Abah also lashed out at the policy of the state targeted at privatizing water in the state as she insisted that this was going to further heat up Nigeria’s already fragile polity.

In an exclusive interview with the News Office Desk of Paedia Express in Lagos,Nigeria,Mr  Onamade Oluwatosin,an Economist who was equally part of the rally told this reporter that billions of naire wasted in 16 years by Holloway has not being accounted for and now the state wish to sell water to its cronies .an act he termed a  “deadly decision”

He added that the policy was dead on arrival as it was akinned to taking away a prized property of the people when looking at how vital water was to our daily activities as humans..

A strong and written communiqué was also given to the News Office Desk of Paedia Express Multimedia Group  in which Lagos state government was warned about the effects of pains the planned policy on water will bring on the people of the state and beyond with signatures  of Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi,Director of Corporate Accountability ,Environmental Rights Action ,Shayda Edwards Naficy, Director of International Water Campaign, Corporate Accountability International ,Sani Baba Mohammed,Sub Regional Secretary ,Public Services International and Comrade Solomon Adelegan ,National resident ,Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Services Technical and Recreational services Employees all duly appended .

Other signatories includes Nnimmo Bassey,Health of Mother Earth’s Foundation,Dr Joe Okei Odumakin-Women Arise,Auwal Rafsanjani-Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy,Francis Abayomi-Peace and Development project,Priscilla Achakpa-Women Environmental Program me,Olusegun Tinka-Earthcare Foundation,Hawa Nibi Amenga –Etego-Grassroots Africa,Ghana,Africa Women WASH Net.