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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Lagos, Fed Govt Face-off Deepens
BY TUNDE ALAO AND BIODUN THOMAS DAVIES
WHEN the gavel of Her Lordship, Justice D. T. Okwuobi of Ikeja High Court One finally came down on her desk last week, whatever wind that was left on the sail of Lagos State Transport Management Authority, (LASTMA's) ship was blown out.
The state agency was declared powerless and lacking jurisdiction in the control of Federal roads in metropolitan Lagos. The controversy over the control certain roads by LASTMA and Federal Road Maintenance Agency, (FERMA), in Lagos was put to rest.
In the suit at Ikeja High Court One, Mr. Suleiman Ogunleye, a lawyer sued the state Ministry of Transport, one Mr. O. O. Rosanji and the Attorney-general of Lagos State for impounding his vehicle.
Justice Okwuobi in her judgement ordered that the plaintiff's vehicle, Mazda mini-bus with registration No. XK 467 GGE, which was in LASTMA's custody from November 17, 2003 till the date of the judgement be released unconditionally, while the first respondent, Rosanji, should pay damages of N7,000 per day from the day of its seizure.
Reacting to the judgement, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Engineer Adeolapo Adeniyi said, all along, the operation of LASTMA on Federal roads has been stopped, and that the Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, has not in any way granted the agency any right to operate on the roads in Lagos.
When The Guardian called at the LASTMA's office in Oshodi, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) to the agency, Mrs Abisola Kasali, said that the agency was not aware of any court order, banning LASTMA from operating on any road in Lagos.
In a statement by Kasali dated September 2, 2004, it was said that the agency is "being repositioned, energised and ready to roll out to do our work the way we have been doing it to remove stress and be diligent and efficient in discharging our duty."
It is worthy of note that the Federal Ministry of Works has denied empowering any agency to tow, arrest or contravene vehicles on Lagos roads and that any one found under such disguise as 'FERMA' should be resisted.
"For the umpteenth time our position is that it is only the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) that has the sole right to operate on Federal Roads. Not even the so-called FERMA officials. The only assignment which FERMA officials are allowed to carry out on Federal Roads is to control traffic whenever absolutely necessary. They have no right to arrest or tow any vehicle", Adeniyi contended.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State government has been advised to lay to rest the rivalry between it and the Federal Government, especially as it concerns environmental matters, by making representation to the Federal Ministry of Works.
This advice stemmed from the recent alleged declaration of removal and stoppage of ambulance and beautification on federal roads in the state, by the Minister for Works.
Speaking at the one-day stakeholders summit on the 'Peoples and Environment of Lagos - Towards a better future', organised by the Green Peoples Environmental Network, Professor Bamidele A. Folarin, of the Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, stated: "If that failed to yield positive result, members of the National Assembly from Lagos State should petition and lobby the two Houses.
On the part of the Federal Government, Professor Folarin, however, said; "I do not think it is right for anybody to deny the people of Lagos State the beautification of round-abouts, which all of us enjoy. Efforts should be made to settle power tussle between the two tiers of government."
In a similar reaction, the president, Green Peoples Environmental Network (GREPNET), Mr. Adewale Adeoye, said; "Rivalry between the two governments is not healthy not just for democracy but even for sustainable development in the society."
"There should be no conflict in the area to be developed by the federal or state government; both of them should see each other as partners in progress even though they are in different parties," he said, adding that "they just have to come together and work together in the interest of every one."
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