Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have resolved that all uncompleted buildings in the state should henceforth be confiscated as part of efforts to halt the rising insecurity issues in the country.
The lawmakers directed Governor Babatunde Fashola to first send a notice to the various owners of the uncompleted buildings through the various agencies of government whose roles relate with issues of buildings in the state.
Speaking furthers on Tuesday, the lawmakers urged Fashola to direct all the relevant agencies of government to increase the number of computer-based Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance cameras in the state by extending the installation to major markets, motor parks and other public places within the state.
In a multi-member sponsored motion, read by Hon. Abdulbaq Balogun, the lawmakers asked the governor to continue to aggressively pursue the registration of residents through the Residents Registration Agency set up for the purpose in order to create a veritable database of Lagosians.
The House emphasised that the government should “take over all abandoned properties for overriding public interest in the state after issuing necessary notices; and discourage the assemblage of abandoned vehicles in residential and industrial areas.”
In a unanimous decision, the House called for more empowerment for the Community Development Associations (CDAs) and the Neighbourhood Watch in the state to assist in crime prevention, monitoring and control and for them to collate information on abandoned projects in their various communities and submit same to the government for necessary action.
The members also agreed to go to their various constituencies to meet with the various communities on issues about insecurity and the roles every individual needs to play especially with the escalating issues of kidnappings, ritual killings, armed robbery and such other vices now common in the country.
In passing the resolution, the House cited Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government” as they acknowledged the efforts of the state government in providing infrastructure, human capacity building and funding for the procurement of security equipment towards achieving maximum security of lives and properties as constitutionally stipulated.
