Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, urged those planning nationwide protests to tread with caution while they exercise their constitutional rights to freely express their grievances, but quickly said that the government remained open to dialogue in order to resolve the citizens’ complaints.
Governor Sanwo-Olu gave this word of caution while receiving on a courtesy visit, members of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets and Special Duties led by the chairman, Hon. Ademorin Kuye.
According to him, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration had shown commitment to employing dialogue to peacefully resolve citizens’ grievances, stressing that the government would not rule out continuous engagement with aggrieved parties in the interest of stability and strengthening democratic governance.
The governor, however, acknowledged their rights to air their concerns about the socio-economic situation in the country but urged the aggrieved to refrain from divisive utterances and actions that may threaten the safety and peace in the country, noting that those issuing threats had ulterior intentions which border on the breakdown of law and order.
“We are at a point in the country where there have been agitations and people planning nationwide protests. We all understand what the constitution says as regards the rights of citizens showing sincere concerns.
“As leaders, we believe it is important to appreciate those concerns, but it is equally important that those who want to protest show sincerity about their actions, by ensuring that they do not turn the protests into political agenda. All sorts of utterances and rhetoric we hear should not be tolerated. We don’t need all of these.
“The country has been set on a new trajectory by the current administration, which is less than 15 months old. The government has what it takes to turn around the fortunes of this country economically.
“We are using any means of engagement to explain to our citizens that, while they are free to express their grievances and call for better service, it is important that they know too well that the government is already listening to their grievances,” Governor Sanwo-Olu stated.
“There will be nothing that will be taken away from the table of engagement. Any form of grievance must end up on the table.
“This is the reason the government is extending its hand and turning its listening ears. We all can see the genuineness to engage as we go along. As leaders, we must ensure that we continue to engage our citizens, talk to them and let them see that there are two sides to every coin.
“We will continue to do our very best to ease hardship with the belief that things will turn around positively and for better for all of us,” he added.
Speaking further, the governor noted that the introduction, passing and signing into law of the new National Minimum Wage Bill, and the unprecedented push for the autonomy of the Local Government Areas were genuine steps taken by the Tinubu administration to alleviate the current hardship, stressing that the developments had become a conversation, which the sub-national governments should push forward to reflect representative governance at all levels.
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