Lagos State government says it has contributed the sum of N250 million to the Emergency Relief Fund for the support of victims of Sunday’s explosion that rocked a part of the State.
The State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the disclosure on Monday in an interview with State House Correspondents.
The Governor, who said he was in the State House to update President Muhammadu Buhari on developments arising from the explosion at Abule Ado area of Lagos State, announced that a ₦2 billion Emergency Relief Fund has been established in the wake of the unfortunate incident.
He said: “I had a very rear opportunity to brief Mr President about the very unfortunate gas/pipeline explosion in Lagos State yesterday.
“The President was very gracious to receive me and to ask me about where we are and what had happened. I was able to show him pictorially the extent and the level of destruction of what happened yesterday (Sunday). It is a very unfortunate incident, is not something that anyone could have imagined, you needed to be there to see the level of destruction.”
Special Accounts
Sanwo-Olu said that three accounts had been opened at different banks for well-meaning Nigerians to support the state government in assisting the victims.
“The other thing that we have also done, is to set up an emergency relief fund and I have asked the Deputy Governor of Lagos State to also lead that relief fund, so it’s called “Abule Ado Emergency Relief Fund”
“Overnight I had to open three accounts with Polaris, Zenith and GT Bank, all in the same name and it is for a ₦2 billion fund that we believe will begin to speak to all of the immediate challenges and I have instructed that State government put N250 million into that fund. I have received much support and condolences form my colleagues, State Governors over what happened,” he said.
The Governor said that the banks with the same account name as “Abule Ado Emergency Relief Fund” included Polaris Bank 4030017510, Zenith Bank 10171845716 and Guaranty Trust Bank 0586615680.
The Governor said the private sector has also indicated it will support the State one way or the other.
Sanwo-Olu described as speculative reports that the community was close to pipeline and that a gas plant was also situated in the affected community.
He noted that there has never been this level of destruction before in Lagos State hence the high-level committee in place, he said one of the things that will be done will be to build more roads that will bypass the pipeline right of way.
Firm Decisions
The Governor said going forward the administration will be firm adding: “We will be fair but we will also be firm. What is popular might not be what is right but we will do the right thing. That is what I can assure you.”
On checking uncontrolled building and development henceforth, the Governor said in less than a year, over 20 buildings have been demolished and that will continue.
“We have also marked for demolition quite a number. I will be the first to admit that given the size of the city, maybe we don’t have enough development control to manage the growth of the city.
“It is the same way we cannot control the population explosion in the country. We cannot put a border post in the city and say people cannot come in but we have been a bit proactive to ensure our building control process is a lot more transparent and quicker.
“We will have them online so that people will not have to come to the government. But we will continue to appeal to our people to do the right thing. You cannot just come in and begin to build just because someone has given you an allocation. That is why I said our decision is not going to be popular but we are going to be firm in the sense that you are still going to see a lot of sanctions going forward,” the Governor explained.
Source: VON
