Ahead of Wednesday Stakeholders’ Constituency meetings, some residents of Badagry have urged lawmakers representing the town to use their positions to provide social amenities in the community.
They said in Badagry that the city was lagging behind in social amenities such as good roads, potable water, regular power supply and good health centres.
The Stakeholders’ Constituency meetings are usually convened by the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) once in a year.
It offers an opportunity for lawmakers to share information that educates the constituents.
Each meeting offers an opportunity to gain their buy-in and assistance in advocacy efforts, establish communication channels, and provide transparency to their community about federal advocacy on their behalf.
In his comments, Mr Ebenezer Kuponu, Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Badagry Local Government Area, said that roads within communities in Badagry were in a deplorable state.
“Our concern is that our lawmakers should work toward having good roads in Badagry.
“It is sad to know that the town is lagging behind in all social amenities among the five divisions in Lagos.
“There is no potable water in Badagry, most of the houses have boreholes as their source of drinking water.
“Our lawmakers are not doing well in these areas and people are not happy, because they fought a battle to get them elected into the state assembly.
“We are appealing to them to wake up to these challenges so that their constituents will not regret giving them the mandate,’’ he said.
Also, a traditional chief, Chief Tunde Giro, the Depegan of Badagry Kingdom, said that people in the coastal town expected their law makers to use their offices for the completion of many abandoned projects.
“There are many abandoned projects in Badagry, such as Low-cost Housing Estate, Marina Reclamation Project, abandoned Chalets, Oba Akran’s Palace.
“These projects were abandoned by former Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, and till date, work has not started on them.
“The lawmakers representing Badagry should use their positions at the assembly to lobby for the completion of the projects.
“We are not happy with these abandoned projects in our communities, our representatives should wake up and act,’’ Giro said.
Also, Mr James Dikki, immediate past Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Badagry, said that he expected the lawmakers to participate well in the house debate.
“If you debate very well at the floor of the house, you will be able to lobby for your people, but if you don’t debate, there will be nothing for your constituents because you will not be recognised.
“We don’t want people that will sit down for four years at the house doing nothing, only to come back after the years to seek reelection for another four years,’’ Chief Giro said.
In his contributions, Mr Idowu Jimoh, a staff of Public Complaints Commission (PCC), said that communities in Badagry were not enjoying power supply.
“Electricity supply in this area is terrible; sometimes, there will not be power supply for good one month and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) will not give us any reason for the blackout.
“At times, in a week, hardly can we have four hours electricity supply. Some communities have been cut off from the national grid.
“We want our lawmakers to wade into the power issues and restore electricity to the city,’’ Jimoh said.
