Urges Tinubu to Intervene and Protect Traders Amid Economic Hardship
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has expressed deep concern over the demolition of buildings at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex, describing the exercise as “heartbreaking.”
Speaking on Friday during President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Abia State for the commissioning of projects executed by Governor Alex Otti, Kalu appealed for presidential intervention to ease the plight of traders affected by the operation.
The event was attended on Tinubu’s behalf by the Minister of Works, David Umahi.
Kalu’s Emotional Plea
“Mr President, I also want to say that the destruction, demolition of the houses and offices of our brothers in Lagos makes our hearts bleed,” Kalu declared.
He urged Tinubu to prevail on Lagos authorities to give affected traders and property owners time to regularise their documents instead of losing their buildings outright.
“For some of them who have not gotten the right document, my plea is to appeal to the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to keep accommodating our brothers. Let them find a way to regularise these documents. It bleeds our hearts that in this hard time, houses are being destroyed,” he added.
Kalu further stated that he believes President Tinubu, whom he described as a leader that “cares for the Igbos,” would listen to their yearnings.
Call for South East Port Development
Beyond the demolition issue, the Deputy Speaker also called on the Federal Government to prioritise port development in the South East, stressing that it was critical to boosting the region’s trading economy.
Background to the Demolition
The demolition at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex began on September 25, spearheaded by the Ministry of Physical Planning alongside the Lagos State Building Control Agency, the Urban Renewal Agency, and the Physical Planning Permit Authority.
Authorities described the exercise as part of efforts to remove illegal and unsafe structures within the complex, but the move has drawn heavy criticism from stakeholders and political leaders.
