The thirty-six state governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, have donated N200 million to the Abule Ado/Soba Emergency Relief Fund set up by the Lagos State following the explosion that rocked the Abule-Ado area, near the International Trade Fair Complex, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State last Sunday.
Making the donation of N200 million, Chairman of NGF and Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, explained that the money was donated on behalf of the state governors, stressing that, as the information gets back to the NGF Secretariat, there was that tendency that governors would make more donations according to each state’s capacity.
In a statement by the NGF Head, Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, Fayemi, who blamed the explosion on the disagreement between state and federal governments on ownership of land, however, hailed Lagos State government for the attention given to the place, even as he promised that such issues would be addressed going forward. Lagos State government had announced the donation of N250 million to the N2.5 billion fund and solicited for support from all Nigerians.
Fayemi led the delegation comprising his colleagues from Edo, Godwin Obaseki, and Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje, to the site of the incident in Lagos before reporting back to the house at their next meeting.
The NGF Chairman expressed surprise that with the kind of devastation they saw the casualty figure was low, adding that but for prompt response more lives would have been lost.
He commended the state government for the decision to take action and ensure that the issue of building on pipeline corridors is addressed. Also in the delegation were the Director General of NGF, Asishana Okauru and NGF’s Head, Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo.
By Henry Umoru,
Vanguard