COMMUNIQUE OF TOWN HALL MEETING BY RESIDENTS OF SANGO COMMU NITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION AREA HELD ON SATURDAY 7TH OF MARCH, 2020, AT LAYINKA/SIMPSON STREET, EBUTE METTA, LAGOS.

A Town Hall meeting of residents of Sango Community Development Association Area was called to addressed two main issues

 1. Threat to security of lives and property. 

2. Change of leadership crises. 

ON SECURITY:

2). The meeting observed a looming threat to security of lives and property occasioned by indiscriminate refuse dump at the wee hours of the day by some people which may lead to environmental hazards, in addition to petty stealing, drug abuse, bag and phone snatching with Okada, burglary, influx of miscreants, and youth restiveness.

3). The meeting further observed that the relative peace in the area could be breached by the influx of miscreant youths into the neighbourhood from different areas and local governments. The meeting noted the invaders are not residents of the area, and are involved in the ongoing youth restiveness and violence in other parts of Lagos Mainland / Yaba community.

4). The meeting noted that the miscreants and their friends who invited them have turned Evans Square by Carter street and Wright street into their base, where they perpetrate all manners of anti social acts.

5). The meeting was informed that after causing or taking part in violence acts in other parts of Yaba/Mainland community, the youths have turned a building in Carter street by Muritala Mohammed Way and one other building in Railway compound into their sanctuary. This is where they took different types of drugs and planned their nefarious activities.

6). That the meeting recognised that youth restiveness and violence is majorly caused by idleness, joblessness and lack of employment opportunities aside from drugs intake.

ON LEADERSHIP CRISIS : 

7). The meeting was informed that the Lagos state government gave a directive that a properly constituted and democratically elected CDA leadership should be effected all over the state.

7). That a new leadership could have been in place through consensus, but the list sent by the outgoing Chairman Mr. S.O. Nofiu was altered by the Chairman of the CDA election committee Mr. Shehu Ishola. It  should be noted that the said Mr. Shehu Ishola felt Mr. S.O. Nofiu should continued as chairman of Sango Community Development Association area CDA, despite being the chairman for 9 years.

8). The meeting noted that the resistance and failure to impose the perpetual rule of Mr. S.O. Nofiu led to a new machination by Mr. Shehu Ishola to impose one Mr. Yahaya Ahmed as against the popular choice of members of the community Mr. Abubakr Quadri.

9). The Town Hall meeting was/is of the view that CDA is a non partisan, non tribal, non religious and non profit making association of residents of a particular area under consideration.  Thus, the CDA is an independent association of residents of a given area, a partner in progress and development and not an extension of the structure of any political party or an appendage of local government authority on whom leadership should be imposed.

10). That it is morally unjust and unconstitutional for an individual (Mr. Shehu Ishola) to impose his preferred choice on the CDA. Thus, the meeting was of the view that the imposition of a chairman through a proxy ( Chairman of CDA election committee) by  Local government authority is unfair, unjust and against all democratic norms and should therefore be resisted.

11). The meeting further observed that misapplication and misappropriation of CDA funds may have informed the unjust insistence to imposed an unpopular leadership on the CDA. 

12). The Town Hall meeting was convinced that a popular and democratically elected leadership, in an election where the Local government leadership serves as an observer ( supervised) is a fundamental prerequisite to security of lives and property, peace and progress of residents and business activities in the area.

RESOLUTIONS

1). That parents and guidance should warned their children and wards against drug abuse and keeping bad friends.

2). That members of the CDA should work with security agents particularly the police to rid the area of drug abuse centres, and miscreants points of convergence.

3). That efforts should be made to provide street lights in Wright from Herbert Macaulay junction to Muritala Mohammed Way.

4). That incessant power outage at Old Yaba road should be addressed.

5). That Okada should not ply our community between   10:00pm to 6:00am to stop the incidents of phone and bag snatching.

6). The immediate constitution and inauguration of a CARETAKER TRUSTEE to midwife a popular and democratically elected CDA leadership with agents of the local government authority as observer at the election.

7). The following persons were nominated as Trustees:

1. Colonel. Bode Soares rtd - Chairman. 

2. Mr. Ametu A. Ajayi - member.

3. Comrade Wale Balogun - member 

4. Alhaja D..O Jimoh.

8). Update all authorities and  stakeholders of our activities.

9. Saturday, March 28th was unanimously decided as next meeting, with Layinka/Simpson as same venue. 

SIGNED :

Mr. Ayodeji Awonuga

Mr. Ametu Anthony Ajayi

Alhaji Suleiman Al- Korowi

Abubakr Quadri

Comrade Wale Balogun

CC :

* Hon. Kayode Omiyale - Executive chairman, Yaba LCDA.

* Hon. Ibrahim Owolabi Ajani - Member , Lagos State House of Assembly, Lagos Mainland Constituency 1.

* Mr. Okei Achamba  - Supervisory Councillor, Yaba LCDA.

* Thru Hon. Ibrahim Owolabi Ajani. Lagos State House of Assembly.

* Hon. Jide Jimoh, Member, House of Representatives, Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency

* The Area Commander, Area C police command.

* The DPO, Adekunke Police Station, Yaba.