Etim Effiong
Nigeria Automobile Technician Association, an affiliate of the Federation of Informal Workers’ Organisation of Nigeria, has appealed to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, not to demolish mechanic villages across the state.
The association, however, stated that the mechanics occupy the villages lawfully, adding that despite that its members suffering continuous harassment by government agents.
Lagos State Chairman of NATA, Asiwaju Jacob Fayeun, said on Saturday that the eviction had always followed a regular pattern with the latest being that of Odo-Aladura Mechanic Village along the Power Line Corridor/Canal Set-back at No.1, Jimade Close, Odo-Aladura, off Ladipo Road, Mushin.
He said, “We are once again crying out against the unlawful, whimsical and oppressive eviction of mechanics from their workplaces by money bags colluding with officials of the Ministry of Transport employing the services of the police and armed thugs.
“Odo-Aladura Mechanic Village is one of 40 mechanic villages created along power lines and canal setbacks as a way of organising auto repair workers in sustainable work clusters, while decongesting the city of the scattered presence of auto workers.
“Indeed, in the past 20 years, over 40 mechanic villages, markets and other informal production have been taken over by private interests with active connivance of the Lagos State Government officials.
“We call on His Excellency, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently intervene and arrest this ugly trend, which tramples on the constitutional rights of Lagosians to legitimate pursuit of their livelihood.
“The trend has also rubbished several international covenants emphasising the need for informal workers to access public spaces to do their work and offer needed services to members of the public.”
He stated that the allocation, control, and management of all the Lagos State Government approved mechanic villages, including the Odo-Aladura Mechanic Village, Mushin, are vested/domiciled in the Ministry of Transportation.
According to him, the land was permanently allocated to some of the members through the ministry on December 16, 1993 upon fulfilment of all the government’s conditions and requirements.
Fayeun said that members, as responsible and law-abiding citizens, have been discharging their lawful obligations by way of payment of ground rents, developments levies, taxes, and other levies annually without default.
The chairman said that members had never contravened or breached any environmental laws, regulations, guidelines, or any other law in course of doing business.
According to him, the development that resulted in the demolition, started in March, 2018 when some officials of the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation visited the area claiming control over it.
He said that several letters to seek clarification and intervention from the Ministry of Transportation proved abortive, until workers were demanded to vacate the place within seven days by LSDPC.
He said that in 2017, Babs Animashaun Mechanic Village, Surulere was demolished, not for any over-riding public interest, but for hotel, warehouse, filling station and residential building, while 1000 of NATA members were displaced.
Fayeun called on the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde to look into the plight of the helpless mechanics and protect their interest and livelihood in the state.
“We appeal that our members be allowed to go back to their places of work with all the seized vehicles and work tools returned to them in the interest of justice and good order in Lagos. If this fails, we will continue to use all legitimate avenues to press for justice to be done,” he added.
Also speaking, the General Secretary, FIWON Mr Gbenga Komolafe, said it was the duty of the government to provide space for the informal sector like mechanics, saying the current situation was traumatising.
He stated that if mechanics were not wanted on roadsides and were still being driven away from approved mechanic villages for private interests, the informal sector would be destroyed.
According to him, many members of the association have been subjected to all manners of harassment, arrest and inhuman treatment after being dislodged from their sources of livelihood.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Olaseinde, when contacted for comments, did not pick his calls. His telephone rang out. He did not respond to text message that was also sent to him.