By HAULAT AFOLABI
The Vice Chairman, Arewa community in Lagos State, Alh Saadu Yusuff, has called on Governor Babajide Sanwoolu to consider members of the group for appointments in his administration.
Yusuff, who spoke against the backdrop of the recent Executive Order on traffic and environmental laws of the state, said that the Arewa community had been making efforts to partner with the state government on potentially viable ways to create awareness among its people on the new laws.
He, however, lamented that the poor representation of his people in government might stall the efforts.
Yusuff further enjoined the governor to engage some members of the group in his administration, adding that the appointment would enable the Arewa community to have direct information on laws and policies of the government.
This, according to him, will enable members of the group to keep abreast of any new development relating to governance in the state.
Yusuff recalled that during the 2019 elections, the Arewa community in Lagos supported the All Progressives Congress and its gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu, who is now the governor.
The Arewa community vice chairman commended the governor for making the laws, saying that they would bring sanity to the roads and the environment, respectively.
Yusuff told our correspondent in a chat, “Enlightening our people to know government policies in order not to flout these laws is very important as good residents of the state.
“Arewa people support this law because the problem we have in Nigeria is indiscipline. Therefore, as a result, we as a people, are trying to partner with Lagos State Government to create awareness for our people on any law the government brings, either regarding traffic or environment.
“But our challenge is that we as a community, don’t have our people in government who can directly speak for and to us on demands of the government as well as our requests to the government. So, we are calling on the government of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu to appoint some of our people in some positions so that they will directly be the mouthpiece of our people.”
He added, “They know our challenges because they are very close to us and this had been like that since the time of former governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to Babatunde Fashola.
“We expect that we will be given a slot to be part of the State Executive Council because, at least, we as Arewa community in the state, we worked very hard for the victory of Sanwoolu at the polls. As the governor plans to take the state to a more enviable position, our people also are ready for the cause.”
