Lagos launches campaign against vandalism of public infrastructure

The Lagos State government has launched an enlightenment campaign tagged “Own the Street’ aimed at curbing vandalism and theft of public infrastructure across the state.

With the campaign, the government intends to galvanise the residents to see public infrastructure, including streetlights, cables, among others within their communities as their property.

At a sensitisation rally in Shomolu Local Government, the general manager, Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB), Tijani Mukhtaar explained that the campaign became imperative in order to promote a sense of responsibility among Lagosians in supporting government to dealt decisively with activities of vandals and miscreants.

‘’The act of vandalism and theft is a major challenge to development anywhere in the world and no progressive government would fold her arms and allow such inhumane act to destabilise the system. With Mr Governor’s resolve to stamp out any inclination of theft in the state, we will pursue this course to a height that Lagosians would be proud of,” Mukhtaar emphasised.

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According to him, the campaign which would involve direct engagement with the community members along with the local leaders, was one of the many initiatives the current administration has developed to address the incessant abuse on public infrastructure.

While calling on the people to join in the campaign, he asserted that the ‘’Light-Up Lagos’’ project which installed streetlights in many parts of the state must be preserved and protected from vandals, hooligans and thieves.

Mukhtaar, who was represented by Halid Omotayo, head public lighting, Lagos State Electricity Board, explained that in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda, this administration in recent time has executed substantial projects to increase the proportion of energy mix across the state. He added that one of these schemes was the commencement of the retrofitting of existing streetlights from High Pressure Sodium (HPS) to Light Emitting Diode (LED) which is environmental friendly and more cost-effective.

‘’This is a purposeful undertaking to draw people’s attention to the destruction on our common properties by activities of vandals and enlightening them on their role to safeguard public amenities established to make life easier and safer’’, he said.

He disclosed further that the exercise was also to encourage Lagosians to report cases of damage of streetlights and their components anywhere in the state through toll-free lines.

Apart from the public speech and demonstrations, flyers, pamphlets and other information materials would be distributed on the streets of Lagos to solicit appropriate action against vandalism and theft on government properties.

‘’Lagosians must realise the efforts the state government is making is to provide the best living conditions for its citizens. It behoves on us to reciprocate this by cooperating with government to safeguard and protect the streetlights that are set-up for the benefit of all citizens’’, he stated.

Mukhtaar urged citizens to have a positive attitude towards proper maintenance and protection of public infrastructure to prevent government spending huge resources on repairs and reconstructions. He urged the citizens not to condone any act of theft or vandalisation in their domain by reporting to the nearest authority i.e., police station if any of such was observed.

Expressing his displeasure, the general manager pointed out that substantial human and capital resources have been expended on the vandalised streetlights which are tax payers’ money entrusted into government to provide social amenities for the general public.

‘’To fully enjoy the dividend of good governance, we cannot continue to turn blind eyes to issues that affects us our common good and neglect our role as the principal observer of our communities. Fund used for repair of damaged properties can be diverted to provide other progressive projects across the state’’, he observed.

While advising individuals or group of persons with criminal tendencies to desist from sabotaging public properties, the GM stated that the government was determined more than ever to prosecute anyone caught perpetrating such ignoble act.