Elections: APC, PDP compete to re-roof houses of Lagos windstorm victims

The ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State recently

found a ground to achieve a common purpose following the destruction caused by windstorm in some streets in Agege area of the state.

It was learnt that shortly after the incident, the political parties began competing over which one between them would assist the victims of windstorm to fix their damaged property.

The two political parties, which had been throwing mud at each other in the build-up to the forthcoming general elections, it was learnt, suddenly saw the need to assist victims as one of the major steps to woo them for support.

 It was reported that no fewer than 400 buildings were destroyed by the windstorm, while thousands of residents are rendered homeless.

Some schools were also affected.

Some of the affected streets are Abibatu, Opeifa, Fabowale, Kushoro, Opeolu, Bakare and Opesha, among others.

A source, who did not want his name mentioned, said PDP made the first move to rehabilitate the damaged houses, but APC-led government stole the show from the opposition party by mobilising building materials and workers to fix the affected property.

But those who have yet to get the APC government largess as of the time our correspondents visited them said government’s agents had come to the site of their damaged property to assess the level of destruction.

While some are still waiting for help, some others have received help. A resident on Abibatu Street, Akeem Abibatu, was full of praises when newsmen visited the area on Wednesday.

“Our building has been repaired and we are enjoying our property now. The state government mobilised materials and labour to fix the damaged property in one day and we are grateful for the gesture,” he said.

Another resident, Mrs. Yemisi Fayoyin, 53, appreciated the Orile Agege Local government for coming to her rescue by providing her with the materials she needed to reconstruct her roof.

“Even though part of my wall was also affected, government has given me everything I needed to reconstruct my roof. So, I am grateful to them,” she added.

A septuagenarian General Overseer of the Blessed New Jerusalem Church, Dr. Samuel Oyewale, whose three buildings situated on Oyewale Close were affected by the storm, explained the frustration he had gone through in accessing the largess.

He said, “I have visited Orile Agege Local Council Development Area on many occasions with the hope of getting the materials needed to repair my damaged roof and the carpenter that would do it, but they kept telling me to come back because they had run out of materials.

“I had to use my money to repair the church building so that I wouldn’t lose my members. I am already considering going to take loan from the bank because if rain falls now the damage will be too much.”

Another victim, Mrs. Monsuru Hassan, whose building had also not been repaired, said she and others affected persons were still optimistic of getting the government’s assistance.

She noted that there were indications that they might not get the materials needed for the repair as promised due to shortage of the items.

“My house is leaking and I am still waiting for them. I have been to the local government many times but they told us to be checking until they would have the materials available,” she added.

The Lagos State PDP Chairman, Capt. Tunji Shelle (retd), denied that the party visited the affected streets, but admitted that it only visited two sites that were affected by fire in the state.

He said, “I am not aware of such visit. The PDP only visited the African Independent Television and Fine Coat paint, both of which recorded fire incidents recently.”

But the APC spokesperson, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said the APC-led government had to move to site to help the victims.

Punch report