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Merit Ibe
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has reiterated its position on the imperative of peace, dialogue and engagement as major ingredients for social and economic stability that will enable a conducive environment for investments and the prosperity of businesses.
The chamber, which empathised with the families of those who have lost loved ones during and in the aftermath of the protests, also shared in the pain of all investors: micro, small, medium and large that suffered losses as a result of the arson, looting and the destruction of their valuable fixed and moveable assets.
President of the chamber, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje, who made the position of the chamber known in a statement, also empathised with the Lagos State government over the wanton destruction of public properties around the state, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, and the entire indigenes of the state over the regrettable desecration of a treasured symbol of Lagos heritage, culture and tradition.
Mabogunje implored stakeholders; the government and the governed, to prioritise dialogue and constructive engagement. “We need to embed in the governance process the norms and ideals of the democratic process: rule of law, transparency and accountability in political governance, and citizen engagement, among others.”
She appealed to the Federal and Lagos state governments to collaborate to provide support in the form of grants to all the victims of the unfortunate outcomes of the protest and the subsequent attacks and destruction of properties and assets.
Calling also that the families of all those who lost their loved ones should be adequately compensated, the chamber said the Federal Government should come to the aid of the Lagos State government to rebuild the large number of assets that were destroyed by the hoodlums that hijacked the protest, noting that this has become necessary in view of the current challenging economic conditions that the state was already grappling with. The chamber also pleaded with banks to which some of the victims were indebted to demonstrate and uncommon compassion towards them in respect of their indebtedness.
“That as corporate and individual citizens, this is the time to demonstrate our culture of compassion in being our brother’s keeper by supporting, in our various ways, the victims of this unfortunate incident.
“We note the setting up of the Judicial Panels of Inquiry in various states to investigate the circumstances that led to this unfortunate incidence with a view to avoiding a repeat of such occurrences in the future.
“We urge all citizens that may have suffered from all forms of police brutality and injustice to cooperate with the Lagos State Government to bring about restitution and some form of closure on these very unfortunate incidences.”
