Infuriated by reported cases of extortion and harassment of residents by Community Development Associations (CDAs), the Lagos State government has said it would no effort at arresting and prosecuting the leadership of such CDAs in any part of the state.
The state commissioner for local government and community affairs, Yetunde Arobieke, gave the warning at a news conference on Thursday to herald this year’s Community Day celebration in the state.
She said such cases had been brought to her office over CDAs’ extortion and harassment of members of the community or engaging in lawless activities.
According to Arobieke, some CDA members had gone to the extent of arresting landlords, warning that such arbitrariness must stop henceforth.
“We don’t want the action of the CDAs to make people cast aspersions on this administration. They should be friendly with the people, but people should pay their dues. In the event of paying your dues and the CDAs did not use it for the project proposed, you can report to us, we don’t want extortion, and arbitrariness,” she said.
Speaking on the Community Day, Arobieke said the celebration would be in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
She said,’’ the celebration would begin on Friday with Jumat Service at Central Mosque, Alausa; health walk and talk on Saturday; visit to social institutions on Tuesday, while the grand finale would hold on Thursday, 14 November at the Police College in Ikeja.”
She said prizes would be presented to the CDAs that emerge as winners during the Project Assessment across the 20 local and 37 LCDAs in the state by the members of the Assessment Committee.
JOSHUA BASSEY
