TheCable

Local government administration, youth empowerment and insecurity were some of the issues that came to fore at the maiden Lagos Talks town hall meeting.

The event, which was organised by Lagos Talks 91.3 FM, explored ways of closing the gap between the governed and the government.

Gbolahan Olusegun Yishawu, a member of the Lagos house of assembly, noted that for a government to be successful, it must constantly be in contact with the people while giving them access to air their views.

On security, the lawmaker said citizens must be proactive in informing the police about activities in their communities. 

“Why should there be a gap, why is it separated, why should we even need to be closing a gap? When as a government we are not there because of our desire, you put us there as your representatives,” he said.

“So each time we speak, we should be talking about your needs and your desires. It’s mis-normal for there to be a gap between the governed and the government.

“When we talk of security, security is communal. We should feed the police with information. If you’re scared of your identity, take advantage of social media.”

Kunle Lawal, executive director of Electoral College, said it is difficult for the people to engage the government if they don’t understand “basic governance”.

He advised citizens to study the constitution so as to have a firm understanding of the laws, and demand their rights from their leaders. 

 “You can’t engage in what you don’t understand. We need to all study our constitutions the way we read our holy books. Our constitution might not be perfect but it’s not as bad as people say. We need to implement it,” he said.

Fuad Atanda-Lawal, chairman, Ikoyi-Obalende local council development area (LCDA), listed his achievements in terms of youth empowerment and construction of infrastructure. 

He said his administration recently partnered with Jobberman to create 5000 jobs for his constituents, adding that he is committed to developing his LCDA.

Atanda-Lawal called on the youths to utilise the opportunities available to them without waiting on the government for a “handout”.