Lagos’ high IGR not benefiting residents — Rhodes-Vivour

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, a candidate for governor in Lagos State from the African Democratic Congress, has criticized the state's policies over the past two decades. Rhodes-Vivour contends that these policies have prioritized wealthy residents, particularly in the housing sector, while neglecting the needs of ordinary citizens. He specifically highlighted the community of Makoko, pointing out that successive administrations have promoted urban development without considering the impact on residents who risk losing their homes and communities.

Rhodes-Vivour further questioned whether the state's increasing internally generated revenue (IGR) has led to improved living conditions for the average Lagosian. He emphasized that despite the state celebrating a high IGR on paper, residents on the ground are not experiencing the benefits. Rhodes-Vivour outlined his plans to address these issues, focusing on improving the welfare of residents through policies tailored to their needs.

His manifesto includes addressing problems such as poor waste management, traffic congestion, insufficient healthcare, and housing shortages. He pledged that an ADC-led government would adopt policies directly responding to residents' needs, including his proposal to build 100,000 housing units. Rhodes-Vivour's assertion comes during a gubernatorial debate organized by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, a coalition of media outlets including The PUNCH, Channels Television, TVC News, TheCable, and Vanguard.