PDP berates Lagos govt over 'waste-to-food' programme

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the Lagos State government for organising a 'Waste to Food' holiday programme, which particularly encourages teenage children to 'scavenge' for plastic bottles in return for 'food.'In a statement by its Lagos State chapter's Publicity Secretary, Taofik Gani, the party noted that such a programme at this time was 'barbaric, exploitative and extortionate.'The PDP said: 'The act of involving teenagers in the project exposes that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)-led government is indeed a bourgeoisie and an eccentric party where its governor can on one hand preach social services and the elimination of child labour, but actually encouraging the opposite by cajoling teenagers into child labour.'PDP said the teenagers were cajoled to gather plastic bottles of 5kg in return for meal ticket.The party said Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) was responsible for carting away waste. The eateries, pure water factories and other waste producing factories pay LAWMA and LASG for the service. PDP stressed that Lagos State government earns over N48 billion monthly, thereby making it buoyant enough to exempt teenagers from the project.'As a matter of fact the state government ought to be organising free holiday coaching for the teenage children and even pay them allowances to encourage them,' it said.PDP said the fact that Fashola government allows teenagers to participate in the project confirms the abject poverty in the state despite the monumental revenues.It accused the ACN-led state government of abusing the teenagers and contravening the Child Rights Law.PDP also called for the immediate relocation of the Olusosun dumpsite at Ojota as the stench there from may cause epidemic soon.PDP added: 'Such dumpsite should not be located within the city. We believe retaining the dumpsite there means there is a business interest being protected over and above the health of Lagos State residents.
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