The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has faulted the closure of key roads in the state by security agencies for the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, during her visit ot the state on Thursday.
Fashola, on Friday, said the closure of the roads and the resultant traffic in most parts of Victoria Island, Lekki and Ikoyi was as an infringement on the rights of the residents of the state.
Speaking at the 2012 retreat for members of the State Executive Council and Permanent Secretaries, Fashola queried the rationale behind halting the business activities of those whose taxes provided the roads on which Patience had a smooth ride.
He therefore enjoined important personalities to consider the consequences of their security measures, especially road blockade, on other Nigerians.
Fashola said: “Lagosians were needlessly inconvenienced yesterday (Thursday).
“It dawned on me the need for public officers generally to be more sensitive to the people we serve.
“It is particularly worrisome that this is not an elected person.
“I think we all must check how security agencies use the movement of high officers, especially VIPs, to disrupt citizens and taxpayers, whose money were used to fuel all the vehicles and all the apparatus that we used to block the roads against them.
“It is an issue that calls for greater sensitivity.
“I understand the need to protect the VIPs, but it must be done in a way that it does not inconvenience anybody.
“It should not get to the level that we close the roads in the state because VIPs want to pass.
“If they let us know earlier, traffic can be managed and citizens here respect their leaders and they will gladly allow them to go.
“I don’t think they deserve to be kept on the road in a standstill for five hours.”