White Paper on the collapsed building at Ikoyi

 

When I saw the News that the Governor of Lagos State has adopted

the White Paper on the collapsed building at Ikoyi, I had to look beyond the headline.

Indeed, it was not what was presented but something was still wrong.

The report said that the Governor had adopted all but two of the recommendations of the Panel.

Indeed, a White Paper is the position of Government on the recommendations of a Panel. So if we are told that a Governor is adopting a White Paper, it is like saying that a Governor has decided that he will do what he said he would do.

What is missing is the actual content of the white Paper. The report was full of platitudes for the Governor for the many recommendations, he adopted.

The Lagos State Government should in the spirit of transparency, publish both the recommendations and the white Paper.

If Military regimes of yore in Nigeria could do that, sure the least one should expect from a democratic Government is to do same.

Many people were culpable. Punishing them would serve the cause of Justice. Punishing them would serve as a deterrent against a future occurrence.

We are waiting and watching.