Lagos: The Economist article reckless, slanderous

The Lagos State government yesterday described the article published in the latest edition of The Economist as reckless and slanderous.

It noted that the issues were ill-conceived.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy Steve Ayorinde said the government deemed it fit to write a rebuttal to the article: “Paralysed: Why Nigeria’s largest city is even less navigable than usual”, as it contained series of bias judgment.

Ayorinde wondered why the article, published just about the time Governor Akinwunmi Ambode warned traffic offenders, was latched on by the traditional and social media.

Attributing it to the handiwork of fifth columnists, he said the article failed to take into account the bigger picture of an emerging reform policy, designed to address the larger concerns in the management of security, traffic and the environment.

Ayorinde added that it was inaccurate and preposterous for the article to suggest that Governor Ambode cut the powers of traffic controllers by banning them from impounding cars, which it concluded made officers reluctant to enforce the rules.

He said what the governor did instead was to enjoin the officers to look at other options to apprehend traffic offenders by adopting the ticketing system backed by the same type of technology used in licensing and tracking vehicles instead of impounding vehicles.

“That The Economist sees nothing wrong in recalcitrant officers refusing to carry out a directive by their employer is as surprising as it is shameful.

“Shockingly still, the veil finally came off this curious article when it states that by choosing a compassionate approach to enforcement, Governor Ambode is less competent and has deviated from his predecessor’s template.

“But what legacy has The Economist bequeathed to former Governor Babatunde Fashola? Cars were terrified into order by a state traffic agency, whose bribe-hungry officers flagged down offending drivers.

“This is clearly an uncharitable summation of traffic management under the last administration.

“It is disrespectful, even more condescending to the officers of LASTMA and to Lagosians for whom the magazine purports to be fighting.

“In any case, if indeed some officers were corrupt in LASTMA by The Economist’s damning verdict, should Ambode continue to maintain such a tainted template?

“Is this the magazine’s idea of the end justifies the means or it is negligible because this is Africa?”

“Perhaps, it is high time that this vaunted magazine learnt to restrict itself to  journalism rather than seeking to impose jaded views in a volatile political climate.”