Association begs government not to demolish mechanic workshops

The Motor Mechanic and Technicians Associations of Nigeria (MOMTAN) on Saturday appealed to the Lagos State Government not to carry out its plan to demolish the workshops of some mechanics in Lagos State.

The Grand Patron of the association, Mrs Mulikat Sanni, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

She said the plan to demolish some workshops would throw MOMTAN members out of business in Lagos State, noting that the development would also worsen unemployment in the state.

“We are appealing to the Lagos State Government to suspend its plan to demolish some workshops belonging our members.

“This is because we will be out of business if some of these workshops marked for demolition are eventually brought down.

“If this happens, livelihoods will suffer because this is all our members depend on.”

Sanni, however, said that if some of the workshops must be demolished for development purposes, the government should provide alternative places for affected mechanics.

The grand patron also appealed to the government to support the association in capacity building of the association’s members, including granting them micro-credits.

She said that automobile mechanics were key to the development of the economy through their services to maintain and keep vehicles on the roads.

Sanni said there was need for both the federal and state governments to fashion out policies to help mechanics to develop their businesses.

She commended the Majority Leader of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, for providing some equipment and cash to some mechanics in his Surulere 1 Federal Constituency to assist them.

She noted that the gesture would help the beneficiaries to grow their businesses and improve their services.

Sanni, however, told Gbajabiamila to also extend the gesture to the association by helping to reach the State Government to halt its plan to demolish workshops, especially in Surulere.

On May 22, Gbajabiamila presented computerised diagnostic equipment, including scanners to 52 mechanics in Surulere.

He also gave each of them N50, 000, totaling N2.1million to support their businesses.

The lawmaker said that the gesture was to support businesses in Surulere and to impact the lives of some residents.