Group frowns at EIU report on Lagos, demands parameter
Report
By Ella Anokam
Abuja, Aug. 20, 2018 (NAN) The Housing Development Advocacy Network, an NGO, has frowned at the recent report that rated Lagos State as the third worst city in the world, calling for the parameter.
Briefing newsmen on Monday in Abuja, the President of the group, Mr Festus Adebayo expressed dissatisfaction over the report, saying that the report was highly subjective and unacceptable.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) 2018 Global liveability report had recently ranked Lagos, the Nigeria commercial nerve centre, the third worst city to live in worldwide.
Lagos was ranked 138th of the 140 countries ranked by the EIU.
Adebayo called on the international rating organisations, including the World Bank to do more in showcasing transparently the yardstick or the parameter used in the rating.
The housing expert said his group would like to understand the methodology adopted by EIU in gathering its data, in analysing and reaching conclusions.
“We need to know whether the data is opinion based or based on objective measurable parameters, answers to these will help us to know the validity of these ratings which has been de-marketing Nigeria in the international communities.
“Respectively, any report that ranks Tripoli, a war ravaged city, above Lagos that has barely recorded one bomb blast in over 10 years cannot be accepted to be based on a scientific, objective model,’’ he said.
Adebayo called on Nigeria research institutions to begin to publicise data for those in the international community who may need them as bases of confirmation of events and trends in the country.
“We are being forced to respond to various ratings of Nigeria in the international community in the last few weeks that described Nigeria as the headquarter of poverty in the world and the recent rating of Lagos as third worst city worldwide.
“We observed that some of these rankings are highly subjective and also based on the residents comments about Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate that Nigerians are our own worst enemies when it comes to de-marketing.
“In the rating of Lagos as among the worst cities, if Boko Haram attack was among the parameter used in the reports, we doubt if Lagosians will mention Boko Haram as one of their problems.
“We hope that those who did the rating have not mistaken Lagos as Maiduguri,” he said.
He also noted that the recent activities of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos supposed to have put Lagos out of three worst cities in the world.
According to him, Lagos still remains the economic capital of Nigeria and every effort to de-market the commercial hub of Africa should be discouraged.
He also commended the Statistician General of Nigeria, Dr Yemi Kale for the good work he has been doing in the area of data provision recently.
Adebayo urged Nigerian Leaders to rise up and be sincere in their call to duty in making the country a better place.
“It is their lack of performance and insincerity that has been making the country to receive bad ratings every time on every issue.
“Our country deserves uninterrupted water and power supply, efficient refuse collection and efficient road network and transportation system.
“Nigerian is not as worst as it has been rated,’’ he said. (NAN)
ELLA/KTO/AFA
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Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Felix Ajide