Outcry as Obasa rolls out 3kg gas for 4,000 in Agege

The Chairman of Agege Local Government Area in Lagos State, Abdulganiyu Vinod Obasa, has come under heavy criticism on social media following his announcement of a free 3kg cooking gas refill programme for 4,000 residents in the community.

Obasa had unveiled the initiative as part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising cooking gas prices and ease the burden on vulnerable households across the seven wards in Agege. According to him, the intervention, which commenced on Saturday, February 21, 2026, was aimed at providing immediate relief at the grassroots.

He explained that the slots were fairly distributed across the wards, with designated gas stations assigned to ensure accessibility. The exercise, he noted, would be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis, with beneficiaries required to bring their personal gas cylinders.

Describing the programme as people-focused, Obasa said it was designed to improve quality of life, promote cleaner energy use and demonstrate that governance must be felt directly in homes and communities.

However, the gesture has sparked widespread backlash online, with many netizens dismissing it as inadequate and lacking long-term impact in a densely populated local government like Agege.

Critics argued that providing a 3kg gas refill to 4,000 residents in a local government with an estimated population running into hundreds of thousands amounts to a temporary palliative rather than a sustainable intervention.

Several X users questioned the long-term value of the initiative, asking what social or economic problem a single 3kg refill — which some claim may last only a few days for an average household — would solve.

Others described the move as “palliative politics,” insisting that true governance should focus on job creation, stable prices, improved electricity supply and structural economic reforms that make essential commodities affordable without periodic giveaways.

Some commenters also compared the gesture to previous distribution exercises in the area, arguing that residents deserve empowerment programmes and economic opportunities rather than short-term relief items.

While a few acknowledged that the initiative could provide temporary assistance to families who secure a slot, the overwhelming reaction online suggests growing impatience among citizens over what they perceive as tokenistic interventions.

As of press time, Obasa had not publicly responded to the criticisms trailing the gas refill programme.