Lagos State government has given a seven-day contravention notice to property owners along Orchard Road, Agungi, Ajiran, Conservation Road, Osapa along the Ikota River in Lagos State to remove the structures that exceed the 7-meter setback on both sides of the channel or face the buildings being demolished.
This was announced by Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab after a tour of the area with Special Adviser to the governor Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu. He said the government was determined to restore the state’s drainage master plan and reclaim drainage setbacks.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation had previously petitioned against distortions in roads that were also impacting natural habitats of animals and drainage channels.
Wahab said the government expected more responsibility from developers, builders, and residents in erecting buildings in order to prevent floods in the state, but as usual he refused to comment on state officials who over the years kept mute or possibly corruptly cooperated as buildings went up on the locations.
During inspections in Oral Estate II, Agungi, Ajiran, and Osapa, Wahab frowned at encroachments on primary channels and secondary collectors. Stop work orders were issued in Chevron Drive to Gravitas company for reducing the lagoon size, hindering water flow.
“The lagoon is a natural path, people have started reclamation to cover up the path and narrow it; you cannot narrow the path of water, if you do, water will naturally create another path and this is dangerous for everyone,” Mr Wahab said.
Also, shanties on Thompson Avenue were demolished due to security reasons. “We will not allow individuals who have no business in the state to become an environmental nuisance and security risk”.
Since his second term which started on May 29, Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu has demolished several buildings mostly in commercial centers and neighborhoods often belonging to non-indigenous populations leading to accusations he is targeting populations for their voting choices in the last election and pursuing clandestine plan to suppress their voting bloc in future elections.
The government rejects these assertions.
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