No Going Back On Demolition Of Buildings On Drainage Right-Of-Way, Lagos Insists
The Lagos State Government has restated that there is no going back on the enforcement of the law and restoration of all right-of-ways of all drainage channels in the state.
The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stated this when he visited some drainage channels in the Ojo Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday.
Areas visited by the commissioner include Isheri-Aiyetoro- Ologe Primary Channel at Anuoluwapo, Oke – Odan Street Ishashi, Ojo Town ;Alaba Rago Primary Channel (System 40B); and Alaba International Market Primary channel (System 40).
Wahab disclosed that the government has awarded contract on the restoration project in the axis to accomplish the task of making Lagos flood-free.
“The governor has awarded contract for the restoration of some critical projects on this axis around Ishashi Oke Odan where we have witnessed people purposely building on the channel and they have been served notices so we have to start enforcement along with the contractor who is ready to move to site,” a statement by the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, quoted Wahab as saying.
He explained that all concerned have be been served contravention notices which has elapsed, adding that enforcement of separation of contravention will commerce Thursday (today).
According to him, it was observed that some people along the System 40 drainage Channel in the LGA have built on the canal path and narrowed the primary channel which have resulted in flooding incidents in the axis.
The commissioner noted that the government would not back down on the enforcement and would ensure that 7metres drainage setback on all drainage channels are restored, stressing that 15 metres drainage setback is the standard right of way to be restored at Alaba International Market outfall.
“This is just to let people know we are not dropping the ball and the weather has been very favorable so we have no excuse than to just move to site, clean up the drains and restore the right of way and then take ownership of the public infrastructure; the development of any city is a deliberate plan; it is not magical, things will not happen unless the plan is enforced,” Wahab said.
He advised developers and homeowners in other part of Lagos to ensure that they do not encroach on public infrastructure such as drainage collectors or channels; be it primary or secondary and think that the government will not come for them someday.
Responding, the President General of Alaba International Market, Nnamdi Amajioyi said the executive of the market have shown state officials the challenged areas, adding that they would cooperate to find lasting solutions.
No Going Back On Demolition Of Buildings On Drainage Right-Of-Way, Lagos Insists is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
