The Lagos State Government has issued a 14-day removal notice to owners of buildings and structures in the Sangotedo area of Lekki and Okota, Isolo, which were built on drainage channels.

According to the ultimatum, the owners must remove the structures within the notice period or face demolition.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, announced this on Sunday during an extensive inspection tour of various contravention sites and ongoing drainage enforcement projects in Ago Palace Way, Isolo, Sangotedo, Lekki, and Ikoyi areas of the state.

Wahab stressed that Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu-led administration in the state was determined to restore sanity and would not fold its arms in stopping various environmental infractions.

“The era of environmental indiscipline and nuisance are over in Lagos. We will not shy away from enforcing all relevant laws irrespective of whose ox is gored,” he added.

Wahab reiterated the present administration resolve in the quest to make Lagos metropolis flood free.

He stressed that government would continue to enforce the law while reclaiming drainage setbacks.

Wahab said the team was out for the normal routine to ascertain the state of some drainage channels with a hind sight that most flooding issues are majorly caused by negative human activity.

The commissioner, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary Office of Environmental Services, Mr. Gaji Omobolaji and the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services Engr Mahamood Adegbite, started the inspection from Aladelola Street, in Ikosi-Ketu where some individuals had vandalised the supporting iron under the Culvert, thereby leading to the collapse of the channel.

He added that the state public works office will soon cordoned- off the road in order to carry out proper and seamless repairs of the damaged drainage culvert.

The team also visited: Victory Estate collector, Ago Palace Way, where some unscrupulous individuals blocked water path and canals and engaged in illegal sand filling and selling.

Commissioner mentioned that an enforcement team had earlier been sent saying that the visit was to check enforcement and compliance level.

According to Wahab, “We are here as a result of a written petition by residents’ complaining about several distortions; there had been a lot of distortions on these canals and roads by some individuals which has been causing flooding in the area.”

At Sangotedo by Lagos Business School (LBS) the Commissioner noted that there is a natural stream that supposed to discharge into System 63 and from there to Omu creek which has been blocked and reduced by illegal structures built along the channel.

“A 48 hours contravention notice have been served to owners of buildings lying within the channels and 14 days abatement and when that elapse, the law will take its course,” Wahab warned.

While explaining the process of serving contravention notices, Wahab said property owners whose buildings and fences fall within drainage channels will first be served a 48hrs notice followed by another 14 days notice before the commencement of enforcement, saying “We will commence full enforcement after the expiration of all notices with an the option of voluntary compliance.”

The team was also at Ajiran Primary Channel, Chevron Drive to ascertain the level of the on-going dredging project, adding that “we are constructing a new alignment to allow for free flow of water in this axis.”

At Ilabere Collector, old Ikoyi, the team observed that there is encroachment on the alignment and the fences will be removed in the next few days adding that “government is fixing a major infrastructure around Ilabere because if the collector is not properly handled, the infrastructure will be destroyed.

“Lagos despite its peculiarities as a coastal state with low-lying terrains and a high population density among others has remained afloat because of various measures put in place by the government,” he said.

Wahab added that the ministry has strengthened its drainage enforcement activities in ensuring due diligence concerning all drainage channels and restoring Right of Ways on all channels while it continued its intense all year round clearing and cleaning of major primary and secondary drainage channels.

He continued; “We are in rainy season, and I tell people climate change is real and there is a cholera outbreak, we must know that all these things are Interwoven, cholera outbreak, when the water is stagnant it just come to add up.

“We must all be responsible and responsive as a people. You saw those houses yourself. People just chose to brazenly do those things believing there won’t be consequences. And this era of indiscipline is over. It simply must stop.

“On the construction of 100 public toilets, the Exco discussed it last Friday at the meeting. We want to construct 100 public toilets but we do not want to go the regular way of building toilet with a borehole.

“The system destroys the water base. So we are doing is to find a new constructive way of getting water to those public toilets that will minimise the impact of digging boreholes. If st all we are having boreholes it will be minimal and we find a way of connecting the ducts around the toilets. It is not about the designs ots about the water itself.

“How do we get it functional round 24 hours that’s what we are having conversations on? We are already having conversations with a Danish firm for modalities of constructing the toilets.

“We had a conference meeting with the firm yesterday on how to get the water recycled. It’s an ongoing narrative.

“We need to solve the problem of supplying water to the toilet to minimize contamination. Human beings cannot continue to brazenly abuse the environment and expect that there will be no consequences,” he said.

Wahab therefore, appealed to the residents to always take ownership of their environment, desist from unwholesome act of illegal waste disposal, illegal construction of buildings on drainage/drainage Setback/Right Of Way and endeavour to say something whenever they notice an infraction in order to ensure that the environment remains habitable and safe for all.

The Commissioner accompanied by the Permanent Secretaries , Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji Tajudeen; Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite; Managing Director, Lagos Waste Management Authourity, LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, General Manager, Lagos State Park LASPARK, Mrs.Toun Popoola; General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Authority, LASEPA, Dr. Tunde Ajayi; Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI Marshall, Major Olatunbosun Cole (Retd) and top Directors in the ministry. (Vanguard)

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