Down pour: Lagos allays fears of residents, reads riot act to illegal structures

The Lagos State Government has allayed the fears of residents over the torrential rainfall witnessed in the State on Sunday, saying that necessary steps had been taken to avert any incidence of flood disaster in the State.  The state has been experiencing continuous rainfall in the last 24 hours.

The State Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, in a statement on Sunday said that the State Government had in recent time carried out intensive tour of some flood prone communities in the State to clear up blocked drainages and canals.

The commissioner wondered why any right thinking person would be dumping refuse on water courses and drainages created for free flow of storm water, saying the numerous campaigns against such practice was for the interest of the residents.

“Canal is a storm water channel for the conveyance of storm runoffs, they are God’s natural protection for holding water during massive flood and it is not a place for anybody to build a house or dump refuse. Those in the habit of doing such must stop henceforth,” Adejare said.

Allaying fears of teeming Lagosians apprehensive of the rain, the Commissioner said that indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the gutters had caused a lot of environmental disasters, warning that the government would no longer tolerate the building of illegal structures along channel right of ways in the state.

To this end, he said the government had since begun demolishing illegal structures and shanties erected on the drains especially in flood prone areas.

Adejare, however, urged residents living on wetlands and flood prone areas to be cautious and careful, urging them to limit their movement if possible and to move to higher ground if need be.

He explained that it is their responsibility as a government to protect lives and property, appealing for the cooperation of all Lagosians in their quest to avert any flood mishap in the state.

Similarly, the government on Sunday read the riot act to all the owners of illegal structures, shanties, street hawkers and those who have converted walkways into trading points and food courts in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and the Lagoon Front of Lekki, just as it issued a 14-day grace period to remove such illegal structures.

In a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello, the State Government warned that if such illegal structures are not removed after the 14 days grace, the State Special Task Force on the Clean Up of the areas would move in to enforce the laws.

“The owners of all illegal structures, shanties, abandoned buildings and all those who have converted road median to commercial uses in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki have between tomorrow (Monday) and two weeks’ time to comply or have the State Special Task Force on the Clean Up of the areas to contend with,” the SSG warned.

The statement added that owners of all abandoned buildings in different areas of Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island which are now harbouring prostitutes, illegal miscreants and unwanted elements must clear the structures of such undesirable elements immediately.

He specifically warned owners of properties on the Lagoon fronts of Lekki Phase 1 who have littered the whole areas with compactors and several other deadweight equipments to remove them out immediately.

Bello said the State Government was concerned about the conversion of the frontages of properties and abandoned houses to kiosks and trading points by maids and guards as well as the unregulated activities of horticulturists who have turned setbacks to hide outs and selling points.

He reiterated the determination of the Ambode-led administration to restore the original master plan of Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki by checking the activities of roadside automobile repairers who have converted many dual carriage lanes to single lanes with indiscriminate parkings.

He said the State Government would no longer tolerate unauthorized parking of vehicles, trucks, among others on drainage infrastructure, adding that owners of such vehicles and properties with unkempt drainages will be prosecuted.

Bello said it was totally unacceptable for people to stockpile and display wares such as bags of charcoal on major Roads like Ahmadu Bello Way and Federal Secretariat Road, Ikoyi, stating that henceforth such goods would be confiscated and the owners prosecuted.

“We are using this medium to sensitize members of the public and residents of the affected areas who are involved in these illegalities to immediately take right action and do the needful as the State Government will take the necessary steps to enforce its environmental and sanitation laws forthwith.

“All those engaging in roadside display of wares, illegal street trading and all illegal squatters on undeveloped land and all those who have converted road median to commercial uses in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki are being advised in their own interest to put a stop to the illegalities,” he said.

Kayode Aboyeji