Author: The Nation

Owners of properties lying within the seven metres setback on Orchid Road, Agungi, Ajiran, Conservation Road, Osapa, all along Ikota River, Lagos State, have seven days to vacate the place or have their properties demolished.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, gave the order when he went on a tour of the area, extending to System 156 and 157 Channel.

The inspection tour was to ascertain the level of compliance by property owners, whose buildings and fences contravened the approved seven metres setback on both sides of the channel, and had been given the option of voluntary compliance.

Wahab admonished Lagosians to respect the state Drainage Master Plan to avoid demolition of their property.

He said the state would enforce the law and reclaim drainage setbacks after the expiration of the notices.

According to the commissioner, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation had complained about several distortions on its road, which had affected the natural habitat of animals in the foundation. The distortions also affected Orchid Road, thus damaging the drainage channel designed to take storm water from the communities into the lagoon.

He said the state government had been humane in its approach to reclaiming the drainage right of way, hence the review of the setback alignment from the original seven metres to six metres in order to reduce the number of structures to be affected.

Wahab said: “We cannot continue to lampoon the government for flooding when developers, builders and residents themselves are the main cause of flooding. We shall continue to enforce because this is why laws are made. Without law and order, there cannot be development. This level of bad behaviour must stop.”

The commissioner and his team also visited Oral Estate II along system 156, Igbo-Efon, where the primary channel was found to have been totally blocked by illegal structures without drainage approvals. The team equally visited Agungi, Ajiran and Osapa, where notices were earlier served.

Wahab said final decisions would be taken having seen the level of encroachment on the setbacks of primary channel and secondary collectors in the areas.

He said the System 156 Ikota River Channel was originally 46 metres, “but property owners and residents on the corridor have reduced the size.”

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“All those who have contravened and whose properties fall within the original metres of the channel setback on both sides have the next seven days to remove them, as enforcement will begin immediately after the notices expire,” he added.

The commissioner also visited Chevron Drive, where he issued a stop work order to Gravitas Company, owners of Grace Ville Island and Pocket Island, for sand- filling parts of Ikota River, thereby reducing the lagoon from its original 250 meters designed to accommodate free flow of water.

“The lagoon is a natural path, but people have started reclaiming, thus narrowing its path. You cannot narrow the path of water, if you do, it will naturally create another path and this is dangerous for everyone,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the commissioner supervised the demolition of shanties on Thompson Avenue, following petitions by residents that they were becoming security risks.

Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, called for the full participation of citizens in governance, as well as full participation by the communities and governmental bodies at all levels, to achieve great improvements in environmental sanitation, maintenance and ensure a sustainable environment.