Our Reporter
The Special Committee on the clean-up of Ikoyi and Victoria Island will begin the enforcement of all environmental and traffic laws tomorrow.
The Special Committee was recently resuscitated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
In a statement yesterday by its Chairman Tunji Bello, the committee said it was working in conjunction with the Victoria Island and Ikoyi Residents Association (VIIRA) and different enforcement agencies to remove all illegal structures and dislodge all squatters and miscreants in Ikoyi and Victoria Island.
He explained that the committee has conducted a reconnaissance operation of several areas in Victoria Island and Ikoyi in November to identify specific areas of infraction.
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Part of the focus of the Special Committee according to Bello, who is also the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, is the clearing of refuse, identification and removal of all illegal structures on setbacks, walkways, drainage alignments as well as roadside mechanics who have converted several open spaces to automobile workshops.
He added that the activities of night club owners and karaoke operators without adequate parking lots and who thereby convert major roads into parking points inhibiting free access to residents of many areas especially in Victoria Island would be put under check.
Bello stated that leisure houses, night clubs and karaoke stations who engage in noise pollution will be served with abatement notices as the law dictates before the full force of the law is applied in such places, adding that religious homes who engage in noise pollution are advised to correct such anomalies before the task force commences its enforcement.
He stated that the committee would also enforce the provision of the State Traffic law during the enforcement by apprehending and prosecuting commercial motorcycle riders who ply restricted routes and drive against traffic and commercial buses who drive against traffic and pick passengers on the main road.
He said it was regrettable that highbrow Victoria Island and Ikoyi have now been heavily populated by different funny characters including operators of the old antiquated cart and three-wheeler tricycle operators who park indiscriminately on walkways, affirming that the operators still have a grace period from now till the commencement of enforcement to move out of the areas or be dislodged and prosecuted.
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