Adeyinka Aderibigbe
LAGOS State Government on Thursday gave one week ultimatum to traders and business owners to remove illegal extensions on buildings at the Lagos Island Central Business District (CBD).
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who gave the directive at an emergency town hall meeting with stakeholders at the Onikan Youth Centre, Lagos Island, said: “This is necessary, as the government intends before year end to begin massive renewal of the Lagos Island CBD, arguably Nigeria’s foremost commercial centre.”
Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, said it was unacceptable that despite its centrality and importance in the nation’s economy, Lagos Island remained categorised as a slum due to poor planning and other challenges arising from the attitudinal disposition of the people.
The governor said the stakeholders’ summit was convened to find solution to the rising cases of fore incidents, environmental degradation, street trading, traffic control and insecurity at the CBD.
He said: “The Lagos State Government has an approved regeneration master plan for the entire Lagos Island CBD, and government is determined to ensure strict compliance with the plan, which is aimed at ensuring the development of a clean, safe and vibrant economy.”
Sanwo-Olu, who addressed a huge session comprising traditional leaders of Isale Eko led by the Obanikoro of Lagos, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, captains of industries and top government functionaries in the built environment, called for continued partnership with the organised private sector to ensure the provision of facilities that would sustain the huge economic size of the markets at the CBD.
The governor said the government cannot afford to have the CBD to continue to be regarded as the most unsafe, reckless part of the state due to the activities of a few who are making the district unsafe.
He urged the residents, land-owning families and especially property developers to work hard and comply with the physical development laws of the state, to move away from the culture of illegalities and make the state safe.
The Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on CBD, Mojisola Ali Macaulay, described Lagos Island CBD as locus claricus, which required serious attention and financial commitment from the public and private sectors.
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“We all must respect the state where we are domiciled, whether for business or otherwise and ensure strict compliance with its laws.
“Disasters, which occur as a result of non- compliance with laid down regulations, are becoming too rampant and there is need for stakeholders to join hands and make the CBD work.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on CBD, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde, said the governor is committed to make the CBD work.
“This government is committed to ensuring that the glory of the Lagos Island CBD is returned and people will see a new CBD which they will be proud of,” he said.
Oyerinde, who resumed office barely a month ago, said that the CBD office organised the emergency stakeholders’ engagement in response to the spate of fire incidents in the area in recent times, as well as rising spate of environmental degradation, street trading and security challenges.
Chief Tinubu-Ojo, who praised the initiative, pledged the commitment and support of traders on Lagos Island to a cleaner environment, saying they are also waging a war against street trading.
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