The Lagos State Government over the weekend warned developers and builders to desist from wetland encroachment after sealing off a private estate being developed on a wetland in Gbagada.
The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab made this call during an interview with newsmen after an inspection tour to some enforcement and on going project sites.
Wahab during the inspection tour said that the state is determined to put a stop to the growing challenge of wetland encroachment.
“Wetlands are natural habitations whose value cannot be replaced by money, as such, it is essential to do more to preserve nature and protect the wetlands from further encroachment as it is recently being experienced in most parts of the state,” he said.
Accompanied by the Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, Permanent Secretaries, Office of Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji and Drainage Services, Engr Mahamood Adegbite and directors in the Ministry, the team visited TREM drainage channel located at Anthony Oke, Oshodi Expressway.
The inspection team observed that the wetland in the areas have been encroached upon and the major portion of the drainage channel blocked with a major private estate being developed on the location.
Wahab directed the immediate sealing up of a proposed private estate site named Maverick Estate which is still at the inception stage, ordering all construction workers to leave the site immediately.
The commissioner ordered that the fences of the proposed Estate on the wetland be pulled down.
He urged the developer of Maverick Estate to come forward with the appropriate Land approval, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Drainage approval amongst other documents.
Wahab emphasized that several of the wetlands across the state such as places like iju, Ejigbo, Badagry, Ikorodu, Itoikin and many more which have being encroached upon for estate development without due consideration for environmental guidelines would be reclaimed by the government as time goes on.
The team also visited System 1 drainage channel which is the most critical because it defloods Odo Iya Alaro, Ojota, Ogudu, Maryland amongst others to check the extent of the ongoing project awarded by the state two years ago in order to establish the Right of Way and address major flooding issues on the mainland.
The commissioner reiterated that global warming is real as exemplified by the flooding incidents being experienced in the North East and West especially in Borno State in the last few days.
Wahab urged residents to collaborate with the Lagos Government to sustain the restoration of drainage Right of Way and wetlands in the state.
According to him, the world has changed and everyone must put in place various measures to mitigate the adverse effects of global warming and other environmental issues confronting human existence.
The team visited System 1 (Sheraton – Ojota link bridge section); Peace Estate, Ifako (System 1 mainstream) and TREM drainage channel (discharges into Anthony Oke Channel) Oshodi Expressway.
