The Lagos State Government has issued a 7-day ultimatum and contravention notice to owners of buildings lying within the seven metre setback on Orchid Road, Agungi, Ajiran, Conservation Road, Osapa, all along the Ikota River.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab alongside Special Adviser, Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu announced the development after an extensive inspection tour of System 156 and 157 Channel along Ikota River.
They called on Lagosians to respect the state’s Drainage Master Plan to avoid property demolition.
Wahab stated that there was no going back on the decision of the state to enforce the law and reclaim drainage setbacks following the expiration of the notices issued.
The inspection tour was to ascertain the level of compliance by property owners whose buildings and fences fall within the approved 7-meter setback on both sides of the channel and had been given the option of voluntary compliance.
Wahab disclosed that the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) had earlier written a petition complaining about several distortions, saying there had been a lot of distortion on their roads.
“We cannot keep lampooning the government for flooding when developers, builders and residents themselves are the main cause of flooding; we shall continue to enforce because that is why laws are made. Without law and order, there cannot be development, this level of bad behaviour must stop,” he said.
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