Published By Seyi Babalola
The Lagos State Taskforce has again reiterated its commitment to the clearing of all shanties in the State to allow for free flow of traffic, discourage haphazard development, promote a crime free society and encourage a first class tourist destination of first choice in all our coastal areas.
The Agency had again cleared shanties along Lekki-Marwa Coastal road, Sapphire Tower, and Blue Water Area of Lekki -Epe Expressway road and also made arrests of miscreants for flouting the State Physical and Infrastructural Development Master Plan.
Chairman of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit, CSP Shola Jejeloye who led the team of operatives to the Lekki Coastal Road, Marwa Coastal road, Sapphire Tower, Blue water and other coastal areas along Lekki-Epe Expressway road when addressing the Officers, men and the residents of the Area who were present at the Scene of the operation. He said that the State is no longer home for miscreants and haphazard development or shanties, but can only accommodate people with positive thinking of making the State a Mega City of first choice in the world. “It is unthinkable to see people residing or sleeping in a place that is not fit for animals, we will make the State unhabitable for all the serial law breakers and criminals”, he stated.
Jejeloye stated that the State Government had given the illegal occupants series of notices several times in the past and also carried out a demolition exercise of the same location in order to allow for free flow of traffic, beautification exercise and boost creative economy through development of tourism assets in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda of the State for a greater Lagos, but the large expanse of land had since been re-occupied by squatters and illegal occupants erecting structures and make shift buildings which are not in tune with making Lagos achieving her Mega City status.
The Chairman stated “We have been here severally to demolish these illegal structures impeding free flow of traffic and construction of alternate road. The area is becoming a breeding ground for miscreants and hoodlums who engage in traffic robbery along this route and we will make sure we flush them out completely”.
Jejeloye said that the Agency had cleared over 25 Shanties last year, while the residents were charged to court for violating environmental laws. He further stated that he will leave no stone unturned in carrying out proper environmental monitoring and cleansing of shanties just as we did the previous year when Shanties at Railway Line, Ijora, Shanties along White Sand, Breweries and Shanties at Iwaya in Yaba axis were all cleared. “These shanties were built haphazardly without any form of environmental provision for waste disposal or drainage channels. That is the reason you see most of these areas were flooded and overwhelmed whenever it rains. We will not condone it any longer” Jejeloye noted.
He highlighted that “Wetlands which are very common attributes of a coastal State like Lagos, if not properly managed could worsen the flooding usually experienced during rainy season. We have to make sure they are not encroached upon by illegal occupants, that is the reason we partnered with other MDAs to reclaim wetlands like Odo-Iyalaro”, he stated.
“We are fully committed to ensuring that these miscreants are evicted from this place and we will make sure this exercise is effective, efficient and continuous until the State vision of serene, secured and Tourist friendly environment is achieved, utilized and enjoyed by all Lagosians.
The removal of shanties and the ongoing enforcement for compliance activities in all the nook and crannies of the state is part of the efforts of the Government to rid the State of shanties, miscreants and compel compliance of all cases of environmental laws violations.
