Okay, folks, let’s talk about keeping Lagos afloat. It’s Monday, July 14th, and the Lagos State Government is laying down the law when it comes to property developers messing with our vital waterways. Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, is sending a clear message: before you even *think* about dredging, reclaiming land, or sandfilling, you *must* get the green light from the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources. That means a drainage clearance and a thorough Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). No exceptions!
Wahab made the announcement after a visit to Orange Island, a site of much recent complaint, and other areas in the Lekki, Eti-Osa Local Council area. Apparently, some developers have been getting a little *too* ambitious, pushing their projects beyond the permitted boundaries and essentially ignoring the delicate balance of our ecosystem.
“We’ve had enough,” Wahab stated plainly to reporters. “Illegal dredging and reclamation is not tolerated. We’re here to protect the Lagoon and all our waterways.”
The main concerns? Developers must ensure their projects don’t choke drainage channels or disrupt how storm water flows. Failure to do so, Wahab explained, risks causing flooding in the area and damaging the delicate ecosystem of our waterways. The environmental impact assessment is a crucial step to avoid this, and it is required.
Specifically, the Commissioner highlighted the issues at Orange Island. “The ongoing reclamation at Orange Island must stop immediately,” he said, “because developers have been encroaching on the Right of Way of the Orange Island Lagoon.”
Wahab further elaborated on the complexity of the situation, explaining how various waterways, including the Kushenla and Itedo systems, all discharge into the Orange Island Lagoon. “You can’t just dredge and cover up this space without causing major flooding issues,” he emphasized. “That’s why we’re here to shut it down.”
The Ministry is also revisiting the Oral Estate for a re-evaluation of their situation and is trying to find solutions and remove the contravention on the Ikota River, which is vital for the Atl.
