The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, has issued a seven-day contravention notice to owners of buildings on Orchid Road, Agungi, Ajiran, Conservation Road, Osapa all along the Ikota River.
This is contained in a statement obtained from the X handle of the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Kunle Adesina, on Monday in Lagos.
Adesina said Wahab made the declaration alongside the Special Adviser Environment, Mr Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, after an extensive inspection tour of the Ikota River corridor.
He said the inspection tour was to ascertain the level of compliance by property owners whose buildings and fences fall within the approved seven-meter setback on both sides of the channel.
Wahab charged Lagosians to respect the State Drainage Master Plan to avoid property demolition.
He stressed 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 commissioner said the Nigerian Conservation Foundation had earlier written a petition complaining about several distortions saying that there had been a lot of distortion on their roads.
He said the distortion affected the natural habitat of animals in the foundation as well as on Orchid Road where a lot of damage had been done to the drainage channel designed to take stormwater from the communities into the Lagoon.
He said Lagos State had been humane in its approach to reclaim the drainage right of way hence the review of the setback alignment from the original seven metres to six metres after a meeting with property owners to reduce the number of structures to be affected.
“We cannot keep lampooning government for flooding when developers, builders & residents 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, enough of this bad behaviour,” Wahab said.