Health
Lagos demolishes drainage encroachments, clears waste to curb flooding
By Johnson Idowu and Ayoola Babalola
The Lagos State Government has said it will begin the demolition of structures obstructing drainage alignments, wetlands and stormwater discharge channels in the Lekki-Epe area of the state, starting from today (Monday), as part of efforts to prevent flooding during the rainy season.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Sunday during an inspection of drainage channels and flood-prone locations in the Agungi-Ajiran, Gravitas and Ikota areas of the state.
According to him, the government will no longer tolerate encroachment on drainage corridors, floodplains and natural water channels, warning that all illegal structures found on such alignments would be removed regardless of ownership.
He said, “We are not going to tolerate any form of encroachment on the alignments, floodplains and our discharging point for stormwater. Whosoever you are, we don’t care whose ox is gored; we shall remove those contraventions immediately, starting from tomorrow ”
“We are giving them the go-ahead to remove and open up our channel to the lagoon. That will start immediately tomorrow. We will come back during the week to see the level of work that has been done.”
Speaking on the observation at Gravitas Road, Wahab said officials observed alleged illegal reclamation of wetlands around Graceland Estate.
He noted that wetlands serve as nature’s sponge by retaining water during heavy rainfall, warning that unauthorised reclamation destroys the ecosystem and worsens flooding.
He alleged that most of the developers encroaching on the wetlands were building without appropriate approvals.
“The wetland is nature’s sponge, holding water. Now they are destroying the wetland, destroying the ecosystem and trying to reclaim the lagoon without approvals.
“We said to the estate, whoever it is, stop the work and let us see your paperwork. We are certain they don’t have any,” he stated.
Speaking on the Ikota River, the commissioner added that officials observed that a private developer was allegedly reclaiming part of the river without the required approvals.
He said the government had insisted that all reclamation activities must observe the approved setback of between 150 and 200 metres to preserve the river’s natural flow.
“We noticed somebody under the name of Megamond is trying to push back the Ikota River and narrow it into a stream. The Ikota River discharges all the outlets on this corridor into the lagoon.
“All those structures done on that portion without approval, we shall remove them immediately and restore our setback,” he said.
Wahab also cautioned traditional landowning families against permitting developments that violate environmental regulations, saying land ownership does not exempt anyone from complying with planning and environmental laws.
He urged property owners to consider the long-term environmental consequences of indiscriminate reclamation and encroachment on wetlands.
“We are not disputing your ownership. All we are saying is don’t be irresponsible in the course of your ownership. Think of the future.
“Taxpayers’ money is being used to provide drainage infrastructure and maintain channels. Don’t make it worse by blocking them,” he said.
The commissioner further stressed that environmental impact assessments remained mandatory for reclamation projects, accusing some developers of commencing work without obtaining the necessary approvals in the hope of regularising the projects later.
Wahab also vowed that the government would preserve the Kuramo Waters and other critical water bodies from encroachment, describing attempts to reclaim such areas as a threat to the state’s coastal ecosystem.
“The Kuramo Waters is the water body that breathes within the Atlantic, and this structure here, and they are trying to block it. It’s not going to happen. We’ve seen the signposts. We’ve reached out to those involved in the Federal Government.
“We have to preserve Kuramo Waters. It’s deliberate. It’s been here for decades. If they want to start reclamation, it’s going to be a gross problem, and they can’t do it,” Wahab concluded.
The inspection comes amid repeated complaints of flooding in some parts of the state.
The state government had continued to reiterate its zero tolerance for obstructing drainage channels.
Meanwhile, the Lagos Waste Management Authority has continued overnight sanitation operations across major areas of the state as part of efforts to reduce waste-related flooding risks.
The agency’s intervention team cleared waste and evacuated refuse from locations including Ikeja Along beside Bridge, FAAN Shopping Complex, National Bus Stop, Mangoro Canal, Dopemu Bus Stop, Ile Epo Fence and other strategic areas.
LAWMA said the exercise was part of its sustained effort to maintain a cleaner environment and prevent waste accumulation from obstructing drainage infrastructure during the rainy season.
The combined measures come amid recurring flooding concerns across parts of Lagos, with the state government repeatedly warning residents against dumping waste in drainage channels and engaging in activities that obstruct water flow.
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