LAGOS WARNS DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS AGAINST WETLAND ENCROACHMENT 

… Seals Maverick Estate Being Developed on Wetland in Gbagada

Lagos State Government over the weekend warned developers and builders to desist from wetlands encroachment as a private estate being developed on a wetland in Gbagada was sealed.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab gave the warning during an interview after an inspection tour of some enforcement sites and some ongoing project sites, stating that the State is determined to put a stop to the growing challenge of wetland encroachment.

He said Wetlands are natural habitations whose value cannot be replaced by money. As such it is essential to do more to preserve nature and protect the wetlands from further encroachment as it is recently being experienced in most parts of the state. 

Accompanied by the Special Adviser on Environment Mr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu; Permanent Secretaries, Office of Environmental Services Gaji Omobolaji; Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite and some Directors in the Ministry.
The team visited the TREM drainage channel located at Anthony Oke, Oshodi Expressway and observed that the wetland in the area has been encroached upon and the major portion of the drainage channel has been blocked with a major private estate being developed on the location.

Wahab, therefore, directed the immediate sealing of the proposed private estate site named Maverick, which is still at the inception stage, ordering all construction workers to leave the site immediately. 

He also ordered that the fences of the proposed Estate on the wetland be pulled down, urging the developer of Maverick Estate to come forward with appropriate Land approval, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Drainage approval amongst other documents. 

He emphasised that several of the wetlands across the State, especially in Iju-Ishaga, Ejigbo, Badagry, Ikorodu, Itoikin and many more, which have been encroached upon for estate development without due consideration for environmental guidelines, would be reclaimed by the government as time goes on. 

The team team also visited System I drainage channel which is the most critical because it defloods Odo Iya Alaro, Ojota, Ogudu and Maryland amongst others, to check the extent of the ongoing project awarded by the State two years ago in order to establish the Right of Way and address major flooding issues on the mainland. 

The Commissioner reiterated that global warming is real as exemplified by the flooding incidents being experienced in the North East and West, particularly in Borno State in the last few days, urging residents to collaborate with the government to sustain restoration of drainage Right of Way and wetlands in the State.

According to him, the world has changed and everyone must put in place various measures to mitigate the adverse effects of global warming and other environmental issues confronting human existence.

The Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu implored all residents of the State to desist from the acts of using refuse to reclaim wetlands or dumping of waste in drainage channels, adding that the joint efforts of the people with the government would curb the incidents of flooding to barest minimum in the state. 

He averred that the government would continue to scale up its awareness for communities within proximity of wetlands and all residents on the importance of wetlands to humanity. 

The team later visited System I (Sheraton – Ojota Link Bridge Section); Peace Estate, Ifako (System I Mainstream) and TREM drainage channel (discharges into Anthony Oke Channel) Oshodi Expressway.