By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
The Lagos State Government has sealed no fewer than eight eateries and malls in Lekki area of the state over environmental infraction.
The action is part of ongoing efforts to restore the master plan of the area.
Affected by the sealing action, were outlets discovered by the government to have contravened its sanitation laws, which include Lennox Mall, The Place, Brasas’r Place, Admiralty Mall, undeveloped land, Cmart Supermarket, Freesia Foodies Restaurant, as well as Nectar Beauty Hub and Sailor Lounge.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Sunday, in a short statement released on his official social media handle, while explaining efforts being undertaken by the government to prevent flooding across the state
Wahab stated that the affected outlets sealed were discovered to be aiding the flooding challenges affecting the community during an inspection tour around some of the drainage channels and black spots for indiscriminate refuse dumping with his team alongside executives of Lekki Residents Association.
Some of the affected property were further discovered to have been constructed on drainage alignments as well as sealing up of setbacks for drains with concrete by the property owners.
The commissioner said the ultimate goal of clearing and dredging of all drainage channels and canals was to allow easy passage of rainstorm water which explained why Government has made continuous dredging of major drainage channels and canals spread across the state a priority.
He said the poor state of the drainage system management by these commercial buildings had seriously affected the road networks in Lekki axis despite the continuous rehabilitation of the roads by the state government.
He reiterated the state government has zero tolerance for environmental abuse especially drainage blockage, using a classic example of the Durosimi Etti channel which is littered with waste and parked shuttle buses, asking that the space should be beautified.
The Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Olakunle Rotimi – Akodu appealed to the people to desist from dumping refuse into the drains, adding that clogging of the drains had been compounded by the activities of residents who had turned many major drainage channels into refuse dumps including tertiary drains across the state.
He also reiterated the warning issued to all property owners who have built on setbacks of drainage channels or drainage alignments to remove all such structures as they constitute major impediments to free flow of water into the various drainage channels.
The Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbedegesin, said the organisation is now better positioned to ensure a cleaner Lagos at all times.
In response, the Chairman of Environment sector, Lekki Residents Association, Tari Taylour, commended government for the determination to continually make Lagos livable for all.
She advised all Lekki residents to always dispose of their waste properly by patronizing the PSP and always ensure they clean their frontage drainages as continuous environmental sustainability would be beneficial to all residents in the long run.
