Lagos Govt. Begins Illegal Structures’ Removal Under Lekki-Epe Expressway Powerline
The Lagos State Government through its Planning and Environmental Monitoring Agency, (LASPEMA), Lagos State Building Control Agency, LABSCA, and Lagos State Special Operations Task Force, has begun the removal of illegal structures along the Lekki-Epe expressway.
It stated that the encroachment on the area poses serious threats to the safety of lives and properties of citizens and future developments in the state.
The General Manager, LASPEMA, Daisi Oso, confirmed that appeals had earlier been made while contravention notices were served to all car lots, shanties owners, and other informal business operators along Lekki Epe Expressway axis to evacuate but they refused to comply.
Oso, through a statement released by the agency’s Public Affairs Officer, Adeyinka Oguntade, stressed that the need for the demolition was made because it could no longer be overlooked by the state government.
According to him, there is a social contract of protecting lives and properties hence the urgent intervention in order to restore sanity to these setbacks/IOS be it roads, railways, power transmission lines, wetlands, and gorges among others across the state.
“Lekki remains a very critical area and one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing centers, where both government and private sectors are putting a lot of huge investments, in view of this, the state government will continue to preserve its environs and anything less becomes an irritant because this government is committed to achieving on his T.H.E.M.E.S agenda.
“This ongoing demolition exercise will continue throughout the State, especially where infractions are noticed on Setbacks and Incidental Open Spaces”, he said.
The General Manager noted that the state government under any authority did not issue any approval/permit to occupants of the concerned areas for either business or residential purposes against claims from some quarters.
He noted that the structures demolished around County Estate and Ikota Villa along Lekki Epe Expressway by the officials of the State Government were considered as a resultant factor for the deterioration of Urban Environmental quality of that corridor and many more of such will have to go for our wellbeing in the state as a whole.
Oso further cautioned residents about the encroachment of setbacks and IOS and that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is setting up Lagos as a Smart City for investment opportunities.
Source: The Guild Nigeria
