Abuja – December 14, 2023 – Viewpoint Housing News.
The Lagos State Government has asked property owners who constructed on drainage setbacks to suggest practical solutions to restore the encroached setbacks without requiring demolition operations in response to public petitions.
In apparent response to a request for more time to develop viable choices, the state government offered the option during a mutually beneficial engagement with property owners on the Lekki County corridor, Ikota GRA, Megamunds Estate, Ajiran, Agungi, Orchid, Oral II, and other areas.
Recall that the Lagos State Government has recently begun demolishing buildings that were discovered to intrude on the state’s drainage alignments? As a result, the impacted parts of the state have experienced severe floods. A public uproar against the government was also sparked by the development, with many calling for other solutions to be considered in place of demolitions.
The State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, along with Special Adviser on Environment, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, spoke with the property owners and residents of Alausa, Ikeja. They stated, “The State is committed to re-establishing the drainage setbacks, which have now been totally blocked by some residents or converted to access roads.”
“In order to minimise the number of structures that would be impacted, the state government would reclaim the drainage right of way in a humane manner and offer residents and property owners the chance to propose a solution up until a specific date.
Wahab clarified to the Megamunds Estate representatives that while System 44A passes via Ikota GRA, Lekki County residents and property owners had blocked Megamunds, a 19.5-meter-wide waterway.
He declared that the 6-meter setback on both sides and the 31-meter drainage alignment will be restored as a consequence of the government’s determination to find a workable solution to the local floods.
The commissar stated that enforcement would be the final resort and that “all property owners whose fences fell within the drainage setback will be served mandatory contravention notices as the law demands.”Regarding this alignment, we will reestablish the System 44 notice as required by law; no one would inform the state government that, while a layout can be approved based on developer-provided information, if the layout deviates from the natural alignment, the developers are to blame rather than the physical planning department for their failure to obtain drainage clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.
Additionally, he informed the Ajiran and Agungi drainage channel owners that the government was prepared to restore the drainage setback, which was previously transformed into an access road leading to the residences of the affected parties.
“The canal has been converted to private usage, which has made it harder to access for cleaning purposes,” Wahab bemoaned the move.
He emphasised that in order for the property to acquire ownership of the drainage channel and oversee its ongoing maintenance, an agreement between the government and the parties along the Ajiran/Agungi channel would need to be initiated.
Wahab said that the impacted buildings will get letters from Ministry authorities informing them of the signing procedure next week.
The commissioner confirmed that unlawful buildings built without drainage clearances have completely blocked both of the System 156 and 157 channels along the Ikota River, during a previous discussion with property owners on Orchid and Oral II Estate.
According to Wahab, seven-day violation notifications that were previously sent to property owners whose structures and fences are inside the allowed seven-meter setback on both sides of the canal have already expired.
Affected property owners begged the commissioner to exercise mercy in the face of justice and give the locals a chance to suggest potential ways to turn the situation around at the meeting.
,The commissioner advised developers and builders to always get drainage approvals before embarking on a construction project.
