By Peter Dansu The Lagos State Government has placed an immediate suspension on all land reclamation projects across the state, citing env...
By Peter Dansu
The Lagos State Government has placed an immediate suspension on all land reclamation projects across the state, citing environmental concerns and growing flood risks.
In a statement on Thursday, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said many ongoing projects on wetlands, floodplains, and lagoons were being carried out without proper Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) or drainage approvals.
Wahab listed affected areas to include Ikoyi (Parkview, Banana Island, Osborne), Victoria Island Extension, Lekki, Ajah, Oworonshoki, Lagos Mainland, Ikorodu, Ojo, and Badagry.
According to him, while reclamation creates space for housing and infrastructure, it also exposes Lagos to severe risks such as flooding, coastal erosion, loss of wetlands and biodiversity, destruction of livelihoods like fishing, and reduced lagoon capacity.
“With the state’s low-lying landscape and fragile ecosystem, we cannot afford to allow indiscriminate reclamation to continue unchecked,” Wahab warned.
The government has directed all reclamation projects—whether or not they already have approvals—to stop immediately. Approved projects must now be resubmitted for proper documentation and monitoring, while new and ongoing ones must undergo full EIA and drainage clearance before proceeding.
The ministry further warned that developers who fail to comply within seven days risk having their sites decommissioned. This could include excavation of filled areas, reopening of blocked water channels, and the arrest and prosecution of offenders.
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