Lagos state Government Tuesday convened a stakeholders meeting with property owners and residents on the corridors of Awolowo Rd, Ribadu and Norman Williams drainage channel, giving all those that have contravened and whose fences fall within two meters of the channel setback on both sides till Friday to remove them.
Speaking with the property owners and residents at Alausa, State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who was flanked by Special Adviser Environment, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu said the state is committed to re -establishing the drainage setback which has now been magnanimously fixed at 2 meters on both sides.
He told the attendees that the Ministry will send its officials to the area on Friday to ascertain the compliance level while reminding them that contravention notices have been served on all affected properties.
Wahab who listened to all the property owners and representatives from Alhaji Kannike, Norman Williams, Awolowo Road, Raymond Njoku, Ribadu and Keffi roads said for those who have more than fences on the setback, an immediate decision will be taken after Friday.
He explained that the problem had persisted for a long time, causing the flooding of the State House, Dodan Barracks because access to clean the channel has been blocked by obstructions in terms of structures.
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He reminded that the natural setback for all drainage channels is 3 meters but the Ministry decided to put a human face to its decision which brought about the reduction to two meters.
He explained that in the overriding interest of the majority, state government will not fold its arms and allow the infraction on the Awolowo, Ribadu and Norman Williams roads drainage channel continue.
He said the operatives of the ministry have commenced the cleaning of the channel from the upstream at Dodan Barracks but had to be slowed down so that the issues of encumbrances on the setback could be sorted to allow work resume.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Engr Lekan Shodeinde urged the property owners to see the bigger picture of satisfying the majority of residents of the affected areas.
He said just as the drone footage of the areas played back at the meeting showed, almost all the buildings have extended beyond their original approved plan one way or the other.
He said it is in their best interest to make use of the window offered by the State Government to remove the infractions themselves instead of waiting till the government goes ahead to do same which may make the infractions non salvageable.
Also present at the meeting were the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji Tajudeen and directors in the Ministry.
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