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L-R: Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite; Commissioner for The Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab; Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu and other top officials of Lagos State Ministry of The Environment and Water Resources, during an inspection tour to Apongbon, Ebute Market and other parts of Lagos Island on the 23rd of January, 2025.
The Lagos State Government has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to traders operating under the Apongbon Bridge and along drainage setbacks in Lagos Island to vacate the areas.
The directive is part of the state’s urban regeneration initiative aimed at improving infrastructure and tackling environmental challenges.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, announced this during an inspection of the Savage/Elegbata/Bombata Drainage Channel on Thursday.
In a statement made available to PUNCH Online by the Director of Public Affairs, the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, Wahab highlighted the impact of human activities in the area, including flooding and threats to lives and property.
“I have instructed that the shop/stall owners be served abatement notice. We are going to clear these infractions and keep the maintenance work going while ensuring that the contract is revisited to accommodate these two collectors,” he said.
The commissioner noted the illegal conversion of spaces under the Apongbon Bridge into livestock markets and ordered the immediate relocation of traders to designated areas.
He said, “What we saw is not something that we are happy about. People have fully built on setback and drainage channels and when you build structures on these infrastructure, how do you expect these infrastructure to be maintained?
“We have abused these infrastructure and I have given directives to the appropriate department to serve notice of abatement and if compliance is not carried out enforcement will commence.”
Wahab warned that the state would enforce environmental laws if compliance is not achieved.
He emphasised that all affected traders would be monitored after the 48-hour deadline, with violators facing penalties.
In addition, two buildings under construction on Alakoro Martins Street and in Ebute Ero Market were sealed for illegally stacking materials on drainage systems.
Wahab stated that offenders must clear the blockages and restore the drainage system before the buildings can be unsealed.
“The buildings were sealed because they stacked their building materials on the drainage system and this is illegal because they block the drainage system in the process. Such offenders will be required to remove the materials and clean the drainage system before they are unsealed,” Wahab stated.
Wahab reaffirmed the state’s commitment to working with local governments to maintain market spaces and enforce environmental laws.
He also stressed the importance of public cooperation in preserving infrastructure and preventing illegal activities such as refuse dumping and trading on drainage channels.
Addressing concerns raised by the Lagos State House of Assembly on stolen manhole covers, Wahab noted that the Ministries of Environment and Works are collaborating to resolve the issue.
Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, urged traders to use designated market spaces and avoid defacing the environment.
He called on residents to take ownership of public infrastructure and maintain a sustainable environment.
The inspection covered areas including Savage Lane, Cole Street, George Street, Abu Lane, Apongbon Underbridge, Olowogbowo, and Alakoro Martins Street.
Officials present included the Permanent Secretaries of the Environment Ministry, representatives from the Lagos Waste Management Authority, Lagos State Waste Management Office, and other agencies.
