Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. @tokunbo_wahab, explains…👇🏽

1. In 1974, ex-MILAD of Lagos, Brig. Gen. Mobolaji Johnson, gazetted the Ogudu-Mende-Odo Iya Alaro right-of-way, clearly defining the alignment of canals and drainage passages.

2. Developers and property owners, over the years, overshoot the areas marked for physical development, thereby encroaching the approved alignment for road infrastructure development, drainage and canals.

3.Lagos State Government convened series of meetings and engagements with developers and landlords in the area, detailing the encroachment with admission of contravention by the stakeholders.

4. These engagements ran into months and years, with owners of contravening structures pleading with the Government to reduce the right-of-way from 230 metre to 60 metres, with 30 metres on both sides.

5. Government rejected the suggestion because of the pending construction of Opebi-Odo Iya Alaro Bridge being currently constructed by Julius Berger.

6. In 2021, Lagos State Govt, through the Ministry of the Environment, first served notice of removal of structures contravening the right-of-ways of canals and drainage in Mende-Odo Iya Alaro axis.

7. Illegal buildings and structures were marked for removal following the establishment of encroachment by developers and landlords.

8. Member representing the area in the State House of Assembly was duly notified of the infraction and was part of the engagements held with the stakeholders.

9. In November 2023, Government served additional notice to the landlords and developers whose buildings contravened the drainage alignment.

10. Two weeks ago, some owners of contravening structures started removing the structures on their own volition.

11. Mende Villa, which claimed it did not build on drainage alignment, was adamant to remove the contravening structures.

12. Upon checking records and conducting new survey, it was stablished that some buildings within Mende Villa sit wholly in the right-of-way of System One drainage.

13. Governor Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) intervened and directed that the width of the System One drainage alignment be reduced from 140 metres to 100 metres to save a lot of contravening properties from being demolished.

14. The Governor also directed that the 100 metres approved must be divided equally between Odo Iya Alaro side and Ogudu side.

B15. By implication, any structure found on either of the 20 metres alignment has to be removed. Those are the building being pulled down to clear the way for System One drainage.

16. Owners of the affected properties agreed their structures fall within the drainage alignment but they only disagree on when to remove the building after being served several notices of removal.

#ascopied