The Lagos State Government has ordered an immediate suspension of all reclamation projects across the state, citing environmental and safety concerns.
The directive was contained in a statement signed by the commissioner for environment and water resources Tokunbo Wahab on Thursday.
Mr Wahab said the ministry is alarmed by “the proliferation of reclamation activities on wetlands, floodplains and the lagoons across the state, particularly around Parkview, Banana Island, Osborne and other parts of Ikoyi, Victoria Island Extension, Lekki, Ajah, Oworonshoki, Lagos Mainland, Ikorodu, Ojo and Badagry axis, without consideration of the adverse impacts on the environment and the wellbeing and safety of the good people of the state.”
According to the statement, many of the ongoing reclamation projects are being carried out without the required environmental impact assessment (EIA) approvals and drainage clearance from the ministry.
While acknowledging that reclamation could create space for housing and infrastructure, Wahab warned that it comes with “significant environmental and social risks including increased vulnerability to flooding, coastal erosion, disruption of livelihood (especially fishing), loss of wetlands and biodiversity, constriction of the lagoons and their capacity, impairment of water quality amongst others.”
The commissioner stressed that with Lagos being a low-lying state with a fragile ecosystem, the government would not allow the “indiscriminate reclamation of the lagoons, wetlands and floodplains to continue unabated.”
“Consequently, the ministry is by this notice directing all reclamation projects across the state with or without EIA approval and drainage clearance to be SUSPENDED IMMEDIATELY,” the statement read.
Wahab added that all approved reclamation projects must be submitted to the ministry for proper documentation and monitoring, while ongoing and intending projects must undergo the full EIA process before approval.
He warned that failure to comply with the directive within seven days would result in strict enforcement.
“Failure to comply with this directive within the next seven days after this publication shall leave the ministry with no other option than to deploy appropriate machineries to decommission the reclaimed sites including excavation and removal of fill, reconnecting of already blocked water channels on the lagoon and the arrest and prosecution of anyone involved and or found on the site of the illegality,” Wahab said.
