The Lagos State Government has moved its battle against unlawful land reclamation and dredging to Lagos Island, where it has expressed concern over the developers’ unauthorised actions along the Ikoyi-Lekki shorelines.
The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Ekundayo Alebiosu, who led the familiarisation and inspection tour of the ministry’s various projects and sites, expressed his displeasure with the violations occurring at some of the government-approved Islands, particularly the illegal land reclamation on Gracefield and Pocket Islands in Chevron Lekki.
Alebiosu, who also decried the illegal reclamation of parts of waterways along the Ikoyi-Lekki shoreline, specifically on Osborne Foreshore I & II, Park View, Banana Island, Kings Smart City, Lekki Foreshore, and Lekki Phase I, vowed to serve a ‘stop work order’ on all developments that completely breached the setback policy of state government.
“There are lots of infractions here; we are on Gracefield Island, being managed by Gravitas. We have also been to Pocket Island nearby. We are at a bridge point here, and you can see reclamation happening to the left and to the right.
“These are separate Islands, they are not extensions, but there has to be a setback of a minimum of 200 million that will serve as drainage, taking water from the Island to the Lagoon. But they disregard the setback plan and that is unacceptable.
“We also realised that the drainage, which should drain water into the lagoon, has been completely blocked. They are reclaiming next to it, there is no setback, no drainage, and even the bridge has been completely blocked. I have directed that they be served a ‘stop work order’, otherwise we’ll have serious issues here.
“We reiterate our stand on zero tolerance for illegal land reclamation and dredging. We will also continue to ensure sanctions are brought on defaulters until we make our waterfront free from all illegalities,” Alebiosu expressed.
During their interaction with the ministry officials, the developer managing the government-approved Gracefield Island, Gravitas, Olajumoke Owoyeye, also implored the state government to look into developments around the Island that have been disregarding the setback rules and drainage policy.