Rahma Ahmed
By Ahmed Rahma
The Lagos State Government has warned property owners and developers in the Magodo Residential Schemes to immediately desist from any development on the wetlands in the area or face sanctions.
In the statement issued on Sunday, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, said it was worrisome seeing people trying to take advantage of the sign-off of the Revised Schemes, by attempting to build houses on the wetlands without approval from relevant government agencies.
He said that the state government was committed to the planning standards as contained in the painstaking Revised Magodo Schemes document and would go all the way to ensure total compliance in the interest of a sustainable Lagos State.
“Indiscriminate development of wetlands would not be encouraged anywhere in the state as it is potentially dangerous and harmful to the environment,” he said.
The Commissioner said every part of the state should learn from the prohibition of indiscriminate reclamation of Osborne and Banana Island foreshores, and extension of land into the waterways as well as the subsequent clampdown and demolition of buildings illegally erected in the prohibited areas.
He enumerated the importance of the wetlands while noting that it must be preserved as an environmental asset for flood control.
He further stated that the government would not allow any development on the Magodo greenbelt without recourse to necessary clearances and approval from relevant agencies.
He said, “I wish to emphasise that the administration of Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu does not pay lip service to physical planning issues because of their overarching importance to the achievement of a sustainable Lagos.
“This informs why the Revised Magodo Scheme and its dictates for the development of the elite residential schemes are sacrosanct, while any deviation from it will be met with serious resistance”.
