Sanwo-Olu Warns Developers Over Coastal Violations, Inspects Power Project in Ilashe
Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday embarked on an unscheduled five-hour working tour of the state’s coastal towns, warning developers against continued violation of planning regulations along the riverine corridor.
The governor, who was accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and members of the State Executive Council, visited Ibeshe, Kare, Inagbe and Ilashe, where he expressed concern over the “disjointed buildings” springing up in disregard of safety rules.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu said many developers had flouted approved setbacks from the ocean banks, thereby putting lives and properties at risk.
“We are also bringing a lot of order, sanity, and repossession to redefine livelihood in these communities,” the governor said.
“There has been a lot of abuse of physical planning approvals and complete abuse of the approved setbacks and lines from the ocean banks.
People have taken their development beyond these lines in flagrant violation of safety regulations.”
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the Ministry of Physical Planning and the Lagos State Building Control Agency would return for a full enumeration of all violations, which would guide the government’s final decision on how to proceed.
“Our final decision would be inclusive of how we will regularise, give title, and ensure that the locals are not at disadvantage. We will ensure that life is returned to this neighbourhood to boost the tourism potential along this whole stretch.
The government will be a strong enabler for these opportunities to happen,” he stated.
As part of the tour, the governor also inspected a 30 megavolt-ampere electricity station built by the state government in Ilashe.
He formally handed the project over to EKO Electricity Distribution Company (EKO Disco) with a directive to immediately connect the host communities to the national grid.
“We’ve moved across communities both on the lagoon and ocean sides. This whole stretch is a future we need to preserve. On this tour, we’ve met with the traditional rulers of these coastal communities to intimate them of our plans. We have work to do in the environment, and we are committed to do the work,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He warned that government would no longer tolerate unregulated developments in the corridor.
“This is our note of caution for a lot of people who have done many things wrongly in this corridor, that the Government will come and correct it. We will come up with a win-win solution,” the governor warned.
