The Lagos State Government demolished some buildings in the Banana Island and Ikoyi areas for not complying with the building laws and regulations.
The state government said the enforcement was necessary as some residents build their houses without due recourse to the state’s approval.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, said despite a stop-work notice that had been served by the Lagos State Building Control Agency to the owners of the structures, construction continued.
He said, “The governor was here yesterday (Sunday) with the strong instruction that land reclaimed beyond what was approved should be demolished. We would continue to monitor to ensure that building laws and regulations are complied with and it should even be voluntary compliance.
“The gradual takeover of the waterways is a problem. In our master plan, the regional highway ought to pass through a route but there is gradual encroachment on the way.
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“In terms of climate change, gradual reduction in the capacity of the lagoon to flow freely and the consequence the state would be made to grapple with in the future.
“The buildings that were pulled down are a peculiar case because the owners and developer could not provide the approval and clearance to reclaim the land from the state Land Bureau and Ministry of Waterfront.”
The state Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure and Development, Arc. Kabiru Abdullahi said the state government would not continue to fold its hands and watch the degradation of its environment.
Punch