The Lagos State Government has issued a stop work order to developers over illegal land reclamation and dredging on Lagos Island.
This was made known by the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Ekundayo Alebiosu, who led a familiarisation and inspection tour of project sites.
Alebiosu bemoaned the illegal land reclamation happening on some government-approved Islands, especially the Gracefield and Pocket Islands in Chevron, Lekki.
The Commissioner also lamented the illegal reclamation of parts of waterways along the Ikoyi-Lekki shoreline, specifically on Osborne Foreshore I and II, Park View, Banana Island, Kings Smart City, Lekki Foreshore, and Lekki Phase I, vowing that the government would stop all developments that breach the government’s setback policy.
He said, “We are on Gracefield Island, managed by Gravitas. And we have also been to Pocket Island nearby, and now this bridge point, and there is a lot of illegal land reclamation happening here.
“These are separate Islands, they are not extensions, but there has to be a setback of a minimum of 200m that will serve as drainage to take water from the Island to the Lagoon, but they have disregarded 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 defaulters are sanctioned until we make our waterfront free from all illegalities.”
