The Lagos State government says it will start the demolition of properties on drainages in Apapa area of the State, today.
The state government disclosed that the enforcement operations was aimed at re-establishing the three-metre drainage right-of-way for all its drainage channels in the area.
Tokunbo Wahab, the State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, made this known in a statement on Sunday.
According to him, the enforcement followed the expiration of notices and convening of stakeholders meetings with the property owners earlier in the year to move their fences that fell within the drainage setback.
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He noted that the ministry had issued violation notices to the buildings regarding the drainage setbacks.
The Commissioner added that for several years, the ministry had not been able to access the eight major collectors for maintenance purposes due to encroachment, which was a major contributor to flooding in the Apapa area.
Wahab however assured the government would not be bias during enforcement.
“We want to check the state of collectors in Apapa in order to evacuate and treat the collectors.
“The whole of the collectors in this area are blocked and the right-of-way taken over by individuals who moved their fences in order to acquire extra land, thereby denying us access to the drains,” Wahab said
