On Wednesday 11th of October, the Lagos State Government commenced demolitions along the Ikota drainage channel. They explained that the demolitions were necessary to reverse the canal blockages which over the past years have increased flooding in the area.
According to the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the demolitions have been set in motion for about three years, of which owners of the structures were given ample notice of. He also stated that the government will not allow illegality to continue to persists, alluding to Rule 8(iv) of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Regulations, 2019 which states that “the distance between any building and the edge of a gorge, canal or drainage if defined by concrete live channel, shall not be less than ten (10) metres to the building, or as may be specified by the relevant statutory body”. Unfortunately, the buildings affected by the demolition contravened this rule.
In order to begin construction in Lagos state, it is a requirement that certain building approvals need to be obtained, one of which is a drainage clearance letter from the Office of Drainage Services, Lagos State Ministry of Environment which confirms that the proposed property does not affect a drainage’s right of way and that the stipulated rules above are adhered to. A building permit does not get approved unless this requirement is satisfied, hence the existence of the structures erected also highlights corruption within the agencies in charge.
This is one of the many things in Lagos state that does not have a simple solution. Destroying people’s homes for the benefit of the greater public can be justified according to law, however, problems like these will only persist if the individuals charged with regulating these sectors do not grant approvals to buildings that miss the mark. In a stance to curb illegality, focus should also be placed on individuals in agencies whose palms are greased in exchange of approvals for unsatisfactory building plans. Rather than displacing people from their homes, they should be prevented from constructing in areas that are bound to create complications in the future and corrupt officials who contribute to these problems should also face dire consequences.