Flooding: LASG serves 48hrs notice to owners of illegal structures in Obalende
Following the increased incidence of flooding in Lagos, the State Government on Tuesday served another 48 hours ‘Abatement Notice’ to all owners of illegal structures and shanties including containerised shops around Obalende to remove them immediately.
The notice which takes effect from Tuesday, 25th to Thursday, 27th of July, 2017 was necessitated by the blockage caused by the illegal structures.
According to the Chairman of Lagos State Task Force SP Olayinka Egbeyemi who issued a press statement to this effect, many of the structures are directly constructed to obstruct the free flow of drainages and canals around Obalende which causes floods whenever it rains.
SP Egbeyemi stated that an initial 6-month notice from the government had expired recently but that the law permitted a new 48 hours ‘Abatement Notice’ to be served before any demolition.
He said, “perennial flooding experienced in some parts of the State are not natural but ‘Man-Made Disaster’ due to carelessness of members of the public who dump refuse and used tyres into both secondary / primary water channels (canals and drainages).
” It is important to note that the present administration is spending much on infrastructural development which includes clearing of drainages and canals across the State but there is the need for an ‘Attitudinal Change’ from members of the public to support the government in securing the environment.” He advised.
The Chairman who implored owners of such illegal structures to hid to the State government’s warning, noted that motor mechanics and all other form of unauthorised commercial activuties within Obalende and its environs were also affected by the notice.
He said, ” There is need for total compliance and maximum cooperation from the people around Obalende. I also want to warn the miscreants and hoodlums in this state to relocate outside the State as anyone arrested would be immediately charged to court for prosecutions.”
Joy Anyim
