The Lagos government has ordered the immediate suspension of all reclamation projects across the state.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the directive applies to projects with or without Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval and drainage clearance.
In a statement on Thursday, Wahab said the government is concerned about the proliferation of reclamation activities on wetlands, floodplains and lagoons, particularly in Parkview, Banana Island, Osborne, Ikoyi, Victoria Island Extension, Lekki, Ajah, Oworonshoki, Lagos Mainland, Ikorodu, Ojo and Badagry.
He said many of the projects are being executed without due approvals from the ministry, adding that such indiscriminate activities pose significant environmental and social risks.
He stated: “These include increased vulnerability to flooding, coastal erosion, disruption of livelihoods (especially fishing), loss of wetlands and biodiversity, constriction of the lagoons and their capacity, and impairment of water quality.
“With the low-lying topography of the state and its fragile ecosystem, the state government cannot afford to allow this indiscriminate reclamation of the lagoons, wetlands and floodplains to continue unabated.”
Wahab said all approved reclamation projects must be resubmitted for proper documentation and monitoring, while ongoing and intending ones must undergo the EIA process and obtain clearance from the ministry.
He warned that failure to comply within seven days will leave the ministry with no option but to decommission the sites, unblock lagoon channels, and arrest and prosecute those involved.
