Lagos Begins Crackdown on Illegal Stalls to Restore Public Infrastructure
The Lagos State government will commence the removal of illegal stalls obstructing public infrastructure on Lagos Island and its environs starting tomorrow. This action follows the expiration of a 48-hour notice issued by the Ministry of Environment.
Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for Environment, announced this on Sunday during an inspection tour of the Oke Arin area on Lagos Island. He noted that the ultimatum, issued last Thursday, was part of the government’s urban regeneration efforts in the area.
“What we came to do this morning is to ascertain the level of compliance with respect to the notices issued on Thursday. We have served all the notices, and statutorily, we have fulfilled what we were required to do by the law,” Wahab stated.
The enforcement process will commence immediately, as Wahab confirmed: “By Tuesday, we will start the full removal of all those extensions impeding the public infrastructure within the system here.”
The notice targets traders operating under the Apogbon Bridge and those with illegal stalls on drainage setbacks. Wahab expressed dissatisfaction with contractors who leave building materials on roads and drainage systems, pointing out the damage caused to public infrastructure and the challenges that result.
“Now, we also noticed people are just taking the laws into their hands. They will put their building materials alongside their mixers with cement on a constructed drainage and the road. The next few weeks, the road will be destroyed, and they will be the ones who will be calling out the government for not doing the right thing,” he said.
The commissioner emphasized that contractors would face consequences for these actions, stating, “We have said that for you to even put your material on this infrastructure, kindly seal off the place. Let them cart away their materials, then we will unseal them.”
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Reaffirming the government’s commitment to maintaining public infrastructure, Wahab declared, “It is not about emotions or sentiments, it is about doing the right thing.”
As part of its urban regeneration initiative, the Lagos State Ministry of Environment remains dedicated to restoring order and preserving public infrastructure for the benefit of all residents.
