The Lagos State Government has issued a suspension order on all approvals in respect of land extensions into the Lagoon at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi.
A statement jointly signed over the weekend by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako and his counterpart in the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Arc. Kabiru Ahmed Abdullahi noted that there has been increasing and continuing degradation of the Lagos shoreline as a result of indiscriminate illegal dredging, reclamation and land extensions into the Lagos Lagoon.
The statement said, “Of particular concern to the State Government are the extensions being illegally carried out at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi,” pointing out that such land reclamation and extension activities had resulted in gross violation of the Physical Planning Laws of the State and impinged on the ecosystem of the entire area.
The Commissioners maintained that the indiscriminate illegal proliferation of dredging and reclamation practices had occasioned serious distortion in the aesthetics of the shoreline with high potential for causing environmental degradation capable of producing dire consequences if unchecked.
“Government hereby suspends all existing, pending and subsequent approvals in respect of all Land Extensions into the Lagoon at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi”, the statement said.
The Lagos State Government also ordered the immediate cessation of all ongoing works, construction, reclamation and other similar activities in respect of extension approvals granted or being processed at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi.
It advised members of the public to comply forthwith with the Stop Work/Suspension Orders or risk facing criminal charges and the confiscation of their dredging equipment by the government.
