The Lagos State Government has said that all environmental enforcement actions carried out across the state are aimed at protecting the interests of the majority of residents.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, stated this in a statement issued in Lagos.
Wahab said many of the enforcement actions undertaken by the government were preventive measures that helped minimise the impact of recent heavy rainfall across the state.
According to him, the interventions contributed significantly to the near-zero fatalities recorded despite the intensity of the rainfall experienced in several parts of Lagos.
He said that without the government’s decision to remove certain structures at Mende Villa Estate, many communities would have suffered severe flooding during the recent downpours.
The commissioner added that similar preventive measures also protected residents of Oke Afa and Bucknor, who had endured years of flooding challenges caused by structures erected within drainage channels.
According to him, some individuals ignored environmental regulations and built within critical waterways for personal gain, thereby obstructing the free flow of water.
Wahab urged those who criticise government actions on environmental management to offer constructive alternatives rather than engage in criticism without solutions.
He stressed that governance should take precedence over political considerations in addressing environmental challenges.
The commissioner also advised estate surveyors and other professionals in the built environment to carry out proper due diligence before embarking on construction projects.
He urged them to ensure that drainage clearance permits are obtained for structures located near drainage channels.
“The state government is investing in resilient infrastructure that ensure that the state has the capacity to contain run-off of heavy rainfalls, which ensures that few hours after the rainfall, the water subsides,” he said.
Wahab reiterated the government’s commitment to investing in infrastructure that would improve flood management and strengthen the state’s resilience to extreme weather conditions.
