Yemi Obafemi
The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has revealed that several buildings recently demolished across the state lacked the necessary government approvals.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday, Wahab explained that developers are required to obtain a drainage clearance and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) from the Ministry of Environment before securing building approval from the Ministry of Physical Planning.
“Floodplains and wetlands are not places we can afford to live. Climate change is a real-life issue,” Wahab warned, noting that Lagos is expected to experience heavy rainfall in the coming months.
He stressed that while the state government is taking proactive measures to mitigate flooding, residents must also play their part.
“The citizens must take ownership. They must not see it as a form of punishment that we are removing the contraventions,” he said.
Reflecting on the challenges faced in his first year in office, Wahab said enforcement efforts were met with political resistance and personal attacks.
“People had to politicise those actions. I was dog-whistled. I was called a bigot, but today, the results have shown that we took the very hard way to solve what would have become a disaster for our dear state, Lagos,” he stated.
The commissioner emphasized that many of the structures removed were built without any form of official approval.
“What we found out is that most of those houses we had to remove don’t have approvals,” he said.
Citing the recent tragedy in Mokwa, Niger State, where lives were lost due to flooding, Wahab underscored the importance of compliance with environmental regulations.
“It is painful because so many lives have been lost. We just have to keep appealing to citizens,” he said
