The Lagos State Government has reiterated its zero-tolerance policy on the obstruction of roads and drainage channels with building materials, as well as the erection of illegal structures along rights of way, warning that violators will face the consequences.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, gave the warning on Sunday while leading ministry officials on an inspection tour of ongoing projects in central Lagos, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) transfer loading station on Simpson Street, and Victoria Garden City (VGC) in Ajah.
Wahab said the government would continue to remove illegal structures wherever they emerge, stressing that compliance with environmental regulations must be enforced. He also urged media organisations to suggest additional measures that could strengthen the enforcement of existing laws.
He maintained that attaching consequences to misconduct remained a core principle of the current administration, noting that effective enforcement of regulations was essential to achieving standards associated with developed societies.
On waste management, the commissioner expressed confidence in the state’s efforts to address indiscriminate dumping and transform the sector from a linear waste disposal system into one that treats waste as a resource.
He disclosed that the inspection team made an unscheduled visit to LAWMA’s transfer loading station on Simpson Street to assess operations firsthand. According to him, unannounced inspections would become a regular feature of the ministry’s oversight of its agencies.
The team also revisited areas undergoing regeneration on Lagos Island, where officials inspected newly constructed infrastructure and assessed the systems covering Drop-in Extensions 1 to 4.
At Victoria Garden City, the commissioner and his team received petitions from residents concerning unusual flooding and examined possible measures to address the problem.
Wahab also appealed to residents to be patient with the government during the ongoing rehabilitation of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, explaining that the work was being carried out in phases to minimise disruption to residents’ daily activities and protect lives and property.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to environmental compliance, improved waste management and infrastructure development across Lagos State.
