Connect with us

News

Don’t Build On Wetlands, Lagos Warns Developers, Residents

Published

on

The Lagos state government has warned against developing the wetland bordering Magodo Phase II to prevent heavy flooding.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, gave the warning on Monday, November 20, during an inspection tour of some areas to assess the level of compliance with demolition exercises.

Wahab warned that developing the wetland will be disastrous and detrimental to everyone.

The Residents’ Association had petitioned the government on suspicious planned development of the wetland by the communities. But Wahab insisted that the government’s position remained that no wetland will be developed for residential or commercial purpose.

He said: “We had received many petitions with respect to the back-and-forth issues between the communities and residents. So today we came to see the state of the wetland. We had placed a signpost that this is a wetland and you can’t build on a wetland. But if people say they have a layout and approval, I am waiting for it.

“We are doing this because we don’t want a repeat of what we are experiencing at Isheri-Oshun, that will be child’s play if people go ahead to build on this wetland. And we have reassured the residents that our position on wetlands remains and we shall enforce it.”

Wahab also insisted that the buildings demolished around the Isolo/Jakande area of the state had no approvals, especially as they were on canals and totally blocked the path of water.

He said: “People built on the canal path and closed it up 100 per cent, causing flooding when it rains, and yet abuse the government. They even sued the government in court. But two weeks ago, the matter was struck out, and we moved to demolish the structures. So today we have come to check the level of compliance so the contractor can move to the site and clear the canal path for the secondary collector.

“None of these structures have approvals, and that is why we tell people to do a proper charting of their land, know where your land is situated, whether a commercial, residential or mixed area. Before building, there are requirements to meet beyond physical planning, you get a drainage clearance certificate from the environment ministry and we advise on the proper dimensions and location of drainages.”

He promised that monitoring and enforcement against environmental infractions will continue because ‘our work is on the streets, not the office, and we will continue to interface with the people to ensure the right thing is done with and for the environment’.

The commissioner was also at Ikoyi to assess the level of compliance with the 2m setback for canals, especially to distil the blocked canal which affects Dodan Barracks, resulting in flooding. He noted that efforts so far have shown some improvement, “but major work still needs to be done. So the equipment will move in this week to clean the collector approaching the lagoon.”

Wahab was accompanied on the tour by Special Adviser on Environment Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, Permanent Secretary Omobolaji Gaji, and other ministry officials.

Loading

Continue Reading

News

‘Tinubu Won’t Tolerate Killer Herders’ – Sunday Igboho Replies Miyetti Allah

Published

on

Igboho

Yoruba nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, said on Sunday that President Bola Tinubu will not allow lawlessness that led to herders killing farmers under the immediate past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Igboho cautioned herders against the thought of further attacks on farmers in the Southwest.

He remarked in reaction to a comment by the national president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, who dismissed his recent quit notice to Fulani herders to vacate the Southwest.

In October, Igboho had given Fulani herders seven days to vacate the Southwest.

by TaboolaSponsored LinksYou May Like

Want to know more? click here
bet9ja.com
However, Bodejo had condemned the ultimatum issued by Igboho in a recent interview.

Igboho, in his reaction, described Bodejo as a “mere attention seeker.” He insisted that Nigeria’s Constitution does not support mindless killings of farmers, rape of their wives, and destruction of farmlands.

In a statement he signed, Igboho said: “Some alleged killer Fulani herders must be stopped from re-igniting tension and an atmosphere of insecurity in any part of Nigeria, most especially in the agrarian communities and settlements in Yorubaland, by the security agencies.

“It is imperative for the Miyetti Allah group to be conscious of the fact that the acts of lawlessness permeated under former President Muhammadu Buhari will not hold sway under the immediate incumbent President Bola Tinubu.

“It is glaring that Bodejo is merely seeking undue recognition through his unjustifiable position on the carnage by his fellow Fulani herders, which had caused untold hardship for small and large-scale farmers, even in the North and more prominently in the South, where they often move their cattle to graze farms and destroy cash crops.

“It will do them a lot of good to perish the thought of unprovoked attacks on farmers, particularly in the South West, where we have lost many innocent farmers. Relevant security agencies and the people will not allow them to further compound the woes of the common man.”

Loading

Continue Reading

News

Julius Berger Hands Over Second Niger Bridge To FG

Published

on

Construction giant and contractor of the Second Niger Bridge, Julius Berger, has formally handed over the multi-billion naira project to the Federal Government.

In a brief ceremony at toll area of the bridge, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, expressed satisfaction with the project, confirming that the contractor had carried out repairs on the vandalized portions

He also noted that the bridge is open to concession to any private company who would be ready to complete all the ancillary roads, collect tolls and recoup investments.

Umahi hinted that modalities to ease traffic at the old and new bridges during the festive period are being worked out.

The 1.6 kilometers long bridge links Anambra and Delta states.

The Second Niger Bridge was first proposed during the 1978/79 political campaign by then-candidate Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN)

Loading

Continue Reading

Headline

‘Waste Of Resources Amid Hardship’, Peter Obi Faults Number Of Nigerian Delegates At COP28

Published

on

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, on Sunday, faulted the number of Nigeria’s delegation at the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

President Bola Tinubu had on November 29, 2023 departed Abuja for Dubai for the summit expected to end December 12, 2023.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the ex-governor of Anambra State, described sending over 1,000 persons to the summit as a waste of scarce resources by the Tinubu administration.

Obi lamented the “huge contingent” in Dubai at public expense at a time when most Nigerians can hardly afford food and basic needs.

“Nigeria’s contingent to COP28 totaled 1411, the same number as the Chinese contingents. While China’s budget for 2024 is about $4 trillion, about $2,860 per head; Nigeria’s budget is about $33 billion, about $165 per head,” Obi said.

“Nigeria has more people living in ‘Multi-Dimensional’ poverty than China, despite China having seven times our population.”

Obi said majority of those in the Nigerian delegation to COP28 are either non-relevant civil servants or relations of high government officials.

“This huge contingent is out at public expense at a time when most Nigerians can hardly afford food and basic needs as a result of economic hardship.

“As we have kept emphasizing, we must stop waste as a a tradition of our government and nation. We urgently need to cut the cost of governance and invest in production.

“We need to de-emphasize unnecessary ceremony and showmanship as a mode of government behaviour. We need to tie spending to necessity and national Priority. A New Nigeria is possible. We only need to do the reasonable and the necessary.”

Meanwhile, a presidential aide, Temitope Ajayi, in a comment on Sunday, defended the delegation of the President to the summit, saying that “President Tinubu and other officials on the Federal government delegation are in Dubai for serious business not jamboree”.

Loading

Continue Reading

Recent Posts




JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Trending