The Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate suspension of all reclamation projects across the state, regardless of whether they had prior Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approvals or drainage clearance.
The directive, issued on Thursday in a statement personally signed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, mandates that all approved reclamation projects must be resubmitted for proper documentation and monitoring.
Ongoing and proposed projects, he added, must undergo the full EIA process and obtain fresh approvals and drainage clearance from the Ministry.Wahab warned that failure to comply within seven days would compel the government to decommission affected sites.
This, he explained, would involve excavation, removal of landfill, and the reconnection of blocked lagoon channels. He further cautioned that anyone found on such sites after the deadline would be arrested and prosecuted.
The Commissioner expressed deep concern over the growing number of reclamation activities on wetlands, floodplains, and lagoon fronts in areas such as Parkview, Banana Island, Osborne, Ikoyi, Victoria Island Extension, Lekki, Ajah, Ikorodu, Oworonshoki, Lagos Mainland, Ojo, and Badagry.
He noted that many of these projects are executed without the requisite environmental approvals, posing severe risks including flooding, coastal erosion, biodiversity loss, impaired water quality, and disruption of livelihoods, especially fishing.
“While reclamation may create space for housing and infrastructure, Lagos cannot afford uncontrolled destruction of wetlands and waterways, given its fragile ecosystem and low-lying topography,” Wahab stressed.
