The Lagos State government has announced plans to demolish illegal structures built under high-tension cables in the Makoko community, Yaba, Lagos.
The move comes after the state, through the Office of Urban and Regional Planning, removed dilapidated buildings and shanties at the Oworonshoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge in Kosofe Local Government Area.
The Permanent Secretary Office of Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, revealed that the Lagos State Government has held several stakeholder meetings with residents of Makoko, expressing concerns over the continuous building of shanties under high tension cables, thereby posing dangers to residents.
Oki explained that the state government is worried about the illegal extension of the shanties under the Third Mainland Bridge by the residents.
He said the government will continue the enforcement activity at the Makoko community by removing illegal structures in order to prevent looming dangers.
“We have held several meetings with people living in Makoko because many of the shanties are built under high-tension cables.
“We have told them to move, but they have refused. They are even extending to the middle of the third mainland bridge, and we have warned them several times.“
“As a government, we don’t just start removing buildings; we are working with their community leaders in clearing illegal structures under high power lines in the Makoko community. If any of those cables fall and anything happens to the people, the blame will be on the government. The lives of the people are more important. They are also encroaching on the third mainland bridge,” Oki said.
He added that Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration is concerned about the safety of the people in the state and will do all it takes to protect the people.
“We want to work, but some people don’t want us to work. But we are going to do it. What is bad is bad. Some people are making money hiding under these bad attitudes, but as a people, we just have to change.”
On the recent demolitions in the Oworonshoki area, which led to the blockage of the Third Mainland Bridge by the residents, Oki said the state government had, for the past three years, held stakeholders’ meetings with the residents on the need for them to regularise their building approvals.
He explained that only two out of the residents complied with the government’s directive despite the government’ amnesty period for the regularisation.
Oki said the affected buildings were structurally defective and posed dangers to the people.
According to him, investigations revealed that many of the traffic robberies committed on the third mainland bridge are carried out by residents of the area who run back to the shanties after carrying out their robbery.
Oki insists that the lagos state government will continue to enforce building planning approval, to ensure all buildings are safe and fit for habitation.
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