COVID19: Lagos State Government Postpones Demolition Of Illegal Structures

 Lagos State Government Postpones Demolition Of Illegal Structures

The Lagos State Government, has suspended the on-going demolition of illegal structures on drainage alignments from Yaya Abatan to Obawole in Ogba area of Lagos State.

Yesterday, there was a tweet  from journalist Kadaira Ahmed calling on the governor of the state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to halt the ongoing demolition of illegal structures at this time when many are expected to stay indoors to stop the spread of COVID-19.

A statement issued April 22, by the office of the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources in the State, Tunji Bello, said the temporary suspension was in view of the need to effectively curb the Coronavirus pandemic in Lagos.

Bello said the demolition exercise was duly approved in February, 2020 after several contravention notices had been issued to owners and occupiers of the structures, asserting that the exercise is part of the wholesome clearing and cleaning of drainage channels and alignments by the State Government in readiness for the rainy season.

Attributing the suspension of the exercise to the ravaging Coronavirus disease, Bello affirmed the need to comply with the stipulated guidelines issued by the Government and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The Commissioner maintained that the exercise will be revisited by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources after a successful containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.