By Ayodeji Seriki
In recent times, stakeholders in the New Lagos project have expressed concerns about disregard for Lagos State’s directives on strategic environmental laws by residents.
Barely a week after Lagosians bombarded online and offline platforms over rampaging commercial motorcyclists, a similar disregard for existing laws is taking place in Banana Island, where some influential Nigerians have defied the state government’s order and embarked on sand-filling at Living Gold Terraces. The development has not only negated the recent Lagos State’s suspension order on all approvals in respect of land extension into the Lagoon at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi, it has clearly shown that some members of the public still appear bigger than the law of the land.
Considering the warning by many experts that such degradation on the lagoon poses a time bomb for the commercial city in the nearest future, it is necessary for well-meaning Lagosians, living or not living in the affected areas, to cry out and appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to right the wrong.
First, it was the case of the commercial motorcyclists, who defied government order and returned to the streets in the most abysmal manner. As of two weeks ago, the so-called ‘okada’ riders didn’t only return to the roads but took to the major highways like Iyana-Ipaja-Oshodi-Ikorodu road and Mile-2-Oshodi road. It reached its climax a few days back when some residents started to mock the Sanwo-Olu administration for being a continuation of former Gov. Akinwinmi Ambode’s weak approach to law. To many residents, environmental law had died with the Babatunde Fashola’s regime.
Perhaps, I would have ignored this because I was not directly affected, but the reporter in me keeps punching my curiosity, hence the need to alert the Lagos State government that its law is again being abused at Banana Island.
When the government issued a suspension order on all approvals in respect of land extensions into the Lagoon at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore early this year, many people expressed reservations because the law would affect rich and the influential members of the public more.
With what is happening at the Living Gold Terraces in Banana Island, one wonders if the law is being trampled upon because the affluent are concerned.
Gov. Sanwo-Olu, the time to act is now!
•Seriki writes from Bariga, Lagos