Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has warned against haphazard development in waterfront communities.
He directed the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, its Physical Planning counterpart and the Lagos State Building Control Agency to stop the illegal construction of buildings and other structures in the communities.
The governor stated this when he led the state executive council (SEC) members to waterfront communities in Amuwo Odofin and Ojo local government areas.
The tour of the areas revealed that the state has an enormous opportunity in the corridor, especially for tourism.
Sanwo-Olu warned that the state government will not tolerate haphazard development along the waterfront communities. The state government will do everything within its authority to preserve waterfront infrastructure for tourism and other developments.
The governor said that the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, the Ministry of Physical Planning, and the Lagos State Building Control Agency would return to Ilashe and Ibeshe to ensure sanity around these communities.
Sanwo-Olu further said that his administration is committed to harnessing the tourism potential around waterfront communities, ensuring a win-win situation for all stakeholders by providing infrastructure to aid the process.
The governor further said the state government would ensure that life returned to the visited communities by connecting them to the national grid, which is why Eko Disco officials were part of the tour.
During the tour, an electricity substation was handed over to the disco so the communities could be energised for home connectivity.
The governor assured the locals that their interests would not be jeopardised despite the proposed areas for tourism activities.
He also stated that the state government would provide basic amenities that would make life more livable for the locals and other residents, in addition to those that would drive the area’s tourism potential.
At the tour with the governor are the commissioners for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mr Dayo Alebiosu Bush; his Tourism counterpart, Toke Benson-Awoyinka; the Chief of Staff to the governor, Tayo Ayinde and heads of agencies.
