The Lagos State Government has denied allegations that the land along the coastal line has been sold with approval given to people to build permanent structures.
The reaction is coming as the state government has embarked on the removal of all shanties along the Lekki Coastal road axis in a bid to further protect the Coastal Road alignment.
This was made known by the General Manager, New Towns Development Authority (NTDA), Tpl. Olakunle Aboyeji, who led the demolition exercise on Friday, January 28, 2022.
Aboyeji stated that the squatters and miscreants who had illegally converted the Lekki Coastal Road, Lekki Penisula Scheme I, Maroko beach extension and the adjoining roads to their abode and commercial centre, posed a huge security risk to residents of the area and the adjoining communities.
What the General Manager of NTDA is saying
Aboyeji in his statement maintained that the position of the State Government had earlier been echoed by the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy.
He said, “The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, had earlier stated that anytime the government needs to continue work on the Coastal Road, the work will continue. Nobody has any permission to build something that is permanent here.’’
The NTDA boss noted that each time the stretch of land along the axis was cleared, the dislodged illegal squatters and miscreants, who occupied the roadside and constitute nuisance in the axis, would come back to rebuild their shanties because the construction of the coastal road was yet to commence.
Aboyeji pointed out that the government allowed temporary occupants, who put the land to good use, instead of squatters building shanties and embarking on illegal activities along the coastal road.
He averred that the sanity and security of the environment was paramount to the State Government and that the Authority will continue to dismantle all illegal structures along the Coastal Road to rid it of squatters and miscreants pending the time the road construction will begin.
What you should know
The alleged building development along the Lekki Coastal road axis has become a subject of controversy in recent times.
Recall that earlier in January, the Lekki Estates Residents & Stakeholders Association {LERSA), appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to immediately stop the ongoing allocation of coastal road in the area to private property developers, pointing out the hardship that residents of the area go through due to building construction projects being carried out by property developers on the coastal road.
They noted that the reluctance of the Lagos State Government to develop the coastal road which is the only access route for some residents in the area has given rise to massive illegal building construction projects on the road.
