The Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Planning and Environmental Monitoring Agency (LASPEMA), has issued contravention notices to property owners along the Lekki-Epe axis of the state as they go tough on violators of setbacks.
The action is in line with its mandate of preserving setbacks and incidental open spaces across the State.
The directive was issued by the General Manager of LASPEMA, Tpl. Daisi Oso, during a Monitoring and Compliance exercise in the area where he said that the agency is determined to put a stop to all anomalies perpetrated by property owners along the Lekki-Epe axis.
What the General Manager LASPEMA is saying about structures on setbacks
Oso explained that erecting permanent structures on setbacks and incidental open spaces is an infraction of the State’s Physical Planning laws while such an act also violates the guidelines and principles of urban planning.
He said, “LASPEMA has been mandated not only to monitor but also regulate all activities that go on around all the setbacks and incidental open spaces across the State, in line with Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s T.HE.M.E.S. Agenda.’’
The General Manager expressed displeasure with the way and manner setbacks and incidental open spaces have been cornered for commercial purposes, thereby truncating the original purpose of likely future expansion of infrastructure and public utilities like transportation systems, communication cables/networks, sewage, water pipelines, and electricity which the spaces are meant to serve.
Oso reiterated the importance of preserving these open spaces and setbacks as some of these roads that are presently single-lane roads could later become dual carriageways or even six-lane roads in the nearest future.
He, therefore, implored the affected property owners to visit LASPEMA at Worksyard, LASURA Compound, Oba Akinjobi Way, Old Secretariat, Ikeja on how to resolve the issue of encroached setbacks and open spaces within the next 48 hours.
While restating the readiness of the Agency to nip in the bud all unlawful practices relating to the mandate of the agency, Oso called on all residents as well as other government establishments to support LASPEMA in its efforts to sanitise Lagos setbacks and incidental open spaces.
In case you missed it
- Recall that about 2 weeks ago, the Lagos State Government had condemned all encroachments on setbacks and incidental open spaces in some parts of the state, especially in the Lekki Phase 1/Lekki Epe Expressway axis.
- The government said that such encroachments violate the provisions of setbacks which, originally, are meant for future developmental projects, warning that it will soon take appropriate actions against violators.
- The government had also earlier denied allegations that the land along the coastal line has been sold with approval given to people to build permanent structures as it embarked on the removal of all shanties along the Lekki Coastal road axis in a bid to further protect the Coastal Road alignment.
I support the way forward on that axis it deprive the area. Everywhere u turn to on that axis is market, the bus stop is market their road side is market under thee power line is market.