The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), also known as KAI, recently did a big job to get rid of illegal buildings under the Eko Bridge in Lagos Island’s Ebute-Ero, Elegbeta Water Channel area. During the operation, KAI tore down 54 makeshift shanties, which forced 84 people to leave their homes, and took down eight temporary toilets that had been built in the area. This is part of a larger plan to deal with environmental problems and keep things in order in the city’s rapidly growing urban setting.
Major Olaniyi Cole (retd), who is the Corps Marshal of KAI, led the operation and described why it was necessary. The area under the Eko Bridge had turned into a hub for crime and environmental problems. Cole claimed that it had basically turned into a haven for criminals, with illegal residents doing a variety of dirty things. Some of these were throwing trash into the Lagos Lagoon without thinking, hiding criminals at the base of the bridge, and encouraging people to poop and urinate in public places. In addition to putting people’s health and the environment at great risk, these activities also made the water bodies around the area worse.
Before tearing down the building, KAI gave the illegal residents a 7-day notice to leave, but they didn’t follow through, so the law was strictly enforced. Major Cole said that this enforcement is part of a larger plan to get rid of as many environmental problems as possible in Lagos. The city is still dealing with problems like illegal dumping, bad waste management, and the growth of informal settlements that pollute the environment and pose health risks to the public.
In his speech, Cole praised the work of Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, who is the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources. He also stressed that the agency’s main goal is in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ plan. This plan, which is mostly about managing traffic, health, education, and protecting the environment, shows that the state wants to keep the environment cleaner and healthier for everyone.
The Corps Marshal also gave a strong warning to people who were breaking the law by doing things like putting trash into drains and bodies of water or building illegal structures on public areas like road setbacks, medians, and kerbs. He made it clear that people who broke the state’s environmental laws would be prosecuted. He also stressed how important it was to follow waste management rules, such as getting proper contracts for trash collection. He said that people who don’t follow the rules could face harsh punishments for doing these things.
Cole also warned people to be careful when crossing busy highways and said that people who want to cross roads properly should always use designated pedestrian bridges. As part of attempts to make the roads safer and stop people from doing dangerous things, he said that offenders would continue to be arrested and put on trial.
Cole told people in Lagos to stay alert, especially when it comes to safety in the surroundings and security, because the holidays are coming up. He stressed the importance of working together as a group and asked people to report any safety concerns to the right people. This call for more knowledge and safety comes as Lagos, like many other big cities, gets ready for the holiday season, when more people and goods will be moving around. Cole’s message shows how important community-based information is for dealing with both environmental problems and bigger security issues that might come up when a lot of people get together in public places.
In conclusion, the destruction under the Eko Bridge is part of a larger plan to protect the environment, lower crime, and make Lagos a safer place for everyone. The infrastructure, public areas, and trash that come with managing a growing city get harder to keep up with. But KAI wants to make Lagos a cleaner and safer place for everyone by enforcing the rules, educating the public, and getting everyone to work together.
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