The Lagos State Government has said it will not compensate owners of buildings on wetlands, drains and pipelines, when they are demolished. Commissioner for Environment Tunji Bello spoke during the environmental sanitation at Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ipaja. Bello told reporters that the government would demolish buildings on the waterways to ensure free flow of water and prevent flooding. He described buildings on petroleum pipelines and under high tension electricity cables as “illegal”, adding that they would be demolished at short notice without compensation. Bello said: “The government will not compensate anyone for violating building laws. What kind of compensation is that? No government will compensate you for engaging in illegal acts. Doing that is equivalent to encouraging people to contravene building regulations, which our government will never sanction. There is no compensation for disobeying the law. People are not expected to build on wetlands.” His counterpart on Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, said the government has been educating Lagosians on the dangers of building without its approval. Ibirogba said: “These days, you see people extending their fences and houses indiscriminately. How do they expect the government to build drains in such a situation? “This needs to stop. Many of the buildings located on the drains will have to go as we build canals.” Mosan-Okunola LCDA Chairman Abiodun Mafe said: “The council has been sensitising people who own buildings on pipelines and wetlands that the structures have to go. “They have erred and deserve no compensation. Instead, they need to be sanctioned. It is wrong to build illegally and inconvenience the entire community just because you want to be a landlord.” Ifedapo Community Development Association (CDA) Chairman Olu Adeosun said the association was not against the demolition of illegal buildings. He said: “The council chairman has been sensitising us on the dangers illegal buildings pose to the community. Not all the houses are affected. For some, only their fences would be affected.” Adeosun urged the government to build more drains to curb flooding. posted on September 02, 2013 at 12:19AM jtnng.blogspot/
Posted on: Sun, 01 Sep 2013 23:44:18 +0000
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