- Safiu Kehinde
The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has provided further explanation on the reason behind he suspension of all revocation projects across the state.
NPO Reported that the Wahab had last week ordered the suspension of the projects over flooding and coastal erosion concerns.
The Commissioner who acknowledged the significance of reclamation for housing and infrastructural development however raised concerns over the environmental and social risks it poised on the state which has a low-lying topography.
Wahab would make reference to the suspension of the revocation project while speaking at the panel session on “Rising Seas, Resilient Communities: Climate Adaptation Strategies in West Africa” at Harvard Business School in Massachusetts, United States, on Saturday.
The Commissioner acknowledged the contribution of reclamation in the expansion of Lagos landmass from 3,577 square kilometres to 4,050 which creates space for real estate development.
He however noted the risk of indiscriminate which, according to him, blocks stormwater pathways, destroys natural buffers like mangroves, and exposes millions of Lagosians to flooding and erosion.
“Lagos sits on the continental shelf. Our land mass has grown from 3,577 to 4,050 square kilometres, largely through reclamation of wetlands and lagoon bodies.
“While this expansion has created space for real estate and infrastructure, it also comes with risks.
“This is why we insist that no reclamation takes place without Environmental Impact Assessments and drainage masterplans.
“These checks are necessary because when reclamation is done indiscriminately, it blocks stormwater pathways, destroys natural buffers like mangroves, and exposes millions of our people to flooding and erosion.” Wahab said.
The Commissioner further spoke on the waste management system in the coastal city with over 22 million residents.
He disclosed that the state had over time depended on a linear waste system with landfills.
With several landfills now decommissioned, Wahab noted that the state government is gradually shifting to the recycling of waste materials.
He noted that Lagos has engaged in partnership deal with Ghanaian companies for the recycling of wastes into compost and reusable materials.
The Commissioner however noted that Lagos is not alone in the waste challenges facing coastal cities in the Gulf of Guinea.
He reiterated Lagos government’s commitment to protecting the state’s environment and prosecuting those who damage it.
“As a city of over 22 million residents, we face additional pressures in managing daily waste. Lagos has long relied on a linear waste system with landfills, many of which are now decommissioned or about to be decommissioned .
“Today, we are deliberately shifting to a circular model that sees waste as a resource for wealth and energy.
“We have entered partnerships across the sub-region and beyond , including with a Ghanaian company that is helping us turn thousands of tonnes of waste into compost and reusable materials, while also setting up transfer loading stations to reduce what ends up in our landfills .
“We also recognize that Lagos is not alone in these challenges. The entire Gulf of Guinea shares similar threats.
“What happens in Togo, with its 42-mile coastline, or in Ghana, can affect us directly. That is why we have reached out to our neighbors and built regional partnerships on coastal protection, solid waste management, and climate adaptation.
“Our commitment is clear: to protect our environment, prosecute those who damage it, communicate with our citizens through advocacy on safe practices, and work with regional and international partners to build a Lagos that is not just surviving climate change but leading in adaptation strategies.
“These moves and developments are set to put Lagos on a new horizon.” Wahab added.