The Lagos State Government has warned property owners to stop letting or leasing out their properties for illegal use and activities as against the claim of personal use or face the wrath of the law.
The warning from the state government follows the shocking discovery of an illegal storage and scrap yard behind a 2-storey building in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
This warning was given by the General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr Dolapo Fasawe, while briefing journalists on the discovery in Lagos.
Fasawe said that the agency received an anonymous call from concerned residents about the unfriendly environmental activities taking place at Salvation Avenue, off Ikorodu, Owode-Onirin, Lagos, and its potential negative effects on the lives of residents.
Dr Fasawe said, “Our team, on the first visit were refused entry and could not access the property due to resistance from the security guards, who claimed the premises was private property and that the occupants were unavailable at the time of visit. Our conduct is guided by world best practices and thus, we posted an abatement notice to invite the property owner or concerned person, which was flagrantly ignored.”
“We, however, discovered during our second visit that the building housed an illegal scrap yard that engages in nefarious activities such as storage of unwholesome processed foods, repackaging of drugs and juice drinks, improper destruction of expired drugs, chemicals, recycling of metals as well as dismantling of electrical and electronics waste within the premises.’’
She expressed worry that people operate unlawfully in a residential environment unchallenged by neighbours, adding that individual selfish interests must not be allowed to supersede communal benefits.
The LASEPA boss urged residents and Community Development Associations (CDAs) to be mindful of who they allow into their neighbourhood.
She pointed out that all expired drugs, chemicals as well as e-waste materials must be treated and recycled in a sustainable environment before disposal into the environment, saying that this is to protect the environment from man-made disasters. She urged residents of the state to report all unlawful conduct to the authorities for timely intervention.
Dr Fasawe enjoined all e-waste recycling operators to ensure they are registered and accredited by LASEPA as there would be no hiding place for illegal operators in Lagos.
She also revealed that the Agency has commenced investigation into the activities of the occupants of the building as samples taken have been submitted for laboratory analysis.
The Lagos State Government had been at the forefront of the fight against the illegal conversion of properties from residential to commercial without approval from the state government as this distorts the physical planning of the state.
