The Lagos State Government has defended its decision to demolish structures in Makoko and other communities, saying the action is to protect lives and properties.
According to government officials who featured on Ask Lagos, a weekly X-space discussion aimed at creating engagements between the Government and residents, the demolitions were for security reasons.
At the session were Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso and Special Adviser to the Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development Olajide Abiodun Babatunde.
The contentious demolitions in Makoko and other waterfront communities, they said, were essential steps toward a safer, more sustainable megacity.
There have been criticisms of the government actions as “anti-poor”and “unnecessary”. That is not true, Omotoso said, adding that the demolitions were driven primarily by public safety, environmental protection, and security considerations, particularly the dangers posed by illegal structures built beneath high-tension power lines and along critical waterways.
“No responsible government anywhere in the world can allow people to live directly under high-tension cables or obstruct vital waterways,” Omotoso said. “These actions are not punitive. They are preventive — to protect lives, avert disasters, and secure the future of Lagos.”
The government has been criticized for not giving residents notice of its plan, Omotoso spoke of engagements with affected communities, noting, “The government has been engaging them for over five years. The law stipulates that buildings must be 250 metres away from power lines, but they are built under the power lines, and no government will accept that. Imagine one line dropping into the lagoon. The disaster will be incredible.”