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By Lukman Olabiyi
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered the demolition of two markets in the Lagos Island area of the state, over flooding.
Sanwo-Olu made the disclosure to journalists, yesterday, during the drainage and regeneration tour of the Lagos Island area of the state.
The affected markets are Jankara and Bombata. The governor said a lot of illegal structures in the markets had blocked the drainage channels. He also disclosed that discussion was ongoing with stakeholders of Pele Wura Market to rebuild the market.
Sanwo-Olu said: “We are going to give them adequate notice, and we are going to work with our concessionaires and the local government, and all the stakeholders will be brought on board.
“We will all agree as to when that demolition and evacuation will start. But I have given them the first notice already, and I will give them the opportunity as a stakeholders, for us to know when that final demolition will take place.”
The governor said the tour offered him the opportunity “to see first-hand what the issues are, and what the problems are. And to be able to proffer and look for lasting solutions to issues of flooding.” He said during the tour of Bombata market, “we saw that it cannot continue to remain at the state that it is. We also went to Pele Wura Market, where we all saw that, indeed, it has outgrown and outlived a market in a modern city like our state. Information and communication will be made appropriately.”
Cautioning residents of the area against blocking the drainage, he said, “no matter how well a drainage is, if people still look for a way to drop refuse inside it, it will get filled up again.”
