Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered the demolition of Jankara and Bombata markets in Lagos Island, declaring that regeneration of the entire Lagos Island has begun.
Besides, Governor Sanwo-Olu also hinted that Pelewura Market on Lagos Island would soon be brought down after due consultation with other stakeholders.
The governor made this known on Sunday after the inspection tour of the area, even as he also disclosed that the Ilubirin Pumping Station would be completed by January, in order to address the problem of flooding in the area.
This was just as Sanwo-Olu, while addressing newsmen shortly after the tour, said illegal occupiers on the drainages would be chased away while indiscriminate dumping of refuse would not be tolerated.
“Internally, we have work to do about three markets that we saw. The Bombata Market, Jankara Market and Pelewura Market. I’m using this as a notice to all the illegal squatters and all other people that are doing things there that we will clear up the entire markets. The Bombata and Jankara markets are going to be ground zero and there is a full design on what we are going to put there.
“On Pelewura Market, because it harbours a large number of our citizens, we will give them adequate notice and we will be working with our concessionaires all other stakeholders will be brought on board and we will all agree as to when the demolition and evacuation will start.
“Regarding the roads, we will invite the original contactor-Julius Berger which did fantastic job at that time. We will bring them back to site to start work within a week and start assessment of Idimagbo Avenue, Odo-Giwa and come out at Adeniji-Adele Road.
“As from Idimagbo up to Ebutero on the right, there will be a long time regeneration of the entire area. We have done our own but the way of life of our people must change. No matter how well the drainage is, if people still drop refuse inside the drainage, it will get filled up.
“So, I’m using this channel to appeal to our citizens. We will not tolerate bad behaviour and from tomorrow, the ministry of the environment will start giving notices to all of our store owners on drainage where shops and all sorts of things that do not fit in and we can’t allow a few to destroy the larger number of us,” Sanwo-Olu warned.
On the Ilubirin Pumping Station, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the state government had been on the project for almost two years, noting that this was due to the depth of the work that had to be done.
“We are currently doing piling to be able to sink all three pumping stations. All of them are here, generators are here and we are going to build a crane that will be installed at this construction site.
“I’m told it is about 80 per cent completed because all the procurements have been done. It is a civil work that needs to be done about 32 piles. The contractors have assured us that within two and a half months we will be finalizing it.
“What will happen now is that we will be opening two major drainage channels from Thomas on the right and a new one from the Idimagbo, both of them will flow into the drainage and take them straight into the lagoon. Each of them will be automatically activated. We have built capacity and we have also built redundancy for final solution of drainage evacuation for Lagos Isalnd and I’m sure by December or January, this project will be completed,” he added.
