Adeyinka Adeniji 
Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure has issued contravention notices to illegal property owners and occupiers in the Maiyegun Waterfront Scheme, located in the Eti Osa Local Government area of the State.
According to the contravention notices, the 280 occupants are required to provide relevant documentation and approvals that justify their occupation of the properties in question within seven days of the notice, failure of which a demolition notice will be served on them.
The State Ministry of Information and Strategy who made this known on Tuesday said the buildings affected include completed, under-construction, and undeveloped lands that were found to be without any government papers authorising their construction.
It was also noted that the move is to forestall creation of slums, distortion of the Lagos State Master plan and erosion of the state’s coastal area.
According to him, the notices were served after a detailed technical assessment of the Waterfront Scheme by the survey team of the Ministry charged with the responsibility of maintaining the State’s Waterfront Schemes.
The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Hon Ekundayo Alebiosu, urged the property owners to voluntarily remove their structures before the expiration of the contravention notices served on them or come forward to regularise their documents if they have any, to avoid penalty.
He warned that all illegal activities along Waterfront schemes and corridors must come to an end immediately as the State Government will no longer condone or accept people encroaching on government properties, land and setbacks.
Revealing that the State Government, through the Ministry, is currently sanitising the Okun Ajah waterfront scheme where similar encroachment has been noticed, Alebiosu vowed that the State Government will not relent in its efforts to protect the State Waterfront Schemes and infrastructure while ensuring the safety of life and properties along the coastal area of the State.
