…Proffer solution to flooding
By Bose Adelaja & Alao Adesoji
CITIZENS COMPASS— The newly inaugurated Shoreline Developers Association of Lagos (SDAL) on Friday, called for an urgent development of infrastructure that will yield long-lasting revenue that has been lacking over the years.
SDAL also seeks a comprehensive drainage network design and implementation at the coastline.
Speaking during the inauguration of the association in Maryland, Lagos, SDAL President, Lai Omotola, suggested a comprehensive 50 to 100-year master plan for the development of Lagos’ coastline.
In his address titled, “Beyond the Profits to sustainability”, he said:
In the past five years, property along the shorelines of Lagos have increased by 751% and by a close margin, Lagos State has increased planning permits fees and title registration fees by 300% indicating a prospering business. Therefore there is a rush by businessmen to rush into the fray without concerns for the environment and nature.
Our Vision is to see the beauty of nature complimented by development towards improving lifestyle and living conditions. There is a need for us to move from Crisis response to long term strategic planning.
Our Association is to self regulate, science, technology driven and climate complaint. Shoreline development is not sandfilling and sandfilling carelessly but just the scratch of the surface.
It is time for all stakeholders to come together to fund a 50 to 100 year master plan for the entire development of our coastal line in Lagos that makes up to 40percent of our Land mass.
In case we still think shoreline development is about sandfilling allow me to draw your attention to the potential of our fisheries, the massive opportunity in Wind farm, Coastal railway, the Marina, renewable energy, High value port logistics, eco-tourism beyond limiting shoreline development to just reclamation which is a great injustice to our God given endowment in Lagos.
Regulation should not only seek revenue but development of super infrastructure that will yield revenue that has been lacking over the years. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive drainage network design and implementation, Shoreline Master Plan, Social and Environmental Impact assessment and deployment of high end technology.
Shoreline is a luxury that comes with global threats of Sea level rise, intense storm surges and ground water extraction sinking at 4mm per year. There can not be a better time to pay serious attention to threats to the environment. We are not alone. This is a global problem, therefore we must work according to best global practices.
Our Shoreline development thrust align with nature, our mangroves should not be totally dilapidated and our islands should be aquatic splendor.
Lagos State must prepare for the impact of the $3.3billion Lagos Calabar Coastal road.
There should not be conflict among agencies of the federal Government and Lagos State Government. Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority remains the frontier led in shoreline development holding stake for the government. The time has come to add more funding into the agency for the purpose of driving and safeguarding the shoreline.
The present nomenclature between all agencies of federal and Lagos state governments remains the best possibility as recently reinforced by the Supreme Court.
NIWA will have the first say when it comes to coastal water, while the office of the Surveyor General approves the cadastral survey for the purpose of size and location. Environmental impact assessment can be done either by state or federal agencies. The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development remains the sole ministry for the issuance of Federal CofO. Once water turns to land then the state has exclusivity of issuance of layout permit, building permit, ratification of federal CofO and others according to the laws of Lagos state. This cures multiplicity of role.
Finally, there is no amount of investment that goes into shoreline development that can not be recovered even as we sit on an unlocked $1trillion asset in Lagos and a future eco friendly and tourist destination.
This is the essence of SDAL, advocacy, development, transformation and sustaining luxurious lifestyle.
Fielding questions from journalists, he spoke on ways to combat flooding across the coastline saying: The Lagos Coastal Road is not responsible for flooding, it is as a result of building below the level of the coastal road. If the people had requested for a master plan before building their infrastructure that would have been avoided, they would have seen the plans for a coastal road since the 70s. Regarding the drainage, they are built to make way for water to avoid flooding.
Photo caption
From Left: Head of Media, Shoreline Developers Association of Lagos State, Otunba Kola Olasupo; Secretary, Kingsley Agbamuyin; President, Lai Omotola; Publicity Secretary, Ojieh Ernest and Head Legal, Kumuyi Olusegun, during the inaugural briefing of the association with press men, on Friday, in Lagos.
