The Lagos State Government has defended the ongoing reclamation project at the Makoko Waterfront around the Ebute Meta/Lagos Island interchange, saying the development was duly approved by both the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government.
The clarification was made by the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Alebiosu, in a statement issued by the ministry on Wednesday.
Speaking during Morning Brief, a Channels Television programme monitored in Lagos, Alebiosu said the reclamation project is being executed by FBT Coral, a developer that complied with all statutory requirements before work commenced.
According to him, the company obtained approvals from the Federal Government and secured all necessary permits from the Lagos State Government before beginning the reclamation exercise.
“The reclamation work you see in Makoko around the Third Mainland Bridge is being handled by FBT Coral. They got approval from the Federal Government and also obtained the necessary clearance from the Lagos State Government,” Alebiosu said.
The commissioner explained that concerns were later raised by the Federal Ministry of Works over possible dredging activities close to the Third Mainland Bridge.
However, he said investigations showed that the developer was not dredging around the bridge but was pumping sand from locations several kilometres away to the reclamation site.
He added that the project also underwent an Environmental Impact Assessment and received the required drainage clearance before approval.
According to Alebiosu, the Lagos State Government suspended the project for about one year to allow the developer obtain an additional clearance from the Federal Ministry of Works.
He said the ministry subsequently constituted a committee to assess the project, after which the developer was cleared to resume work.
The commissioner stressed that the reclamation was reviewed and approved by all relevant regulatory agencies.
“I am an architect, not an environmentalist or an engineer, so I am not in a position to question what the experts have done. Every relevant agency came together, assessed the project and agreed it could proceed. It is therefore not my place to describe it as an illegal development,” he stated.
Alebiosu also reiterated the state’s position against illegal dredging, disclosing that his ministry had not issued any dredging permit since he assumed office.
He said findings from recent bathymetric surveys indicated that sand deposits in Lagos waterways were gradually being depleted.
According to him, while operators previously sourced sand from locations about three kilometres offshore, many now travel as far as 14 kilometres, highlighting the increasing scarcity of sand resources.
“I have not issued one dredging permit in my ministry. The bathymetric survey showed us that where operators used to pump sand from about three kilometres away, they are now going as far as 14 kilometres. That tells us we are gradually running out of sand, and everyone must join hands to tackle illegal dredging,” he said.
The commissioner acknowledged that illegal dredging remained a major challenge despite ongoing enforcement efforts.
“There is no country in the world that is completely free of crime. The objective is to reduce it. Sometimes we are proactive, sometimes reactive, but we will continue to fight these illegal activities,” he added.
He further warned residents of Ikorodu and other waterfront communities against supporting illegal dredging, cautioning that continued environmental violations could result in serious ecological consequences if left unchecked.
PUNCH Online had previously reported that Makoko, one of Lagos’ largest informal waterfront settlements located near the Third Mainland Bridge, has witnessed several demolition exercises over the years as part of government efforts to protect critical infrastructure, maintain waterways and address environmental concerns.
Recent clearance operations around the community also sparked public debate over development activities in the area and their impact on residents.
