30th December, 2021

His Rt Hon. Mudashiru Obasa,
Rt Honourable Speaker,
Lagos State House of Assembly,
Alausa,
Lagos State

Rt Honourable Speaker sir,

RE: THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY IN LEKKI DUE TO THE ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS ON LAND DEMARCATED FOR THE COASTAL ROAD AND SUPPOSEDLY LEASED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

We are compelled to run to you and the State House of Assembly at this auspicious time of the year as we have noticed heavy construction on the Coastal Road around Goshen Estate, Lekki. Our initial investigation revealed that some government officials are the one that has allocated the Coastal Road to developers for various untenable reasons.

It has come to the attention of LERSA (LEKKI ESTATE RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS ASSOCIATION) and its member Estates, that an existential threat to life and property in Lekki has arisen following the activities of these unknown people. One of the builders known as CLAM Church has already constructed permanent structures on the coastal road and others are waiting to follow.

LERSA is therefore compelled to bring to the attention of the Lagos State House of Assembly this urgent petition and appeal to the Honorable Members to use their good offices to ensure an urgent resolution that puts an end to a threat that is capable of dislocating the peace and tranquility that currently exist in our state.


THE ISSUES

1. Recall that during the electioneering campaign, pre 2015 election when LERSA hosted the Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, he promised the construction of the Coastal Road. We are therefore shocked to be told that the same government officials are the one allocating same road to private developers. The long-expected and much-needed Lekki Coastal Road planned by Lagos State Government to alleviate the severe traffic congestion in this axis is currently under threat following infringement by illegal developments beside Goshen Beach Estate and Regal Seaview Estates.

This is a clear and deliberate infringement on the state master plan in general and the coastal road in particular. We have established that three-quarters of the land has been leased out, with the remaining one quarter left in the hands of various illegal structures where miscreants and criminals operate freely, thereby creating a public nuisance and a security risk.

2. It would interest our Honourable members and the general public to note that Goshen Beach Estate Residents Association (GBERA) had in fact built the road leading from the end of Edward Cotonou road to the Goshen Beach Estate front gate at a cost of over 15 million Naira in January 2019. This construction by Converse Engineering, which was carried out as a CSR project to benefit both the local resident and the wider Lekki community, provided the only alternative route between Marwa and Ikate, and was extremely critical in easing the traffic congestion along the Expressway.

This critical alternative route, which received approval from Lagos State Government, has now been blocked by the development, and the height barrier installed to deter ton trucks,
unilaterally removed to allow access to trucks for the ongoing illegal projects.

A CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

1.January 2019 - road constructed by GBERA as a CSR project.

2. June 2021 - Residents observed that the area was being cleared, and assumed it was for the purposes of the coastal road project. Once bulldozers came in, it became evident the area was being developed.

3. October 2021 - Stakeholders discovered after investigation that a Church was behind the development, and LERSA contacted the Lagos State Governor with the letter for the attention of NTDA. The Letter was also copied to the Ministry of Physical planning and Urban development, Ministry of Works & Infrastructure and the Surveyor General’s office.

4. 25 October 2021 - A meeting was held between NTDA, LERSA, GBERA and Regal Seaview stakeholders in which the GM of NTDA confirmed that a temporary lease had been given to the Church and an Event Centre. He further stated that this was done in order to clear the hoodlums and shanties who had returned despite efforts to clear the area on various occasions. The GM of NTDA also agreed to move the Church, following strong representations from Stakeholders, and delivered a Stop Order to the developers. However, this has not been adhered to, and the construction work has intensified.

OUR PETITION

That an immediate halt be placed on any development along the planned coastal road around Goshen Beach Estate and Regal Seaview Estate in particular and the entire coastal road. This is in light of the negative impact such developments are already having and will continue to have on local residents and the wider Lekki population.

We believe that this will create huge problem to successive government on the issues of the payment of compensation when the road is to be developed, hence the request to abort forthwith.

The Lagos State House of Assembly is the representative of the people. We are therefore calling on the Rt. Hon. Speakers and all well meaning Honourable members of the House to immediately look into this problem before it degenerates.

Thank you.

Signed:


Olorogun James Emadoye
President, (LERSA)
Lekki Estates Residents & Stakeholders Association