LAGOS CBD CLEARS ILLEGAL STRUCTURES AND MAKESHIFT SHOPS UNDER EKO BRIDGE.

Operatives of the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts on Tuesday embarked on the removal and clean-up of illegal structures and make shift shops erected under the Eko bridge by Ebute – Ero/ Ejalonibu and it's environs within Lagos Island Business District.

The exercise was in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu directives to ensure that bridges in Lagos especially within the Lagos Island are free from illegal structures and activities that could constitute environmental nuisance to the area as well as forestall a repeat of fire incident that engulfed the Apongbon bridge last year.

Deputy Director and Head of Administration of CBD operations in Lagos Island, Mrs Abidekun Balikis who lead the removal and clean up exercise noted that the Agency is determine to enforce the zero tolerance stance against street trading and illegal activities under bridges and roads within the state as directed by the Governor.

She noted that CBD is committed to the safeguard of public infrastructures and amenities within the Lagos Island Business District as well as full restoration of the beauty and master plan of the Lagos Island Business District in line with the “THEMES” agenda of the administration.

Mrs Abidekun said the present administration led by Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu's strategic efforts to transform the entire Lagos Island axis to a world class business and tourism hub will not be allowed to be derailed by the activities of illegal traders, street hawkers, mechanics and miscreants.

“These environmental abuses, especially under the bridges by traders and mechanics can no longer be tolerated. We are working with relevant agencies of government, trade unions and leadership of market associations to check these illegalities,” she said.

Mrs Abidekun advised street traders selling and displaying their wares along the roadsides, walkways, and under bridges as well as mechanics, religious bodies and food sellers operating under the bridges and around public buildings in the entire Lagos Island Business District against disobeying government directives to quit their illegal activities or face prosecution.

While warning street urchins and miscreants parading as “omo onile” who are in the habit of allocating spaces to traders under the bridges to desist, the Director maintains that no amount of resistance and intimidation could make the government to rescind its resolve to clean up under bridges within the entire Lagos Island Business District in line with the vision of achieving a mega city status as envisaged in the “THEMES” Agenda of the present administration.

Mrs Abidekun berated the recalcitrant nature of the traders and squatters who had started erecting makeshift shops and illegal structures under the bridge barely few days the bridge was reopened by the Governor to traffic.

She disclosed that the demolition exercise and removal of illegal structures and shops erected on roads, walkways and under the bridges within the Lagos Island Business District which has impacted negatively on the environment and on the free flow of traffic will be a continuous exercise that will be sustained and monitored regularly.

It will be recalled that illegal activities of traders under the Eko bridge resulted in fire incident which gutted a section of the bridge in Apongbon area resulting in the closure of the bridge to traffic which was reopened recently by the Governor.