Posted by By Tunde Alao on
THE Lagos State government has concluded plans to start tourism centres in all its waterfront areas.
THE Lagos State government has concluded plans to start tourism centres in all its waterfront areas.
The first phase of the centres, according to the government, will be located at Marina, Ilubinrin, Ozumba Mbadiwe and Lekki areas of the state.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos at the weekend, the General Manager of Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning Authority (LSURPA), Mr. Lai Raheem, who supervised the demolition exercise in Ilubinrin, along Osborne Road, said the exercise was a prelude to the take-off of the project.
According to Raheem, the decision to embark on tourism project was informed by the fact that the state is blessed with enormous waterfront which, if properly utilised, will not only beautify the state, but also earn revenue for the government.
Besides, it is the belief of government officials that converting the waterfront into a tourism centre will reduce the incidents of environmental degradation in the state, as exemplified by the erection of illegal structures for settlement.
Raheem, while justifying the exercise, said notices of the impending evacuation of illegal structures had been given to the settlers on several occasions.
"To give the exercise a human face, several warnings were given, but unfortunately, people still remained adamant," he said.
The LSURPA boss said the government has created fishing settlements in the five old divisions of the state.
His words: "For close to six years, the Lagos State government has created fishing locations at the five old divisions of the state, namely, Epe, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Mainland and the Island," adding that for personal reasons, people have refused to make use of the provision.
On whether government has an alternative provision for the displaced settlers, Raheem said it is difficult for government to make such provision because of non-availability of statistics, paucity of funds and the sedentary nature of the settlers.
"Apart from the fact that many of the displaced settlers are not permanent residents, as they go and come to trade, they do not pay tax, neither do they have permanent residence status," he said.
He also spoke on the population of the state, which he put at close to 15 million, with a projected 10 million within a few years.
But in their reaction to the development, the displaced Ilubinrin residents said they paid money to the agents of the Federal Ministry of Works, who assured them of permanent settlement.
In an unsigned document titled: "The Special Implementation Assistant To The Honourable Minister Of Works," dated November 10, 2004, it was alleged that the settlers should regularise their 'tenancy' or risk displacement.
To this, the displaced persons said a sum of N500 was collected from individuals, while N25,000 was collected from places of worship.
The slum was destroyed on Friday and Saturday last week, with the displaced persons loitering around under the bridges across its axis.