Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered the demolition of Jankara and Bombata Markets in Lagos Island to curtail flooding and other environmental degradation caused by the markets.
The governor disclosed this to journalists yesterday after the drainage and regeneration tour of Lagos Island area of the state said a lot of illegal structures built in the markets have blocked the drainage channels.
He said, โโWe will take and clean up the entire market and we will start fully with Bombata Market and Jankara Markets. It is going to be ground-zero.
โโFor the Pele Wura Market, which is allegedly currently harbouring a large number of illegal squatters, we are going to give them adequate notice and we are going to work with our concessionaires, local government and all the stakeholders will be brought on board.
โWe will all agree as to when that demolition and evacuation will start. But I have given them the first notice already and I will give them the opportunity as stakeholders, for us to know when that final demolition will take place.โ
He said the Idumagbo Avenue, which had been the corridor, was once well built, lamenting that over the years, โIt has failed not the road itself but also the drainage because of the behaviour of the market around Idumagbo Avenue.
โAs you can see, you will notice that in some places, the drainage was there and in some places, people have built all over the drainages. Of course, there are places where you can still see the interlocking of the roads and some places where the roads have also failed.โ
At Ilubirin Pumping Station, Governor Sanwo-Olu said, โIt is about 80 to 85 per cent completed because all the procurements have been done. All the equipment has been purchased, it is a civil work that needs to be done now.โ
The governor said that about 32 piles are coming in, adding that contractors have assured that in two to two-and-half-months, the drainage work will be completed.
He said two major channels, including the one from Thomas and the one from Idumagbo, which they will finish work on, will both flow into the drainage and be pumped straight into the lagoon.
