Peoples Democratic Party, Lagos State chapter, has blamed the state government’s sand filling for the ocean surge in the state.
An ocean surge on Saturday sacked communities around Kuramo Beach in Lagos, sweeping 16 people into the Atlantic Ocean.
The PDP, in a statement by its Chairman, Chief Tunji Shelle, called on the Federal Government to stop allowing sand-filling of ocean and lagoons in the state.
It faulted the “unprofessional” manner the ocean and lagoons were encroached upon without due ecological and environmental impact assessment, according to reports by the News Agency of Nigeria.
The party said, “The stoppage of sand filling is in the overall interest of the country and to particularly forestall further loss of lives and property arising from mismanaging the environment.”
It added that direct government’s negligence caused the calamities.
The PDP alleged that the state government had been sand-filling the land for the Eko Atlantic City project, adding that business interests had undermined the safety of the people.
It said, “We are very pained by the wanton loss of lives and property prevalent only along the coastal lines of Lagos beaches.
“We sincerely sympathise with the affected families.”
The party called for a stop to the Eko Atlantic project and immediate compensation to the bereaved families.
Meanwhile, Epe Local Council Development Area has said work on the Epe-Marina Shoreline Reclamation Project will begin in September.
Special Adviser on Markets Development and Revenue Generation to the council chairman, Mr. Abiodun Ajero, said this on Tuesday, according to reports by the News Agency of Nigeria.
Ajero explained that the project would be carried out in collaboration with the state government.
He said, “The affected residents and businesses along the shoreline have started relocating to pave the way for the movement of equipment and personnel to the project site.
“The exercise will stretch from Erepoto to Oluwo Market on the Marina at Epe.”
He said the LCDA had provided an area popularly called ‘Chief’ for displaced sand dredgers and other traders to continue their business.
He said the council was still searching for an alternative location to resettle other affected residents and places of worship.
Ajero said the state government and the council were carrying out the project to enable them to effectively harness the economic and tourism potential of Epe.
He said the focus was on the development of tourism and economic infrastructure in Epe to boost business and leverage sustainable development.
However, Ajero, was silent on the cost of the contract and its duration.
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