The Lagos State House of Assembly has ordered the immediate suspension of demolition activities at the Makoko waterfront, following growing public outcry and protests by displaced residents.
The directive was disclosed on Tuesday by the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on Makoko Demolition, Noheem Adams, who announced the resolution after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium within the Assembly complex in Alausa, Ikeja.
Hundreds of Makoko residents had last week staged a protest at the Assembly over the ongoing demolition of waterfront structures, a situation that reportedly created tension and led to the arrest of some activists who are currently facing trial.
The state government had earlier justified the demolition exercise on safety grounds, citing the construction of buildings beneath high-tension power cables as a major risk to lives and property.
Reading the committee’s resolution, Adams, who is also the Leader of the House, said the Assembly had unanimously agreed to halt all demolition activities in the affected areas.
“On behalf of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and all 40 members of the House, we are directing that all ministries should stop work with all demolitions,” Adams said.
“I repeat, all demolitions at Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities should stop from today.”
He further directed that residents must be fully involved in any future intervention, including the composition and operations of the task force overseeing the exercise.
“We want to see the list of the task force because residents must be carried along. There must be clear criteria for engagement,” he added.
Adams also assured affected residents of compensation for already demolished properties.
“As your representatives, we are giving you assurances that demolitions will stop henceforth and that compensation will be provided to those whose properties have been affected,” he said.
Also speaking at the meeting, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Special Adviser on E-GIS and Urban Renewal, Dr Babatunde Olajide, reiterated the state government’s commitment to compensating displaced residents.
Olajide disclosed that the governor had since 2021 set aside $2 million for the redevelopment of the Makoko waterfront to meet international standards.
He added that the government was working on a large-scale water city redevelopment project for the area.
“We have to do it with a human face. We have been working on this since 2021,” Olajide said.
The Assembly’s intervention is expected to ease tensions in the waterfront communities as discussions continue on sustainable and inclusive urban renewal for Makoko and its environs.