The Executive Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Hon. Abdullahi Sesan Olowa, has announced the temporary suspension of all dredging activities across the Local Government Area following preliminary findings linking indiscriminate dredging to the widespread flooding currently affecting several communities.
The decision was announced after the Chairman received a delegation from the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and led a joint technical inspection of major dredging sites across the Local Government.
The inspection, which lasted over three hours, took the team to Bogije, Lagasa and Awoyaya, where they assessed the environmental and infrastructural impact of ongoing dredging operations.
Speaking during a press briefing at the end of the exercise, Hon. Olowa explained that the Local Government had, in recent days, embarked on extensive tours of flood-affected communities to identify the major causes of the flooding experienced during the current rainy season.
According to the Chairman, preliminary assessments have established that unregulated dredging activities have contributed significantly to environmental degradation, the weakening of critical infrastructure and the increasing vulnerability of communities to flooding.
“The past few days, the Local Government, led by myself, has visited several communities affected by flooding. One of the major contributors to the challenges we are experiencing is the scale of dredging activities taking place across our Local Government.
“Today’s joint inspection with the technical team from the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has further confirmed the devastating impact of these activities. We have seen serious environmental degradation, while roads and other public infrastructure are collapsing as a result of increased dredging operations.”
The Chairman noted that the findings have made it imperative for both the Local Government and the State Ministry to undertake a comprehensive review of dredging operations across Ibeju-Lekki to ensure that economic activities do not come at the expense of public safety and environmental sustainability.
He stressed that the Local Government is not opposed to legitimate business activities but insists that operators must conduct their businesses responsibly and fulfil their obligations to host communities.
“We are not against business. We see the dredgers as partners in development. However, under their mining agreements, they have responsibilities to contribute to the development of their host communities. Unfortunately, everywhere we visited today, we observed complete neglect of those responsibilities, and we are not impressed with what we have seen.”
Consequently, Hon. Olowa announced the immediate temporary shutdown of all dredging operations within Ibeju-Lekki pending the conclusion of the ongoing review.
“Therefore, the Local Government has directed the temporary closure of all dredging sites in Ibeju-Lekki. We call on all citizens and residents to take note of this decision. All dredging operators must immediately suspend their activities because this administration will enforce this directive without compromise until a position that safeguards both the environment and economic interests is reached.
“Let me make it clear that we are not sending anyone out of business. Our objective is to ensure that dredging activities are carried out responsibly, in line with environmental standards and in a manner that protects our people, our communities and our infrastructure.”
Hon. Olowa emphasised the administration’s commitment to working closely with the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, host communities and dredging operators to establish a sustainable framework that balances economic development with environmental protection and the long-term wellbeing of residents.
The Chairman also appealed to residents to remain law-abiding and continue supporting the Local Government’s efforts to safeguard lives, property and public infrastructure as the rainy season continues.
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*Signed*
*Akadiri Ayorinde*
*Chief Press Secretary to the*
*Executive Chairman*
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