URE of erosion worries ironmentalists
thousands of sand bags were placed at the beach area with the support of other concerned environmentalists and activists ,who also gave helping hands by pulling the sandbags to the beach areas.
Mr. Desmond Majekodunmi said the problem should be treated like an emergency situation by both the state and Federal Government, describing the erosion in the community as horrendous.
He urged the Federal Government to deploy the ecological fund into saving Lekki coast from the threat of extinction.
He said, “A huge sea surge is tearing away the only protection that they have from the sea which is the beach. If the beach goes there is no protection. When there is no protection, the sea will take out your community totally.
“The only permanent solution is shoreline protection. Government has to live up to its responsibility, and do what they need to do which is to protect the shoreline. They need to have a whole series of groins, dozens and dozens of groins all the way down the coast. This is the only way. The erosion won’t stop until the coast is protected.”
He recalled that the Federal Government was called upon seven years ago without any response, adding that Government can turn the coastal areas to huge revenue earners, through the construction of many base areas which tourists can visit from all over the world.
“It has wonderful economic benefits. We can have wonderful beach fronts all the way down, but we need to protect the beach. Once we protect the beach, that is when we get the benefits”, he said.
Majekodunmi added, “The efforts of the Lagos state government to protect the shoreline from VI all the way to Alpha beach by erecting granite sea groins is highly commendable indeed, especially when one considers that this has been financed solely by the LSG despite entreaties made to the federal authorities over seven years ago.
“However, the erosion will always continue eastward of the groins, due to the west to east ocean current flow. It is imperative that these groins are erected all the way down the coast or we shall be courting a disaster of unprecedented proportions on this fragile coastline, where the shoreline beach buffer between the ocean and the low lying inland area of Lekki is now only 30 metres in some places. Global warming and climate change that are causing sea level rise and more violent storms, are making the situation even more of an emergency that must be addressed urgently.”
Also speaking Director, Technical Programmes of Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), Dr. Onoja Daniel who was also part of the team ,stressed that the situation of Lekki Coastal areas deserves the concerted efforts of both the Federal and State Governments to save the Lekki coast.
Several studies carried out by various bodies and environmentalists in the past have warned of the danger posed by erosion around Victoria Island and Lekki beaches. Though the state government responded with the erection of the sea groins up to Alpha Beach, it is imperative for the Federal Government to join hands with the state government to nip the potential disasters in the bud. This, environmentalists say, would not only protect the shoreline and ease the worry of the local community but be a source of revenue to the government.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare Samuel disclosed that the state government is already on the verge of extending the sea groins erection, saying the project is being handled by the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure.