Epe Club President Urges Compliance To Environmental Standards In Developmental Projects

By_ Babatunde Kaka

• The leadership of Epe club has harped on the need to observe compliance to environmental standards in the execution of the various developmental projects across the division.
• Engineer Shabi lauded the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat for prioritising the safety of lives and properties together with other developmental strides across the Division.

President of Epe Club, Engr. Rasheed Shabi has expressed optimism that the ongoing developmental projects geared towards the rapid urbanization of Epe Division will not go at variance with acceptable environmental standards needed to preserve the environment and keep man in a symbiotic relationship with non-human nature.

The newly elected President said this in the wake of a recent visit by Lagos State Governor, His Excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Cabinet Members who embarked on a two-day working visit to Ibeju-Lekki where notable industries such as Lekki Deep Seaport in the Lekki Freetrade Zone are springing up.

Rasheed, a top Government Official in Lagos State whose experience in policy making and strategic planning spans over three decades, told Eko Hot Blog in an interview that there is no need to panic with the ongoing urbanization in the Ibeju-Lekki axis of Epe Division, Lagos. This is coming on the heels of the myriad of challenges confronting similar industrialized and oil exploration areas in Nigeria.

As a well-informed technocrat, he added that urbanisation and industrialisation go side by side with pollution. He however noted that the Lagos State Government has capable human and material resources in place to protect the environment from the phenomenon that will have direct consequences on the people.

“The advantage of that is that it is going to reflect on our economy, it will create a lot of job opportunities for our sons and daughters,” he said.

“The commercial activities coming towards Epe Division that we are witnessing today is my pride. In the past, Epe Division used to be regarded as a rural area but it is now turning to an urbanized area with the ongoing industrialization of the Ibeju-Lekki corridor.
One thing I see that is going to be one of the challenges of the industries springing up is the issue of pollution”.

Engr. Shabi, who has vast experience in environmental matters during his stints at LASEPA and Cleaner Lagos Initiative, allayed fears that the oil exploration ongoing at Dangote Refinery in Ibeju Lekki would not in any way be like that of what other parts of the country have experienced.

“Let me start by saying that before the Dangote Refinery and Fertilizer facility were constructed, I insisted that they must conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), there is another strategy called Environmental Management Plan. These are the major mitigation measures we have established.”

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“We have a lot of policies in place but the problem we have in Nigeria is how to monitor the implementation of all those policies. We lack that in this country and I don’t think Lagos State will be part of that. This is because we have set up a standard in the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) that can not be compromised. I’m speaking in terms of what is obtainable today, we have good hands in the Ministry of Environment and LASEPA”, he stated.

With regard to security threats associated with oil-producing areas, he noted that the Division is blessed with security architecture capable of nipping such threats in the bud, especially with the upgrade of Akodo Police Station by the Governor recently.

“Definitely, when you see economy booming in an area, all hands will be on deck to make sure our people are safe in collaboration with security agencies. We have the Military Barracks in Epe, We also have the MOPOL Base at Ibeju-Lekki and recently, the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised to upgrade the Akodo Police Station. All these would definitely help bolster our security”, he averred.

Engineer Shabi lauded the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat for prioritising the safety of lives and properties together with other developmental strides across the Division.