By Onyeka Ezike
The Lagos State Ministry of Environment has sealed multi-million naira waterfront recreation facilities along the Lekki Phase 1 waterfront, citing noise pollution. The affected businesses play a vibrant tourism role within the Lekki corridor while also contributing to the booming tourism ecosystem of Lagos State.
It was a raid described by patrons and visitors as militaristic and bitterness as officials of Lagos State Ministry of Environment backed by unidentified security agents descended on all the waterfront recreational facilities, including boat jetties, on Wednesday evening, barking and shoving dinners and owners of facilities away as the shutdown lasted for over ten hours.
It would be recalled that in the same way, the popular Landmark Beach, a multi-billion-naira investment recreational facility in the state, which attracts millions of tourists both locally and internationally annually, generating revenue for the government, was demolished for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, an elephant project that has swallowed tourism in Lagos, leaving thousands without jobs. Not only were they lost, but the beach ecosystem was eradicated, allowing for beach monopoly in the state.
The Gestapo-style raid not only crippled business on Lekki Phase One shoreline, but it also presented the state government in a bad light as unfriendly to the cultural tourism business and hospitality
According to Jide Alibe, who reached out to Creative Nigeria, the authorities of the Ministry of Allege that they received a petition from a resident who leaves across the waterways on the Ikoyi shoreline who claimed that the facilities were polluting the environment. He described the Gestapo-style enforcement by the Lagos state government as an unfortunate incident.
He said, “How do you just come to a business and shut down the premises without a notice or warning, or correspondence. How do you shut down businesses on the shoreline? This is not right.
“At no point did the ministry write to warn us or investigate the allegations. There were no violation notifications, and they just drove in like a bittered enemy, shouting and disrupting all the already seated guests and visitors. It was unfortunate because these visitors may never come back, and both Nigeria and Lagos will be seen in a bad light; Mr. Alibe told the crew of Creative Nigeria before being put on air.”
Speaking on the existing law on noise pollution in Lagos State, he said that the facilities operators always try to keep within the recommended noise limit and observe the law. “If the government had observed violations, there should have been a correspondence or a communication between the government and the facility operators, even a warning should have been served,” he added.
Mr Alibe further expressed worrisome concerns over the affected businesses. He said, “The government should have officially reached out to the facility operators before sealing their businesses, not appearing like a warrior in a desperate mission to win an award. We have lost money, and many people have lost their means of livelihood, just because of a careless act. We also contribute to the revenue of the state.
He stated that the facility operators will come together in a round table discussion with the government to negotiate and see what we can do about it. “We are in support of what the government is trying to do, but that does not mean that the government itself should just take the law into their hands by trying to bring down businesses, which also Lagos state is supposed to get revenue from those taxes. But if these businesses do not exist, how do we pay our taxes, how do we employ individuals and create jobs, because it is a ripple effect from the business owners and employees.
Some of the affected businesses are: 1 Farm City Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1 2 Kingfisher 1, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1 3 D Code Exclusive Lounge 10, Wole Olateju Crescent, Lekki Phase 1 4 Light House Bar and Grill 12E, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1 5 Terraform Restaurant and Bar 14, Wole Olateju Way, Lekki Phase 1 6 Beer Barn 32A, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1 7 Bay Lounge Admiralty Road, Lekki Phase 1 8 Bolivar Wole Olateju Way, Lekki Phase 1 9 Savor Lounge Admiralty Road, Lekki Phase 1 10 Sailors Lounge Admiralty Road, Lekki Phase 1 11 Red Bar 4B, Wole Olateju Way, Lekki Phase 1 12 Circa Lagos Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1 13 The Mood Lagos Lennox Mall, Admiralty Way, LekkiPhase 1 14 HQ Rooftop Lounge
Weighing in on the matter, Frank Meke , an influencial cultural tourism journalist and analyst on Cre8tive 9JA Radio, Mainland98.3FM, emphasized the importance of balancing compliance enforcement with tourism development. He said, “In tourism, sensitivity is key, especially regarding compliance. A more effective approach would have been to issue formal violation notices before sealing these facilities. The Ministry of Environment should be seen as an enabler of tourism, particularly within the Lekki axis, by fulfilling its responsibility in a way that supports operators while ensuring compliance.”
