The Lagos government says it has taken stronger measures, including stricter monitoring, community engagement and science-driven interventions to combat illegal dredging and coastal degradation across its 187km coastline.

The commissioner for waterfront infrastructure development, Ekundayo Bush-Alebiosu, gave the assurance on Thursday.

Mr Bush-Alebiosu said the ministry was working closely with relevant agencies and other stakeholders to safeguard the state’s coastline and ensure sustainable development.

According to him, illegal dredging remains a major threat to coastal communities, fisheries and critical waterfront infrastructure.

He said that illegal dredging would hardly take place without the knowledge of some community members.

“We will continue to enlighten residents, carry out advocacy campaigns and engage stakeholders on the dangers of these activities,” he said.

The commissioner noted that while some Lagos residents aided perpetrators, others provided useful information that helped the government identify and curb illegal operations along the coastlines.

He said the government was adopting evidence-based approaches to address coastal erosion.

“You must first understand the problem before prescribing a solution. We must understand the specific causes of erosion before implementing long-term interventions,” the commissioner said.

He said that the Lagos government had engaged a Dutch consultancy firm, CDR International, to conduct studies to guide its future shoreline protection projects.

“We are currently concluding a pre-feasibility study that will point us in the right direction,” he said.

Mr Bush-Alebiosu said that coastal erosion was not peculiar to Lagos, noting that several countries on the West African coast were facing a similar challenge. He expressed concern over the impact of indiscriminate dredging on the aquatic ecosystem and fish populations.

“The more the seabed is disturbed, the further the fish migrate. The farther fishermen have to travel to catch fish, the more expensive the fish becomes for consumers,” he said.

The commissioner said the ministry had strengthened surveillance operations against illegal dredging activities. He said the government was also addressing growing concerns over the activities of scavengers and illegal settlers on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

Mr Bush-Alebiosu said the ministry, in collaboration with physical planning authorities, task forces and security agencies, had intensified enforcement and monitoring on the highway.

“The solution is consistency and sustained enforcement,” he said.

The commissioner added that the ministry was promoting innovative waterfront infrastructure, including the deployment of floating concrete jetties and partnerships on new waterfront estate developments.

He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to preserving waterfront communities, protecting investments, and unlocking the economic potential of Lagos’s coastal assets through sustainable management and strategic partnerships.

(NAN)