by Dayo Ayeyemi, June 26th, 2013
The Lagos State Government said yesterday that it would require N440 billion to protect the state’s shoreline, covering 87 kilometres, from problems of coastal erosion and degradation. Besides, the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mr. Adesegun Abiodun Oniru, an engineer, said the state government has spent over N38 billion for the restoration of its shoreline damaged by coastal erosion occasioned by frequent ocean surge.
Speaking at the 2013 Annual Distinguished Lecture of the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers in Lagos, Oniru said the restoration works, which start from the back of Eko Atlantic City project to Alpha Beach, covered 7 kilometres stretch of the shoreline.
The theme of the lecture is entitled, “Nigeria’s Coastal Erosion: A case study of the Lagos State Coastline.”
Despite the fact that the shoreline being ravaged by coastal erosion is the boundary of Nigeria, the commissioner disclosed that the Federal Government has been passive as regard finding the last solution to the problem.
According to him, the Federal Government has not contributed anything to help the state government to solve the problem. “President Jonathan was at scene of coastal erosion of Alpha Beach two years ago and promised to help the state government to solve the problem, up till now, we are still expecting the promise,” he said.
One unique solution embarked upon by the state government to combat coastal erosion of Lagos shoreline , the commissioner said was the Eko Altalntic Project. According to him, without the Eko Atlantic City project, the whole Victoria Island and Ikoyi would have been swept away by the ocean surge.
The commissioner explained how wild storm from the Atlantic ocean, as a result of rise in sea level, ravaged the Bar Beach in 2006 and how the state government came to rescue.
He said, “We all saw what happened at Kuramo Beach last year; strong wave from the ocean swept away people and their makeshifts. We don’t want a repeat of this and that is why the state government is passionate about finding permanent solution to ocean surge of the entire area.”
Oniru suggested many ways to combat problems of erosion of the shoreline which include the use of sand saver, sand reclamation, sea wall , X-bloc, sand bags, floodgate and groynes protection.