The Housing Development Advocacy Network, HDAN, has raised serious concerns over the continued demolition of residential buildings in Makoko, Lagos State, warning that the exercise has displaced numerous families and plunged residents into uncertainty.
Reacting to the situation, the Executive Director of HDAN, Mr Festus Adebayo, acknowledged the Lagos State Government’s explanation that some of the affected structures were located beneath high-tension power lines and therefore constituted safety hazards. .
He, however, stressed that addressing safety issues must not come at the expense of the rights, welfare and dignity of vulnerable citizens.
According to Adebayo, enforcing planning regulations without putting humane safeguards in place risks worsening poverty and social dislocation.
“While the government has a duty to safeguard lives and uphold planning standards, carrying out demolitions without comprehensive resettlement arrangements exposes affected residents to homelessness, economic hardship and social instability,” he said.
Makoko, he noted, is home to thousands of low-income earners who rely on the community for survival through fishing, informal trade and small-scale businesses.
He argued that genuine urban development should balance safety considerations with social justice, inclusive planning and practical resettlement solutions.
HDAN urged the Lagos State Government to immediately halt further demolitions and open structured engagement with the affected communities.
The organisation also called for the provision of clear, affordable and accessible alternative housing for displaced residents, as well as compensation and resettlement frameworks that meet both national and international housing and human rights standards.
Adebayo further advocated participatory urban planning processes that actively involve community members in decision-making, insisting that development policies should not exclude those most affected by them.
“No resident of Lagos should lose their home in the name of development. A truly progressive city is one that protects its infrastructure while also safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of its people,” he said.
HDAN reaffirmed its willingness to collaborate with government agencies, civil society groups and community leaders to advance safe, inclusive and sustainable housing solutions in Lagos State and across Nigeria.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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