Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has raised an alarm about the threat of climate change to the state, urging everyone to take action to prevent impending natural disasters.
Dr Hamzat cited examples such as the UK and New York City, where people are already relocating to safer areas due to climate change. He warned that if action is not taken, Lagos could also face sinking and submersion.
Speaking at the opening of a Strategic Stakeholders Meeting organized by the Ministry of Justice in Ikeja, Dr. Hamzat highlighted that one of the biggest challenges in the country is the mismanagement of land and the loss of physical planning.
With a shoreline of 180 kilometers, Lagos is surrounded by water. “Today, both Lagos and New York City are sinking,” he stated.
He identified three existential threats to the state: extreme heat, climate change, and rising sea levels. He emphasized that in the next 20 to 25 years, the state’s priorities must shift. “I should be able to identify which areas must be preserved,” he added.
Dr Hamzat noted that in the UK, 14% of the land is controlled by the City of London, with the rest managed by the federal government. He mentioned that New York City has halted the approval of new high-rises due to concerns about the city’s sinking.
In his opening remarks, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro SAN, explained that the purpose of the stakeholder meeting was to reduce government litigations in courts, preventing further clogging of the justice delivery system with avoidable cases.
As of July 2024, before the courts’ annual vacation, there were over 6,047 pending cases involving the government across various categories, including land disputes (over 2,500 cases), physical planning (310), housing (240), road transportation (150), environment (75), chieftaincy (250), breach of contract (50), employment and pension (50), and constitutional and FMHR cases (150). The financial exposure for the government in these cases is estimated to be around N114.5 billion.
Mr Pedro emphasized the need for the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to devise strategies to reduce litigation, minimize inter-ministerial gaps, and limit government exposure to avoidable liabilities.
He also pointed out the necessity of redesigning the operating systems and processes of the MDAs to enhance performance in areas such as cost, quality, service, and speed.
