By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Lagos State Government has handed over the open spaces around Obalende Underbridge to corporate organisation for immediate management temporarily, to foster environmental cleanliness, aesthetics and orderliness pending eventual commencement of redevelopment project of the area.

Commissioner For Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this to journalists after an inspection tour of Obalende and environs on Wednesday.

The commissioner was accompanied by Special Adviser on Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji Tajudeen, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite, General Manager, Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency, Mrs. Adetoun Popoola, Managing Director, Lagos Waste Management Authority, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin and Chairman, Lagos Island Local Government, Taiwo Oyekan, among others.

Recall that Obalende Underbridge Motor Park redevelopment involves ongoing efforts to regenerate the area, focusing on; removing illegal structures, improving infrastructure like roads (e.g., Polo Club Road), and addressing traffic/environmental issues, though progress has faced delays and challenges like squatters and lack of formal construction commencement, with the government aiming for modernization but residents still awaiting final plans and execution after earlier promises.

Meanwhile, Wahab, while addressing the media, stated, “We were at Obalende sometime in 2024 towards the end of the year to assess and clean out and clear out Obalende and we were there again with the Lagos State Governor afterwards, and the Deputy Governor.

“Now we have to go there again to push them (squatters) out as we formally hand over the space to one of the biggest corporates in the country who are taking up the space as a CSR.

“We had the approval from the state government already. The delay was because we had to do a lot of back and forth with the corporates with respect to a environmentally sustainable design that is suitable for them as a CSR and then for us as a government and they will be the ones that will maintain the place afterwards.

“Obalende Underbridge, normally, it’s supposed to be a garage. The garage will still be part of the design that is coming up.

“Then there will be toilets, public toilets in a sustainable manner. There will be sleeping bays in part of the design. There will be recharge for EV vehicles and stuff..

“We just want to redesign and make it habitable and functional for a 21st century economy and a state like Lagos.

“For the redevelopment project p once we hand over to them, (corporates ) we can now start following up. And then we are going to share with the media the design that is coming up there for the commencement of the redevelopment proper.

“Today, we just formally handed it over to the the corporate organisation to do the right thing and plan the games.Open spaces like that, we should put them to proper use.

“We want to put them in a closer, more sustainable kind of place.The one space at Osborne is being used for football now.

“The Ojaoba, at Adeniji Loop, we just took a drone shot of the place to register it because there are a lot of activities going on there that are illegitimate.”

Wahab, added that Lagos Island Local Government has been handed over the Underbridge in Oja Oba for redesign and maintenance.