Lagos warns about looming food security crisis, cautions against indiscriminate dredging

By Adeola Ogunrinde

The Lagos State Government on Thursday raised concerns over the dangers of indiscriminate dredging, warning that growing sand scarcity could worsen environmental, economic and food security challenges across the state.

Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Bush Alebiosu, spoke during the annual ministerial press briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, where he presented the ministry’s two-year scorecard.

Alebiosu said increasing demand for sand for land reclamation and construction projects was putting severe pressure on Lagos waterways and coastal resources.

He disclosed that developers in the Lekki-Ajah axis now source sand from communities in Ikorodu, pumping it across distances of up to 12 kilometres because deposits in nearby areas are gradually being depleted.

“If you are reclaiming land in Ajah and you now have to pump sand from Ikorodu, it means the sand resources within Ajah are gradually running out,” the commissioner said.

He said the government was becoming more cautious in issuing dredging permits, stressing the need for accurate data on the number of operators, daily sand extraction levels and available deposits across the state.

Alebiosu also linked indiscriminate dredging to rising food security concerns, noting that disruption of aquatic habitats was affecting fishing activities and contributing to the rising cost of fish in local markets.

The commissioner added that some host communities, including Ibese in Ikorodu, were already suffering infrastructural damage caused by heavy-duty dredging operations. He said the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development would continue to work with relevant agencies and local communities to curb illegal dredging through monitoring and enforcement measures.
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