Dear Mr. Governor,

We are constrained to write this petition to your good offices to prevail on you to use your good offices to save our community from imminent destruction by the indiscriminate sand filling and over building of what was once a flowing River (IKOTA), a source of drainage and conservation of our estate and its environs. We write to you to appeal to your keen sense of fairness, competence and humanity which you have displayed throughout your 1st term in office.

Between Lagos State officials, the Sapata Land Excision developers and VGC estate officials, a buffer zone of 25 meters which would have been ideal for the conservation of both estates was mysteriously reduced to 5 meters, a distance that does not allow for proper conservation  and drainage of both estates. In addition, the developers of the new estate, blocked the existing drainage, claiming it was on their land, backed by Lagos State Officials.

Their claim is that the 5 meter buffer zone between estates must run straight to the lagoon, to support their development plans. Unfortunately, this canal NEVER ran straight since VGC phase III was sand-filled over 30 years ago.

If the canal ran straight to the lagoon, the drainage level will allow the Lagoon water flood back into this buffer zone, hence it never ran straight. Therefore the drain stopped about 400meters short of the lagoon and was diverted into the IKOTA River. Unfortunately, the River has been sand filled with the permission of Lagos State officials. And the drainage, willfully blocked by the developers, causing destruction of our properties by incessant floods anytime it rains.

We appeal to your good office to restore the original 25 meter buffer zone between VGC and the new estate on the Filled IKOTA River as a permanent conservation belt/flood plain for the two estates. What is being done now is without sensitivity and care for a sustainable environment and future which we know is not desirable as a legacy of a responsible and people-centered government.