NIGERIA: Nwankwo Kanu’s Hotel Will Not Be Reopened Until Lagos Govt Approves

Lagos state government has said that it would not re-open Hardley Apartments, owned by ex-Super Eagles Player, Kanu Nwankwo which was shut, Monday for contravening the state’s environmental laws.

General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, Engr. Ademola Shabi, made the revelation during an enforcement exercise to Amuwo Odofin, said the hotel will not be opened until the management complies with agency’s standards as well as sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the state government.

He said Kanu’s hotel, Hardley Apartments, located on Victoria Island, ran foul of the state laws on pollution.

“We discovered that the emission from their generator was causing serious air pollution in the area. The outfit would have to pay fines to the state government.

Shabi also noted that 30 religious outfits,10 industries, night clubs and other business outfits were sealed by the agency to return sanity to the state environment.

He added that, “Before these facilities could be reopened, the owners of the facilities will have to send an action plan to the state government through the agency and Memorandum of Understanding, MoU must be signed between the government and the organization.

“It will serve as a guide immediately after the expiration of the action plan submitted by the organization. So when we re-visit the organization, we will use that as a guide to know if they had complied or not.” he added.

He added “If we do this for another six months, the level of compliance in the state will increase.”

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency has sealed a hotel belonging to former Super Eagles captain, Kanu ‘Papilo’ Nwankwo.

The hotel, Hardley Apartments located on Victoria Island was among other hotels and worship centres sealed across the state on Monday over alleged air and noise pollution.

Punch reports that no fewer than 30 facilities were shut in areas, such as: Ketu, Ikorodu, Ibeju-Lekki, Victoria Island and Surulere.

LASEPA anchored its reason on the refusal of the affected facilities to fully comply with its instructions.

It was gathered that at a mosque in Ketu ─ Olorunkemi Mosque ─ the leaders claimed to have taken down their speakers as instructed by the agency almost immediately.

However, the mosque was sealed for allegedly not complying fully with LASEPA’s instruction.

Other places also sealed include the Rain of Power and Miracles Ministry Church, Lekki; Christ Apostolic Church, Lekki; Duckland Hotels and Suites, Ikorodu; and Mela Rossa Club, Victoria Island.

At the Hardley Apartments, it was gathered that the generators powering the hotel had large exhaust pipes facing the road.

The Director of Enforcement, Kayode Bello, ordered that one of the generators be tested, and it was discovered that it gave off thick gaseous emissions.

Bello said, “Even the sound is going to be more than 45 decibels at night. We want you to comply ─ that is the reason we are here. We have been on this for more than a year.”

The doors and gates of the hotel were subsequently chained, and plastered with the LASEPA sticker.

Shortly after the exercise while briefing newsmen in Ikeja, LASEPA General Manager, Rasheed Shabi said, “The environment belongs to every one of us. Lagosians need to live in peace. A survey was carried out by an international organisation and it was discovered that 60 per cent of Nigerians have hearing problem.

“LASEPA, in the last two to three years, has been conducting surveys on religious houses, and our findings revealed that 95 per cent of them do not have approval to operate in Lagos.

“Most houses and club houses do not have fiscal planning approval. Before you can build any hotel anywhere in the world, there must be an environmental impact assessment.

“Most of the markets we have in Lagos State, we have people using trucks to sell their products with speakers to disturb the peace of Lagosians. Soon, we will tow as many trucks as possible to get them off the streets.”

“After today, the enforcement unit will go round. Anybody that breaks the seal has violated the Lagos State law. We will then involve the Ministry of Justice,” Shabi added.