Abuja: The Lagos State Government has issued a seven-day ultimatum to illegal occupants and operators of makeshift structures encroaching on public institution setbacks, demanding that they vacate designated corridors or face enforcement actions. Mr Daisi Osho, the General Manager of the Lagos State Informal Space Management Authority (LASISMA), announced the directive during the inauguration of an enforcement campaign at the perimeter fence of the newly constructed Ojo General Hospital along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, LASISMA, formerly known as the Lagos State Planning and Environmental Monitoring Authority, is tasked with regulating informal business activities and ensuring orderliness in road setbacks, rail corridors, and open spaces. Osho highlighted that the directive targets informal traders, makeshift stall owners, and roadside operators occupying unauthorized areas around public institutions, such as hospitals and schools. The initiative aims to prevent traffic
congestion and ensure unhindered access for security operations, health emergencies, and critical patient care.
Osho emphasized that while the ongoing sensitization campaign allows for voluntary compliance, strict enforcement will follow immediately after the notice period expires. He stated that the initiative marks the beginning of a statewide enforcement drive against the growing misuse of public infrastructure setbacks. The campaign specifically addresses the encroachment of informal urban spaces adjacent to the newly constructed Ojo General Hospital’s perimeter fence.
He further explained that the initiative is part of LASISMA’s statutory mandate to safeguard public infrastructure corridors and restore access to spaces meant for optimal use of critical facilities. The government is intensifying efforts across the metropolis to reclaim public corridors, reduce bottlenecks around key social infrastructure, and restore urban order. Osho reiterated that infrastructure, such as the hospital, is built for th
e collective well-being of the people, and emergency routes cannot be compromised for informal commercial activities.
The general manager warned that illegal occupants of public setbacks would no longer be tolerated and stressed the importance of organizing the informal sector through designated markets. He noted that there are already designated areas in operational development plans for marketplaces and other uses, and illegal encroachment on public setbacks must stop. Osho concluded by stating that although Lagos remains open to all, residents and business operators must comply with established laws guiding the use of public spaces, as failure to address this issue could lead to escalation.