Collapsed Gutters Caused Flooding, Bad Roads —Lagos Mainland Residents

Residents of Coates, Ibadan, Abeokuta streets and the Oyingbo axis of Borno Way in Mainland Local Government Area, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, have attributed the bad roads and flooding, whenever it rains, to the blocked and collapsed drainaige channels in the area.

Sequel to Lagos Bulletin’s last Friday story in which motorists decried the bad state of the Oyingbo-Ibadan-Borno road, residents of the mentioned streets have reacted, saying the blocked gutters in the area were responsible for the bad state of the road.

Chief Folajimi Timothy, the Lisa of Ago-Egba, told Lagos Bulletin that, “the only solution to the flooding and bad roads in this area is for government to start massive clearing of drainage channels. No amount of rehabilitation would ever stop the road from going bad except if the drains are cleared and the collapsed ones are reconstructed.”

Chief Folajimi said he had written the council area several times on the need to clear the drains but nothing was done, except recently when some men from the Ministry of the Environment allegedly did a shoddy job and left. He added that since then, the residents had been living at the mercy of floods any time it rains.

Mr. Chukwudi Ejiofor, a motorcycle spare parts dealer, also lamented the difficulty of gaining access to his store whenever it rains, which he also attributed to the blocked drains and alleged inept local government council.

Ejiofor called on the Ministry of the Environment to deploy its drain ducks to de-silt the blocked drains.

He also called on the Ministry of Works and Public Works Department to see to the reconstruction of collapsed drains in the area.

Lagos Bulletin checks revealed that he main collector drain on Coates/Borno Way has collapsed and converted into a mini market by petty traders.

—Paul Sanusi