5th January, 2012
The Lagos State Government has alerted the populace to expect heavier rainfall this year and has begun intensive preparation to ensure a flood-free Lagos.
Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello said experts had predicted that heavier rainfall should be expected in 2012 in Lagos State, South West Nigeria.
“As such, as a responsible and proactive government, the time to act and commence serious work is now, given the prediction of experts that the rainfall in 2012will be much heavier,†he stated.
The commissioner said that Lagosians could not forget in a hurry, the sad experiences of the severe flooding of 10 July, 2011, which ordinarily would have consumed the state if not for the effective drainage system put in place by the State Government.
However, to ensure a flood free Lagos in 2012, the Ministry of the Environment through the Office of Drainage Services has begun its all year round drainage cleaning and maintenance programme.
According to Bello, the Ministry had drawn out a holistic monthly cleaning and maintenance programme packaged to desilt drainage channels across the 57 local Government Councils and Development Areas in the state.
According to Mr. Tunji Bello, a comprehensive monthly maintenance and cleaning programme has been put in place for the entire 57 Local Government Council and Development Areas in the state in order to ensure that the incidence of flooding is completely reduced in the state, irrespective of the fact that Lagos is a coastal city.
He also explained that while this cleaning and maintenance exercise was ongoing and would last throughout the year, the state government would continue to dredge and line earth channels to facilitate easy access and further maintenance programme in the state.
The commissioner revealed that the ministry would also embark on massive public enlightenment campaign to educate the people on what they need to do to reduce the incidence of flooding and enhance public safety.
“The incidence of flooding is a global phenomenon that is not peculiar to Lagos alone. Lagosians should cooperate with the state government in its concerted effort to fight flood, by properly disposing their waste into designated areas and desist from dumping refuse into canals, as well as refrain from erecting structures along drainage channels.
“We, on our part, in the Ministry of the Environment, will ensure that our drains are clean at all times, while lagosians should ensure that the drains in their frontages are clean at all times so that they can effectively discharge into our canals,†he added.
In view of this, he said Office of Drainage Services had commenced the cleaning of drains in areas such as Adekunle Fajuyi Road, Ikeja; Works Road, GRA Ikeja; Kodesoh Road, Ikeja; Simpson Street, Lagos Island, and Sandgrouse Street, Lagos Island.
Other areas currently being cleaned include, Lanre Awolokun Street, Shomolu; College Road, Ifako; Arowojobe Street, Oshodi; Agric/Oja Road, Ikorodu; Gemini/Coker; Surulere; Adeniji Adele Road (both sides), Lagos Island and Ogunmokun Street, Mushin.
The drains to be cleaned in January in Agege Local Government are Adealu Street collector, Elere channel and Trapezoidal Katangowa/Oko Oba Canal and Akilo Road.
Drains to be cleared in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government in January are Mba/Cardoso Street, Tolu Road, Arakan collector, Osho Drive Collector, Ogunniyi Collector, Alafia Street Collector Tin Can/Coconut Collector Drain.
In Alimosho Local Government, drains to be cleaned include Ishefun Road, Potokun Collector Drain, Karimu Laka Collector-Bamisile Road, Jimoh Akinremi Road off Akowonjo, Shasha Akowonjo Road Collector, Akowonjo/Egbeda (Isheri/ Igando), Road Collector Drain (Mosan), Mosan Collector Channel, Command Road, Abaranje Collector Drain.
In Amuwo Odofin Local Goverrnment the following drains are to be cleaned in January 2012: Ijegun Road Collector Drain, 24 Road Collector Festac Road Rainbow Junction/Apple Junction/Festac Link bridge, Eko Akete Drain, Trade Fair Collector, Road 21 Drain, 22 Road Collector and 5th Avenue Collector Drain, among others.
In Badagry Local Government, the Ministry is to clean the following drains in January 2012: Samuel Ekundayo Itoga drain, Palace Road Itoga, Y. Junction-Wanel Street drain and Badagry Market Road Drain.
Kazeem Ugbodaga