3rd June, 2024
Residents of Mende in Lagos are hopeful that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will fulfill his electoral promise to provide water transportation facilities and improve channelization projects in the area.
Speaking to the media, some residents expressed their anticipation for the governor to commence work on the waterways transportation, pledging their support once the project begins.
Mende residents also assured Sanwo-Olu that they would actively publicize the project once work is underway.
It was gathered that the dredger for dredging brought to the site is not capable of handling the job, however the residents are waiting and watching what they plan to do at the site if truly the government is genuinely committed to do the work .
“Our visibility study shows that they are not doing anything at the site but we are watching and monitoring the situation”, the residents said.
Previously, residents lamented the lackadaisical approach to these projects, which has fueled concerns about neglect and perennial flooding.
“We are concerned about the government’s commitment to fulfilling its promise,” they stated.
They expressed fears that poor implementation of channelization could exacerbate environmental problems and urged the government to prioritize these projects to improve water transportation and prevent further suffering.
Residents also called for regular supervision from the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure to ensure efficient project completion.
A community leader in Mende who craved anonymity urged civil society platforms advocating for good governance to support the prioritization of channelization projects to enhance Lagos State’s water transportation system.
“We haven’t asked for much. Governor Sanwo-Olu promised to dredge the waterways in our area and make water transportation accessible and affordable. It’s disheartening that the government usually forgets that the masses need basic amenities,” a statement from the residents read.
They urged the government to fulfill its promises and address the shortcomings in the implementation of channelization projects without further delay.
Recall that the Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) had called on Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to monitor ongoing dredging projects in the state.
The President of the CHSR, Mr Alex Omotehinse, who made the call at a news conference in Lagos, urged Sanwo-Olu to take a cue from former government Babatunde Fashola who was always visiting project sites unannounced.