In the wake of massive flooding which has taken over most of the roads in the state, the Lagos State Government has appealed to residents to bear with it as efforts are being made to free up clogged drains and mop up the flood.
The State Commissioner for The Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, in a statement on Wednesday urged residents not to panic or resort to panicky measures assuring that succor will soon come as the state is deploying more flood abatement gangs to major trouble spots to free manholes and some clogged up drains to compliment the major contractors handling the cleaning up of major drains.
Bello explained that that engineers and top officials of the Ministry have gone round the state in the last three months to ascertain the state of all primary, secondary and tertiary drains and have compiled a report which would serve as part of the guide to future steps in handling the flood issue.
The commissioner appealed to the people to refrain from dumping refuse into the drains, adding that de-silting of the drains have been compounded by the activities of residents who have turned many major drainage channels into refuse dumps.
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He also reiterated the warning issued to all property owners who have built on set backs of drainage channels or drainage alignments to remove all such structures as they constitute major impediments to free flow of water into the various drainage channels.
Meanwhile, Bello listed some areas that have experienced the palliative measures of the abatement gangs to include Fred Anyiam and Femi Ayantuga Street in Surulere Local Government, Car Wash area in Egbe Idimu Local Council Development Area, Magregor Canal in Obalende LCDA, Ago Palace Way in Oshodi Isolo LCDA, Festac Extension n Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area and Ipodo in Ikeja Local Government Area.
Bello emphasized that the Ministry in conjunction with other agencies will ensure that the residents of the state do not experience a repeat of the flooding of the roads, streets and homes brought about by the near total neglect of the maintenance of the drainage channels in the last three years anymore.
He lamented that the poor state of the drainage system has affected the road networks despite the continuous rehabilitation of the roads by the State Public Works Bureau.
He however, reiterated the promise of the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu that massive rehabilitation of the roads will commence as soon as the rains subsided.
