The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, on Tuesday appealed to residents of the state to desist from dumping refuse into the drainage channels.
Adejare made the appeal during his ongoing tour of flooded areas due to Sunday’s downpour in some parts of Lagos.
The tour took the commissioner, some officials in the ministry and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency to Sogunle in Ikeja, Ajiran in Lekki and Salawe/Taike in Ikosi-Ketu, among other areas.
According to Adejare, the drainage systems and channels are meant to drain water and not waste.
He said: “I am appealing to residents not to dump refuse into the drains.
“We must manage our wastes and package them well so that they do not find their way into the canals.
“Our men have been working on the canals since weekend.
“This tour is revealing that most of the flooded areas had been abused by refuse dumps, illegal structures on low lying areas, flood plains and drainage channels.”
The commissioner said the state government would embark on immediate demolition of all illegal structures along the drainage channels and alignments hampering free flow of water in the state.