The Lagos State Government on Wednesday warned residents of the state to expect more violent storms this year.
The Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, who disclosed this at a town hall meeting, urged Lagosians to join forces with the government to minimise the impact of the storm.
Bello said the state was alerted of the impending violent storms by its in-house scientists.
He said: “If we all work together, we can minimise the impact of weather change in our state.
“We are expecting heavy rains this year, with wind and storm.
“Our experts told us that the rains would be heavier than that of last year.
“We will let you know anytime we are going to have storm.
“Nowhere is safe, but we can minimise the impact if we all work together and clean our environment.”
Bello who warned residents of the state to desist from throwing their filth into drainages, added: “Don’t forget that rivers in Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti empty their waters into Lagos lagoon.
“Now, the Atlantic Ocean has risen alarmingly, so much that it is difficult for the lagoon to empty its water into the ocean.
“This is what we face in Lagos.
“This state is the most vulnerable because it is below the sea level.”
The state Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule, wondered why people flagrantly abuse the environment by dumping refuse indiscriminately, defecating and urinating in the open and trampling on green areas.
Fashola said: “I therefore emphasise the state governments zero tolerance for all forms of environmental abuses.
“Thus whoever indulges in such behaviour, whether high or low, wealthy or poor is considered an enemy of the state.
“We cannot allow our efforts of four years to be thwarted by those who have constituted themselves into a clog in the wheel of progress.”