The Lagos State Government on Wednesday appealed for understanding of residents of the state as it ramps efforts to free up clogged drains and mop up floods that have taken over many streets and roads across the state, urging them not to panic or resort to panicky measures.
In a statement signed by the State Commissioner for The Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, the State assured the residents that succour will soon come as it 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.
According to a statement by the spokesman of the Ministry, Adekunle Adeshina, 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 in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area and Ipodo in Ikeja Local Government Area.
He explained that engineers and top officials of the Ministry have also gone round the state in the last three months to ascertain the true state of all primary, secondary and tertiary drains and compiled a report which is part of what will serve as guide to future steps
He said in addition and to make the data so gathered more inclusive, the Ministry also released a phone number to the public to send in picture about the state of the environment in their neighbourhoods and that the response has been very overwhelming.
He appealed to the people to desist 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.
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.
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 said the poor state of the drainage system has also affected the road networks despite the continuous rehabilitation of the roads by the State Public Works Bureau, re-echoing the promise of the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, that massive rehabilitation of the roads will commence immediately the rains subsided.
