We’ll continue to collaborate, seek new ways to combat flood — Lagos

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said it will continually seek collaboration and embark on new innovations to rid the state of flood in the year 2022.

This was made known by the Special Adviser on Drainage and Water Resources, Engr. Joe Igbokwe, on Monday.

Igbokwe, who spoke during a one-day review of Year 2021 Seasonal Climate Prediction for Lagos State, held in NECA House, Alausa, said the event was organised to assess the impact of God’s given gift: “The Rain,” on the social, economical and mental activities of Lagosians.

The Special Adviser, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Olalekan Shodeinde, said the SCP is an annual product of Nigerian Meteorological Agency in which information of expected rainfall pattern for the year is released to prepare various sectors of the state to plan ahead and strategise.

He said it became necessary to review the Year 2021 SCP in anticipation of the Year 2022 prediction and celebrate achievements, and seek improved ways to undertake the obstacles that were recorded in the in the new year.

“Reviewing the Year 2021 SCP will afford us self assessment especially in the Global Climate Change Era and the challenges it poses; it is especially necessary due to its impact which is mostly felt at the communal level, which comprise already vulnerable individuals,” he said.

Igbokwe said the State was open to new partnerships and improved synergy with relevant organisations, adding that these collaborations were expected to improve the knowledge base as well as bring forth new ideas in the technology used in combating flooding in the state.

In a presentation on the action implemented by Lagos State on 2021 SCP flood mitigation, Shodeinde, represented by the Director, Drainage Enforcement and Compliance, Engr. Mahmood Adegbite, noted that the Ministry embarked on awareness among the general public and stakeholders to increase preparedness for the rainy season in order to avert incidences of loss of lives and properties due to flooding.

He said the states is constantly improving on repair and maintenance of drainage systems and will also establish its own network of Weather Stations, explaining that the state government ensured flood was promptly curtailed through the Ministry by empowering Resident Engineers to attend to all flooding matters in the 57 LGAs/LCDAs of the State.

He reiterated that all stakeholders, including the Lagos State Government and Ogun-Oshun River Basin Authority, have always synergised to design and maintain timely release of water from Oyan dam, urging media practitioners and members of the public to avoid false alarms when flash floods occur, as they are temporal and will drain off.

He said proactively, the Ministry deployed the services of Emergency Flood Abatement Gang throughout Year 2021, which was divided into three semesters of Pre, Mid and Post rainy season to reduce flooding incidents.

According to him, a total of 72km and 289.08km Lengths of Primary and Secondary Drainage Channels respectively were cleared and maintained during the year in review and more hydraulic structures were constructed to mitigate flooding, while some are still under construction.

In his goodwill message, the representative of the Director General, NIMET, Mailadi Yusuf, said it is important for all states in the country to pay more attention to the weather and climate that prevail in their various communities from time to time.

Yusuf stressed that everyone is aware of how climate change has affected all in various ways and dimensions adding that three glaring ways can be used to indicate how the climate crisis impacts on human lives, which are environment, health and food.

He urged all residents to pay more attention to the advisories issued by NiMet and partner with the Agency to adequately disseminate to all stakeholders so that extreme weather events being witnessed across the globe can be prepared for and possibly averted.

He commended the Lagos State Government for the initiative, adding the programme was the first of its kind in Nigeria, calling on other states to emulate and take necessary action to avert flooding in their states.