LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT REFUNDS 145 FORMER SUBSCRIBERS OF EGAN HOUSING ESTATE
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- Commissioner tours trouble areas in Lekki
By Oyebola Owolabi
Lagos State will build a bigger drainage collector in the Agungi area of Lekki to beat the perennial flooding and bring relief to residents.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab stated this yesterday after an assessment tour of flooded areas following the 48-hour non-stop rain.
The commissioner, accompanied by Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Engr. Mahmood Adegbite and others top officials of the ministry, also visited Freedom Park Road/Kusenla Junction, Alpha Beach road which had similar issues. According to him, men of the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang (EFAG) were deployed in the rain to clear the collector of debris for storm water to flow freely.
Wahab identified a minor encroachment along Alfa Beach, behind the James Hope University, where a blockage was discovered. He said full excavation will start from Alpha Beach to Conservation Road from Saturday. He added that the new collector at Agungi Road is one of the several which the government will build to address perennial flooding in the identified areas.
He said: “We have agreed that Agungi needs a new collector that will take water from the road into the lagoon. The current collector is too small to serve the volume of storm water on that stretch so we will build a bigger one. We will also partner the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to raise the road level after the collector has been built.”
The commissioner recalled that the flooding issue on System 156 (Upstream) Alpha Beach Road has been a recurring problem, but stressed that excavation of the canal will begin immediately.
He, however, berated residents for contributing to the problem by blocking System 156 with indiscriminate structures. He said the government will not allow people destroy public infrastructure in the name of making profit.
“Like we have always said, human detrimental habits also contribute to blocked drainages and canals causing flooding. People have built on System 156 thus blocking the flow of water. But the government will continue to ramp up enforcement operations to reclaim setbacks and drainage alignments towards preventing flooding.
“We also appeal to residents to become whistle blowers. We cannot be everywhere but when you see an infraction in your area, do not keep quiet, call us and we will move to correct it so we can all enjoy the environment.
“People are used to bad behavioral patterns and cannot stop overnight, but government and its agencies will join forces to stop these actions by enforcing our laws,” he added.
