- Flood Control Remains Top Priority for Lagos State – Wahab
- Wahab noted that the Maryland Mende Arowojobe area had previously been prone to flooding
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The Lagos State Government on Sunday reiterated its dedication to tackling the issue of flooding by restoring drainage rights of way and implementing resilient infrastructure across the city.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, shared this during a media briefing following an inspection tour of the ongoing 4.2 kilometre concrete drainage projects spanning Ikeja and Kosofe Local Government Areas.
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Wahab noted that the project, awarded in 2024, will be executed in phases. He stated that the section from Sheraton to Ojota is currently 45 percent complete, with the entire project expected to be finished within 24 months.
He also explained that the trapezoidal drain, which spans 25 meters, will discharge into the downstream channel beneath the new bridge in the Maryland area.
According to Wahab, since the start of this year’s rainy season, the feedback from residents across the state has been very encouraging. He attributed this to the ongoing year round efforts in cleaning and dredging the drainage and canal systems.
He further noted that another section of the project is at the Ogudu Sheet Piling area, described as the most critical part. He stated that the contractor had been instructed to ensure all necessary sheet piles are on ground before beginning installation.
“Now there are three legs to the Odo Iyalaro (System 1) project, one is coming from Ogba, another is behind Sheraton and there will be a confluence around that bridge at Maryland. They will start from Sheraton Bridge back to Maryland, and there will be roads constructed on the side by the Ministry of Infrastructure, and the project is expected to be completed in another 24 months”, he said.
He noted that the Maryland Mende Arowojobe area had previously been prone to flooding, but the government has successfully removed encroachments and restored the right of way for System 1. Infrastructure has also been put in place to channel stormwater and eliminate flooding in the area.
Wahab also inspected the Adisa Balogun Channel in Agboyi Ketu LCDA after receiving anonymous reports that some individuals were attempting to build on the drainage alignment and right of way.
He directed that abatement notices be issued immediately to the property owners, instructing them to vacate the area.
“We will keep appealing to those in the habit of encroaching on the drainage right-of-way to stop, as we will not hesitate to wield the big stick when necessary”, he said.
Wahab also directed that notices be issued to some houses around the Ogudu section (Odo Iya Alaro downstream), where illegal refuse dumping was observed, ordering them to stop the unlawful activity.
According to him, “We noticed some houses are already making a makeshift dust bins around their houses; They will be served notices so they can desist; If not we would all wake up one day and just realise there is an illegal dump site around the place and we don’t want that to happen”.
He reiterated that in relation to the enforcement of the ban on single use plastics, the government had carried out extensive public awareness campaigns over the past 18 months and maintained consistent engagement with stakeholders.
He stated that enforcement, which began a few days ago, had already taken place in several markets on both the Island and the Mainland.
The Commissioner stressed that the enforcement of the ban on single use plastics would be a continuous effort, extending to all markets across the state. He added that the government would intensify its public awareness efforts through radio, television, and social media platforms.
The inspection team included the Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi Akodu; Permanent Secretary of Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji; Permanent Secretary of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite; Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin; KAI Corps Marshal, Major Olatunbosun Cole (Rtd); General Manager of LASWMO, Engr. Adefemi Afolabi; along with other directors from the Ministry and its agencies.
Locations visited by the team included System 1 (Odo Iya Alaro, Sheraton to Ojota section; Ogudu, Sheet Pile section) and the Adisa Balogun Channel in Agboyi Ketu
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