The Lagos State Government has alerted residents that the State will experience more heavy rainfalls from the end of this month, but assures them that it has intensified measures to minimise the impact.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello who made this known in Alausa Ikeja, said
that one of the new measures put in place to combat flash flooding is the provision of pumping stations with a pilot one being planned for Ilubirin on Lagos Island.
Promising that major flood prone areas in the State that are natural buffers to the lagoon like Isheri and its environs, Owode and, Agboyi Ketu would also benefit, Mr. Bello explained that the pumping stations would ensure quick pumping out of water from flooded neighbourhoods and reduce risk of damages to properties.
According to him, work is ongoing on more than 200 secondary channels with over 80 percent in various stages of completion just as 46 primary Channels are presently receiving various forms of attention.
Relying on data from the Nigerian Hydrological Services, the Commissioner said the months of July, August, September and October also known as JASO months signify heavy rainfall, flooding and flood disasters in most parts of the Country.
He said the management of the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority has also commenced staggered release of water from the Oyan Dam, with 8 to 10 Million cubic meters being released in August, which would increase to 18 million in September and 23 million cubic meters in October and appealed to residents of low lying areas that are contiguous to the Ogun River to be alert to the possibility of their homes being flooded as water is released from the dam.
On his part, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Drainage and Water Resources, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, maintained that the effort to contain flood was the responsibility of everyone and should not be left to Government alone.
He enjoined Lagosians to collaborate with the Government by cleaning the drainages in their frontages and to desist from Indiscriminate dumping of refuse, warning that environmental enforcement agents have been empowered to arrest and prosecute sanitation offenders.
Olaoluwa Adekunle
