Floods: Lagos begins dredging of major canals, drains

Disturbed by the frequent cases of flooding expe­rienced in some parts of the state, the Lagos State Government has commenced dredging of major canals across the 57 local govern­ments and local council development areas.

The government, which also frowned at the rate some residents dump refuse in the ca­nals and major drainage channels in the state, said it would prosecute any one caught in the act of improper waste dis­posal.

Speaking with jour­nalists while inspect­ing the dredging of the canals and de-silting of some major drains across the state, the Per­manent Secretary, Office of Drainage in the state Ministry of the Envi­ronment, Engr Ayodeji Adenekan said stringent measures would be taken against residents found dumping refuse in the canals and other drain channels.

Adenekan blamed the flash floods recorded in some parts of the state on blockage of the drains by refuse, saying that refuse dumped in the drains hinders free flow of water.

He explained that what is usually expe­rienced whenever it rained is flash flood that later subsided.

He appealed to the residents and motorists to be patient as govern­ment was doing every­thing possible to address the problem.

Speaking on the peren­nial flooding on Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Is­land, Adenekan said the drains on the road are adequate, saying the in­tensity of rainfall expe­rienced was responsible for flooding.

He, however, noted that such flood was a flash one as it subsided few minutes after the rain.

Some of the drainage dredging projects in­spected include, System 1 Ikeja, Kobiti-Mushin, Itire, Oduselu-Mushin water collector among others.

He added that govern­ment might be forced to deploy Kick Against In­discipline officers to the major canals and drain­age channels across the state to monitor and en­sure that nobody dumps refuse in the drainage channels.

His words: “When there is need to draft KAI to the area, we will draft them there. We are going to construct fence around them. Normally for any drainage chan­nel, there is a right of way, which serves as distance from the canal that one can develop. So, we are going to put up barricade along some of those canals. But as you know all these things will cost money. As we have fund, we will barri­cade them as necessary.”

Adenekan reiterated the need for residents of low-line areas to tempo­rarily relocate to avert flood related disaster.

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