Flood: Lagos Government Tells Residents Of Ketu, Mile12, Others To Relocate

Lagos State Government has convened a assembly of all vital stakeholders to assess the nation’s preparedness for any eventuality over the ravaging large flooding throughout the states of the federation.

The nation has, however, directed all applicable enforcement hands of the kingdom to step up their supervisory roles to include any eventuality.

The state of affairs which has elicited renewed fears amongst citizens of the country became convened at the directives of the kingdom Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, briefing newsmen on the cease of the assembly, over the weekend, stated the stakeholders got here up with a decision that even as Lagos isn’t definitely immune from flooding, the country will preserve to successfully control its state of affairs with out posing danger to lives and assets of citizens.

According to Bello, “now’s the time for all enforcement hands of the country to step up their supervisory roles.”

He said that the enforcement effect have to be felt through recalcitrant humans and establishments who’ve defied authorities and constructed systems on drainage alignments, flood plains and coffee mendacity regions now extra than ever before.

Bello introduced that no matter the truth that Lagos is a coastal metropolis with nearly one 1/3 of its overall landmass beneathneath water, what it stories after every bout of heavy rainfalls is flash flooding on the way to recede few hours after the cessation of such rainfalls.

The commissioner, who expressed sympathy with sufferers who’ve suffered any shape of losses because of the superiority of flooding, throughout the states, stated Lagos is continuously tracking the Ogun River which flows immediately into the Lagos Lagoon.

Directs citizens of river banks to relocate

The commissioner, therefore, stated that due to the ultra-modern development, citizens of all recognized regions like: Ketu, Alapere, Agric, Owode onirin, Ajegunle, Alagbole, Kara, Isheri olowora, Araromi Otun orisha community, Agiliti, Maidan, Mile 12, Odo ogun, Owode elede, Agboyi 1, Agboyi II, Agboyi III that are banks to the Ogun River had been alerted to be prepared to relocate at any given time.

He pressured that citizens fail to comprehend that the placement and area of Lagos State at the map makes the country’s Lagoon the convergence factor of all water from the Ogun River, Ona Ibu River, Osun River, Sasha River that runs throughout many South West States.

Bello, defined that the country is likewise operating in live performance with the Ogun Oshun River Basin Development Authority to make certain that rain water releases that byskip via the Oyan Dam have a minimum bad effect at the citizens.

The commissioner, reiterated that the kingdom, via the Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources has launched into big dredging and cleansing of all number one and secondary creditors throughout the country.

‘This is similarly to production of latest channels in addition to deployment of the fast reaction Emergency Flood Abatement Gang to loose up manholes and black spots all to make certain that the drains carry out at optimal capability that allows you to include runoffs,” he said.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary withinside the Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Engineer Nurudeen Shodeinde confident citizens that the country authorities “is upping the ante” in phrases of its preparedness on a 24 hour basis.

He recounseled Governor Sanwo-Olu for continually offering the economic wherewithal to the ministry which has enabled it actualise lots of its plans and programme to make certain a flood unfastened Lagos.

Flash flooding alert

He additionally stated different citizens dwelling alongside most important drainage channels of System 1 to 169 spherical the country need to additionally be cautious of the outcomes of flash flooding.

He recalled that some days regions ago, regions like Oko Oba, Abbatoir and Aboru in Alimosho have been flooded after a 2 hour rainfall which had an depth that had now no longer been witnessed withinside the remaining 30 years because of weather change.

He pressured that such one off rainfall of unheard of depth have to be anticipated at the prevailing duration and must be organized for.

He stated the Seasonal Rainfall Pattern for 2022 launched in advance withinside the 12 months through the Nigerian Metrological Services NIMET had expected that the height of the resurgent rainfall for the 12 months might be in October.

Bello, stated Lagos can be at risk of risks of flooding with the periodic launch of rain water from Oyan Dam through the managers, the Ogun Oshun River Basin Development Authority to keep the sanctity of the dam and which might also additionally boom the extent of water of the lagoon.