LASG Moves To End Flooding With Major Drainage Projects

By Mohammed Adekola

The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to combating the perennial problem of flooding through the restoration of drainage right-of-ways and the construction of durable infrastructure. Speaking during an inspection tour on Sunday, July 6, 2025, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, assessed the ongoing 4.2-kilometre concrete drainage works spanning Ikeja and Kosofe local government areas.

Wahab disclosed that the project, awarded in 2024, is being executed in phases, with the Sheraton-to-Ojota section already 45% completed. He explained that the System 1 project includes three channels—from Ogba, behind Sheraton, and through Maryland—with a major confluence point under the new Maryland bridge. The drainage, designed as a 25-meter-wide trapezoidal channel, is expected to significantly improve stormwater discharge in flood-prone areas.

He noted improved feedback from residents since the onset of the rainy season, attributing it to the state’s year-round drainage maintenance efforts. During the visit, Wahab also ordered enforcement actions against illegal structures along the Adisa Balogun Channel in Agboyi Ketu LCDA and directed notices be served to residents contributing to waste dumping around the Ogudu area.

Addressing environmental sustainability, the commissioner reaffirmed the government’s stance on enforcing the ban on single-use plastics (SUPs), revealing that enforcement had commenced across markets in both the Island and Mainland. He emphasized that advocacy and public sensitization through traditional and digital media would continue alongside the crackdown.