LASG Reiterates Commitment to Sustainable Flood Management
Kehinde Adeleye
The Lagos State Government on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to expanding capacity and delivering resilient infrastructure across the city to provide a lasting solution to flooding challenges.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, stated this during a recent television interview, noting that in the past two years, the Ministry had cleaned over 50 kilometres of secondary collectors and dredged or maintained about 30 primary channels across the state.
Referring to the recent torrential rainfall in Lagos, which lasted over 14 hours and affected parts of Ikorodu, Wahab said immediate remedial measures were implemented.
He explained, “What happened in Ikorodu was that the contractor was already on site and construction was ongoing. He didn’t anticipate such heavy rainfall. When it began, the government appealed to him to open the downstream sector so that the stormwater could recede and residents could return to their normal lives.”
Wahab further noted that as early as March, NIMEX had issued a forecast, prompting the Ministry to begin extensive public awareness campaigns in April. In the last three months, Lagosians were briefed five times and informed that this year’s rainfall would exceed last year’s levels.
Based on these predictions, residents in low-lying areas such as Agboyi, Agiliti, Itowolo, and Ajegunle were advised to temporarily relocate to higher ground until floodwaters recede.
The Commissioner added that the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang (EFAG) had cleared about 666,000 drainage systems and manholes across all LGAs and LCDAs throughout the year.
He stressed that climate change is a real and pressing issue, pointing out that in recent weeks, countries unaccustomed to flooding have experienced similar challenges.
Recalling that drainage contracts were awarded in 2024 and work had since commenced, Wahab said such projects typically take 18 to 24 months to complete due to their technical complexity.
“These drainage constructions take time to finish, and we cannot compromise quality. If experts say a contract will take 24 months, we will allow it to run its full course while still implementing temporary measures to control flooding, such as installing pumping stations across Lagos Island,” he explained.
Wahab revealed that drainage construction is ongoing in Ikorodu and other areas, including System 44 in Lekki, System 44A, and System 1 (Odo-Iyalaro), which involves three phases from Ikeja, behind Sheraton, under the new Opebi bridge, to the confluence where water flows into the lagoon.
“In summary, we anticipated the rains and put resilient measures in place. Advocacy efforts are ongoing, and the present administration remains committed to increasing drainage infrastructure across the state,” he said.
