Lagos State Government said on Saturday that it has intensified efforts to clear the drainage channels and construct canals to avert flooding disaster in the state.
Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello gave the assurance, at the January edition of the monthly Environmental sanitation exercise monitored in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Development Area. He appealed to residents of the state not to panic over the persistent heavy rainfall and the attendant flooding.
He said the government has put in place measures to curtail effects of flood in the state.
“In the last two years, the state has not witnessed any major flood case. And it is due to the efforts of the people and the relevant agencies. What we did last year, we will do more this year. We have pre, mid and post rain cleaning. We will sustain that. Our plans are already on ground. And we are ready to work towards it.
“We have started the cleaning and we have deployed all the relevant agencies especially Emergency Flood Abatement Department. You will begin to see some of them on the road. So we will intensify on that. In the next few weeks, we will commence major de-silting of the drainage and canals in the state”.
On the issue of water hyacinth on Lagos canals he said it is a seasonal thing, saying the state government is trying to examine the new technology that is available to tackle water hyacinth.
The commissioner warned traders erecting structures beside the road sides to desist, saying the state government has zero tolerance for such unwholesome development in the state. This is a New Year I want to appeal to residents that they should clean their drainage and tidy up their surroundings. We need to be positive and mobilize ourselves to respond to our environmental challenges,”.
Bello urged the residents to participate actively during sanitation exercise by cleaning their houses and their community.
